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Sample records for profile analysis showed

  1. Recurrent and multiple bladder tumors show conserved expression profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindgren, David; Fioretos, Thoas; Månsson, Wiking; Höglund, Mattias; Gudjonsson, Sigurdur; Jee, Kowan Ja; Liedberg, Fredrik; Aits, Sonja; Andersson, Anna; Chebil, Gunilla; Borg, Åke; Knuutila, Sakari

    2008-01-01

    Urothelial carcinomas originate from the epithelial cells of the inner lining of the bladder and may appear as single or as multiple synchronous tumors. Patients with urothelial carcinomas frequently show recurrences after treatment making follow-up necessary. The leading hypothesis explaining the origin of meta- and synchronous tumors assumes a monoclonal origin. However, the genetic relationship among consecutive tumors has been shown to be complex in as much as the genetic evolution does not adhere to the chronological appearance of the metachronous tumors. Consequently, genetically less evolved tumors may appear chronologically later than genetically related but more evolved tumors. Forty-nine meta- or synchronous urothelial tumors from 22 patients were analyzed using expression profiling, conventional CGH, LOH, and mutation analyses. We show by CGH that partial chromosomal losses in the initial tumors may not be present in the recurring tumors, by LOH that different haplotypes may be lost and that detected regions of LOH may be smaller in recurring tumors, and that mutations present in the initial tumor may not be present in the recurring ones. In contrast we show that despite apparent genomic differences, the recurrent and multiple bladder tumors from the same patients display remarkably similar expression profiles. Our findings show that even though the vast majority of the analyzed meta- and synchronous tumors from the same patients are not likely to have originated directly from the preceding tumor they still show remarkably similar expressions profiles. The presented data suggests that an expression profile is established early in tumor development and that this profile is stable and maintained in recurring tumors

  2. Major urinary protein (MUP) profiles show dynamic changes rather than individual 'barcode' signatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoß, M; Luzynski, K C; Ante, M; Miller, I; Penn, D J

    2015-06-30

    House mice ( Mus musculus) produce a variable number of major urinary proteins (MUPs), and studies suggest that each individual produces a unique MUP profile that provides a distinctive odor signature controlling individual and kin recognition. This 'barcode hypothesis' requires that MUP urinary profiles show high individual variability within populations and also high individual consistency over time, but tests of these assumptions are lacking. We analyzed urinary MUP profiles of 66 wild-caught house mice from eight populations using isoelectric focusing. We found that MUP profiles of wild male house mice are not individually unique, and though they were highly variable, closer inspection revealed that the variation strongly depended on MUP band type. The prominent ('major) bands were surprisingly homogenous (and hence most MUPs are not polymorphic), but we also found inconspicuous ('minor') bands that were highly variable and therefore potential candidates for individual fingerprints. We also examined changes in urinary MUP profiles of 58 males over time (from 6 to 24 weeks of age), and found that individual MUP profiles and MUP concentration were surprisingly dynamic, and showed significant changes after puberty and during adulthood. Contrary to what we expected, however, the minor bands were the most variable over time, thus no good candidates for individual fingerprints. Although MUP profiles do not provide individual fingerprints, we found that MUP profiles were more similar among siblings than non-kin despite considerable fluctuation. Our findings show that MUP profiles are not highly stable over time, they do not show strong individual clustering, and thus challenge the barcode hypothesis. Within-individual dynamics of MUP profiles indicate a different function of MUPs in individual recognition than previously assumed and advocate an alternative hypothesis ('dynamic changes' hypothesis).

  3. Major urinary protein (MUP) profiles show dynamic changes rather than individual ‘barcode’ signatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoß, M.; Luzynski, K.C.; Ante, M.; Miller, I.; Penn, D.J.

    2016-01-01

    House mice (Mus musculus) produce a variable number of major urinary proteins (MUPs), and studies suggest that each individual produces a unique MUP profile that provides a distinctive odor signature controlling individual and kin recognition. This ‘barcode hypothesis’ requires that MUP urinary profiles show high individual variability within populations and also high individual consistency over time, but tests of these assumptions are lacking. We analyzed urinary MUP profiles of 66 wild-caught house mice from eight populations using isoelectric focusing. We found that MUP profiles of wild male house mice are not individually unique, and though they were highly variable, closer inspection revealed that the variation strongly depended on MUP band type. The prominent (‘major) bands were surprisingly homogenous (and hence most MUPs are not polymorphic), but we also found inconspicuous (‘minor’) bands that were highly variable and therefore potential candidates for individual fingerprints. We also examined changes in urinary MUP profiles of 58 males over time (from 6 to 24 weeks of age), and found that individual MUP profiles and MUP concentration were surprisingly dynamic, and showed significant changes after puberty and during adulthood. Contrary to what we expected, however, the minor bands were the most variable over time, thus no good candidates for individual fingerprints. Although MUP profiles do not provide individual fingerprints, we found that MUP profiles were more similar among siblings than non-kin despite considerable fluctuation. Our findings show that MUP profiles are not highly stable over time, they do not show strong individual clustering, and thus challenge the barcode hypothesis. Within-individual dynamics of MUP profiles indicate a different function of MUPs in individual recognition than previously assumed and advocate an alternative hypothesis (‘dynamic changes’ hypothesis). PMID:26973837

  4. Steroid profiling in doping analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kerkhof, Daniël Henri van de

    2001-01-01

    Profiling androgens in urine samples is used in doping analysis for the detection of abused steroids of endogenous origin. These profiling techniques were originally developed for the analysis of testosterone, mostly by means of the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E ratio). A study was

  5. First experiences of full-profile analysis with GUISDAP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. S. Lehtinen

    Full Text Available In this paper we summarize the theory behind full-profile analysis of IS measurements and report first practical experiences with the GUISDAP (Grand Unified Incoherent Scatter Design and Analysis Package system designed to perform full-profile analysis of any IS measurements efficiently. By fitting whole plasma parameter profiles over the ionosphere, instead of point values of the parameters supposed to be approximately constant over small range intervals, full-profile analysis is free of underlying assumptions about the slow variation of the plasma parameters as a function of range. We define full-profile analysis as a mathematical inversion problem formalism and explain how it differs from the traditional gated analysis. Moreover, we study the bias introduced to traditional analysis results using realistic model ionospheres. By applying the full-profile method to data generated from the model ionospheres, we demonstrate that full-profile analysis is free from this kind of bias. Lastly, an example of analysis of real data by full-profile and gated analyses is shown.

  6. First experiences of full-profile analysis with GUISDAP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. S. Lehtinen

    1996-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we summarize the theory behind full-profile analysis of IS measurements and report first practical experiences with the GUISDAP (Grand Unified Incoherent Scatter Design and Analysis Package system designed to perform full-profile analysis of any IS measurements efficiently. By fitting whole plasma parameter profiles over the ionosphere, instead of point values of the parameters supposed to be approximately constant over small range intervals, full-profile analysis is free of underlying assumptions about the slow variation of the plasma parameters as a function of range. We define full-profile analysis as a mathematical inversion problem formalism and explain how it differs from the traditional gated analysis. Moreover, we study the bias introduced to traditional analysis results using realistic model ionospheres. By applying the full-profile method to data generated from the model ionospheres, we demonstrate that full-profile analysis is free from this kind of bias. Lastly, an example of analysis of real data by full-profile and gated analyses is shown.

  7. Individual Profiling Using Text Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-15

    AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2016-0011 Individual Profiling using Text Analysis 140333 Mark Stevenson UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY Final...REPORT TYPE      Final 3.  DATES COVERED (From - To)      15 Sep 2014 to 14 Sep 2015 4.  TITLE AND SUBTITLE Individual Profiling using Text Analysis ...consisted of collections of tweets for a number of Twitter users whose gender, age and personality scores are known. The task was to construct some system

  8. Analysis of Proximate and Protein Profile of Kefir from Fermented Goat and Cow Milk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erwin Hidayat

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to analyze the characteristics of proximate and protein profile in kefir from fermented goat milk and cow milk with different concentration of kefir grains. The research design was true experimental with Completely Randomized Design (CRD of 3 repetitions. The research procedures consisted of kefir production, proximate analysis and protein profile characterization. Proximate assay result was analyzed by using LSD, whereas the protein profile was analyzed by descriptive qualitative method. Based on the analysis of kefir proximate levels, the kefir grain (5% showed the highest proximate level of both kefirs from goat milk and cow milk. The analysis of protein profile of cow milk kefir showed 75 kDa of protein ribbon, while the goat milk kefir showed 48 kDa, 60 kDa and 75 kDa. Therefore it can be concluded that the proximate level of goat and cow milk kefir with different concentration of kefir grains showed significant differences in the nutrition content as well as its protein profiles.Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah menganalisis karakteristik proksimat dan profil protein pada kefir hasil fermentasi susu kambing dan susu sapi dengan konsentrasi biji kefir yang berbeda-beda. Penelitian ini adalah eksperimen murni, dengan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL 3 kali ulangan. Prosedur penelitian meliputi pembuatan kefir, analisis proksimat dan profil protein. Data hasil proksimat dianalisi uji BNT, sedangkan profil protein dianalisis deskriptif kualitatif. Berdasarkan analisis kadar proksimat kefir, kefir grains 5% menunjukan kadar proksimat paling tinggi baik pada kefir susu kambing dan susu sapi. Sedangkan analisis profil protein kefir susu sapi menunjukan pita protein 75 kDa, pada kefir susu kambing yaitu 48 kDa, 60 kDa dan 75 kDa. Simpulan dari penelitian ini bahwa kadar proksimat kefir susu kambing dan susu sapi dengan konsentrasi kefir grains yang berbeda menunjukan perbedaan kandungan yang berbeda secara signifikan dengan

  9. Diagnose Test-Taker's Profile in Terms of Core Profile Patterns: Principal Component (PC) vs. Profile Analysis via MDS (PAMS) Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Se-Kang; Davison, Mark L.

    A study was conducted to examine how principal components analysis (PCA) and Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) can be used to diagnose individuals observed score profiles in terms of core profile patterns identified by each method. The standardization sample from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition…

  10. Ingredient classification according to the digestible amino acid profile: an exploratory analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DE Faria Filho

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed: 1 to classify ingredients according to the digestible amino acid (AA profile; 2 to determine ingredients with AA profile closer to the ideal for broiler chickens; and 3 to compare digestible AA profiles from simulated diets with the ideal protein profile. The digestible AA levels of 30 ingredients were compiled from the literature and presented as percentages of lysine according to the ideal protein concept. Cluster and principal component analyses (exploratory analyses were used to compose and describe groups of ingredients according to AA profiles. Four ingredient groups were identified by cluster analysis, and the classification of the ingredients within each of these groups was obtained from a principal component analysis, showing 11 classes of ingredients with similar digestible AA profiles. The ingredients with AA profiles closer to the ideal protein were meat and bone meal 45, fish meal 60 and wheat germ meal, all of them constituting Class 1; the ingredients from the other classes gradually diverged from the ideal protein. Soybean meal, which is the main protein source for poultry, showed good AA balance since it was included in Class 3. On the contrary, corn, which is the main energy source in poultry diets, was classified in Class 8. Dietary AA profiles were improved when corn and/or soybean meal were partially or totally replaced in the simulations by ingredients with better AA balance.

  11. Polysome Profile Analysis - Yeast

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pospíšek, M.; Valášek, Leoš Shivaya

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 530, č. 2013 (2013), s. 173-181 ISSN 0076-6879 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : grow yeast cultures * polysome profile analysis * sucrose density gradient centrifugation Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.194, year: 2013

  12. Network-based analysis of proteomic profiles

    KAUST Repository

    Wong, Limsoon

    2016-01-26

    Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics is a widely used and powerful tool for profiling systems-wide protein expression changes. It can be applied for various purposes, e.g. biomarker discovery in diseases and study of drug responses. Although RNA-based high-throughput methods have been useful in providing glimpses into the underlying molecular processes, the evidences they provide are indirect. Furthermore, RNA and corresponding protein levels have been known to have poor correlation. On the other hand, MS-based proteomics tend to have consistency issues (poor reproducibility and inter-sample agreement) and coverage issues (inability to detect the entire proteome) that need to be urgently addressed. In this talk, I will discuss how these issues can be addressed by proteomic profile analysis techniques that use biological networks (especially protein complexes) as the biological context. In particular, I will describe several techniques that we have been developing for network-based analysis of proteomics profile. And I will present evidence that these techniques are useful in identifying proteomics-profile analysis results that are more consistent, more reproducible, and more biologically coherent, and that these techniques allow expansion of the detected proteome to uncover and/or discover novel proteins.

  13. Vitamin D supplementation and lipid profile: what does the best available evidence show?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Challoumas, Dimitrios

    2014-07-01

    Vitamin D supplements have increasingly been used for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. Historically, effects of the vitamin on the cardiovascular (CV) system have been proposed and demonstrated in the literature, including benefits on serum lipids. Although observational studies support an association between increased serum vitamin D levels and a favorable lipid profile, interventional studies have shown no effects. This review presents and analyzes all the related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified in the literature from 1987 to present. A systematic literature search was conducted via MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and EMBASE and, out of 19 relevant RCTs identified, only one reported benefits of vitamin D supplementation on lipid profile parameters, while the rest showed no effects or even adverse outcomes, which are highlighted by the only meta-analysis in the field. Attempts to explain the paradox of beneficial findings of observational studies versus discouraging results of interventional studies have been made and the most popular suggests that high serum vitamin D concentrations may not be the cause of good health but its outcome instead, as healthy people are more likely to stay outdoors longer and have better eating habits. For definitive answers to be given, large, well-designed RCTs need to be conducted that will take into account and adjust for dietary consumption as well as serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels, both of which have been shown to be associated with the CV system. Until then, recommendations for vitamin D supplementation should not change. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Momentum profile analysis in one-neutron knockout from Borromean nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aksyutina, Yu. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Aumann, T. [Institut fuer Kernphysik, Technische Universitaet, D-64289 Darmstadt (Germany); Boretzky, K. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Borge, M.J.G. [Instituto Estructura de la Materia, CSIC, E-28006 Madrid (Spain); Caesar, C.; Chatillon, A. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Chulkov, L.V. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Kurchatov Institute, RU-123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Cortina-Gil, D. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); University of Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Datta Pramanik, U. [Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India); Emling, H. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Fynbo, H.O.U. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); Geissel, H.; Ickert, G. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, ExtreMe Matter Institute, EMMI, D-64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Johansson, H.T. [Fundamental Fysik, Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola, S-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden); and others

    2013-01-29

    One-neutron knockout reactions from Borromean nuclei are analyzed using a profile function analysis technique. The profile function, which is derived as the square root of the variance of the measured fragment + neutron momenta as a function of their relative energy, is shown to be very sensitive to the angular momentum of the knocked out neutron. Three cases are studied here: {sup 7}He, where the profile function analysis shows a presence of (s{sub 1/2}){sup 2} component in the {sup 8}He ground-state wave-function, {sup 10}Li, where the presence of a 11(2)% d-wave contribution to the relative energy spectrum above 1.5 MeV is found and, finally, the presence of a major s contribution around 0.5 MeV relative energy in the {sup 13}Be case and that the observed decay to the {sup 12}Be 2{sup +} state originates in a d state in {sup 13}Be.

  15. MetaMeta: integrating metagenome analysis tools to improve taxonomic profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piro, Vitor C; Matschkowski, Marcel; Renard, Bernhard Y

    2017-08-14

    Many metagenome analysis tools are presently available to classify sequences and profile environmental samples. In particular, taxonomic profiling and binning methods are commonly used for such tasks. Tools available among these two categories make use of several techniques, e.g., read mapping, k-mer alignment, and composition analysis. Variations on the construction of the corresponding reference sequence databases are also common. In addition, different tools provide good results in different datasets and configurations. All this variation creates a complicated scenario to researchers to decide which methods to use. Installation, configuration and execution can also be difficult especially when dealing with multiple datasets and tools. We propose MetaMeta: a pipeline to execute and integrate results from metagenome analysis tools. MetaMeta provides an easy workflow to run multiple tools with multiple samples, producing a single enhanced output profile for each sample. MetaMeta includes a database generation, pre-processing, execution, and integration steps, allowing easy execution and parallelization. The integration relies on the co-occurrence of organisms from different methods as the main feature to improve community profiling while accounting for differences in their databases. In a controlled case with simulated and real data, we show that the integrated profiles of MetaMeta overcome the best single profile. Using the same input data, it provides more sensitive and reliable results with the presence of each organism being supported by several methods. MetaMeta uses Snakemake and has six pre-configured tools, all available at BioConda channel for easy installation (conda install -c bioconda metameta). The MetaMeta pipeline is open-source and can be downloaded at: https://gitlab.com/rki_bioinformatics .

  16. The Sensitivity Analysis of Axial Pressure Tube Creep Profile for Dryout Power in PHWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryu, Euiseung; Kim, Youngae [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    The Stern Laboratory performed the CHF tests with only one axial pressure tube creep profile per 3.3%, 5.1% peak crept channel and made CHF correlation including creep factor from the CHF test results. Wolsong nuclear power plants also have utilized the same CHF correlation derived by CNL. Pressure tube diameter creep rate is function of fast neutron, coolant temperature, and coolant pressure in a channel. It means that various axial pressure tube creep profiles exist in PHWR due to the history of operating conditions. Usually, CHF correlation is used during ROP(Regional Overpower Protection) Trip Setpoint Analysis or Safety Analysis in PHWR. The sensitivity analysis for CHF effects using various creep profiles is needed. This paper summarizes the comparison results of dryout power between CHF test creep profile and estimated creep profiles of Wolsong units. The effect of axial pressure tube creep profile for dryout power in fuel channel is evaluated by using Stern Lab. CHF test creep profile and 380 channel creep profiles of Wolsong. The dryout powers at 3.3% and 5.1% test conditions are slightly smaller when using 380 Wolsong channels creep profiles. These also show that the simulated dryout powers maintain consistency regardless of flow conditions.

  17. Analysis of plasmid profiling as a method for rapid differentiation of food-associated Clostridium perfringens strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, M K; Iwanejko, L A; Longden, M S

    1989-09-01

    Plasmid analysis of over 120 strains of Clostridium perfringens, isolated during food-poisoning incidents and from animal carcasses and food constituents with no association with food poisoning, showed the potential of plasmid profiling as a means of differentiating epidemiologically related strains. On average 65% of freshly isolated strains contained one or more plasmids which could be used in the analysis. Comparison of profiles of strains from unrelated sources or unrelated strains from the same source showed a particularly wide variety of plasmid profiles. Thus the possibility that epidemiologically-unrelated strains might possess similar profiles appears to be very low in this organism. Analysis of serologically-related strains from the same source revealed similar plasmid profiles in all the plasmid-bearing strains examined. A high proportion (71%) of fresh and well-characterized food-poisoning strains possessed plasmids of 6.2 kb in size (compared with 19% of non-food-poisoning strains). The possible role of these plasmids is discussed, since the structural gene encoding the enterotoxin type A was not present on any of the plasmids in the food-poisoning strains tested.

  18. Blade profile optimization of kaplan turbine using cfd analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janjua, A.B.; Khalil, M.S.

    2013-01-01

    Utilization of hydro-power as renewable energy source is of prime importance in the world now. Hydropower energy is available in abundant in form of falls, canals rivers, dams etc. It means, there are various types of sites with different parameters like flow rate, heads, etc. Depending upon the sites, water turbines are designed and manufactured to avail hydro-power energy. Low head turbines on runof-river are widely used for the purpose. Low head turbines are classified as reaction turbines. For runof-river, depending upon the variety of site data, low head Kaplan turbines are selected, designed and manufactured. For any given site requirement, it becomes very essential to design the turbine runner blades through optimization of the CAD model of blades profile. This paper presents the optimization technique carried out on a complex geometry of blade profile through static and dynamic computational analysis. It is used through change of the blade profile geometry at five different angles in the 3D (Three Dimensional) CAD model. Blade complex geometry and design have been developed by using the coordinates point system on the blade in PRO-E /CREO software. Five different blade models are developed for analysis purpose. Based on the flow rate and heads, blade profiles are analyzed using ANSYS software to check and compare the output results for optimization of the blades for improved results which show that by changing blade profile angle and its geometry, different blade sizes and geometry can be optimized using the computational techniques with changes in CAD models. (author)

  19. Blade Profile Optimization of Kaplan Turbine Using CFD Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aijaz Bashir Janjua

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Utilization of hydro-power as renewable energy source is of prime importance in the world now. Hydropower energy is available in abundant in form of falls, canals rivers, dams etc. It means, there are various types of sites with different parameters like flow rate, heads, etc. Depending upon the sites, water turbines are designed and manufactured to avail hydro-power energy. Low head turbines on runof-river are widely used for the purpose. Low head turbines are classified as reaction turbines. For runof river, depending upon the variety of site data, low head Kaplan turbines are selected, designed and manufactured. For any given site requirement, it becomes very essential to design the turbine runner blades through optimization of the CAD model of blades profile. This paper presents the optimization technique carried out on a complex geometry of blade profile through static and dynamic computational analysis. It is used through change of the blade profile geometry at five different angles in the 3D (Three Dimensional CAD model. Blade complex geometry and design have been developed by using the coordinates point system on the blade in PRO-E /CREO software. Five different blade models are developed for analysis purpose. Based on the flow rate and heads, blade profiles are analyzed using ANSYS software to check and compare the output results for optimization of the blades for improved results which show that by changing blade profile angle and its geometry, different blade sizes and geometry can be optimized using the computational techniques with changes in CAD models.

  20. Analysis of BSRT Profiles in the LHC at Injection

    CERN Document Server

    Fitterer, M; Papadopoulou, S; Papaphilippou, Y; Redaelli, S

    2017-01-01

    The beam synchrotron radiation telescope (BSRT) at the LHC allows to take profiles of the transverse beam distribution, which can provide useful additional insight in the evolution of the transverse beam distribution. A python class has been developed [1], which allows to read in the BSRT profiles, usually stored in binary format, run different analysis tools and generate plots of the statistical parameters and profiles as well as videos of the the profiles. The detailed analysis will be described in this note. The analysis is based on the data obtained at injection energy (450 GeV) during MD1217 [2] and MD1415 [3] which will be also used as illustrative example. A similar approach is also taken with a MATLAB based analysis described in [4].

  1. A statistical approach to plasma profile analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kardaun, O.J.W.F.; McCarthy, P.J.; Lackner, K.; Riedel, K.S.

    1990-05-01

    A general statistical approach to the parameterisation and analysis of tokamak profiles is presented. The modelling of the profile dependence on both the radius and the plasma parameters is discussed, and pertinent, classical as well as robust, methods of estimation are reviewed. Special attention is given to statistical tests for discriminating between the various models, and to the construction of confidence intervals for the parameterised profiles and the associated global quantities. The statistical approach is shown to provide a rigorous approach to the empirical testing of plasma profile invariance. (orig.)

  2. Application of the maximum entropy method to profile analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armstrong, N.; Kalceff, W.; Cline, J.P.

    1999-01-01

    Full text: A maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method for analysing crystallite size- and strain-induced x-ray profile broadening is presented. This method treats the problems of determining the specimen profile, crystallite size distribution, and strain distribution in a general way by considering them as inverse problems. A common difficulty faced by many experimenters is their inability to determine a well-conditioned solution of the integral equation, which preserves the positivity of the profile or distribution. We show that the MaxEnt method overcomes this problem, while also enabling a priori information, in the form of a model, to be introduced into it. Additionally, we demonstrate that the method is fully quantitative, in that uncertainties in the solution profile or solution distribution can be determined and used in subsequent calculations, including mean particle sizes and rms strain. An outline of the MaxEnt method is presented for the specific problems of determining the specimen profile and crystallite or strain distributions for the correspondingly broadened profiles. This approach offers an alternative to standard methods such as those of Williamson-Hall and Warren-Averbach. An application of the MaxEnt method is demonstrated in the analysis of alumina size-broadened diffraction data (from NIST, Gaithersburg). It is used to determine the specimen profile and column-length distribution of the scattering domains. Finally, these results are compared with the corresponding Williamson-Hall and Warren-Averbach analyses. Copyright (1999) Australian X-ray Analytical Association Inc

  3. SIMS depth profile analysis of environmental microparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konarski, P.

    2000-01-01

    Environmental and technological research demands chemical characterization of aerosol particles so minute in size, that conventional methods for bulk analyses are simply not applicable. In this work novel application of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for characterization of microparticles suspended in atmosphere of the working environment of glass plant Thomson Polkolor, Piaseczno and steelworks Huta Sendzimira, Cracow is presented. The new technique based on sample rotation in depth profile analysis of sub-micrometer particulate material was performed on SAJW-02 analyser equipped with Balzers 16 mm quadrupole spectrometer and sample rotation manipulator using 5 keV Ar + and O 2 + ion beams. The results were compared with the standard method used on ims-3f Cameca analyser 12 keV O 2 + ion beam. Grain size distributions of aerosol microparticles were estimated using eight-stage cascade impactor with particle size range of 0.2 μm to 15 μm. Elemental concentration and crystalline structure of the collected dust particles were performed using spark source mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction methods. SIMS depth profile analysis shows that sub-micrometer particles do not have uniform morphology, The core-shell structure has been observed for particles collected in both factories. Presented models show that the steelworks particles consists mainly of iron and manganese cores. At the shells of these microparticles :lead, chlorine and fluorine are found. The cores of glass plant submicrometer particles consists mainly of lead-zirconium glass covered by a shell containing carbon and copper. Sample rotation technique applied SIMS appears to be an effective tool for environmental microparticle morphology studies. (author)

  4. The cognitive profile of ALS : A systematic review and meta-analysis update

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beeldman, E.; Raaphorst, J.; Klein Twennaar, M.; de Visser, M.; Schmand, B.A.; de Haan, R.J.

    Cognitive impairment is present in approximately 30% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and, especially when severe, has a negative impact on survival and caregiver burden. Our 2010 meta-analysis of the cognitive profile of ALS showed impairment of fluency, executive function,

  5. The cognitive profile of ALS: a systematic review and meta-analysis update

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beeldman, Emma; Raaphorst, Joost; Klein Twennaar, Michelle; de Visser, Marianne; Schmand, Ben A.; de Haan, Rob J.

    2016-01-01

    Cognitive impairment is present in approximately 30% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and, especially when severe, has a negative impact on survival and caregiver burden. Our 2010 meta-analysis of the cognitive profile of ALS showed impairment of fluency, executive function,

  6. Digital Elevation Profile: A Complex Tool for the Spatial Analysis of Hiking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura TÎRLĂ

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available One of the current attributions of mountain geomorphology is to provide information for tourism purposes, such as the spatial analysis of hiking trails. Therefore, geomorphic tools are indispensable for terrain analyses. Elevation profile is one of the most adequate tools for assessing the morphometric patterns of the hiking trails. In this study we tested several applications in order to manage raw data, create profile graphs and obtain the morphometric parameters of five hiking trails in the Căpățânii Mountains (South Carpathians, Romania. Different data complexity was explored: distance, elevation, cumulative gain or loss, slope etc. Furthermore, a comparative morphometric analysis was performed in order to emphasize the multiple possibilities provided by the elevation profile. Results show that GPS Visualizer, Geocontext and in some manner Google Earth are the most adequate applications that provide high-quality elevation profiles and detailed data, with multiple additional functions, according to user's needs. The applied tools and techniques are very useful for mountain route planning, elaborating mountain guides, enhancing knowledge about specific trails or routes, or assessing the landscape and tourism value of a mountain area.

  7. Online Professional Profiles: Health Care and Library Researchers Show Off Their Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brigham, Tara J

    2016-01-01

    In an increasingly digital world, online profiles can help health care and library professionals showcase their research and scholarly work. By sharing information about their investigations, studies, and projects, health care and library researchers can elevate their personal brand and connect with like-minded individuals. This column explores different types of online professional profiles and addresses some of the concerns that come with using them. A list of online professional profile and platform examples is also provided.

  8. The Social Profile of Students in Basic General Education in Ecuador: A Data Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buri, Olga Elizabeth Minchala; Stefos, Efstathios

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study is to examine the social profile of students who are enrolled in Basic General Education in Ecuador. Both a descriptive and multidimensional statistical analysis was carried out based on the data provided by the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment in 2015. The descriptive analysis shows the…

  9. Passion fruit juice with different sweeteners: sensory profile by descriptive analysis and acceptance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, Izabela Furtado de Oliveira; Bolini, Helena Maria André

    2015-03-01

    This study evaluated the effect of different sweeteners on the sensory profile, acceptance, and drivers of preference of passion fruit juice samples sweetened with sucrose, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, cyclamate/saccharin blend 2:1, and neotame. Sensory profiling was performed by 12 trained assessors using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). Acceptance tests (appearance, aroma, flavor, texture and overall impression) were performed with 124 consumers of tropical fruit juice. Samples with sucrose, aspartame and sucralose showed similar sensory profile (P Passion fruit flavor affected positively and sweet aftertaste affected negatively the acceptance of the samples. Samples sweetened with aspartame, sucralose, and sucrose presented higher acceptance scores for the attributes flavor, texture, and overall impression, with no significant (P passion fruit juice.

  10. On the analysis of line profile variations: A statistical approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCandliss, S.R.

    1988-01-01

    This study is concerned with the empirical characterization of the line profile variations (LPV), which occur in many of and Wolf-Rayet stars. The goal of the analysis is to gain insight into the physical mechanisms producing the variations. The analytic approach uses a statistical method to quantify the significance of the LPV and to identify those regions in the line profile which are undergoing statistically significant variations. Line positions and flux variations are then measured and subject to temporal and correlative analysis. Previous studies of LPV have for the most part been restricted to observations of a single line. Important information concerning the range and amplitude of the physical mechanisms involved can be obtained by simultaneously observing spectral features formed over a range of depths in the extended mass losing atmospheres of massive, luminous stars. Time series of a Wolf-Rayet and two of stars with nearly complete spectral coverage from 3940 angstrom to 6610 angstrom and with spectral resolution of R = 10,000 are analyzed here. These three stars exhibit a wide range of both spectral and temporal line profile variations. The HeII Pickering lines of HD 191765 show a monotonic increase in the peak rms variation amplitude with lines formed at progressively larger radii in the Wolf-Rayet star wind. Two times scales of variation have been identified in this star: a less than one day variation associated with small scale flickering in the peaks of the line profiles and a greater than one day variation associated with large scale asymmetric changes in the overall line profile shapes. However, no convincing period phenomena are evident at those periods which are well sampled in this time series

  11. Flash Study Analysis and the Music Learning Pro-Files Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cremata, Radio; Pignato, Joseph; Powell, Bryan; Smith, Gareth Dylan

    2016-01-01

    This paper introduces the Music Learning Profiles Project, and its methodological approach, flash study analysis. Flash study analysis is a method that draws heavily on extant qualitative approaches to education research, to develop broad understandings of music learning in diverse contexts. The Music Learning Profiles Project (MLPP) is an…

  12. Microarray profiling shows distinct differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models in hepatocellular carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Weining; Iyer, N. Gopalakrishna; Tay, Hsien Ts’ung; Wu, Yonghui; Lim, Tony K. H.; Zheng, Lin; Song, In Chin; Kwoh, Chee Keong; Huynh, Hung; Tan, Patrick O. B.; Chow, Pierce K. H.

    2015-01-01

    Despite advances in therapeutics, outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poor and there is an urgent need for efficacious systemic therapy. Unfortunately, drugs that are successful in preclinical studies often fail in the clinical setting, and we hypothesize that this is due to functional differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models. In this study, we attempt to answer this question by comparing tumor morphology and gene expression profiles between primary tumors, xenografts and HCC cell lines. Hep G2 cell lines and tumor cells from patient tumor explants were subcutaneously (ectopically) injected into the flank and orthotopically into liver parenchyma of Mus Musculus SCID mice. The mice were euthanized after two weeks. RNA was extracted from the tumors, and gene expression profiling was performed using the Gene Chip Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0. Principal component analyses (PCA) and construction of dendrograms were conducted using Partek genomics suite. PCA showed that the commonly used HepG2 cell line model and its xenograft counterparts were vastly different from all fresh primary tumors. Expression profiles of primary tumors were also significantly divergent from their counterpart patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, regardless of the site of implantation. Xenografts from the same primary tumors were more likely to cluster together regardless of site of implantation, although heat maps showed distinct differences in gene expression profiles between orthotopic and ectopic models. The data presented here challenges the utility of routinely used preclinical models. Models using HepG2 were vastly different from primary tumors and PDXs, suggesting that this is not clinically representative. Surprisingly, site of implantation (orthotopic versus ectopic) resulted in limited impact on gene expression profiles, and in both scenarios xenografts differed significantly from the original primary tumors, challenging the long

  13. Lag profile inversion method for EISCAT data analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. I. Virtanen

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available The present standard EISCAT incoherent scatter experiments are based on alternating codes that are decoded in power domain by simple summation and subtraction operations. The signal is first digitised and then different lagged products are calculated and decoded in real time. Only the decoded lagged products are saved for further analysis so that both the original data samples and the undecoded lagged products are lost. A fit of plasma parameters can be later performed using the recorded lagged products. In this paper we describe a different analysis method, which makes use of statistical inversion in removing range ambiguities from the lag profiles. An analysis program carrying out both the lag profile inversion and the fit of the plasma parameters has been constructed. Because recording the received signal itself instead of the lagged products allows very flexible data analysis, the program is constructed to use raw data, i.e. IQ-sampled signal recorded from an IF stage of the radar. The program is now capable of analysing standard alternating-coded EISCAT experiments as well as experiments with any other kind of radar modulation if raw data is available. The program calculates the ambiguous lag profiles and is capable of inverting them as such but, for analysis in real time, time integration is needed before inversion. We demonstrate the method using alternating code experiments in the EISCAT UHF radar and specific hardware connected to the second IF stage of the receiver. This method produces a data stream of complex samples, which are stored for later processing. The raw data is analysed with lag profile inversion and the results are compared to those given by the standard method.

  14. Criminal Justice. Occupational Competency Analysis Profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

    This Occupational Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP) contains a competency list verified by expert workers and developed through a modified DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) involving business, industry, labor, and community agency representatives from Ohio. This OCAP identifies the occupational, academic, and employability skills (competencies)…

  15. Cluster analysis of residential heat load profiles and the role of technical and household characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carmo, Carolina; Christensen, Toke Haunstrup

    2016-01-01

    of the temporality of the energy demand is needed. This paper contributes to this by focusing on the daily load profiles of energy demand for heating of Danish dwellings with heat pumps. Based on hourly recordings from 139 dwellings and employing cluster and regression analysis, the paper explores patterns...... (typologies) in daily heating load profiles and how these relate to socio-economic and technical characteristics of the included households. The study shows that the load profiles vary according to the external load conditions. Two main clusters were identified for both weekdays and weekends and across load...

  16. Graphic Communications. Occupational Competency Analysis Profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

    This Occupational Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP), which is one of a series of OCAPs developed to identify the skills that Ohio employers deem necessary to entering a given occupation/occupational area, lists the occupational, academic, and employability skills required of individuals entering graphic communications occupations. The…

  17. Poultry Producer. Ohio's Competency Analysis Profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

    This Ohio Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP), derived from a modified Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) process, is a comprehensive and verified employer competency list for a poultry producer program. It contains units (with or without subunits), competencies, and competency builders that identify the occupational, academic, and employability…

  18. Profile analysis of microparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konarski, P.; Iwanejko, I.; Mierzejewska, A.

    2001-01-01

    Depth resolved analyses of several types of microparticles are presented. Particles for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profile analysis were collected in the working environment of glass plant, steelworks and welding station using eight-stage cascade impactor with particle size range of 0.3 μm to 15 μm. Ion beam sputtering and sample rotation technique allowed to describe morphology i.e. the elemental structure of collected sub-micrometer particles. Also model particles Iriodin 221 (Merck) were depth profiled. The core-shell structure is found for all types of investigated particles. Steelworks particles consist mainly of iron and manganese cores. At the shells of these microparticles: lead, chlorine and fluorine are found. The particles collected in the glass-works consist mainly of lead-zirconium glass cores covered by carbon and copper. Stainless-steel welding particles compose of iron, manganese and chromium cores covered by a shell rich in carbon, chlorine and fluorine. Sample rotation technique applied in SIMS appears to be an effective tool for environmental microparticle morphology studies

  19. Further Examining Berry's Model: The Applicability of Latent Profile Analysis to Acculturation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Rina S.; Merz, Erin L.; Solórzano, Martha T.; Roesch, Scott C.

    2013-01-01

    This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify acculturation profiles. A three-profile solution fit the data best, and comparisons on demographic and psychosocial outcomes as a function of profile yielded expected results. The findings support using LPA as a parsimonious way to model acculturation without anticipating profiles in…

  20. WISC-R Subtest Pattern Stability and Learning Disabilities: A Profile Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mealor, David J.; Abrams, Pamela F.

    Profile analysis was performed on Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) scores of 29 learning disabled students (6-10 years old) in a Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) program, to determine whether subtest patterns for initial and re-evaluation WISC-R administrations would differ significantly. Profile analysis was applied…

  1. Profiles of adolescent religiousness using latent profile analysis: Implications for psychopathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longo, Gregory S; Bray, Bethany C; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

    2017-03-01

    Prior research has documented robust associations between adolescent religiousness/spirituality (R/S) and psychopathology outcomes including externalizing and internalizing symptomatology, yet no previous studies have examined these associations with adolescent R/S profiles using a person-centred approach. We examined whether there are identifiable subgroups characterized by unique multidimensional patterns of R/S experiences and how these experiences may be related to externalizing and internalizing symptomatology. The sample consisted of 220 Appalachian adolescents between 12 and 18 years old who were primarily White and primarily Christian. Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles of adolescent R/S: high religiousness (28.4%), introjectors (47.6%), and low religiousness (24.0%). These profiles were differentially related to internalizing and externalizing symptomatology such that the high religiousness group was significantly lower than the introjectors with respect to internalizing and externalizing symptomatology and lower than the low religiousness group in externalizing symptomatology. Implications and suggestions for future research using person-centred approaches to better understand differential developmental trajectories of religious development are provided. Statement of contribution What is already known Prior research has demonstrated a negative relationship between adolescent religiousness and spirituality (R/S) and psychopathology. Numerous studies document the differential relationships between aspects of R/S and psychopathology; however, few have done so from a person-centred perspective. There are several theories that outline how R/S to study R/S when paying specific attention to culture. Saroglou's Big Four dimensions of religion (believing, bonding, behaving, and belonging) posits that these four dimensions (1) are able to delimit religion from proximal constructs; (2) translate major distinct dimensions of religiousness; (3) can be

  2. Binary similarity measures for fingerprint analysis of qualitative metabolomic profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rácz, Anita; Andrić, Filip; Bajusz, Dávid; Héberger, Károly

    2018-01-01

    Contemporary metabolomic fingerprinting is based on multiple spectrometric and chromatographic signals, used either alone or combined with structural and chemical information of metabolic markers at the qualitative and semiquantitative level. However, signal shifting, convolution, and matrix effects may compromise metabolomic patterns. Recent increase in the use of qualitative metabolomic data, described by the presence (1) or absence (0) of particular metabolites, demonstrates great potential in the field of metabolomic profiling and fingerprint analysis. The aim of this study is a comprehensive evaluation of binary similarity measures for the elucidation of patterns among samples of different botanical origin and various metabolomic profiles. Nine qualitative metabolomic data sets covering a wide range of natural products and metabolomic profiles were applied to assess 44 binary similarity measures for the fingerprinting of plant extracts and natural products. The measures were analyzed by the novel sum of ranking differences method (SRD), searching for the most promising candidates. Baroni-Urbani-Buser (BUB) and Hawkins-Dotson (HD) similarity coefficients were selected as the best measures by SRD and analysis of variance (ANOVA), while Dice (Di1), Yule, Russel-Rao, and Consonni-Todeschini 3 ranked the worst. ANOVA revealed that concordantly and intermediately symmetric similarity coefficients are better candidates for metabolomic fingerprinting than the asymmetric and correlation based ones. The fingerprint analysis based on the BUB and HD coefficients and qualitative metabolomic data performed equally well as the quantitative metabolomic profile analysis. Fingerprint analysis based on the qualitative metabolomic profiles and binary similarity measures proved to be a reliable way in finding the same/similar patterns in metabolomic data as that extracted from quantitative data.

  3. Characterization of Shigella Strains by Plasmid Profile Analysis and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns in a Pediatric Hospital in Ahvaz

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amin Sakhaei

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: High incidences of dysentery and diarrhea were reported in a pediatric hospital in Ahvaz, Iran during March to April, 2013. Objectives: A cross-sectional study was therefore undertaken to identify the causative agents. Patients and Methods: A total of 230 diarrhea samples were collected from the patients and analyzed by routine bacteriological methods. Bacterial identification, serological assay, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs screening and plasmid profile analysis were performed according to the standard guidelines. Results: A total of 70 Shigella strains including %70 (n = 49 S. sonnei and 30% (n = 21 S. flexneri were isolated from diarrhea samples. Most of the Shigella isolates showed high degrees of resistance to ampicillin, ulafamethoxazole- trimethoprime and cefexim. Concurrent resistance to sulafametoxazole- trimethoprime and ampicillin was the most common resistance pattern. Overall, 11.4% of Shigella isolates showed the ESBL producer criteria. The plasmid profile patterns of all the strains were determined by a modified alkaline lysis method. By plasmid profile analysis 23 genotypes were identified among all the isolates, 14 and 9 genotypes among the S. sonnei and S. Flexneri respectively. S. sonnei and S. flexneri isolates demonstrated unique plasmid profiles. Conclusions: These data demonstrated that S. sonnei strains are the main cause of shigellosis as the prevalent Shigella serotype in Iran. We also found that the antibiotic resistance rates are increasing among Shigella strains. Plasmid profile analysis is more reliable than antibiotic susceptibility patterns in epidemiologic studies.

  4. Plasma and White Blood Cells Show Different miRNA Expression Profiles in Parkinson's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwienbacher, Christine; Foco, Luisa; Picard, Anne; Corradi, Eloina; Serafin, Alice; Panzer, Jörg; Zanigni, Stefano; Blankenburg, Hagen; Facheris, Maurizio F; Giannini, Giulia; Falla, Marika; Cortelli, Pietro; Pramstaller, Peter P; Hicks, Andrew A

    2017-06-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis is based on the assessment of motor symptoms, which manifest when more than 50% of dopaminergic neurons are degenerated. To date, no validated biomarkers are available for the diagnosis of PD. The aims of the present study are to evaluate whether plasma and white blood cells (WBCs) are interchangeable biomarker sources and to identify circulating plasma-based microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for an early detection of PD. We profiled plasma miRNA levels in 99 L-dopa-treated PD patients from two independent data collections, in ten drug-naïve PD patients, and in unaffected controls matched by sex and age. We evaluated expression levels by reverse transcription and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and combined the results from treated PD patients using a fixed effect inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis. We revealed different expression profiles comparing plasma and WBCs and drug-naïve and L-dopa-treated PD patients. We observed an upregulation trend for miR-30a-5p in L-dopa-treated PD patients and investigated candidate target genes by integrated in silico analyses. We could not analyse miR-29b-3p, normally expressed in WBCs, due to the very low expression in plasma. We observed different expression profiles in WBCs and plasma, suggesting that they are both suitable but not interchangeable peripheral sources for biomarkers. We revealed miR-30a-5p as a potential biomarker for PD in plasma. In silico analyses suggest that miR-30a-5p might have a regulatory role in mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy. Further investigations are needed to confirm miR-30a-5p deregulation and targets and to investigate the influence of L-dopa treatment on miRNA expression levels.

  5. Contact traction analysis for profile change during coining process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyung Kyu; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Kang, Heung Seok; Song, Kee Nam

    2002-01-01

    Contact tractions are analysed in the case of the change in contact profile occurring during the coining process of a thin strip material. The changed profile is assumed as a concave circular arc in the central part of the contact region which is smoothly connected with convex circular arcs at both sides, referring to the actual measurement of the coined material. The profile is discretized and the known solutions of singular integral equations are used. Since the contact profile affects the contact traction and relevant tribological behaviour (e.g. wear) as well, an accurate definition of the profile is necessary in the analysis of material failure. Parametric study is conducted with the variation of the radii and distance of the arcs, which defines the height difference between the summits of the arcs. Considered is the contact profile, which can give the negligible variation of the traction in comparison with that before the coining process

  6. Bayesian mixture analysis for metagenomic community profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morfopoulou, Sofia; Plagnol, Vincent

    2015-09-15

    Deep sequencing of clinical samples is now an established tool for the detection of infectious pathogens, with direct medical applications. The large amount of data generated produces an opportunity to detect species even at very low levels, provided that computational tools can effectively profile the relevant metagenomic communities. Data interpretation is complicated by the fact that short sequencing reads can match multiple organisms and by the lack of completeness of existing databases, in particular for viral pathogens. Here we present metaMix, a Bayesian mixture model framework for resolving complex metagenomic mixtures. We show that the use of parallel Monte Carlo Markov chains for the exploration of the species space enables the identification of the set of species most likely to contribute to the mixture. We demonstrate the greater accuracy of metaMix compared with relevant methods, particularly for profiling complex communities consisting of several related species. We designed metaMix specifically for the analysis of deep transcriptome sequencing datasets, with a focus on viral pathogen detection; however, the principles are generally applicable to all types of metagenomic mixtures. metaMix is implemented as a user friendly R package, freely available on CRAN: http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/metaMix sofia.morfopoulou.10@ucl.ac.uk Supplementary data are available at Bionformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

  7. Ion induced optical emission for surface and depth profile analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, C.W.

    1977-01-01

    Low-energy ion bombardment of solid surfaces results in the emission of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet radiation produced by inelastic ion-solid collision processes. The emitted optical radiation provides important insight into low-energy particle-solid interactions and provides the basis for an analysis technique which can be used for surface and depth profile analysis with high sensitivity. The different kinds of collision induced optical radiation emitted as a result of low-energy particle-solid collisions are reviewed. Line radiation arising from excited states of sputtered atoms or molecules is shown to provide the basis for surface and depth profile analysis. The spectral characteristics of this type of radiation are discussed and applications of the ion induced optical emission technique are presented. These applications include measurements of ion implant profiles, detection sensitivities for submonolayer quantities of impurities on elemental surfaces, and the detection of elemental impurities on complex organic substrates

  8. Analysis on Protein Profile and Amino Acid of Edible Bird's Nest (Collocalia Fuchiphaga) From Painan

    OpenAIRE

    Elfita, Lina

    2014-01-01

    This study was aimed to analyze protein profile and amino acid composition of bird nest from Painan, Pesisir Selatan Distric, West Sumatra. Protein analysis was performed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrilamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), meanwhile High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used for analysis of amino acid. Analysis on water extract of bird nest by SDS-PAGE showed six bands which correspond to molecular protein which had molecular weight of 147.2; 142.6; 133.4; 73...

  9. Differential identification of Candida species and other yeasts by analysis of [35S]methionine-labeled polypeptide profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, H.D.; Choo, K.B.; Tsai, W.C.; Jen, T.M.; Yeh, J.Y.; Han, S.H.

    1988-01-01

    This paper describes a scheme for differential identification of Candida species and other yeasts based on autoradiographic analysis of protein profiles of [ 35 S]methionine-labeled cellular proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using ATCC strains as references, protein profile analysis showed that different Candida and other yeast species produced distinctively different patterns. Good agreement in results obtained with this approach and with other conventional systems was observed. Being accurate and reproducible, this approach provides a basis for the development of an alternative method for the identification of yeasts isolated from clinical specimens

  10. Identifying patterns of motor performance, executive functioning, and verbal ability in preschool children: A latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houwen, Suzanne; Kamphorst, Erica; van der Veer, Gerda; Cantell, Marja

    2018-04-30

    A relationship between motor performance and cognitive functioning is increasingly being recognized. Yet, little is known about the precise nature of the relationship between both domains, especially in early childhood. To identify distinct constellations of motor performance, executive functioning (EF), and verbal ability in preschool aged children; and to explore how individual and contextual variables are related to profile membership. The sample consisted of 119 3- to 4-year old children (62 boys; 52%). The home based assessments consisted of a standardized motor test (Movement Assessment Battery for Children - 2), five performance-based EF tasks measuring inhibition and working memory, and the Receptive Vocabulary subtest from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Third Edition. Parents filled out the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool version. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to delineate profiles of motor performance, EF, and verbal ability. Chi-square statistics and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to examine whether profile membership was predicted by age, gender, risk of motor coordination difficulties, ADHD symptomatology, language problems, and socioeconomic status (SES). LPA yielded three profiles with qualitatively distinct response patterns of motor performance, EF, and verbal ability. Quantitatively, the profiles showed most pronounced differences with regard to parent ratings and performance-based tests of EF, as well as verbal ability. Risk of motor coordination difficulties and ADHD symptomatology were associated with profile membership, whereas age, gender, language problems, and SES were not. Our results indicate that there are distinct subpopulations of children who show differential relations with regard to motor performance, EF, and verbal ability. The fact that we found both quantitative as well as qualitative differences between the three patterns of profiles underscores

  11. Angular photogrammetric analysis of the soft-tissue facial profile of Indian adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Saravana Pandian

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Soft-tissue analysis has become an important component of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Photographic evaluation of an orthodontic patient is a very close representation of the appearance of the person. The previously established norms for soft-tissue analysis will vary for different ethnic groups. Thus, there is a need to develop soft-tissue facial profile norms pertaining to Indian ethnic groups. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to establish the angular photogrammetric standards of soft-tissue facial profile for Indian males and females and also to compare sexual dimorphism present between them. Materials and Methods: The lateral profile photographs of 300 random participants (150 males and 150 females between ages 18 and 25 years were taken and analyzed using FACAD tracing software. Inclusion criteria were angles Class I molar occlusion with acceptable crowding and proclination, normal growth and development with well-aligned dental arches, and full complements of permanent teeth irrespective of third molar status. This study was conducted in Indian population, and samples were taken from various cities across India. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out, and sexual dimorphism was evaluated by Student's t-test between males and females. Results: The results of the present study showed statistically significant (P < 0.05 gender difference in 5 parameters out of 12 parameters in Indian population. Conclusion: In the present study, soft-tissue facial measurements were established by means of photogrammetric analysis to facilitate orthodontists to carry out more quantitative evaluation and make disciplined decisions. The mean values obtained can be used for comparison with records of participants with the same characteristics by following this photogrammetric technique.

  12. Consumer profile analysis for different types of meat in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escriba-Perez, Carmen; Baviera-Puig, Amparo; Buitrago-Vera, Juan; Montero-Vicente, Luis

    2017-07-01

    It is important to analyse the consumer profile of each type of meat to better adapt the marketing mix to each one. To this end, we examined the average consumption frequency of different types of meat based on two methodologies: consumer segmentation using the food-related lifestyle (FRL) framework, giving rise to 4 segments, and analysis of socio-demographic profiles. The variables used were: sex, age, educational level, social class, number of people in the household, presence of children younger than 18 in the home, geographical area and habitual residence. Beef was the only meat type significant in both analyses. Turkey meat only appeared as significant in the FRL analysis. The other meats (chicken, pork, rabbit and lamb) were only significant in the sociodemographic variables analysis. From the outcomes we may conclude that there is no single consumer profile, which rather depends on the type of meat. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Angular photogrammetric soft tissue facial profile analysis of Bangladeshi young adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lubna Akter

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Angular photogrammetric soft tissue facial profile analysis provides a permanent record for the actual appearance of a person, which would also serve to establish an ideal esthetic treatment goal. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the average angular variables that define the soft tissue facial profile of a Bangladeshi sample. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics of Dhaka Dental College and Hospital, Bangladesh, from July to December 2015. Soft tissue facial profiles of 200 participants (100 males and 100 females between 18 and 25 years of age, with a dental Class I occlusal relationship and harmonious soft tissue profile, were selected by convenience sampling among students, doctors, and patients of Dhaka Dental College. Standardized photographs of 200 samples were taken in the natural head position. The photographic records were analyzed with the software for Windows, Microsoft Visio 2007, Standard Edition. All data were analyzed through standard methods using Statistical Package for the Statistical Package for Social Science Software (SPSS Version-20, IBM Corp, USA. Results: The average angular measurements for nasofrontal, total facial angle, facial angle, upper lip angle, projection of lower lip to chin, and mentolabial angle were wider in females. The mean value for nose tip angle, nasolabial angle, nasomental angle, and projection of upper lip to chin angle was higher in males compared to females. Nasofrontal angle (G-N-Nd (P = 0.000 and mentolabial angle (Li-Sm-Pg (P = 0.001 showed statistically significant differences. The greatest variability was found for mentolabial angle. Conclusion: The study of angular photogrammetric soft tissue facial profile analysis of Bangladeshi young adults contributes to the establishment of standardized normal values for the population. This study provides data which can be used in treatment

  14. Genome profiling of sterol synthesis shows convergent evolution in parasites and guides chemotherapeutic attack.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fügi, Matthias A; Gunasekera, Kapila; Ochsenreiter, Torsten; Guan, Xueli; Wenk, Markus R; Mäser, Pascal

    2014-05-01

    Sterols are an essential class of lipids in eukaryotes, where they serve as structural components of membranes and play important roles as signaling molecules. Sterols are also of high pharmacological significance: cholesterol-lowering drugs are blockbusters in human health, and inhibitors of ergosterol biosynthesis are widely used as antifungals. Inhibitors of ergosterol synthesis are also being developed for Chagas's disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Here we develop an in silico pipeline to globally evaluate sterol metabolism and perform comparative genomics. We generate a library of hidden Markov model-based profiles for 42 sterol biosynthetic enzymes, which allows expressing the genomic makeup of a given species as a numerical vector. Hierarchical clustering of these vectors functionally groups eukaryote proteomes and reveals convergent evolution, in particular metabolic reduction in obligate endoparasites. We experimentally explore sterol metabolism by testing a set of sterol biosynthesis inhibitors against trypanosomatids, Plasmodium falciparum, Giardia, and mammalian cells, and by quantifying the expression levels of sterol biosynthetic genes during the different life stages of T. cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei. The phenotypic data correlate with genomic makeup for simvastatin, which showed activity against trypanosomatids. Other findings, such as the activity of terbinafine against Giardia, are not in agreement with the genotypic profile.

  15. PROFILE ANALYSIS OF THE EMPLOYEES OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tudor NISTORESCU

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we tried to deliver a profile analysis of the employees from the commercial banks. The banking sector is especially important because it has to finance the entire economy, and therefore it needs competent and well-motivated people. As methodology we realized a survey on a representative number of employees of commercial banks. We used questionnaires measuring motivational factors, the orientation to tasks vs. people questionnaire, the potential leadership questionnaire, the Belbin self-knowledge questionnaire. The results showed that the employee from the Romanian commercial banks has a strong work-ethic and is highly motivated.

  16. Multielemental analysis to the profile sediments from several sites on the Havana Bay, by the Neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diaz Riso, O.; Gelen, A.; Lopez, N.; Manso, M.V.; Graciano, A.M.; Nogueira, C.A.; Beltran, J.

    2003-01-01

    Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique was employed to analyze the profile sediments from several sites on the Havana Bay, Cuba. Measurements of 24 heavy and trace elements in the sediments are reported. The results show the increment in the sediment pollution occurred in the 70-80 years of the last century. The data confirm that an anthropogenic input into the bay from domestic sewage and industries occurred

  17. Error analysis for mesospheric temperature profiling by absorptive occultation sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Rieder

    Full Text Available An error analysis for mesospheric profiles retrieved from absorptive occultation data has been performed, starting with realistic error assumptions as would apply to intensity data collected by available high-precision UV photodiode sensors. Propagation of statistical errors was investigated through the complete retrieval chain from measured intensity profiles to atmospheric density, pressure, and temperature profiles. We assumed unbiased errors as the occultation method is essentially self-calibrating and straight-line propagation of occulted signals as we focus on heights of 50–100 km, where refractive bending of the sensed radiation is negligible. Throughout the analysis the errors were characterized at each retrieval step by their mean profile, their covariance matrix and their probability density function (pdf. This furnishes, compared to a variance-only estimation, a much improved insight into the error propagation mechanism. We applied the procedure to a baseline analysis of the performance of a recently proposed solar UV occultation sensor (SMAS – Sun Monitor and Atmospheric Sounder and provide, using a reasonable exponential atmospheric model as background, results on error standard deviations and error correlation functions of density, pressure, and temperature profiles. Two different sensor photodiode assumptions are discussed, respectively, diamond diodes (DD with 0.03% and silicon diodes (SD with 0.1% (unattenuated intensity measurement noise at 10 Hz sampling rate. A factor-of-2 margin was applied to these noise values in order to roughly account for unmodeled cross section uncertainties. Within the entire height domain (50–100 km we find temperature to be retrieved to better than 0.3 K (DD / 1 K (SD accuracy, respectively, at 2 km height resolution. The results indicate that absorptive occultations acquired by a SMAS-type sensor could provide mesospheric profiles of fundamental variables such as temperature with

  18. Error analysis for mesospheric temperature profiling by absorptive occultation sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Rieder

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available An error analysis for mesospheric profiles retrieved from absorptive occultation data has been performed, starting with realistic error assumptions as would apply to intensity data collected by available high-precision UV photodiode sensors. Propagation of statistical errors was investigated through the complete retrieval chain from measured intensity profiles to atmospheric density, pressure, and temperature profiles. We assumed unbiased errors as the occultation method is essentially self-calibrating and straight-line propagation of occulted signals as we focus on heights of 50–100 km, where refractive bending of the sensed radiation is negligible. Throughout the analysis the errors were characterized at each retrieval step by their mean profile, their covariance matrix and their probability density function (pdf. This furnishes, compared to a variance-only estimation, a much improved insight into the error propagation mechanism. We applied the procedure to a baseline analysis of the performance of a recently proposed solar UV occultation sensor (SMAS – Sun Monitor and Atmospheric Sounder and provide, using a reasonable exponential atmospheric model as background, results on error standard deviations and error correlation functions of density, pressure, and temperature profiles. Two different sensor photodiode assumptions are discussed, respectively, diamond diodes (DD with 0.03% and silicon diodes (SD with 0.1% (unattenuated intensity measurement noise at 10 Hz sampling rate. A factor-of-2 margin was applied to these noise values in order to roughly account for unmodeled cross section uncertainties. Within the entire height domain (50–100 km we find temperature to be retrieved to better than 0.3 K (DD / 1 K (SD accuracy, respectively, at 2 km height resolution. The results indicate that absorptive occultations acquired by a SMAS-type sensor could provide mesospheric profiles of fundamental variables such as temperature with

  19. Characterisation of volatile profile and sensory analysis of fresh-cut "Radicchio di Chioggia" stored in air or modified atmosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cozzolino, Rosaria; Martignetti, Antonella; Pellicano, Mario Paolo; Stocchero, Matteo; Cefola, Maria; Pace, Bernardo; De Giulio, Beatrice

    2016-02-01

    The volatile profile of two hybrids of "Radicchio di Chioggia", Corelli and Botticelli, stored in air or passive modified atmosphere (MAP) during 12 days of cold storage, was monitored by solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) GC-MS. Botticelli samples were also subjected to sensory analysis. Totally, 61 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in the headspace of radicchio samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that fresh product possessed a metabolic content similar to that of the MAP samples after 5 and 8 days of storage. Projection to latent structures by partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis showed the volatiles content of the samples varied depending only on the packaging conditions. Specifically, 12 metabolites describing the time evolution and explaining the effects of the different storage conditions were highlighted. Finally, a PCA analysis revealed that VOCs profile significantly correlated with sensory attributes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Dissociative features in posttraumatic stress disorder: A latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Műllerová, Jana; Hansen, Maj; Contractor, Ateka A; Elhai, Jon D; Armour, Cherie

    2016-09-01

    The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) characterizes the dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in terms of the individual meeting the criteria for PTSD and additionally reporting symptoms of depersonalization and/or derealization. The current study aimed to examine whether a dissociative PTSD profile may include alternative features of dissociation and whether it could be differentiated from a nondissociative PTSD profile on certain psychopathologies and demographics. Data from 309 trauma-exposed participants, collected through Amazon Mechanical Turk, were subjected to latent profile analysis. Regression analyses were used to examine the predictors of latent classes. Three discrete profiles named Baseline, PTSD, and Dissociative profile were uncovered. All examined features of dissociation were significantly elevated in the Dissociative profile. Anxiety, male sex, being employed, and having a minority racial background significantly predicted the Dissociative profile relative to the PTSD profile. The study points to the importance of alternative symptoms of dissociation in the dissociative PTSD subtype beyond the symptoms of depersonalization and derealization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  1. Depth profile analysis of polymerized fluorine compound on photo-resist film with angle-resolved XPS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iijima, Yoshitoki; Kubota, Toshio; Oinaka, Syuhei

    2013-01-01

    Angle-resolved XPS (ARXPS) is an observation technique which is very effective in chemical depth analysis method less than photoelectron detected depth. For the analysis of depth profile, several analysis methods have been proposed to calculate the depth profile using the ARXPS method. The present report is the measurements of depth profile of the fluorine in a fluorine-containing photo-resist film using the ARXPS method and the depth profile of concentration have been successfully determined using the ARCtick 1.0 software. It has been observed that thickness of the fluorocarbon enriched surface layer of the photo-resist was 2.7 nm, and so that the convert of the ARXPS data from the angle profile to the depth profile was proved to be useful analysis method for the ultrathin layer depth. (author)

  2. Analysis of adolescent profiles by gender: strengths, attitudes toward violence and sexism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferragut, Marta; Blanca, Maria J; Ortiz-Tallo, Margarita

    2014-02-20

    The present study analyzes the profiles of boys and girls, considering gender, in the early stages of adolescence in the variables of character strengths, attitudes toward diversity and violence, and sexism. The aim is to explore the gender differences, whether the variables in each set differ from one another and whether these differences are maintained in profiles for boys and girls. The participants were 527 students (mean age = 12.21 and SD = 0.53) from the city of Málaga (Spain). Profile analysis was used to analyze data. The results, using an alpha of 0.0021 for each contrast, indicate that boys and girls differ in their character strengths, particularly in the case of girls, whose prominent strengths relate to pro-social behavior and peer relationships, where Cohen´s d are higher than .30. Moreover, boys justify attitudes of violence to a greater extent (Cohen´s d from .44 to .81) and show greater agreement with sexist beliefs (d = .63). The research suggests that it would be of interest to encourage advancement in character strengths at this age.

  3. The national psychological/personality profile of Romanians: An in depth analysis of the regional national psychological/personality profile of Romanians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David, D.

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article we perform an in depth analysis of the national psychological/personality profile of Romanians. Following recent developments in the field (see Rentfrow et al., 2013; 2015, we study the regional national psychological/personality profile of Romanians, based on the Big Five model (i.e., NEO PI/R. Using a representative sample (N1 = 1000, we performed a cluster analysis and identified two bipolar personality profiles in the population: cluster 1, called “Factor X-”, characterized by high neuroticism and low levels of extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and cluster 2, called “Factor X+”, characterized by the opposite configuration in personality traits, low neuroticism and high levels of extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The same two cluster pattern/solution emerged in other samples (N = 2200, with other Big Five-based instruments, and by using various methods of data (e.g., direct vs. reversed item score, controlling for item desirability and cluster (i.e., with and without “running means” analyses. These two profiles are quite evenly distributed in the overall population, but also across all geographical regions. Moreover, comparing the distribution of the five personality traits, we found just few small differences between the eight geographical divisions that we used for our analysis. These results suggest that the regional national psychological/personality profile of Romania is quite homogenous. Directions for harnessing the potential of both personality profiles are presented to the reader. Other implications based on the bipolar and fractal structure of the personality profile are discussed from an interdisciplinary perspective.

  4. Strength analysis of welded corners of PVC window profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postawa, P.; Stachowiak, T.; Gnatowski, A.

    2017-08-01

    The article presents the results of researches which main purpose was to define the influence of welding parameters on strength of welded corners of PVC window profile. PVC profiles of a branded name GENEO® produced by Rehau Company were used for this research. The profiles were made by using a co-extrusion method. The surface of the profile was made of PVC mixture with no additives. Its main task was to get a smooth surface resistant to a smudge. The use of an unfilled polyester provides an aesthetic look and improves the resistance of extrudate to water getting into inner layers. The profile's inner layers have been filled up with glass fibre in order to improve its stiffness and mechanical properties. Window frames with cut corners used for this research, were produced on technological line of EUROCOLOR Company based in Pyskowice (Poland). The main goal of this analysis was to evaluate the influence of the main welding parameter (temperature upsetting) on hardness of welds we received in whole process. A universal testing machine was used for the research.

  5. From root to fruit: RNA-Seq analysis shows that arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis may affect tomato fruit metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zouari, Inès; Salvioli, Alessandra; Chialva, Matteo; Novero, Mara; Miozzi, Laura; Tenore, Gian Carlo; Bagnaresi, Paolo; Bonfante, Paola

    2014-03-21

    Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) establishes a beneficial symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The formation of the mycorrhizal association in the roots leads to plant-wide modulation of gene expression. To understand the systemic effect of the fungal symbiosis on the tomato fruit, we used RNA-Seq to perform global transcriptome profiling on Moneymaker tomato fruits at the turning ripening stage. Fruits were collected at 55 days after flowering, from plants colonized with Funneliformis mosseae and from control plants, which were fertilized to avoid responses related to nutrient deficiency. Transcriptome analysis identified 712 genes that are differentially expressed in fruits from mycorrhizal and control plants. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of these genes showed 81 overrepresented functional GO classes. Up-regulated GO classes include photosynthesis, stress response, transport, amino acid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism functions, suggesting a general impact of fungal symbiosis on primary metabolisms and, particularly, on mineral nutrition. Down-regulated GO classes include cell wall, metabolism and ethylene response pathways. Quantitative RT-PCR validated the RNA-Seq results for 12 genes out of 14 when tested at three fruit ripening stages, mature green, breaker and turning. Quantification of fruit nutraceutical and mineral contents produced values consistent with the expression changes observed by RNA-Seq analysis. This RNA-Seq profiling produced a novel data set that explores the intersection of mycorrhization and fruit development. We found that the fruits of mycorrhizal plants show two transcriptomic "signatures": genes characteristic of a climacteric fleshy fruit, and genes characteristic of mycorrhizal status, like phosphate and sulphate transporters. Moreover, mycorrhizal plants under low nutrient conditions produce fruits with a nutrient content similar to those from non-mycorrhizal plants under high nutrient conditions

  6. Chloride ingress profiles measured by electron probe micro analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole mejlhede; Coats, Alison M.; Glasser, Fred P.

    1996-01-01

    Traditional techniques for measuring chloride ingress profiles do not apply well to high performance cement paste systems; the geometric resolution of the traditional measuring techniques is too low. In this paper measurements by Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) are presented. EPMA is demonst......Traditional techniques for measuring chloride ingress profiles do not apply well to high performance cement paste systems; the geometric resolution of the traditional measuring techniques is too low. In this paper measurements by Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) are presented. EPMA...... is demonstated to determine chloride ingress in cement paste on a micrometer scale. Potential chloride ingress routes such as cracks or the paste-aggregate interface may also be characterized by EPMA. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd...

  7. Helicobacter pylori strains from a Nigerian cohort show divergent antibiotic resistance rates and a uniform pathogenicity profile.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ute Harrison

    Full Text Available Antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori is a factor preventing its successful eradication. Particularly in developing countries, resistance against commonly used antibiotics is widespread. Here, we present an epidemiological study from Nigeria with 111 isolates. We analyzed the associated disease outcome, and performed a detailed characterization of these isolated strains with respect to their antibiotic susceptibility and their virulence characteristics. Furthermore, statistical analysis was performed on microbiological data as well as patient information and the results of the gastroenterological examination. We found that the variability concerning the production of virulence factors between strains was minimal, with 96.4% of isolates being CagA-positive and 92.8% producing detectable VacA levels. In addition, high frequency of bacterial resistance was observed for metronidazole (99.1%, followed by amoxicillin (33.3%, clarithromycin (14.4% and tetracycline (4.5%. In conclusion, this study indicated that the infection rate of H. pylori infection within the cohort in the present study was surprisingly low (36.6%. Furthermore, an average gastric pathology was observed by histological grading and bacterial isolates showed a uniform pathogenicity profile while indicating divergent antibiotic resistance rates.

  8. Aerodynamics profile not in stationary flow

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    А.А. Загорулько

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available  Consider the question about influence of unsteady flight on the size of drag and lift coefficients of theaerodynamic profile. Distinctive features of this investigation are obtaining data about aerodynamic drag chancing in process unsteady on high angle at attack and oscillation profile in subsonic and transonic flight. Given analysis of oscillation profile show, that dynamic loops accompany change of lift and dray force. The researches show that it is necessary to clarity the mathematic model of the airplane flight dynamics by introducing numbers, with take into account unsteady effects.

  9. Coping profiles, perceived stress and health-related behaviors: a cluster analysis approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doron, Julie; Trouillet, Raphael; Maneveau, Anaïs; Ninot, Grégory; Neveu, Dorine

    2015-03-01

    Using cluster analytical procedure, this study aimed (i) to determine whether people could be differentiated on the basis of coping profiles (or unique combinations of coping strategies); and (ii) to examine the relationships between these profiles and perceived stress and health-related behaviors. A sample of 578 French students (345 females, 233 males; M(age)= 21.78, SD(age)= 2.21) completed the Perceived Stress Scale-14 ( Bruchon-Schweitzer, 2002), the Brief COPE ( Muller and Spitz, 2003) and a series of items measuring health-related behaviors. A two-phased cluster analytic procedure (i.e. hierarchical and non-hierarchical-k-means) was employed to derive clusters of coping strategy profiles. The results yielded four distinctive coping profiles: High Copers, Adaptive Copers, Avoidant Copers and Low Copers. The results showed that clusters differed significantly in perceived stress and health-related behaviors. High Copers and Avoidant Copers displayed higher levels of perceived stress and engaged more in unhealthy behavior, compared with Adaptive Copers and Low Copers who reported lower levels of stress and engaged more in healthy behaviors. These findings suggested that individuals' relative reliance on some strategies and de-emphasis on others may be a more advantageous way of understanding the manner in which individuals cope with stress. Therefore, cluster analysis approach may provide an advantage over more traditional statistical techniques by identifying distinct coping profiles that might best benefit from interventions. Future research should consider coping profiles to provide a deeper understanding of the relationships between coping strategies and health outcomes and to identify risk groups. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Graphic Communications--Commercial Photography. Ohio's Competency Analysis Profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

    This Ohio Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP), derived from a modified Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) process, is a current comprehensive and verified employer competency program list for graphic communications--commercial photography. Each unit (with or without subunits) contains competencies and competency builders that identify the…

  11. Profiling of Piper betle Linn. cultivars by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometric technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajpai, Vikas; Sharma, Deepty; Kumar, Brijesh; Madhusudanan, K P

    2010-12-01

    Piper betle Linn. is a traditional plant associated with the Asian and southeast Asian cultures. Its use is also recorded in folk medicines in these regions. Several of its medicinal properties have recently been proven. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of mainly terpenes and phenols in betel leaves. These constituents vary in the different cultivars of Piper betle. In this paper we have attempted to profile eight locally available betel cultivars using the recently developed mass spectral ionization technique of direct analysis in real time (DART). Principal component analysis has also been employed to analyze the DART MS data of these betel cultivars. The results show that the cultivars of Piper betle could be differentiated using DART MS data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. The profile analysis of attempted-suicide patients referred to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The profile analysis of attempted-suicide patients referred to Pelonomi ... The main precipitating factors included problematic relationships (55.4%), ... physical – 18.2%), low self-esteem/ worthlessness/hopelessness/humiliation (16.7%), and

  13. Analysis of tidal currents in the North Sea from shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vindenes, Håvard; Orvik, Kjell Arild; Søiland, Henrik; Wehde, Henning

    2018-06-01

    North Sea tidal currents are determined by applying harmonic analysis to ship-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler data recorded from 1999 to 2016, covering large areas of the northern North Sea. Direct current measurement data sets of this magnitude are rare in the otherwise well investigated North Sea, and thus it is a valuable asset in studying and expanding our understanding of its tidal currents and circulation in general. The harmonic analysis is applied to a least squares fit of the current observations at a set of knot points. Results from the harmonic analysis compare favorably to tidal parameters estimated from observations from moored instruments. The analysis shows that the tides are characterized by strong semi-diurnal component, with amplitudes of the principal Lunar constituent ranging from 1.6 cm/s in the Skagerrak to 67 cm/s in the Fair Isle Channel. Diurnal tides are found to be approximately one fifth the strength of the predominant semi-diurnal constituent. Output from a regional barotropic tide model compares well to tidal current determined from the harmonic analysis of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler data.

  14. Initial development of an automated task analysis profiling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jorgensen, C.C.

    1984-01-01

    A program for automated task analysis is described. Called TAPS (task analysis profiling system), the program accepts normal English prose and outputs skills, knowledges, attitudes, and abilities (SKAAs) along with specific guidance and recommended ability measurement tests for nuclear power plant operators. A new method for defining SKAAs is presented along with a sample program output

  15. Examining Combinations of Social Physique Anxiety and Motivation Regulations Using Latent Profile Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullrich-French, Sarah; Cox, Anne E.; Cooper, Brittany Rhoades

    2016-01-01

    Previous research has used cluster analysis to examine how social physique anxiety (SPA) combines with motivation in physical education. This study utilized a more advanced analytic approach, latent profile analysis (LPA), to identify profiles of SPA and motivation regulations. Students in grades 9-12 (N = 298) completed questionnaires at two time…

  16. Photodegradation of wood and depth profile analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kataoka, Y.

    2008-01-01

    Photochemical degradation is a key process of the weathering that occurs when wood is exposed outdoors. It is also a major cause of the discoloration of wood in indoor applications. The effects of sunlight on the chemical composition of wood are superficial in nature, but estimates of the depth at which photodegradation occurs in wood vary greatly from 80 microm to as much as 2540 mic rom. Better understanding of the photodegradation of wood through depth profile analysis is desirable because it would allow the development of more effective photo-protective treatments that target the surface layers of wood most susceptible to photodegradation. This paper briefly describes fundamental aspects of photodegradation of wood and reviews progress made in the field of depth profile study on the photodegradation of wood. (author)

  17. In vivo transcriptional profile analysis reveals RNA splicing and chromatin remodeling as prominent processes for adult neurogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Daniel A; Suárez-Fariñas, Mayte; Naef, Felix; Hacker, Coleen R; Menn, Benedicte; Takebayashi, Hirohide; Magnasco, Marcelo; Patil, Nila; Alvarez-Buylla, Arturo

    2006-01-01

    Neural stem cells and neurogenesis persist in the adult mammalian brain subventricular zone (SVZ). Cells born in the rodent SVZ migrate to the olfactory bulb (Ob) where they differentiate into interneurons. To determine the gene expression and functional profile of SVZ neurogenesis, we performed three complementary sets of transcriptional analysis experiments using Affymetrix GeneChips: (1) comparison of adult mouse SVZ and Ob gene expression profiles with those of the striatum, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus; (2) profiling of SVZ stem cells and ependyma isolated by fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS); and (3) analysis of gene expression changes during in vivo SVZ regeneration after anti-mitotic treatment. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of data from these three separate approaches showed that in adult SVZ neurogenesis, RNA splicing and chromatin remodeling are biological processes as statistically significant as cell proliferation, transcription, and neurogenesis. In non-neurogenic brain regions, RNA splicing and chromatin remodeling were not prominent processes. Fourteen mRNA splicing factors including Sf3b1, Sfrs2, Lsm4, and Khdrbs1/Sam68 were detected along with 9 chromatin remodeling genes including Mll, Bmi1, Smarcad1, Baf53a, and Hat1. We validated the transcriptional profile data with Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization. The data greatly expand the catalogue of cell cycle components, transcription factors, and migration genes for adult SVZ neurogenesis and reveal RNA splicing and chromatin remodeling as prominent biological processes for these germinal cells.

  18. Metabolic profiles show specific mitochondrial toxicities in vitro in myotube cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Qiuwei; Vu, Heather; Liu Liping; Wang, Ting-Chuan; Schaefer, William H.

    2011-01-01

    Mitochondrial toxicity has been a serious concern, not only in preclinical drug development but also in clinical trials. In mitochondria, there are several distinct metabolic processes including fatty acid β-oxidation, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and each process contains discrete but often intimately linked steps. Interruption in any one of those steps can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. Detection of inhibition to OXPHOS can be complicated in vivo because intermediate endogenous metabolites can be recycled in situ or circulated systemically for metabolism in other organs or tissues. Commonly used assays for evaluating mitochondrial function are often applied to ex vivo or in vitro samples; they include various enzymatic or protein assays, as well as functional assays such as measurement of oxygen consumption rate, membrane potential, or acidification rates. Metabolomics provides quantitative profiles of overall metabolic changes that can aid in the unraveling of explicit biochemical details of mitochondrial inhibition while providing a holistic view and heuristic understanding of cellular bioenergetics. In this paper, we showed the application of quantitative NMR metabolomics to in vitro myotube cells treated with mitochondrial toxicants, rotenone and antimycin A. The close coupling of the TCA cycle to the electron transfer chain (ETC) in OXPHOS enables specific diagnoses of inhibition to ETC complexes by discrete biochemical changes in the TCA cycle.

  19. Modelling of the urban wind profile

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gryning, Sven-Erik; Batchvarova, Ekaterina

    2008-01-01

    Analysis of meteorological measurements from tall masts in rural and urban areas show that the height of the boundary layer influences the wind profile even in the lowest hundreds of meters. A parameterization of the wind profile for the entire boundary layer is formulated with emphasis on the lo...

  20. Patterns of stigma toward schizophrenia among the general population: a latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loch, Alexandre A; Wang, Yuan-Pang; Guarniero, Francisco B; Lawson, Fabio L; Hengartner, Michael P; Rössler, Wulf; Gattaz, Wagner F

    2014-09-01

    Our purpose was to assess stigma toward schizophrenia in a representative sample of the Brazilian general population. The sample consisted of 1015 individuals interviewed by telephone. A vignette describing someone with schizophrenia was read, and four stigma aspects regarding this hypothetical individual were assessed: stereotypes, restrictions, perceived prejudice and social distance. Latent profile analysis searched for stigma profiles among the sample. Multinomial logistic regression was used to find correlates of each class. Four stigma profiles were found; 'no stigma' individuals (n = 251) mostly displayed positive opinions. 'Labelers' (n = 222) scored high on social distance; they more often had familial contact with mental illness and more often labeled the vignette's disorder as schizophrenia. 'Discriminators', the group with the majority of individuals (n = 302), showed high levels of stigmatizing beliefs in all dimensions; discriminators were significantly older. 'Unobtrusive stigma' individuals (n = 240) seemed to demonstrate uncertainty or low commitment since they mostly answered items with the middle/impartial option. Some findings from the international literature were replicated; however, familial contact increased stigma, possibly denoting a locally modulated determinant. Hereby, our study also adds important cross-cultural data by showing that stigma toward schizophrenia is high in a Latin-American setting. We highlight the importance of analyzing the general population as a heterogeneous group, aiming to better elaborate anti-stigma campaigns. © The Author(s) 2013.

  1. Analysis of the Tikhonov regularization to retrieve thermal conductivity depth-profiles from infrared thermography data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apiñaniz, Estibaliz; Mendioroz, Arantza; Salazar, Agustín; Celorrio, Ricardo

    2010-09-01

    We analyze the ability of the Tikhonov regularization to retrieve different shapes of in-depth thermal conductivity profiles, usually encountered in hardened materials, from surface temperature data. Exponential, oscillating, and sigmoidal profiles are studied. By performing theoretical experiments with added white noises, the influence of the order of the Tikhonov functional and of the parameters that need to be tuned to carry out the inversion are investigated. The analysis shows that the Tikhonov regularization is very well suited to reconstruct smooth profiles but fails when the conductivity exhibits steep slopes. We check a natural alternative regularization, the total variation functional, which gives much better results for sigmoidal profiles. Accordingly, a strategy to deal with real data is proposed in which we introduce this total variation regularization. This regularization is applied to the inversion of real data corresponding to a case hardened AISI1018 steel plate, giving much better anticorrelation of the retrieved conductivity with microindentation test data than the Tikhonov regularization. The results suggest that this is a promising way to improve the reliability of local inversion methods.

  2. Tensile properties of cooked meat sausages and their correlation with texture profile analysis (TPA) parameters and physico-chemical characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrero, A M; de la Hoz, L; Ordóñez, J A; Herranz, B; Romero de Ávila, M D; Cambero, M I

    2008-11-01

    The possibilities of using breaking strength (BS) and energy to fracture (EF) for monitoring textural properties of some cooked meat sausages (chopped, mortadella and galantines) were studied. Texture profile analysis (TPA), folding test and physico-chemical measurements were also performed. Principal component analysis enabled these meat products to be grouped into three textural profiles which showed significant (p<0.05) differences mainly for BS, hardness, adhesiveness and cohesiveness. Multivariate analysis indicated that BS, EF and TPA parameters were correlated (p<0.05) for every individual meat product (chopped, mortadella and galantines) and all products together. On the basis of these results, TPA parameters could be used for constructing regression models to predict BS. The resulting regression model for all cooked meat products was BS=-0.160+6.600∗cohesiveness-1.255∗adhesiveness+0.048∗hardness-506.31∗springiness (R(2)=0.745, p<0.00005). Simple linear regression analysis showed significant coefficients of determination between BS (R(2)=0.586, p<0.0001) versus folding test grade (FG) and EF versus FG (R(2)=0.564, p<0.0001).

  3. Analysis of plasma equilibrium based on orbit-driven current density profile in steady-state plasma on QUEST

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, K., E-mail: nakamura@triam.kyushu-u.ac.jp [RIAM, Kyushu University, Kasuga 816-8580 (Japan); Alam, M.M. [IGSES, Kyushu University, Kasuga 816-8580 (Japan); Jiang, Y.Z. [Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Mitarai, O. [Tokai University, Kumamoto 862-8652 (Japan); Kurihara, K.; Kawamata, Y.; Sueoka, M.; Takechi, M. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka 311-0193 (Japan); Hasegawa, M.; Tokunaga, K.; Araki, K.; Zushi, H.; Hanada, K.; Fujisawa, A.; Idei, H.; Nagashima, Y.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Higashijima, A.; Nagata, T. [RIAM, Kyushu University, Kasuga 816-8580 (Japan); and others

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • High energy particle guiding center orbit is calculated as a contour plot of conserved variable. • Current density profile is analyzed based on the orbit-driven current. • Plasma equilibrium is reconstructed by considering the hollow current profile. - Abstract: In the present RF-driven (ECCD) steady-state plasma on QUEST (B{sub t} = 0.25 T, R = 0.68 m, a = 0.40 m), plasma current seems to flow in the open magnetic surface outside of the closed magnetic surface in the low-field region according to plasma current fitting (PCF) method. We consider that the current in the open magnetic surface is due to orbit-driven current by high-energy particles in RF-driven plasma. So based on the analysis of current density profile based on the orbit-driven current, plasma equilibrium is to be calculated. We calculated high energy particles guiding center orbits as a contour plot of conserved variable in Hamiltonian formulation and considered particles initial position with different levels of energy and pitch angles that satisfy resonance condition. Then the profile of orbit-driven current is estimated by multiplying the particle density on the resonance surface and the velocity on the orbits. This analysis shows negative current near the magnetic axis and hollow current profile is expected even if pressure driven current is considered. Considering the hollow current profile shifted toward the low-field region, the equilibrium is fitted by J-EFIT coded by MATLAB.

  4. Advances in X-ray powder diffraction profile analysis and its application in ceramic material studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Y.

    1988-01-01

    This dissertation is concerned with the following major aspects: (1) the development of necessary computer codes to carry out X-ray powder diffraction profile analysis (XPDPA) calculations; (2) the establishment of a general reference material (GRM) which greatly extends the application of XPDPA and the study of the application of the GRM in profile analysis; (3) the determination of the coherent diffracting domain size and the lattice residual microstrain for some shock-modified and jet-milled materials. A computer code for diffraction profile refinement, XRAYL, fits a diffraction profile with any one of five mathematical functions, either as symmetric or asymmetric (split mode) forms. The resulting patterns meet the requirements for successful profile analysis of microstrain and crystallite size. Powder diffraction profile analysis requires an instrument calibration standard to correct data for instrumental profiles due to the system optics. A general reference material, LaB 6 , has been established. The pattern of this LaB 6 powder can be used to generate a reference pattern for any other substance. Through three applications, it has been shown that this LaB 6 sample can be used to remove the instrumental broadenings and gives reasonable size and strain estimates in the profile analysis of other materials. Many previous studies have shown that the solid state reactivity and physical properties of some ceramic materials can be substantially enhanced. XPDPA techniques have been used to study the plastic deformation and the reduction of crystallite size for eight shock-modified ceramic materials. The size and strain values of these materials are correlated with shock parameters

  5. Gait profile score and movement analysis profile in patients with Parkinson's disease during concurrent cognitive load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Speciali, Danielli S.; Oliveira, Elaine M.; Cardoso, Jefferson R.; Correa, João C. F.; Baker, Richard; Lucareli, Paulo R. G.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Gait disorders are common in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and the concurrent performance of motor and cognitive tasks can have marked effects on gait. The Gait Profile Score (GPS) and the Movement Analysis Profile (MAP) were developed in order to summarize the data of kinematics and facilitate understanding of the results of gait analysis. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of the GPS and MAP in the quantification of changes in gait during a concurrent cognitive load while walking in adults with and without PD. Method: Fourteen patients with idiopathic PD and nine healthy subjects participated in the study. All subjects performed single and dual walking tasks. The GPS/MAP was computed from three-dimensional gait analysis data. Results: Differences were found between tasks for GPS (PGait Variable Score (GVS) (pelvic rotation, knee flexion-extension and ankle dorsiflexion-plantarflexion) (Pgait impairment during the dual task and suggest that GPS/MAP may be used to evaluate the effects of concurrent cognitive load while walking in patients with PD. PMID:25054382

  6. Seminal Fluid Analysis And Biophysical Profile: Findings And ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Seminal Fluid Analysis And Biophysical Profile: Findings And Relevance In Infertile Males In Ilorin, Nigeria. EK Oghagbon, AAG Jimoh, SA Adebisi. Abstract. To determine if there was a bearing of body mass index (BMI) on male infertility, a cross-sectional study of males of infertile couples, attending our infertility clinic was ...

  7. Correlative analysis of metabolite profiling of Danggui Buxue Tang in rat biological fluids by rapid resolution LC-TOF/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chang-Yin; Qi, Lian-Wen; Li, Ping

    2011-04-28

    In this work, the metabolite profiles of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) in rat bile and plasma were qualitatively described, and the possible metabolic pathways of DBT were subsequently proposed. Emphasis was put on correlative analysis of metabolite profiling in different biological fluids. After oral administration of DBT, bile and plasma samples were collected and pretreated by solid phase extraction. Rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-TOFMS) was used for characterization of DBT-related compounds (parent compounds and metabolites) in biological matrices. A total of 142 metabolites were detected and tentatively identified from the drug-containing bile and plasma samples. Metabolite profiling shows that rat bile contained relatively more glutathione-derived conjugates, more saponins compounds and more diverse forms of metabolites than urine. The metabolite profile in plasma revealed that glucuronide conjugates of isoflavonoids, dimmers, acetylcysteine conjugates and parent form of phthalides, as well as saponin aglycones were the major circulating forms of DBT. Collectively, the metabolite profile analysis of DBT in different biological matrices provided a comprehensive understanding of the in vivo metabolic fates of constituents in DBT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Further Studies on Malaysian Nuclear Agency Competency Profile: Analysis on SARCON Data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuraida Zainudin; Fazila Said; Zakaria Taib; Salahbiah Abdul Majid; Nita Salina Abu Bakar; Zakaria Dris

    2016-01-01

    A project on competency profile study was conducted in 2015 to identify and update the competence of Malaysian Nuclear Agency officers. This competency profile study is using the Modified SARCoN tool adapted from the original framework of the IAEA SARCoN. This paper will present further analysis of the Modified SARCoN data. A total of five divisions under the Research and Development programme namely BAB, BAS, BTI, BTP and BTS which involved 159 respondents as samples in this study. The collected data were analyzed via inferential statistics using the IBM SPSS Statistics software version 23. The results show that there are correlations and influences between the quadrant of organizational basic knowledge (Q1), technical knowledge (Q2), special skills (Q3a) and the effectiveness of personality/ attitude (Q4) with the quadrant of individual achievement and expertise (Q3b), but the influences are varies between the divisions involved. The influence of demographic factors are also discussed in this study. (author)

  9. User Profile Analysis Using an Online Social Network Integrated Quiz Game

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf YASLAN

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available User interest profiling is important for personalized web search, recommendation and retrieval systems. In order to develop a good personalized application one needs to have accurate representation of user profiles. Most of the personalized systems generate interest profiles from user declarations or inferred from cookies or visited web pages. But to achieve a certain result that satisfies the user needs, explicit definition of the user interests is needed. In this paper we propose to obtain interest profiles from a quiz game played by the user where at each play he/she is asked 10 questions from different categories with different difficulty levels. The developed quiz game is integrated to Facebook online social network. By doing so, we had the chance to extract each user’s both explicit Facebook interest profiles and implicit interest profiles from quiz game answers. These profiles are used to extract different features for each user. Both implicit interest profile and explicit interest profile features are evaluated for clustering and interest ranking tasks separately. The experimental results show that the implicit interest profile features have promising results on personalized systems.

  10. Multifractal analysis of vertical profiles of soil penetration resistance at the field scale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. M. Siqueira

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Soil penetration resistance (PR is widely used as an indirect indicator of soil strength. Soil PR is linked to basic soil properties and correlated to root growth and plant production, and as such it is extensively used as a practical tool for assessing soil compaction and to evaluate the effects of soil management. This study investigates how results from multifractal analysis can quantify key elements of depth-dependent soil PR profiles and how this information can be used at the field scale. We analysed multifractality of 50 PR vertical profiles, measured from 0 to 60 cm depth and randomly located on a 6.5 ha sugar cane field in northeastern Brazil. The scaling property of each profile was typified by singularity, and Rényi spectra estimated by the method of moments. The Hurst exponent was used to parameterize the autocorrelation of the vertical PR data sets. The singularity and Rènyi spectra showed that the vertical PR data sets exhibited a well-defined multifractal structure. Hurst exponent values were close to 1, ranging from 0.944 to 0.988, indicating strong persistence in PR variation with soil depth. Also, the Hurst exponent was negatively and significantly correlated to coefficient of variation (CV, skewness and maximum values of the depth-dependent PR. Multifractal analysis added valuable information to describe the spatial arrangement of depth-dependent penetrometer data sets, which was not taken into account by classical statistical indices. Multifractal parameters were mapped over the experimental field and compared with mean and maximum values of PR. Combination of spatial variability survey and multifractal analysis appear to be useful to manage soil compaction.

  11. Multifractal analysis of vertical profiles of soil penetration resistance at the field scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siqueira, G. M.; Silva, E. F. F.; Montenegro, A. A. A.; Vidal Vázquez, E.; Paz-Ferreiro, J.

    2013-07-01

    Soil penetration resistance (PR) is widely used as an indirect indicator of soil strength. Soil PR is linked to basic soil properties and correlated to root growth and plant production, and as such it is extensively used as a practical tool for assessing soil compaction and to evaluate the effects of soil management. This study investigates how results from multifractal analysis can quantify key elements of depth-dependent soil PR profiles and how this information can be used at the field scale. We analysed multifractality of 50 PR vertical profiles, measured from 0 to 60 cm depth and randomly located on a 6.5 ha sugar cane field in northeastern Brazil. The scaling property of each profile was typified by singularity, and Rényi spectra estimated by the method of moments. The Hurst exponent was used to parameterize the autocorrelation of the vertical PR data sets. The singularity and Rènyi spectra showed that the vertical PR data sets exhibited a well-defined multifractal structure. Hurst exponent values were close to 1, ranging from 0.944 to 0.988, indicating strong persistence in PR variation with soil depth. Also, the Hurst exponent was negatively and significantly correlated to coefficient of variation (CV), skewness and maximum values of the depth-dependent PR. Multifractal analysis added valuable information to describe the spatial arrangement of depth-dependent penetrometer data sets, which was not taken into account by classical statistical indices. Multifractal parameters were mapped over the experimental field and compared with mean and maximum values of PR. Combination of spatial variability survey and multifractal analysis appear to be useful to manage soil compaction.

  12. Multivariate data analysis as a semi-quantitative tool for interpretive evaluation of comparability or equivalence of aerodynamic particle size distribution profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Shuai; Hickey, Anthony J

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to investigate the performance of multivariate data analysis, especially orthogonal partial least square (OPLS) analysis, as a semi-quantitative tool to evaluate the comparability or equivalence of aerodynamic particle size distribution (APSD) profiles of orally inhaled and nasal drug products (OINDP). Monte Carlo simulation was employed to reconstitute APSD profiles based on 55 realistic scenarios proposed by the Product Quality Research Institute (PQRI) working group. OPLS analyses with different data pretreatment methods were performed on each of the reconstituted profiles. Compared to unit-variance scaling, equivalence determined based on OPLS analysis with Pareto scaling was shown to be more consistent with the working group assessment. Chi-square statistics was employed to compare the performance of OPLS analysis (Pareto scaling) with that of the combination test (i.e., chi-square ratio statistics and population bioequivalence test for impactor-sized mass) in terms of achieving greater consistency with the working group evaluation. A p value of 0.036 suggested that OPLS analysis with Pareto scaling may be more predictive than the combination test with respect to consistency. Furthermore, OPLS analysis may also be employed to analyze part of the APSD profiles that contribute to the calculation of the mass median aerodynamic diameter. Our results show that OPLS analysis performed on partial deposition sites do not interfere with the performance on all deposition sites.

  13. MMPI-2: Cluster Analysis of Personality Profiles in Perinatal Depression—Preliminary Evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Meuti

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. To assess personality characteristics of women who develop perinatal depression. Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, to which was administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2. A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 55 subjects was selected; clinical and validity scales of MMPI-2 were used as predictors in hierarchical cluster analysis carried out. Results. The analysis identified three clusters of personality profile: two “clinical” clusters (1 and 3 and an “apparently common” one (cluster 2. The first cluster (39.5% collects structures of personality with prevalent obsessive or dependent functioning tending to develop a “psychasthenic” depression; the third cluster (13.95% includes women with prevalent borderline functioning tending to develop “dysphoric” depression; the second cluster (46.5% shows a normal profile with a “defensive” attitude, probably due to the presence of defense mechanisms or to the fear of stigma. Conclusion. Characteristics of personality have a key role in clinical manifestations of perinatal depression; it is important to detect them to identify mothers at risk and to plan targeted therapeutic interventions.

  14. MMPI-2: Cluster Analysis of Personality Profiles in Perinatal Depression—Preliminary Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grillo, Alessandra; Lauriola, Marco; Giacchetti, Nicoletta

    2014-01-01

    Background. To assess personality characteristics of women who develop perinatal depression. Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, to which was administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2). A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 55 subjects) was selected; clinical and validity scales of MMPI-2 were used as predictors in hierarchical cluster analysis carried out. Results. The analysis identified three clusters of personality profile: two “clinical” clusters (1 and 3) and an “apparently common” one (cluster 2). The first cluster (39.5%) collects structures of personality with prevalent obsessive or dependent functioning tending to develop a “psychasthenic” depression; the third cluster (13.95%) includes women with prevalent borderline functioning tending to develop “dysphoric” depression; the second cluster (46.5%) shows a normal profile with a “defensive” attitude, probably due to the presence of defense mechanisms or to the fear of stigma. Conclusion. Characteristics of personality have a key role in clinical manifestations of perinatal depression; it is important to detect them to identify mothers at risk and to plan targeted therapeutic interventions. PMID:25574499

  15. A Comparative Study of the Analysis, Numerical Modelling and Experimental Test on a Sandwich Panel with Plane and Profiled Facings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raluca Hohan

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich panels are remarkable products because they can be as strong as a solid material but with less weight. The analysis that is required to predict the stresses and deflections in panels with flat or lightly profiled facings is that of conventional beam theory but with the addition of shear deformation. Knowing that the profiled sheets bring an increase of the flexural stiffness, formulas showing the calculus of a panel with flat and profiled facings are established. A comparison between the results of a mathematical calculus, an experimental test and a numerical modelling is provided.

  16. Country analysis briefs: 1994. Profiles of major world energy producers, consumers, and transport centers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-05-01

    Country Analysis Briefs: 1994 is a compilation of country profiles prepared by the Energy Markets and Contingency Information Division (EMCID) of the Office of Energy Markets and End Use. EMCID maintains Country Analysis Briefs (CABs) for specific countries or geographical areas that are important to world energy markets. As a general rule, CABs are prepared for all members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), major non-OPEC oil producers (i.e., the North Sea, Russia), major energy transit areas (i.e., Ukraine), and other areas of current interest to energy analysts and policy makers. As of January 1995, EMCID maintained over 40 CABs, updated on an annual schedule and subject to revision as events warrant. This report includes 25 CABs updated during 1994. All CABs contain a profile section, a map showing the country`s location, and a narrative section. The profile section includes outlines of the country`s economy, energy sector, and environment. The narrative provides further information and discussion of these topics. Some CABs also include a detailed map displaying locations of major oil and gas fields, pipelines, ports, etc. These maps were created as a result of special individual requests and so are not typically a standard feature of the CABs. They are presented here wherever available as a supplement to the information contained in the CABs.

  17. Mission-profile-based stress analysis of bond-wires in SiC power modules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahman, Amir Sajjad; Iannuzzo, Francesco; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes a novel mission-profile-based reliability analysis approach for stress on bond wires in Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET power modules using statistics and thermo-mechanical FEM analysis. In the proposed approach, both the operational and environmental thermal stresses are taken...... into account. The approach uses a two-dimension statistical analysis of the operating conditions in a real one-year mission profile sampled at time frames 5 minutes long. For every statistical bin corresponding to a given operating condition, the junction temperature evolution is estimated by a thermal network...... and the mechanical stress on bond wires is consequently extracted by finite-element simulations. In the final step, the considered mission profile is translated in a stress sequence to be used for Rainflow counting calculation and lifetime estimation....

  18. Functional Status, Quality of Life, and Costs Associated With Fibromyalgia Subgroups: A Latent Profile Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luciano, Juan V; Forero, Carlos G; Cerdà-Lafont, Marta; Peñarrubia-María, María Teresa; Fernández-Vergel, Rita; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio I; Ruíz, José M; Rozadilla-Sacanell, Antoni; Sirvent-Alierta, Elena; Santo-Panero, Pilar; García-Campayo, Javier; Serrano-Blanco, Antoni; Pérez-Aranda, Adrián; Rubio-Valera, María

    2016-10-01

    Although fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is considered a heterogeneous condition, there is no generally accepted subgroup typology. We used hierarchical cluster analysis and latent profile analysis to replicate Giesecke's classification in Spanish FM patients. The second aim was to examine whether the subgroups differed in sociodemographic characteristics, functional status, quality of life, and in direct and indirect costs. A total of 160 FM patients completed the following measures for cluster derivation: the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, the Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Control over Pain subscale. Pain threshold was measured with a sphygmomanometer. In addition, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised, the EuroQoL-5D-3L, and the Client Service Receipt Inventory were administered for cluster validation. Two distinct clusters were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis ("hypersensitive" group, 69.8% and "functional" group, 30.2%). In contrast, the latent profile analysis goodness-of-fit indices supported the existence of 3 FM patient profiles: (1) a "functional" profile (28.1%) defined as moderate tenderness, distress, and pain catastrophizing; (2) a "dysfunctional" profile (45.6%) defined by elevated tenderness, distress, and pain catastrophizing; and (3) a "highly dysfunctional and distressed" profile (26.3%) characterized by elevated tenderness and extremely high distress and catastrophizing. We did not find significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics between the 2 clusters or among the 3 profiles. The functional profile was associated with less impairment, greater quality of life, and lower health care costs. We identified 3 distinct profiles which accounted for the heterogeneity of FM patients. Our findings might help to design tailored interventions for FM patients.

  19. ASSESSMENT OF BACTERIAL BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCTION THROUGH AXISYMMETRICAL DROP SHAPE-ANALYSIS BY PROFILE

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANDERVEGT, W; VANDERMEI, HC; BUSSCHER, HJ

    Axisymmetric drop shape analysis by profile (ADSA-P) is a technique developed in colloid and surface science to simultaneously determine the contact angle and liquid surface tension from the profile of a droplet resting on a solid surface. In this paper is described how ADSA-P can be employed to

  20. Microarray analysis of the gene expression profile in triethylene ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Microarray analysis of the gene expression profile in triethylene glycol dimethacrylate-treated human dental pulp cells. ... Conclusions: Our results suggest that TEGDMA can change the many functions of hDPCs through large changes in gene expression levels and complex interactions with different signaling pathways.

  1. Soybean (Glycine max) SWEET gene family: insights through comparative genomics, transcriptome profiling and whole genome re-sequence analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Gunvant; Valliyodan, Babu; Deshmukh, Rupesh; Prince, Silvas; Nicander, Bjorn; Zhao, Mingzhe; Sonah, Humira; Song, Li; Lin, Li; Chaudhary, Juhi; Liu, Yang; Joshi, Trupti; Xu, Dong; Nguyen, Henry T

    2015-07-11

    SWEET (MtN3_saliva) domain proteins, a recently identified group of efflux transporters, play an indispensable role in sugar efflux, phloem loading, plant-pathogen interaction and reproductive tissue development. The SWEET gene family is predominantly studied in Arabidopsis and members of the family are being investigated in rice. To date, no transcriptome or genomics analysis of soybean SWEET genes has been reported. In the present investigation, we explored the evolutionary aspect of the SWEET gene family in diverse plant species including primitive single cell algae to angiosperms with a major emphasis on Glycine max. Evolutionary features showed expansion and duplication of the SWEET gene family in land plants. Homology searches with BLAST tools and Hidden Markov Model-directed sequence alignments identified 52 SWEET genes that were mapped to 15 chromosomes in the soybean genome as tandem duplication events. Soybean SWEET (GmSWEET) genes showed a wide range of expression profiles in different tissues and developmental stages. Analysis of public transcriptome data and expression profiling using quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that a majority of the GmSWEET genes were confined to reproductive tissue development. Several natural genetic variants (non-synonymous SNPs, premature stop codons and haplotype) were identified in the GmSWEET genes using whole genome re-sequencing data analysis of 106 soybean genotypes. A significant association was observed between SNP-haplogroup and seed sucrose content in three gene clusters on chromosome 6. Present investigation utilized comparative genomics, transcriptome profiling and whole genome re-sequencing approaches and provided a systematic description of soybean SWEET genes and identified putative candidates with probable roles in the reproductive tissue development. Gene expression profiling at different developmental stages and genomic variation data will aid as an important resource for the soybean research

  2. Profile analysis of neutron powder diffraction data at ISIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David, W.I.F.; Ibberson, R.M.; Matthewman, J.C.

    1992-05-01

    The aim of this manual is to document the current suite of time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction profile refinement programs available to ISIS users. Aspects of data collation and normalisation specific to the individual diffraction instruments are dealt with elsewhere. It will be assumed the user has produced a suitable data file (.DAT file) containing the profile data consisting of point by point values of the corrected diffraction profile across the pattern. The analysis of neutron powder diffraction data at ISIS by profile refinement utilises a suite of ''in-house'' written and supported programs based on the Cambridge Crystallography Subroutine Library (CCSL). A quick scan through the CCSL manual will give the user a general feel for the procedure to adopt in the use of the library and hence of the profile codes. The instructions documented in this handbook are complementary to those in the more specialist CCSL manual, and consequently go into no great detail regarding technical details of any of the CCSL routines. The programs may be run from each individual user account, for example [USER01], once the appropriate login procedure has been set-up by the instrument scientists. The programs are mostly activated by one line commands and only a basic knowledge of a VAX editor should be required; details can be found in the ''VAX primer'' available from Computer Support. (Author)

  3. Sociodemographic Analysis of the Profile and the Motivations of Tourists Visiting Quito, Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guzmán Muñoz Fernández

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a fieldwork-based analysis on the sociodemographic characteristics, travel arrangements, motivations and travel experience evaluation of tourists visiting Quito, Ecuador. The results of this research show differences in the profile of tourists in terms of travel arrangements, their motivation and their evaluation of the destination, based on tourists’ geographical origin. The main practical implication of this research is to better understand the characteristics of tourists who visit Quito, with the purpose of designing cultural and touristic products that meet the needs of different groups of travelers.

  4. Low-profile natural and metamaterial antennas analysis methods and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Nakano, Hisamatsu

    2017-01-01

    This book presents the full range of low-profile antennas that use novel elements and take advantage of new concepts in antenna implementation, including metamaterials. Typically formed by constructing lattices of simple elements, metamaterials possess electromagnetic properties not found in naturally occurring materials, and show great promise in a number of low-profile antenna implementations. Introductory chapters define various natural and metamaterial-based antennas and provide the fundamentals of writing computer programs based on the method of moments (MoM) and the finite-difference time-domain method (FDTDM). Chapters then discuss low-profile natural antennas classified into base station antennas, mobile card antennas, beam-forming antennas, and satellite-satellite and earth-satellite communications antennas. Final chapters look at various properties of low-profile metamaterial-based ant nnas, revealing the strengths and limitations of the metamaterial-based straight line antenna (metaline antenna), m...

  5. Psychobehavioral Profiles to Assist Tailoring of Interventions for Patients With Hypertension: Latent Profile Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Rika; Nolan, Robert P

    2018-05-11

    in the adaptive adjustment group, and those in the adaptive adjustment group were 2.4 times more likely to complete the 12-month intervention study, compared with their affectively distressed counterparts. Interventions for patients who are adaptively adjusted may differ in focus from those designed for the affectively distressed patients. As such, this study underscores the importance of identifying psychobehavioral profiles, as they allow for evidence-based tailoring of lifestyle counseling programs for patients with hypertension. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01541540; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01541540 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6yzZYZcWF). ©Rika Tanaka, Robert P Nolan. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 11.05.2018.

  6. Meta-analysis of pemetrexed plus carboplatin doublet safety profile in first-line non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamoto, Isamu; Schuette, Wolfgang H W; Stinchcombe, Thomas E; Rodrigues-Pereira, José; San Antonio, Belén; Chen, Jian; Liu, Jingyi; John, William J; Zinner, Ralph G

    2017-05-01

    This meta-analysis compared safety profiles (selected drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events [TEAEs]) of first-line pemetrexed plus carboplatin (PCb) area under the concentration-time curve 5 mg/min•mL (PCb5) or 6 mg/min•mL (PCb6), two widely used regimens in clinical practice for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. All patients received pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 every 21 days with either of two carboplatin doses for up to 4-6 cycles. Safety profiles of PCb doses were compared using three statistical analysis methods: frequency table analysis (FTA), generalized linear mixed effect model (GLMM), and the propensity score method. Efficacy outcomes of PCb5 and PCb6 regimens were summarized. A total of 486 patients mainly from the US, Europe, and East Asia were included in the analysis; 22% (n = 105) received PCb5 in one trial and 78% (n = 381) received PCb6 in four trials. The FTA comparison demonstrated that PCb5 vs PCb6 was associated with a statistically significantly lower incidence of TEAEs, including all-grade thrombocytopenia, anemia, fatigue, and vomiting, and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia. In the GLMM analysis, PCb5 patients were numerically less likely to experience all-grade and grade 3/4 neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. The propensity score regression analysis showed PCb5 group patients were significantly less likely than PCb6 group patients to experience all-grade hematologic TEAEs and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia and anemia. After applying propensity score 1:1 matching, FTA analysis showed that the PCb5 group had significantly less all-grade and grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities. Overall efficacy outcomes, including overall survival, progression-free survival, and response rate, were similar between the two carboplatin doses. Acknowledging the limitations of this meta-analysis of five trials, heterogeneous in patient's characteristics and trial designs, the results show that the PCb5 regimen was generally associated

  7. Profiling physical activity motivation based on self-determination theory: a cluster analysis approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friederichs, Stijn Ah; Bolman, Catherine; Oenema, Anke; Lechner, Lilian

    2015-01-01

    In order to promote physical activity uptake and maintenance in individuals who do not comply with physical activity guidelines, it is important to increase our understanding of physical activity motivation among this group. The present study aimed to examine motivational profiles in a large sample of adults who do not comply with physical activity guidelines. The sample for this study consisted of 2473 individuals (31.4% male; age 44.6 ± 12.9). In order to generate motivational profiles based on motivational regulation, a cluster analysis was conducted. One-way analyses of variance were then used to compare the clusters in terms of demographics, physical activity level, motivation to be active and subjective experience while being active. Three motivational clusters were derived based on motivational regulation scores: a low motivation cluster, a controlled motivation cluster and an autonomous motivation cluster. These clusters differed significantly from each other with respect to physical activity behavior, motivation to be active and subjective experience while being active. Overall, the autonomous motivation cluster displayed more favorable characteristics compared to the other two clusters. The results of this study provide additional support for the importance of autonomous motivation in the context of physical activity behavior. The three derived clusters may be relevant in the context of physical activity interventions as individuals within the different clusters might benefit most from different intervention approaches. In addition, this study shows that cluster analysis is a useful method for differentiating between motivational profiles in large groups of individuals who do not comply with physical activity guidelines.

  8. Analysis of hepatic transcript profile and plasma lipid profile in early lactating dairy cows fed grape seed and grape marc meal extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gessner, Denise K; Winkler, Anne; Koch, Christian; Dusel, Georg; Liebisch, Gerhard; Ringseis, Robert; Eder, Klaus

    2017-03-23

    It was recently reported that dairy cows fed a polyphenol-rich grape seed and grape marc meal extract (GSGME) during the transition period had an increased milk yield, but the underlying reasons remained unclear. As polyphenols exert a broad spectrum of metabolic effects, we hypothesized that feeding of GSGME influences metabolic pathways in the liver which could account for the positive effects of GSGME in dairy cows. In order to identify these pathways, we performed genome-wide transcript profiling in the liver and lipid profiling in plasma of dairy cows fed GSGME during the transition period at 1 week postpartum. Transcriptomic analysis of the liver revealed 207 differentially expressed transcripts, from which 156 were up- and 51 were down-regulated, between cows fed GSGME and control cows. Gene set enrichment analysis of the 155 up-regulated mRNAs showed that the most enriched gene ontology (GO) biological process terms were dealing with cell cycle regulation and the most enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were p53 signaling and cell cycle. Functional analysis of the 43 down-regulated mRNAs revealed that a great part of these genes are involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) and inflammatory processes. Accordingly, protein folding, response to unfolded protein, unfolded protein binding, chemokine activity and heat shock protein binding were identified as one of the most enriched GO biological process and molecular function terms assigned to the down-regulated genes. In line with the transcriptomics data the plasma concentrations of the acute phase proteins serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin were reduced in cows fed GSGME compared to control cows. Lipidomic analysis of plasma revealed no differences in the concentrations of individual species of major and minor lipid classes between cows fed GSGME and control cows. Analysis of hepatic transcript profile in cows fed GSGME during the

  9. Assimilation of NUCAPS Retrieved Profiles in GSI for Unique Forecasting Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berndt, Emily Beth; Zavodsky, Bradley; Srikishen, Jayanthi; Blankenship, Clay

    2015-01-01

    Hyperspectral IR profiles can be assimilated in GSI as a separate observation other than radiosondes with only changes to tables in the fix directory. Assimilation of profiles does produce changes to analysis fields and evidenced by: Innovations larger than +/-2.0 K are present and represent where individual profiles impact the final temperature analysis.The updated temperature analysis is colder behind the cold front and warmer in the warm sector. The updated moisture analysis is modified more in the low levels and tends to be drier than the original model background Analysis of model output shows: Differences relative to 13-km RAP analyses are smaller when profiles are assimilated with NUCAPS errors. CAPE is under-forecasted when assimilating NUCAPS profiles, which could be problematic for severe weather forecasting Refining the assimilation technique to incorporate an error covariance matrix and creating a separate GSI module to assimilate satellite profiles may improve results.

  10. Novel and successful free comments method for sensory characterization of chocolate ice cream: A comparative study between pivot profile and comment analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonseca, Fernando G A; Esmerino, Erick A; Filho, Elson R Tavares; Ferraz, Juliana P; da Cruz, Adriano G; Bolini, Helena M A

    2016-05-01

    Rapid sensory profiling methods have gained space in the sensory evaluation field. Techniques using direct analysis of the terms generated by consumers are considered easy to perform, without specific training requirements, thus improving knowledge about consumer perceptions on various products. This study aimed to determine the sensory profile of different commercial samples of chocolate ice cream, labeled as conventional and light or diet, using the "comment analysis" and "pivot profile" methods, based on consumers' perceptions. In the comment analysis task, consumers responded to 2 separate open questions describing the sensory attributes they liked or disliked in each sample. In the pivot profile method, samples were served in pairs (consisting of a coded sample and pivot), and consumers indicated the higher and lower intensity attributes in the target sample compared with the pivot. We observed that both methods were able to characterize the different chocolate ice cream samples using consumer perception, with high correlation results and configurational similarity (regression vector coefficient=0.917) between them. However, it is worth emphasizing that comment analysis is performed intuitively by consumers, whereas the pivot profile method showed high analytical and discriminative power even using consumers, proving to be a promising technique for routine application when classical descriptive methods cannot be used. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Analysis of risk of nonconformities and applied quality inspection methods in the process of aluminium profiles coating based on FMEA results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Knop

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the results of risk analysis associated with nonconformities of aluminium profiles in the process of coating and quality inspection methods used to their detection. Analysis of risk was done based on results of FMEA method. Evaluated quality inspection methods were distinguished based on the term of inspection in the ISO 9000:2005 norm. Manufacturing process of aluminium profile in micro-technological approach was presented. Triple quantification of nonconformities risk based on the FMEA method by using three different approaches was conducted. Analysis of nonconformities risks associated with the use of specific quality inspection methods was done. In the last part the analysis of causes of critical nonconformities, proposals for improvement actions reducing the risk of the critical nonconformities and applied critical quality inspection method were showed.

  12. Stokes profile analysis and vector magnetic fields. I. Inversion of photospheric lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skumanich, A.; Lites, B.W.

    1987-01-01

    Improvements are proposed for the Auer et al. (1977) method for the analytic inversion of Stokes profiles via nonlinear least squares. The introduction of additional physics into the Mueller absorption matrix (by including damping wings and magnetooptical birefringence, and by decoupling the intensity profile from the three-vector polarization profile in the analysis) is found to result in a more robust inversion method, providing more reliable and accurate estimates of sunspot vector magnetic fields without significant loss of economy. The method is applied to sunspot observations obtained with the High Altitude Observatory polarimeter. 29 references

  13. Growth curve analysis for plasma profiles using smoothing splines. Final report, January 1993--January 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imre, K.

    1995-07-01

    In this project, we parameterize the shape and magnitude of the temperature and density profiles on JET and the temperature profiles on TFTR. The key control variables for the profiles were tabulated and the response functions were estimated. A sophisticated statistical analysis code was developed to fit the plasma profiles. Our analysis indicate that the JET density shape depends primarily on bar n/B t for Ohmic heating, bar n for L-mode and I p for H-mode. The temperature profiles for JET are mainly determined by q 95 for the case of Ohmic heating, and by B t and P/bar n for the L-mode. For the H-mode the shape depends on the type of auxiliary heating, Z eff , N bar n, q 95 , and P

  14. LCA profiles for building components:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marsh, Rob

    2016-01-01

    . A full bivariate linear regression analysis is performed, showing statistically significant correlations with strong direct relationships between environmental impact categories. A simplified LCA profile consisting of total primary energy, global warming potential and acidification potential is developed...

  15. Stream gradient Hotspot and Cluster Analysis (SL-HCA) for improving the longitudinal profiles metrics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troiani, Francesco; Piacentini, Daniela; Seta Marta, Della

    2016-04-01

    Many researches successfully focused on stream longitudinal profiles analysis through Stream Length-gradient (SL) index for detecting, at different spatial scales, either tectonic structures or hillslope processes. The analysis and interpretation of spatial variability of SL values, both at a regional and local scale, is often complicated due to the concomitance of different factors generating SL anomalies, including the bedrock composition. The creation of lithologically-filtered SL maps is often problematic in areas where homogeneously surveyed geological maps, with a sufficient resolution are unavailable. Moreover, both the SL map classification and the unbiased anomaly detection are rather difficult. For instance, which is the best threshold to define the anomalous SL values? Further, is there a minimum along-channel extent of anomalous SL values for objectively defining over-steeped segments on long-profiles? This research investigates the relevance and potential of a new approach based on Hotspot and Cluster Analysis of SL values (SL-HCA) for detecting knickzones on long-profiles at a regional scale and for fine-tuning the interpretation of their geological-geomorphological meaning. We developed this procedure within a 2800 km2-wide area located in the mountainous sector of the Northern Apennines of Italy. The Getis-Ord Gi∗ statistic is applied for the SL-HCA approach. The value of SL, calculated starting from a 5x5 m Digital Elevation Model, is used as weighting factor and the Gi∗ index is calculated for each 50 m-long channel segment for the whole fluvial system. The outcomes indicate that high positive Gi∗ values imply the clustering of SL anomalies, thus the occurrence of knickzones on the stream long-profiles. Results show that high and very high Gi* values (i.e. values beyond two standard deviations from the mean) correlate well with the principal knickzones detected with existent lithologically-filtered SL maps. Field checks and remote sensing

  16. Elementary Analysis of Petroleum Distillates by Gc-Aed: Validation and Application to the Calculation of Distillation Profile Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baco F.

    1999-07-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the development of elementary analysis in the distillation profile of petroleum cuts by gas phase chromatography-atomic emission detection (GC-AED coupling and shows the application perspectives to characterisation of middle distillates of a piece of information unheard of until now on a routine basis. The performances of the analytical assembly used have been studied for carbon, hydrogen, sulphur and nitrogen analysis. Simulated distillation, a gas phase chromatography analysis which enables determining the weight percentage of distilled matter in relation to the boiling point of petroleum cuts, has been adapted to GC-AED coupling. We have developed a method giving access to three types of information: global elementary composition, simulated distillation and elementary composition in distillation profile, i. e. by fraction (% of the distilled product. The analysis of the atmospheric distillates has been assessed in terms of precision and bias for these various types of information. The validation was carried out notably by comparison with the results obtained using reference analytical methods, on preparative distillation cuts of representative samples. The application of GC-AED to characterisation of distillates is discussed, in particular for classification purposes and for predicting petroleum properties in the distillation profile. The cetane number of gas oils was taken as an example to illustrate the latter application.

  17. Analysis of senior high school students’ creative thinking skills profile in Klaten regency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyanto, F. N.; Masykuri, M.; Muzzazinah

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this research is to analyze the initial profile of creative thinking skills in Senior High School students on biology learning. This research was a quantitative descriptive research using test method. Analysis was conducted by giving tests containing creative thinking skills. The research subject was grade 11 students of Senior High School that categorized by its accreditation as category A (high grade) and category B (low grade). These schools are placed in Klaten Regency, Central Java. Based on the analysis, it showed that the percentage of creative thinking skill achievement in category A school is: fluency (46.35%), flexibility (13.54%), originality (20%), and elaboration (34.76%); meanwhile, category B school is fluency (30.39%), flexibility (2.45%), originality (9.11 %) and elaboration (12.87%). The lowest percentage of that result in both school categories was found on flexibility and originality indicator. Based on the result, the average of creative thinking skills in category A school was 28.66%, and category B school was 13.71%. The conclusion of this research is the initial profile of students’ creative thinking skills in biology learning was relatively in low grade. The result indicates that creative thinking skills of Senior High School students should become a serious attention considering the low percentage on each indicator.

  18. Schizosaccharomyces pombe Polysome Profile Analysis and RNA Purification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Dieter A; Bähler, Jürg; Wise, Jo Ann

    2017-04-03

    Polysome profile analysis is widely used by investigators studying the mechanism and regulation of translation. The method described here uses high-velocity centrifugation of whole cell extracts on linear sucrose gradients to separate 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits from 80S monosomes and polysomes. Cycloheximide is included in the lysis buffer to "freeze" polysomes by blocking translation. After centrifugation, the gradient is fractionated and RNA (and/or protein) is prepared from each fraction for subsequent analysis of individual species using northern or western blots. The entire RNA population in each fraction can be analyzed by hybridization to microarrays or by high-throughput RNA sequencing, and the proteins present can be identified by mass spectrometry analysis. © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  19. Quantitative evaluation of fluctuation error in X-ray diffraction profiles with fractal analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurose, Masashi; Hirose, Yukio; Sasaki, Toshihiko; Yoshioka, Yasuo.

    1995-01-01

    A method of the fractal analysis was applied to the diffraction profiles for its quantitative evaluation. The fractal dimension was analyzed according to both Box counting method and FFT method. The relationship between the fractal dimension and the measurement criteria in X-ray diffraction analysis was discussed with diffraction data obtained under various conditions of the measurement. It was concluded that the fractal analysis is effective for the quantitative evaluation of diffraction data. Box counting method is suitable for evaluation of a whole profile, and FFT method is for that of a fundamental profile. The range of desirable condition of measurement is 1.0≤D≤1.2, where D is a fractal dimension. The appropriate range of measurement becomes 0.01≤Sw/HVB≤0.03, where Sw is the step width and the HVB is the half-value breadth. Stresses with higher precision were obtained from measurements under this new criteria. (author)

  20. Profiling Chilean Suicide Note-Writers through Content Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Ceballos-Espinoza

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Suicides account for 2000 deaths in Chile each year. With a suicide rate of 11.3, it is classified as a country with high suicide risk. Aims: to identify personality and cognitive characteristics of the group of Chilean suicides that left suicide notes, through a content analysis. Methods: descriptive field study with an ex post facto design. All suicides registered between 2010 and 2012 by the Investigations Police of Chile were analyzed, obtaining 203 suicide notes from 96 cases. The Darbonne categories for content analysis were used with the inter-judge method. Results: The mean age of the suicides was 44.2 (SD = 18.53. Most of the notes were addressed to family members (51.7%. The most expressed reasons were marital- or interpersonal-related (24.6%; another 23.6% expressed a lack of purpose or hopelessness (including depression, wish to die, low self-esteem. The most frequent content expressed were instructions (about money, children, and funeral. All of the notes showed logical thinking and were written with coherence and clarity. Notably 42% of the notes were marked by affections of fondness, love or dependence of others. Regarding attitudes, the most common were of escape or farewell (42.4%, followed by fatalism, hopelessness, frustration or tiredness (40%. 24 statistically significant differences were found throughout the categories of analysis, according to cohorts of age, marital status and sex. Conclusions: the findings contribute to the profiling of Chilean suicides and to the implementation of suicide prevention programs

  1. Depth profile analysis of thin TiOxNy films using standard ion beam analysis techniques and HERDA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Markwitz, A.; Dytlewski, N.; Cohen, D.

    1999-01-01

    Ion beam assisted deposition is used to fabricate thin titanium oxynitride films (TiO x N y ) at Industrial Research (typical film thickness 100nm). At the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, the thin films are analysed using non-destructive standard ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques. High-resolution titanium depth profiles are measured with RBS using 1.5MeV 4 He + ions. Non-resonant nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) is performed for investigating the amounts of O and N in the deposited films using the reactions 16 O(d,p) 17 O at 920 keV and 14 N(d,α) 12 C at 1.4 MeV. Using a combination of these nuclear techniques, the stoichiometry as well as the thickness of the layers is revealed. However, when oxygen and nitrogen depth profiles are required for investigating stoichiometric changes in the films, additional nuclear analysis techniques such as heavy ion elastic recoil detection (HERDA) have to be applied. With HERDA, depth profiles of N, O, and Ti are measured simultaneously. In this paper comparative IBA measurement s of TiO x N y films with different compositions are presented and discussed

  2. The cognitive profile of behavioural variant FTD and its similarities with ALS: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beeldman, Emma; Raaphorst, Joost; Klein Twennaar, Michelle; Govaarts, Rosanne; Pijnenburg, Yolande A L; de Haan, Rob J; de Visser, Marianne; Schmand, Ben A

    2018-02-09

    Approximately 30% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have cognitive impairment and 8%-14% fulfil the criteria for behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD). The cognitive profiles of ALS and bv-FTD have been reported to be comparable, but this has never been systematically investigated. We aimed to determine the cognitive profile of bv-FTD and examine its similarities with that of ALS, to provide evidence for the existence of a cognitive disease continuum encompassing bv-FTD and ALS. We therefore systematically reviewed neuropsychological studies on bv-FTD patients and healthy volunteers. Neuropsychological tests were divided in 10 cognitive domains and effect sizes were calculated for all domains and compared with the cognitive profile of ALS by means of a visual comparison and a Pearson's r correlation coefficient. We included 120 studies, totalling 2425 bv-FTD patients and 2798 healthy controls. All cognitive domains showed substantial effect sizes, indicating cognitive impairment in bv-FTD patients compared to healthy controls. The cognitive domains with the largest effect sizes were social cognition, verbal memory and fluency (1.77-1.53). The cognitive profiles of bv-FTD and ALS (10 cognitive domains, 1287 patients) showed similarities on visual comparison and a moderate correlation 0.58 (p=0.13). When social cognition, verbal memory, fluency, executive functions, language and visuoperception were considered, i.e. the cognitive profile of ALS, Pearson's r was 0.73 (p=0.09), which raised to 0.92 (p=0.03), when language was excluded in this systematic analysis of patients with a non-language subtype of FTD. The cognitive profile of bv-FTD consists of deficits in social cognition, verbal memory, fluency and executive functions and shows similarities with the cognitive profile of ALS. These findings support a cognitive continuum encompassing ALS and bv-FTD. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text

  3. Photometric analysis of esthetically pleasant and unpleasant facial profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortes, Helena Nunes da Rocha; Guimarães, Thamirys Correia; Belo, Ivana Mara Lira; da Matta, Edgard Norões Rodrigues

    2014-01-01

    To identify which linear, angular and proportionality measures could influence a profile to be considered esthetically pleasant or unpleasant, and to assess sexual dimorphism. 150 standardized facial profile photographs of dental students of both sexes were obtained and printed on photographic paper. Ten plastic surgeons, ten orthodontists and ten layperson answered a questionnaire characterizing each profile as pleasant, acceptable or unpleasant. With the use of a score system, the 15 most pleasant and unpleasant profiles of each sex were selected. The photographs were scanned into AutoCAD computer software. Linear, angular and proportion measurements were obtained using the software tools. The average values between groups were compared by the Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney test at a significance level of 5%. The linear measures LL-S, LL-H, LL-E, LL-B and Pn-H showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Statistical differences were also found in the angular measures G'.Pn.Pg', G'.Sn.Pg' and Sn.Me'.C and in the proportions G'-Sn:Sn-Me' and Sn-Gn':Gn'-C (p < 0.05). Differences between sexes were found for the linear measure Ala-Pn, angles G'-Pg'.N-Pn, Sn.Me'.C, and proportions Gn'-Sn:Sn-Me' and Ala-Pn:N'-Sn. (p < 0.05). The anteroposterior position of the lower lip, the amount of nose that influences the profile, facial convexity, total vertical proportion and lip-chin proportion appear to influence pleasantness of facial profile. Sexual dimorphism was identified in nasal length, nasofacial and lower third of the face angles, total vertical and nasal height/length proportions.

  4. A simple analysis of the stable field profile in the supercritical TEA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, Palle; Jeppsson, B.

    1973-01-01

    An analytical investigation supported by numerical calculations has been performed of the stable field profile in a supercritical diffusion-stabilized n-GaAs transferred electron amplifier (TEA) with ohmic contacts. In the numerical analysis, the field profile is determined by solving the steady......}{2}} (n_{0}L)^{frac{1}{2}}. Those results contribute to the understanding of the highn_{0}L-product switch and the stability of the supercritical TEA....

  5. Growth, characterization and estimation of lattice strain and size in CdS nanoparticles: X-ray peak profile analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solanki, Rekha Garg; Rajaram, Poolla; Bajpai, P. K.

    2018-05-01

    This work is based on the growth, characterization and estimation of lattice strain and crystallite size in CdS nanoparticles by X-ray peak profile analysis. The CdS nanoparticles were synthesized by a non-aqueous solvothermal method and were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy. XRD confirms that the CdS nanoparticles have the hexagonal structure. The Williamson-Hall (W-H) method was used to study the X-ray peak profile analysis. The strain-size plot (SSP) was used to study the individual contributions of crystallite size and lattice strain from the X-rays peaks. The physical parameters such as strain, stress and energy density values were calculated using various models namely, isotropic strain model, anisotropic strain model and uniform deformation energy density model. The particle size was estimated from the TEM images to be in the range of 20-40 nm. The Raman spectrum shows the characteristic optical 1LO and 2LO vibrational modes of CdS. UV-visible absorption studies show that the band gap of the CdS nanoparticles is 2.48 eV. The results show that the crystallite size estimated from Scherrer's formula, W-H plots, SSP and the particle size calculated by TEM images are approximately similar.

  6. Latent profile analysis of neuropsychological measures to determine preschoolers' risk for ADHD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajendran, Khushmand; O'Neill, Sarah; Marks, David J; Halperin, Jeffrey M

    2015-09-01

    Hyperactive/Inattentive preschool children show clear evidence of neuropsychological dysfunction. We examined whether patterns and severity of test scores could reliably identify subgroups of preschoolers with differential risk for ADHD during school-age. Typically developing (TD: n = 76) and Hyperactive/Inattentive (HI: n = 138) 3-4 year olds were assessed annually for 6 years (T1-T6). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to form subgroups among the HI group based on objective/neuropsychological measures (NEPSY, Actigraph and Continuous Performance Test). Logistic regression assessed the predictive validity of empirically formed subgroups at risk for ADHD diagnosis relative to the TD group and to each other from T2 to T6. Latent profile analysis yielded two subgroups of HI preschoolers: (a) selectively weak Attention/Executive functions, and (b) pervasive neuropsychological dysfunction across all measures. Both subgroups were more likely to have ADHD at all follow-up time-points relative to the TD group (OR range: 11.29-86.32), but there were no significant differences between the LPA-formed subgroups of HI children at any time-point. Objective/neuropsychological measures distinguish HI preschoolers from their TD peers, but patterns and severity of neuropsychological dysfunction do not predict risk for ADHD during school-age. We hypothesize that trajectories in at-risk children are influenced by subsequent environmental and neurodevelopmental factors, raising the possibility that they are amenable to early intervention. © 2015 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  7. Video profile monitor diagnostic system for GTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandoval, D.P.; Garcia, R.C.; Gilpatrick, J.D.; Johnson, K.F.; Shinas, M.A.; Wright, R.; Yuan, V.; Zander, M.E.

    1992-01-01

    This paper describes a video diagnostic system used to measure the beam profile and position of the Ground Test Accelerator 2.5-MeV H - ion beam as it exits the intermediate matching section. Inelastic collisions between H-ions and residual nitrogen to fluoresce. The resulting light is captured through transport optics by an intensified CCD camera and is digitized. Real-time beam-profile images are displayed and stored for detailed analysis. Analyzed data showing resolutions for both position and profile measurements will also be presented

  8. Comparative Analysis of American and European Yachtsman Profile for Better Marketing Placement of Croatia as Tourism Destination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrijanić Ivo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Countries develop their nautical tourism depending on their nature potentials and resources and in line with their national economic strategies. The main development determinant is a national strategy as the basis of all plans and activities. The nautical tourism development encourages tourism destination development and impacts on economic and social sustainability. Nautical tourism is a specific form of modern tourism trends whose extremely important and highly profitable economic influence is largely visible in numerous multiplicative effects. Renown world researches prove that nautical tourism is one of the most important economic activities in tourism sector, perceived in Croatia as one of the most competitive tourism products. The objective of this paper is to point at the necessity of differentiation of communication strategy and marketing placements towards target markets focused on attracting yachtsmen taking into account their different demographic and sociographic profile. The research and comparative analysis conducted in American and European yacht clubs showed significant differences in selection of tourism destinations based on demographic and sociographic profile of yachtsmen in specific geolocation. The purpose of this work is to prepare the comparative analysis of the European and American yachtsmen profiles, which will serve to create targeted strategic marketing model of attracting foreign yachtsmen in selection of their holiday tourism destination. The conclusions of this research show that Croatia has still not fully capitalized its potential in the nautical tourism sector and that the more comprehensive market segmentation is necessary in the process of planning how to attract foreign yachtsmen.

  9. Sensory profile of eleven peach cultivars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francine Lorena Cuquel

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study was to evaluate the sensory profile of eleven peach cultivars grown in an experimental orchard located in the city of Lapa (PR, Brazil in two seasons. The peach cultivars analyzed were Aurora I, Chimarrita, Chiripá, Coral, Eldorado, Granada, Leonense, Maciel, Marli, Premier, and Vanguarda. The sensory analysis was performed by previously trained panelists; 20 of them in the first season and 10 in the second season. The sensory evaluation was performed using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis, in which the following attributes were measured: appearance, aroma, flesh color, flesh firmness, flavor, and juiciness. The results showed preference for sweet, soft, and juicy fruits. Chimarrita, Chiripá, and Coral fruits showed better sensorial performance than the other peach cultivars. It was also verified that the analysis of the attributes aroma, flesh firmness, and flavor is enough for performing the sensory profile of peach fruits for in natura consumption.

  10. Integral Analysis of Seismic Refraction and Ambient Vibration Survey for Subsurface Profile Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Kamarudin, A. F.; Rosli, S.; Fauziah, A.; Akmal, M. A. K.; Aziman, M.; Azhar, A. T. S.; Ashraf, M. I. M.; Shaylinda, M. Z. N.; Rais, Y.; Ishak, M. F.; Alel, M. N. A.

    2018-04-01

    Geotechnical site investigation as known as subsurface profile evaluation is the process of subsurface layer characteristics determination which finally used for design and construction phase. Traditionally, site investigation was performed using drilling technique thus suffers from several limitation due to cost, time, data coverage and sustainability. In order to overcome those problems, this study adopted surface techniques using seismic refraction and ambient vibration method for subsurface profile depth evaluation. Seismic refraction data acquisition and processing was performed using ABEM Terraloc and OPTIM software respectively. Meanwhile ambient vibration data acquisition and processing was performed using CityShark II, Lennartz and GEOPSY software respectively. It was found that studied area consist of two layers representing overburden and bedrock geomaterials based on p-wave velocity value (vp = 300 – 2500 m/s and vp > 2500 m/s) and natural frequency value (Fo = 3.37 – 3.90 Hz) analyzed. Further analysis found that both methods show some good similarity in term of depth and thickness with percentage accuracy at 60 – 97%. Consequently, this study has demonstrated that the application of seismic refractin and ambient vibration method was applicable in subsurface profile depth and thickness estimation. Moreover, surface technique which consider as non-destructive method adopted in this study was able to compliment conventional drilling method in term of cost, time, data coverage and environmental sustainaibility.

  11. Independent component analysis for the extraction of reliable protein signal profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantini, Dante; Petrucci, Francesca; Del Boccio, Piero; Pieragostino, Damiana; Di Nicola, Marta; Lugaresi, Alessandra; Federici, Giorgio; Sacchetta, Paolo; Di Ilio, Carmine; Urbani, Andrea

    2008-01-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is a signal processing technique that can be utilized to recover independent signals from a set of their linear mixtures. We propose ICA for the analysis of signals obtained from large proteomics investigations such as clinical multi-subject studies based on MALDI-TOF MS profiling. The method is validated on simulated and experimental data for demonstrating its capability of correctly extracting protein profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra. The comparison on peak detection with an open-source and two commercial methods shows its superior reliability in reducing the false discovery rate of protein peak masses. Moreover, the integration of ICA and statistical tests for detecting the differences in peak intensities between experimental groups allows to identify protein peaks that could be indicators of a diseased state. This data-driven approach demonstrates to be a promising tool for biomarker-discovery studies based on MALDI-TOF MS technology. The MATLAB implementation of the method described in the article and both simulated and experimental data are freely available at http://www.unich.it/proteomica/bioinf/.

  12. A Meta-Analysis of Differences in IQ Profiles between Individuals with Asperger's Disorder and High-Functioning Autism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Hsu-Min; Tsai, Luke Y.; Cheung, Ying Kuen; Brown, Alice; Li, Huacheng

    2014-01-01

    A meta-analysis was performed to examine differences in IQ profiles between individuals with Asperger's disorder (AspD) and high-functioning autism (HFA). Fifty-two studies were included for this study. The results showed that (a) individuals with AspD had significantly higher full-scale IQ, verbal IQ (VIQ), and performance IQ (PIQ) than did…

  13. Importance Performance Analysis as a Trade Show Performance Evaluation and Benchmarking Tool

    OpenAIRE

    Tafesse, Wondwesen; Skallerud, Kåre; Korneliussen, Tor

    2010-01-01

    Author's accepted version (post-print). The purpose of this study is to introduce importance performance analysis as a trade show performance evaluation and benchmarking tool. Importance performance analysis considers exhibitors’ performance expectation and perceived performance in unison to evaluate and benchmark trade show performance. The present study uses data obtained from exhibitors of an international trade show to demonstrate how importance performance analysis can be used to eval...

  14. Secondary neutral mass spectrometry depth profile analysis of silicides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beckmann, P.; Kopnarski, M.; Oechsner, H.

    1985-01-01

    The Direct Bombardment Mode (DBM) of Secondary Neutral Mass Spectrometry (SNMS) has been applied for depth profile analysis of two different multilayer systems containing metal silicides. Due to the extremely high depth resolution obtained with low energy SNMS structural details down to only a few atomic distances are detected. Stoichiometric information on internal oxides and implanted material is supplied by the high quantificability of SNMS. (Author)

  15. Load profiles analysis for electricity market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radu Porumb

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In the wake of electric power system transition towards smart grids, and the adoption of the electric market schemes, electric utilities are facing the need of a better load profiles understanding for their customers. In this work, some key objectives were addresses, such as definition of the mathematical model for calculating the hourly energy specific, identification of the three target groups for users who have developed consumer profiles, definition of the two types of significant load and assessment of the impact of using consumer profiles on users.

  16. Cytokine profiles show heterogeneity of interferon-β response in multiple sclerosis patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hegen, Harald; Adrianto, Indra; Lessard, Christopher J

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum cytokine profiles for their utility to determine the heterogeneous responses to interferon (IFN)-β treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or clinically isolated syndrome receiving de novo IFN-β treatment...... were included in this prospective, observational study. Number of relapses and changes in disability were assessed 2 years prior to and 2 years after initiation of treatment. Sera were collected at baseline and after 3 months on therapy. Cytokine levels in sera were assessed by Luminex multiplex assays...

  17. Character profiles and life satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hwanjin; Suh, Byung Seong; Kim, Won Sool; Lee, Hye-Kyung; Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Kounseok

    2015-04-01

    There is a surge of interest in subjective well-being (SWB), which concerns how individuals feel about their happiness. Life satisfaction tends to be influenced by individual psychological traits and external social factors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between individual character and SWB. Data from 3522 university students were analyzed in this study. Character profiles were evaluated using the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised Short version (TCI-RS). Life satisfaction was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). All statistical tests regarding the correlations between each character profile and life satisfaction were conducted using ANOVAs, t-tests, multiple linear regression models and correlation analyses. The creative (SCT) profile was associated with the highest levels of life satisfaction, whereas the depressive (sct) profile was associated with the lowest levels of life satisfaction. Additionally, high self-directedness, self-transcendence and cooperation were associated with high life satisfaction. The results of gender-adjusted multiple regression analysis showed that the effects of self-directedness were the strongest in the assessment of one's quality of life, followed by self-transcendence and cooperativeness, in that order. All of the three-character profiles were significantly correlated with one's quality of life, and the character profiles of TCI-RS explained 27.6% of life satisfaction in total. Among the three-character profiles, the self-directedness profile was most associated with life satisfaction. Our study was cross-sectional, and self-reported data from students at a single university were analyzed. The results of this study showed that, among the character profiles, the effects of self-directedness were the strongest for predicting life satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Proteomic Analysis Shows Constitutive Secretion of MIF and p53-associated Activity of COX-2−/− Lung Fibroblasts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mandar Dave

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The differential expression of two closelyassociated cyclooxygenase isozymes, COX-1 and COX-2, exhibited functions beyond eicosanoid metabolism. We hypothesized that COX-1 or COX-2 knockout lung fibroblasts may display altered protein profiles which may allow us to further differentiate the functional roles of these isozymes at the molecular level. Proteomic analysis shows constitutive production of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF in lung fibroblasts derived from COX-2−/− but not wild-type (WT or COX-1−/− mice. MIF was spontaneously released in high levels into the extracellular milieu of COX2−/− fibroblasts seemingly from the preformed intracellular stores, with no change in the basal gene expression of MIF. The secretion and regulation of MIF in COX-2−/− was “prostaglandin-independent.” GO analysis showed that concurrent with upregulation of MIF, there is a significant surge in expression of genes related to fibroblast growth, FK506 binding proteins, and isomerase activity in COX-2−/− cells. Furthermore, COX-2−/− fibroblasts also exhibit a significant increase in transcriptional activity of various regulators, antagonists, and co-modulators of p53, as well as in the expression of oncogenes and related transcripts. Integrative Oncogenomics Cancer Browser (IntroGen analysis shows downregulation of COX-2 and amplification of MIF and/or p53 activity during development of glioblastomas, ependymoma, and colon adenomas. These data indicate the functional role of the MIF-COX-p53 axis in inflammation and cancer at the genomic and proteomic levels in COX-2-ablated cells. This systematic analysis not only shows the proinflammatory state but also unveils a molecular signature of a pro-oncogenic state of COX-1 in COX-2 ablated cells.

  19. Plasma metabolic profiling analysis of toxicity induced by brodifacoum using metabonomics coupled with multivariate data analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Hui; Qiao, Zheng; Shen, Baohua; Xiang, Ping; Shen, Min

    2016-10-01

    Brodifacoum is one of the most widely used rodenticides for rodent control and eradication; however, human and animal poisoning due to primary and secondary exposure has been reported since its development. Although numerous studies have described brodifacoum induced toxicity, the precise mechanism still needs to be explored. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with an ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was applied to characterize the metabolic profile of brodifacoum induced toxicity and discover potential biomarkers in rat plasma. The toxicity of brodifacoum was dose-dependent, and the high-dose group obviously manifested toxicity with subcutaneous hemorrhage. The blood brodifacoum concentration showed a positive relation to the ingestion dose in toxicological analysis. Significant changes of twenty-four metabolites were identified and considered as potential toxicity biomarkers, primarily involving glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism associated with anticoagulant activity, nephrotoxicity and hepatic damage. MS-based metabonomics analysis in plasma samples is helpful to search for potential poisoning biomarkers and to understand the underlying mechanisms of brodifacoum induced toxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional profile of the Mediator complex across human cancer types.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syring, Isabella; Klümper, Niklas; Offermann, Anne; Braun, Martin; Deng, Mario; Boehm, Diana; Queisser, Angela; von Mässenhausen, Anne; Brägelmann, Johannes; Vogel, Wenzel; Schmidt, Doris; Majores, Michael; Schindler, Anne; Kristiansen, Glen; Müller, Stefan C; Ellinger, Jörg; Shaikhibrahim, Zaki; Perner, Sven

    2016-04-26

    The Mediator complex is a key regulator of gene transcription and several studies demonstrated altered expressions of particular subunits in diverse human diseases, especially cancer. However a systematic study deciphering the transcriptional expression of the Mediator across different cancer entities is still lacking.We therefore performed a comprehensive in silico cancer vs. benign analysis of the Mediator complex subunits (MEDs) for 20 tumor entities using Oncomine datasets. The transcriptional expression profiles across almost all cancer entities showed differentially expressed MEDs as compared to benign tissue. Differential expression of MED8 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and MED12 in lung cancer (LCa) were validated and further investigated by immunohistochemical staining on tissue microarrays containing large numbers of specimen. MED8 in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) associated with shorter survival and advanced TNM stage and showed higher expression in metastatic than primary tumors. In vitro, siRNA mediated MED8 knockdown significantly impaired proliferation and motility in ccRCC cell lines, hinting at a role for MED8 to serve as a novel therapeutic target in ccRCC. Taken together, our Mediator complex transcriptome proved to be a valid tool for identifying cancer-related shifts in Mediator complex composition, revealing that MEDs do exhibit cancer specific transcriptional expression profiles.

  1. Fractal Analysis of Rock Joint Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audy, Ondřej; Ficker, Tomáš

    2017-10-01

    Surface reliefs of rock joints are analyzed in geotechnics when shear strength of rocky slopes is estimated. The rock joint profiles actually are self-affine fractal curves and computations of their fractal dimensions require special methods. Many papers devoted to the fractal properties of these profiles were published in the past but only a few of those papers employed a convenient computational method that would have guaranteed a sound value of that dimension. As a consequence, anomalously low dimensions were presented. This contribution deals with two computational modifications that lead to sound fractal dimensions of the self-affine rock joint profiles. These are the modified box-counting method and the modified yard-stick method sometimes called the compass method. Both these methods are frequently applied to self-similar fractal curves but the self-affine profile curves due to their self-affine nature require modified computational procedures implemented in computer programs.

  2. Ultra-low energy Ar+ beam applied for SIMS depth profile analysis of layered nanostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konarski, P.; Mierzejewska, A.; Iwanejko, I.

    2001-01-01

    Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profile analyses of flat layered nanostructures: 10 nm Ta 2 O 3 /Ta and 20 nm (10 x B 4 C/Mo)/Si as well as microparticles of core (illite) - shell (rutile) structure, performed with the use of ultra-low energy ion beam (180-880 eV, Ar + ), are presented. The profiles were obtained using 'mesa' scanning technique and also sample rotation. Depth profile resolution below 1 nanometer was obtained for flat nanostructures. Presented experimental results are compared with Monte Carlo sputtering simulations of analysed structures. A method of finding beam energy, optimal for the best resolution SIMS depth profile analysis, is suggested. (author)

  3. Latent profile analysis of students’ motivation and outcomes in mathematics: an organismic integration theory perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chee Keng John Wang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the current study was to identify the motivation profiles at the intraindividual level using a latent profile analyses (LPA approach. A total of 1151 secondary school students aged 13 to 17 years old from Singapore took part in the study. Using LPA, four distinct motivational profiles were identified based on four motivation regulations. Profile 1 has very low introjected and low autonomous motivation (6% of sample. Profile 2 had high external and identified regulations and very low intrinsic regulation (10%. Profile 3 consisted of students with high identified and intrinsic regulations (51%. Profile 4 had moderately low identified and intrinsic regulations (33%. The results showed that the four profiles differed significantly in terms of effort, competence, value, and time spent on math beyond homework. The best profile (Profile 3 reported highest scores in effort, value, competence and time spent on Math beyond homework. The worst profile (Profile 1 reported lowest scores in all the four outcome variables. Keywords: Education

  4. Systematic review and meta-analysis shows a specific micronutrient profile in people with Down Syndrome: Lower blood calcium, selenium and zinc, higher red blood cell copper and zinc, and higher salivary calcium and sodium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amene Saghazadeh

    Full Text Available Different metabolic profiles as well as comorbidities are common in people with Down Syndrome (DS. Therefore it is relevant to know whether micronutrient levels in people with DS are also different. This systematic review was designed to review the literature on micronutrient levels in people with DS compared to age and sex-matched controls without DS. We identified sixty nine studies from January 1967 to April 2016 through main electronic medical databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of knowledge. We carried out meta-analysis of the data on four essential trace elements (Cu, Fe, Se, and Zn, six minerals (Ca, Cl, K, Mg, Na, and P, and five vitamins (vitamin A, B9, B12, D, and E. People with DS showed lower blood levels of Ca (standard mean difference (SMD = -0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI: -1.16 to -0.09, Se (SMD = -0.99; 95% CI: -1.55 to -0.43, and Zn (SMD = -1.30; 95% CI: -1.75 to -0.84, while red cell levels of Zn (SMD = 1.88; 95% CI: 0.48 to 3.28 and Cu (SMD = 2.77; 95% CI: 1.96 to 3.57 were higher. They had also higher salivary levels of Ca (SMD = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.38 to 1.33 and Na (SMD = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.69. Our findings that micronutrient levels are different in people with DS raise the question whether these differences are related to the different metabolic profiles, the common comorbidities or merely reflect DS.

  5. Metabolic profiling of plasma amino acids shows that histidine increases following the consumption of pork

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samman S

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Samir Samman,1 Ben Crossett,2 Miles Somers,1 Kirstine J Bell,1 Nicole T Lai,1,3 David R Sullivan,3 Peter Petocz4 1Discipline of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2Discipline of Proteomics and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 4Department of Statistics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia Abstract: Amino acid (AA status is determined by factors including nutrition, metabolic rate, and interactions between the metabolism of AA, carbohydrates, and lipids. Analysis of the plasma AA profile, together with markers of glucose and lipid metabolism, will shed light on metabolic regulation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the acute responses to the consumption of meals containing either pork (PM or chicken (CM, and to identify relationships between plasma AA and markers of glycemic and lipemic control. A secondary aim was to explore AA predictors of plasma zinc concentrations. Ten healthy adults participated in a postprandial study on two separate occasions. In a randomized cross-over design, participants consumed PM or CM. The concentrations of 21 AA, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, nonesterified fatty acids, and zinc were determined over 5 hours postprandially. The meal composition did not influence glucose, insulin, triglyceride, nonesterified fatty acid, or zinc concentrations. Plasma histidine was higher following the consumption of PM (P=0.014, with consistently higher changes observed after 60 minutes (P<0.001. Greater percentage increases were noted at limited time points for valine and leucine + isoleucine in those who consumed CM compared to PM. In linear regression, some AAs emerged as predictors of the metabolic responses, irrespective of the meal that was consumed. The present study demonstrates that a single meal of PM or CM produces a differential profile of AA in the

  6. A combined analysis of genome-wide expression profiling of bipolar disorder in human prefrontal cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jinglu; Qu, Susu; Wang, Weixiao; Guo, Liyuan; Zhang, Kunlin; Chang, Suhua; Wang, Jing

    2016-11-01

    Numbers of gene expression profiling studies of bipolar disorder have been published. Besides different array chips and tissues, variety of the data processes in different cohorts aggravated the inconsistency of results of these genome-wide gene expression profiling studies. By searching the gene expression databases, we obtained six data sets for prefrontal cortex (PFC) of bipolar disorder with raw data and combinable platforms. We used standardized pre-processing and quality control procedures to analyze each data set separately and then combined them into a large gene expression matrix with 101 bipolar disorder subjects and 106 controls. A standard linear mixed-effects model was used to calculate the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Multiple levels of sensitivity analyses and cross validation with genetic data were conducted. Functional and network analyses were carried out on basis of the DEGs. In the result, we identified 198 unique differentially expressed genes in the PFC of bipolar disorder and control. Among them, 115 DEGs were robust to at least three leave-one-out tests or different pre-processing methods; 51 DEGs were validated with genetic association signals. Pathway enrichment analysis showed these DEGs were related with regulation of neurological system, cell death and apoptosis, and several basic binding processes. Protein-protein interaction network further identified one key hub gene. We have contributed the most comprehensive integrated analysis of bipolar disorder expression profiling studies in PFC to date. The DEGs, especially those with multiple validations, may denote a common signature of bipolar disorder and contribute to the pathogenesis of disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Video profile monitor diagnostic system for GTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandovil, D.P.; Garcia, R.C.; Gilpatrick, J.D.; Johnson, K.F.; Shinas, M.A.; Wright, R.; Yuan, V.; Zander, M.E.

    1992-01-01

    This paper describes a video diagnostic system used to measure the beam profile and position of the Ground Test Accelerator 2.5 MeV H - ion beam as it exits the intermediate matching section. Inelastic collisions between H - ions and residual nitrogen in the vacuum chamber cause the nitrogen to fluoresce. The resulting light is captured through transport optics by an intensified CCD camera and is digitized. Real-time beam profile images are displayed and stored for detailed analysis. Analyzed data showing resolutions for both position and profile measurements will also be presented. (Author) 5 refs., 7 figs

  8. Profiling School Shooters: Automatic Text-Based Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yair eNeuman

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available School shooters present a challenge to both forensic psychiatry and law enforcement agencies. The relatively small number of school shooters, their various charateristics, and the lack of in-depth analysis of all of the shooters prior to the shooting add complexity to our understanding of this problem. In this short paper, we introduce a new methodology for automatically profiling school shooters. The methodology involves automatic analysis of texts and the production of several measures relevant for the identification of the shooters. Comparing texts written by six school shooters to 6056 texts written by a comparison group of male subjects, we found that the shooters' texts scored significantly higher on the Narcissistic Personality dimension as well as on the Humilated and Revengeful dimensions. Using a ranking/priorization procedure, similar to the one used for the automatic identification of sexual predators, we provide support for the validity and relevance of the proposed methodology.

  9. An analysis of reading profiles of first-year students at Potchefstroom ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An analysis of reading profiles of first-year students at Potchefstroom University: a cross-sectional study and a case study. ... South African Journal of Education ... that these students experienced problems across all aspects of the reading process (i.e. vocabulary, fluency, reading comprehension, and reading strategy use).

  10. Discrepancies between multicriteria decision analysis-based ranking and intuitive ranking for pharmaceutical benefit-risk profiles in a hypothetical setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshikawa, K; Ono, S

    2017-02-01

    Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) has been generally considered a promising decision-making methodology for the assessment of drug benefit-risk profiles. There have been many discussions in both public and private sectors on its feasibility and applicability, but it has not been employed in official decision-makings. For the purpose of examining to what extent MCDA would reflect the first-hand, intuitive preference of evaluators in practical pharmaceutical assessments, we conducted a questionnaire survey involving the participation of employees of pharmaceutical companies. Showing profiles of the efficacy and safety of four hypothetical drugs, each respondent was asked to rank them following the standard MCDA process and then to rank them intuitively (i.e. without applying any analytical framework). These two approaches resulted in substantially different ranking patterns from the same individuals, and the concordance rate was surprisingly low (17%). Although many respondents intuitively showed a preference for mild, balanced risk-benefit profiles over profiles with a conspicuous advantage in either risk or benefit, the ranking orders based on MCDA scores did not reflect the intuitive preference. Observed discrepancies between the rankings seemed to be primarily attributed to the structural characteristics of MCDA, which assumes that evaluation on each benefit and risk component should have monotonic impact on final scores. It would be difficult for MCDA to reflect commonly observed non-monotonic preferences for risk and benefit profiles. Possible drawbacks of MCDA should be further investigated prior to the real-world application of its benefit-risk assessment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Integrated analysis of dynamic FET PET/CT parameters, histology, and methylation profiling of 44 gliomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Röhrich, Manuel; Huang, Kristin; Schrimpf, Daniel; Albert, Nathalie L; Hielscher, Thomas; von Deimling, Andreas; Schüller, Ulrich; Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss, Antonia; Haberkorn, Uwe

    2018-05-07

    Dynamic 18 F-FET PET/CT is a powerful tool for the diagnosis of gliomas. 18 F-FET PET time-activity curves (TAC) allow differentiation between histological low-grade gliomas (LGG) and high-grade gliomas (HGG). Molecular methods such as epigenetic profiling are of rising importance for glioma grading and subclassification. Here, we analysed dynamic 18 F-FET PET data, and the histological and epigenetic features of 44 gliomas. Dynamic 18 F-FET PET was performed in 44 patients with newly diagnosed, untreated glioma: 10 WHO grade II glioma, 13 WHO grade III glioma and 21 glioblastoma (GBM). All patients underwent stereotactic biopsy or tumour resection after 18 F-FET PET imaging. As well as histological analysis of tissue samples, DNA was subjected to epigenetic analysis using the Illumina 850 K methylation array. TACs, standardized uptake values corrected for background uptake in healthy tissue (SUVmax/BG), time to peak (TTP) and kinetic modelling parameters were correlated with histological diagnoses and with epigenetic signatures. Multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 18 F-FET PET in relation to the tumour groups identified by histological and methylation-based analysis. Epigenetic profiling led to substantial tumour reclassification, with six grade II/III gliomas reclassified as GBM. Overlap of HGG-typical TACs and LGG-typical TACs was dramatically reduced when tumours were clustered on the basis of their methylation profile. SUVmax/BG values of GBM were higher than those of LGGs following both histological diagnosis and methylation-based diagnosis. The differences in TTP between GBMs and grade II/III gliomas were greater following methylation-based diagnosis than following histological diagnosis. Kinetic modeling showed that relative K1 and fractal dimension (FD) values significantly differed in histology- and methylation-based GBM and grade II/III glioma between those diagnosed histologically and those diagnosed by

  12. Identification of wild soybean (Glycine soja) TIFY family genes and their expression profiling analysis under bicarbonate stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dan; Bai, Xi; Luo, Xiao; Chen, Qin; Cai, Hua; Ji, Wei; Zhu, Yanming

    2013-02-01

    Wild soybean (Glycine soja L. G07256) exhibits a greater adaptability to soil bicarbonate stress than cultivated soybean, and recent discoveries show that TIFY family genes are involved in the response to several abiotic stresses. A genomic and transcriptomic analysis of all TIFY genes in G. soja, compared with G. max, will provide insight into the function of this gene family in plant bicarbonate stress response. This article identified and characterized 34 TIFY genes in G. soja. Sequence analyses indicated that most GsTIFY proteins had two conserved domains: TIFY and Jas. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that these GsTIFY genes could be classified into two groups. A clustering analysis of all GsTIFY transcript expression profiles from bicarbonate stress treated G. soja showed that there were five different transcript patterns in leaves and six different transcript patterns in roots when the GsTIFY family responds to bicarbonate stress. Moreover, the expression level changes of all TIFY genes in cultivated soybean, treated with bicarbonate stress, were also verified. The expression comparison analysis of TIFYs between wild and cultivated soybeans confirmed that, different from the cultivated soybean, GsTIFY (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 11a, and 11b) were dramatically up-regulated at the early stage of stress, while GsTIFY 1c and 2b were significantly up-regulated at the later period of stress. The frequently stress responsive and diverse expression profiles of the GsTIFY gene family suggests that this family may play important roles in plant environmental stress responses and adaptation.

  13. Processing methods for differential analysis of LC/MS profile data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orešič Matej

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC/MS has been widely used in proteomics and metabolomics research. In this context, the technology has been increasingly used for differential profiling, i.e. broad screening of biomolecular components across multiple samples in order to elucidate the observed phenotypes and discover biomarkers. One of the major challenges in this domain remains development of better solutions for processing of LC/MS data. Results We present a software package MZmine that enables differential LC/MS analysis of metabolomics data. This software is a toolbox containing methods for all data processing stages preceding differential analysis: spectral filtering, peak detection, alignment and normalization. Specifically, we developed and implemented a new recursive peak search algorithm and a secondary peak picking method for improving already aligned results, as well as a normalization tool that uses multiple internal standards. Visualization tools enable comparative viewing of data across multiple samples. Peak lists can be exported into other data analysis programs. The toolbox has already been utilized in a wide range of applications. We demonstrate its utility on an example of metabolic profiling of Catharanthus roseus cell cultures. Conclusion The software is freely available under the GNU General Public License and it can be obtained from the project web page at: http://mzmine.sourceforge.net/.

  14. Genome-wide analysis of immune system genes by EST profiling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giallourakis, Cosmas; Benita, Yair; Molinie, Benoit; Cao, Zhifang; Despo, Orion; Pratt, Henry E.; Zukerberg, Lawrence R.; Daly, Mark J.; Rioux, John D.; Xavier, Ramnik J.

    2013-01-01

    Profiling studies of mRNA and miRNA, particularly microarray-based studies, have been extensively used to create compendia of genes that are preferentially expressed in the immune system. In some instances, functional studies have been subsequently pursued. Recent efforts such as ENCODE have demonstrated the benefit of coupling RNA-Seq analysis with information from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for transcriptomic analysis. However, the full characterization and identification of transcripts that function as modulators of human immune responses remains incomplete. In this study, we demonstrate that an integrated analysis of human ESTs provides a robust platform to identify the immune transcriptome. Beyond recovering a reference set of immune-enriched genes and providing large-scale cross-validation of previous microarray studies, we discovered hundreds of novel genes preferentially expressed in the immune system, including non-coding RNAs. As a result, we have established the Immunogene database, representing an integrated EST “road map” of gene expression in human immune cells, which can be used to further investigate the function of coding and non-coding genes in the immune system. Using this approach, we have uncovered a unique metabolic gene signature of human macrophages and identified PRDM15 as a novel overexpressed gene in human lymphomas. Thus we demonstrate the utility of EST profiling as a basis for further deconstruction of physiologic and pathologic immune processes. PMID:23616578

  15. A new method to identify the foot of continental slope based on an integrated profile analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ziyin; Li, Jiabiao; Li, Shoujun; Shang, Jihong; Jin, Xiaobin

    2017-06-01

    A new method is proposed to identify automatically the foot of the continental slope (FOS) based on the integrated analysis of topographic profiles. Based on the extremum points of the second derivative and the Douglas-Peucker algorithm, it simplifies the topographic profiles, then calculates the second derivative of the original profiles and the D-P profiles. Seven steps are proposed to simplify the original profiles. Meanwhile, multiple identification methods are proposed to determine the FOS points, including gradient, water depth and second derivative values of data points, as well as the concave and convex, continuity and segmentation of the topographic profiles. This method can comprehensively and intelligently analyze the topographic profiles and their derived slopes, second derivatives and D-P profiles, based on which, it is capable to analyze the essential properties of every single data point in the profile. Furthermore, it is proposed to remove the concave points of the curve and in addition, to implement six FOS judgment criteria.

  16. Multidimensional scaling analysis identifies pathological and prognostically relevant profiles of circulating T-cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rissiek, Anne; Schulze, Christian; Bacher, Ulrike; Schieferdecker, Aneta; Thiele, Benjamin; Jacholkowski, Anita; Flammiger, Anna; Horn, Christiane; Haag, Friedrich; Tiegs, Gisa; Zirlik, Katja; Trepel, Martin; Tolosa, Eva; Binder, Mascha

    2014-11-15

    Antitumor immunity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is hampered by highly dysfunctional T-cells. Although certain T-cell subsets have been reported to be of prognostic significance in this disease, their interplay is complex and it remains incompletely understood which of these subsets significantly drive CLL progression. Here, we determined immunological profiles of 24 circulating T-cell subsets from 79 untreated individuals by multiparametric flow cytometry. This screening cohort included healthy donors, patients with monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL), Rai 0 CLL and advanced CLL. We applied multidimensional scaling analysis as rigorous and unbiased statistical tool to globally assess the composition of the circulating T-cell environment and to generate T-cell scores reflecting its integrity. These scores allowed clear distinction between advanced CLL and healthy controls, whereas both MBL and Rai 0 CLL showed intermediate scores mirroring the biological continuum of CLL and its precursor stages. T-cell stimulation and suppression assays as well as longitudinal T-cell profiling showed an increasingly suppressive regulatory function initiating at the MBL stage. Effector function was impaired only after transition to CLL and partially recovered after chemoimmunotherapy. In an independent validation cohort of 52 untreated CLL cases, aberrant T-cell profiles were significantly associated with shorter time to treatment independently of other prognostic parameters. Random forest modeling predicted regulatory T-cell, gamma/delta and NKT-cells, as well as exhaustion of the CD8+ subset as potential drivers of progression. Our data illustrate a pathological T-cell environment in MBL that evolves toward a more and more suppressive and prognostically relevant profile across the disease stages. © 2014 UICC.

  17. Spatiotemporal Analysis of Coronal Loops Using Seismology of Damped Kink Oscillations and Forward Modeling of EUV Intensity Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pascoe, D. J.; Anfinogentov, S. A.; Goddard, C. R.; Nakariakov, V. M.

    2018-06-01

    The shape of the damping profile of kink oscillations in coronal loops has recently allowed the transverse density profile of the loop to be estimated. This requires accurate measurement of the damping profile that can distinguish the Gaussian and exponential damping regimes, otherwise there are more unknowns than observables. Forward modeling of the transverse intensity profile may also be used to estimate the width of the inhomogeneous layer of a loop, providing an independent estimate of one of these unknowns. We analyze an oscillating loop for which the seismological determination of the transverse structure is inconclusive except when supplemented by additional spatial information from the transverse intensity profile. Our temporal analysis describes the motion of a coronal loop as a kink oscillation damped by resonant absorption, and our spatial analysis is based on forward modeling the transverse EUV intensity profile of the loop under the isothermal and optically thin approximations. We use Bayesian analysis and Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling to apply our spatial and temporal models both individually and simultaneously to our data and compare the results with numerical simulations. Combining the two methods allows both the inhomogeneous layer width and density contrast to be calculated, which is not possible for the same data when each method is applied individually. We demonstrate that the assumption of an exponential damping profile leads to a significantly larger error in the inferred density contrast ratio compared with a Gaussian damping profile.

  18. On the line-shape analysis of Compton profiles and its application to neutron scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romanelli, G.; Krzystyniak, M.

    2016-01-01

    Analytical properties of Compton profiles are used in order to simplify the analysis of neutron Compton scattering experiments. In particular, the possibility to fit the difference of Compton profiles is discussed as a way to greatly decrease the level of complexity of the data treatment, making the analysis easier, faster and more robust. In the context of the novel method proposed, two mathematical models describing the shapes of differenced Compton profiles are discussed: the simple Gaussian approximation for harmonic and isotropic local potential, and an analytical Gauss–Hermite expansion for an anharmonic or anisotropic potential. The method is applied to data collected by VESUVIO spectrometer at ISIS neutron and muon pulsed source (UK) on Copper and Aluminium samples at ambient and low temperatures. - Highlights: • A new method to analyse neutron Compton scattering data is presented. • The method allows many corrections on the experimental data to be avoided. • The number of needed fitting parameters is drastically reduced using the new method. • Mass-selective analysis is facilitated with parametric studies benefiting the most. • Observables linked to anisotropic momentum distribution are obtained analytically.

  19. Statistically sound evaluation of trace element depth profiles by ion beam analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmid, K.; Toussaint, U. von

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the underlying physics and statistical models that are used in the newly developed program NRADC for fully automated deconvolution of trace level impurity depth profiles from ion beam data. The program applies Bayesian statistics to find the most probable depth profile given ion beam data measured at different energies and angles for a single sample. Limiting the analysis to % level amounts of material allows one to linearize the forward calculation of ion beam data which greatly improves the computation speed. This allows for the first time to apply the maximum likelihood approach to both the fitting of the experimental data and the determination of confidence intervals of the depth profiles for real world applications. The different steps during the automated deconvolution will be exemplified by applying the program to artificial and real experimental data.

  20. A method based on temporal concept analysis for detecting and profiling human trafficking suspects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poelmans, J.; Elzinga, P.; Viaene, S.; Dedene, G.; Hamza, M.H.

    2010-01-01

    Human trafficking and forced prostitution are a serious problem for the Amsterdam-Amstelland police (the Netherlands). In this paper, we present a method based on Temporal Concept Analysis for detecting and profiling human trafficking suspects. Using traditional Formal Concept Analysis, we first

  1. Methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism-based genome-wide analysis of cytosine methylation profiles in Nicotiana tabacum cultivars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, J; Wu, J; Lv, Z; Sun, C; Gao, L; Yan, X; Cui, L; Tang, Z; Yan, B; Jia, Y

    2015-11-26

    This study aimed to investigate cytosine methylation profiles in different tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cultivars grown in China. Methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism was used to analyze genome-wide global methylation profiles in four tobacco cultivars (Yunyan 85, NC89, K326, and Yunyan 87). Amplicons with methylated C motifs were cloned by reamplified polymerase chain reaction, sequenced, and analyzed. The results show that geographical location had a greater effect on methylation patterns in the tobacco genome than did sampling time. Analysis of the CG dinucleotide distribution in methylation-sensitive polymorphic restriction fragments suggested that a CpG dinucleotide cluster-enriched area is a possible site of cytosine methylation in the tobacco genome. The sequence alignments of the Nia1 gene (that encodes nitrate reductase) in Yunyan 87 in different regions indicate that a C-T transition might be responsible for the tobacco phenotype. T-C nucleotide replacement might also be responsible for the tobacco phenotype and may be influenced by geographical location.

  2. Urinary Metabolite Profiles in Premature Infants Show Early Postnatal Metabolic Adaptation and Maturation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sissel J. Moltu

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Early nutrition influences metabolic programming and long-term health. We explored the urinary metabolite profiles of 48 premature infants (birth weight < 1500 g randomized to an enhanced or a standard diet during neonatal hospitalization. Methods: Metabolomics using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR was conducted on urine samples obtained during the first week of life and thereafter fortnightly. Results: The intervention group received significantly higher amounts of energy, protein, lipids, vitamin A, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as compared to the control group. Enhanced nutrition did not appear to affect the urine profiles to an extent exceeding individual variation. However, in all infants the glucogenic amino acids glycine, threonine, hydroxyproline and tyrosine increased substantially during the early postnatal period, along with metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (succinate, oxoglutarate, fumarate and citrate. The metabolite changes correlated with postmenstrual age. Moreover, we observed elevated threonine and glycine levels in first-week urine samples of the small for gestational age (SGA; birth weight < 10th percentile for gestational age as compared to the appropriate for gestational age infants. Conclusion: This first nutri-metabolomics study in premature infants demonstrates that the physiological adaptation during the fetal-postnatal transition as well as maturation influences metabolism during the breastfeeding period. Elevated glycine and threonine levels were found in the first week urine samples of the SGA infants and emerged as potential biomarkers of an altered metabolic phenotype.

  3. Flavour Profiling of 'Marion' and Thornless Blackberries by Instrumental and Sensory Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    The flavour of thornless blackberries grown in Pacific Northwest including 'Thornless Evergreen', 'Black Diamond', 'Black Pearl', 'Nightfall', ORUS 1843-3, 'Waldo', NZ 9351-4, and 'Chester Thornless' as well as 'Marion' was profiled by sensory evaluation and instrumental analysis. Sensory results sh...

  4. Similarity between neonatal profile and socioeconomic index: a spatial approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    d'Orsi Eleonora

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to compare neonatal characteristics and socioeconomic conditions in Rio de Janeiro city neighborhoods in order to identify priority areas for intervention. The study design was ecological. Two databases were used: the Brazilian Population Census and the Live Birth Information System, aggregated by neighborhoods. Spatial analysis, multivariate cluster classification, and Moran's I statistics for detection of spatial clustering were used. A similarity index was created to compare socioeconomic clusters with the neonatal profile in each neighborhood. The proportions of Apgar score above 8 and cesarean sections showed positive spatial correlation and high similarity with the socioeconomic index. The proportion of low birth weight infants showed a random spatial distribution, indicating that at this scale of analysis, birth weight is not sufficiently sensitive to discriminate subtler differences among population groups. The observed relationship between the neighborhoods' neonatal profile (particularly Apgar score and mode of delivery and socioeconomic conditions shows evidence of a change in infant health profile, where the possibility for intervention shifts to medical services and the Apgar score assumes growing significance as a risk indicator.

  5. Rapid quantitative analysis of elemental composition and depth profile of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin solar cell film using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    In, Jung-Hwan; Kim, Chan-Kyu; Lee, Seok-Hee; Choi, Jang-Hee; Jeong, Sungho, E-mail: shjeong@gist.ac.kr

    2015-03-31

    Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is reported as a method for rapid quantitative analysis of elemental composition and depth profile of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) thin film. A calibration model considering compositional grading over depth was developed and verified with test samples. The results from eight test samples showed that the average concentration of Cu, In, Ga and Se could be predicted with a root mean square error of below 1% and a relative standard deviation of also below 1%. The depth profile of each constituent element of CIGS predicted by LIBS was close to those by Auger electron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The average ablation depth per pulse during depth profiling was about 100 nm. - Highlights: • LIBS was adopted for quantitative analysis of CIGS thin film. • A calibration model considering compositional grading over depth was developed. • Concentration prediction of CIGS thin film was accurate and precise. • Quantitative depth profiling by LIBS was compared with those by AES and SIMS.

  6. Plasma metabolic profiling analysis of nephrotoxicity induced by acyclovir using metabonomics coupled with multivariate data analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiuxiu; Li, Yubo; Zhou, Huifang; Fan, Simiao; Zhang, Zhenzhu; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Yanjun

    2014-08-01

    Acyclovir (ACV) is an antiviral agent. However, its use is limited by adverse side effect, particularly by its nephrotoxicity. Metabonomics technology can provide essential information on the metabolic profiles of biofluids and organs upon drug administration. Therefore, in this study, mass spectrometry-based metabonomics coupled with multivariate data analysis was used to identify the plasma metabolites and metabolic pathways related to nephrotoxicity caused by intraperitoneal injection of low (50mg/kg) and high (100mg/kg) doses of acyclovir. Sixteen biomarkers were identified by metabonomics and nephrotoxicity results revealed the dose-dependent effect of acyclovir on kidney tissues. The present study showed that the top four metabolic pathways interrupted by acyclovir included the metabolisms of arachidonic acid, tryptophan, arginine and proline, and glycerophospholipid. This research proves the established metabonomic approach can provide information on changes in metabolites and metabolic pathways, which can be applied to in-depth research on the mechanism of acyclovir-induced kidney injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Profile agreement indices in Rietveld and pattern-fitting analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, R.J.; Fischer, R.X.

    1990-01-01

    Two definitions of profile agreement indices are now in common use for estimating the degree of fit in Rietveld refinement and in structure-independent pattern-fitting methods of powder diffraction analysis. In the original program written by Rietveld, the background was subtracted and the 'non-peak' regions of the pattern were removed from further consideration in a preliminary data-reduction stage prior to structure refinement. However, the agreement indices used in many of the more recent programs retain the background counts in the observed step intensities and include all portions of the pattern in the sums. These latter definitions are strongly dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio and on the relative amount of 'background-only' regions and do not, therefore, provide a sound basis for comparing the degree of fit of peak profile and crystal structure model refinements in the general case. The extent of this dependence is illustrated quantitatively using conventional and synchrotron X-ray and constant-wavelength and time-of-flight neutron data sets with different inherent background levels and peak densities. The unweighted background-corrected peak-only profile agreement index R' p =Σ i vertical strokeY io -Y ic vertical stroke/Σ i vertical strokeY io -Y ib vertical stroke (and, to a lesser extent, its weighted equivalent) is recommended as the most appropriate criterion of fit for comparative work between diffraction patterns of all kinds. (orig.)

  8. Meteoric 10Be in soil profiles - A global meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graly, Joseph A.; Bierman, Paul R.; Reusser, Lucas J.; Pavich, Milan J.

    2010-01-01

    In order to assess current understanding of meteoric 10Be dynamics and distribution in terrestrial soils, we assembled a database of all published meteoric 10Be soil depth profiles, including 104 profiles from 27 studies in globally diverse locations, collectively containing 679 individual measurements. This allows for the systematic comparison of meteoric 10Be concentration to other soil characteristics and the comparison of profile depth distributions between geologic settings. Percent clay, 9Be, and dithionite-citrate extracted Al positively correlate to meteoric 10Be in more than half of the soils where they were measured, but the lack of significant correlation in other soils suggests that no one soil factor controls meteoric 10Be distribution with depth. Dithionite-citrate extracted Fe and cation exchange capacity are only weakly correlated to meteoric 10Be. Percent organic carbon and pH are not significantly related to meteoric 10Be concentration when all data are complied.The compilation shows that meteoric 10Be concentration is seldom uniform with depth in a soil profile. In young or rapidly eroding soils, maximum meteoric 10Be concentrations are typically found in the uppermost 20 cm. In older, more slowly eroding soils, the highest meteoric 10Be concentrations are found at depth, usually between 50 and 200 cm. We find that the highest measured meteoric 10Be concentration in a soil profile is an important metric, as both the value and the depth of the maximum meteoric 10Be concentration correlate with the total measured meteoric 10Be inventory of the soil profile.In order to refine the use of meteoric 10Be as an estimator of soil erosion rate, we compare near-surface meteoric 10Be concentrations to total meteoric 10Be soil inventories. These trends are used to calibrate models of meteoric 10Be loss by soil erosion. Erosion rates calculated using this method vary based on the assumed depth and timing of erosional events and on the reference data selected.

  9. Analysis of microRNA profile of Anopheles sinensis by deep sequencing and bioinformatic approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Xinyu; Zhou, Xiaojian; Zhou, Shuisen; Wang, Jingwen; Hu, Wei

    2018-03-12

    microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs widely identified in many mosquitoes. They are reported to play important roles in development, differentiation and innate immunity. However, miRNAs in Anopheles sinensis, one of the Chinese malaria mosquitoes, remain largely unknown. We investigated the global miRNA expression profile of An. sinensis using Illumina Hiseq 2000 sequencing. Meanwhile, we applied a bioinformatic approach to identify potential miRNAs in An. sinensis. The identified miRNA profiles were compared and analyzed by two approaches. The selected miRNAs from the sequencing result and the bioinformatic approach were confirmed with qRT-PCR. Moreover, target prediction, GO annotation and pathway analysis were carried out to understand the role of miRNAs in An. sinensis. We identified 49 conserved miRNAs and 12 novel miRNAs by next-generation high-throughput sequencing technology. In contrast, 43 miRNAs were predicted by the bioinformatic approach, of which two were assigned as novel. Comparative analysis of miRNA profiles by two approaches showed that 21 miRNAs were shared between them. Twelve novel miRNAs did not match any known miRNAs of any organism, indicating that they are possibly species-specific. Forty miRNAs were found in many mosquito species, indicating that these miRNAs are evolutionally conserved and may have critical roles in the process of life. Both the selected known and novel miRNAs (asi-miR-281, asi-miR-184, asi-miR-14, asi-miR-nov5, asi-miR-nov4, asi-miR-9383, and asi-miR-2a) could be detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in the sequenced sample, and the expression patterns of these miRNAs measured by qRT-PCR were in concordance with the original miRNA sequencing data. The predicted targets for the known and the novel miRNAs covered many important biological roles and pathways indicating the diversity of miRNA functions. We also found 21 conserved miRNAs and eight counterparts of target immune pathway genes in An. sinensis

  10. Narcissistic self-esteem or optimal self-esteem? A Latent Profile Analysis of self-esteem and psychological entitlement

    OpenAIRE

    Stronge, Sam; Cichocka, Aleksandra; Sibley, Chris G.

    2016-01-01

    Research into the relationship between self-esteem and narcissism has produced conflicting results, potentially caused by hidden subpopulations that exhibit distinct positive or negative associations. This research uses Latent Profile Analysis to identify profiles within a national panel study (N = 6,471) with differing relationships between psychological entitlement and self-esteem. We identified a narcissistic self-esteem profile (9%) characterised by high entitlement and high self-esteem, ...

  11. Dose profile analysis of small fields in intensity modulated radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medel B, E. [IMSS, Centro Medico Nacional Manuel Avila Camacho, Calle 2 Nte. 2004, Barrio de San Francisco, 72090 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Tejeda M, G.; Romero S, K., E-mail: romsakaren@gmail.com [Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Fisico Matematicas, Av. San Claudio y 18 Sur, Ciudad Universitaria, 72570 Puebla, Pue.(Mexico)

    2015-10-15

    Full text: Small field dosimetry is getting a very important worldwide task nowadays. The use of fields of few centimeters is more common with the introduction of sophisticated techniques of radiation therapy, as Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). In our country the implementation of such techniques is just getting started and whit it the need of baseline data acquisition. The dosimetry under small field conditions represents a challenge for the physicists community. In this work, a dose profile analysis was done, using various types of dosimeters for further comparisons. This analysis includes the study of quality parameters as flatness, symmetry, penumbra, and other in-axis measurements. (Author)

  12. Parent Prevention Communication Profiles and Adolescent Substance Use: A Latent Profile Analysis and Growth Curve Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hye Jeong; Miller-Day, Michelle; Shin, YoungJu; Hecht, Michael L.; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Krieger, Janice L.; Lee, JeongKyu; Graham, John W.

    2017-01-01

    This current study identifies distinct parent prevention communication profiles and examines whether youth with different parental communication profiles have varying substance use trajectories over time. Eleven schools in two rural school districts in the Midwestern United States were selected, and 784 students were surveyed at three time points from the beginning of 7th grade to the end of 8th grade. A series of latent profile analyses were performed to identify discrete profiles/subgroups of substance-specific prevention communication (SSPC). The results revealed a 4-profile model of SSPC: Active-Open, Passive-Open, Active-Silent, and Passive-Silent. A growth curve model revealed different rates of lifetime substance use depending on the youth’s SSPC profile. These findings have implications for parenting interventions and tailoring messages for parents to fit specific SSPC profiles. PMID:29056872

  13. Friedel's salt profiles from thermogravimetric analysis and thermodynamic modelling of Portland cement-based mortars exposed to sodium chloride solution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shi, Zhenguo; Geiker, Mette Rica; Lothenbach, Barbara

    2017-01-01

    Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermodynamic modelling have been used to obtain Friedel's salt profiles for saturated mortar cylinders exposed to a 2.8 M NaCl solution. Comparison of the measured Friedel's salt profiles with the total chloride profiles...

  14. Proteome profiling analysis of human ovarian cancer serum samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cognetti, F.; Citro, G.

    2009-01-01

    Mass Spectrometry represents a powerful tool in cancer research to discovery of potential bio markers through peak identification from serum profiling. By using high resolution MALDITOF and bioinformatic analysis almost 400 serum sample homogeneously distributed between biopsy confirmed ovarian cancer and high risk serum samples were analyzed. Each serum sample run in duplicate and whole serum sample preparation procedure has been performed by Hamilton Star Robot in order to reduce bias and the replicates with a low Pearson coefficient are removed. After automated reverse phase magnetic beads separation the samples were tested in MALDI-TOF

  15. Analysis of photonic spot profile converter and bridge structure on SOI platform for horizontal and vertical integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majumder, Saikat; Jha, Amit Kr.; Biswas, Aishik; Banerjee, Debasmita; Ganguly, Dipankar; Chakraborty, Rajib

    2017-08-01

    Horizontal spot size converter required for horizontal light coupling and vertical bridge structure required for vertical integration are designed on high index contrast SOI platform in order to form more compact integrated photonic circuits. Both the structures are based on the concept of multimode interference. The spot size converter can be realized by successive integration of multimode interference structures with reducing dimension on horizontal plane, whereas the optical bridge structure consists of a number of vertical multimode interference structure connected by single mode sections. The spot size converter can be modified to a spot profile converter when the final single mode waveguide is replaced by a slot waveguide. Analysis have shown that by using three multimode sections in a spot size converter, an Gaussian input having spot diameter of 2.51 μm can be converted to a spot diameter of 0.25 μm. If the output single mode section is replaced by a slot waveguide, this input profile can be converted to a flat top profile of width 50 nm. Similarly, vertical displacement of 8μm is possible by using a combination of two multimode sections and three single mode sections in the vertical bridge structure. The analyses of these two structures are carried out for both TE and TM modes at 1550 nm wavelength using the semi analytical matrix method which is simple and fast in computation time and memory. This work shows that the matrix method is equally applicable for analysis of horizontally as well as vertically integrated photonic circuit.

  16. Victimization and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Related Risk Among Transgender Women in India: A Latent Profile Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willie, Tiara C; Chakrapani, Venkatesan; White Hughto, Jaclyn M; Kershaw, Trace S

    2017-12-01

    Globally, transgender women (TGW) experience multiple forms of victimization such as violence and discrimination that can place them at risk for poor sexual health. To date, research overlooks the heterogeneity in experiences of victimization among TGW. Furthermore, few studies have examined the association between victimization and sexual risk among TGW in India, despite the high burden of HIV and victimization in this community. Latent profile analysis was performed to identify patterns of victimization in a convenience sample of 299 TGW recruited from nongovernmental organizations across four states in India. Analysis of covariance was performed to examine differences in sexual risk (i.e., alcohol use before sex; inconsistent condom use with a male regular partner, a male causal partner, and a male paying partner; and having multiple sexual partners) between latent profiles. Five distinct profiles of Indian TGW were identified based on the type and severity of victimization: (1) Low victimization, (2) High verbal police victimization, (3) High verbal and physical police victimization, (4) Moderate victimization, and (5) High victimization. While controlling for age, education, income, HIV status, and marital status, results revealed that TGW in the moderate victimization and high victimization profiles had higher sexual risk than TGW in the low victimization and high verbal police victimization profiles. In addition, TGW in high verbal and physical police victimization profile had higher sexual risk than TGW in low victimization profile. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring sexual risk reduction interventions to the specific needs of TGW based on patterns of victimization.

  17. Integrative Analysis of Complex Cancer Genomics and Clinical Profiles Using the cBioPortal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Jianjiong; Aksoy, Bülent Arman; Dogrusoz, Ugur; Dresdner, Gideon; Gross, Benjamin; Sumer, S. Onur; Sun, Yichao; Jacobsen, Anders; Sinha, Rileen; Larsson, Erik; Cerami, Ethan; Sander, Chris; Schultz, Nikolaus

    2014-01-01

    The cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics (http://cbioportal.org) provides a Web resource for exploring, visualizing, and analyzing multidimensional cancer genomics data. The portal reduces molecular profiling data from cancer tissues and cell lines into readily understandable genetic, epigenetic, gene expression, and proteomic events. The query interface combined with customized data storage enables researchers to interactively explore genetic alterations across samples, genes, and pathways and, when available in the underlying data, to link these to clinical outcomes. The portal provides graphical summaries of gene-level data from multiple platforms, network visualization and analysis, survival analysis, patient-centric queries, and software programmatic access. The intuitive Web interface of the portal makes complex cancer genomics profiles accessible to researchers and clinicians without requiring bioinformatics expertise, thus facilitating biological discoveries. Here, we provide a practical guide to the analysis and visualization features of the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics. PMID:23550210

  18. Cell surface profiling using high-throughput flow cytometry: a platform for biomarker discovery and analysis of cellular heterogeneity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig A Gedye

    Full Text Available Cell surface proteins have a wide range of biological functions, and are often used as lineage-specific markers. Antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens are widely used as research tools, diagnostic markers, and even therapeutic agents. The ability to obtain broad cell surface protein profiles would thus be of great value in a wide range of fields. There are however currently few available methods for high-throughput analysis of large numbers of cell surface proteins. We describe here a high-throughput flow cytometry (HT-FC platform for rapid analysis of 363 cell surface antigens. Here we demonstrate that HT-FC provides reproducible results, and use the platform to identify cell surface antigens that are influenced by common cell preparation methods. We show that multiple populations within complex samples such as primary tumors can be simultaneously analyzed by co-staining of cells with lineage-specific antibodies, allowing unprecedented depth of analysis of heterogeneous cell populations. Furthermore, standard informatics methods can be used to visualize, cluster and downsample HT-FC data to reveal novel signatures and biomarkers. We show that the cell surface profile provides sufficient molecular information to classify samples from different cancers and tissue types into biologically relevant clusters using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Finally, we describe the identification of a candidate lineage marker and its subsequent validation. In summary, HT-FC combines the advantages of a high-throughput screen with a detection method that is sensitive, quantitative, highly reproducible, and allows in-depth analysis of heterogeneous samples. The use of commercially available antibodies means that high quality reagents are immediately available for follow-up studies. HT-FC has a wide range of applications, including biomarker discovery, molecular classification of cancers, or identification of novel lineage specific or stem cell

  19. Cell surface profiling using high-throughput flow cytometry: a platform for biomarker discovery and analysis of cellular heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gedye, Craig A; Hussain, Ali; Paterson, Joshua; Smrke, Alannah; Saini, Harleen; Sirskyj, Danylo; Pereira, Keira; Lobo, Nazleen; Stewart, Jocelyn; Go, Christopher; Ho, Jenny; Medrano, Mauricio; Hyatt, Elzbieta; Yuan, Julie; Lauriault, Stevan; Meyer, Mona; Kondratyev, Maria; van den Beucken, Twan; Jewett, Michael; Dirks, Peter; Guidos, Cynthia J; Danska, Jayne; Wang, Jean; Wouters, Bradly; Neel, Benjamin; Rottapel, Robert; Ailles, Laurie E

    2014-01-01

    Cell surface proteins have a wide range of biological functions, and are often used as lineage-specific markers. Antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens are widely used as research tools, diagnostic markers, and even therapeutic agents. The ability to obtain broad cell surface protein profiles would thus be of great value in a wide range of fields. There are however currently few available methods for high-throughput analysis of large numbers of cell surface proteins. We describe here a high-throughput flow cytometry (HT-FC) platform for rapid analysis of 363 cell surface antigens. Here we demonstrate that HT-FC provides reproducible results, and use the platform to identify cell surface antigens that are influenced by common cell preparation methods. We show that multiple populations within complex samples such as primary tumors can be simultaneously analyzed by co-staining of cells with lineage-specific antibodies, allowing unprecedented depth of analysis of heterogeneous cell populations. Furthermore, standard informatics methods can be used to visualize, cluster and downsample HT-FC data to reveal novel signatures and biomarkers. We show that the cell surface profile provides sufficient molecular information to classify samples from different cancers and tissue types into biologically relevant clusters using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Finally, we describe the identification of a candidate lineage marker and its subsequent validation. In summary, HT-FC combines the advantages of a high-throughput screen with a detection method that is sensitive, quantitative, highly reproducible, and allows in-depth analysis of heterogeneous samples. The use of commercially available antibodies means that high quality reagents are immediately available for follow-up studies. HT-FC has a wide range of applications, including biomarker discovery, molecular classification of cancers, or identification of novel lineage specific or stem cell markers.

  20. Gamma-ray emission profile measurements during JET ICRH discharges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jarvis, O N; Marcus, F B; Sadler, G; Van Belle, P [Commission of the European Communities, Abingdon (United Kingdom). JET Joint Undertaking; Howarth, P J.A. [Birmingham Univ. (United Kingdom); Adams, J M; Bond, D S [UKAEA Harwell Lab. (United Kingdom). Energy Technology Div.

    1994-07-01

    Gamma-ray emission from plasma-impurity reactions caused by minority ICRH accelerating fuel ions to MeV energies has been measured using the JET neutron profile monitor. A successful data analysis technique has been used to isolate the RF-induced gamma-ray emission that was detected, enabling profiles of gamma-ray emission to be obtained. The 2-d gamma-ray emission profiles show that virtually all the radiation originates from the low field side of the RF resonance layer, as expected from RF-induced pitch angle diffusion. The emission profiles indicate the presence of a small population of resonant {sup 3}He ions that possess orbits lying near the passing-trapped boundary. 6 refs., 4 figs.

  1. Analysis of motivational profiles of satisfaction and importance of physical education in high school adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granero-Gallegos, Antonio; Baena-Extremera, Antonio; Pérez-Quero, Francisco J; Ortiz-Camacho, Maria M; Bracho-Amador, Clara

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the motivational profiles of satisfaction with and importance of physical education in high school students and its relation with gender and the practice of sport. The sample comprised 2002 students aged from 12 to 19 who completed the Sport Motivation Scale (Núñez et al., 2006), the Sport Satisfaction Instrument (Baena-Extremera et al., 2012) and the Importance of Physical Education Scale (Moreno et al., 2009). Descriptive analyzes, correlations between the scales, a cluster analysis for profiles, and a MANOVA were conducted to examine differences by gender. Three clusters (profiles) were identified. The first profile identified was "moderate" motivation (n = 463) and was associated with boys who practice physical activity for less than 3 hours per week. The second profile identified was "low" motivation (n = 545) and was associated mainly with girls who practice physical activity for less than 3 hours per week. And lastly the third profile identified was "high" motivation (n = 910), which was found to be greater in boys who practiced physical exercise for more than 3 hours a week.

  2. Trace element profiles in modern horse molar enamel as tracers of seasonality: Evidence from micro-XRF, LA-ICP-MS and stable isotope analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Winter, Niels; Goderis, Steven; van Malderen, Stijn; Vanhaecke, Frank; Claeys, Philippe

    2016-04-01

    A combination of laboratory micro-X-ray Fluorescence (μXRF) and stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis shows that trace element profiles from modern horse molars reveal a seasonal pattern that co-varies with seasonality in the oxygen isotope records of enamel carbonate from the same teeth. A combination of six cheek teeth (premolars and molars) from the same individual yields a seasonal isotope and trace element record of approximately three years recorded during the growth of the molars. This record shows that reproducible measurements of various trace element ratios (e.g., Sr/Ca, Zn/Ca, Fe/Ca, K/Ca and S/Ca) lag the seasonal pattern in oxygen isotope records by 2-3 months. Laser Ablation-ICP-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis on a cross-section of the first molar of the same individual is compared to the bench-top tube-excitation μXRF results to test the robustness of the measurements and to compare both methods. Furthermore, trace element (e.g. Sr, Zn, Mg & Ba) profiles perpendicular to the growth direction of the same tooth, as well as profiles parallel to the growth direction are measured with LA-ICP-MS and μXRF to study the internal distribution of trace element ratios in two dimensions. Results of this extensive complementary line-scanning procedure shows the robustness of state of the art laboratory micro-XRF scanning for the measurement of trace elements in bioapatite. The comparison highlights the advantages and disadvantages of both methods for trace element analysis and illustrates their complementarity. Results of internal variation within the teeth shed light on the origins of trace elements in mammal teeth and their potential use for paleo-environmental reconstruction.

  3. A Profile Analysis on the Effectiveness of Two kinds of Feeds on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A Profile Analysis on the Effectiveness of Two kinds of Feeds on Poultry. Birds. Onuoha, Desmond O+. and Opara Pius N*. +Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Federal ... birds using chicken from Michika Farm in Igwuruta in Port Harcourt, Rivers State as a case study. .... easy to manage, regularly lay eggs, disease.

  4. Space potential, temperature, and density profile measurements on RENTOR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schoch, P.M.

    1983-05-01

    Radial profiles of the space potential, electron temperature, and density have been measured on RENTOR with a heavy-ion-beam probe. The potential profile has been compared to predictions from a stochastic magnetic field fluctuation theory, using the measured temperature and density profiles. The comparison shows strong qualitative agreement in that the potential is positive and the order of T/sub e//e. There is some quantitative disagreement in that the measured radial electric fields are somewhat smaller than the theoretical predictions. To facilitate this comparison, a detailed analysis of the possible errors has been completed

  5. A continuous OSL scanning method for analysis of radiation depth-dose profiles in bricks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøtter-Jensen, L.; Jungner, H.; Poolton, N.R.J.

    1995-01-01

    This article describes the development of a method for directly measuring radiation depth-dose profiles from brick, tile and porcelain cores, without the need for sample separation techniques. For the brick cores, examples are shown of the profiles generated by artificial irradiation using...... the different photon energies from Cs-137 and Co-60 gamma sources; comparison is drawn with both the theoretical calculations derived from Monte Carlo simulations, as well as experimental measurements made using more conventional optically stimulated luminescence methods of analysis....

  6. Reproducibility of Cognitive Profiles in Psychosis Using Cluster Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewandowski, Kathryn E; Baker, Justin T; McCarthy, Julie M; Norris, Lesley A; Öngür, Dost

    2018-04-01

    Cognitive dysfunction is a core symptom dimension that cuts across the psychoses. Recent findings support classification of patients along the cognitive dimension using cluster analysis; however, data-derived groupings may be highly determined by sampling characteristics and the measures used to derive the clusters, and so their interpretability must be established. We examined cognitive clusters in a cross-diagnostic sample of patients with psychosis and associations with clinical and functional outcomes. We then compared our findings to a previous report of cognitive clusters in a separate sample using a different cognitive battery. Participants with affective or non-affective psychosis (n=120) and healthy controls (n=31) were administered the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, and clinical and community functioning assessments. Cluster analyses were performed on cognitive variables, and clusters were compared on demographic, cognitive, and clinical measures. Results were compared to findings from our previous report. A four-cluster solution provided a good fit to the data; profiles included a neuropsychologically normal cluster, a globally impaired cluster, and two clusters of mixed profiles. Cognitive burden was associated with symptom severity and poorer community functioning. The patterns of cognitive performance by cluster were highly consistent with our previous findings. We found evidence of four cognitive subgroups of patients with psychosis, with cognitive profiles that map closely to those produced in our previous work. Clusters were associated with clinical and community variables and a measure of premorbid functioning, suggesting that they reflect meaningful groupings: replicable, and related to clinical presentation and functional outcomes. (JINS, 2018, 24, 382-390).

  7. Emotional labor actors: a latent profile analysis of emotional labor strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabriel, Allison S; Daniels, Michael A; Diefendorff, James M; Greguras, Gary J

    2015-05-01

    Research on emotional labor focuses on how employees utilize 2 main regulation strategies-surface acting (i.e., faking one's felt emotions) and deep acting (i.e., attempting to feel required emotions)-to adhere to emotional expectations of their jobs. To date, researchers largely have considered how each strategy functions to predict outcomes in isolation. However, this variable-centered perspective ignores the possibility that there are subpopulations of employees who may differ in their combined use of surface and deep acting. To address this issue, we conducted 2 studies that examined surface acting and deep acting from a person-centered perspective. Using latent profile analysis, we identified 5 emotional labor profiles-non-actors, low actors, surface actors, deep actors, and regulators-and found that these actor profiles were distinguished by several emotional labor antecedents (positive affectivity, negative affectivity, display rules, customer orientation, and emotion demands-abilities fit) and differentially predicted employee outcomes (emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and felt inauthenticity). Our results reveal new insights into the nature of emotion regulation in emotional labor contexts and how different employees may characteristically use distinct combinations of emotion regulation strategies to manage their emotional expressions at work. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

  8. Automated Detection of Binucleated Cell and Micronuclei using CellProfiler 2.0 Software

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DWI RAMADHANI

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Micronucleus assay in human peripheral lymphocytes usually used to assess chromosomal damage. Manual scoring of micronuclei can be time consuming and large numbers of binucleated cells have to be analyzed to obtain statistically relevant data. Automation of the micronuclei analysis using image processing analysis software can provide a faster and more reliable analysis of micronucleus assay. Here the used of CellProfiler an open access cell image analysis software for automatic detection of binucleated cells and micronuclei were reported. We aimed to know whether there was a significant difference in the number of binucleated cells and micronuclei that obtained by manual and CellProfiler counting. Wilcoxon Rank test was used for statistical analysis to test H0 hypothesis that there was no significant difference in the number of binucleated cells and micronuclei that obtained by manual and CellProfiler counting. We analyzed 135 images for both manual and CellProfiler counting. Our results showed that there was no significant difference between manual and CellProfiler counting for binucleated cells (P = 0.851 and for micronuclei (P = 0.917. In conclusion, the binucleated cells and micronuclei counting using CellProfiler were comparable but not better than manual counting.

  9. Effect of prenatal mindfulness training on depressive symptom severity through 18-months postpartum: A latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felder, Jennifer N; Roubinov, Danielle; Bush, Nicole R; Coleman-Phox, Kimberly; Vieten, Cassandra; Laraia, Barbara; Adler, Nancy E; Epel, Elissa

    2018-02-28

    We examined whether prenatal mindfulness training was associated with lower depressive symptoms through 18-months postpartum compared to treatment as usual (TAU). A controlled, quasi-experimental trial compared prenatal mindfulness training (MMT) to TAU. We collected depressive symptom data at post-intervention, 6-, and 18-months postpartum. Latent profile analysis identified depressive symptom profiles, and multinomial logistic regression examined whether treatment condition predicted profile. Three depressive symptom severity profiles emerged: none/minimal, mild, and moderate. Adjusting for relevant covariates, MMT participants were less likely than TAU participants to be in the moderate profile than the none/minimal profile (OR = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.03-0.54, p = .005). Prenatal mindfulness training may have benefits for depressive symptoms during the transition to parenthood. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. In situ diffraction profile analysis during tensile deformation motivated by molecular dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Swygenhoven, H.; Budrovic, Z.; Derlet, P.M.; Froseth, A.G.; Van Petegem, S.

    2005-01-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations can provide insight into the slip mechanism at the atomic scale and suggest that in nanocrystalline metals dislocations are nucleated and absorbed by the grain boundaries. However, this technique is limited by very short simulation times. Using suggestions from molecular dynamics, we have developed a new in situ X-ray diffraction technique wherein the profile analysis of several Bragg diffraction peaks during tensile deformation is possible. Combining experiment and careful structural analysis the results confirm the suggestions from atomistic simulations

  11. Depth profile analysis of electrodeposited nanoscale multilayers by Secondary Neutral Mass Spectrometry (SNMS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katona, G.L.; Berenyi, Z.; Vad, K.; Peter, L.

    2006-01-01

    substrates with different roughness showed that although the depth resolution of samples deposited on commercial Cu sheet was somewhat lower than of the samples deposited on Si(111), the difference is less pronounced than what could be expected. Additionally the SNMS depth profile analysis revealed a significant concentration gradient in the magnetic layers even in the beginning of the layers (see Fig. 1). This concentration gradient within the magnetic layer is usually neglected, although as it can be seen the concentration change along the growth direction is significant even at the beginning of the layer (closer to the substrate). This draws attention on the concentration inhomogeneity in the magnetic layers which could influence GMR properties. (author)

  12. Fitting the IRI F2-profile function to measured profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reinisch, B.W.; Huang Xueqin

    1997-01-01

    Comparison with profile data from ionosondes shows that the IRI bottomside F2-profiles can be improved by using better B0 and B1 parameters. The best parameters (in a least-squares sense) can be easily calculated in a numerical procedure from measured profiles presented as a sum of Chebyshev polynomials. 7 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

  13. Chemical-genetic profile analysis in yeast suggests that a previously uncharacterized open reading frame, YBR261C, affects protein synthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eroukova Veronika

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Functional genomics has received considerable attention in the post-genomic era, as it aims to identify function(s for different genes. One way to study gene function is to investigate the alterations in the responses of deletion mutants to different stimuli. Here we investigate the genetic profile of yeast non-essential gene deletion array (yGDA, ~4700 strains for increased sensitivity to paromomycin, which targets the process of protein synthesis. Results As expected, our analysis indicated that the majority of deletion strains (134 with increased sensitivity to paromomycin, are involved in protein biosynthesis. The remaining strains can be divided into smaller functional categories: metabolism (45, cellular component biogenesis and organization (28, DNA maintenance (21, transport (20, others (38 and unknown (39. These may represent minor cellular target sites (side-effects for paromomycin. They may also represent novel links to protein synthesis. One of these strains carries a deletion for a previously uncharacterized ORF, YBR261C, that we term TAE1 for Translation Associated Element 1. Our focused follow-up experiments indicated that deletion of TAE1 alters the ribosomal profile of the mutant cells. Also, gene deletion strain for TAE1 has defects in both translation efficiency and fidelity. Miniaturized synthetic genetic array analysis further indicates that TAE1 genetically interacts with 16 ribosomal protein genes. Phenotypic suppression analysis using TAE1 overexpression also links TAE1 to protein synthesis. Conclusion We show that a previously uncharacterized ORF, YBR261C, affects the process of protein synthesis and reaffirm that large-scale genetic profile analysis can be a useful tool to study novel gene function(s.

  14. Chemical-genetic profile analysis in yeast suggests that a previously uncharacterized open reading frame, YBR261C, affects protein synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alamgir, Md; Eroukova, Veronika; Jessulat, Matthew; Xu, Jianhua; Golshani, Ashkan

    2008-12-03

    Functional genomics has received considerable attention in the post-genomic era, as it aims to identify function(s) for different genes. One way to study gene function is to investigate the alterations in the responses of deletion mutants to different stimuli. Here we investigate the genetic profile of yeast non-essential gene deletion array (yGDA, approximately 4700 strains) for increased sensitivity to paromomycin, which targets the process of protein synthesis. As expected, our analysis indicated that the majority of deletion strains (134) with increased sensitivity to paromomycin, are involved in protein biosynthesis. The remaining strains can be divided into smaller functional categories: metabolism (45), cellular component biogenesis and organization (28), DNA maintenance (21), transport (20), others (38) and unknown (39). These may represent minor cellular target sites (side-effects) for paromomycin. They may also represent novel links to protein synthesis. One of these strains carries a deletion for a previously uncharacterized ORF, YBR261C, that we term TAE1 for Translation Associated Element 1. Our focused follow-up experiments indicated that deletion of TAE1 alters the ribosomal profile of the mutant cells. Also, gene deletion strain for TAE1 has defects in both translation efficiency and fidelity. Miniaturized synthetic genetic array analysis further indicates that TAE1 genetically interacts with 16 ribosomal protein genes. Phenotypic suppression analysis using TAE1 overexpression also links TAE1 to protein synthesis. We show that a previously uncharacterized ORF, YBR261C, affects the process of protein synthesis and reaffirm that large-scale genetic profile analysis can be a useful tool to study novel gene function(s).

  15. Comparative genomic analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum ZJ316 reveals its genetic adaptation and potential probiotic profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ping; Li, Xuan; Gu, Qing; Lou, Xiu-Yu; Zhang, Xiao-Mei; Song, Da-Feng; Zhang, Chen

    2016-08-01

    In previous studies, Lactobacillus plantarum ZJ316 showed probiotic properties, such as antimicrobial activity against various pathogens and the capacity to significantly improve pig growth and pork quality. The purpose of this study was to reveal the genes potentially related to its genetic adaptation and probiotic profiles based on comparative genomic analysis. The genome sequence of L. plantarum ZJ316 was compared with those of eight L. plantarum strains deposited in GenBank. BLASTN, Mauve, and MUMmer programs were used for genome alignment and comparison. CRISPRFinder was applied for searching the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs). We identified genes that encode proteins related to genetic adaptation and probiotic profiles, including carbohydrate transport and metabolism, proteolytic enzyme systems and amino acid biosynthesis, CRISPR adaptive immunity, stress responses, bile salt resistance, ability to adhere to the host intestinal wall, exopolysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis, and bacteriocin biosynthesis. Comparative characterization of the L. plantarum ZJ316 genome provided the genetic basis for further elucidating the functional mechanisms of its probiotic properties. ZJ316 could be considered a potential probiotic candidate.

  16. Comparative genomic analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum ZJ316 reveals its genetic adaptation and potential probiotic profiles* #

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ping; Li, Xuan; Gu, Qing; Lou, Xiu-yu; Zhang, Xiao-mei; Song, Da-feng; Zhang, Chen

    2016-01-01

    Objective: In previous studies, Lactobacillus plantarum ZJ316 showed probiotic properties, such as antimicrobial activity against various pathogens and the capacity to significantly improve pig growth and pork quality. The purpose of this study was to reveal the genes potentially related to its genetic adaptation and probiotic profiles based on comparative genomic analysis. Methods: The genome sequence of L. plantarum ZJ316 was compared with those of eight L. plantarum strains deposited in GenBank. BLASTN, Mauve, and MUMmer programs were used for genome alignment and comparison. CRISPRFinder was applied for searching the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs). Results: We identified genes that encode proteins related to genetic adaptation and probiotic profiles, including carbohydrate transport and metabolism, proteolytic enzyme systems and amino acid biosynthesis, CRISPR adaptive immunity, stress responses, bile salt resistance, ability to adhere to the host intestinal wall, exopolysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis, and bacteriocin biosynthesis. Conclusions: Comparative characterization of the L. plantarum ZJ316 genome provided the genetic basis for further elucidating the functional mechanisms of its probiotic properties. ZJ316 could be considered a potential probiotic candidate. PMID:27487802

  17. Reconstruction and analysis of temperature and density spatial profiles inertial confinement fusion implosion cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mancini, R. C.

    2007-01-01

    We discuss several methods for the extraction of temperature and density spatial profiles in inertial confinement fusion implosion cores based on the analysis of the x-ray emission from spectroscopic tracers added to the deuterium fuel. The ideas rely on (1) detailed spectral models that take into account collisional-radiative atomic kinetics, Stark broadened line shapes, and radiation transport calculations, (2) the availability of narrow-band, gated pinhole and slit x-ray images, and space-resolved line spectra of the core, and (3) several data analysis and reconstruction methods that include a multi-objective search and optimization technique based on a novel application of Pareto genetic algorithms to plasma spectroscopy. The spectroscopic analysis yields the spatial profiles of temperature and density in the core at the collapse of the implosion, and also the extent of shell material mixing into the core. Results are illustrated with data recorded in implosion experiments driven by the OMEGA and Z facilities

  18. Expression profiling of human renal carcinomas with functional taxonomic analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    Background Molecular characterization has contributed to the understanding of the inception, progression, treatment and prognosis of cancer. Nucleic acid array-based technologies extend molecular characterization of tumors to thousands of gene products. To effectively discriminate between tumor sub-types, reliable laboratory techniques and analytic methods are required. Results We derived mRNA expression profiles from 21 human tissue samples (eight normal kidneys and 13 kidney tumors) and two pooled samples using the Affymetrix GeneChip platform. A panel of ten clustering algorithms combined with four data pre-processing methods identified a consensus cluster dendrogram in 18 of 40 analyses and of these 16 used a logarithmic transformation. Within the consensus dendrogram the expression profiles of the samples grouped according to tissue type; clear cell and chromophobe carcinomas displayed distinctly different gene expression patterns. By using a rigorous statistical selection based method we identified 355 genes that showed significant (p Matrix Organization and Adhesion. Conclusions Affymetrix GeneChip profiling differentiated clear cell and chromophobe carcinomas from one another and from normal kidney cortex. Clustering methods that used logarithmic transformation of data sets produced dendrograms consistent with the sample biology. Functional taxonomy provided a practical approach to the interpretation of gene expression data. PMID:12356337

  19. Expression profiling of human renal carcinomas with functional taxonomic analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madore Steven J

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular characterization has contributed to the understanding of the inception, progression, treatment and prognosis of cancer. Nucleic acid array-based technologies extend molecular characterization of tumors to thousands of gene products. To effectively discriminate between tumor sub-types, reliable laboratory techniques and analytic methods are required. Results We derived mRNA expression profiles from 21 human tissue samples (eight normal kidneys and 13 kidney tumors and two pooled samples using the Affymetrix GeneChip platform. A panel of ten clustering algorithms combined with four data pre-processing methods identified a consensus cluster dendrogram in 18 of 40 analyses and of these 16 used a logarithmic transformation. Within the consensus dendrogram the expression profiles of the samples grouped according to tissue type; clear cell and chromophobe carcinomas displayed distinctly different gene expression patterns. By using a rigorous statistical selection based method we identified 355 genes that showed significant (p Conclusions Affymetrix GeneChip profiling differentiated clear cell and chromophobe carcinomas from one another and from normal kidney cortex. Clustering methods that used logarithmic transformation of data sets produced dendrograms consistent with the sample biology. Functional taxonomy provided a practical approach to the interpretation of gene expression data.

  20. Beam profile effects on NPB [neutral particle beam] performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LeClaire, R.J. Jr.

    1988-03-01

    A comparison of neutral particle beam brightness for various neutral beam profiles indicates that the widely used assumption of a Gaussian profile may be misleading for collisional neutralizers. An analysis of available experimental evidence shows that lower peaks and higher tails, compared to a Gaussian beam profile, are observed out of collisional neutralizers, which implies that peak brightness is over estimated, and for a given NPB platform-to-target range, the beam current (power), dwell time or some combination of such engagement parameters would have to be altered to maintain a fixed dose on target. Based on the present analysis, this factor is nominally about 2.4 but may actually be as low as 1.8 or as high as 8. This is an important consideration in estimating NPB constellation performance in SDI engagement contexts. 2 refs., 6 figs

  1. Application of metabolite profiling and antioxidant activity in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper investigates the effect of processing and extraction method on chemical profiles and antioxidant activity of Malaysian stingless bee propolis. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis in combination with chemometric shows that some of the compounds were degraded or not detected in ...

  2. Shave-off depth profiling: Depth profiling with an absolute depth scale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nojima, M.; Maekawa, A.; Yamamoto, T.; Tomiyasu, B.; Sakamoto, T.; Owari, M.; Nihei, Y.

    2006-01-01

    Shave-off depth profiling provides profiling with an absolute depth scale. This method uses a focused ion beam (FIB) micro-machining process to provide the depth profile. We show that the shave-off depth profile of a particle reflected the spherical shape of the sample and signal intensities had no relationship to the depth. Through the introduction of FIB micro-sampling, the shave-off depth profiling of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) tip was carried out. The shave-off profile agreed with a blue print from the manufacturing process. Finally, shave-off depth profiling is discussed with respect to resolutions and future directions

  3. Extended aroma extract dilution analysis profile of Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata pulp essential oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yonathan Asikin

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Shiikuwasha pulp is an important raw material for producing citrus essential oils. The volatile aroma composition of pulp essential oil was evaluated using gas chromatography (GC methods, and its aroma profile was assessed using GC-olfactometry with an extended aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA technique in regard to alterations of odor strength and sensorial perception throughout serial dilution steps. The essential oil comprised a mixture of 55 aroma compounds, including monoterpene hydrocarbon, sesquiterpene hydrocarbon, alcohol, aldehyde, ester, and oxide compounds. The predominant compounds were limonene [57.36% (4462.80 mg/100 g of pulp] and γ-terpinene [25.14% (1956.21 mg/100 g of pulp]. However, linalool was identified as one of the key aroma components providing the highest flavor dilution factor in AEDA, whilst three sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (δ-elemene, germacrene B, and bicyclosesquiphellandrene and two esters (heptyl acetate and decyl acetate had superior relative flavor activities. The extended AEDA profile identified variations in assessed odor perceptions, intensity, and duration of aroma components over dilution, whereas the 12 most odor-active compounds showed comparable odor strengths.

  4. Deuterium depth profiling in JT-60U W-shaped divertor tiles by nuclear reaction analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, T.; Ochiai, K.; Masaki, K.; Gotoh, Y.; Kutsukake, C.; Arai, T.; Nishitani, T.; Miya, N.

    2006-01-01

    Deuterium concentrations and depth profiles in plasma-facing graphite tiles used in the divertor of JAERI Tokamak-60 Upgrade (JT-60U) were investigated by nuclear reaction analysis (NRA). The highest deuterium concentration of D/ 12 C of 0.053 was found in the outer dome wing tile, where the deuterium accumulated probably through the deuterium-carbon co-deposition. In the outer and inner divertor target tiles, the D/ 12 C data were lower than 0.006. Additionally, the maximum (H + D)/ 12 C in the dome top tile was estimated to be 0.023 from the results of NRA and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Orbit following Monte-Carlo (OFMC) simulation showed energetic deuterons caused by neutral beam injections (NBI) were implanted into the dome region with high heat flux. Furthermore, the surface temperature and conditions such as deposition and erosion significantly influenced the accumulation process of deuterium. The deuterium depth profile, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and OFMC simulation indicated the deuterium was considered to accumulate through three processes: the deuterium-carbon co-deposition, the implantation of energetic deuterons and the deuterium diffusion into the bulk

  5. Multilayer analysis using SIMS: interpretation of profiles at interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aucouturier, M.; Grattepain, C.; Tromson-Carli, A.; Barbe, M.; Cohen-Solal, G.; Marfaing, Y.; Chevrier, F.; Gall, H. le; Imhoff, D.

    1993-01-01

    Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a well adapted analytical method for the chemical characterization of concentration profiles in layered or multilayered materials, particularly concerning the more or less abrupt interfaces bounding those layers. It is known that the fiability and accuracy of the interface characterization may be affected by methodological factors, which alter the depth resolution such as: macroscopical or microscopical initial roughness of the substrate and/or of the layers, ion-induced roughening, effects of differential sputtering of the various elements, transitory stage of the primary ion beam implantation, ion beam induced accelerated diffusion, balistic mixing or segregation; etc.. This communication describes several examples of SIMS analysis performed on metal multilayers (Co/Cu) and on epitaxial semiconductor layers (CdTe/GaAs), focussing the interest on the particular analytical problems raised by the initial roughness and the ion induced roughening effect. The interpretation of the measured profiles, the influence of analytical parameters (such as the nature of the primary ion beam, sputtering conditions, detected ion species), and the limitations of profilometry roughness measurements, are discussed. Solutions are proposed in order to improve the depth resolution of interface characterization, including a tentative modelization of roughness effects. (orig.)

  6. Risk Profiles for Falls among Older Adults: New Directions for Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William A. Satariano

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo address whether neighborhood factors, together with older adults’ levels of health and functioning, suggest new combinations of risk factors for falls and new directions for prevention. To explore the utility of Grade-of-Membership (GoM analysis to conduct this descriptive analysis.MethodThis is a cross-sectional, descriptive study of 884 people aged ≥65 years from Alameda County, CA, Cook County, IL, Allegheny County, PA, and Wake and Durham counties, NC. Interviews focused on neighborhood characteristics, physical and cognitive function, walking, and falls and injuries. Four risk profiles (higher order interactions of individual and neighborhood factors were derived from GoM analysis.ResultsProfiles 1 and 2 reflect previous results showing that frail older adults are likely to fall indoors (Profile 1; healthy older adults are likely to fall outdoors (Profile 2. Profile 3 identifies the falls risk for older with mild cognitive impairment living in moderately walkable neighborhoods. Profile 4 identifies the risk found for healthy older adults living in neighborhoods with low walkability.DiscussionNeighborhood walkability, in combination with levels of health and functioning, is associated with both indoor and outdoor falls. Descriptive results suggest possible research hypotheses and new directions for prevention, based on individual and neighborhood factors.

  7. Chemotaxonomy of heterocystous cyanobacteria using FAME profiling as species markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Ekta; Singh, Satya Shila; Singh, Prashant; Mishra, Arun Kumar

    2012-07-01

    The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis of the 12 heterocystous cyanobacterial strains showed different fatty acid profiling based on the presence/absence and the percentage of 13 different types of fatty acids. The major fatty acids viz. palmitic acid (16:0), hexadecadienoic acid (16:2), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1), linoleic (18:2), and linolenic acid (18:3) were present among all the strains except Cylindrospermum musicola where oleic acid (18:1) was absent. All the strains showed high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs; 41-68.35%) followed by saturated fatty acid (SAFAs; 1.82-40.66%) and monounsaturated fatty acid (0.85-24.98%). Highest percentage of PUFAs and essential fatty acid (linolenic acid; 18:3) was reported in Scytonema bohnerii which can be used as fatty acid supplement in medical and biotechnological purpose. The cluster analysis based on FAME profiling suggests the presence of two distinct clusters with Euclidean distance ranging from 0 to 25. S. bohnerii of cluster I was distantly related to the other strains of cluster II. The genotypes of cluster II were further divided into two subclusters, i.e., IIa with C. musicola showing great divergence with the other genotypes of IIb which was further subdivided into two groups. Subsubcluster IIb(1) was represented by a genotype, Anabaena sp. whereas subsubcluster IIb(2) was distinguished by two groups, i.e., one group having significant similarity among their three genotypes showed distant relation with the other group having closely related six genotypes. To test the validity of the fatty acid profiles as a marker, cluster analysis has also been generated on the basis of morphological attributes. Our results suggest that FAME profiling might be used as species markers in the study of polyphasic approach based taxonomy and phylogenetic relationship.

  8. Integrated genomic classification of melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system using mutation analysis, copy number alterations and DNA methylation profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griewank, Klaus; Koelsche, Christian; van de Nes, Johannes A P; Schrimpf, Daniel; Gessi, Marco; Möller, Inga; Sucker, Antje; Scolyer, Richard A; Buckland, Michael E; Murali, Rajmohan; Pietsch, Torsten; von Deimling, Andreas; Schadendorf, Dirk

    2018-06-11

    In the central nervous system, distinguishing primary leptomeningeal melanocytic tumors from melanoma metastases and predicting their biological behavior solely using histopathologic criteria can be challenging. We aimed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of integrated molecular analysis. Targeted next-generation-sequencing, array-based genome-wide methylation analysis and BAP1 immunohistochemistry was performed on the largest cohort of central nervous system melanocytic tumors analyzed to date, incl. 47 primary tumors of the central nervous system, 16 uveal melanomas. 13 cutaneous melanoma metastasis and 2 blue nevus-like melanomas. Gene mutation, DNA-methylation and copy-number profiles were correlated with clinicopathological features. Combining mutation, copy-number and DNA-methylation profiles clearly distinguished cutaneous melanoma metastases from other melanocytic tumors. Primary leptomeningeal melanocytic tumors, uveal melanomas and blue nevus-like melanoma showed common DNA-methylation, copy-number alteration and gene mutation signatures. Notably, tumors demonstrating chromosome 3 monosomy and BAP1 alterations formed a homogeneous subset within this group. Integrated molecular profiling aids in distinguishing primary from metastatic melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system. Primary leptomeningeal melanocytic tumors, uveal melanoma and blue nevus-like melanoma share molecular similarity with chromosome 3 and BAP1 alterations markers of poor prognosis. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

  9. Refining the Classification of Children with Selective Mutism: A Latent Profile Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohan, Sharon L.; Chavira, Denise A.; Shipon-Blum, Elisa; Hitchcock, Carla; Roesch, Scott C.; Stein, Murray B.

    2008-01-01

    The goal of this study was to develop an empirically derived classification system for selective mutism (SM) using parent-report measures of social anxiety, behavior problems, and communication delays. The sample consisted of parents of 130 children (ages 5-12) with SM. Results from latent profile analysis supported a 3-class solution made up of…

  10. Profile analysis of after-effects experienced during exposure to several virtual reality environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Robert S.; Jones, Marshall B.; Lilienthal, Michael G.; Harm, Deborah L.

    1994-01-01

    Motion sickness symptoms are an unwanted by-product of exposure to virtual environments. This problem is not new and was reported in the early flight simulators and experiments on ego motions and vection. The cardinal symptom of motion sickness is, of course, vomiting, but this symptom is ordinarily preceded by a variety of other symptoms. In his classic studies of motion sickness conducted before and during World War II, G. R. Wendt introduced a three point scale to score motion sickness beyond a vomit/no vomit dichotomy. Later, Navy scientists developed a Motion Sickness Questionnaire (MSQ), originally for use in a slowly rotating room. In the last 20 years the MSQ has been used in a series of studies of air, sea, and space sickness. Only recently, however, has it been appreciated that symptom patterns in the MSQ are not uniform but vary with the way sickness is induced. In seasickness, for example, nausea is the most prominent symptom. In Navy simulators, however, the most common symptom is eye strain, especially when cathode ray tubes are employed in the simulation. The latter result was obtained in a survey of over 1,500 pilot exposures. Using this database, Essex scientists conducted a factor analysis of the MSQ. We found that signs and symptoms of motion sickness fell mainly into three clusters: 1) oculomotor disturbance, 2) nausea and related neurovegetative problems, and 3) disorientation, ataxia, and vertigo. We have since rescored the MSQ results obtained in Navy simulators in terms of these three components. We have also compared these and other profiles obtained from three different vitual reality systems to profiles obtained in sea sickness, space sickness, and alcohol intoxication. We will show examples of these various profiles and point out simularities and differences among them which indicate aspects of what might be called 'virtual-reality sickness'.

  11. Analysis of Ozone And CO2 Profiles Measured At A Diary Facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogunjemiyo, S. O.; Hasson, A. S.; Ashkan, S.; Steele, J.; Shelton, T.

    2015-12-01

    Ozone and carbon dioxide are both greenhouse gasses in the planetary boundary layer. Ozone is a harmful secondary pollutant in the troposphere produced mostly during the day when there is a photochemical reaction in which primary pollutant precursors such as nitrous oxide (NOx) or volatile organic compounds (VOC's) mix with sunlight. As with most pollutants in the lower troposphere, both ozone and carbon dioxide vary in spatial and temporal scale depending on sources of pollution, environmental conditions and the boundary layer dynamics. Among the several factors that influence ozone variation, the seasonal changes in meteorological parameters and availability of ozone precursors are crucial because they control ozone formation and decay. Understanding how the difference in emission sources affect vertical transport of ozone and carbon dioxide is considered crucial to the improvement of their regional inventory sources. The purpose of this study is to characterize vertical transport of ozone and carbon at a diary facility. The study was conducted in the summer of 2011 and 2012 at a commercial dairy facility in Central California and involved profile measurements of ozone and CO2 using electrochemical ozonesondes, meteorological sondes and CO2 probe tethered to a 9 cubic meters helium balloon. On each day of the data collection, multiple balloon launches were made over a period representing different stages of the boundary layer development. The results show ozone and CO2 profiles display different characteristics. Regardless of the time of the day, the CO2 concentration decreases with height with a sharp gradient near the surface that is strengthened by a stable atmospheric condition, a feature suggesting the surface as the source. On the other hand, ozone profiles show greater link to the evolution of the lower boundary layer. Ozone profiles display unique features indicating ozone destruction near the surface. This unusual near the surface, observed even in the

  12. THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION IN SUPERIOR GRADUATING INSTITUTES WEBSITES, IN THE MATRIX CURRICULUM AND PROFESSIONAL PROFILE OF SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT COURSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Carlos Mariano do Carmo

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: the existing information in the technological graduation course official web pages need to be clear and objective, in order to ease up the access to programmatic contents, workload, integration and other necessary knowledge so that the students have discernment in their formation choice. Objective: to analyze the curriculum matrix and professional profile in the superior courses in Systems Analysis and Development in the Metropolitan Region of Florianópolis - Santa Catarina, considering the microregion of Grande Florianópolis, composed by nine counties: Florianópolis, São José, Palhoça, Biguaçu, Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Governador Celso Ramos, Antônio Carlos, Águas Mornas and São Pedro de Alcântara. Methodology: we have performed a qualitative research on the pointed issue, relating it to the current legislation and some of the proposed theories. The research documentally based as it focused on the topics mentioned by the Superior Graduation Institutions in their virtual course environment. It was also used semistructured interviews by phone contact and even visiting when necessary, including searches in the Education Ministry web site to base the study, the curriculum matrix comparison and the course professional profile. Results: results show that the analyzed courses are focused in the job market demands in the studied region, regarding the desktop, web and mobile development solutions using programming languages. The formation professional profile also involves knowledge about logical reasoning, abstract math and learning of a second language. Conclusions: to show to interested students in joining the Systems Analysis and Development course, about the importance of the disciplines approached, utilized technologies, professional profiles and the main educational characteristics offered by the institutions. It is thus intended to contribute that these information are used for the purpose of qualification for the job

  13. Quantitative Analysis of Serum Lipid Profile in Gallstone Patients and Controls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Channa, N.A.; Ghanghro, A.B.; Soomro, A.M.

    2010-01-01

    The present study was undertaken to explore the possible role of serum lipid profile in gallstone formation. For this serum lipid profile such as total, free and bound cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols and total lipids were determined in 109 gallstone patients and 100 controls (matched for age, sex and with negative personal or family history of gallstones) treated at Liaquat University Hospital, Jamshoro, Pakistan. Comparison for serum lipid profile between different groups of gallstone patients and controls revealed no significant variation except for the triacylglycerols and total lipids, which were differed significantly between females of up to 45 and above 45 years age. Comparison for serum lipid profile between pure cholesterol and mixed composition gallstone formers showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between the two groups. The serum lipid profile significantly varied between gallstone patients and controls except bound cholesterol level. Comparison of total cholesterol, free cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols and total lipids between gallstone patients and controls revealed that there was a significant difference between gallstone patients and controls for (a) females with or without gallstones, (b) females of up to 45 years age and (c) females having more than 3 children. HDL cholesterol is significantly decreased in all the groups of gallstone patients as compared to controls, whereas, bound cholesterol remained non significant in all the groups of gallstone patients when compared with controls. In conclusion, elevated serum total cholesterol, free cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols and decreased levels of HDL cholesterol seem to play major contributing role in the pathogenesis of gallstones in females of up to 45 years age with more than three children. (author)

  14. Web User Profiling Based on Browsing Behavior Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Fan , Xiao-Xi; Chow , Kam-Pui; Xu , Fei

    2014-01-01

    Part 1: Internet Crime Investigations; International audience; Determining the source of criminal activity requires a reliable means to estimate a criminal’s identity. One way to do this is to use web browsing history to build a profile of an anonymous user. Since an individual’s web use is unique, matching the web use profile to known samples provides a means to identify an unknown user. This paper describes a model for web user profiling and identification. Two aspects of browsing behavior ...

  15. ANALYSIS OF MOTIVATIONAL PROFILES OF SATISFACTION AND IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Granero-Gallegos

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available he purpose of this study was to analyze the motivational profiles of satisfaction with and importance of physical education in high school students and its relation with gender and the practice of sport. The sample comprised 2002 students aged from 12 to 19 who completed the Sport Motivation Scale (Núñez et al., 2006, the Perception of Success Scale (Martínez et al., 2006, the Sport Satisfaction Instrument (Baena-Extremera et al., 2012 and the Importance of Physical Education Scale (Moreno et al., 2009. Descriptive analyzes, correlations between the scales, a cluster analysis for profiles, and a MANOVA were conducted to examine differences by gender. Three clusters (profiles were identified. The first profile identified was "moderate" motivation (n = 463 and was associated with boys who practice physical activity for less than 3 hours per week. The second profile identified was "low" motivation (n = 545 and was associated mainly with girls who practice physical activity for less than 3 hours per week. And lastly the third profile identified was "high" motivation (n = 910, which was found to be greater in boys who practiced physical exercise for more than 3 hours a week

  16. Metabolic Profiling Analysis of the Alleviation Effect of the Fractions of Niuhuang Jiedu Tablet on Realgar Induced Toxicity in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenfeng Xu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Niuhuang Jiedu Tablet (NJT is a classical formula in treating acute tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and so on. In the formula, significant level of Realgar as a potentially toxic element is contained. Our previous experiments revealed that it was less toxic for combined Realgar in NJT. However, the active fraction of this prescription with toxicity alleviation effect on Realgar was still obscure. NJT was divided into five different polar fractions (NJT-PET, NJT-25, NJT-50, NJT-75, and NJT-95, and we explored the toxicity alleviation effect on Realgar. Based on 1H NMR spectra of urine and serum from rats, PCA and PLS-DA were performed to identify different metabolic profiles. Liver and kidney histopathology examinations and serum clinical chemistry analysis were also performed. With pattern recognition analysis of metabolites in urine and serum, Realgar group showed a clear separation from control group, while the metabolic profiles of NJT-PET, NJT-25, NJT-50, and NJT-95 groups were similar to Realgar group, and the metabolic profiles of NJT and NJT-75 groups were very close to control group. Statistics results were confirmed by the histopathological examination and biochemical assay. The present work indicated that 75% EtOH fraction of NJT was the most valid fraction with the toxicity alleviation effect on Realgar.

  17. Metabolic Profiles of Brain Metastases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tone F. Bathen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Metastasis to the brain is a feared complication of systemic cancer, associated with significant morbidity and poor prognosis. A better understanding of the tumor metabolism might help us meet the challenges in controlling brain metastases. The study aims to characterize the metabolic profile of brain metastases of different origin using high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS to correlate the metabolic profiles to clinical and pathological information. Biopsy samples of human brain metastases (n = 49 were investigated. A significant correlation between lipid signals and necrosis in brain metastases was observed (p < 0.01, irrespective of their primary origin. The principal component analysis (PCA showed that brain metastases from malignant melanomas cluster together, while lung carcinomas were metabolically heterogeneous and overlap with other subtypes. Metastatic melanomas have higher amounts of glycerophosphocholine than other brain metastases. A significant correlation between microscopically visible lipid droplets estimated by Nile Red staining and MR visible lipid signals was observed in metastatic lung carcinomas (p = 0.01, indicating that the proton MR visible lipid signals arise from cytoplasmic lipid droplets. MRS-based metabolomic profiling is a useful tool for exploring the metabolic profiles of metastatic brain tumors.

  18. Comparing Longitudinal Profile Patterns of Mathematics and Reading in Early Child Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten: The Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Se-Kang

    2010-01-01

    The aim of the study is to compare longitudinal patterns from Mathematics and Reading data from the direct child assessment of Early Child Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten (ECLS-K, US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics 2006), utilizing Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS). PAMS has been used initially…

  19. A Latent Profile Analysis of Latino Parenting: The Infusion of Cultural Values on Family Conflict

    OpenAIRE

    Ayón, Cecilia; Williams, Lela Rankin; Marsiglia, Flavio F.; Ayers, Stephanie; Kiehne, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to (a) examine how acculturation and social support inform Latinos’ parenting behaviors, controlling for gender and education; (b) describe parenting styles among Latino immigrants while accounting for cultural elements; and (c) test how these parenting styles are associated with family conflict. A 3 step latent profile analysis with the sample (N = 489) revealed best fit with a 4 profile model (n = 410) of parenting: family parenting (n = 268, 65%), child...

  20. A better coefficient of determination for genetic profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang Hong; Goddard, Michael E; Wray, Naomi R; Visscher, Peter M

    2012-04-01

    Genome-wide association studies have facilitated the construction of risk predictors for disease from multiple Single Nucleotide Polymorphism markers. The ability of such "genetic profiles" to predict outcome is usually quantified in an independent data set. Coefficients of determination (R(2) ) have been a useful measure to quantify the goodness-of-fit of the genetic profile. Various pseudo-R(2) measures for binary responses have been proposed. However, there is no standard or consensus measure because the concept of residual variance is not easily defined on the observed probability scale. Unlike other nongenetic predictors such as environmental exposure, there is prior information on genetic predictors because for most traits there are estimates of the proportion of variation in risk in the population due to all genetic factors, the heritability. It is this useful ability to benchmark that makes the choice of a measure of goodness-of-fit in genetic profiling different from that of nongenetic predictors. In this study, we use a liability threshold model to establish the relationship between the observed probability scale and underlying liability scale in measuring R(2) for binary responses. We show that currently used R(2) measures are difficult to interpret, biased by ascertainment, and not comparable to heritability. We suggest a novel and globally standard measure of R(2) that is interpretable on the liability scale. Furthermore, even when using ascertained case-control studies that are typical in human disease studies, we can obtain an R(2) measure on the liability scale that can be compared directly to heritability. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Mindfulness and Psychological Health Outcomes: A Latent Profile Analysis among Military Personnel and College Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravo, Adrian J; Pearson, Matthew R; Kelley, Michelle L

    2018-02-01

    Previous research on trait mindfulness facets using person-centered analyses (e.g., latent profile analysis [LPA]) has identified four distinct mindfulness profiles among college students: a high mindfulness group (high on all facets of the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire [FFMQ]), a judgmentally observing group (highest on observing, but low on non-judging of inner experience and acting with awareness), a non-judgmentally aware group (high on non-judging of inner experience and acting with awareness, but very low on observing), and a low mindfulness group (low on all facets of the FFMQ). In the present study, we used LPA to identify distinct mindfulness profiles in a community based sample of U.S. military personnel (majority veterans; n = 407) and non-military college students ( n = 310) and compare these profiles on symptoms of psychological health outcomes (e.g., suicidality, PTSD, anxiety, rumination) and percentage of participants exceeding clinically significant cut-offs for depressive symptoms, substance use, and alcohol use. In the subsample of college students, we replicated previous research and found four distinct mindfulness profiles; however, in the military subsample we found three distinct mindfulness profiles (a combined low mindfulness/judgmentally observing class). In both subsamples, we found that the most adaptive profile was the "high mindfulness" profile (i.e., demonstrated the lowest scores on all psychological symptoms and the lowest probability of exceeding clinical cut-offs). Based on these findings, we purport that the comprehensive examination of an individual's mindfulness profile could help clinicians tailor interventions/treatments that capitalize on individual's specific strengths and work to address their specific deficits.

  2. Transcriptome profiling of low temperature-treated cassava apical shoots showed dynamic responses of tropical plant to cold stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    An Dong

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cassava is an important tropical root crop adapted to a wide range of environmental stimuli such as drought and acid soils. Nevertheless, it is an extremely cold-sensitive tropical species. Thus far, there is limited information about gene regulation and signalling pathways related to the cold stress response in cassava. The development of microarray technology has accelerated the study of global transcription profiling under certain conditions. Results A 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray representing 20,840 genes was used to perform transcriptome profiling in apical shoots of cassava subjected to cold at 7°C for 0, 4 and 9 h. A total of 508 transcripts were identified as early cold-responsive genes in which 319 sequences had functional descriptions when aligned with Arabidopsis proteins. Gene ontology annotation analysis identified many cold-relevant categories, including 'Response to abiotic and biotic stimulus', 'Response to stress', 'Transcription factor activity', and 'Chloroplast'. Various stress-associated genes with a wide range of biological functions were found, such as signal transduction components (e.g., MAP kinase 4, transcription factors (TFs, e.g., RAP2.11, and reactive oxygen species (ROS scavenging enzymes (e.g., catalase 2, as well as photosynthesis-related genes (e.g., PsaL. Seventeen major TF families including many well-studied members (e.g., AP2-EREBP were also involved in the early response to cold stress. Meanwhile, KEGG pathway analysis uncovered many important pathways, such as 'Plant hormone signal transduction' and 'Starch and sucrose metabolism'. Furthermore, the expression changes of 32 genes under cold and other abiotic stress conditions were validated by real-time RT-PCR. Importantly, most of the tested stress-responsive genes were primarily expressed in mature leaves, stem cambia, and fibrous roots rather than apical buds and young leaves. As a response to cold stress in cassava, an increase

  3. Global analysis of transcriptome responses and gene expression profiles to cold stress of Jatropha curcas L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haibo; Zou, Zhurong; Wang, Shasha; Gong, Ming

    2013-01-01

    Jatropha curcas L., also called the Physic nut, is an oil-rich shrub with multiple uses, including biodiesel production, and is currently exploited as a renewable energy resource in many countries. Nevertheless, because of its origin from the tropical MidAmerican zone, J. curcas confers an inherent but undesirable characteristic (low cold resistance) that may seriously restrict its large-scale popularization. This adaptive flaw can be genetically improved by elucidating the mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to cold temperatures. The newly developed Illumina Hiseq™ 2000 RNA-seq and Digital Gene Expression (DGE) are deep high-throughput approaches for gene expression analysis at the transcriptome level, using which we carefully investigated the gene expression profiles in response to cold stress to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of cold response in J. curcas. In total, 45,251 unigenes were obtained by assembly of clean data generated by RNA-seq analysis of the J. curcas transcriptome. A total of 33,363 and 912 complete or partial coding sequences (CDSs) were determined by protein database alignments and ESTScan prediction, respectively. Among these unigenes, more than 41.52% were involved in approximately 128 known metabolic or signaling pathways, and 4,185 were possibly associated with cold resistance. DGE analysis was used to assess the changes in gene expression when exposed to cold condition (12°C) for 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that 3,178 genes were significantly upregulated and 1,244 were downregulated under cold stress. These genes were then functionally annotated based on the transcriptome data from RNA-seq analysis. This study provides a global view of transcriptome response and gene expression profiling of J. curcas in response to cold stress. The results can help improve our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant cold resistance and favor the screening of crucial genes for genetically enhancing cold resistance

  4. Differential proteomic profiling of primary and recurrent chordomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Su; Xu, Wei; Jiao, Jian; Jiang, Dongjie; Liu, Jian; Chen, Tenghui; Wan, Zongmiao; Xu, Leqin; Zhou, Zhenhua; Xiao, Jianru

    2015-05-01

    Chordomas are locally destructive tumors with high rates of recurrence and a poor prognosis. The mechanisms involved in chordoma recurrence remain largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the proteomic profile of a chordoma primary tumor (CSO) and a recurrent tumor (CSR) through mass spectrum in a chordoma patient who underwent surgery. Bioinformatic analysis of the profile showed that 359 proteins had a significant expression difference and 21 pathways had a striking alteration between the CSO and the CSR. The CSR showed a significant increase in carbohydrate metabolism. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) confirmed that the cancer stem cell marker activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM or CD166) expression level was higher in the recurrent than that in the primary tumor. The present study analyzed the proteomic profile change between CSO and CSR and identified a new biomarker ALCAM in recurrent chordomas. This finding sheds light on unraveling the pathophysiology of chordoma recurrence and on exploring more effective prognostic biomarkers and targeted therapies against this devastating disease.

  5. The fit of an X-ray diffraction profile by Fourier analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bourniquel, B.; Feron, J.

    1985-01-01

    The fast Fourier transform algorithm commonly used for line profile analysis requires a list of values of the diffracted intensity with constant sintheta step; raw data are usually obtained at constant 2theta step; to interpolate between the measured values an analytic expression of the profile function is very useful. Statistical estimation is used to fit an analytic function to data; the only assumption made is the continuity of this function and no critical initialization is needed. Three different expressions are used: a Fourier sum for the peak and two polynomials of a suitable variable for the tails; the algorithm provides continuity for the function and its first derivative. Simulated examples using a Lorentzian and a Gaussian function are given and several criteria of goodness of fit are examined. The program runs on a PDP 11/03 digital computer with only 45 kbytes available memory. (orig.)

  6. Comparison of rapid descriptive sensory methodologies: Free-Choice Profiling, Flash Profile and modified Flash Profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jing; Bredie, Wender L P; Sherman, Emma; Harbertson, James F; Heymann, Hildegarde

    2018-04-01

    Rapid sensory methods have been developed as alternatives to traditional sensory descriptive analysis methods. Among them, Free-Choice Profiling (FCP) and Flash Profile (FP) are two that have been known for many years. The objectives of this work were to compare the rating-based FCP and ranking-based FP method; to evaluate the impact of adding adjustments to FP approach; to investigate the influence of the number of assessors on the outcome of modified FP. To achieve these aims, a conventional descriptive analysis (DA), FCP, FP and a modified version of FP were carried out. Red wines made by different grape maturity and ethanol concentration were used for sensory testing. This study showed that DA provided a more detailed and accurate information on products through a quantitative measure of the intensity of sensory attributes than FCP and FP. However, the panel hours for conducting DA were higher than that for rapid methods, and FP was even able to separate the samples to a higher degree than DA. When comparing FCP and FP, this study showed that the ranking-based FP provided a clearer separation of samples than rating-based FCP, but the latter was an easier task for most assessors. When restricting assessors on their use of attributes in FP, the sample space became clearer and the ranking task was simplified. The FP protocol with restricted attribute sets seems to be a promising approach for efficient screening of sensory properties in wine. When increasing the number of assessors from 10 to 20 for conducting the modified FP, the outcome tended to be slightly more stable, however, one should consider the degree of panel training when deciding the optimal number of assessors for conducting FP. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. EMOTIONAL SELF-PRESENTATION ON WHATSAPP: ANALYSIS OF THE PROFILE STATUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Кармен Маис-Аревало

    2018-12-01

    Full Text Available Self-presentation can be defined as “the process through which individuals communicate an image of themselves to others” (Yang and Brown, 2015: 404 and it is an essential part of human communication. Self-presentation has been widely studied both in face-to-face communication and online. Most online research, however, has focused on social networking sites, blogs, chatrooms, etc. while less attention has been paid to other online means of communication such as WhatsApp despite the growing im-portance of WhatsApp as a means of communication. The present paper aims to redress this imbalance by analysing self-presentation on WhatsApp; more specifically, by paying attention to emotional self-pre-sentation in profile status. To that purpose, a corpus of 206 WhatsApp statuses was gathered in Spanish. Results show the existence of recurrent patterns connected to variables such as sex1 or age, which play a crucial role in determining the emotions users choose to display in their profile status.

  8. Instrumental texture profile analysis of gelatin gel extracted from grouper skin and commercial (bovine and porcine) gelatin gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mohammad Shafiur; Al-Mahrouqi, Abdullah Issa

    2009-01-01

    Mechanical compression was used to study the gelling characteristics of gelatin gels. Texture profile analysis (TPA) showed that the hardness of fish and mammalian gelatin increased significantly as the concentrations of gels increased. TPA attributes of 10% fish skin gel showed significant differences from those obtained from 20% and 30% gels. In bovine and porcine cases, such generic trends were not observed. Mechanical characteristics of 10% gels of gelatin from fish skin, determined from one cycle compression, were significantly lower than other sources of gelatin gels, while bovine and porcine gels did not show any significant differences. In the case of TPA, hardness of bovine gelatin gel was highest at 41 N for 10% gel, followed by porcine (30 N) then fish skin (5 N) gelatin gels. The gels prepared from different sources did not show any generic trends when all other mechanical attributes were considered.

  9. Depth profile and interface analysis in the nm-range

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oswald, S.; Reiche, R.; Zier, M.; Baunack, S.; Wetzig, K.

    2005-01-01

    In modern technology, thin films are shrinking more and more to a thickness of few nanometers. Analytical investigations of such thin films using the traditional sputter depth profiling, sputtering in combination with surface-analytical techniques, have limitations due to physical effects especially for very thin films. These limitations are pointed out and some alternatives are discussed. Non-destructive analysis with angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is demonstrated to be a useful method for such investigations. Both qualitative and quantitative results can be obtained even for complex layer structures. Nevertheless, there are also limitations of this method and some alternatives or complementary methods are considered

  10. Transcriptome profiling in conifers and the PiceaGenExpress database show patterns of diversification within gene families and interspecific conservation in vascular gene expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raherison Elie

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Conifers have very large genomes (13 to 30 Gigabases that are mostly uncharacterized although extensive cDNA resources have recently become available. This report presents a global overview of transcriptome variation in a conifer tree and documents conservation and diversity of gene expression patterns among major vegetative tissues. Results An oligonucleotide microarray was developed from Picea glauca and P. sitchensis cDNA datasets. It represents 23,853 unique genes and was shown to be suitable for transcriptome profiling in several species. A comparison of secondary xylem and phelloderm tissues showed that preferential expression in these vascular tissues was highly conserved among Picea spp. RNA-Sequencing strongly confirmed tissue preferential expression and provided a robust validation of the microarray design. A small database of transcription profiles called PiceaGenExpress was developed from over 150 hybridizations spanning eight major tissue types. In total, transcripts were detected for 92% of the genes on the microarray, in at least one tissue. Non-annotated genes were predominantly expressed at low levels in fewer tissues than genes of known or predicted function. Diversity of expression within gene families may be rapidly assessed from PiceaGenExpress. In conifer trees, dehydrins and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA osmotic regulation proteins occur in large gene families compared to angiosperms. Strong contrasts and low diversity was observed in the dehydrin family, while diverse patterns suggested a greater degree of diversification among LEAs. Conclusion Together, the oligonucleotide microarray and the PiceaGenExpress database represent the first resource of this kind for gymnosperm plants. The spruce transcriptome analysis reported here is expected to accelerate genetic studies in the large and important group comprised of conifer trees.

  11. Radiometric dating of sediment core from waterwork reservoir Rozgrund and analysis of mercury concentration depth profile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanek, M.

    2005-01-01

    Radioisotope dating of lake sediments combined with analysis of chemical properties of the sediment layers allow us to study the history of the human impact on nature. Undisturbed sediment layers in the core samples serve as chronicle database with information about lake ecosystem and surrounding environment in the time of deposition. A sediment core sample from the bottom of the water-work reservoir Rozgrund was collected and separated into 2 cm thick layers. Samples were analysed by HPGe spectrometry for anthropogenous Cs-137 activity. From identified peaks corresponding to nuclear tests and Chernobyl accident the sedimentation rate was calculated and the chronology of layers established. Sub-samples from each layer were prepared separately for the analysis of the Hg concentration by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results show very small variations in Hg concentrations and there is no significant trend present in the profile. (author)

  12. Stokes profile analysis and vector magnetic fields. III. Extended temperature minima of sunspot umbrae as inferred from Stokes profiles of Mg I 4571 A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lites, B.W.; Skumanich, A.; Rees, D.E.; Murphy, G.A.; Carlsson, M.; Sydney Univ., Australia; Oslo Universitetet, Norway)

    1987-01-01

    Observed Stokes profiles of Mg I 4571 A are analyzed as a diagnostic of the magnetic field and thermal structure at the temperature minimum of sunspot umbrae. Multilevel non-LTE transfer calculations of the Mg I-II-III excitation and ionization balance in model umbral atmospheres show: (1) Mg I to be far less ionized in sunspot umbrae than in the quiet sun, leading to greatly enhanced opacity in 4571 A, and (2) LTE excitation of 4571 A. Existing umbral models predict emission cores of the Stokes I profile due to the chromospheric temperature rise. This feature is not present in observed umbral profiles. Moreover, such an emission reversal causes similar anomalous features in the Stokes Q, U, V profiles, which are also not observed. Umbral atmospheres with extended temperature minima are suggested. Implications for chromospheric heating mechanisms and the utility of this line for solar vector magnetic field measurements are discussed. 35 references

  13. Comparison of slowness profiles of lamb wave with elastic moduli and crystal structure in single crystalline silicon wafers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Min, Young Jae; Yun, Gyeong Won; Kim, Kyung Min; Roh, Yuji; Kim, Young H. [Applied Acoustics Lab, Korea Science Academy of KAIST, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    Single crystalline silicon wafers having (100), (110), and (111) directions are employed as specimens for obtaining slowness profiles. Leaky Lamb waves (LLW) from immersed wafers were detected by varying the incident angles of the specimens and rotating the specimens. From an analysis of LLW signals for different propagation directions and phase velocities of each specimen, slowness profiles were obtained, which showed a unique symmetry with different symmetric axes. Slowness profiles were compared with elastic moduli of each wafer. They showed the same symmetries as crystal structures. In addition, slowness profiles showed expected patterns and values that can be inferred from elastic moduli. This implies that slowness profiles can be used to examine crystal structures of anisotropic solids.

  14. A Latent Profile Analysis of Math Achievement, Numerosity, and Math Anxiety in Twins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Sara A.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A.

    2016-01-01

    Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated 5 groupings of…

  15. Texture analysis with neutron bending on geological/mineralogical multi-phase samples using a locally resolving detector and profile analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merz, P.L.

    1991-02-01

    In the context of this work, the NANCY four circuit diffractometer of the University of Bonn at the RRJ2 research reactor at KFA Juelich was equipped with a linear locally resolving scintillation detector JULIOS. To evaluate the diffractogram occurring at a pole figure measurement, user-friendly profile analysis and other evaluation programs were developed on the PC. The course of evaluation was largely automated, so that only a few interactive steps are required. The measuring period of a sample is usually two to three days. Up to 35 pole figures are produced, depending on the phase conditions of the examined sample. The evaluation of up to 900 diffractograms with the aid of the automatically running profile analysis program takes between 30 and 100 minutes on a 20 MHz PC 386. Pole figure datafiles are produced from the intensity data obtained in this way by a conversion program. The texture analyses of copper pyrites ores introduced here are connected with geological questions. (orig.) [de

  16. Altered Immune Profiles of Natural Killer Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiong-Fang Zhang

    Full Text Available Natural killer (NK cells are the main effective component of the innate immune system that responds to chronic hepatitis B (CHB infection. Although numerous studies have reported the immune profiles of NK cells in CHB patients, they are limited by inconsistent results. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis to characterize reliably the immune profiles of NK cells after CHB infection, specifically frequency, phenotype, and function.A literature search of the computer databases MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trails was performed and 19 studies were selected. The standard mean difference (SMD and 95% confidence interval (CI of each continuous variable was estimated with a fixed effects model when I2 < 50% for the test for heterogeneity, or the random effects model otherwise. Publication bias was evaluated using Begg's and Egger's tests.The meta-analysis of publications that reported frequency of peripheral NK cells showed that NK cell levels in CHB patients were significantly lower compared with that of healthy controls. A higher frequency of CD56bright NK subsets was found in CHB patients, but the CD56dim NK subsets of CHB patients and healthy controls were similar. CHB patients before and after antiviral therapy with nucleotide analogues (NUCs showed no statistical difference in NK frequency. The activating receptors were upregulated, whereas inhibitory receptors were comparable in the peripheral NK cells of CHB individuals and healthy controls. NK cells of CHB patients displayed higher cytotoxic potency as evidenced by CD107a protein levels and conserved potency to produce interferon-gamma (IFNγ, compared with their healthy counterparts.Our results revealed that CHB patients had a lower frequency of NK cells compared with healthy individuals not treatable with antiviral NUC therapy. With an activating phenotype, NK cells in CHB patients showed better cytotoxic potency and conserved IFNγ production.

  17. Surface analysis and depth profiling of corrosion products formed in lead pipes used to supply low alkalinity drinking water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, C M; Peters, N J; Britton, A; Brady, L; Gardiner, P H E; Lewis, B D

    2004-01-01

    Modern analytical techniques have been applied to investigate the nature of lead pipe corrosion products formed in pH adjusted, orthophosphate-treated, low alkalinity water, under supply conditions. Depth profiling and surface analysis have been carried out on pipe samples obtained from the water distribution system in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. X-ray diffraction spectrometry identified basic lead carbonate, lead oxide and lead phosphate as the principal components. Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry revealed the crystalline structure within the corrosion product and also showed spatial correlations existed between calcium, iron, lead, oxygen and phosphorus. Elemental profiling, conducted by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and secondary neutrals mass spectrometry (SNMS) indicated that the corrosion product was not uniform with depth. However, no clear stratification was apparent. Indeed, counts obtained for carbonate, phosphate and oxide were well correlated within the depth range probed by SIMS. SNMS showed relationships existed between carbon, calcium, iron, and phosphorus within the bulk of the scale, as well as at the surface. SIMS imaging confirmed the relationship between calcium and lead and suggested there might also be an association between chloride and phosphorus.

  18. Applied research of Primary Pump Mission Profile construction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Gang-yang; Zhang, Zhi-jian; Ye, Quan-liu; Du, Zhi-hao; Ma, Ying-fei; Zhang, Hua-zhi

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Minimum Associated Subtask (MAS) and Minimum Effective Component (MEC) are presented in Mission Profile analysis. • Via applying MAS and MEC, Mission Profile plays a more important role in complex system reliability analysis. • Mission Profile has already been used in the reliability analysis of localized Chinese 1000 MW NPP Primary Pump. - Abstract: The traditional Mission Profile analysis did not clarify the accurate concept of minimum subtask and component. However, there are several components, which could be the influencing key element of the system reliability; and there are several subtasks, which could be used as a basic and crucial mission. In this paper, traditional method of Mission Profile has been extended by incorporating two new ideas: Minimum Associated Subtask (MAS) and Minimum Effective Component (MEC). This method of Mission Profile modeling is derived from Chinese 1000 MW NPP Primary Pump localization. A case study on Primary Pump reliability has been presented; then, MAS and MEC have been existed as vital elements in its lifecycle profile construction. By means of MAS and MEC, Mission Profile plays a more important role on complex system (Primary Pump) reliability analysis.

  19. Qualitative Analysis of Commercial Social Network Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melendez, Lester; Wolfson, Ouri; Adjouadi, Malek; Rishe, Naphtali

    Social-networking sites have become an integral part of many users' daily internet routine. Commercial enterprises have been quick to recognize this and are subsequently creating profiles for many of their products and services. Commercial enterprises use social network profiles to target and interact with potential customers as well as to provide a gateway for users of the product or service to interact with each other. Many commercial enterprises use the statistics from their product or service's social network profile to tout the popularity and success of the product or service being showcased. They will use statistics such as number of friends, number of daily visits, number of interactions, and other similar measurements to quantify their claims. These statistics are often not a clear indication of the true popularity and success of the product. In this chapter the term product is used to refer to any tangible or intangible product, service, celebrity, personality, film, book, or other entity produced by a commercial enterprise.

  20. Beam profile measurements on RHIC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Connolly, R.; Michnoff, R.; Moore, T.; Shea, T.; Tepikian, S.

    2000-01-01

    The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Lab was commissioned during the summer of 1999. Transverse beam profiles on RHIC are measured with ionization profile monitors (IPMs). An IPM measures beam profiles by collecting the electrons liberated by residual gas ionization by the beam. The detector is placed in the gap of a dipole magnet to force the electrons to travel in straight lines from the beamline center to the collector. One IPM was tested and it measured the profiles of a single gold bunch containing 10 8 ions on consecutive turns. We show an example of one of these profiles giving transverse emittance. Also several profiles are combined into a mountain-range plot which shows betatron oscillations at injection

  1. Use of nuclear methods for the analysis of materials and the determination of concentration profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darras, R.

    1976-01-01

    The possibilities of the activation analysis and nuclear reaction analysis are presented. These methods allow the oligo-elements and impurities (in trace amounts) to be determined in materials with accuracy and a high sensitivity. They can also be applied to the determination of major elements in a small amount of materials. Surface analysis and concentration profile determination are possible when the nature and energy of the incident particles are judiciously selected. Exemples of analysis of steels, pure iron and refractories are given [fr

  2. Automated Analysis and Classification of Histological Tissue Features by Multi-Dimensional Microscopic Molecular Profiling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel P Riordan

    Full Text Available Characterization of the molecular attributes and spatial arrangements of cells and features within complex human tissues provides a critical basis for understanding processes involved in development and disease. Moreover, the ability to automate steps in the analysis and interpretation of histological images that currently require manual inspection by pathologists could revolutionize medical diagnostics. Toward this end, we developed a new imaging approach called multidimensional microscopic molecular profiling (MMMP that can measure several independent molecular properties in situ at subcellular resolution for the same tissue specimen. MMMP involves repeated cycles of antibody or histochemical staining, imaging, and signal removal, which ultimately can generate information analogous to a multidimensional flow cytometry analysis on intact tissue sections. We performed a MMMP analysis on a tissue microarray containing a diverse set of 102 human tissues using a panel of 15 informative antibody and 5 histochemical stains plus DAPI. Large-scale unsupervised analysis of MMMP data, and visualization of the resulting classifications, identified molecular profiles that were associated with functional tissue features. We then directly annotated H&E images from this MMMP series such that canonical histological features of interest (e.g. blood vessels, epithelium, red blood cells were individually labeled. By integrating image annotation data, we identified molecular signatures that were associated with specific histological annotations and we developed statistical models for automatically classifying these features. The classification accuracy for automated histology labeling was objectively evaluated using a cross-validation strategy, and significant accuracy (with a median per-pixel rate of 77% per feature from 15 annotated samples for de novo feature prediction was obtained. These results suggest that high-dimensional profiling may advance the

  3. A Talk Show from the Past.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Arlene F.

    1991-01-01

    Describes a two-day activity in which elementary students examine voting rights, the right to assemble, and women's suffrage. Explains the game, "Assemble, Reassemble," and a student-produced talk show with five students playing the roles of leaders of the women's suffrage movement. Profiles Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan…

  4. Who gains from hourly time-of-use retail prices on electricity? An analysis of consumption profiles for categories of Danish electricity customers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller Andersen, Frits; Larsen, Helge V.; Kitzing, Lena

    2014-01-01

    include a systematic component in the hourly variation, we show that customers with different consumption profiles experience different average cost of their electricity consumption when billed according to hourly time-of-use prices. Thus, some categories of customers stand to gain from time......Studies of the aggregated hourly electricity load in geographical areas typically show a systematic variation over the day, the week, and seasons. With hourly metering of individual customers, data for individual consumption profiles have become available. Looking into these data we show...... that consumption profiles for specific categories of customers are equally systematic but quite distinct for different categories of customers. That is, different categories of customers contribute quite differently to the aggregated load profile. Coupling consumption profiles with hourly market prices which also...

  5. Interpersonal value profiles and analysis of adolescent academic performance and social thinking

    OpenAIRE

    Gázquez, José J.; Sainz, Jorge; Pérez-Fuentes, María del C.; Molero, María del M.; Soler, Francisco J.

    2015-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to identify interpersonal value profiles and find out whether there were any differences in academic performance and social thinking. The study sample was 885 high school students of whom 49.8% (N = 441) were boys and 50.2% (N = 444) were girls. The results show that students with low Benevolence and Conformity levels showed higher prevalence of failures and repeated the year more often. Furthermore, students with a high level of Recognition and Leadership and ...

  6. Compression and heating of a cladding target by a partially profiled laser pulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreev, A.A.; Samsonov, A.G.; Solov'ev, N.A.

    1990-01-01

    The CLADDING-T semiempirical model and numerical calculations in accordance with the SPHERE program have been employed to show that the action of a partially profiled pulse on a simple cladding target raises the fuel compession degree and reduces the fuel temperature as compared to the action of a rectangular pulse (or a polynomial-shaped pulse) with the same energy. From the standpoint of the flash criterion the system composed of the profiled pulse and the simple (cladding) target is shown to be equivalent to that composed of a simple pulse and a dual-cascade (profiled) target. An analysis of the system composed of the laser and the simple target shows that the use of the partially profiled pulse and the simple target makes it possible to reduce requirements to the energy of laser systems

  7. Cancer cell profiling by barcoding allows multiplexed protein analysis in fine-needle aspirates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullal, Adeeti V; Peterson, Vanessa; Agasti, Sarit S; Tuang, Suan; Juric, Dejan; Castro, Cesar M; Weissleder, Ralph

    2014-01-15

    Immunohistochemistry-based clinical diagnoses require invasive core biopsies and use a limited number of protein stains to identify and classify cancers. We introduce a technology that allows analysis of hundreds of proteins from minimally invasive fine-needle aspirates (FNAs), which contain much smaller numbers of cells than core biopsies. The method capitalizes on DNA-barcoded antibody sensing, where barcodes can be photocleaved and digitally detected without any amplification steps. After extensive benchmarking in cell lines, this method showed high reproducibility and achieved single-cell sensitivity. We used this approach to profile ~90 proteins in cells from FNAs and subsequently map patient heterogeneity at the protein level. Additionally, we demonstrate how the method could be used as a clinical tool to identify pathway responses to molecularly targeted drugs and to predict drug response in patient samples. This technique combines specificity with ease of use to offer a new tool for understanding human cancers and designing future clinical trials.

  8. Metabolic profiling of meat: assessment of pork hygiene and contamination with Salmonella typhimurium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yun; Cheung, William; Winder, Catherine L; Dunn, Warwick B; Goodacre, Royston

    2011-02-07

    Spoilage in meat is the result of the action of microorganisms and results in changes of meat and microbial metabolism. This process may include pathogenic food poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella typhimurium, and it is important that these are differentiated from the natural spoilage process caused by non-pathogenic microorganisms. In this study we investigated the application of metabolic profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, to assess the microbial contamination of pork. Metabolite profiles were generated from microorganisms, originating from the natural spoilage process and from the artificial contamination with S. typhimurium. In an initial experiment, we investigated changes in the metabolic profiles over a 72 hour time course at 25 °C and established time points indicative of the spoilage process. A further experiment was performed to provide in-depth analysis of the metabolites characteristic of contamination by S. typhimurium. We applied a three-way PARAllel FACtor analysis 2 (PARAFAC2) multivariate algorithm to model the metabolic profiles. In addition, two univariate statistical tests, two-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test and Friedman test, were employed to identify metabolites which showed significant difference between natural spoiled and S. typhimurium contaminated samples. Consistent results from the two independent experiments were obtained showing the discrimination of the metabolic profiles of the natural spoiled pork chops and those contaminated with S. typhimurium. The analysis identified 17 metabolites of significant interest (including various types of amino acid and fatty acid) in the discrimination of pork contaminated with the pathogenic microorganism.

  9. RASopathies are associated with a distinct personality profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizaoui, Varoona; Gage, Jessica; Brar, Rita; Rauen, Katherine A; Weiss, Lauren A

    2018-06-01

    Personality is a complex, yet partially heritable, trait. Although some Mendelian diseases like Williams-Beuren syndrome are associated with a particular personality profile, studies have failed to assign the personality features to a single gene or pathway. As a family of monogenic disorders caused by mutations in the Ras/MAPK pathway known to influence social behavior, RASopathies are likely to provide insight into the genetic basis of personality. Eighty subjects diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, Costello syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and Noonan syndrome were assessed using a parent-report BFQ-C (Big Five Questionnaire for Children) evaluating agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, intellect/openness, and neuroticism, along with 55 unaffected sibling controls. A short questionnaire was added to assess sense of humor. RASopathy subjects and sibling controls were compared for individual components of personality, multidimensional personality profiles, and individual questions using Student tests, analysis of variance, and principal component analysis. RASopathy subjects were given lower scores on average compared to sibling controls in agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and sense of humor, and similar scores in neuroticism. When comparing the multidimensional personality profile between groups, RASopathies showed a distinct profile from unaffected siblings, but no difference in this global profile was found within RASopathies, revealing a common profile for the Ras/MAPK-related disorders. In addition, several syndrome-specific strengths or weaknesses were observed in individual domains. We describe for the first time an association between a single pathway and a specific personality profile, providing a better understanding of the genetics underlying personality, and new tools for tailoring educational and behavioral approaches for individuals with RASopathies. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Co-Inheritance Analysis within the Domains of Life Substantially Improves Network Inference by Phylogenetic Profiling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junha Shin

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic profiling, a network inference method based on gene inheritance profiles, has been widely used to construct functional gene networks in microbes. However, its utility for network inference in higher eukaryotes has been limited. An improved algorithm with an in-depth understanding of pathway evolution may overcome this limitation. In this study, we investigated the effects of taxonomic structures on co-inheritance analysis using 2,144 reference species in four query species: Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Homo sapiens. We observed three clusters of reference species based on a principal component analysis of the phylogenetic profiles, which correspond to the three domains of life-Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota-suggesting that pathways inherit primarily within specific domains or lower-ranked taxonomic groups during speciation. Hence, the co-inheritance pattern within a taxonomic group may be eroded by confounding inheritance patterns from irrelevant taxonomic groups. We demonstrated that co-inheritance analysis within domains substantially improved network inference not only in microbe species but also in the higher eukaryotes, including humans. Although we observed two sub-domain clusters of reference species within Eukaryota, co-inheritance analysis within these sub-domain taxonomic groups only marginally improved network inference. Therefore, we conclude that co-inheritance analysis within domains is the optimal approach to network inference with the given reference species. The construction of a series of human gene networks with increasing sample sizes of the reference species for each domain revealed that the size of the high-accuracy networks increased as additional reference species genomes were included, suggesting that within-domain co-inheritance analysis will continue to expand human gene networks as genomes of additional species are sequenced. Taken together, we propose that co

  11. Genetic profiles of gastroesophageal cancer: combined analysis using expression array and tiling array--comparative genomic hybridization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Isinger-Ekstrand, Anna; Johansson, Jan; Ohlsson, Mattias

    2010-01-01

    We aimed to characterize the genomic profiles of adenocarcinomas in the gastroesophageal junction in relation to cancers in the esophagus and the stomach. Profiles of gains/losses as well as gene expression profiles were obtained from 27 gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas by means of 32k high......15, 13q34, and 12q13, whereas different profiles with gains at 5p15, 7p22, 2q35, and 13q34 characterized gastric cancers. CDK6 and EGFR were identified as putative target genes in cancers of the esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction, with upregulation in one quarter of the tumors. Gains....../losses and gene expression profiles show strong similarity between cancers in the distal esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction with frequent upregulation of CDK6 and EGFR, whereas gastric cancer displays distinct genetic changes. These data suggest that molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies can...

  12. Analysis of protein profiles using fuzzy clustering methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karemore, Gopal Raghunath; Ukendt, Sujatha; Rai, Lavanya

    The tissue protein profiles of healthy volunteers and volunteers with cervical cancer were recorded using High Performance Liquid Chromatography combined with Laser Induced Fluorescence  technique  (HPLC-LIF)  developed  in  our  lab.      We analyzed      the protein profile data using different...

  13. Quantitative analysis of Tl-201 myocardial perfusion image with special reference to circumferential profile method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyanaga, Hajime [Kyoto Prefectural Univ. of Medicine (Japan)

    1982-08-01

    A quantitative analysis of thallium-201 myocardial perfusion image (MPI) was attempted by using circumferential profile method (CPM) and the first purpose of this study is to assess the clinical utility of this method for the detection of myocardial ischemia. In patients with coronary artery disease, CPM analysis to exercise T1-MPI showed high sensitivity (9/12, 75%) and specificity (9/9, 100%), whereas exercise ECG showed high sensitivity (9/12, 75%), but relatively low specificity (7/9, 78%). In patients with myocardial infarction, CPM also showed high sensitivity (34/38, 89%) for the detection of myocardial necrosis, compared with visual interpretation (31/38, 81%) and with ECG (31/38, 81%). Defect score was correlated well with the number of abnormal Q waves. In exercise study, CPM was also sensitive to the change of perfusion defect in T1-MPI produced by exercise. So the results indicate that CPM is a good method not only quantitatively but also objectively to analyze T1-MPI. Although ECG is the most commonly used diagnostic tool for ischemic heart disease, several exercise induced ischemic changes in ECG have been still on discussion as criteria. So the second purpose of this study is to evaluate these ischemic ECG changes by exercise T1-MPI analized quantitatively. ST depression (ischemic 1 mm and junctional 2 mm or more), ST elevation (1 mm or more), and coronary T wave reversion in exercise ECG were though to be ischemic changes.

  14. How school climate relates to chronic absence: A multi-level latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Eck, Kathryn; Johnson, Stacy R; Bettencourt, Amie; Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom

    2017-04-01

    Chronic absence is a significant problem in schools. School climate may play an important role in influencing chronic absence rates among schools, yet little research has evaluated how school climate constructs relate to chronic absence. Using multilevel latent profile analysis, we evaluated how profiles of student perceptions of school climate at both the student and school level differentiated school-level rates of chronic absence. Participants included 25,776 middle and high school students from 106 schools who completed a district administered school climate survey. Students attended schools in a large urban school district where 89% of 6th through 12th grade students were African-American and 61% were eligible for the federally subsidized school meals program. Three student-level profiles of perceptions of school climate emerged that corresponded to "positive," "moderate," and "negative" climate. Two predominant patterns regarding the distribution of these profiles within schools emerged that corresponded to the two school-level profiles of "marginal climate" and "climate challenged" schools. Students reporting "moderate" and "negative" climate in their schools were more likely to attend schools with higher chronic absence rates than students reporting that their school had "positive" climate. Likewise, "climate challenged" schools had significantly higher chronic absence rates than "marginal climate" schools. These results suggest that school climate shares an important relation with chronic absence among adolescent students attending urban schools. Implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A Latent Profile Analysis of Latino Parenting: The Infusion of Cultural Values on Family Conflict.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayón, Cecilia; Williams, Lela Rankin; Marsiglia, Flavio F; Ayers, Stephanie; Kiehne, Elizabeth

    The purpose of the present study was to (a) examine how acculturation and social support inform Latinos' parenting behaviors, controlling for gender and education; (b) describe parenting styles among Latino immigrants while accounting for cultural elements; and (c) test how these parenting styles are associated with family conflict. A 3 step latent profile analysis with the sample ( N = 489) revealed best fit with a 4 profile model ( n = 410) of parenting: family parenting ( n = 268, 65%), child-centered parenting ( n = 68, 17%), moderate parenting ( n = 60, 15%), and disciplinarian parenting ( n = 14, 3%). Parents' gender, acculturation, and social support significantly predicted profile membership. Disciplinarian and moderate parenting were associated with more family conflict. Recommendations include integrating culturally based parenting practices as a critical element to family interventions to minimize conflict and promote positive youth development.

  16. Clinical symptoms in fibromyalgia are associated to overweight and lipid profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordero, Mario D; Alcocer-Gómez, Elísabet; Cano-García, Francisco J; Sánchez-Domínguez, Benito; Fernández-Riejo, Patricia; Moreno Fernández, Ana M; Fernández-Rodríguez, Ana; De Miguel, Manuel

    2014-03-01

    In order to analyze the association between body mass index (BMI), lipid profile and clinical symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia, we assessed BMI levels, lipid profile and its association with clinical symptoms in 183 patients with fibromyalgia. The patients were evaluated using tender points, FIQ and Visual Analogue Scales of pain (VAS). Serum lipid profile analysis (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL and VLDL), and biochemical parameters were measured in the biochemistry laboratory. The BMI distribution of the nonobese, overweight and obese patients' groups were relatively even with 37.7, 35.5 and 26.8%, respectively, with a mean BMI of 27.3 ± 4.9. The number of tender points showed significantly positive correlation with higher BMI (P BMI, total cholesterol and triglycerides showed high association with some clinical parameters. Overweight and lipid profile could be associated with fibromyalgia symptoms. A treatment program with weight loss strategies, and control in diet and increased physical activity is advised to patients.

  17. Practical Correlation Analysis between Scan and Malware Profiles against Zero-Day Attacks Based on Darknet Monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakao, Koji; Inoue, Daisuke; Eto, Masashi; Yoshioka, Katsunari

    Considering rapid increase of recent highly organized and sophisticated malwares, practical solutions for the countermeasures against malwares especially related to zero-day attacks should be effectively developed in an urgent manner. Several research activities have been already carried out focusing on statistic calculation of network events by means of global network sensors (so-called macroscopic approach) as well as on direct malware analysis such as code analysis (so-called microscopic approach). However, in the current research activities, it is not clear at all how to inter-correlate between network behaviors obtained from macroscopic approach and malware behaviors obtained from microscopic approach. In this paper, in one side, network behaviors observed from darknet are strictly analyzed to produce scan profiles, and in the other side, malware behaviors obtained from honeypots are correctly analyzed so as to produce a set of profiles containing malware characteristics. To this end, inter-relationship between above two types of profiles is practically discussed and studied so that frequently observed malwares behaviors can be finally identified in view of scan-malware chain.

  18. Geocoronal Balmer α line profile observations and forward-model analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mierkiewicz, E. J.; Bishop, J.; Roesler, F. L.; Nossal, S. M.

    2006-05-01

    High spectral resolution geocoronal Balmer α line profile observations from Pine Bluff Observatory (PBO) are presented in the context of forward-model analysis. Because Balmer series column emissions depend significantly on multiple scattering, retrieval of hydrogen parameters of general aeronomic interest from these observations (e.g., the hydrogen column abundance) currently requires a forward modeling approach. This capability is provided by the resonance radiative transfer code LYAO_RT. We have recently developed a parametric data-model comparison search procedure employing an extensive grid of radiative transport model input parameters (defining a 6-dimensional parameter space) to map-out bounds for feasible forward model retrieved atomic hydrogen density distributions. We applied this technique to same-night (March, 2000) ground-based Balmer α data from PBO and geocoronal Lyman β measurements from the Espectrógrafo Ultravioleta extremo para la Radiación Difusa (EURD) instrument on the Spanish satellite MINISAT-1 (provided by J.F. Gómez and C. Morales of the Laboratorio de Astrofisica Espacial y Física Fundamental, INTA, Madrid, Spain) in order to investigate the modeling constraints imposed by two sets of independent geocoronal intensity measurements, both of which rely on astronomical calibration methods. In this poster we explore extending this analysis to the line profile information also contained in the March 2000 PBO Balmer α data set. In general, a decrease in the Doppler width of the Balmer α emission with shadow altitude is a persistent feature in every night of PBO observations in which a wide range of shadow altitudes are observed. Preliminary applications of the LYAO_RT code, which includes the ability to output Doppler line profiles for both the singly and multiply scattered contributions to the Balmer α emission line, displays good qualitative agreement with regard to geocoronal Doppler width trends observed from PBO. Model-data Balmer

  19. Surface glycosylation profiles of urine extracellular vesicles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jared Q Gerlach

    Full Text Available Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs are released by cells throughout the nephron and contain biomolecules from their cells of origin. Although uEV-associated proteins and RNA have been studied in detail, little information exists regarding uEV glycosylation characteristics. Surface glycosylation profiling by flow cytometry and lectin microarray was applied to uEVs enriched from urine of healthy adults by ultracentrifugation and centrifugal filtration. The carbohydrate specificity of lectin microarray profiles was confirmed by competitive sugar inhibition and carbohydrate-specific enzyme hydrolysis. Glycosylation profiles of uEVs and purified Tamm Horsfall protein were compared. In both flow cytometry and lectin microarray assays, uEVs demonstrated surface binding, at low to moderate intensities, of a broad range of lectins whether prepared by ultracentrifugation or centrifugal filtration. In general, ultracentrifugation-prepared uEVs demonstrated higher lectin binding intensities than centrifugal filtration-prepared uEVs consistent with lesser amounts of co-purified non-vesicular proteins. The surface glycosylation profiles of uEVs showed little inter-individual variation and were distinct from those of Tamm Horsfall protein, which bound a limited number of lectins. In a pilot study, lectin microarray was used to compare uEVs from individuals with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease to those of age-matched controls. The lectin microarray profiles of polycystic kidney disease and healthy uEVs showed differences in binding intensity of 6/43 lectins. Our results reveal a complex surface glycosylation profile of uEVs that is accessible to lectin-based analysis following multiple uEV enrichment techniques, is distinct from co-purified Tamm Horsfall protein and may demonstrate disease-specific modifications.

  20. Qualitative Value Profiling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duus, Henrik Johannsen; Bjerre, Mogens

    2015-01-01

    allows the development of 1) profiles of the target country in which operations are to take place, 2) profiles of the buying center (i.e. the group of decision makers) in the partner company, and 3) profiles of the product/service offering. It also allows the development of a semantic scaling method...... for deeper analysis of all involved factors. This paper presents the method and compares and contrasts it with other similar methods like the PESTELE method known from corporate strategy, the STEEPAL method known from scenario analysis, and the Politics-Institutions-Economy (PIE) framework known from...... International Business. This comparison suggests that QVP on most accounts provides deeper insights than alternative methods and thus lays the foundation for better strategic planning in international business-to-business markets. Hence, it is a valuable addition to the toolbox of business strategists...

  1. Profile fitting and the two-stage method in neutron powder diffractometry for structure and texture analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jansen, E.; Schaefer, W.; Will, G.; Kernforschungsanlage Juelich G.m.b.H.

    1988-01-01

    An outline and an application of the two-stage method in neutron powder diffractometry are presented. Stage (1): Individual reflection data like position, half-width and integrated intensity are analysed by profile fitting. The profile analysis is based on an experimentally determined instrument function and can be applied without prior knowledge of a structural model. A mathematical procedure is described which results in a variance-covariance matrix containing standard deviations and correlations of the refined reflection parameters. Stage (2): The individual reflection data derived from the profile fitting procedure can be used for appropriate purposes either in structure determination or in texture and strain or stress analysis. The integrated intensities are used in the non-diagonal weighted least-squares routine POWLS for structure refinement. The weight matrix is given by the inverted variance-covariance matrix of stage (1). This procedure is the basis for reliable and real Bragg R values and for a realistic estimation of standard deviations of structural parameters. In the case of texture analysis the integrated intensities are compiled into pole figures representing the intensity distribution for all sample orientations of individual hkl. Various examples for the wide application of the two-stage method in structure and texture analysis are given: Structure refinement of a standard quartz specimen, magnetic ordering in the system Tb x Y 1-x Ag, preferred orientation effects in deformed marble and texture investigations of a triclinic plagioclase. (orig.)

  2. Multivariate Analysis Approach to the Serum Peptide Profile of Morbidly Obese Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Agostini

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Obesity is currently epidemic in many countries worldwide and is strongly related to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Mass spectrometry, in particular matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF is currently used for detecting different pattern of expressed protein. This study investigated the differences in low molecular weight (LMW peptide profiles between obese and normal-weight subjects in combination with multivariate statistical analysis.

  3. The Role of Religiousness/Spirituality in Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescents with HIV: A Latent Profile Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, Maureen E; Kimmel, Allison L; Cheng, Yao Iris; Wang, Jichuan

    2016-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether distinct latent profiles of religiousness/spirituality exist for ALWH, and if so, are latent profile memberships associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Latent profile analysis of religiosity identified four profiles/groups. Compared to the other three groups, higher levels of emotional well-being were found among young perinatally infected adolescents who attended religious services, but who did not pray privately, feel God's presence or identify as religious or spiritual. Social HRQoL was significantly higher among the highest overall religious/spiritual group. Understanding adolescent profiles of religiousness/spirituality on HRQoL could inform faith-based interventions. Trial registration NCT01289444.

  4. Targeted and untargeted-metabolite profiling to track the compositional integrity of ginger during processing using digitally-enhanced HPTLC pattern recognition analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Reham S; Fathy, Hoda

    2018-03-30

    Tracking the impact of commonly applied post-harvesting and industrial processing practices on the compositional integrity of ginger rhizome was implemented in this work. Untargeted metabolite profiling was performed using digitally-enhanced HPTLC method where the chromatographic fingerprints were extracted using ImageJ software then analysed with multivariate Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for pattern recognition. A targeted approach was applied using a new, validated, simple and fast HPTLC image analysis method for simultaneous quantification of the officially recognized markers 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol in conjunction with chemometric Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA). The results of both targeted and untargeted metabolite profiling revealed that peeling, drying in addition to storage employed during processing have a great influence on ginger chemo-profile, the different forms of processed ginger shouldn't be used interchangeably. Moreover, it deemed necessary to consider the holistic metabolic profile for comprehensive evaluation of ginger during processing. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Psychological features of North Korean female refugees on the MMPI-2: latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seong-Hyeon; Kim, Hee Kyung; Lee, Narae

    2013-12-01

    This study examined the heterogeneity in the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2nd Edition (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) profiles of North Korean female refugee population (N = 2,163) using latent profile analysis (LPA). The North Korean female refugee sample arrived at Hanawon, South Korea's resettlement center for North Korean refugees in 2008 and 2009 and took the MMPI-2 as part of an initial psychological screen. The analysis, which included the T scores of the 6 validity scales and the 10 standard clinical scales, identified 4 classes with distinctive psychological features: Class 1 (nonclinical), Class 2 (demoralized), Class 3 (somatized), and Class 4 (detached). The 4 covariates entered into the model (age, education, affiliation with a religion, and the number of forced repatriations) impacted the likelihood of belonging to certain classes. As hypothesized, older age, fewer years of education, and more incidents of forced repatriation predicted higher proneness to psychopathology. However, contrary to our expectation, having a religious faith did not emerge as a salient protective factor. The current LPA results revealed distinct heterogeneous subgroups that previous research on the MMPI and MMPI-2 profiles of refugee populations overlooked with the assumption of a homogeneous sample. Clinical implications for the treatment of North Korean female refugees and the limitations of the study are discussed. (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  6. Utilization of ACL Injury Biomechanical and Neuromuscular Risk Profile Analysis to Determine the Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewett, Timothy E; Ford, Kevin R; Xu, Yingying Y; Khoury, Jane; Myer, Gregory D

    2016-12-01

    The widespread use of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention interventions has not been effective in reducing the injury incidence among female athletes who participate in high-risk sports. The purpose of this study was to determine if biomechanical and neuromuscular factors that contribute to the knee abduction moment (KAM), a predictor of future ACL injuries, could be used to characterize athletes by a distinct factor. Specifically, we hypothesized that a priori selected biomechanical and neuromuscular factors would characterize participants into distinct at-risk profiles. Controlled laboratory study. A total of 624 female athletes who participated in jumping, cutting, and pivoting sports underwent testing before their competitive season. During testing, athletes performed drop-jump tasks from which biomechanical measures were captured. Using data from these tasks, latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify distinct profiles based on preintervention biomechanical and neuromuscular measures. As a validation, we examined whether the profile membership was a significant predictor of the KAM. LPA using 6 preintervention biomechanical measures selected a priori resulted in 3 distinct profiles, including a low (profile 1), moderate (profile 2), and high (profile 3) risk for ACL injuries. Athletes with profiles 2 and 3 had a significantly higher KAM compared with those with profile 1 (P risk profiles. Three distinct risk groups were identified based on differences in the peak KAM. These findings demonstrate the existence of discernable groups of athletes that may benefit from injury prevention interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT identifier: NCT01034527. © 2016 The Author(s).

  7. Quality properties, fatty acids, and biogenic amines profile of fresh tilapia stored in ice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulawik, Piotr; Özoğul, Fatih; Glew, Robert H

    2013-07-01

    This work determines quality properties and fatty acids content of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) stored in ice for 21 d. The quality properties consist of thiobarbituic acid (TBA), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), trimethylamine (TMA), and microbiological analysis (total viable count (TVC), total coliform, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus) and determination of biogenic amines content (histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, spermine, spermidine, 2-phenylethylamine, agmatine, tyramine, and ammonia). Moreover, the fat, moisture, and ash composition as well as fatty acids profile have also been analyzed. The TBA, TVB-N, and biogenic amines analysis showed rather low levels of spoilage even after 21 d of storage. The microbiological analysis, however, showed that tilapia was unsuitable for consumption after just 10 d. The fat, ash, moisture, and fatty acids profile analysis showed that tilapia is not a good source of n-3 fatty acids. The research indicated that the microbiological analysis was the best method to establish spoilage of tilapia stored in ice, of all analytical methods performed in this study. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

  8. Discrete response patterns in the upper range of hypnotic suggestibility: A latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terhune, Devin Blair

    2015-05-01

    High hypnotic suggestibility is a heterogeneous condition and there is accumulating evidence that highly suggestible individuals may be comprised of discrete subtypes with dissimilar cognitive and phenomenological profiles. This study applied latent profile analysis to response patterns on a diverse battery of difficult hypnotic suggestions in a sample of individuals in the upper range of hypnotic suggestibility. Comparisons among models indicated that a four-class model was optimal. One class was comprised of very highly suggestible (virtuoso) participants, two classes included highly suggestible participants who were alternately more responsive to inhibitory cognitive suggestions or posthypnotic amnesia suggestions, and the fourth class consisted primarily of medium suggestible participants. These results indicate that there are discrete response profiles in high hypnotic suggestibility. They further provide a number of insights regarding the optimization of hypnotic suggestibility measurement and have implications for the instrumental use of hypnosis for the modeling of different psychological conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Criminal profiling as expert witness evidence: The implications of the profiler validity research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocsis, Richard N; Palermo, George B

    The use and development of the investigative tool colloquially known as criminal profiling has steadily increased over the past five decades throughout the world. Coupled with this growth has been a diversification in the suggested range of applications for this technique. Possibly the most notable of these has been the attempted transition of the technique from a tool intended to assist police investigations into a form of expert witness evidence admissible in legal proceedings. Whilst case law in various jurisdictions has considered with mutual disinclination the evidentiary admissibility of criminal profiling, a disjunction has evolved between these judicial examinations and the scientifically vetted research testing the accuracy (i.e., validity) of the technique. This article offers an analysis of the research directly testing the validity of the criminal profiling technique and the extant legal principles considering its evidentiary admissibility. This analysis reveals that research findings concerning the validity of criminal profiling are surprisingly compatible with the extant legal principles. The overall conclusion is that a discrete form of crime behavioural analysis is supported by the profiler validity research and could be regarded as potentially admissible expert witness evidence. Finally, a number of theoretical connections are also identified concerning the skills and qualifications of individuals who may feasibly provide such expert testimony. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Chemical-genetic profile analysis of five inhibitory compounds in yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alamgir, Md; Erukova, Veronika; Jessulat, Matthew; Azizi, Ali; Golshani, Ashkan

    2010-08-06

    Chemical-genetic profiling of inhibitory compounds can lead to identification of their modes of action. These profiles can help elucidate the complex interactions between small bioactive compounds and the cell machinery, and explain putative gene function(s). Colony size reduction was used to investigate the chemical-genetic profile of cycloheximide, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, paromomycin, streptomycin and neomycin in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These compounds target the process of protein biosynthesis. More than 70,000 strains were analyzed from the array of gene deletion mutant yeast strains. As expected, the overall profiles of the tested compounds were similar, with deletions for genes involved in protein biosynthesis being the major category followed by metabolism. This implies that novel genes involved in protein biosynthesis could be identified from these profiles. Further investigations were carried out to assess the activity of three profiled genes in the process of protein biosynthesis using relative fitness of double mutants and other genetic assays. Chemical-genetic profiles provide insight into the molecular mechanism(s) of the examined compounds by elucidating their potential primary and secondary cellular target sites. Our follow-up investigations into the activity of three profiled genes in the process of protein biosynthesis provided further evidence concerning the usefulness of chemical-genetic analyses for annotating gene functions. We termed these genes TAE2, TAE3 and TAE4 for translation associated elements 2-4.

  11. Gut Transcriptome Analysis Shows Different Food Utilization Efficiency by the Grasshopper Oedaleous asiaticus (Orthoptera: Acrididae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xunbing; McNeill, Mark Richard; Ma, Jingchuan; Qin, Xinghu; Tu, Xiongbing; Cao, Guangchun; Wang, Guangjun; Nong, Xiangqun; Zhang, Zehua

    2017-08-01

    Oedaleus asiaticus B. Bienko is a persistent pest occurring in north Asian grasslands. We found that O. asiaticus feeding on Stipa krylovii Roshev. had higher approximate digestibility (AD), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), compared with cohorts feeding on Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel, Artemisia frigida Willd., or Cleistogenes squarrosa (Trin.) Keng. Although this indicated high food utilization efficiency for S. krylovii, the physiological processes and molecular mechanisms underlying these biological observations are not well understood. Transcriptome analysis was used to examine how gene expression levels in O. asiaticus gut are altered by feeding on the four plant species. Nymphs (fifth-instar female) that fed on S. krylovii had the largest variation in gene expression profiles, with a total of 88 genes significantly upregulated compared with those feeding on the other three plants, mainly including nutrition digestive genes of protein, carbohydrate, and lipid digestion. GO and KEGG enrichment also showed that feeding S. krylovii could upregulate the nutrition digestion-related molecular function, biological process, and pathways. These changes in transcripts levels indicate that the physiological processes of activating nutrition digestive enzymes and metabolism pathways can well explain the high food utilization of S. krylovii by O. asiaticus. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of Yukon Thellungiella plants grown in cabinets and their natural habitat show phenotypic plasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guevara David R

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Thellungiella salsuginea is an important model plant due to its natural tolerance to abiotic stresses including salt, cold, and water deficits. Microarray and metabolite profiling have shown that Thellungiella undergoes stress-responsive changes in transcript and organic solute abundance when grown under controlled environmental conditions. However, few reports assess the capacity of plants to display stress-responsive traits in natural habitats where concurrent stresses are the norm. Results To determine whether stress-responsive changes observed in cabinet-grown plants are recapitulated in the field, we analyzed leaf transcript and metabolic profiles of Thellungiella growing in its native Yukon habitat during two years of contrasting meteorological conditions. We found 673 genes showing differential expression between field and unstressed, chamber-grown plants. There were comparatively few overlaps between genes expressed under field and cabinet treatment-specific conditions. Only 20 of 99 drought-responsive genes were expressed both in the field during a year of low precipitation and in plants subjected to drought treatments in cabinets. There was also a general pattern of lower abundance among metabolites found in field plants relative to control or stress-treated plants in growth cabinets. Nutrient availability may explain some of the observed differences. For example, proline accumulated to high levels in cold and salt-stressed cabinet-grown plants but proline content was, by comparison, negligible in plants at a saline Yukon field site. We show that proline accumulated in a stress-responsive manner in Thellungiella plants salinized in growth cabinets and in salt-stressed seedlings when nitrogen was provided at 1.0 mM. In seedlings grown on 0.1 mM nitrogen medium, the proline content was low while carbohydrates increased. The relatively higher content of sugar-like compounds in field plants and seedlings on low nitrogen

  13. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of Yukon Thellungiella plants grown in cabinets and their natural habitat show phenotypic plasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guevara, David R; Champigny, Marc J; Tattersall, Ashley; Dedrick, Jeff; Wong, Chui E; Li, Yong; Labbe, Aurelie; Ping, Chien-Lu; Wang, Yanxiang; Nuin, Paulo; Golding, G Brian; McCarry, Brian E; Summers, Peter S; Moffatt, Barbara A; Weretilnyk, Elizabeth A

    2012-10-01

    Thellungiella salsuginea is an important model plant due to its natural tolerance to abiotic stresses including salt, cold, and water deficits. Microarray and metabolite profiling have shown that Thellungiella undergoes stress-responsive changes in transcript and organic solute abundance when grown under controlled environmental conditions. However, few reports assess the capacity of plants to display stress-responsive traits in natural habitats where concurrent stresses are the norm. To determine whether stress-responsive changes observed in cabinet-grown plants are recapitulated in the field, we analyzed leaf transcript and metabolic profiles of Thellungiella growing in its native Yukon habitat during two years of contrasting meteorological conditions. We found 673 genes showing differential expression between field and unstressed, chamber-grown plants. There were comparatively few overlaps between genes expressed under field and cabinet treatment-specific conditions. Only 20 of 99 drought-responsive genes were expressed both in the field during a year of low precipitation and in plants subjected to drought treatments in cabinets. There was also a general pattern of lower abundance among metabolites found in field plants relative to control or stress-treated plants in growth cabinets. Nutrient availability may explain some of the observed differences. For example, proline accumulated to high levels in cold and salt-stressed cabinet-grown plants but proline content was, by comparison, negligible in plants at a saline Yukon field site. We show that proline accumulated in a stress-responsive manner in Thellungiella plants salinized in growth cabinets and in salt-stressed seedlings when nitrogen was provided at 1.0 mM. In seedlings grown on 0.1 mM nitrogen medium, the proline content was low while carbohydrates increased. The relatively higher content of sugar-like compounds in field plants and seedlings on low nitrogen media suggests that Thellungiella shows

  14. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of Yukon Thellungiella plants grown in cabinets and their natural habitat show phenotypic plasticity

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Thellungiella salsuginea is an important model plant due to its natural tolerance to abiotic stresses including salt, cold, and water deficits. Microarray and metabolite profiling have shown that Thellungiella undergoes stress-responsive changes in transcript and organic solute abundance when grown under controlled environmental conditions. However, few reports assess the capacity of plants to display stress-responsive traits in natural habitats where concurrent stresses are the norm. Results To determine whether stress-responsive changes observed in cabinet-grown plants are recapitulated in the field, we analyzed leaf transcript and metabolic profiles of Thellungiella growing in its native Yukon habitat during two years of contrasting meteorological conditions. We found 673 genes showing differential expression between field and unstressed, chamber-grown plants. There were comparatively few overlaps between genes expressed under field and cabinet treatment-specific conditions. Only 20 of 99 drought-responsive genes were expressed both in the field during a year of low precipitation and in plants subjected to drought treatments in cabinets. There was also a general pattern of lower abundance among metabolites found in field plants relative to control or stress-treated plants in growth cabinets. Nutrient availability may explain some of the observed differences. For example, proline accumulated to high levels in cold and salt-stressed cabinet-grown plants but proline content was, by comparison, negligible in plants at a saline Yukon field site. We show that proline accumulated in a stress-responsive manner in Thellungiella plants salinized in growth cabinets and in salt-stressed seedlings when nitrogen was provided at 1.0 mM. In seedlings grown on 0.1 mM nitrogen medium, the proline content was low while carbohydrates increased. The relatively higher content of sugar-like compounds in field plants and seedlings on low nitrogen media suggests that

  15. HPLC-UV Polyphenolic Profiles in the Classification of Olive Oils and Other Vegetable Oils via Principal Component Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mireia Farrés-Cebrián

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available High performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV was applied to the analysis and characterization of olive oils and other vegetable oils. A chromatographic separation on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C8 reversed-phase column was proposed under gradient elution, employing 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and methanol as mobile phase, for the determination of 14 polyphenols and phenolic acids, allowing us to obtain compositional profiles in less than 20 min. Acceptable sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD values down to 80 µg/L in the best of cases, linearity (r2 higher than 0.986, good run-to-run and day-to-day precisions (relative standard deviation (RSD values lower than 11.5%, and method trueness (relative errors lower than 6.8% were obtained. The proposed HPLC-UV method was then applied to the analysis of 72 oil samples (47 olive oils and 27 vegetable oils including sunflower, soy, corn, and mixtures of them. Analytes were recovered using a liquid–liquid extraction method employing ethanol:water 70:30 (v/v solution and hexane as extracting and defatting solvents, respectively. HPLC-UV polyphenolic profiles using peak areas were then analysed by principal component analysis (PCA to extract information from the most significant data contributing to the characterization and classification of olive oils against other vegetable oils, as well as among Arbequina and Picual olive oil varieties. PCA results showed a noticeable difference between olive oils and the other classes. In addition, a reasonable discrimination of olive oils as a function of fruit varieties was also encountered.

  16. Profile Triglycerides Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica After Giving Turmeric (Curcuma longa Powder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukarman Hadi jaya Putra

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the triglyceride profile of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica after being given the parameters of turmeric (Curcuma longa powder; feed intake, profiles of liver triglycerides, profiles of serum triglycerides and profiles of meat triglycerides. This study uses an experimental method with A Completely Randomized Design Pattern. Test animals used were 45 female Japanese quails were divided into 3 groups, namely; P0: quail were not given turmeric powder, P1: quail were given turmeric powder a dose of 54 mg/quail/day, P3: quail were given turmeric powder a dose of 108 mg/quail/day. Each group with 5 replications. Each repeat consists of 3 Japanese quails. Provision of treatment every day for 30 days starting from the age of 14 days. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA followed by Duncan's test with 95% confidence interval (α = 0.05 level. Analysis of the data used is software Minitab software 16. Results showed that the levels of turmeric powder are given in Japanese quail significant (P˂0.05 on liver triglyceride levels, serum and Japanese quail meat but had no significant effect (P˃0.05 on consumption feed. The results showed that the optimal dose of turmeric powder to lower triglyceride levels of Japanese quail is 108 mg/quail/day as evidenced by the highest decrease in liver triglyceride profiles, profiles of serum triglycerides and triglyceride profiles of Japanese quail meat compared with other treatments.

  17. Analysis of selected gravity profiles on the Hanford Reservation, Richland, Washington

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Little, J.T.; Richard, B.H.

    1977-07-01

    Regional gravity surveys have been conducted on the Hanford Reservation in the past. This analysis is an attempt at detailed gravity profiling over selected areas of the reservation. Over 450 gravity readings were taken during the summer of 1976. The Bouguer anomaly values of these stations, along with facies cross sections, were used to construct two-dimensional models. The models depict the buried basalt bedrock surface and the overlying sedimentary cover of the areas selected for profiling. In the eastern section of the reservation, the interpretation of the data suggests that there are three major buried valleys cut into the bedrock. These channels are most likely a combination of structural downwarping and erosion of these downwarps by an ancestral Columbia River. Along the western boundary of the reservation there are two closed depressions which are believed to be the result of the sub-fluvial vortex effect of Kolk erosion. It was found that, although two-dimensional gravity models are useful in determining the buried bedrock surface, they are ineffectual in delineating sedimentary contacts

  18. Global analysis of transcriptome responses and gene expression profiles to cold stress of Jatropha curcas L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haibo Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Jatropha curcas L., also called the Physic nut, is an oil-rich shrub with multiple uses, including biodiesel production, and is currently exploited as a renewable energy resource in many countries. Nevertheless, because of its origin from the tropical MidAmerican zone, J. curcas confers an inherent but undesirable characteristic (low cold resistance that may seriously restrict its large-scale popularization. This adaptive flaw can be genetically improved by elucidating the mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to cold temperatures. The newly developed Illumina Hiseq™ 2000 RNA-seq and Digital Gene Expression (DGE are deep high-throughput approaches for gene expression analysis at the transcriptome level, using which we carefully investigated the gene expression profiles in response to cold stress to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of cold response in J. curcas. RESULTS: In total, 45,251 unigenes were obtained by assembly of clean data generated by RNA-seq analysis of the J. curcas transcriptome. A total of 33,363 and 912 complete or partial coding sequences (CDSs were determined by protein database alignments and ESTScan prediction, respectively. Among these unigenes, more than 41.52% were involved in approximately 128 known metabolic or signaling pathways, and 4,185 were possibly associated with cold resistance. DGE analysis was used to assess the changes in gene expression when exposed to cold condition (12°C for 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that 3,178 genes were significantly upregulated and 1,244 were downregulated under cold stress. These genes were then functionally annotated based on the transcriptome data from RNA-seq analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a global view of transcriptome response and gene expression profiling of J. curcas in response to cold stress. The results can help improve our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant cold resistance and favor the screening of

  19. Age-Specific Gene Expression Profiles of Rhesus Monkey Ovaries Detected by Microarray Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hengxi Wei

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The biological function of human ovaries declines with age. To identify the potential molecular changes in ovarian aging, we performed genome-wide gene expression analysis by microarray of ovaries from young, middle-aged, and old rhesus monkeys. Microarray data was validated by quantitative real-time PCR. Results showed that a total of 503 (60 upregulated, 443 downregulated and 84 (downregulated genes were differentially expressed in old ovaries compared to young and middle-aged groups, respectively. No difference in gene expression was found between middle-aged and young groups. Differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in cell and organelle, cellular and physiological process, binding, and catalytic activity. These genes were primarily associated with KEGG pathways of cell cycle, DNA replication and repair, oocyte meiosis and maturation, MAPK, TGF-beta, and p53 signaling pathway. Genes upregulated were involved in aging, defense response, oxidation reduction, and negative regulation of cellular process; genes downregulated have functions in reproduction, cell cycle, DNA and RNA process, macromolecular complex assembly, and positive regulation of macromolecule metabolic process. These findings show that monkey ovary undergoes substantial change in global transcription with age. Gene expression profiles are useful in understanding the mechanisms underlying ovarian aging and age-associated infertility in primates.

  20. Transcript profiling of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. using the GeneChip® Soybean Genome Array: optimizing analysis by masking biased probes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gronwald John W

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. and soybean (Glycine max both belong to the Phaseoleae tribe and share significant coding sequence homology. This suggests that the GeneChip® Soybean Genome Array (soybean GeneChip may be used for gene expression studies using common bean. Results To evaluate the utility of the soybean GeneChip for transcript profiling of common bean, we hybridized cRNAs purified from nodule, leaf, and root of common bean and soybean in triplicate to the soybean GeneChip. Initial data analysis showed a decreased sensitivity and accuracy of measuring differential gene expression in common bean cross-species hybridization (CSH GeneChip data compared to that of soybean. We employed a method that masked putative probes targeting inter-species variable (ISV regions between common bean and soybean. A masking signal intensity threshold was selected that optimized both sensitivity and accuracy of measuring differential gene expression. After masking for ISV regions, the number of differentially-expressed genes identified in common bean was increased by 2.8-fold reflecting increased sensitivity. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR analysis of 20 randomly selected genes and purine-ureide pathway genes demonstrated an increased accuracy of measuring differential gene expression after masking for ISV regions. We also evaluated masked probe frequency per probe set to gain insight into the sequence divergence pattern between common bean and soybean. The sequence divergence pattern analysis suggested that the genes for basic cellular functions and metabolism were highly conserved between soybean and common bean. Additionally, our results show that some classes of genes, particularly those associated with environmental adaptation, are highly divergent. Conclusions The soybean GeneChip is a suitable cross-species platform for transcript profiling in common bean when used in combination with the masking protocol described. In

  1. Quantification and Analysis of Suspended Sediments Concentration Using Mobile and Static Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Instruments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angga Dwinovantyo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The application of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP can be used not only for measuring ocean currents, but also for quantifying suspended sediment concentrations (SSC from acoustic backscatter strength based on sonar principle. Suspended sediment has long been recognized as the largest sources of sea contaminant and must be considered as one of the important parameters in water quality of seawater. This research was to determine SSC from measured acoustic backscattered intensity of static and mobile ADCP. In this study, vertically mounted 400 kHz and 750 kHz static ADCP were deployed in Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi. A mobile ADCP 307.2 kHz was also mounted on the boat and moved to the predefined cross-section, accordingly. The linear regression analysis of echo intensity measured by ADCP and by direct measurement methods showed that ADCP is a reliable method to measure SSC with correlation coefficient (r 0.92. Higher SSC was observed in low water compared to that in high water and near port area compared to those in observed areas. All of this analysis showed that the combination of static and mobile ADCP methods produces reasonably good spatial and temporal data of SSC.

  2. Chemical-genetic profile analysis of five inhibitory compounds in yeast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alamgir Md

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chemical-genetic profiling of inhibitory compounds can lead to identification of their modes of action. These profiles can help elucidate the complex interactions between small bioactive compounds and the cell machinery, and explain putative gene function(s. Results Colony size reduction was used to investigate the chemical-genetic profile of cycloheximide, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, paromomycin, streptomycin and neomycin in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These compounds target the process of protein biosynthesis. More than 70,000 strains were analyzed from the array of gene deletion mutant yeast strains. As expected, the overall profiles of the tested compounds were similar, with deletions for genes involved in protein biosynthesis being the major category followed by metabolism. This implies that novel genes involved in protein biosynthesis could be identified from these profiles. Further investigations were carried out to assess the activity of three profiled genes in the process of protein biosynthesis using relative fitness of double mutants and other genetic assays. Conclusion Chemical-genetic profiles provide insight into the molecular mechanism(s of the examined compounds by elucidating their potential primary and secondary cellular target sites. Our follow-up investigations into the activity of three profiled genes in the process of protein biosynthesis provided further evidence concerning the usefulness of chemical-genetic analyses for annotating gene functions. We termed these genes TAE2, TAE3 and TAE4 for translation associated elements 2-4.

  3. Characterization of the structure of the Salar de Atacama Basin through gravimetric profiles and interval velocity analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becerra, J.; Bascunan, S. A.; Maksymowicz, A.; Martínez, F.; Arriagada, C.

    2017-12-01

    The structure of the basins found in the Preandean Depression in the northern Central Andes has remained elusive, partly due to a poor understanding of the structural styles and stratigraphy beneath their surface. An independent approach to the multiple interpretations of seismic lines available is the analysis of 2D gravity profiles. An E-W profile was performed across the basin, closely matching the surficial trace of previous seismic lines. The profile shows three gravimetric lows, the most relevant being one beneath the Llano de la Paciencia- Cordillera de la Sal, comprised of deformed evaporitic and terrigenous deposits of Oligocene-Early Miocene age. The structure which bounds this gravity low has a steeper dip on its eastern side, bounding the eastern side of the Cordillera de la Sal, which is at odds with previous studies that interpreted its western contact with Cretaceous outcrops as the possible basin boundary. The 3-D analyses of seismic interval velocity data around the gravimetric survey reveal a major vertical contrast in the eastern portion of the profile, interpreted as the bottom of the evaporite successions, followed to the west by a complex, narrow and deep zone of low velocities. Westward, the Cretaceous rocks record higher velocities than its post-Paleocene counterparts, and an almost uniform increase in velocity with depth. The major gravity anomaly is closely related to the Cordillera de la Sal, which consists of an array of folds and reverse faults involving Oligocene to recent deposits. We propose that the faults which generated Oligocene extension are not at the western border of the basin, but around the Cordillera de la Sal, which is the result of Miocene inversion of the same system. Strike-slip deformation was also probably a major contributor in basin formation, as shown by the narrow yet deep shape of the depocenter.

  4. Obesogenic family types identified through latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinson, Brian C; VazquezBenitez, Gabriela; Patnode, Carrie D; Hearst, Mary O; Sherwood, Nancy E; Parker, Emily D; Sirard, John; Pasch, Keryn E; Lytle, Leslie

    2011-10-01

    Obesity may cluster in families due to shared physical and social environments. This study aims to identify family typologies of obesity risk based on family environments. Using 2007-2008 data from 706 parent/youth dyads in Minnesota, we applied latent profile analysis and general linear models to evaluate associations between family typologies and body mass index (BMI) of youth and parents. Three typologies described most families with 18.8% "Unenriched/Obesogenic," 16.9% "Risky Consumer," and 64.3% "Healthy Consumer/Salutogenic." After adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic factors, parent BMI and youth BMI Z-scores were higher in unenriched/obesogenic families (BMI difference = 2.7, p typology. In contrast, parent BMI and youth BMI Z-scores were similar in the risky consumer families relative to those in healthy consumer/salutogenic type. We can identify family types differing in obesity risks with implications for public health interventions.

  5. A chemical profiling strategy for semi-quantitative analysis of flavonoids in Ginkgo extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jing; Wang, An-Qi; Li, Xue-Jing; Fan, Xue; Yin, Shan-Shan; Lan, Ke

    2016-05-10

    Flavonoids analysis in herbal products is challenged by their vast chemical diversity. This work aimed to develop a chemical profiling strategy for the semi-quantification of flavonoids using extracts of Ginkgo biloba L. (EGB) as an example. The strategy was based on the principle that flavonoids in EGB have an almost equivalent molecular absorption coefficient at a fixed wavelength. As a result, the molecular-contents of flavonoids were able to be semi-quantitatively determined by the molecular-concentration calibration curves of common standards and recalculated as the mass-contents with the characterized molecular weight (MW). Twenty batches of EGB were subjected to HPLC-UV/DAD/MS fingerprinting analysis to test the feasibility and reliability of this strategy. The flavonoid peaks were distinguished from the other peaks with principle component analysis and Pearson correlation analysis of the normalized UV spectrometric dataset. Each flavonoid peak was subsequently tentatively identified by the MS data to ascertain their MW. It was highlighted that the flavonoids absorption at Band-II (240-280 nm) was more suitable for the semi-quantification purpose because of the less variation compared to that at Band-I (300-380 nm). The semi-quantification was therefore conducted at 254 nm. Beyond the qualitative comparison results acquired by common chemical profiling techniques, the semi-quantitative approach presented the detailed compositional information of flavonoids in EGB and demonstrated how the adulteration of one batch was achieved. The developed strategy was believed to be useful for the advanced analysis of herbal extracts with a high flavonoid content without laborious identification and isolation of individual components. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Gene array analysis of PD-1H overexpressing monocytes reveals a pro-inflammatory profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Preeti Bharaj

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available We have previously reported that overexpression of Programmed Death -1 Homolog (PD-1H in human monocytes leads to activation and spontaneous secretion of multiple pro inflammatory cytokines. Here we evaluate changes in monocytes gene expression after enforced PD-1H expression by gene array. The results show that there are significant alterations in 51 potential candidate genes that relate to immune response, cell adhesion and metabolism. Genes corresponding to pro-inflammatory cytokines showed the highest upregulation, 7, 3.2, 3.0, 5.8, 4.4 and 3.1 fold upregulation of TNF-α, IL-1 β, IFN-α, γ, λ and IL-27 relative to vector control. The data are in agreement with cytometric bead array analysis showing induction of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α by PD-1H. Other genes related to inflammation, include transglutaminase 2 (TG2, NF-κB (p65 and p50 and toll like receptors (TLR 3 and 4 were upregulated 5, 4.5 and 2.5 fold, respectively. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA also revealed that signaling pathways related to inflammatory response, such as NFκB, AT1R, PYK2, MAPK, RELA, TNFR1, MTOR and proteasomal degradation, were significantly upregulated in response to PD-1H overexpression. We validated the results utilizing a standard inflammatory sepsis model in humanized BLT mice, finding that PD-1H expression was highly correlated with proinflammatory cytokine production. We therefore conclude that PD-1H functions to enhance monocyte activation and the induction of a pro-inflammatory gene expression profile.

  7. The polymorphic insertion of the luteinizing hormone receptor "insLQ" show a negative association to LHR gene expression and to the follicular fluid hormonal profile in human small antral follicles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borgbo, T; Chrudimska, J; Macek, M

    2018-01-01

    (AMHR2) and LHCGR, respectively, were observed for insLQ/insLQ compared to -/insLQ and the -/- genotypes. Moreover, LHCGR and CYP19a1 together with oestradiol and inhibin-B were significantly increased in -/insLQ compared to the -/- genotype. The homozygous insLQ genotype showed strong significant......The luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) has a little studied polymorphic 6 bp insertion (rs4539842/insLQ). This study has evaluated the insLQ polymorphism in relation to potential associations with hormonal characteristics of human small antral follicles (hSAFs). In total, 310 hSAFs were collected...... from 86 women undergoing fertility preservation. Analysis included hormonal profile of 297 follicular fluid (FF) samples and 148 corresponding granulosa cells samples were evaluated by qPCR for selected genes. Significantly reduced and non-detectable mRNA levels of anti-Müllerian hormone receptor II...

  8. Regression Analysis of Long-Term Profile Ozone Data Set from BUV Instruments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolarski, Richard S.

    2005-01-01

    We have produced a profile merged ozone data set (MOD) based on the SBUV/SBUV2 series of nadir-viewing satellite backscatter instruments, covering the period from November 1978 - December 2003. In 2004, data from the Nimbus 7 SBUV and NOAA 9, ll, and 16 SBUV/2 instruments were reprocessed using the Version 8 (V8) algorithm and most recent calibrations. More recently, data from the Nimbus 4 BUT instrument, which was operational from 1970 - 1977, were also reprocessed using the V8 algorithm. As part of the V8 profile calibration, the Nimbus 7 and NOAA 9 (1993-1997 only) instrument calibrations have been adjusted to match the NOAA 11 calibration, which was established based on comparisons with SSBUV shuttle flight data. Differences between NOAA 11, Nimbus 7 and NOAA 9 profile zonal means are within plus or minus 5% at all levels when averaged over the respective periods of data overlap. NOAA 16 SBUV/2 data have insufficient overlap with NOAA 11, so its calibration is based on pre-flight information. Mean differences over 4 months of overlap are within plus or minus 7%. Given the level of agreement between the data sets, we simply average the ozone values during periods of instrument overlap to produce the MOD profile data set. Initial comparisons of coincident matches of N4 BUV and Arosa Umkehr data show mean differences of 0.5 (0.5)% at 30km; 7.5 (0.5)% at 35 km; and 11 (0.7)% at 40 km, where the number in parentheses is the standard error of the mean. In this study, we use the MOD profile data set (1978-2003) to estimate the change in profile ozone due to changing stratospheric chlorine levels. We use a standard linear regression model with proxies for the seasonal cycle, solar cycle, QBO, and ozone trend. To account for the non-linearity of stratospheric chlorine levels since the late 1990s, we use a time series of Effective Chlorine, defined as the global average of Chlorine + 50 * Bromine at 1 hPa, as the trend proxy. The Effective Chlorine data are taken from

  9. Fat stigmatization in television shows and movies: a content analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Himes, Susan M; Thompson, J Kevin

    2007-03-01

    To examine the phenomenon of fat stigmatization messages presented in television shows and movies, a content analysis was used to quantify and categorize fat-specific commentary and humor. Fat stigmatization vignettes were identified using a targeted sampling procedure, and 135 scenes were excised from movies and television shows. The material was coded by trained raters. Reliability indices were uniformly high for the seven categories (percentage agreement ranged from 0.90 to 0.98; kappas ranged from 0.66 to 0.94). Results indicated that fat stigmatization commentary and fat humor were often verbal, directed toward another person, and often presented directly in the presence of the overweight target. Results also indicated that male characters were three times more likely to engage in fat stigmatization commentary or fat humor than female characters. To our knowledge, these findings provide the first information regarding the specific gender, age, and types of fat stigmatization that occur frequently in movies and television shows. The stimuli should prove useful in future research examining the role of individual difference factors (e.g., BMI) in the reaction to viewing such vignettes.

  10. Profiling analysis of low molecular weight heparins by multiple heart-cutting two dimensional chromatography with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouyang, Yilan; Zeng, Yangyang; Rong, Yinxiu; Song, Yue; Shi, Lv; Chen, Bo; Yang, Xinlei; Xu, Naiyu; Linhardt, Robert J; Zhang, Zhenqing

    2015-09-01

    Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are polydisperse and microheterogenous mixtures of polysaccharides used as anticoagulant drugs. Profiling analysis is important for obtaining deeper insights into the structure of LMWHs. Previous oligosaccharide mapping methods are relatively low resolution and are unable to show an entire picture of the structural complexity of LMWHs. In the current study a profiling method was developed relying on multiple heart-cutting, two-dimensional, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry. This represents an efficient, automated, and robust approach for profiling LMWHs. Using size-exclusion chromatography and ion-pairing reversed-phase chromatography in a two-dimensional separation, LMW components of different sizes and LMW components of the same size but with different charges and polarities can be resolved, providing a more complete picture of a LMWH. Structural information on each component was then obtained with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. More than 80 and 120 oligosaccharides were observed and unambiguously assigned from the LMWHs, nadroparin and enoxaparin, respectively. This method might be useful for quality control of LMWHs and as a powerful tool for heparin-related glycomics.

  11. A Ravenscar-Java profile implementation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Bent; Ravn, Anders Peter; Søndergaard, Hans

    2006-01-01

    This paper presents an implementation of the Ravenscar-Java profile. While most implementations of the profile are reference-implementations showing that it is possible to implement the profile, our implementation is aimed at industrial applications. It uses a dedicated real-time Java processor......, since we want to investigate if the Ravenscar-Java profile, implemented on a Java processor, is efficient for real applications. During the implementation some ambiguities and weaknesses of the profile were uncovered. However, test examples indicate that the profile is suitable for development...... of realistic real-time programs....

  12. Magnetic resonance metabolic profiling of breast cancer tissue obtained with core needle biopsy for predicting pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Soo Choi

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine whether metabolic profiling of core needle biopsy (CNB samples using high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS could be used for predicting pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. After institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained, CNB tissue samples were collected from 37 malignant lesions in 37 patients before NAC treatment. The metabolic profiling of CNB samples were performed by HR-MAS MRS. Metabolic profiles were compared according to pathologic response to NAC using the Mann-Whitney test. Multivariate analysis was performed with orthogonal projections to latent structure-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA. Various metabolites including choline-containing compounds were identified and quantified by HR-MAS MRS in all 37 breast cancer tissue samples obtained by CNB. In univariate analysis, the metabolite concentrations and metabolic ratios of CNB samples obtained with HR-MAS MRS were not significantly different between different pathologic response groups. However, there was a trend of lower levels of phosphocholine/creatine ratio and choline-containing metabolite concentrations in the pathologic complete response group compared to the non-pathologic complete response group. In multivariate analysis, the OPLS-DA models built with HR-MAS MR metabolic profiles showed visible discrimination between the pathologic response groups. This study showed OPLS-DA multivariate analysis using metabolic profiles of pretreatment CNB samples assessed by HR- MAS MRS may be used to predict pathologic response before NAC, although we did not identify the metabolite showing statistical significance in univariate analysis. Therefore, our preliminary results raise the necessity of further study on HR-MAS MR metabolic profiling of CNB samples for a large number of cancers.

  13. Multi-machine transport analysis of hybrid discharges from the ITPA profile database

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Artaud, J.F.; Bourdelle, C.; Joffrin, E.; Kinsey, J.; Tala, T.J.J.; Fujita, T.; Sakamoto, Y.; Na, Y.S.; Sips, A.C.C.; Na, Y.S.; Parail, V.V.

    2005-01-01

    Current diffusion, heat transport modelling, and linear gyrokinetic stability analysis have been carried out on a set of 7 hybrid discharges from AUG, DIII-D, JET and JT-60U, in order to gain better understanding of the physics underlying this promising candidate scenario for ITER. Within this dataset, the GLF23 model has a higher accuracy than the Weiland model in predicting the temperature profiles in the region 0.3 N on extended duration. (authors)

  14. Optimized Estimation of Surface Layer Characteristics from Profiling Measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doreene Kang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available New sampling techniques such as tethered-balloon-based measurements or small unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of providing multiple profiles of the Marine Atmospheric Surface Layer (MASL in a short time period. It is desirable to obtain surface fluxes from these measurements, especially when direct flux measurements are difficult to obtain. The profiling data is different from the traditional mean profiles obtained at two or more fixed levels in the surface layer from which surface fluxes of momentum, sensible heat, and latent heat are derived based on Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory (MOST. This research develops an improved method to derive surface fluxes and the corresponding MASL mean profiles of wind, temperature, and humidity with a least-squares optimization method using the profiling measurements. This approach allows the use of all available independent data. We use a weighted cost function based on the framework of MOST with the cost being optimized using a quasi-Newton method. This approach was applied to seven sets of data collected from the Monterey Bay. The derived fluxes and mean profiles show reasonable results. An empirical bias analysis is conducted using 1000 synthetic datasets to evaluate the robustness of the method.

  15. Global aphasia without hemiparesis: language profiles and lesion distribution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanlon, R.; Lux, W.; Dromerick, A.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVES—Global aphasia without hemiparesis (GAWH) is an uncommon stroke syndrome involving receptive and expressive language impairment, without the hemiparesis typically manifested by patients with global aphasia after large left perisylvian lesions. A few cases of GAWH have been reported with conflicting conclusions regarding pathogenesis, lesion localisation, and recovery. The current study was conducted to attempt to clarify these issues.
METHODS—Ten cases of GAWH were prospectively studied with language profiles and lesion analysis; five patients had multiple lesions, four patients had a single lesion, and one had a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Eight patients met criteria for cardioembolic ischaemic stroke.
RESULTS—Cluster analysis based on acute language profiles disclosed three subtypes of patients with GAWH; these clusters persisted on follow up language assessment. Each cluster evolved into a different aphasia subtype: persistent GAWH, Wernicke's aphasia, or transcortical motor aphasia (TCM). Composite lesion analysis showed that persistent GAWH was related to lesioning of the left superior temporal gyrus. Patients with acute GAWH who evolved into TCM type aphasia had common lesioning of the left inferior frontal gyrus and adjacent subcortical white matter. Patients with acute GAWH who evolved into Wernicke's type aphasia were characterised by lesioning of the left precentral and postcentral gyri. Recovery of language was poor in all but one patient.
CONCLUSIONS—Although patients with acute GAWH are similar on neurological examination, they are heterogeneous with respect to early aphasia profile, language recovery, and lesion profile.

 PMID:10084536

  16. A quantitative analysis of Tl-201 myocardial perfusion image with special reference to circumferential profile method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyanaga, Hajime

    1982-01-01

    A quantitative analysis of thallium-201 myocardial perfusion image (MPI) was attempted by using circumferential profile method (CPM) and the first purpose of this study is to assess the clinical utility of this method for the detection of myocardial ischemia. In patients with coronary artery disease, CPM analysis to exercise T1-MPI showed high sensitivity (9/12, 75%) and specificity (9/9, 100%), whereas exercise ECG showed high sensitivity (9/12, 75%), but relatively low specificity (7/9, 78%). In patients with myocardial infarction, CPM also showed high sensitivity (34/38, 89%) for the detection of myocardial necrosis, compared with visual interpretation (31/38, 81%) and with ECG (31/38, 81%). Defect score was correlated well with the number of abnormal Q waves. In exercise study, CPM was also sensitive to the change of perfusion defect in T1-MPI produced by exercise. So the results indicate that CPM is a good method not only quantitatively but also objectively to analyze T1-MPI. Although ECG is the most commonly used diagnostic tool for ischemic heart disease, several exercise induced ischemic changes in ECG have been still on discussion as criteria. So the second purpose of this study is to evaluate these ischemic ECG changes by exercise T1-MPI analized quantitatively. ST depression (ischemic 1 mm and junctional 2 mm or more), ST elevation (1 mm or more), and coronary T wave reversion in exercise ECG were though to be ischemic changes. (J.P.N.)

  17. NAP: The Network Analysis Profiler, a web tool for easier topological analysis and comparison of medium-scale biological networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theodosiou, Theodosios; Efstathiou, Georgios; Papanikolaou, Nikolas; Kyrpides, Nikos C; Bagos, Pantelis G; Iliopoulos, Ioannis; Pavlopoulos, Georgios A

    2017-07-14

    Nowadays, due to the technological advances of high-throughput techniques, Systems Biology has seen a tremendous growth of data generation. With network analysis, looking at biological systems at a higher level in order to better understand a system, its topology and the relationships between its components is of a great importance. Gene expression, signal transduction, protein/chemical interactions, biomedical literature co-occurrences, are few of the examples captured in biological network representations where nodes represent certain bioentities and edges represent the connections between them. Today, many tools for network visualization and analysis are available. Nevertheless, most of them are standalone applications that often (i) burden users with computing and calculation time depending on the network's size and (ii) focus on handling, editing and exploring a network interactively. While such functionality is of great importance, limited efforts have been made towards the comparison of the topological analysis of multiple networks. Network Analysis Provider (NAP) is a comprehensive web tool to automate network profiling and intra/inter-network topology comparison. It is designed to bridge the gap between network analysis, statistics, graph theory and partially visualization in a user-friendly way. It is freely available and aims to become a very appealing tool for the broader community. It hosts a great plethora of topological analysis methods such as node and edge rankings. Few of its powerful characteristics are: its ability to enable easy profile comparisons across multiple networks, find their intersection and provide users with simplified, high quality plots of any of the offered topological characteristics against any other within the same network. It is written in R and Shiny, it is based on the igraph library and it is able to handle medium-scale weighted/unweighted, directed/undirected and bipartite graphs. NAP is available at http://bioinformatics.med.uoc.gr/NAP .

  18. Repeat profile analysis in an x-ray department

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bassey, C.E.; Ojo, O.O.; Akpabio, I.

    1991-01-01

    The repeat profile of an x-ray department in a developing country was analysed monthly between July 1989 and June 1990. Results showed an average repeat rate of 3.7% for the period of study. The main causes of film repetition were: equipment fault, 33.9%; radiographer's fault, 27.4%; film fault, 19.3%; processing fault, 10.8% and patient's fault, 8.6%. The average repeat rate in the first 6 months of study reduced by 50% in the last 6 months. This was due to the effectiveness of implementation of corrective actions. The overall repeat rate was found to correlate well with both the equipment fault and radiographer's fault with correlation coefficients, r, of 0.94 and 0.91, respectively. It is expected that a further reduction in the repeat rate will be obtained after the introduction of quality assurance programmes. (author)

  19. Protein profile of human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721: Identification and functional analysis

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yi Feng; Zhong-Min Tian; Ming-Xi Wan; Zhao-Bin Zheng

    2007-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the protein profile of human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721, to analyze the specific functions of abundant expressed proteins in the processes of hepatocarcinoma genesis, growth and metastasis, to identify the hepatocarcinoma-specific biomarkers for the early prediction in diagnosis, and to explore the new drug targets for liver cancer therapy.METHODS: Total proteins from human hepatocarcinomacell line SMMC-7721 were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). The silver-stained gel was analyzed by 2DE software Image Master 2D Elite.Interesting protein spots were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS)and database searching.RESULTS: We obtained protein profile of human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721. Among the twenty-one successfully identified proteins, mitofilin,endoplasmic reticulum protein ERp29, ubiquinol-cytochrome C reductase complex core protein Ⅰ,peroxisomal enoyl CoA hydratase, peroxiredoxin-4 and probable 3-oxoacid CoA transferase 1 precursor were the six novel proteins identified in human hepatocarcinoma cells or tissues. Specific functions of the identified heat-shock proteins were analyzed in detail, and the results suggested that these proteins might promote tumorigenesis via inhibiting cell death induced by several cancer-related stresses or via inhibiting apoptosis at multiple points in the apoptotic signal pathway. Other identified chaperones and cancer-related proteins were also analyzed.CONCLUSION: Based on the protein profile of SMMC-7721 cells, functional analysis suggests that the identified chaperones and cancer-related proteins have their own pathways to contribute to the tumorigenesis, tumor growth and metastasis of liver cancer. Furthermore, proteomic analysis is indicated to be feasible in the cancer study.

  20. Lagoa Real design. Cachoeira mine. Uranium ratio from gamma profile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juliao, B.

    1984-06-01

    This paper presents the satisfactory accuracy of uranium ratio from gamma profile, using an equation from simple regression. The comparative study between radiometric ratios calculated from gamma data in boreholes and uranium ratio determined by Delayed Neutron Analysis shows a good measure of correlation in Cachoeira Mines. (author)

  1. Distinctive serum protein profiles involving abundant proteins in lung cancer patients based upon antibody microarray analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Wei-Min; Haab, Brian B; Hanash, Samir M; Kuick, Rork; Orchekowski, Randal P; Misek, David E; Qiu, Ji; Greenberg, Alissa K; Rom, William N; Brenner, Dean E; Omenn, Gilbert S

    2005-01-01

    Cancer serum protein profiling by mass spectrometry has uncovered mass profiles that are potentially diagnostic for several common types of cancer. However, direct mass spectrometric profiling has a limited dynamic range and difficulties in providing the identification of the distinctive proteins. We hypothesized that distinctive profiles may result from the differential expression of relatively abundant serum proteins associated with the host response. Eighty-four antibodies, targeting a wide range of serum proteins, were spotted onto nitrocellulose-coated microscope slides. The abundances of the corresponding proteins were measured in 80 serum samples, from 24 newly diagnosed subjects with lung cancer, 24 healthy controls, and 32 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Two-color rolling-circle amplification was used to measure protein abundance. Seven of the 84 antibodies gave a significant difference (p < 0.01) for the lung cancer patients as compared to healthy controls, as well as compared to COPD patients. Proteins that exhibited higher abundances in the lung cancer samples relative to the control samples included C-reactive protein (CRP; a 13.3 fold increase), serum amyloid A (SAA; a 2.0 fold increase), mucin 1 and α-1-antitrypsin (1.4 fold increases). The increased expression levels of CRP and SAA were validated by Western blot analysis. Leave-one-out cross-validation was used to construct Diagonal Linear Discriminant Analysis (DLDA) classifiers. At a cutoff where all 56 of the non-tumor samples were correctly classified, 15/24 lung tumor patient sera were correctly classified. Our results suggest that a distinctive serum protein profile involving abundant proteins may be observed in lung cancer patients relative to healthy subjects or patients with chronic disease and may have utility as part of strategies for detecting lung cancer

  2. Examination of emotion-induced changes in eating: A latent profile analysis of the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourdier, L; Morvan, Y; Kotbagi, G; Kern, L; Romo, L; Berthoz, S

    2018-04-01

    It is now recognized that emotions can influence food intake. While some people report eating less when distressed, others report either no change of eating or eating more in the same condition. The question whether this interindividual variability also occurs in response to positive emotions has been overlooked in most studies on Emotional Eating (EE). Using the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ) and Latent Profile Analysis, this study aimed to examine the existence of latent emotion-induced changes in eating profiles, and explore how these profiles differ by testing their relations with 1) age and sex, 2) BMI and risk for eating disorders (ED) and 3) factors that are known to be associated with EE such as perceived positive/negative feelings, depression, anxiety, stress symptoms and impulsivity. Among 401 university students (245 females) who completed the EMAQ, 3 profiles emerged (P1:11.2%, P2:60.1%, P3:28.7%), with distinct patterns of eating behaviors in response to negative emotions and situations but few differences regarding positive ones. Negative emotional overeaters (P1) and negative emotional undereaters (P3) reported similar levels of emotional distress and positive feelings, and were at greater risk for ED. However, the people in the former profile i) reported decreasing their food intake in a positive context, ii) were in majority females, iii) had higher BMI and iv) were more prone to report acting rashly when experiencing negative emotions. Our findings suggest that a person-centred analysis of the EMAQ scores offers a promising way to capture the inter-individual variability of emotionally-driven eating behaviors. These observations also add to the growing literature underscoring the importance of further investigating the role of different facets of impulsivity in triggering overeating and to develop more targeted interventions of EE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Microarray gene expression profiling and analysis in renal cell carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadhukhan Provash

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC is the most common cancer in adult kidney. The accuracy of current diagnosis and prognosis of the disease and the effectiveness of the treatment for the disease are limited by the poor understanding of the disease at the molecular level. To better understand the genetics and biology of RCC, we profiled the expression of 7,129 genes in both clear cell RCC tissue and cell lines using oligonucleotide arrays. Methods Total RNAs isolated from renal cell tumors, adjacent normal tissue and metastatic RCC cell lines were hybridized to affymatrix HuFL oligonucleotide arrays. Genes were categorized into different functional groups based on the description of the Gene Ontology Consortium and analyzed based on the gene expression levels. Gene expression profiles of the tissue and cell line samples were visualized and classified by singular value decomposition. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to confirm the expression alterations of selected genes in RCC. Results Selected genes were annotated based on biological processes and clustered into functional groups. The expression levels of genes in each group were also analyzed. Seventy-four commonly differentially expressed genes with more than five-fold changes in RCC tissues were identified. The expression alterations of selected genes from these seventy-four genes were further verified using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Detailed comparison of gene expression patterns in RCC tissue and RCC cell lines shows significant differences between the two types of samples, but many important expression patterns were preserved. Conclusions This is one of the initial studies that examine the functional ontology of a large number of genes in RCC. Extensive annotation, clustering and analysis of a large number of genes based on the gene functional ontology revealed many interesting gene expression patterns in RCC. Most

  4. Activity Pattern Profiles: Relationship With Affect, Daily Functioning, Impairment, and Variables Related to Life Goals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteve, Rosa; López-Martínez, Alicia E; Peters, Madelon L; Serrano-Ibáñez, Elena R; Ruíz-Párraga, Gema T; González-Gómez, Henar; Ramírez-Maestre, Carmen

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify subgroups of patients on the basis of their activity patterns and to investigate their relationship with life goals, optimism, affect, and functioning. The sample was comprised of 276 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the activity pattern variables and the resulting clusters were compared using 1-way analysis of variance. The 4-cluster was the optimal solution. The 4 clusters comprised: 1) avoiders: patients with high levels of avoidance and low levels of persistence, who use pacing to reduce pain, 2) doers: patients with high levels of persistence and low levels of pacing and avoidance, 3) extreme cyclers: patients with high levels of avoidance and persistence and low levels of pacing, and 4) medium cyclers: patients with moderately high levels of avoidance and persistence and high levels of pacing. Comparison of the clusters showed that doers had the most adaptive profile, whereas avoiders, followed by extreme cyclers, had unhealthy profiles. Doers showed a high level of optimism and a good balance between goal value, expectancy, and conflict. It is useful to distinguish profiles on the basis of various activity patterns. In contrast to profiles characterized by avoidance, profiles characterized by high persistence and low avoidance were associated with adaptive results. Patients with this profile also showed a high level of optimism and a good balance between goal value, expectancy, and conflict. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. YOUNG ATHLETES' MOTIVATIONAL PROFILES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between motivational characteristics and dispositional flow. In order to accomplish this goal, motivational profiles emerging from key constructs within Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory were related to the dispositional flow measures. A sample of 413 young athletes (Age range 12 to 16 years completed the PMCSQ-2, POSQ, SMS and DFS measures. Cluster analysis results revealed three profiles: a "self-determined profile" characterised by higher scores on the task-involving climate perception and on the task orientation; a "non-self-determined profile", characterised by higher scores on ego-involving climate perception and ego orientation; and a "low self-determined and low non-self-determined profile" which had the lowest dispositional flow. No meaningful differences were found between the "self-determined profile" and the "non-self-determined profile" in dispositional flow. The "self-determined profile" was more commonly associated with females, athletes practising individual sports and those training more than three days a week. The "non-self-determined profile" was more customary of males and athletes practising team sports as well as those training just two or three days a week

  6. Microbiological profile of chicken carcasses: A comparative analysis using shotgun metagenomic sequencing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra De Cesare

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In the last few years metagenomic and 16S rRNA sequencing have completly changed the microbiological investigations of food products. In this preliminary study, the microbiological profile of chicken carcasses collected from animals fed with different diets were tested by using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. A total of 15 carcasses have been collected at the slaughetrhouse at the end of the refrigeration tunnel from chickens reared for 35 days and fed with a control diet (n=5, a diet supplemented with 1500 FTU/kg of commercial phytase (n=5 and a diet supplemented with 1500 FTU/kg of commercial phytase and 3g/kg of inositol (n=5. Ten grams of neck and breast skin were obtained from each carcass and submited to total DNA extraction by using the DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit (Qiagen. Sequencing libraries have been prepared by using the Nextera XT DNA Library Preparation Kit (Illumina and sequenced in a HiScanSQ (Illumina at 100 bp in paired ends. A number of sequences ranging between 5 and 9 million was obtained for each sample. Sequence analysis showed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes represented more than 98% of whole bacterial populations associated to carcass skin in all groups but their abundances were different between groups. Moraxellaceae and other degradative bacteria showed a significantly higher abundance in the control compared to the treated groups. Furthermore, Clostridium perfringens showed a relative frequency of abundance significantly higher in the group fed with phytase and Salmonella enterica in the group fed with phytase plus inositol. The results of this preliminary study showed that metagenome sequencing is suitable to investigate and monitor carcass microbiota in order to detect specific pathogenic and/or degradative populations.

  7. Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in ripening pineapple fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koia, Jonni H; Moyle, Richard L; Botella, Jose R

    2012-12-18

    Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical fruit crop of significant commercial importance. Although the physiological changes that occur during pineapple fruit development have been well characterized, little is known about the molecular events that occur during the fruit ripening process. Understanding the molecular basis of pineapple fruit ripening will aid the development of new varieties via molecular breeding or genetic modification. In this study we developed a 9277 element pineapple microarray and used it to profile gene expression changes that occur during pineapple fruit ripening. Microarray analyses identified 271 unique cDNAs differentially expressed at least 1.5-fold between the mature green and mature yellow stages of pineapple fruit ripening. Among these 271 sequences, 184 share significant homology with genes encoding proteins of known function, 53 share homology with genes encoding proteins of unknown function and 34 share no significant homology with any database accession. Of the 237 pineapple sequences with homologs, 160 were up-regulated and 77 were down-regulated during pineapple fruit ripening. DAVID Functional Annotation Cluster (FAC) analysis of all 237 sequences with homologs revealed confident enrichment scores for redox activity, organic acid metabolism, metalloenzyme activity, glycolysis, vitamin C biosynthesis, antioxidant activity and cysteine peptidase activity, indicating the functional significance and importance of these processes and pathways during pineapple fruit development. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis validated the microarray expression results for nine out of ten genes tested. This is the first report of a microarray based gene expression study undertaken in pineapple. Our bioinformatic analyses of the transcript profiles have identified a number of genes, processes and pathways with putative involvement in the pineapple fruit ripening process. This study extends our knowledge of the molecular basis of pineapple fruit

  8. Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals a Correlation between the Host Phylogeny, Gut Microbiota and Metabolite Profiles in Cyprinid Fishes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Tongtong; Long, Meng; Li, Huan; Gatesoupe, François-Joël; Zhang, Xujie; Zhang, Qianqian; Feng, Dongyue; Li, Aihua

    2017-01-01

    Gut microbiota play key roles in host nutrition and metabolism. However, little is known about the relationship between host genetics, gut microbiota and metabolic profiles. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry approaches to characterize the microbiota composition and the metabolite profiles in the gut of five cyprinid fish species with three different feeding habits raised under identical husbandry conditions. Our results showed that host species and feeding habits significantly affect not only gut microbiota composition but also metabolite profiles (ANOSIM, p ≤ 0.05). Mantel test demonstrated that host phylogeny, gut microbiota, and metabolite profiles were significantly related to each other (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, the carps with the same feeding habits had more similarity in gut microbiota composition and metabolite profiles. Various metabolites were correlated positively with bacterial taxa involved in food degradation. Our results shed new light on the microbiome and metabolite profiles in the gut content of cyprinid fishes, and highlighted the correlations between host genotype, fish gut microbiome and putative functions, and gut metabolite profiles. PMID:28367147

  9. Analysis of risk of nonconformities and applied quality inspection methods in the process of aluminium profiles coating based on FMEA results

    OpenAIRE

    Krzysztof Knop

    2017-01-01

    The article presents the results of risk analysis associated with nonconformities of aluminium profiles in the process of coating and quality inspection methods used to their detection. Analysis of risk was done based on results of FMEA method. Evaluated quality inspection methods were distinguished based on the term of inspection in the ISO 9000:2005 norm. Manufacturing process of aluminium profile in micro-technological approach was presented. Triple quantification of nonconformities risk b...

  10. Saponin Profile of Wild Asparagus Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaramillo-Carmona, Sara; Rodriguez-Arcos, Rocío; Jiménez-Araujo, Ana; López, Sergio; Gil, Juan; Moreno, Roberto; Guillén-Bejarano, Rafael

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this work was to study the saponin profiles from spears of different wild asparagus species in the context of its genetic diversity aside from geographical seed origin. They included Asparagus pseudoscaber Grecescu, Asparagus maritimus (L.) Mill., Asparagus brachiphyllus Turcz., Asparagus prostrates Dumort., and Asparagus officinalis L. The saponin analysis by LC-MS has shown that saponin profile from wild asparagus is similar to that previously described for triguero asparagus from Huétor-Tájar landrace (triguero HT), which had not ever been reported in the edible part of asparagus. All the samples, except A. officinalis, were characterized for having saponins distinct to protodioscin and the total saponin contents were 10-fold higher than those described for commercial hybrids of green asparagus. In particular, A. maritimus from different origins were rich in saponins previously found in triguero HT. These findings supported previous suggestion, based on genetic analysis, about A. maritimus being the origin of triguero HT. Multivariate statistics including principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis were used to define both similarities and differences among samples. The results showed that the greatest variance of the tested wild asparagus could be attributed to differences in the concentration of particular saponins and this knowledge could be a tool for identifying similar species. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  11. Metagenome Fragment Classification Using -Mer Frequency Profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gail Rosen

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A vast amount of microbial sequencing data is being generated through large-scale projects in ecology, agriculture, and human health. Efficient high-throughput methods are needed to analyze the mass amounts of metagenomic data, all DNA present in an environmental sample. A major obstacle in metagenomics is the inability to obtain accuracy using technology that yields short reads. We construct the unique -mer frequency profiles of 635 microbial genomes publicly available as of February 2008. These profiles are used to train a naive Bayes classifier (NBC that can be used to identify the genome of any fragment. We show that our method is comparable to BLAST for small 25 bp fragments but does not have the ambiguity of BLAST's tied top scores. We demonstrate that this approach is scalable to identify any fragment from hundreds of genomes. It also performs quite well at the strain, species, and genera levels and achieves strain resolution despite classifying ubiquitous genomic fragments (gene and nongene regions. Cross-validation analysis demonstrates that species-accuracy achieves 90% for highly-represented species containing an average of 8 strains. We demonstrate that such a tool can be used on the Sargasso Sea dataset, and our analysis shows that NBC can be further enhanced.

  12. Developing a univariate approach to phase-I monitoring of fuzzy quality profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazem Noghondarian

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available In many real-world applications, the quality of a process or a particular product can be characterized by a functional relationship called profile. A profile builds the relationships between a response quality characteristic and one or more explanatory variables. Monitoring the quality of a profile is implemented to understand and to verify the stability of this functional relationship over time. In some real applications, a fuzzy linear regression model can represent the profile adequately where the response quality characteristic is fuzzy. The purpose of this paper is to develop an approach for monitoring process/product profiles in fuzzy environment. A model in fuzzy linear regression is developed to construct the quality profiles by using linear programming and then fuzzy individuals and moving-range (I-MR control charts are developed to monitor both intercept and slope of fuzzy profiles to achieve an in-control process. A case study in customer satisfaction is presented to show the application of our approach and to express the sensitivity analysis of parameters for building a fuzzy profile.

  13. Application of Fourier analysis to the study of roughness profiles of eroded samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bethencourt, M.; Botana, F.J.; Calvino, J.J.; Marcos, M.; Rodriguez-Chacon, M.A.

    1998-01-01

    Fourier transforms are applied to analyse surface roughness profiles recorded on samples coming from erosion-corrosion essays. The information retrieved using this method clearly complements that revealed by the more classical roughness amplitude parameters. The analysis procedure here proposed can be applied not only to characterise the surface of corroded samples but, in general, to evaluate the quality of any surface after application of finishing treatments. (Author) 7 refs

  14. Metabolic profiles are principally different between cancers of the liver, pancreas and breast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budhu, Anuradha; Terunuma, Atsushi; Zhang, Geng; Hussain, S Perwez; Ambs, Stefan; Wang, Xin Wei

    2014-01-01

    Molecular profiling of primary tumors may facilitate the classification of patients with cancer into more homogenous biological groups to aid clinical management. Metabolomic profiling has been shown to be a powerful tool in characterizing the biological mechanisms underlying a disease but has not been evaluated for its ability to classify cancers by their tissue of origin. Thus, we assessed metabolomic profiling as a novel tool for multiclass cancer characterization. Global metabolic profiling was employed to identify metabolites in paired tumor and non-tumor liver (n=60), breast (n=130) and pancreatic (n=76) tissue specimens. Unsupervised principal component analysis showed that metabolites are principally unique to each tissue and cancer type. Such a difference can also be observed even among early stage cancers, suggesting a significant and unique alteration of global metabolic pathways associated with each cancer type. Our global high-throughput metabolomic profiling study shows that specific biochemical alterations distinguish liver, pancreatic and breast cancer and could be applied as cancer classification tools to differentiate tumors based on tissue of origin.

  15. Volatile profile and sensory quality of new varieties of Capsicum chinense pepper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah dos Santos Garruti

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to compare the sensory quality and the volatile compound profile of new varieties of Capsicum chinense pepper (CNPH 4080 a strain of'Cumari-do-Pará' and BRS Seriema with a known commercial variety (Biquinho. Volatiles were isolated from the headspace of fresh fruit by SPME and identified by GC-MS. Pickled peppers were produced for sensory evaluation. Aroma descriptors were evaluated by Check-All-That-Apply (CATA method, and the frequency data were submitted to Correspondence Analysis. Flavor acceptance was assessed by hedonic scale and analyzed by ANOVA. BRS Seriema showed the richest volatile profile, with 55 identified compounds, and up to 40% were compounds with sweet aroma notes. CNPH 4080 showed similar volatile profile to that of Biquinho pepper, but it had higher amounts of pepper-like and green-note compounds. The samples did not differ in terms of flavor acceptance, but they showed differences in aroma quality confirming the differences found in the volatile profiles. The C. chinense varieties developed by Embrapa proved to be more aromatic than Biquinho variety, and were well accepted by the judges.

  16. Children on Social Media, Twiter and Facebook (profile of Beyonce and Kim Kardashian

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anamarija Bilan

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Publishing children’s photos in the media violates their privacy right, which is protected, guaranteed and regulated by numerous international and Croatian laws and regulations. Likewise, publishing photos of children on social network profiles, such as Facebook or Twitter, violates the right to privacy. In this paper it will be researched the extent to which children’s photos are being disclosed and their privacy is being undermined in case of two Facebook and two Twitter profiles - Beyonce Knowles and Kim Kardashian. It will also research whether children are used for business purposes, whether they are advertising some of their products or shows, and so on, with the photographs of children. The content analysis methodology analyzed the Facebook and Twitter profiles of two respondents in the period from January 1 to February 22, 2016, during which they published a total of 459 posts on profiles of both networks. The analysis found that the total number of “posts” shows a small number of photographs of children but also that those published by Kim Kardashian are often used to promote or promote some of the products or programs, which violates the privacy of children and increases the number “like”.

  17. A retrieval algorithm of hydrometer profile for submillimeter-wave radiometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yuli; Buehler, Stefan; Liu, Heguang

    2017-04-01

    Vertical profiles of particle microphysics perform vital functions for the estimation of climatic feedback. This paper proposes a new algorithm to retrieve the profile of the parameters of the hydrometeor(i.e., ice, snow, rain, liquid cloud, graupel) based on passive submillimeter-wave measurements. These parameters include water content and particle size. The first part of the algorithm builds the database and retrieves the integrated quantities. Database is built up by Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator(ARTS), which uses atmosphere data to simulate the corresponding brightness temperature. Neural network, trained by the precalculated database, is developed to retrieve the water path for each type of particles. The second part of the algorithm analyses the statistical relationship between water path and vertical parameters profiles. Based on the strong dependence existing between vertical layers in the profiles, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) technique is applied. The third part of the algorithm uses the forward model explicitly to retrieve the hydrometeor profiles. Cost function is calculated in each iteration, and Differential Evolution(DE) algorithm is used to adjust the parameter values during the evolutionary process. The performance of this algorithm is planning to be verified for both simulation database and measurement data, by retrieving profiles in comparison with the initial one. Results show that this algorithm has the ability to retrieve the hydrometeor profiles efficiently. The combination of ARTS and optimization algorithm can get much better results than the commonly used database approach. Meanwhile, the concept that ARTS can be used explicitly in the retrieval process shows great potential in providing solution to other retrieval problems.

  18. Kinome profiling of Arabidopsis using arrays of kinase consensus substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pieterse Corné MJ

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Kinome profiling aims at the parallel analysis of kinase activities in a cell. Novel developed arrays containing consensus substrates for kinases are used to assess those kinase activities. The arrays described in this paper were already used to determine kinase activities in mammalian systems, but since substrates from many organisms are present we decided to test these arrays for the determination of kinase activities in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. Results Kinome profiling using Arabidopsis cell extracts resulted in the labelling of many consensus peptides by kinases from the plant, indicating the usefulness of this kinome profiling tool for plants. Method development showed that fresh and frozen plant material could be used to make cell lysates containing active kinases. Dilution of the plant extract increased the signal to noise ratio and non-radioactive ATP enhances full development of spot intensities. Upon infection of Arabidopsis with an avirulent strain of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, we could detect differential kinase activities by measuring phosphorylation of consensus peptides. Conclusion We show that kinome profiling on arrays with consensus substrates can be used to monitor kinase activities in plants. In a case study we show that upon infection with avirulent P. syringae differential kinase activities can be found. The PepChip can for example be used to purify (unknown kinases that play a role in P. syringae infection. This paper shows that kinome profiling using arrays of consensus peptides is a valuable new tool to study signal-transduction in plants. It complements the available methods for genomics and proteomics research.

  19. Retroviral DNA integration: ASLV, HIV, and MLV show distinct target site preferences.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rick S Mitchell

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available The completion of the human genome sequence has made possible genome-wide studies of retroviral DNA integration. Here we report an analysis of 3,127 integration site sequences from human cells. We compared retroviral vectors derived from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, avian sarcoma-leukosis virus (ASLV, and murine leukemia virus (MLV. Effects of gene activity on integration targeting were assessed by transcriptional profiling of infected cells. Integration by HIV vectors, analyzed in two primary cell types and several cell lines, strongly favored active genes. An analysis of the effects of tissue-specific transcription showed that it resulted in tissue-specific integration targeting by HIV, though the effect was quantitatively modest. Chromosomal regions rich in expressed genes were favored for HIV integration, but these regions were found to be interleaved with unfavorable regions at CpG islands. MLV vectors showed a strong bias in favor of integration near transcription start sites, as reported previously. ASLV vectors showed only a weak preference for active genes and no preference for transcription start regions. Thus, each of the three retroviruses studied showed unique integration site preferences, suggesting that virus-specific binding of integration complexes to chromatin features likely guides site selection.

  20. Genetic profiles of gastroesophageal cancer: combined analysis using expression array and tiling array--comparative genomic hybridization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Isinger-Ekstrand, Anna; Johansson, Jan; Ohlsson, Mattias

    2010-01-01

    15, 13q34, and 12q13, whereas different profiles with gains at 5p15, 7p22, 2q35, and 13q34 characterized gastric cancers. CDK6 and EGFR were identified as putative target genes in cancers of the esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction, with upregulation in one quarter of the tumors. Gains......We aimed to characterize the genomic profiles of adenocarcinomas in the gastroesophageal junction in relation to cancers in the esophagus and the stomach. Profiles of gains/losses as well as gene expression profiles were obtained from 27 gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas by means of 32k high......-resolution array-based comparative genomic hybridization and 27k oligo gene expression arrays, and putative target genes were validated in an extended series. Adenocarcinomas in the distal esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction showed strong similarities with the most common gains at 20q13, 8q24, 1q21-23, 5p...

  1. PWR AXIAL BURNUP PROFILE ANALYSIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    J.M. Acaglione

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this activity is to develop a representative ''limiting'' axial burnup profile for pressurized water reactors (PWRs), which would encompass the isotopic axial variations caused by different assembly irradiation histories, and produce conservative isotopics with respect to criticality. The effect that the low burnup regions near the ends of spent fuel have on system reactivity is termed the ''end-effect''. This calculation will quantify the end-effects associated with Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies emplaced in a hypothetical 21 PWR waste package. The scope of this calculation covers an initial enrichment range of 3.0 through 5.0 wt% U-235 and a burnup range of 10 through 50 GWd/MTU. This activity supports the validation of the process for ensuring conservative generation of spent fuel isotopics with respect to criticality safety applications, and the use of burnup credit for commercial spent nuclear fuel. The intended use of these results will be in the development of PWR waste package loading curves, and applications involving burnup credit. Limitations of this evaluation are that the limiting profiles are only confirmed for use with the B andW 15 x 15 fuel assembly design. However, this assembly design is considered bounding of all other typical commercial PWR fuel assembly designs. This calculation is subject to the Quality Assurance Requirements and Description (QARD) because this activity supports investigations of items or barriers on the Q-list (YMP 2001)

  2. GENDER AND POVERTY: SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FEMALE ROLE MODELS AND VULNERABILITY PROFILES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonella RISSOTTO

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available The contribution regards an analysis of gender-related role models and their relevance for poverty. Data were gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire. Poverty as a function of gender is interpreted in the present case in the light of the interrelation between economic disadvantages, inherent in the sy stems of integration, an d social exclusion, with special reference to the family and the labour market. From this point of view, the concept of dependence represents a strategic concept that may be broken down into the dimensions of: - economic (income source; - material (non economic help in the management of the family. It will be shown how gender models have a statistically significant weight in the distribution of a greater or lesser degree of dependence. Economic dependence and material dependence may be related back to two empirical typological indexes, wh ich summarize a set of semantically relevant indicators. Also an additional index of economic hardship has been constructed, which also summarizes specific indicators. In addition to gender profiles, the analysis takes into account specific categories of women, focusing attention on subjects that are potentially vulnerable to poverty (elderly women, women with precarious jobs and divorcees defining their specific profiles.

  3. Metabolite Profiling of Peppers of Various Colors Reveals Relationships Between Tocopherol, Carotenoid, and Phytosterol Content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Tae Jin; Choi, Jaehyuk; Kim, Kil Won; Ahn, Soon Kil; Ha, Sun-Hwa; Choi, Yongsoo; Park, Nam Il; Kim, Jae Kwang

    2017-12-01

    Peppers are widely consumed in Korea; the varietal development of peppers with increased content of beneficial plant metabolites is, therefore, of considerable interest. This requires a comprehensive understanding of the metabolic profile of pepper plants and the factors affecting this profile. To this end, we determined the content of various metabolites, such as hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds, phenolic acids, carotenoids, and capsaicinoids in peppers of various colors (green, red, pale green, and violet peppers) and in a high-pungency (green) pepper. We also performed principal component analysis (PCA), Pearson's correlation analysis, and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) to determine the relationships among these metabolites in peppers. PCA results indicated no significant variances among the 3 sample replicates. The HCA showed correlations between the metabolites resulting from common or closely linked biosynthesis pathways. Our results showed that carotenoids correlated positively with tocopherols and negatively with phytosterols; our findings also indicated a close relationship between the methylerythritol 4-phosphate and mevalonic acid biosynthesis pathways, providing evidence in favor of an earlier hypothesis regarding crosstalk across the chloroplast membrane. We, thus, demonstrate that metabolic profiling combined with multivariate analysis is a useful tool for analyzing metabolic networks. A total of 71 metabolites were measured in 5 peppers of different colors. The metabolic profiling with multivariate analysis revealed that tocopherol content had a positive correlation with the carotenoid content and a negative correlation with the phytosterol content. The results of this study may help in breeding programs to produce new germplasm with enhanced nutritional quality. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  4. Searching for a neurologic injury's Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Marta A; Moura, Octávio; Castro-Caldas, Alexandre; Simões, Mário R

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the presence of a Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) cognitive profile in a Portuguese neurologic injured sample. The Portuguese WAIS-III was administered to 81 mixed neurologic patients and 81 healthy matched controls selected from the Portuguese standardization sample. Although the mixed neurologic injury group performed significantly lower than the healthy controls for the majority of the WAIS-III scores (i.e., composite measures, discrepancies, and subtests), the mean scores were within the normal range and, therefore, at risk of being unobserved in a clinical evaluation. ROC curves analysis showed poor to acceptable diagnostic accuracy for the WAIS-III composite measures and subtests (Working Memory Index and Digit Span revealed the highest accuracy for discriminating between participants, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed that both literacy and the presence of brain injury were significant predictors for all of the composite measures. In addition, multiple regression analysis also showed that literacy, age of injury onset, and years of survival predicted all seven composite measures for the mixed neurologic injured group. Despite the failure to find a WAIS-III cognitive profile for mixed neurologic patients, the results showed a significant influence of brain lesion and literacy in the performance of the WAIS-III.

  5. Searching mixed DNA profiles directly against profile databases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bright, Jo-Anne; Taylor, Duncan; Curran, James; Buckleton, John

    2014-03-01

    DNA databases have revolutionised forensic science. They are a powerful investigative tool as they have the potential to identify persons of interest in criminal investigations. Routinely, a DNA profile generated from a crime sample could only be searched for in a database of individuals if the stain was from single contributor (single source) or if a contributor could unambiguously be determined from a mixed DNA profile. This meant that a significant number of samples were unsuitable for database searching. The advent of continuous methods for the interpretation of DNA profiles offers an advanced way to draw inferential power from the considerable investment made in DNA databases. Using these methods, each profile on the database may be considered a possible contributor to a mixture and a likelihood ratio (LR) can be formed. Those profiles which produce a sufficiently large LR can serve as an investigative lead. In this paper empirical studies are described to determine what constitutes a large LR. We investigate the effect on a database search of complex mixed DNA profiles with contributors in equal proportions with dropout as a consideration, and also the effect of an incorrect assignment of the number of contributors to a profile. In addition, we give, as a demonstration of the method, the results using two crime samples that were previously unsuitable for database comparison. We show that effective management of the selection of samples for searching and the interpretation of the output can be highly informative. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Analysis of protein profiles in diabetic rat blood plasma that induced by alloxan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidayati, Dewi; Abdulgani, Nurlita; Setiyawan, Hengki; Trisnawati, Indah; Ashuri, Nova Maulidina; Sa'adah, Noor Nailis

    2017-06-01

    Proteomics is the study to identify the proteins involved in physiological metabolic pathway. The protein profiles of blood plasma from alloxan-induced diabetic rats has investigated using Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Data were analyzed descriptively based on variations of the type and intensity of the protein. There were identified the similarity of protein variant between diabetic and control rats included ankyrin (200kDa), IgG (150kDa), nephrin (136 kDa), IDE (112 kDA), albumin (66 kDa), prealbumin (55 kDA), CICP (43 kDa), ApoA-V (39 kDa), GAPDH (35 kDa), C-RP (27,1 kDa), leptin (16 kDa) and apelin (13 kDa). However, the apelin profile at diabetic rats shows the higher intensity than control.

  7. Elemental thin film depth profiles by ion beam analysis using simulated annealing - a new tool

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeynes, C; Barradas, N P; Marriott, P K; Boudreault, G; Jenkin, M; Wendler, E; Webb, R P

    2003-01-01

    Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and related techniques have long been used to determine the elemental depth profiles in films a few nanometres to a few microns thick. However, although obtaining spectra is very easy, solving the inverse problem of extracting the depth profiles from the spectra is not possible analytically except for special cases. It is because these special cases include important classes of samples, and because skilled analysts are adept at extracting useful qualitative information from the data, that ion beam analysis is still an important technique. We have recently solved this inverse problem using the simulated annealing algorithm. We have implemented the solution in the 'IBA DataFurnace' code, which has been developed into a very versatile and general new software tool that analysts can now use to rapidly extract quantitative accurate depth profiles from real samples on an industrial scale. We review the features, applicability and validation of this new code together with other approaches to handling IBA (ion beam analysis) data, with particular attention being given to determining both the absolute accuracy of the depth profiles and statistically accurate error estimates. We include examples of analyses using RBS, non-Rutherford elastic scattering, elastic recoil detection and non-resonant nuclear reactions. High depth resolution and the use of multiple techniques simultaneously are both discussed. There is usually systematic ambiguity in IBA data and Butler's example of ambiguity (1990 Nucl. Instrum. Methods B 45 160-5) is reanalysed. Analyses are shown: of evaporated, sputtered, oxidized, ion implanted, ion beam mixed and annealed materials; of semiconductors, optical and magnetic multilayers, superconductors, tribological films and metals; and of oxides on Si, mixed metal silicides, boron nitride, GaN, SiC, mixed metal oxides, YBCO and polymers. (topical review)

  8. Neuro- and social-cognitive clustering highlights distinct profiles in adults with anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renwick, Beth; Musiat, Peter; Lose, Anna; DeJong, Hannah; Broadbent, Hannah; Kenyon, Martha; Loomes, Rachel; Watson, Charlotte; Ghelani, Shreena; Serpell, Lucy; Richards, Lorna; Johnson-Sabine, Eric; Boughton, Nicky; Treasure, Janet; Schmidt, Ulrike

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to explore the neuro- and social-cognitive profile of a consecutive series of adult outpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN) when compared with widely available age and gender matched historical control data. The relationship between performance profiles, clinical characteristics, service utilization, and treatment adherence was also investigated. Consecutively recruited outpatients with a broad diagnosis of AN (restricting subtype AN-R: n = 44, binge-purge subtype AN-BP: n = 33 or Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified-AN subtype EDNOS-AN: n = 23) completed a comprehensive set of neurocognitive (set-shifting, central coherence) and social-cognitive measures (Emotional Theory of Mind). Data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and a discriminant function analysis. Three separate, meaningful clusters emerged. Cluster 1 (n = 45) showed overall average to high average neuro- and social- cognitive performance, Cluster 2 (n = 38) showed mixed performance characterized by distinct strengths and weaknesses, and Cluster 3 (n = 17) showed poor overall performance (Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) like cluster). The three clusters did not differ in terms of eating disorder symptoms, comorbid features or service utilization and treatment adherence. A discriminant function analysis confirmed that the clusters were best characterized by performance in perseveration and set-shifting measures. The findings suggest that considerable neuro- and social-cognitive heterogeneity exists in patients with AN, with a subset showing ASD-like features. The value of this method of profiling in predicting longer term patient outcomes and in guiding development of etiologically targeted treatments remains to be seen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Evidence for proposed ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD: a latent profile analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marylène Cloitre

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: The WHO International Classification of Diseases, 11th version (ICD-11, has proposed two related diagnoses, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD and complex PTSD within the spectrum of trauma and stress-related disorders. Objective: To use latent profile analysis (LPA to determine whether there are classes of individuals that are distinguishable according to the PTSD and complex PTSD symptom profiles and to identify potential differences in the type of stressor and severity of impairment associated with each profile. Method: An LPA and related analyses were conducted on 302 individuals who had sought treatment for interpersonal traumas ranging from chronic trauma (e.g., childhood abuse to single-incident events (e.g., exposure to 9/11 attacks. Results: The LPA revealed three classes of individuals: (1 a complex PTSD class defined by elevated PTSD symptoms as well as disturbances in three domains of self-organization: affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and interpersonal problems; (2 a PTSD class defined by elevated PTSD symptoms but low scores on the three self-organization symptom domains; and (3 a low symptom class defined by low scores on all symptoms and problems. Chronic trauma was more strongly predictive of complex PTSD than PTSD and, conversely, single-event trauma was more strongly predictive of PTSD. In addition, complex PTSD was associated with greater impairment than PTSD. The LPA analysis was completed both with and without individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD yielding identical results, suggesting the stability of these classes regardless of BPD comorbidity. Conclusion: Preliminary data support the proposed ICD-11 distinction between PTSD and complex PTSD and support the value of testing the clinical utility of this distinction in field trials. Replication of results is necessary.For the abstract or full text in other languages, please see Supplementary files under Article Tools online

  10. Gene expression analysis of two extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis isolates show that two-component response systems enhance drug resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Guohua; Cui, Zhenling; Sun, Xian; Peng, Jinfu; Jiang, Jun; Wu, Wei; Huang, Wenhua; Chu, Kaili; Zhang, Lu; Ge, Baoxue; Li, Yao

    2015-05-01

    Global analysis of expression profiles using DNA microarrays was performed between a reference strain H37Rv and two clinical extensively drug-resistant isolates in response to three anti-tuberculosis drug exposures (isoniazid, capreomycin, and rifampicin). A deep analysis was then conducted using a combination of genome sequences of the resistant isolates, resistance information, and related public microarray data. Certain known resistance-associated gene sets were significantly overrepresented in upregulated genes in the resistant isolates relative to that observed in H37Rv, which suggested a link between resistance and expression levels of particular genes. In addition, isoniazid and capreomycin response genes, but not rifampicin, either obtained from published works or our data, were highly consistent with the differentially expressed genes of resistant isolates compared to those of H37Rv, indicating a strong association between drug resistance of the isolates and genes differentially regulated by isoniazid and capreomycin exposures. Based on these results, 92 genes of the studied isolates were identified as candidate resistance genes, 10 of which are known resistance-related genes. Regulatory network analysis of candidate resistance genes using published networks and literature mining showed that three two-component regulatory systems and regulator CRP play significant roles in the resistance of the isolates by mediating the production of essential envelope components. Finally, drug sensitivity testing indicated strong correlations between expression levels of these regulatory genes and sensitivity to multiple anti-tuberculosis drugs in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These findings may provide novel insights into the mechanism underlying the emergence and development of drug resistance in resistant tuberculosis isolates and useful clues for further studies on this issue. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Career Profiles of Generation Y and Their Potential Influencers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helena Talita Dante Cordeiro

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to identify the predominant career profiles among Generation Y in Brazil and investigate the influence of demographic and professional characteristics in these profiles. Career profiles are defined as combinations of the presence of Boundaryless and Protean career attitudes. This study is descriptive, the sample is non-probabilistic and intentional and consists of 2,376 people. Cluster Analysis and Chi-square tests were used. The results show that people from Generation Y have a high presence of attitudes related to new careers and that these new careers are associated with high education and high income, mainly the Boundaryless career. However, there is a small portion of the sample that doesn’t present new career attitudes, indicating that this is just a movement and cannot be considered a reality for all studied subjects.

  12. Experimental analysis of bruises in human volunteers using radiometric depth profiling and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidovič, Luka; Milanič, Matija; Majaron, Boris

    2015-07-01

    We combine pulsed photothermal radiometry (PPTR) depth profiling with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) measurements for a comprehensive analysis of bruise evolution in vivo. While PPTR enables extraction of detailed depth distribution and concentration profiles of selected absorbers (e.g. melanin, hemoglobin), DRS provides information in a wide range of visible wavelengths and thus offers an additional insight into dynamics of the hemoglobin degradation products. Combining the two approaches enables us to quantitatively characterize bruise evolution dynamics. Our results indicate temporal variations of the bruise evolution parameters in the course of bruise self-healing process. The obtained parameter values and trends represent a basis for a future development of an objective technique for bruise age determination.

  13. Burnout Syndrome Profiles among Teachers (Perfiles del Síndrome de Burnout entre Profesores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheila Gonçalves Câmara

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Burnout Syndrome (BS is a psychological reaction related to chronic occupational stress, both interpersonal and emotional. This study assessed three discriminant profiles of BS in teachers according to psychosocial factors. Profile 1 represents teachers with or without BS; Profile 2 represents teachers with BS or without BS in reference to the dimension guilt; and Profile 3 represents Profile 1 and Profile 2. The sample comprised 679 Brazilian primary school teachers. The instruments used were: sociodemographic data questionnaire; Spanish Burnout Inventory; and Battery of Psychosocial Risk Assessment to assess role ambiguity, social support, self-efficacy, autonomy, role conflict, and overload and intention to leave the profession. Differences between the groups were assessed using discriminant analysis. Results show that the variables that compose the discriminant profiles (Profile 1 and Profile 2 were intention to leave the profession, overload, role conflict, and role ambiguity, with self-efficacy discriminating teachers without BS in Profile 1. Profiles 1 and 2 were discriminated by two determinant factors: role conflict, and intention to leave the profession. The results suggest a need for interventions on psychosocial stressors to prevent burnout.

  14. Computer Profiling Based Model for Investigation

    OpenAIRE

    Neeraj Choudhary; Nikhil Kumar Singh; Parmalik Singh

    2011-01-01

    Computer profiling is used for computer forensic analysis, and proposes and elaborates on a novel model for use in computer profiling, the computer profiling object model. The computer profiling object model is an information model which models a computer as objects with various attributes and inter-relationships. These together provide the information necessary for a human investigator or an automated reasoning engine to make judgments as to the probable usage and evidentiary value of a comp...

  15. Descriptive sensory analysis in different classes of orange juice by a robust free-choice profile method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez Aparicio, Jesús; Toledano Medina, M Angeles; Lafuente Rosales, Victoria

    2007-07-09

    Free-choice profile (FCP), developed in the 1980s, is a sensory analysis method that can be carried out by untrained panels. The participants need only to be able to use a scale and be consumers of the product under evaluation. The data are analysed by sophisticated statistical methodologies like Generalized Procrustean Analysis (GPA) or STATIS. To facilitate a wider use of the free-choice profiling procedure, different authors have advocated simpler methods based on principal components analysis (PCA) of merged data sets. The purpose of this work was to apply another easy procedure to this type of data by means of a robust PCA. The most important characteristic of the proposed method is that quality responsible managers could use this methodology without any scale evaluation. Only the free terms generated by the assessors are necessary to apply the script, thus avoiding the error associated with scale utilization by inexpert assessors. Also, it is possible to use the application with missing data and with differences in the assessors' attendance at sessions. An example was performed to generate the descriptors from different orange juice types. The results were compared with the STATIS method and with the PCA on the merged data sets. The samples evaluated were fresh orange juices with differences in storage days and pasteurized, concentrated and orange nectar drinks from different brands. Eighteen assessors with a low-level training program were used in a six-session free-choice profile framework. The results proved that this script could be of use in marketing decisions and product quality program development.

  16. Genomic outlier profile analysis: mixture models, null hypotheses, and nonparametric estimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Debashis; Chinnaiyan, Arul M

    2009-01-01

    In most analyses of large-scale genomic data sets, differential expression analysis is typically assessed by testing for differences in the mean of the distributions between 2 groups. A recent finding by Tomlins and others (2005) is of a different type of pattern of differential expression in which a fraction of samples in one group have overexpression relative to samples in the other group. In this work, we describe a general mixture model framework for the assessment of this type of expression, called outlier profile analysis. We start by considering the single-gene situation and establishing results on identifiability. We propose 2 nonparametric estimation procedures that have natural links to familiar multiple testing procedures. We then develop multivariate extensions of this methodology to handle genome-wide measurements. The proposed methodologies are compared using simulation studies as well as data from a prostate cancer gene expression study.

  17. Latent profile analysis and comorbidity in a sample of individuals with compulsive buying disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Astrid; Mitchell, James E; Black, Donald W; Crosby, Ross D; Berg, Kelly; de Zwaan, Martina

    2010-07-30

    The aims of this study were to perform a latent profile analysis in a sample of individuals with compulsive buying, to explore the psychiatric comorbidity, and to examine whether or not more severe compulsive buying is associated with greater comorbidity. Compulsive buying measures and SCID data obtained from 171 patients with compulsive buying behavior who had participated in treatment trials at different clinical centers in the U.S. and Germany were analyzed. Latent profile analysis produced two clusters. Overall, cluster 2, included subjects with more severe compulsive buying, and was characterized by higher lifetime as well as current prevalence rates for Axis I and impulse control disorders. Nearly 90% of the total sample reported at least one lifetime Axis I diagnosis, particularly mood (74%) and anxiety (57%) disorders. Twenty-one percent had a comorbid impulse control disorder, most commonly intermittent explosive disorder (11%). Half of the sample presented with at least one current Axis I disorder, most commonly anxiety disorders (44%). Given the substantial psychiatric comorbidity, it is reasonable to question whether or not compulsive buying represents a distinct psychiatric entity vs. an epiphenomenon of other psychiatric disorders. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A latent profile analysis of Asian American men's and women's adherence to cultural values.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Y Joel; Nguyen, Chi P; Wang, Shu-Yi; Chen, Weilin; Steinfeldt, Jesse A; Kim, Bryan S K

    2012-07-01

    The goal of this study was to identify diverse profiles of Asian American women's and men's adherence to values that are salient in Asian cultures (i.e., conformity to norms, family recognition through achievement, emotional self-control, collectivism, and humility). To this end, the authors conducted a latent profile analysis using the 5 subscales of the Asian American Values Scale-Multidimensional in a sample of 214 Asian Americans. The analysis uncovered a four-cluster solution. In general, Clusters 1 and 2 were characterized by relatively low and moderate levels of adherence to the 5 dimensions of cultural values, respectively. Cluster 3 was characterized by the highest level of adherence to the cultural value of family recognition through achievement, whereas Cluster 4 was typified by the highest levels of adherence to collectivism, emotional self-control, and humility. Clusters 3 and 4 were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms than Cluster 1. Furthermore, Asian American women and Asian American men had lower odds of being in Cluster 4 and Cluster 3, respectively. These findings attest to the importance of identifying specific patterns of adherence to cultural values when examining the relationship between Asian Americans' cultural orientation and mental health status.

  19. Characterisation of Supra- and Infratentorial ICP Profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moyse, Emmanuel; Ros, Maxime; Marhar, Fouad; Swider, Pascal; Schmidt, Eric Albert

    2016-01-01

    In pathophysiology and clinical practice, the intracranial pressure (ICP) profiles in the supratentorial and infratentorial compartments are unclear. We know that the pressure within the skull is unevenly distributed, with demonstrated ICP gradients. We recorded and characterised the supra- and infratentorial ICP patterns to understand what drives the transtentorial ICP gradient.A 70-year-old man was operated on for acute cerebellar infarction. One supratentorial probe and one cerebellar probe were implanted. Both signals were recorded concurrently and analysed off-line. We calculated mean ICP, ICP pulse amplitude, respiratory waves, slow waves and the RAP index of supra- and infratentorial ICP signals. Then, we measured transtentorial difference and performed correlation analysis for every index.Supratentorial ICP mean was 8.5 mmHg lower than infratentorial ICP, but the difference lessens for higher values. Both signals across the tentorium showed close correlation. Supra- and infratentorial pulse amplitude, respiratory waves and slow waves also showed a high degree of correlation. The compensatory reserve (RAP) showed good correlation. In this case report, we demonstrate that the mean value of ICP is higher in the posterior fossa, with a strong correlation across the tentorium. All other ICP-derived parameters display a symmetrical profile.

  20. Molecular profiling identifies prognostic markers of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Shao, Jinchen; Zhu, Lei; Zhao, Ruiying; Xing, Jie; Wang, Jun; Guo, Xiaohui; Tu, Shichun; Han, Baohui; Yu, Keke

    2017-09-26

    We previously showed that different pathologic subtypes were associated with different prognostic values in patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma (AC). We hypothesize that differential gene expression profiles of different subtypes may be valuable factors for prognosis in stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. We performed microarray gene expression profiling on tumor tissues micro-dissected from patients with acinar and solid predominant subtypes of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. These patients had undergone a lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection at the Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai, China in 2012. No patient had preoperative treatment. We performed the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analysis to look for gene expression signatures associated with tumor subtypes. The histologic subtypes of all patients were classified according to the 2015 WHO lung Adenocarcinoma classification. We found that patients with the solid predominant subtype are enriched for genes involved in RNA polymerase activity as well as inactivation of the p53 pathway. Further, we identified a list of genes that may serve as prognostic markers for stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. Validation in the TCGA database shows that these genes are correlated with survival, suggesting that they are novel prognostic factors for stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, we have uncovered novel prognostic factors for stage IA lung adenocarcinoma using gene expression profiling in combination with histopathology subtyping.

  1. Effect of longitudinal profile on the seismic anaysis of concrete gravity dams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Nady, A.; Ghobarah, A.; Aziz, T.S.

    1992-01-01

    The traditional three-dimensional analysis of concrete gravity dams is expensive and very difficult. An alternate approach is to divide the dam into substructures. Each monolith is considered as a substructure and its degrees of freedom are reduced to those on the contact surfaces with the adjacent monoliths as well as a few Ritz vectors. Using this procedure high accuracy was achieved using a reasonable number of degrees of freedom. The analysis is carried out in the frequency domain to account for the frequency dependent parameters in the reservoir substructure. The procedure was tested and compared to typical three-dimensional analysis and was found to give high accuracy. A simplified cross section of gravity dams with different longitudinal profiles was studied using the substructuring procedure as well as a typical two-dimensional analysis. The results obtained show a significant variation in dynamic properties of the dam from that calculated assuming two-dimensional analysis. Furthermore, the response of the dam varies significantly when including the effect of longitudinal profile of the structure. It is concluded that the two-dimensional representation of the structure may substantially overestimate the response of the dam, depending on its longitudinal profile, especially when keyed joints are used in the construction. 13 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

  2. A multi-model analysis of vertical ozone profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. E. Jonson

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available A multi-model study of the long-range transport of ozone and its precursors from major anthropogenic source regions was coordinated by the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (TF HTAP under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP. Vertical profiles of ozone at 12-h intervals from 2001 are available from twelve of the models contributing to this study and are compared here with observed profiles from ozonesondes. The contributions from each major source region are analysed for selected sondes, and this analysis is supplemented by retroplume calculations using the FLEXPART Lagrangian particle dispersion model to provide insight into the origin of ozone transport events and the cause of differences between the models and observations.

    In the boundary layer ozone levels are in general strongly affected by regional sources and sinks. With a considerably longer lifetime in the free troposphere, ozone here is to a much larger extent affected by processes on a larger scale such as intercontinental transport and exchange with the stratosphere. Such individual events are difficult to trace over several days or weeks of transport. This may explain why statistical relationships between models and ozonesonde measurements are far less satisfactory than shown in previous studies for surface measurements at all seasons. The lowest bias between model-calculated ozone profiles and the ozonesonde measurements is seen in the winter and autumn months. Following the increase in photochemical activity in the spring and summer months, the spread in model results increases, and the agreement between ozonesonde measurements and the individual models deteriorates further.

    At selected sites calculated contributions to ozone levels in the free troposphere from intercontinental transport are shown. Intercontinental transport is identified based on differences in model calculations with unperturbed emissions and

  3. Cumulative socioeconomic status risk, allostatic load, and adjustment: a prospective latent profile analysis with contextual and genetic protective factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brody, Gene H; Yu, Tianyi; Chen, Yi-fu; Kogan, Steven M; Evans, Gary W; Beach, Steven R H; Windle, Michael; Simons, Ronald L; Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X; Philibert, Robert A

    2013-05-01

    The health disparities literature has identified a common pattern among middle-aged African Americans that includes high rates of chronic disease along with low rates of psychiatric disorders despite exposure to high levels of cumulative socioeconomic status (SES) risk. The current study was designed to test hypotheses about the developmental precursors to this pattern. Hypotheses were tested with a representative sample of 443 African American youths living in the rural South. Cumulative SES risk and protective processes were assessed at ages 11-13 years; psychological adjustment was assessed at ages 14-18 years; genotyping at the 5-HTTLPR was conducted at age 16 years; and allostatic load (AL) was assessed at age 19 years. A latent profile analysis identified 5 profiles that evinced distinct patterns of SES risk, AL, and psychological adjustment, with 2 relatively large profiles designated as focal profiles: a physical health vulnerability profile characterized by high SES risk/high AL/low adjustment problems, and a resilient profile characterized by high SES risk/low AL/low adjustment problems. The physical health vulnerability profile mirrored the pattern found in the adult health disparities literature. Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that carrying an s allele at the 5-HTTLPR and receiving less peer support distinguished the physical health vulnerability profile from the resilient profile. Protective parenting and planful self-regulation distinguished both focal profiles from the other 3 profiles. The results suggest the public health importance of preventive interventions that enhance coping and reduce the effects of stress across childhood and adolescence.

  4. PROFIL VEGETASI PEKARANGAN DI DESA JABON MEKAR, KECAMATAN PARUNG, BOGOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budi Prasetyo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Jabon Mekar village is well-known by people as the central of fruit producing at subdistrict of Parung. However it was estimated as a buffer zone of Jakarta and subject of the urban development. The aim of the research is to study the vegetation profile and the tree of model architecture at home-garden of community in the village of Jabon Mekar. The methods used for vegetation analysis were the quadrate method and the vegetation profile architecture method. The result of the vegetation profile at home-garden research shows that according to their formation of canopy coat, there were five stratums. Based on the vertical and horizontal of profile diagram, the dominant species of plants is Gnetum gnemon, with Fagerlind model of architecture; and the co-dominant species of plants is Musa sp., with Tomlinson model of architecture. The domination of these two trees of architecture models will give a limited chance of having an erotion process at the home-garden society.

  5. Deprivation profile in Cameroon: A combined analysis of Poverty and Social Exclusion

    OpenAIRE

    Miamo Wendji, Clovis

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we analyze the privations welfare in Cameroon considering poverty and social exclusion. The framework provided by the capability approach and construction of indicators of poverty and social exclusion by the fuzzy method from ECAM III survey data shows that the overall level of poverty and social exclusion (respectively 0.4008 and 0.2291), are still very high. The definition of two-dimensional profile of welfare deprivation reveals that the determinants of deprivation are diffe...

  6. X-ray diffraction line profile analysis for defect study in Zr–2⋅5% Nb ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    The microstructure characterization by X-ray line profile analysis is possible for determination of ... breadth method also gives the coherent domain size, dislocation density and micro-strain present in .... currently used for pressure tubes, has replaced Zircaloy-2 ..... the data on σ0, σNb, m, α, G, and b available in the litera-.

  7. Student profiling on university co-curricular activities using cluster analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajenthran, Hemabegai A./P.; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd; Jamil, Jastini Mohd.

    2017-11-01

    In higher learning institutions, the co-curricular programs are needed for the graduation besides the standard academic programs. By actively participating in co-curricular, students can attain many of soft skills and proficiencies besides learning and adopting campus environment, community and traditions. Co-curricular activities are implemented by universities mainly for the refinement of the academic achievement along with the social development. This studies aimed to analyse the academic profile of the co-curricular students among uniform units. The main objective of study is to develop a profile of student co-curricular activities in uniform units. Additionally, several variables has been selected to serve as the characteristics for student co-curricular profile. The findings of this study demonstrate the practicality of clustering technique to investigate student's profiles and allow for a better understanding of student's behavior and co-curriculum activities.

  8. Analysis of the functional aspects and seminal plasma proteomic profile of sperm from smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniassi, Mariana Pereira; Intasqui, Paula; Camargo, Mariana; Zylbersztejn, Daniel Suslik; Carvalho, Valdemir Melechco; Cardozo, Karina H M; Bertolla, Ricardo Pimenta

    2016-11-01

    To evaluate the effect of smoking on sperm functional quality and seminal plasma proteomic profile. Sperm functional tests were performed in 20 non-smoking men with normal semen quality, according to the World Health Organization (2010) and in 20 smoking patients. These included: evaluation of DNA fragmentation by alkaline Comet assay; analysis of mitochondrial activity using DAB staining; and acrosomal integrity evaluation by PNA binding. The remaining semen was centrifuged and seminal plasma was used for proteomic analysis (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). The quantified proteins were used for Venn diagram construction in Cytoscape 3.2.1 software, using the PINA4MS plug-in. Then, differentially expressed proteins were used for functional enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology categories, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Reactome, using Cytoscape software and the ClueGO 2.2.0 plug-in. Smokers had a higher percentage of sperm DNA damage (Comet classes III and IV; P analysis, 422 proteins were identified and quantified, of which one protein was absent, 27 proteins were under-represented and six proteins were over-represented in smokers. Functional enrichment analysis showed the enrichment of antigen processing and presentation, positive regulation of prostaglandin secretion involved in immune response, protein kinase A signalling and arachidonic acid secretion, complement activation, regulation of the cytokine-mediated signalling pathway and regulation of acute inflammatory response in the study group (smokers). In conclusion, cigarette smoking was associated with an inflammatory state in the accessory glands and in the testis, as shown by enriched proteomic pathways. This state causes an alteration in sperm functional quality, which is characterized by decreased acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity, as well as by increased nuclear DNA fragmentation. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John

  9. Shear wave profiles from surface wave inversion: the impact of uncertainty on seismic site response analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boaga, J; Vignoli, G; Cassiani, G

    2011-01-01

    Inversion is a critical step in all geophysical techniques, and is generally fraught with ill-posedness. In the case of seismic surface wave studies, the inverse problem can lead to different equivalent subsoil models and consequently to different local seismic response analyses. This can have a large impact on an earthquake engineering design. In this paper, we discuss the consequences of non-uniqueness of surface wave inversion on seismic responses, with both numerical and experimental data. Our goal is to evaluate the consequences on common seismic response analysis in the case of different impedance contrast conditions. We verify the implications of inversion uncertainty, and consequently of data information content, on realistic local site responses. A stochastic process is used to generate a set of 1D shear wave velocity profiles from several specific subsurface models. All these profiles are characterized as being equivalent, i.e. their responses, in terms of a dispersion curve, are compatible with the uncertainty in the same surface wave data. The generated 1D shear velocity models are then subjected to a conventional one-dimensional seismic ground response analysis using a realistic input motion. While recent analyses claim that the consequences of surface wave inversion uncertainties are very limited, our test points out that a relationship exists between inversion confidence and seismic responses in different subsoils. In the case of regular and relatively smooth increase of shear wave velocities with depth, as is usual in sedimentary plains, our results show that the choice of a specific model among equivalent solutions strongly influences the seismic response. On the other hand, when the shallow subsoil is characterized by a strong impedance contrast (thus revealing a characteristic soil resonance period), as is common in the presence of a shallow bedrock, equivalent solutions provide practically the same seismic amplification, especially in the

  10. HRR Profiling on Integrated Radar-Communication Systems Using OFDM-PCSF Signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuanxuan Tian

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to improve both the transmission data rate and the range resolution simultaneously in integrated radar-communication (RadCom systems, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing with phase-coded and stepped-frequency (OFDM-PCSF waveform is proposed. A corresponding high resolution range (HRR profile generation method is also presented. We first perform OFDM-PCSF waveform design by combining the intrapulse phase coding with the interpulse stepped-frequency modulation. We then give the ambiguity function (AF based on the presented waveforms. Then, the synthetic range profile (SRP processing to achieve HRR performance is analyzed. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the proposed methods can achieve HRR profiles of the targets and high data rate transmissions, while a relative low computational complexity can be achieved.

  11. Source Attribution of Cyanides using Anionic Impurity Profiling, Stable Isotope Ratios, Trace Elemental Analysis and Chemometrics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirjankar, Nikhil S.; Fraga, Carlos G.; Carman, April J.; Moran, James J.

    2016-01-08

    Chemical attribution signatures (CAS) for chemical threat agents (CTAs) are being investigated to provide an evidentiary link between CTAs and specific sources to support criminal investigations and prosecutions. In a previous study, anionic impurity profiles developed using high performance ion chromatography (HPIC) were demonstrated as CAS for matching samples from eight potassium cyanide (KCN) stocks to their reported countries of origin. Herein, a larger number of solid KCN stocks (n = 13) and, for the first time, solid sodium cyanide (NaCN) stocks (n = 15) were examined to determine what additional sourcing information can be obtained through anion, carbon stable isotope, and elemental analyses of cyanide stocks by HPIC, isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), respectively. The HPIC anion data was evaluated using the variable selection methods of Fisher-ratio (F-ratio), interval partial least squares (iPLS), and genetic algorithm-based partial least squares (GAPLS) and the classification methods of partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLSDA), K nearest neighbors (KNN), and support vector machines discriminate analysis (SVMDA). In summary, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of anion impurity profiles from multiple cyanide stocks from six reported country of origins resulted in cyanide samples clustering into three groups: Czech Republic, Germany, and United States, independent of the associated alkali metal (K or Na). The three country groups were independently corroborated by HCA of cyanide elemental profiles and corresponded to countries with known solid cyanide factories. Both the anion and elemental CAS are believed to originate from the aqueous alkali hydroxides used in cyanide manufacture. Carbon stable isotope measurements resulted in two clusters: Germany and United States (the single Czech stock grouped with United States stocks). The carbon isotope CAS is believed to

  12. Students' Perceptions of Motivational Climate and Enjoyment in Finnish Physical Education: A Latent Profile Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaakkola, Timo; Wang, C K John; Soini, Markus; Liukkonen, Jarmo

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify student clusters with homogenous profiles in perceptions of task- and ego-involving, autonomy, and social relatedness supporting motivational climate in school physical education. Additionally, we investigated whether different motivational climate groups differed in their enjoyment in PE. Participants of the study were 2 594 girls and 1 803 boys, aged 14-15 years. Students responded to questionnaires assessing their perception of motivational climate and enjoyment in physical education. Latent profile analyses produced a five-cluster solution labeled 1) 'low autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group', 2) 'low autonomy, relatedness, and high task and ego climate, 3) 'moderate autonomy, relatedness, task and ego climate' group 4) 'high autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group, and 5) 'high relatedness and task but moderate autonomy and ego climate' group. Analyses of variance showed that students in clusters 4 and 5 perceived the highest level of enjoyment whereas students in cluster 1 experienced the lowest level of enjoyment. The results showed that the students' perceptions of various motivational climates created differential levels of enjoyment in PE classes. Key pointsLatent profile analyses produced a five-cluster solution labeled 1) 'low autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group', 2) 'low autonomy, relatedness, and high task and ego climate, 3) 'moderate autonomy, relatedness, task and ego climate' group 4) 'high autonomy, relatedness, task, and moderate ego climate' group, and 5) 'high relatedness and task but moderate autonomy and ego climate' group.Analyses of variance showed that clusters 4 and 5 perceived the highest level of enjoyment whereas cluster 1 experienced the lowest level of enjoyment. The results showed that the students' perceptions of motivational climate create differential levels of enjoyment in PE classes.

  13. MicroRNA profiling of primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphomas.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lianne Koens

    Full Text Available Aberrant expression of microRNAs is widely accepted to be pathogenetically involved in nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs. However, the microRNAs profiles of primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphomas (PCLBCLs are not yet described. Its two main subtypes, i.e., primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL-LT and primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma (PCFCL are characterized by an activated B-cell (ABC-genotype and a germinal center B-cell (GCB-genotype, respectively. We performed high-throughput sequencing analysis on frozen tumor biopsies from 19 cases of PCFCL and PCLBCL-LT to establish microRNA profiles. Cluster analysis of the complete microRNome could not distinguish between the two subtypes, but 16 single microRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. Single microRNA RT-qPCR was conducted on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor biopsies of 20 additional cases, confirming higher expression of miR-9-5p, miR-31-5p, miR-129-2-3p and miR-214-3p in PCFCL as compared to PCLBCL-LT. MicroRNAs previously described to be higher expressed in ABC-type as compared to GCB-type nodal DLBCL were not differentially expressed between PCFCL and PCLBCL-LT. In conclusion, PCFCL and PCLBCL-LT differ in their microRNA profiles. In contrast to their gene expression profile, they only show slight resemblance with the microRNA profiles found in GCB- and ABC-type nodal DLBCL.

  14. Effect of Cassia hirsuta (L) extract on DNA profile of some ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The effect of ethanol extract of leaf of Cassia hirsute (L) on the DNA profile of some selected pathogenic microorganisms were investigated using PCR-RAPD analysis to generate DNA fingerprint. The change in molecular configuration of organisms with and without extract shows a wide disparity between the sensitive and ...

  15. Efficient analysis of mode profiles in elliptical microcavity using dynamic-thermal electron-quantum medium FDTD method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoo, E H; Ahmed, I; Goh, R S M; Lee, K H; Hung, T G G; Li, E P

    2013-03-11

    The dynamic-thermal electron-quantum medium finite-difference time-domain (DTEQM-FDTD) method is used for efficient analysis of mode profile in elliptical microcavity. The resonance peak of the elliptical microcavity is studied by varying the length ratio. It is observed that at some length ratios, cavity mode is excited instead of whispering gallery mode. This depicts that mode profiles are length ratio dependent. Through the implementation of the DTEQM-FDTD on graphic processing unit (GPU), the simulation time is reduced by 300 times as compared to the CPU. This leads to an efficient optimization approach to design microcavity lasers for wide range of applications in photonic integrated circuits.

  16. Web Log Pre-processing and Analysis for Generation of Learning Profiles in Adaptive E-learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radhika M. Pai

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Adaptive E-learning Systems (AESs enhance the efficiency of online courses in education by providing personalized contents and user interfaces that changes according to learner’s requirements and usage patterns. This paper presents the approach to generate learning profile of each learner which helps to identify the learning styles and provide Adaptive User Interface which includes adaptive learning components and learning material. The proposed method analyzes the captured web usage data to identify the learning profile of the learners. The learning profiles are identified by an algorithmic approach that is based on the frequency of accessing the materials and the time spent on the various learning components on the portal. The captured log data is pre-processed and converted into standard XML format to generate learners sequence data corresponding to the different sessions and time spent. The learning style model adopted in this approach is Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM. This paper also presents the analysis of learner’s activities, preprocessed XML files and generated sequences.

  17. Web Log Pre-processing and Analysis for Generation of Learning Profiles in Adaptive E-learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radhika M. Pai

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Adaptive E-learning Systems (AESs enhance the efficiency of online courses in education by providing personalized contents and user interfaces that changes according to learner’s requirements and usage patterns. This paper presents the approach to generate learning profile of each learner which helps to identify the learning styles and provide Adaptive User Interface which includes adaptive learning components and learning material. The proposed method analyzes the captured web usage data to identify the learning profile of the learners. The learning profiles are identified by an algorithmic approach that is based on the frequency of accessing the materials and the time spent on the various learning components on the portal. The captured log data is pre-processed and converted into standard XML format to generate learners sequence data corresponding to the different sessions and time spent. The learning style model adopted in this approach is Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM. This paper also presents the analysis of learner’s activities, preprocessed XML files and generated sequences.

  18. Digital Gene Expression Profiling Analysis of Aged Mice under Moxibustion Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nan Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Aging is closely connected with death, progressive physiological decline, and increased risk of diseases, such as cancer, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, hypertension, and neurodegenerative diseases. It is reported that moxibustion can treat more than 300 kinds of diseases including aging related problems and can improve immune function and physiological functions. The digital gene expression profiling of aged mice with or without moxibustion treatment was investigated and the mechanisms of moxibustion in aged mice were speculated by gene ontology and pathway analysis in the study. Almost 145 million raw reads were obtained by digital gene expression analysis and about 140 million (96.55% were clean reads. Five differentially expressed genes with an adjusted P value 1 were identified between the control and moxibustion groups. They were Gm6563, Gm8116, Rps26-ps1, Nat8f4, and Igkv3-12. Gene ontology analysis was carried out by the GOseq R package and functional annotations of the differentially expressed genes related to translation, mRNA export from nucleus, mRNA transport, nuclear body, acetyltransferase activity, and so on. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database was used for pathway analysis and ribosome was the most significantly enriched pathway term.

  19. Numerical and experimental depth profile analyses of coated and attached layers by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ardakani, H. Afkhami [Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G. C., Evin, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tavassoli, S.H., E-mail: h-tavassoli@sbu.ac.i [Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G. C., Evin, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2010-03-15

    Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is applied for depth profile analysis of different thicknesses of copper foils attached on steel and aluminum substrates. In order to account interfacial effects, depth profile analysis of copper coated on steel is also carried out. Experiments are done at ambient air and at two different wavelengths of 266 and 1064 nm of a Nd:YAG laser with pulse durations of 5 ns. A three-dimensional model of multi-pulse laser ablation is introduced on the base of normal evaporation mechanism and the simulation results are compared with the experiments. A normalized concentration (C{sup N}) is introduced for determination of interface position and results are compared with the usually used normalized intensity (I{sup N}). The effect of coating thickness on average ablation rate and resolution of depth profiling are examined. There is a correlation coefficient higher than 0.95 between the model and experimental depth profiles based on the C{sup N} method. Depth profile analysis on the base of C{sup N} method shows a better depth resolution in comparison with I{sup N} method .Increase in the layer thickness, leads to a decrease in the ablation rate.

  20. Measurement of temporal asymmetries of glucose consumption using linear profiles: reproducibility and comparison with visual analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matheja, P.; Kuwert, T.; Schaefers, M.; Schaefers, K.; Schober, O.; Diehl, B.; Stodieck, S.R.G.; Ringelstein, E.B.; Schuierer, G.

    1998-01-01

    The aim of our study was to test the reproducibility of this method and to compare its diagnostic performance to that of visual analysis in patients with complex partial seizures (CPS). Regional cerebral glucose consumption (rCMRGLc) was measured interictally in 25 CPS patients and 10 controls using F-18-deoxyglucose and the positron emission tomography (PET) camera ECAT EXACT 47. The PET scans were visually analyzed for the occurrence of unilateral temporal hypometabolism. Furthermore, rCMRGLc was quantified on six contiguous coronal planes by manually tracing maximal values of temporal glucose consumption, thus creating line profiles of temporal glucose consumption for each side. Indices of asymmetry (ASY) were then calculated from these line profiles in four temporal regions and compared to the corresponding 95% confidence intervals of the control data. All analyses were performed by two observers independently from each other and without knowledge of the clinical findings. The agreement between the two observers with regard to focus lateralization was 96% on visual analysis and 100% on quantitative analysis. There was an excellent agreement with regard to focus lateralization between visual and quantitative evaluation. (orig.) [de

  1. Visualizing nD Point Clouds as Topological Landscape Profiles to Guide Local Data Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oesterling, Patrick [Univ. of Leipzig (Germany). Computer Science Dept.; Heine, Christian [Univ. of Leipzig (Germany). Computer Science Dept.; Federal Inst. of Technology (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland). Dept. of Computer Science; Weber, Gunther H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Computational Research Division; Scheuermann, Gerik [Univ. of Leipzig (Germany). Computer Science Dept.

    2012-05-04

    Analyzing high-dimensional point clouds is a classical challenge in visual analytics. Traditional techniques, such as projections or axis-based techniques, suffer from projection artifacts, occlusion, and visual complexity.We propose to split data analysis into two parts to address these shortcomings. First, a structural overview phase abstracts data by its density distribution. This phase performs topological analysis to support accurate and non-overlapping presentation of the high-dimensional cluster structure as a topological landscape profile. Utilizing a landscape metaphor, it presents clusters and their nesting as hills whose height, width, and shape reflect cluster coherence, size, and stability, respectively. A second local analysis phase utilizes this global structural knowledge to select individual clusters or point sets for further, localized data analysis. Focusing on structural entities significantly reduces visual clutter in established geometric visualizations and permits a clearer, more thorough data analysis. In conclusion, this analysis complements the global topological perspective and enables the user to study subspaces or geometric properties, such as shape.

  2. X-Ray Pulsar Profile Recovery Based on Tracking-Differentiator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dapeng Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The profile recovery is an important work in X-ray pulsar-based navigation. It is a key step for the analysis on the pulsar signal’s characteristic and the computing of time of arrival (TOA. This paper makes an argument for an algorithm based on the tracking-differentiator (TD to recover the profile from the low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR signals. In the method, a TD filter with cascade structure is designed which has very low phase delay and amplitude distortion. In the simulation experiment, two typical pulsars (PSR B0531+21 and PSR B1937+21 are used to verify the algorithm’s performance. The simulation results show that the method satisfies the application requirements in the aspects of SNR and profile fidelity. By processing the data collected by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE satellite in space, similar results can also be achieved.

  3. Chemometric approach to texture profile analysis of kombucha fermented milk products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malbaša, Radomir; Jevrić, Lidija; Lončar, Eva; Vitas, Jasmina; Podunavac-Kuzmanović, Sanja; Milanović, Spasenija; Kovačević, Strahinja

    2015-09-01

    In the present work, relationships between the textural characteristics of fermented milk products obtained by kombucha inoculums with various teas were investigated by using chemometric analysis. The presented data which describe numerically the textural characteristics (firmness, consistency, cohesiveness and index of viscosity) were analysed. The quadratic correlation was determined between the textural characteristics of fermented milk products obtained at fermentation temperatures of 40 and 43 °C, using milk with 0.8, 1.6 and 2.8% milk fat and kombucha inoculums cultivated on the extracts of peppermint, stinging nettle, wild thyme and winter savory. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed to identify the similarities among the fermented products. The best mathematical models predicting the textural characteristics of investigated samples were developed. The results of this study indicate that textural characteristics of sample based on winter savory have a significant effect on textural characteristics of samples based on peppermint, stinging nettle and wild thyme, which can be very useful in the determination of products texture profile.

  4. Profile and Risk Factor Analysis of Unintentional Injuries in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhamkar, Rahul; Seth, Bageshree; Setia, Maninder Singh

    2016-10-01

    To study the profile and various risk factors associated with unintentional injuries in children. The study is a cross sectional analysis of data collected from 351 children presenting with unintentional injury to a tertiary care hospital in Navi Mumbai, India. Data were collected about variables based on Haddon Phase Factor Matrix - host, environment and agent factors. Proportions for categorical variables across various groups were compared using Chi square test or Fisher's exact test. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate the factors. Falls (36 %) were the most common injuries followed by bites (23 %). Majority of children were school going children (38 %) followed by preschool children (29 %). Forty-seven percent were from lower socioeconomic class. Commonest place of injury was home (48 %) and the commonest time was evening (49 %). Though there was male predominance in injuries, the difference across gender did not vary significantly (p = 0.15). Poisonings were significantly more common in infants and toddlers and in rural population (p risk of bites compared to urban (p Profile of injuries varies widely as per the variations in agent, host and environmental factors. Socio-environmental, economic conditions and infancy-toddler age groups are predisposing risk factors for bites and poisoning. Although rural areas and lower socioeconomic class population are more vulnerable to serious types of injuries, they still lack essential basic medical care.

  5. CP-ABE Based Privacy-Preserving User Profile Matching in Mobile Social Networks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weirong Cui

    Full Text Available Privacy-preserving profile matching, a challenging task in mobile social networks, is getting more attention in recent years. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme that is based on ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption to tackle this problem. In our scheme, a user can submit a preference-profile and search for users with matching-profile in decentralized mobile social networks. In this process, no participant's profile and the submitted preference-profile is exposed. Meanwhile, a secure communication channel can be established between the pair of successfully matched users. In contrast to existing related schemes which are mainly based on the secure multi-party computation, our scheme can provide verifiability (both the initiator and any unmatched user cannot cheat each other to pretend to be matched, and requires few interactions among users. We provide thorough security analysis and performance evaluation on our scheme, and show its advantages in terms of security, efficiency and usability over state-of-the-art schemes.

  6. CP-ABE Based Privacy-Preserving User Profile Matching in Mobile Social Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Weirong; Du, Chenglie; Chen, Jinchao

    2016-01-01

    Privacy-preserving profile matching, a challenging task in mobile social networks, is getting more attention in recent years. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme that is based on ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption to tackle this problem. In our scheme, a user can submit a preference-profile and search for users with matching-profile in decentralized mobile social networks. In this process, no participant's profile and the submitted preference-profile is exposed. Meanwhile, a secure communication channel can be established between the pair of successfully matched users. In contrast to existing related schemes which are mainly based on the secure multi-party computation, our scheme can provide verifiability (both the initiator and any unmatched user cannot cheat each other to pretend to be matched), and requires few interactions among users. We provide thorough security analysis and performance evaluation on our scheme, and show its advantages in terms of security, efficiency and usability over state-of-the-art schemes.

  7. BEAP profiles as rapid test system for status analysis and early detection of process incidents in biogas plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Refai, Sarah; Berger, Stefanie; Wassmann, Kati; Hecht, Melanie; Dickhaus, Thomas; Deppenmeier, Uwe

    2017-03-01

    A method was developed to quantify the performance of microorganisms involved in different digestion levels in biogas plants. The test system was based on the addition of butyrate (BCON), ethanol (ECON), acetate (ACON) or propionate (PCON) to biogas sludge samples and the subsequent analysis of CH 4 formation in comparison to control samples. The combination of the four values was referred to as BEAP profile. Determination of BEAP profiles enabled rapid testing of a biogas plant's metabolic state within 24 h and an accurate mapping of all degradation levels in a lab-scale experimental setup. Furthermore, it was possible to distinguish between specific BEAP profiles for standard biogas plants and for biogas reactors with process incidents (beginning of NH 4 + -N inhibition, start of acidification, insufficient hydrolysis and potential mycotoxin effects). Finally, BEAP profiles also functioned as a warning system for the early prediction of critical NH 4 + -N concentrations leading to a drop of CH 4 formation.

  8. Numerical analysis of the optimal length and profile of a linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating for dispersion compensation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thibault, S; Lauzon, J; Cliche, J F; Martin, J; Duguay, M A; Têtu, M

    1995-03-15

    We propose a theoretical investigation of the length and coupling profile of a linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating for maximum dispersion compensation in a repeaterless optical communication system. The system consists of 100 km of standard optical fiber in which a 1550-nm signal, directly modulated at 2.5 Gbits/s, is launched. We discuss the results obtained with 6-, 4.33-, and 1-cm-long linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings having Gaussian and uniform coupling profiles. We numerically show that a 4.33-cm-long chirped fiber Bragg grating having a uniform coupling profile is capable of compensating efficiently for the dispersion of our optical communication system.

  9. Global oil company profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    Global Oil Company Profiles provides a comprehensive review of 50 of the top oil companies in the world. Each chapter is devoted to an individual company, providing an invaluable insight into the organisation, its structure and operations. Using the most recent data available, the report offers an up-to-date analysis of performance and future direction, as well as a unique benchmarking system for each company profiled. (author)

  10. A measurement system for vertical seawater profiles close to the air-sea interface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims, Richard P.; Schuster, Ute; Watson, Andrew J.; Yang, Ming Xi; Hopkins, Frances E.; Stephens, John; Bell, Thomas G.

    2017-09-01

    This paper describes a near-surface ocean profiler, which has been designed to precisely measure vertical gradients in the top 10 m of the ocean. Variations in the depth of seawater collection are minimized when using the profiler compared to conventional CTD/rosette deployments. The profiler consists of a remotely operated winch mounted on a tethered yet free-floating buoy, which is used to raise and lower a small frame housing sensors and inlet tubing. Seawater at the inlet depth is pumped back to the ship for analysis. The profiler can be used to make continuous vertical profiles or to target a series of discrete depths. The profiler has been successfully deployed during wind speeds up to 10 m s-1 and significant wave heights up to 2 m. We demonstrate the potential of the profiler by presenting measured vertical profiles of the trace gases carbon dioxide and dimethylsulfide. Trace gas measurements use an efficient microporous membrane equilibrator to minimize the system response time. The example profiles show vertical gradients in the upper 5 m for temperature, carbon dioxide and dimethylsulfide of 0.15 °C, 4 µatm and 0.4 nM respectively.

  11. Automation of aggregate characterization using laser profiling and digital image analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyoungkwan

    2002-08-01

    technologies. Finally, in order to provide a generalized, quantitative, and representative way to characterize aggregate particles, 3D particle descriptors are developed using the multi-resolution analysis feature of wavelet transforms. Verification tests show that this approach could characterize various aggregate properties in a fast, accurate, and reliable way. When implemented, this ability to automatically analyze multiple characteristics of an aggregate sample is expected to provide not only economic but also intangible strategic gains.

  12. Interpersonal value profiles and analysis of adolescent academic performance and social thought

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Jesús eGázquez

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this study were to identify interpersonal value profiles and find out whether there were any differences in academic performance and social thinking. The study sample was 885 high school students of whom 49.8% (N=441 were boys and 50.2% (N=444 were girls. The results show that students with low Benevolence and Conformity levels showed higher prevalence of failures and repeated the year more often. Furthermore, students with a high level of Recognition and Leadership and low Conformity and Benevolence are socially incompetent students. Intervention programs should to achieve high levels of kindness and consideration, respect for rules and generosity, and diminish the perception of recognition by others and exertion of authority. Thus, this study shows the values that must be worked on to improve students’ Academic Performance and social competence.

  13. Contribution of Bacillus Isolates to the Flavor Profiles of Vanilla Beans Assessed through Aroma Analysis and Chemometrics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fenglin Gu

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Colonizing Bacillus in vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews beans is involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis and vanillin formation during conventional curing. The flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing were analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic nose, and quantitative sensory analysis. The flavor profiles were analytically compared among the vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, conventional curing, and non-microorganism-assisted curing. Vanilla beans added with Bacillus vanillea XY18 and Bacillus subtilis XY20 contained higher vanillin (3.58% ± 0.05% and 3.48% ± 0.10%, respectively than vanilla beans that underwent non-microorganism-assisted curing and conventional curing (3.09% ± 0.14% and 3.21% ± 0.15%, respectively. Forty-two volatiles were identified from endogenous vanilla metabolism. Five other compounds were identified from exogenous Bacillus metabolism. Electronic nose data confirmed that vanilla flavors produced through the different curing processes were easily distinguished. Quantitative sensory analysis confirmed that Bacillus-assisted curing increased vanillin production without generating any unpleasant sensory attribute. Partial least squares regression further provided a correlation model of different measurements. Overall, we comparatively analyzed the flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, indirectly demonstrated the mechanism of vanilla flavor formation by microbes.

  14. Contribution of Bacillus Isolates to the Flavor Profiles of Vanilla Beans Assessed through Aroma Analysis and Chemometrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Fenglin; Chen, Yonggan; Fang, Yiming; Wu, Guiping; Tan, Lehe

    2015-10-09

    Colonizing Bacillus in vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) beans is involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis and vanillin formation during conventional curing. The flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing were analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic nose, and quantitative sensory analysis. The flavor profiles were analytically compared among the vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, conventional curing, and non-microorganism-assisted curing. Vanilla beans added with Bacillus vanillea XY18 and Bacillus subtilis XY20 contained higher vanillin (3.58%±0.05% and 3.48%±0.10%, respectively) than vanilla beans that underwent non-microorganism-assisted curing and conventional curing (3.09%±0.14% and 3.21%±0.15%, respectively). Forty-two volatiles were identified from endogenous vanilla metabolism. Five other compounds were identified from exogenous Bacillus metabolism. Electronic nose data confirmed that vanilla flavors produced through the different curing processes were easily distinguished. Quantitative sensory analysis confirmed that Bacillus-assisted curing increased vanillin production without generating any unpleasant sensory attribute. Partial least squares regression further provided a correlation model of different measurements. Overall, we comparatively analyzed the flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, indirectly demonstrated the mechanism of vanilla flavor formation by microbes.

  15. Using the profile method for evaluationthe beer quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Bocharova

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The expediency of using the profile method of analysis for assessing the influence of technological factors on the quality of beer has been established. The characteristics for the evaluation of beer quality by the profile method are chosen. The results obtained using the profile method give a more complete picture of the properties of beer than the results of the scoring method. Each of the samples was analyzed and studied. The results of analysis of such criteria as aroma, flavor, appearance and physicochemical parameters are demonstrated on profilograms. Estimation of flavor is the most difficult, since this concept includes a complex sensation of taste, aroma and consistency, determined in the oral cavity. To confirm the organoleptic properties of the «body» of the best sort of beer, rheological analysis data were presented. Such an integrated approach will allow fully studying the properties of a low-alcohol beverage and clearly demonstrating the advantages of a profile method of analysis.

  16. Analysis of lipid profile in lipid storage myopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguennouz, M'hammed; Beccaria, Marco; Purcaro, Giorgia; Oteri, Marianna; Micalizzi, Giuseppe; Musumesci, Olimpia; Ciranni, Annmaria; Di Giorgio, Rosa Maria; Toscano, Antonio; Dugo, Paola; Mondello, Luigi

    2016-09-01

    Lipid dysmetabolism disease is a condition in which lipids are stored abnormally in organs and tissues throughout the body, causing muscle weakness (myopathy). Usually, the diagnosis of this disease and its characterization goes through dosage of Acyl CoA in plasma accompanied with evidence of droplets of intra-fibrils lipids in the patient muscle biopsy. However, to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of lipid storage diseases, it is useful to identify the nature of lipids deposited in muscle fiber. In this work fatty acids and triglycerides profile of lipid accumulated in the muscle of people suffering from myopathies syndromes was characterized. In particular, the analyses were carried out on the muscle biopsy of people afflicted by lipid storage myopathy, such as multiple acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency, and neutral lipid storage disease with myopathy, and by the intramitochondrial lipid storage dysfunctions, such as deficiencies of carnitine palmitoyltransferase II enzyme. A single step extraction and derivatization procedure was applied to analyze fatty acids from muscle tissues by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector and with an electronic impact mass spectrometer. Triglycerides, extracted by using n-hexane, were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface. The most representative fatty acids in all samples were: C16:0 in the 13-24% range, C18:1n9 in the 20-52% range, and C18:2n6 in the 10-25% range. These fatty acids were part of the most representative triglycerides in all samples. The data obtained was statistically elaborated performing a principal component analysis. A satisfactory discrimination was obtained among the different diseases. Using component 1 vs component 3 a 43.3% of total variance was explained. Such results suggest the important role that lipid profile characterization can have in supporting a correct

  17. Improved quantitative analysis of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin films using MCs{sup +}-SIMS depth profiling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jihye; Kim, Seon Hee; Lee, Kang-Bong; Lee, Yeonhee [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Advanced Analysis Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Min, Byoung Koun [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Clean Energy Research Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-06-15

    The chalcopyrite semiconductor, Cu(InGa)Se{sub 2} (CIGS), is popular as an absorber material for incorporation in high-efficiency photovoltaic devices because it has an appropriate band gap and a high absorption coefficient. To improve the efficiency of solar cells, many research groups have studied the quantitative characterization of the CIGS absorber layers. In this study, a compositional analysis of a CIGS thin film was performed by depth profiling in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) with MCs{sup +} (where M denotes an element from the CIGS sample) cluster ion detection, and the relative sensitivity factor of the cluster ion was calculated. The emission of MCs{sup +} ions from CIGS absorber elements, such as Cu, In, Ga, and Se, under Cs{sup +} ion bombardment was investigated using time-of-flight SIMS (TOF-SIMS) and magnetic sector SIMS. The detection of MCs{sup +} ions suppressed the matrix effects of varying concentrations of constituent elements of the CIGS thin films. The atomic concentrations of the CIGS absorber layers from the MCs{sup +}-SIMS exhibited more accurate quantification compared to those of elemental SIMS and agreed with those of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Both TOF-SIMS and magnetic sector SIMS depth profiles showed a similar MCs{sup +} distribution for the CIGS thin films. (orig.)

  18. PROFIL PROTEIN SUSU DAN PRODUK OLAHANNYA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Susanti

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis kadar protein dan profil protein pada beberapa susu (susu kedelai, susu kambing dan olahannya (yogurt, tofu. Kadar protein diukur dengan metode Lowry, sedangkan profil protein dianalisis menggunakan SDS PAGE. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif. Kadar protein tertinggi pada sampel yang dianalisis terdapat pada produk yogurt A (579,5 mg/ml, disusul susu kedelai (289,99 mg/ml dan susu kambing (133,1 mg/ml. Analisis profil protein terlihat pita protein dengan mobilitas terendah sampai tertinggi terletak pada berat molekul 14-150 KDa. Pita protein khas yang hanya dimiliki susu kambing adalah pita 150kDa. Sementara pita protein khas yang hanya dimiliki susu kedelai adalah pita 44 kDa dan 55kDa. Pita protein yang khas hanya dimiliki yogurt A (dengan bakteri Lactobacillus bulgaricus dan Streptococcus thermophillus adalah pita 65Da. Semua jenis susu dan olahannya memiliki pita 70kDa, kecuali susu kedelai. Profil protein susu kedelai dan tofu menunjukkan profil protein yang sangat berbeda, namun keduanya memiliki pita 18kDa.This study aimed to observe protein level and profiles on some milks (soy milk, goat's milk and dairy (yogurt, tofu product. Protein content was observed by Lowry method, whereas the protein profiles were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Data were analyzed descriptively. The highest protein content of the observed sample was in yogurt A products (579,5 mg/ml, followed by soy milk (289,99 mg/ml and goat's milk (133,1 mg/ml. Analysis of protein profiles showed protein bands with lowest to highest mobility lies in the molecular weight of 14-150 KDa. Typical protein band of goat's milk was a 150kDa band. While the typical protein bands of soy milk were 44 kDa and 55kDa band. The typical protein band of yogurt A (with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophillus bacterium was 65Da. All types of milks and dairy had 70kDa band, except for soy milk. Protein

  19. Quantitative analysis of Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP microbial community profiles: peak height data showed to be more reproducible than peak area Análise quantitativa de perfis de T-RFLP de comunidades microbianas: dados de altura de picos mostraram-se mais reprodutíveis do que os de área

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto A. Caffaro-Filho

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP is a culture-independent fingerprinting method for microbial community analysis. Profiles generated by an automated electrophoresis system can be analysed quantitatively using either peak height or peak area data. Statistical testing demontrated that peak height data showed to be more reproducible than peak area data.Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP é um método molecular, independente de cultivo, para análise de comunidades microbianas. Perfis gerados por um sistema automatizado de eletroforese podem ser analisados quantitativamente usando dados de altura ou área dos picos. Os dados de altura mostraram-se mais reprodutíveis do que os de área.

  20. Evaluation of vertical profiles to design continuous descent approach procedure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pradeep, Priyank

    The current research focuses on predictability, variability and operational feasibility aspect of Continuous Descent Approach (CDA), which is among the key concepts of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The idle-thrust CDA is a fuel economical, noise and emission abatement procedure, but requires increased separation to accommodate for variability and uncertainties in vertical and speed profiles of arriving aircraft. Although a considerable amount of researches have been devoted to the estimation of potential benefits of the CDA, only few have attempted to explain the predictability, variability and operational feasibility aspect of CDA. The analytical equations derived using flight dynamics and Base of Aircraft and Data (BADA) Total Energy Model (TEM) in this research gives insight into dependency of vertical profile of CDA on various factors like wind speed and gradient, weight, aircraft type and configuration, thrust settings, atmospheric factors (deviation from ISA (DISA), pressure and density of the air) and descent speed profile. Application of the derived equations to idle-thrust CDA gives an insight into sensitivity of its vertical profile to multiple factors. This suggests fixed geometric flight path angle (FPA) CDA has higher degree of predictability and lesser variability at the cost of non-idle and low thrust engine settings. However, with optimized design this impact can be overall minimized. The CDA simulations were performed using Future ATM Concept Evaluation Tool (FACET) based on radar-track and aircraft type data (BADA) of the real air-traffic to some of the busiest airports in the USA (ATL, SFO and New York Metroplex (JFK, EWR and LGA)). The statistical analysis of the vertical profiles of CDA shows 1) mean geometric FPAs derived from various simulated vertical profiles are consistently shallower than 3° glideslope angle and 2) high level of variability in vertical profiles of idle-thrust CDA even in absence of

  1. MicroRNA profiling in intraocular medulloepitheliomas.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepak P Edward

    Full Text Available To study the differential expression of microRNA (miRNA profiles between intraocular medulloepithelioma (ME and normal control tissue (CT.Total RNA was extracted from formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE intraocular ME (n=7 and from age matched ciliary body controls (n=8. The clinical history and phenotype was recorded. MiRNA profiles were determined using the Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA Arrays analyzed using expression console 1.3 software. Validation of significantly dysregulated miRNA was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. The web-based DNA Intelligent Analysis (DIANA-miRPath v2.0 was used to perform enrichment analysis of differentially expressed (DE miRNA gene targets in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathway.The pathologic evaluation revealed one benign (benign non-teratoid, n=1 and six malignant tumors (malignant teratoid, n=2; malignant non-teratoid, n = 4. A total of 88 miRNAs were upregulated and 43 miRNAs were downregulated significantly (P<0.05 in the tumor specimens. Many of these significantly dysregulated miRNAs were known to play various roles in carcinogenesis and tumor behavior. RT-PCR validated three significantly upregulated miRNAs and three significantly downregulated miRNAs namely miR-217, miR-216a, miR-216b, miR-146a, miR-509-3p and miR-211. Many DE miRNAs that were significant in ME tumors showed dysregulation in retinoblastoma, glioblastoma, and precursor, normal and reactive human cartilage. Enriched pathway analysis suggested a significant association of upregulated miRNAs with 15 pathways involved in prion disease and several types of cancer. The pathways involving significantly downregulated miRNAs included the toll-like receptor (TLR (p<4.36E-16 and Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB signaling pathways (p<9.00E-06.We report significantly dysregulated miRNAs in intraocular ME tumors, which exhibited abnormal profiles in other cancers as well such as retinoblastoma and glioblastoma. Pathway analysis

  2. Profiling of Fatty Acids Composition in Suet Oil Based on GC–EI-qMS and Chemometrics Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Jiang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Fatty acid (FA composition of suet oil (SO was measured by precolumn methylesterification (PME optimized using a Box–Behnken design (BBD and gas chromatography/electron ionization-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–EI-qMS. A spectral library (NIST 08 and standard compounds were used to identify FAs in SO representing 90.89% of the total peak area. The ten most abundant FAs were derivatized into FA methyl esters (FAMEs and quantified by GC–EI-qMS; the correlation coefficient of each FAME was 0.999 and the lowest concentration quantified was 0.01 μg/mL. The range of recovery of the FAMEs was 82.1%–98.7% (relative standard deviation 2.2%–6.8%. The limits of quantification (LOQ were 1.25–5.95 μg/L. The number of carbon atoms in the FAs identified ranged from 12 to 20; hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids were the most abundant. Eighteen samples of SO purchased from Qinghai, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces of China were categorized into three groups by principal component analysis (PCA according to the contents of the most abundant FAs. The results showed SOs samples were rich in FAs with significantly different profiles from different origins. The method described here can be used for quality control and SO differentiation on the basis of the FA profile.

  3. Profiling of Fatty Acids Composition in Suet Oil Based on GC–EI-qMS and Chemometrics Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Jun; Jia, Xiaobin

    2015-01-01

    Fatty acid (FA) composition of suet oil (SO) was measured by precolumn methylesterification (PME) optimized using a Box–Behnken design (BBD) and gas chromatography/electron ionization-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–EI-qMS). A spectral library (NIST 08) and standard compounds were used to identify FAs in SO representing 90.89% of the total peak area. The ten most abundant FAs were derivatized into FA methyl esters (FAMEs) and quantified by GC–EI-qMS; the correlation coefficient of each FAME was 0.999 and the lowest concentration quantified was 0.01 μg/mL. The range of recovery of the FAMEs was 82.1%–98.7% (relative standard deviation 2.2%–6.8%). The limits of quantification (LOQ) were 1.25–5.95 μg/L. The number of carbon atoms in the FAs identified ranged from 12 to 20; hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids were the most abundant. Eighteen samples of SO purchased from Qinghai, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces of China were categorized into three groups by principal component analysis (PCA) according to the contents of the most abundant FAs. The results showed SOs samples were rich in FAs with significantly different profiles from different origins. The method described here can be used for quality control and SO differentiation on the basis of the FA profile. PMID:25636032

  4. Clinical Implications of Cluster Analysis-Based Classification of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and Correlation with Bedside Hemodynamic Profiles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tariq Ahmad

    Full Text Available Classification of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF is based on subjective criteria that crudely capture disease heterogeneity. Improved phenotyping of the syndrome may help improve therapeutic strategies.To derive cluster analysis-based groupings for patients hospitalized with ADHF, and compare their prognostic performance to hemodynamic classifications derived at the bedside.We performed a cluster analysis on baseline clinical variables and PAC measurements of 172 ADHF patients from the ESCAPE trial. Employing regression techniques, we examined associations between clusters and clinically determined hemodynamic profiles (warm/cold/wet/dry. We assessed association with clinical outcomes using Cox proportional hazards models. Likelihood ratio tests were used to compare the prognostic value of cluster data to that of hemodynamic data.We identified four advanced HF clusters: 1 male Caucasians with ischemic cardiomyopathy, multiple comorbidities, lowest B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP levels; 2 females with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, few comorbidities, most favorable hemodynamics; 3 young African American males with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, most adverse hemodynamics, advanced disease; and 4 older Caucasians with ischemic cardiomyopathy, concomitant renal insufficiency, highest BNP levels. There was no association between clusters and bedside-derived hemodynamic profiles (p = 0.70. For all adverse clinical outcomes, Cluster 4 had the highest risk, and Cluster 2, the lowest. Compared to Cluster 4, Clusters 1-3 had 45-70% lower risk of all-cause mortality. Clusters were significantly associated with clinical outcomes, whereas hemodynamic profiles were not.By clustering patients with similar objective variables, we identified four clinically relevant phenotypes of ADHF patients, with no discernable relationship to hemodynamic profiles, but distinct associations with adverse outcomes. Our analysis suggests that ADHF classification using

  5. Determination of diffusion profiles in thin film couples by means of X-ray-diffraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagendristel, A.

    1975-01-01

    An X-ray method for the determination of concentration profiles in thin film diffusion couples is presented. This method is based on the theory of Fourier analysis of X-ray diffraction profiles which is generalized to polycrystalline samples showing non-uniform lattice parameter. A Fourier synthesis of the concentration spectrum is possible when the influences of the particle size and the strain in the sample as well as the instrumental function are eliminated from the measured diffraction profile. This can be done by means of reference profiles obtained from layers of the diffusion components. Absorption of the radiation in the sample is negligible when diffusion couples of symmetrical sandwich structure are used. The method is tested experimentally in the system Au-Cu. (orig.) [de

  6. Mental toughness latent profiles in endurance athletes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna S Zeiger

    Full Text Available Mental toughness in endurance athletes, while an important factor for success, has been scarcely studied. An online survey was used to examine eight mental toughness factors in endurance athletes. The study aim was to determine mental toughness profiles via latent profile analysis in endurance athletes and whether associations exist between the latent profiles and demographics and sports characteristics. Endurance athletes >18 years of age were recruited via social media outlets (n = 1245, 53% female. Mental toughness was measured using the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ, Psychological Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A, and self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE. A three-class solution emerged, designated as high mental toughness (High MT, moderate mental toughness (Moderate MT and low mental toughness (Low MT. ANOVA tests showed significant differences between all three classes on all 8 factors derived from the SMTQ, PPI-A and the RSE. There was an increased odds of being in the High MT class compared to the Low MT class for males (OR = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.39, 2.83; P<0.001, athletes who were over 55 compared to those who were 18-34 (OR = 2.52; 95% CI, 1.37, 4.62; P<0.01, high sports satisfaction (OR = 8.17; 95% CI, 5.63, 11.87; P<0.001, and high division placement (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.46,3.26; P<0.001. The data showed that mental toughness latent profiles exist in endurance athletes. High MT is associated with demographics and sports characteristics. Mental toughness screening in athletes may help direct practitioners with mental skills training.

  7. Scaling laws for TEXT plasma profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCool, S.C.; Bravenec, R.V.; Chen, J.Y.; Foster, M.S.; Li, W.L.; Ouroura, A.; Phillips, P.E.; Richards, B.; Wenzel, K.W.; Zhang, Z.M.

    1994-01-01

    Regression analysis has been performed on a number of measured profiles including temperature and density vs. nominal macroscopic operating parameters for TEXT tokamak (pre-upgrade) ohmic plasmas. The resulting simple empirical model has enabled the authors to quickly approximate profiles of electron temperature and density, ion temperature, and soft x-ray brightness, as well as the scalar quantities: total radiated power, q=1 radius, sawtooth period and amplitude, and energy confinement time as a power law of toroidal field, plasma current, chord average density, and fueling gas atomic weight. The model profiles are only applicable to the plasma interior, i.e. within the limiter radius. In most cases the predicted model profiles are within the experimental error bars of measured profiles and are more accurate at predicting profile variation for small operating parameter changes than the measured profiles

  8. Quantitative image analysis of cellular heterogeneity in breast tumors complements genomic profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Yinyin; Failmezger, Henrik; Rueda, Oscar M; Ali, H Raza; Gräf, Stefan; Chin, Suet-Feung; Schwarz, Roland F; Curtis, Christina; Dunning, Mark J; Bardwell, Helen; Johnson, Nicola; Doyle, Sarah; Turashvili, Gulisa; Provenzano, Elena; Aparicio, Sam; Caldas, Carlos; Markowetz, Florian

    2012-10-24

    Solid tumors are heterogeneous tissues composed of a mixture of cancer and normal cells, which complicates the interpretation of their molecular profiles. Furthermore, tissue architecture is generally not reflected in molecular assays, rendering this rich information underused. To address these challenges, we developed a computational approach based on standard hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections and demonstrated its power in a discovery and validation cohort of 323 and 241 breast tumors, respectively. To deconvolute cellular heterogeneity and detect subtle genomic aberrations, we introduced an algorithm based on tumor cellularity to increase the comparability of copy number profiles between samples. We next devised a predictor for survival in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer that integrated both image-based and gene expression analyses and significantly outperformed classifiers that use single data types, such as microarray expression signatures. Image processing also allowed us to describe and validate an independent prognostic factor based on quantitative analysis of spatial patterns between stromal cells, which are not detectable by molecular assays. Our quantitative, image-based method could benefit any large-scale cancer study by refining and complementing molecular assays of tumor samples.

  9. Metabolic Profiling in Patients with Pneumonia on Intensive Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antcliffe, David; Jiménez, Beatriz; Veselkov, Kirill; Holmes, Elaine; Gordon, Anthony C

    2017-04-01

    Clinical features and investigations lack predictive value when diagnosing pneumonia, especially when patients are ventilated and when patients develop ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). New tools to aid diagnosis are important to improve outcomes. This pilot study examines the potential for metabolic profiling to aid the diagnosis in critical care. In this prospective observational study ventilated patients with brain injuries or pneumonia were recruited in the intensive care unit and serum samples were collected soon after the start of ventilation. Metabolic profiles were produced using 1D 1 H NMR spectra. Metabolic data were compared using multivariate statistical techniques including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). We recruited 15 patients with pneumonia and 26 with brain injuries, seven of whom went on to develop VAP. Comparison of metabolic profiles using OPLS-DA differentiated those with pneumonia from those with brain injuries (R 2 Y=0.91, Q 2 Y=0.28, p=0.02) and those with VAP from those without (R 2 Y=0.94, Q 2 Y=0.27, p=0.05). Metabolites that differentiated patients with pneumonia included lipid species, amino acids and glycoproteins. Metabolic profiling shows promise to aid in the diagnosis of pneumonia in ventilated patients and may allow a more timely diagnosis and better use of antibiotics. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Global gene analysis of oocytes from early stages in human folliculogenesis shows high expression of novel genes in reproduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Markholt, Sara; Grøndahl, M L; Ernst, Erik

    2012-01-01

    The pool of primordial follicles in humans is laid down during embryonic development and follicles can remain dormant for prolonged intervals, often decades, until individual follicles resume growth. The mechanisms that induce growth and maturation of primordial follicles are poorly understood...... but follicles once activated either continue growth or undergo atresia. We have isolated pure populations of oocytes from human primordial, intermediate and primary follicles using laser capture micro-dissection microscopy and evaluated the global gene expression profiles by whole-genome microarray analysis......) and the mitochondrial-encoded ATPase6 (ATP6). Thus, the present study provides not only a technique to capture and perform transcriptome analysis of the sparse material of human oocytes from the earliest follicle stages but further includes a comprehensive basis for our understanding of the regulatory factors...

  11. Design of the tool for periodic not evolvent profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anisimov Roman

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The new approach to profiling of the tool for processing of parts with periodic not evolvent profiles are considered in the article The discriminatory analysis of periodic profiles including repetition of profile both in the plane of perpendicular axis of part, and in the plane of passing along part of axis is offered. In the basis of the offered profiling method the idea of space shaping by rated surface of product of tool surface lies. The big advantage of the offered approach in profiling is its combination with the analysis of parameters of process of engineering work. It allows to predict the accuracy and surface quality of product with not evolvent periodic profile. While using the offered approach the pinion cutter for processing of wheels with internal triangular teeths and mill for processing of the screw of the counter of consumption of liquid, complex profile of which consists of several formings, have been received

  12. Analytical X-ray line profile analysis based upon correlated dislocations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, S.; Houska, C.R.

    1988-01-01

    Recent advances describing X-ray line profiles analytically, in terms of a minimum number of parameters, are related to a theory based upon correlated dislocations. It is shown that a multiple convolution approach, based upon the Warren-Averbach (W-A) analysis, leads to a form that closely approximates the strain coefficient obtained by Krivoglaz, Martynenko and Ryaboshopka. This connection enables one to determine the dislocation density and the ratio of the correlation range parameter to the mean particle size. These two results are obtained most accurately from previous analytical approaches which make use of a statistical least-squares analysis. The W-A Fourier-series approach provides redundant information and does not focus on the critical parameters that relate to dislocation theory. Results so far are limited to b.c.c. materials. Results for cold-worked W, Mo, Nb, Cr and V are compared with highly imperfect sputtered films of Mo. A major difference is relatable to higher correlation of dislocations in cold-worked metals than is found in sputtered films deposited at low temperatures. However, in each case, the dislocation density is high. (orig.)

  13. Global analysis of gene expression profiles in physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) seedlings exposed to salt stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lin; Zhang, Chao; Wu, Pingzhi; Chen, Yaping; Li, Meiru; Jiang, Huawu; Wu, Guojiang

    2014-01-01

    Salt stress interferes with plant growth and production. Plants have evolved a series of molecular and morphological adaptations to cope with this abiotic stress, and overexpression of salt response genes reportedly enhances the productivity of various crops. However, little is known about the salt responsive genes in the energy plant physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.). Thus, excavate salt responsive genes in this plant are informative in uncovering the molecular mechanisms for the salt response in physic nut. We applied next-generation Illumina sequencing technology to analyze global gene expression profiles of physic nut plants (roots and leaves) 2 hours, 2 days and 7 days after the onset of salt stress. A total of 1,504 and 1,115 genes were significantly up and down-regulated in roots and leaves, respectively, under salt stress condition. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of physiological process revealed that, in the physic nut, many "biological processes" were affected by salt stress, particular those categories belong to "metabolic process", such as "primary metabolism process", "cellular metabolism process" and "macromolecule metabolism process". The gene expression profiles indicated that the associated genes were responsible for ABA and ethylene signaling, osmotic regulation, the reactive oxygen species scavenging system and the cell structure in physic nut. The major regulated genes detected in this transcriptomic data were related to trehalose synthesis and cell wall structure modification in roots, while related to raffinose synthesis and reactive oxygen scavenger in leaves. The current study shows a comprehensive gene expression profile of physic nut under salt stress. The differential expression genes detected in this study allows the underling the salt responsive mechanism in physic nut with the aim of improving its salt resistance in the future.

  14. Random Subspace Aggregation for Cancer Prediction with Gene Expression Profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liying Yang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Precisely predicting cancer is crucial for cancer treatment. Gene expression profiles make it possible to analyze patterns between genes and cancers on the genome-wide scale. Gene expression data analysis, however, is confronted with enormous challenges for its characteristics, such as high dimensionality, small sample size, and low Signal-to-Noise Ratio. Results. This paper proposes a method, termed RS_SVM, to predict gene expression profiles via aggregating SVM trained on random subspaces. After choosing gene features through statistical analysis, RS_SVM randomly selects feature subsets to yield random subspaces and training SVM classifiers accordingly and then aggregates SVM classifiers to capture the advantage of ensemble learning. Experiments on eight real gene expression datasets are performed to validate the RS_SVM method. Experimental results show that RS_SVM achieved better classification accuracy and generalization performance in contrast with single SVM, K-nearest neighbor, decision tree, Bagging, AdaBoost, and the state-of-the-art methods. Experiments also explored the effect of subspace size on prediction performance. Conclusions. The proposed RS_SVM method yielded superior performance in analyzing gene expression profiles, which demonstrates that RS_SVM provides a good channel for such biological data.

  15. Measurement of kinaesthetic properties of in-brine table olives by microstructure of fracture surface, sensory evaluation and texture profile analysis (TPA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanza, Barbara; Amoruso, Filomena

    2018-02-02

    A series of transformations occur in olive fruit both during ripening and processing. In particular, significant changes in the microstructural composition affect the flavour, texture, nutrients and overall quality of the end product. Texture is one of the sensory quality attributes of greatest importance to consumer acceptance. In the present work, kinaesthetic properties of in-brine table olives of three cultivars of Olea europaea L. (Bella di Cerignola, Peranzana and Taggiasca cvs) were provided by several measurements of olive tissue texture by sensory, rheological and microstructural approaches. Olives at the same stage of ripening and processed with the same technology, but belonging to different cultivars, showed significant differences at microstructural, sensorial and rheological levels. To describe the relationship between the three variables, multiple regression analysis and principal component analysis were chosen. Differences in microstructure were closely related both in terms of hardness measured by texture profile analysis and hardness measured by sensory analysis. The information provided could be an aid for screening and training of a sensory panel. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Problems of job-profile for risk analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Compes, P.C.

    1984-01-01

    There is no job-profile for the risk analyst. It would be his job to detect and classify accident risks, i.e. make a diagnosis and type rationalization, and to subsequently analyse them with respect to their frequency and probability as well as to the extent of damage caused. (DG) [de

  17. Motivational profile of astronauts at the International Space Station

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brcic, Jelena

    2010-11-01

    Research has demonstrated that the motive triad of needs for achievement, power, and affiliation can predict variables such as occupational success and satisfaction, innovation, aggressiveness, susceptibility to illness, cooperation, conformity, and many others. The present study documents the motivational profiles of astronauts at three stages of their expedition. Thematic content analysis was employed for references to Winter's well-established motive markers in narratives (media interviews, journals, and oral histories) of 46 astronauts participating in International Space Station (ISS) expeditions. Significant pre-flight differences were found in relation to home agency and job status. NASA astronauts, compared with those from the Russian Space Agency, are motivated by higher need for power, as are commanders in comparison to flight engineers. The need for affiliation motive showed a significant change from pre-flight to in-flight stages. The implications of the relationship between the motivational profile of astronauts and the established behavioural correlates of such profiles are discussed.

  18. Competency profile of PR professional in sport

    OpenAIRE

    Gazdíková, Lenka

    2013-01-01

    Title: Competency profile of PR professional in sport Objective: The objective is to identify competencies required to a position of PR professional in sport. The aim of a survey is to verify the level of competencies which follows compiling competency profile and comparison with existing profile of PR specialist. Methods: The objective is achieved using survey, interview and analysis of competency models database. Results: The result of this paper is competency profile of PR professional in ...

  19. Social care as first work experience in England: a secondary analysis of the profile of a national sample of migrant workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussein, Shereen; Manthorpe, Jill; Stevens, Martin

    2011-01-01

    Migrant workers are increasingly important to the care sector in England as well as in other developed countries. The profile of migrants is likely to continue changing due to reforms in immigration policy and legislation limiting the range of jobs open to migrants from non-EU countries while facilitating migration from the new European Union accession countries. This article reports on detailed secondary analysis of newly available data on the characteristics of migrants working in the care sector as their first job. The analysis was undertaken in 2009 as part of research investigating the contribution made by migrant care workers in England. The sample was identified from the new National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDSSC), which is completed by social care employers in England. Workers whose ethnicity was identified as not White British and who had their previous job abroad were used as a proxy of recent migrants. The analysis shows that this group of workers has a significantly different profile compared with other workers. Recent migrants in the care sector were significantly younger and held higher qualifications relevant to social care; however, there were no significant gender differences. They were also significantly concentrated in the private and voluntary sectors and in direct care work. There were variations between recent migrants' ethnicity and their job roles, with Asian workers more prevalent in senior care positions. These findings have a number of possible implications for social care workforce and providers, particularly within the current context of changing migration rules and social care reforms. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  20. Temperature-controlled depth profiling in polymeric materials using cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahoney, Christine M. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8371, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 (United States)]. E-mail: christine.mahoney@nist.gov; Fahey, Albert J. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8371, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 (United States); Gillen, Greg [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8371, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 (United States); Xu Chang [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8371, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 (United States); Batteas, James D. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8371, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 (United States)

    2006-07-30

    Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) employing an SF{sub 5} {sup +} polyatomic primary ion source was used to depth profile through poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polystyrene (PS) thin films at a series of temperatures from -125 deg. C to 150 deg. C. It was found that for PMMA, reduced temperature analysis produced depth profiles with increased secondary ion stability and reduced interfacial widths as compared to analysis at ambient temperature. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images indicated that this improvement in interfacial width may be related to a decrease in sputter-induced topography. Depth profiling at higher temperatures was typically correlated with increased sputter rates. However, the improvements in interfacial widths and overall secondary ion stability were not as prevalent as was observed at low temperature. For PLA, improvements in signal intensities were observed at low temperatures, yet there was no significant change in secondary ion stability, interface widths or sputter rates. High temperatures yielded a significant decrease in secondary ion stability of the resulting profiles. PS films showed rapid degradation of characteristic secondary ion signals under all temperatures examined.

  1. Pharmacotherapy for Pain in a Family With Inherited Erythromelalgia Guided by Genomic Analysis and Functional Profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geha, Paul; Yang, Yang; Estacion, Mark; Schulman, Betsy R; Tokuno, Hajime; Apkarian, A Vania; Dib-Hajj, Sulayman D; Waxman, Stephen G

    2016-06-01

    There is a need for more effective pharmacotherapy for chronic pain, including pain in inherited erythromelalgia (IEM) in which gain-of-function mutations of sodium channel NaV1.7 make dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons hyperexcitable. To determine whether pain in IEM can be attenuated via pharmacotherapy guided by genomic analysis and functional profiling. Pain in 2 patients with IEM due to the NaV1.7 S241T mutation, predicted by structural modeling and functional analysis to be responsive to carbamazepine, was assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted from September 2014 to April 21, 2015. Functional magnetic resonance imaging assessed patterns of brain activity associated with pain during treatment with placebo or carbamazepine. Multielectrode array technology was used to assess the effect of carbamazepine on firing of DRG neurons carrying S241T mutant channels. Behavioral assessment of pain; functional magnetic resonance imaging; and assessment of firing in DRG neurons carrying S241T mutant channels. This study included 2 patients from the same family with IEM and the S241T NaV1.7 mutation. We showed that, as predicted by molecular modeling, thermodynamic analysis, and functional profiling, carbamazepine attenuated pain in patients with IEM due to the S241T NaV1.7 mutation. Patient 1 reported a reduction in mean time in pain (TIP) per day during the 15-day maintenance period, from 424 minutes while taking placebo to 231.9 minutes while taking carbamazepine (400 mg/day), and a reduction in total TIP over the 15-day maintenance period, from 6360 minutes while taking placebo to 3015 minutes while taking carbamazepine. Patient 2 reported a reduction in mean TIP per day during the maintenance period, from 61 minutes while taking placebo to 9.1 minutes while taking carbamazepine (400 mg then 200 mg/day), and a reduction in total TIP, from 915 minutes while taking placebo over the 15-day maintenance period to 136 minutes while taking carbamazepine

  2. Integrative Analysis of miRNA and mRNA Profiles in Response to Ethylene in Rose Petals during Flower Opening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pei, Haixia; Ma, Nan; Chen, Jiwei; Zheng, Yi; Tian, Ji; Li, Jing; Zhang, Shuai; Fei, Zhangjun; Gao, Junping

    2013-01-01

    MicroRNAs play an important role in plant development and plant responses to various biotic and abiotic stimuli. As one of the most important ornamental crops, rose (Rosa hybrida) possesses several specific morphological and physiological features, including recurrent flowering, highly divergent flower shapes, colors and volatiles. Ethylene plays an important role in regulating petal cell expansion during rose flower opening. Here, we report the population and expression profiles of miRNAs in rose petals during flower opening and in response to ethylene based on high throughput sequencing. We identified a total of 33 conserved miRNAs, as well as 47 putative novel miRNAs were identified from rose petals. The conserved and novel targets to those miRNAs were predicted using the rose floral transcriptome database. Expression profiling revealed that expression of 28 known (84.8% of known miRNAs) and 39 novel (83.0% of novel miRNAs) miRNAs was substantially changed in rose petals during the earlier opening period. We also found that 28 known and 22 novel miRNAs showed expression changes in response to ethylene treatment. Furthermore, we performed integrative analysis of expression profiles of miRNAs and their targets. We found that ethylene-caused expression changes of five miRNAs (miR156, miR164, miR166, miR5139 and rhy-miRC1) were inversely correlated to those of their seven target genes. These results indicate that these miRNA/target modules might be regulated by ethylene and were involved in ethylene-regulated petal growth. PMID:23696879

  3. Monocytes of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia show alterations in cholesterol metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soufi Muhidien

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Elevated plasma cholesterol promotes the formation of atherosclerotic lesions in which monocyte-derived lipid-laden macrophages are frequently found. To analyze, if circulating monocytes already show increased lipid content and differences in lipoprotein metabolism, we compared monocytes from patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH with those from healthy individuals. Methods Cholesterol and oxidized cholesterol metabolite serum levels of FH and of healthy, gender/age matched control subjects were measured by combined gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy. Monocytes from patients with FH and from healthy subjects were isolated by antibody-assisted density centrifugation. Gene expression profiles of isolated monocytes were measured using Affymetrix HG-U 133 Plus 2.0 microarrays. We compared monocyte gene expression profiles from FH patients with healthy controls using a Welch T-test with correction for multiple testing (p Results Using microarray analysis we found in FH patients a significant up-regulation of 1,617 genes and a down-regulation of 701 genes compared to monocytes from healthy individuals. These include genes of proteins that are involved in the uptake, biosynthesis, disposition, and cellular efflux of cholesterol. In addition, plasma from FH patients contains elevated amounts of sterols and oxysterols. An increased uptake of oxidized as well as of native LDL by FH monocytes combined with a down-regulation of NPC1 and ABCA1 explains the lipid accumulation observed in these cells. Conclusion Our data demonstrate that circulating FH monocytes show differences in cell physiology that may contribute to the early onset of atherosclerosis in this disease.

  4. Existence of Inverted Profile in Chemically Responsive Molecular Pathways in the Zebrafish Liver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xun; Li, Hu; Ma, Jing; Zhang, Louxin; Li, Baowen; Gong, Zhiyuan

    2011-01-01

    How a living organism maintains its healthy equilibrium in response to endless exposure of potentially harmful chemicals is an important question in current biology. By transcriptomic analysis of zebrafish livers treated by various chemicals, we defined hubs as molecular pathways that are frequently perturbed by chemicals and have high degree of functional connectivity to other pathways. Our network analysis revealed that these hubs were organized into two groups showing inverted functionality with each other. Intriguingly, the inverted activity profiles in these two groups of hubs were observed to associate only with toxicopathological states but not with physiological changes. Furthermore, these inverted profiles were also present in rat, mouse, and human under certain toxicopathological conditions. Thus, toxicopathological-associated anti-correlated profiles in hubs not only indicate their potential use in diagnosis but also development of systems-based therapeutics to modulate gene expression by chemical approach in order to rewire the deregulated activities of hubs back to normal physiology. PMID:22140468

  5. Sensitivity Analysis of Dune Height Measurements Along Cross-shore Profiles Using a Novel Method for Dune Ridge Extraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardin, E.; Mitasova, H.; Overton, M.

    2010-12-01

    In barrier islands where communities are subjected to hazards including storm surge and high wave height, coastal dunes offer the first line of defense to property and vital infrastructure. When dunes are over-washed, substantial damage, including complete destruction of buildings and roads can occur. For this reason, dunes are an integral aspect of coastal hazard management. As new, more efficient mapping and analysis technologies evolve, currently used methodologies should be regularly be reexamined in order to ensure the development of the most effective coastal management strategies. Currently, topographical parameters, such as dune height, are usually measured along evenly spaced, shore-perpendicular beach profiles. In previous studies, profile spacing has varied from 20m to over 500m, however, it has been shown that dune height can vary substantially over tens of meters. Profile spacing is a compromise between the resources needed to perform high-resolution measurements and ensuring the capture of meaningful dune features. While it is often clear how the choice of profile spacing will affect the resources needed to perform the analysis, it is often unclear how spacing affects the ability to capture significant dune variation and prevent omission of a narrow dune breach that can open the way for significant flooding. In this study, the structure of alongshore variation in dune height is investigated. The studied dune ridge is located in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA and stretches 18km from south of Oregon Inlet (75:31:19W, 35:46:03N) to Rodanthe (75:27:56W, 35:36:31N). The dune ridge is extracted from a 0.5m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) that was interpolated from airborne lidar data using regularized spline with tension. The lidar data was collected in March 2008 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A dune ridge is usually identified as the highest elevation along a shore-perpendicular profile or where ocean-facing slope

  6. Microarray analysis of the gene expression profile in triethylene glycol dimethacrylate-treated human dental pulp cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torun, D; Torun, Z Ö; Demirkaya, K; Sarper, M; Elçi, M P; Avcu, F

    2017-11-01

    Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) is an important resin monomer commonly used in the structure of dental restorative materials. Recent studies have shown that unpolymerized resin monomers may be released into the oral environment and cause harmful biological effects. We investigated changes in the gene expression profiles of TEGDMA-treated human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) following short- (1-day) and long-term (7-days) exposure. HDPCs were exposed to a noncytotoxic concentration of TEGDMA, and gene expression profiles were evaluated by microarray analysis. The results were confirmed by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT PCR). In total, 1282 and 1319 genes (up- or down-regulated) were differentially expressed compared with control group after the 1- and 7-day incubation periods, respectively. Biological ontology-based analyses revealed that metabolic, cellular, and developmental processes constituted the largest groups of biological functional processes. qRT-PCR analysis on bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), BMP-4, secreted protein, acidic, cysteine-rich, collagen type I alpha 1, oxidative stress-induced growth inhibitor 1, MMP3, interleukin-6, and heme oxygenase-1 genes confirmed the changes in expression observed in the microarray analysis. Our results suggest that TEGDMA can change the many functions of hDPCs through large changes in gene expression levels and complex interactions with different signaling pathways.

  7. Comprehensive and quantitative profiling of lipid species in human milk, cow milk and a phospholipid-enriched milk formula by GC and MS/MSALL

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sokol, Olena; Ulven, Trond; Færgeman, Nils J.

    2015-01-01

    a comparative lipid analysis of human milk, cow milk, and Lacprodan® PL-20, a phospholipid-enriched milk protein concentrate for infant formula. The GC analysis showed that human milk and Lacprodan have a similar FA profile with higher levels of unsaturated FAs as compared to cow milk. In-depth lipidomic...... analysis by MS/MSALL revealed that each type of milk sample comprised distinct composition of molecular lipid species. Lipid class composition showed that the human and cow milk contain a higher proportion of triacylglycerols (TAGs) as compared to Lacprodan. Notably, the MS/MSALL analysis demonstrated...... that the similar FA profile of human milk and Lacprodan determined by GC analysis is attributed to the composition of individual TAG species in human milk and glycerophospholipid species in Lacprodan. Moreover, the analysis of TAG molecules in Lacprodan and cow milk showed a high proportion of short-chain FAs...

  8. ICRF power-deposition profiles and heating in monster sawtooth and peaked-density profile discharges in JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhatnagar, V.P.; Taroni, A.; Ellis, J.J.; Jacquinot, J.; Stuart, D.F.

    1989-01-01

    In this paper, we compare experimental results of electron and ion-heating in discharges that feature monster sawtooth with those in pellet-produced peaked-density profile discharges which were heated with ICRF. Also we carry out a comprehensive analysis of ICRF-heated peaked-density profile discharges by a transport code to simulate the evolution of JET discharges and to provide an insight into the improved heating and confinement found in these discharges. In this analysis, the ICRF power-deposition profile in the minority-heating scenario is computed by the ray-tracing code BRAYCO that self-consistently takes the finite antenna geometry, its radiation spectrum and the hot-plasma damping into account. The power delivered to ions and electrons is calculated based on Stix model. (author) 10 refs., 5 figs

  9. Audiologist-patient communication profiles in hearing rehabilitation appointments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Carly; Barr, Caitlin; Khan, Asaduzzaman; Hickson, Louise

    2017-08-01

    To profile the communication between audiologists and patients in initial appointments on a biomedical-psychosocial continuum; and explore the associations between these profiles and 1) characteristics of the appointment and 2) patients' decisions to pursue hearing aids. Sixty-three initial hearing assessment appointments were filmed and audiologist-patient communication was coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to profile audiologist-patient communication, after which regression modelling and Chi-squared analyses were conducted. Two distinct audiologist-patient communication profiles were identified during both the history taking phase (46=biopsychosocial profile, 15=psychosocial profile) and diagnosis and management planning phase (45=expanded biomedical profile, 11=narrowly biomedical profile). Longer appointments were significantly more likely to be associated with an expanded biomedical interaction during the diagnosis and management planning phase. No significant associations were found between audiologist-patient communication profile and patients' decisions to pursue hearing aids. Initial audiology consultations appear to remain clinician-centred. Three quarters of appointments began with a biopsychosocial interaction; however, 80% ended with an expanded biomedical interaction. Findings suggest that audiologists could consider modifying their communication in initial appointments to more holistically address the needs of patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Secondary metabolite profiling of Curcuma species grown at different locations using GC/TOF and UPLC/Q-TOF MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jueun; Jung, Youngae; Shin, Jeoung-Hwa; Kim, Ho Kyoung; Moon, Byeong Cheol; Ryu, Do Hyun; Hwang, Geum-Sook

    2014-07-04

    Curcuma, a genus of rhizomatous herbaceous species, has been used as a spice, traditional medicine, and natural dye. In this study, the metabolite profile of Curcuma extracts was determined using gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOF MS) and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) to characterize differences between Curcuma aromatica and Curcuma longa grown on the Jeju-do or Jin-do islands, South Korea. Previous studies have performed primary metabolite profiling of Curcuma species grown in different regions using NMR-based metabolomics. This study focused on profiling of secondary metabolites from the hexane extract of Curcuma species. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) plots showed significant differences between the C. aromatica and C. longa metabolite profiles, whereas geographical location had little effect. A t-test was performed to identify statistically significant metabolites, such as terpenoids. Additionally, targeted profiling using UPLC/Q-TOF MS showed that the concentration of curcuminoids differed depending on the plant origin. Based on these results, a combination of GC- and LC-MS allowed us to analyze curcuminoids and terpenoids, the typical bioactive compounds of Curcuma, which can be used to discriminate Curcuma samples according to species or geographical origin.

  11. Secondary Metabolite Profiling of Curcuma Species Grown at Different Locations Using GC/TOF and UPLC/Q-TOF MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jueun Lee

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Curcuma, a genus of rhizomatous herbaceous species, has been used as a spice, traditional medicine, and natural dye. In this study, the metabolite profile of Curcuma extracts was determined using gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOF MS and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS to characterize differences between Curcuma aromatica and Curcuma longa grown on the Jeju-do or Jin-do islands, South Korea. Previous studies have performed primary metabolite profiling of Curcuma species grown in different regions using NMR-based metabolomics. This study focused on profiling of secondary metabolites from the hexane extract of Curcuma species. Principal component analysis (PCA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA plots showed significant differences between the C. aromatica and C. longa metabolite profiles, whereas geographical location had little effect. A t-test was performed to identify statistically significant metabolites, such as terpenoids. Additionally, targeted profiling using UPLC/Q-TOF MS showed that the concentration of curcuminoids differed depending on the plant origin. Based on these results, a combination of GC- and LC-MS allowed us to analyze curcuminoids and terpenoids, the typical bioactive compounds of Curcuma, which can be used to discriminate Curcuma samples according to species or geographical origin.

  12. Analysis of Sidestream Smoke VOCs and Characterization of their Odor Profiles by VOC Preconcentrator-GC-O Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Higashi N

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Various techniques have been employed in the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs. However, these techniques are insufficient for the precise analysis of tobacco smoke VOCs because of the complexity of the operating system, system instability, or poor sensitivity. To overcome these problems, a combined system of VOC preconcentrator, gas chromatograph, and olfactometer has been developed. The performance of this new system was evaluated in the analysis of VOCs in tobacco smoke and applied to the odor profiling of sidestream smoke (SSS that has not been sufficiently investigated in the past.

  13. Applications of Fourier analysis to broadening of stellar line profiles. V

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, M.A.; Frisch, H.

    1976-01-01

    Turbulence dominated by eddies of a finite size produces effects on a line profile which are similar to both macro- and micro-turbulence but which are at the same time neither. It is suggested that one of these effects in the Fourier transform domain, namely the narrowing of the first natural sidelobe relative to the width of the main lobe, can be used as an indicator of the dominance of finite-sized eddies ('mesoturbulence'). An examination of some existing solar data shows that finite-sized eddy models fit the observed sidelobe widths better than do models computed with any reasonable combination of micro- and macro-turbulent broadenings. (Auth.)

  14. Latex allergy: new insights to explain different sensitization profiles in different risk groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peixinho, C; Tavares-Ratado, P; Tomás, M R; Taborda-Barata, L; Tomaz, C T

    2008-07-01

    Differences in latex allergen sensitization profiles have been described between children subjected to repetitive surgical interventions and health care workers (HCW). 'Major' allergens for patients with spina bifida are Hev b 1, 3 and 7, while for HCW, 'major' allergens are Hev b 2, 5, 6.01 and 13. The reason for these differential sensitization profiles is currently unknown. To investigate latex allergen profiles on internal and external surfaces of natural rubber latex gloves. Eighty-two samples of commonly used surgical gloves (41 glove brands) were used for analysis. Specific allergen levels of Hev b 1, 3, 5 and 6.02 on both surfaces of the gloves were quantified using an enzyme immunometric assay, a FITkit (FIT Biotech, Tampere, Finland). Differences in allergen levels were observed between internal and external surfaces of all glove types. Concentrations of Hev b 1 and Hev b 3 were significantly higher on external surfaces, while internal surfaces had higher allergen levels of Hev b 5 and Hev b 6.02. Analysis of surgical and examination gloves, powdered and nonpowdered gloves also showed that the content of Hev b 5 and Hev b 6.02 was significantly higher on internal surfaces while that of Hev b 1 and Hev b 3 was higher on external surfaces. Our study showed different allergen profiles on internal and external surfaces of natural rubber latex gloves. These results may suggest a relationship between latex allergen localization and sensitization routes in different risk groups.

  15. Attention profiles in autism spectrum disorder and subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boxhoorn, Sara; Lopez, Eva; Schmidt, Catharina; Schulze, Diana; Hänig, Susann; Freitag, Christine M

    2018-03-06

    Attention problems are observed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most neuropsychological studies that compared both disorders focused on complex executive functions (EF), but missed to contrast basic attention functions, as well as ASD- and ADHD subtypes. The present study compared EF as well as basic attention functioning of children with the combined subtype (ADHD-C), the predominantly inattentive subtype (ADHD-I), and autism spectrum disorder without ADHD (ASD-) with typically developing controls (TD). Basic attention functions and EF profiles were analysed by testing the comprehensive attention function model of van Zomeren and Brouwer using profile analysis. Additionally, neurocognitive impairments in ASD- and ADHD were regressed on dimensional measures of attention- and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms across and within groups. ADHD-C revealed a strong impairment across measures of EF compared to ASD- and TD. The ADHD-C profile furthermore showed disorder specific impairments in interference control, whereas the ASD- profile showed a disorder specific impairment in basic attention component divided attention. Attention- and hyperactive-impulsive symptom severity did not predict neurocognitive impairments across- or within groups. Study findings thus support disorder and subtype specific attention/EF profiles, which refute the idea of a continuum of ADHD-I, ADHD-C, and ASD with increasing neurocognitive impairments.

  16. Analysis of circular fibers with an arbitrary index profile by the Galerkin method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Shangping; Wu, Feng; Ikram, Khalid; Albin, Sacharia

    2004-01-01

    We propose a full-vectorial Galerkin method for the analysis of circular symmetric fibers with arbitrary index profiles. A set of orthogonal Laguerre-Gauss functions is used to calculate the dispersion relation and mode fields of TE and TM modes. Examples are given for both standard step-index fibers and Bragg fibers. For standard step-index fiber with low or high index contrast, the Galerkin method agrees well with the analytical results. In the case of the TE mode of a Bragg fiber it agrees well with the asymptotic results.

  17. Identifying arsenic trioxide (ATO) functions in leukemia cells by using time series gene expression profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hong; Lin, Shan; Cui, Jingru

    2014-02-10

    Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is presently the most active single agent in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). In order to explore the molecular mechanism of ATO in leukemia cells with time series, we adopted bioinformatics strategy to analyze expression changing patterns and changes in transcription regulation modules of time series genes filtered from Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE24946). We totally screened out 1847 time series genes for subsequent analysis. The KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) pathways enrichment analysis of these genes showed that oxidative phosphorylation and ribosome were the top 2 significantly enriched pathways. STEM software was employed to compare changing patterns of gene expression with assigned 50 expression patterns. We screened out 7 significantly enriched patterns and 4 tendency charts of time series genes. The result of Gene Ontology showed that functions of times series genes mainly distributed in profiles 41, 40, 39 and 38. Seven genes with positive regulation of cell adhesion function were enriched in profile 40, and presented the same first increased model then decreased model as profile 40. The transcription module analysis showed that they mainly involved in oxidative phosphorylation pathway and ribosome pathway. Overall, our data summarized the gene expression changes in ATO treated K562-r cell lines with time and suggested that time series genes mainly regulated cell adhesive. Furthermore, our result may provide theoretical basis of molecular biology in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Social Disadvantage, Severe Child Abuse, and Biological Profiles in Adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chioun; Coe, Christopher L; Ryff, Carol D

    2017-09-01

    Guided by the stress process model and the life course perspective, we hypothesize: (1) that childhood abuse is concentrated, in terms of type and intensity, among socially disadvantaged individuals, and (2) that experiencing serious abuse contributes to poor biological profiles in multiple body systems in adulthood. Data came from the Biomarker subsample of Midlife in the United States (2004-2006). We used latent class analysis to identify distinct profiles of childhood abuse, each reflecting a combination of type and severity. Results indicate that disadvantaged groups, women, and those from disadvantaged families are at greater risk of experiencing more severe and multiple types of abuse. Those with more severe and multifaceted childhood abuse show greater physiological dysregulation. Childhood abuse experiences partially accounted for the social status differences in physiological profiles. Our findings underscore that differential exposure to serious childhood stressors plays a significant role in gender and class inequalities in adult health.

  19. Domain-oriented functional analysis based on expression profiling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Greene Jonathan

    2002-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Co-regulation of genes may imply involvement in similar biological processes or related function. Many clusters of co-regulated genes have been identified using microarray experiments. In this study, we examined co-regulated gene families using large-scale cDNA microarray experiments on the human transcriptome. Results We present a simple model, which, for each probe pair, distills expression changes into binary digits and summarizes the expression of multiple members of a gene family as the Family Regulation Ratio. The set of Family Regulation Ratios for each protein family across multiple experiments is called a Family Regulation Profile. We analyzed these Family Regulation Profiles using Pearson Correlation Coefficients and derived a network diagram portraying relationships between the Family Regulation Profiles of gene families that are well represented on the microarrays. Our strategy was cross-validated with two randomly chosen data subsets and was proven to be a reliable approach. Conclusion This work will help us to understand and identify the functional relationships between gene families and the regulatory pathways in which each family is involved. Concepts presented here may be useful for objective clustering of protein functions and deriving a comprehensive protein interaction map. Functional genomic approaches such as this may also be applicable to the elucidation of complex genetic regulatory networks.

  20. Study on Rail Profile Optimization Based on the Nonlinear Relationship between Profile and Wear Rate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianxi Wang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes a rail profile optimization method that takes account of wear rate within design cycle so as to minimize rail wear at the curve in heavy haul railway and extend the service life of rail. Taking rail wear rate as the object function, the vertical coordinate of rail profile at range optimization as independent variable, and the geometric characteristics and grinding depth of rail profile as constraint conditions, the support vector machine regression theory was used to fit the nonlinear relationship between rail profile and its wear rate. Then, the profile optimization model was built. Based on the optimization principle of genetic algorithm, the profile optimization model was solved to achieve the optimal rail profile. A multibody dynamics model was used to check the dynamic performance of carriage running on optimal rail profile. The result showed that the average relative error of support vector machine regression model remained less than 10% after a number of training processes. The dynamic performance of carriage running on optimized rail profile met the requirements on safety index and stability. The wear rate of optimized profile was lower than that of standard profile by 5.8%; the allowable carrying gross weight increased by 12.7%.

  1. Comprehensive and quantitative profiling of lipid species in human milk, cow milk and a phospholipid-enriched milk formula by GC and MS/MSALL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokol, Elena; Ulven, Trond; Færgeman, Nils J; Ejsing, Christer S

    2015-06-01

    Here we present a workflow for in-depth analysis of milk lipids that combines gas chromatography (GC) for fatty acid (FA) profiling and a shotgun lipidomics routine termed MS/MS ALL for structural characterization of molecular lipid species. To evaluate the performance of the workflow we performed a comparative lipid analysis of human milk, cow milk, and Lacprodan® PL-20, a phospholipid-enriched milk protein concentrate for infant formula. The GC analysis showed that human milk and Lacprodan have a similar FA profile with higher levels of unsaturated FAs as compared to cow milk. In-depth lipidomic analysis by MS/MS ALL revealed that each type of milk sample comprised distinct composition of molecular lipid species. Lipid class composition showed that the human and cow milk contain a higher proportion of triacylglycerols (TAGs) as compared to Lacprodan. Notably, the MS/MS ALL analysis demonstrated that the similar FA profile of human milk and Lacprodan determined by GC analysis is attributed to the composition of individual TAG species in human milk and glycerophospholipid species in Lacprodan. Moreover, the analysis of TAG molecules in Lacprodan and cow milk showed a high proportion of short-chain FAs that could not be monitored by GC analysis. The results presented here show that complementary GC and MS/MS ALL analysis is a powerful approach for characterization of molecular lipid species in milk and milk products. : Milk lipid analysis is routinely performed using gas chromatography. This method reports the total fatty acid composition of all milk lipids, but provides no structural or quantitative information about individual lipid molecules in milk or milk products. Here we present a workflow that integrates gas chromatography for fatty acid profiling and a shotgun lipidomics routine termed MS/MS ALL for structural analysis and quantification of molecular lipid species. We demonstrate the efficacy of this complementary workflow by a comparative analysis of

  2. Qualitative analysis of the Clock Drawing Test by educational level and cognitive profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aline Teixeira Fabricio

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of a qualitative scale for the Clock Drawing Test (CDT may add information about the pattern of errors committed. Objective: To translate and adapt the Modified Qualitative Error Analysis of Rouleau into Brazilian Portuguese and to examine the pattern of errors according to educational level and cognitive profile. Method: 180 adults (47-82 years completed the CDT. Participants were stratified into age and educational levels and separated between those with and without changes in cognitive screening tests (Mini-Mental State Examination, Verbal Fluency. Results: No significant differences were found in CDT scores among age groups. Among participants without cognitive impairment, those with lower education often presented graphic difficulties, conceptual deficits and spatial deficits. Participants with cognitive deficits, demonstrated more frequently conceptual and spatial errors. Conclusion: The qualitative analysis of the CDT may contribute to the identification of cognitive changes. Education level has to be taken into consideration during the analysis.

  3. A measurement system for vertical seawater profiles close to the air–sea interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. P. Sims

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes a near-surface ocean profiler, which has been designed to precisely measure vertical gradients in the top 10 m of the ocean. Variations in the depth of seawater collection are minimized when using the profiler compared to conventional CTD/rosette deployments. The profiler consists of a remotely operated winch mounted on a tethered yet free-floating buoy, which is used to raise and lower a small frame housing sensors and inlet tubing. Seawater at the inlet depth is pumped back to the ship for analysis. The profiler can be used to make continuous vertical profiles or to target a series of discrete depths. The profiler has been successfully deployed during wind speeds up to 10 m s−1 and significant wave heights up to 2 m. We demonstrate the potential of the profiler by presenting measured vertical profiles of the trace gases carbon dioxide and dimethylsulfide. Trace gas measurements use an efficient microporous membrane equilibrator to minimize the system response time. The example profiles show vertical gradients in the upper 5 m for temperature, carbon dioxide and dimethylsulfide of 0.15 °C, 4 µatm and 0.4 nM respectively.

  4. Interphase Chromosome Profiling: A Method for Conventional Banded Chromosome Analysis Using Interphase Nuclei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babu, Ramesh; Van Dyke, Daniel L; Dev, Vaithilingam G; Koduru, Prasad; Rao, Nagesh; Mitter, Navnit S; Liu, Mingya; Fuentes, Ernesto; Fuentes, Sarah; Papa, Stephen

    2018-02-01

    - Chromosome analysis on bone marrow or peripheral blood samples fails in a small proportion of attempts. A method that is more reliable, with similar or better resolution, would be a welcome addition to the armamentarium of the cytogenetics laboratory. - To develop a method similar to banded metaphase chromosome analysis that relies only on interphase nuclei. - To label multiple targets in an equidistant fashion along the entire length of each chromosome, including landmark subtelomere and centromere regions. Each label so generated by using cloned bacterial artificial chromosome probes is molecularly distinct with unique spectral characteristics, so the number and position of the labels can be tracked to identify chromosome abnormalities. - Interphase chromosome profiling (ICP) demonstrated results similar to conventional chromosome analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization in 55 previously studied cases and obtained useful ICP chromosome analysis results on another 29 cases in which conventional methods failed. - ICP is a new and powerful method to karyotype peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate preparations without reliance on metaphase chromosome preparations. It will be of particular value for cases with a failed conventional analysis or when a fast turnaround time is required.

  5. Dangers resulting from DNA profiling of biological materials derived from patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT with regard to forensic genetic analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Jacewicz

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The study documents the risk that comes with DNA analysis of materials derived from patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT in forensic genetics. DNA chimerism was studied in 30 patients after allo-HSCT, based on techniques applied in contemporary forensic genetics, i.e. real-time PCR and multiplex PCR-STR with the use of autosomal DNA as well as Y-DNA markers. The results revealed that the DNA profile of the recipient’s blood was identical with the donor’s in the majority of cases. Therefore, blood analysis can lead to false conclusions in personal identification as well as kinship analysis. An investigation of buccal swabs revealed a mixture of DNA in the majority of recipients. Consequently, personal identification on the basis of stain analysis of the same origin may be impossible. The safest (but not ideal material turned out to be the hair root. Its analysis based on autosomal DNA revealed 100% of the recipient’s profile. However, an analysis based on Y-chromosome markers performed in female allo-HSCT recipients with male donors demonstrated the presence of donor DNA in hair cells – similarly to the blood and buccal swabs. In the light of potential risks arising from DNA profiling of biological materials derived from persons after allotransplantation in judicial aspects, certain procedures were proposed to eliminate such dangers. The basic procedures include abandoning the approach based exclusively on blood collection, both for kinship analysis and personal identification; asking persons who are to be tested about their history of allo-HSCT before sample collection and profile entry in the DNA database, and verification of DNA profiling based on hair follicles in uncertain cases.

  6. A Meta-Analysis of the Incidence of Patient-Reported Dysphagia After Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion with the Zero-Profile Implant System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yi; Ma, Litai; Liu, Hao; Xu, MangMang

    2016-04-01

    Dysphagia is a well-known complication following anterior cervical surgery. It has been reported that the Zero-profile Implant System can decrease the incidence of dysphagia following surgery, however, dysphagia after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) with the Zero-profile Implant System remains controversial. Previous studies only focus on small sample sizes. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of dysphagia after ACDF with the Zero-profile Implant System. Studies were collected from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database using the keywords "Zero-profile OR Zero-p) AND (dysphagia OR [swallowing dysfunction]". The software STATA (Version 13.0) was used for statistical analysis. Statistical heterogeneity across the various trials, a test of publication bias and sensitivity analysis was performed. 30 studies with a total of 1062 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The occurrence of post-operative transient dysphagia ranged from 0 to 76 % whilst the pooled incidence was 15.6 % (95 % CI, 12.6, 18.5 %). 23 studies reported no persistent dysphagia whilst seven studies reported persistent dysphagia ranging from 1 to 7 %). In summary, the present study observed a low incidence of both transient and persistent dysphagia after ACDF using the Zero-profile Implant System. Most of the dysphagia was mild and gradually decreased during the following months. Moderate or severe dysphagia was uncommon. Future randomized controlled multi-center studies and those focusing on the mechanisms of dysphagia and methods to reduce its incidence are required.

  7. A comparison of instrumentation using Naviflex and Profile nickel-titanium engine-driven rotary instruments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ottosen, S R; Nicholls, J I; Steiner, J C

    1999-06-01

    This study was designed to compare the changes in canal configuration resulting from instrumentation by either Profile or Naviflex instruments. Forty mesial canals in extracted human molar teeth were embedded and sectioned at two root levels. Reassembled teeth were instrumented with a modified crown-down technique as described in the Profile training video for Profile files and in a similar manner for Naviflex instruments. Superimposed pre- and postinstrumented cross-sectional root images were projected, traced, and scanned into a computer for analysis. Canal movement, in relation to the furca, and canal area change were recorded. The results showed no significant difference in canal center movement or canal area change between the Profile or Naviflex groups. The degree of canal curvature had no effect on canal center movement or canal area change.

  8. Identification of new serum markers of pathological states by bioinformatic tools for the analysis of serum proteomics expression profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malorni, A.; Facchiano, A.

    2009-01-01

    We have developed new bioinformatic tools and strategies, aimed to the identification and characterization of proteins as markers of pathological states, for the analysis of data derived from protein expression profiles obtained by mass spectrometry techniques, for the study of structural and functional properties of the proteins, and for the analysis of data from omics approaches

  9. Mission profile based multi-disciplinary analysis of power modules in single-phase transformerless photovoltaic inverters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Yongheng; Wang, Huai; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2013-01-01

    years) has been set as a main target and an emerging demand from the customers, which imposes a new challenge on grid-connected transformerless inverters. In order to reduce maintenance cost, it is essential to predict the lifetime of the transformerless PV inverter and its components based......The popularity of transformerless photovoltaic (PV) inverters in Europe proves that these topologies can achieve higher efficiency (e.g., ≥ 98% has been reported). Along with the advanced power electronics technology and the booming development of PV power systems, a long service time (e.g. 25...... on the mission profiles — solar irradiance and ambient temperature. In this paper, a mission profile based analysis approach is proposed and it is demonstrated by three main single-phase transformerless PV inverters — Full-Bridge (FB) with bipolar modulation scheme, the FB inverter with DC bypass (FB...

  10. Genetic variability in MCF-7 sublines: evidence of rapid genomic and RNA expression profile modifications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nugoli, Mélanie; Theillet, Charles; Chuchana, Paul; Vendrell, Julie; Orsetti, Béatrice; Ursule, Lisa; Nguyen, Catherine; Birnbaum, Daniel; Douzery, Emmanuel JP; Cohen, Pascale

    2003-01-01

    Both phenotypic and cytogenetic variability have been reported for clones of breast carcinoma cell lines but have not been comprehensively studied. Despite this, cell lines such as MCF-7 cells are extensively used as model systems. In this work we documented, using CGH and RNA expression profiles, the genetic variability at the genomic and RNA expression levels of MCF-7 cells of different origins. Eight MCF-7 sublines collected from different sources were studied as well as 3 subclones isolated from one of the sublines by limit dilution. MCF-7 sublines showed important differences in copy number alteration (CNA) profiles. Overall numbers of events ranged from 28 to 41. Involved chromosomal regions varied greatly from a subline to another. A total of 62 chromosomal regions were affected by either gains or losses in the 11 sublines studied. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of CGH profiles using maximum parsimony in order to reconstruct the putative filiation of the 11 MCF-7 sublines. The phylogenetic tree obtained showed that the MCF-7 clade was characterized by a restricted set of 8 CNAs and that the most divergent subline occupied the position closest to the common ancestor. Expression profiles of 8 MCF-7 sublines were analyzed along with those of 19 unrelated breast cancer cell lines using home made cDNA arrays comprising 720 genes. Hierarchical clustering analysis of the expression data showed that 7/8 MCF-7 sublines were grouped forming a cluster while the remaining subline clustered with unrelated breast cancer cell lines. These data thus showed that MCF-7 sublines differed at both the genomic and phenotypic levels. The analysis of CGH profiles of the parent subline and its three subclones supported the heteroclonal nature of MCF-7 cells. This strongly suggested that the genetic plasticity of MCF-7 cells was related to their intrinsic capacity to generate clonal heterogeneity. We propose that MCF-7, and possibly the breast tumor it was derived from, evolved

  11. Dynamics of a jumping particle on a staircase profile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campos, J.; Romero-Valles, M.J.; Torres, P.J.; Veerman, J.J.P.

    2007-01-01

    We perform a detailed analysis of the dynamics of the descent of a particle bouncing down a staircase profile under the action of gravity. In order to get interesting dynamics we make a detail analysis of the case which the particle loses momentum in the direction orthogonal to the collision plane but preserves the tangential component of the momentum. We prove that in this case all orbits are bounded and show the existence and stability of periodic solutions. The interplay between loss and gain of energy due to impacts and free falling respectively generates a rich dynamics

  12. Two different protein expression profiles of oral squamous cell carcinoma analyzed by immunoprecipitation high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Soung Min; Jeong, Dasul; Kim, Min Keun; Lee, Sang Shin; Lee, Suk Keun

    2017-08-08

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most dangerous cancers in the body, producing serious complications with individual behaviors. Many different pathogenetic factors are involved in the carcinogenesis of OSCC. Cancer cells derived from oral keratinocytes can produce different carcinogenic signaling pathways through differences in protein expression, but their protein expression profiles cannot be easily explored with ordinary detection methods. The present study compared the protein expression profiles between two different types of OSCCs, which were analyzed through immunoprecipitation high-performance liquid chromatography (IP-HPLC). Two types of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) occurred in a mandibular (SCC-1) and maxillary gingiva (SCC-2), but their clinical features and progression were quite different from each other. SCC-1 showed a large gingival ulceration with severe halitosis and extensive bony destruction, while SCC-2 showed a relatively small papillary gingival swelling but rapidly grew to form a large submucosal mass, followed by early cervical lymph node metastasis. In the histological observation, SCC-1 was relatively well differentiated with a severe inflammatory reaction, while SCC-2 showed severely infiltrative growth of each cancer islets accompanied with a mild inflammatory reaction. IP-HPLC analysis revealed contrary protein expression profiles analyzed by 72 different oncogenic proteins. SCC-1 showed more cellular apoptosis and invasive growth than SCC-2 through increased expression of caspases, MMPs, p53 signaling, FAS signaling, TGF-β1 signaling, and angiogenesis factors, while SCC-2 showed more cellular growth and survival than SCC-1 through the increased expression of proliferating factors, RAS signaling, eIF5A signaling, WNT signaling, and survivin. The increased trends of cellular apoptosis and invasiveness in the protein expression profiles of SCC-1 were implicative of its extensive gingival ulceration and bony destruction

  13. CLASH-VLT: testing the nature of gravity with galaxy cluster mass profiles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pizzuti, L.; Sartoris, B.; Borgani, S.; Girardi, M. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sezione di Astronomia, Università di Trieste, Via Tiepolo 11, I-34143 Trieste (Italy); Amendola, L. [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 16, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Umetsu, K. [5 Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Biviano, A.; Balestra, I.; Nonino, M. [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via Tiepolo 11, I-34143 Trieste (Italy); Rosati, P. [University Observatory Munich, Scheinerstrasse 1, D-81679 Mu\\' nchen (Germany); Caminha, G.B. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università di Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, I-44122 Ferrara (Italy); Frye, B. [Steward Observatory/Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Koekemoer, A. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Grillo, C. [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Lombardi, M. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milan (Italy); Mercurio, A., E-mail: pizzuti@oats.inaf.it, E-mail: barbara.sartoris@gmail.com, E-mail: borgani@oats.inaf.it, E-mail: l.amendola@thphys.uniheidelberg.de [Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Via Moiariello 16, I-80131 Napoli (Italy)

    2016-04-01

    We use high-precision kinematic and lensing measurements of the total mass profile of the dynamically relaxed galaxy cluster MACS J1206.2-0847 at z=0.44 to estimate the value of the ratio η=Ψ/Φ between the two scalar potentials in the linear perturbed Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker metric. An accurate measurement of this ratio, called anisotropic stress, could show possible, interesting deviations from the predictions of the theory of General Relativity, according to which Ψ should be equal to Φ. Complementary kinematic and lensing mass profiles were derived from exhaustive analyses using the data from the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) and the spectroscopic follow-up with the Very Large Telescope (CLASH-VLT). Whereas the kinematic mass profile tracks only the time-time part of the perturbed metric (i.e. only Φ), the lensing mass profile reflects the contribution of both time-time and space-space components (i.e. the sum Φ+Ψ). We thus express η as a function of the mass profiles and perform our analysis over the radial range 0.5 Mpc≤ r≤ r{sub 200}=1.96 Mpc. Using a spherical Navarro-Frenk-White mass profile, which well fits the data, we obtain η(r{sub 200})=1.01 {sub −0.28}{sup +0.31} at the 68% C.L. We discuss the effect of assuming different functional forms for mass profiles and of the orbit anisotropy in the kinematic reconstruction. Interpreting this result within the well-studied f(R) modified gravity model, the constraint on η translates into an upper bound to the interaction length (inverse of the scalaron mass) smaller than 2 Mpc. This tight constraint on the f(R) interaction range is however substantially relaxed when systematic uncertainties in the analysis are considered. Our analysis highlights the potential of this method to detect deviations from general relativity, while calling for the need of further high-quality data on the total mass distribution of clusters and improved control on systematic

  14. Beam profile monitors in the NLCTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nantista, C.; Adolphsen, C.; Brown, R.L.; Fuller, R.; Rifkin, J.

    1997-05-01

    The transverse current profile in the Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator (NLCTA) electron beam can be monitored at several locations along the beam line by means of profile monitors. These consist of insertable phosphor screens, light collection and transport systems, CID cameras, a frame-grabber, and PC and VAX based image analysis software. In addition to their usefulness in tuning and steering the accelerator, the profile monitors are utilized for emittance measurement. A description of these systems and their performance is presented

  15. Comparison of three officinal species of Callicarpa based on a biochemome profiling strategy with UHPLC-IT-MS and chemometrics analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Meng-Lu; Chang, Wen-Qi; Zhou, Jian-Liang; Yin, Ying-Hao; Xia, Wen-Rui; Liu, Jian-Qun; Liu, Li-Fang; Xin, Gui-Zhong

    2017-10-25

    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) materials with closely related species are frequently fungible in clinical use. Therefore, holistic comparison of the composition in bioactive compounds is essential to evaluate whether they are equivalent in efficacy. Taking three officinal species of Callicarpa as a case, we proposed and validated a standardized strategy for the discrimination of closely related TCM materials, which focused on the extraction, profiling and multivariate statistical analysis of their biochemome. Firstly, serial liquid-liquid extractions were utilized to prepare different batches of Callicarpa biochemome, and the preparation yields were utilized for the normalization of sampling quantity prior to UHPLC-IT-MS analysis. Secondly, 34 compounds, including 19 phenylethanoid glycosides, 10 flavonoids and 5 terpenoids, were identified based on an untargeted UHPLC-IT-MS method. Thirdly, method validation of linearity, precision and stability showed that the UHPLC-IT-MS system was qualified (R 2 >0.995, RSDsupply chain of pharmaceutical suppliers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Multidimensional profiles of health locus of control in Hispanic Americans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Champagne, Brian R; Fox, Rina S; Mills, Sarah D; Sadler, Georgia Robins; Malcarne, Vanessa L

    2016-10-01

    Latent profile analysis identified health locus of control profiles among 436 Hispanic Americans who completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales. Results revealed four profiles: Internally Oriented-Weak, -Moderate, -Strong, and Externally Oriented. The profile groups were compared on sociocultural and demographic characteristics, health beliefs and behaviors, and physical and mental health outcomes. The Internally Oriented-Strong group had less cancer fatalism, religiosity, and equity health attributions, and more alcohol consumption than the other three groups; the Externally Oriented group had stronger equity health attributions and less alcohol consumption. Deriving multidimensional health locus of control profiles through latent profile analysis allows examination of the relationships of health locus of control subtypes to health variables. © The Author(s) 2015.

  17. Integrated multi-level quality control for proteomic profiling studies using mass spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barrett Jennifer H

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Proteomic profiling using mass spectrometry (MS is one of the most promising methods for the analysis of complex biological samples such as urine, serum and tissue for biomarker discovery. Such experiments are often conducted using MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight and SELDI-TOF (surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight MS. Using such profiling methods it is possible to identify changes in protein expression that differentiate disease states and individual proteins or patterns that may be useful as potential biomarkers. However, the incorporation of quality control (QC processes that allow the identification of low quality spectra reliably and hence allow the removal of such data before further analysis is often overlooked. In this paper we describe rigorous methods for the assessment of quality of spectral data. These procedures are presented in a user-friendly, web-based program. The data obtained post-QC is then examined using variance components analysis to quantify the amount of variance due to some of the factors in the experimental design. Results Using data from a SELDI profiling study of serum from patients with different levels of renal function, we show how the algorithms described in this paper may be used to detect systematic variability within and between sample replicates, pooled samples and SELDI chips and spots. Manual inspection of those spectral data that were identified as being of poor quality confirmed the efficacy of the algorithms. Variance components analysis demonstrated the relatively small amount of technical variance attributable to day of profile generation and experimental array. Conclusion Using the techniques described in this paper it is possible to reliably detect poor quality data within proteomic profiling experiments undertaken by MS. The removal of these spectra at the initial stages of the analysis substantially improves the

  18. Estimating Planetary Boundary Layer Heights from NOAA Profiler Network Wind Profiler Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molod, Andrea M.; Salmun, H.; Dempsey, M

    2015-01-01

    An algorithm was developed to estimate planetary boundary layer (PBL) heights from hourly archived wind profiler data from the NOAA Profiler Network (NPN) sites located throughout the central United States. Unlike previous studies, the present algorithm has been applied to a long record of publicly available wind profiler signal backscatter data. Under clear conditions, summertime averaged hourly time series of PBL heights compare well with Richardson-number based estimates at the few NPN stations with hourly temperature measurements. Comparisons with clear sky reanalysis based estimates show that the wind profiler PBL heights are lower by approximately 250-500 m. The geographical distribution of daily maximum PBL heights corresponds well with the expected distribution based on patterns of surface temperature and soil moisture. Wind profiler PBL heights were also estimated under mostly cloudy conditions, and are generally higher than both the Richardson number based and reanalysis PBL heights, resulting in a smaller clear-cloudy condition difference. The algorithm presented here was shown to provide a reliable summertime climatology of daytime hourly PBL heights throughout the central United States.

  19. Speciation and migration of 129I in soil profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Maoyi; Hou, Xiaolin; Zhou, Weijian; He, Chaohui; Chen, Ning; Liu, Qi; Zhang, Luoyuan

    2013-01-01

    A method has been developed for speciation analysis of ultra low level 129 I in soil using sequential extraction combined with coprecipitation for separation of carrier free iodine and AMS measurement of 129 I. Two loess profiles collected from northwest China were analyzed for species of 129 I and 127 I. Similar partitioning of 129 I and 127 I was observed in the loess profiles, the distribution of iodine isotopes followed an order of organic > leachable > reducible > residue. The 129 I concentrations and 129 I/ 127 I ratios decreased exponentially with the depth, and 2 orders of magnitude lower in the deepest layer (60 and 90 cm) compared with the top layer, indicating a significant contribution of anthropogenic input in the upper layer, and high retention of 129 I in soil. The mobility of 129 I in different fractions decreased in an order of leachable > organic > oxides > residue. The results suggest that migration of iodine downwards in the soil profile is a slow process; the oxides and residue are the less mobile fractions of iodine. Highlights: ► 129 I concentration decreases exponentially with the depth of soil profile. ► The mobility of 129 I in fractions decreases: leachable > organic > oxides > residue. ► Iodine shows less mobility in oxides and residue fractions. ► High organic soil content can effectively reduce the migration of 129 I in the environment. ► Carrier free iodine AMS is an effective method for natural 129 I speciation analysis in the environment

  20. The feasibility of retrieving vertical temperature profiles from satellite nadir UV observations: A sensitivity analysis and an inversion experiment with neural network algorithms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sellitto, P.; Del Frate, F.

    2014-01-01

    Atmospheric temperature profiles are inferred from passive satellite instruments, using thermal infrared or microwave observations. Here we investigate on the feasibility of the retrieval of height resolved temperature information in the ultraviolet spectral region. The temperature dependence of the absorption cross sections of ozone in the Huggins band, in particular in the interval 320–325 nm, is exploited. We carried out a sensitivity analysis and demonstrated that a non-negligible information on the temperature profile can be extracted from this small band. Starting from these results, we developed a neural network inversion algorithm, trained and tested with simulated nadir EnviSat-SCIAMACHY ultraviolet observations. The algorithm is able to retrieve the temperature profile with root mean square errors and biases comparable to existing retrieval schemes that use thermal infrared or microwave observations. This demonstrates, for the first time, the feasibility of temperature profiles retrieval from space-borne instruments operating in the ultraviolet. - Highlights: • A sensitivity analysis and an inversion scheme to retrieve temperature profiles from satellite UV observations (320–325 nm). • The exploitation of the temperature dependence of the absorption cross section of ozone in the Huggins band is proposed. • First demonstration of the feasibility of temperature profiles retrieval from satellite UV observations. • RMSEs and biases comparable with more established techniques involving TIR and MW observations

  1. Development of feature extraction analysis for a multi-functional optical profiling device applied to field engineering applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Xu; Xie, Guangping; Laflen, Brandon; Jia, Ming; Song, Guiju; Harding, Kevin G.

    2015-05-01

    In the real application environment of field engineering, a large variety of metrology tools are required by the technician to inspect part profile features. However, some of these tools are burdensome and only address a sole application or measurement. In other cases, standard tools lack the capability of accessing irregular profile features. Customers of field engineering want the next generation metrology devices to have the ability to replace the many current tools with one single device. This paper will describe a method based on the ring optical gage concept to the measurement of numerous kinds of profile features useful for the field technician. The ring optical system is composed of a collimated laser, a conical mirror and a CCD camera. To be useful for a wide range of applications, the ring optical system requires profile feature extraction algorithms and data manipulation directed toward real world applications in field operation. The paper will discuss such practical applications as measuring the non-ideal round hole with both off-centered and oblique axes. The algorithms needed to analyze other features such as measuring the width of gaps, radius of transition fillets, fall of step surfaces, and surface parallelism will also be discussed in this paper. With the assistance of image processing and geometric algorithms, these features can be extracted with a reasonable performance. Tailoring the feature extraction analysis to this specific gage offers the potential for a wider application base beyond simple inner diameter measurements. The paper will present experimental results that are compared with standard gages to prove the performance and feasibility of the analysis in real world field engineering. Potential accuracy improvement methods, a new dual ring design and future work will be discussed at the end of this paper.

  2. Real time n/γ discrimination for the JET neutron profile monitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Riva, M., E-mail: marco.riva@enea.it [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione, C.P. 65, Frascati I-00044, Roma (Italy); Esposito, B.; Marocco, D.; Belli, F. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione, C.P. 65, Frascati I-00044, Roma (Italy); Syme, B. [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, OX14 3DB Abingdon (United Kingdom); Giacomelli, L. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (Italy); Istituto di Fisica del Plasma, Associazione EURATOM-ENEA-CNR, 20100 Milano (Italy); JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, OX14 3DB Abingdon (United Kingdom)

    2013-10-15

    Highlights: ► Development of a pulse oriented acquisition system able for the JET neutron profile monitor to separate neutron and gamma pulses. ► Description of the FPGA hardware architecture. ► Comparison between the off-line and real time neutron count rates from the last JET experimental campaign. ► Estimate of the maximum sustainable count rate of the system. ► Statistical analysis of neutron measurements from JET neutron profile monitor and neutron monitors. -- Abstract: The JET neutron profile monitor provides the measurement of the neutron flux along 19 collimated lines of sight from which the neutron emissivity profile can be obtained through reconstruction based on inversion methods. The neutron detectors are liquid organic scintillators featuring n/γ pulse shape discrimination. A recent digital upgrade of the neutron profile monitor acquisition system (200 MSamples/s sampling rate per channel, 14 bit resolution) offers new real-time capabilities. An algorithm performing real-time n/γ discrimination by means of the charge comparison method is implemented in the acquisition system FPGA. The algorithm produces two distinct count rates (n and γ) that are sent to the JET real time network ready for control applications and are simultaneously stored into the JET archive together with all the samples of each pulse. The paper describes the architecture of the FPGA implementation and reports the analysis of data collected during the 2011–2012 JET campaigns. The comparison between the real-time and post-processed (off-line) neutron count rates shows an agreement within 5% for all 19 detectors. Moreover, it is shown that the maximum count rate sustainable by the acquisition system when storing raw data (∼900 kHz as evaluated in laboratory tests) can be extended up to 5 MHz when using the real-time implementation with no local data storage. Finally, a statistical analysis of the ratio between the line-integrated measurements from the neutron profile

  3. SwathProfiler and NProfiler: Two new ArcGIS Add-ins for the automatic extraction of swath and normalized river profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Peña, J. V.; Al-Awabdeh, M.; Azañón, J. M.; Galve, J. P.; Booth-Rea, G.; Notti, D.

    2017-07-01

    The present-day great availability of high-resolution Digital Elevation Models has improved tectonic geomorphology analyses in their methodological aspects and geological meaning. Analyses based on topographic profiles are valuable to explore the short and long-term landscape response to tectonic activity and climate changes. Swath and river longitudinal profiles are two of the most used analysis to explore the long and short-term landscape responses. Most of these morphometric analyses are conducted in GIS software, which have become standard tools for analyzing drainage network metrics. In this work we present two ArcGIS Add-Ins to automatically delineate swath and normalized river profiles. Both tools are programmed in Visual Basic . NET and use ArcObjects library-architecture to access directly to vector and raster data. The SwathProfiler Add-In allows analyzing the topography within a swath or band by representing maximum-minimum-mean elevations, first and third quartile, local relief and hypsometry. We have defined a new transverse hypsometric integral index (THi) that analyzes hypsometry along the swath and offer valuable information in these kind of graphics. The NProfiler Add-In allows representing longitudinal normalized river profiles and their related morphometric indexes as normalized concavity (CT), maximum concavity (Cmax) and length of maximum concavity (Lmax). Both tools facilitate the spatial analysis of topography and drainage networks directly in a GIS environment as ArcMap and provide graphical outputs. To illustrate how these tools work, we analyzed two study areas, the Sierra Alhamilla mountain range (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain) and the Eastern margin of the Dead Sea (Jordan). The first study area has been recently studied from a morphotectonic perspective and these new tools can show an added value to the previous studies. The second study area has not been analyzed by quantitative tectonic geomorphology and the results suggest a landscape

  4. ASD and schizophrenia show distinct developmental profiles in common genetic overlap with population-based social communication difficulties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Pourcain, B; Robinson, E B; Anttila, V; Sullivan, B B; Maller, J; Golding, J; Skuse, D; Ring, S; Evans, D M; Zammit, S; Fisher, S E; Neale, B M; Anney, R J L; Ripke, S; Hollegaard, M V; Werge, T; Ronald, A; Grove, J; Hougaard, D M; Børglum, A D; Mortensen, P B; Daly, M J; Davey Smith, G

    2018-02-01

    Difficulties in social communication are part of the phenotypic overlap between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. Both conditions follow, however, distinct developmental patterns. Symptoms of ASD typically occur during early childhood, whereas most symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia do not appear before early adulthood. We investigated whether overlap in common genetic influences between these clinical conditions and impairments in social communication depends on the developmental stage of the assessed trait. Social communication difficulties were measured in typically-developing youth (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, N⩽5553, longitudinal assessments at 8, 11, 14 and 17 years) using the Social Communication Disorder Checklist. Data on clinical ASD (PGC-ASD: 5305 cases, 5305 pseudo-controls; iPSYCH-ASD: 7783 cases, 11 359 controls) and schizophrenia (PGC-SCZ2: 34 241 cases, 45 604 controls, 1235 trios) were either obtained through the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) or the Danish iPSYCH project. Overlap in genetic influences between ASD and social communication difficulties during development decreased with age, both in the PGC-ASD and the iPSYCH-ASD sample. Genetic overlap between schizophrenia and social communication difficulties, by contrast, persisted across age, as observed within two independent PGC-SCZ2 subsamples, and showed an increase in magnitude for traits assessed during later adolescence. ASD- and schizophrenia-related polygenic effects were unrelated to each other and changes in trait-disorder links reflect the heterogeneity of genetic factors influencing social communication difficulties during childhood versus later adolescence. Thus, both clinical ASD and schizophrenia share some genetic influences with impairments in social communication, but reveal distinct developmental profiles in their genetic links, consistent with the onset of clinical symptoms.

  5. Metabolite Profiling of Red Sea Corals

    KAUST Repository

    Ortega, Jovhana Alejandra

    2016-12-01

    Looking at the metabolite profile of an organism provides insights into the metabolomic state of a cell and hence also into pathways employed. Little is known about the metabolites produced by corals and their algal symbionts. In particular, corals from the central Red Sea are understudied, but interesting study objects, as they live in one of the warmest and most saline environments and can provide clues as to the adjustment of corals to environmental change. In this study, we applied gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS) metabolite profiling to analyze the metabolic profile of four coral species and their associated symbionts: Fungia granulosa, Acropora hemprichii, Porites lutea, and Pocillopora verrucosa. We identified and quantified 102 compounds among primary and secondary metabolites across all samples. F. granulosa and its symbiont showed a total of 59 metabolites which were similar to the 51 displayed by P. verrucosa. P. lutea and A. hemprichii both harbored 40 compounds in conjunction with their respective isolated algae. Comparing across species, 28 metabolites were exclusively present in algae, while 38 were exclusive to corals. A principal component and cluster analyses revealed that metabolite profiles clustered between corals and algae, but each species harbored a distinct catalog of metabolites. The major classes of compounds were carbohydrates and amino acids. Taken together, this study provides a first description of metabolites of Red Sea corals and their associated symbionts. As expected, the metabolites of coral hosts differ from their algal symbionts, but each host and algal species harbor a unique set of metabolites. This corroborates that host-symbiont species pairs display a fine-tuned complementary metabolism that provide insights into the specific nature of the symbiosis. Our analysis also revealed aquatic pollutants, which suggests that metabolite profiling might be used for monitoring pollution levels and assessing

  6. Flupyradifurone: a brief profile of a new butenolide insecticide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nauen, Ralf; Jeschke, Peter; Velten, Robert; Beck, Michael E; Ebbinghaus-Kintscher, Ulrich; Thielert, Wolfgang; Wölfel, Katharina; Haas, Matthias; Kunz, Klaus; Raupach, Georg

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND The development and commercialisation of new chemical classes of insecticides for efficient crop protection measures against destructive invertebrate pests is of utmost importance to overcome resistance issues and to secure sustainable crop yields. Flupyradifurone introduced here is the first representative of the novel butenolide class of insecticides active against various sucking pests and showing an excellent safety profile. RESULTS The discovery of flupyradifurone was inspired by the butenolide scaffold in naturally occurring stemofoline. Flupyradifurone acts reversibly as an agonist on insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors but is structurally different from known agonists, as shown by chemical similarity analysis. It shows a fast action on a broad range of sucking pests, as demonstrated in laboratory bioassays, and exhibits excellent field efficacy on a number of crops with different application methods, including foliar, soil, seed treatment and drip irrigation. It is readily taken up by plants and translocated in the xylem, as demonstrated by phosphor imaging analysis. Flupyradifurone is active on resistant pests, including cotton whiteflies, and is not metabolised by recombinantly expressed CYP6CM1, a cytochrome P450 conferring metabolic resistance to neonicotinoids and pymetrozine. CONCLUSION The novel butenolide insecticide flupyradifurone shows unique properties and will become a new tool for integrated pest management around the globe, as demonstrated by its insecticidal, ecotoxicological and safety profile. © 2014 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. PMID:25351824

  7. Radiation Changes the Metabolic Profiling of Melanoma Cell Line B16.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lige Wu

    Full Text Available Radiation therapy can be an effective way to kill cancer cells using ionizing radiation, but some tumors are resistant to radiation therapy and the underlying mechanism still remains elusive. It is therefore necessary to establish an appropriate working model to study and monitor radiation-mediated cancer therapy. In response to cellular stress, the metabolome is the integrated profiling of changes in all metabolites in cells, which can be used to investigate radiation tolerance mechanisms and identify targets for cancer radiation sensibilization. In this study, using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance for untargeted metabolic profiling in radiation-tolerant mouse melanoma cell line B16, we comprehensively investigated changes in metabolites and metabolic network in B16 cells in response to radiation. Principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis indicated the difference in cellular metabolites between the untreated cells and X-ray radiated cells. In radiated cells, the content of alanine, glutamate, glycine and choline was increased, while the content of leucine, lactate, creatine and creatine phosphate was decreased. Enrichment analysis of metabolic pathway showed that the changes in metabolites were related to multiple metabolic pathways including the metabolism of glycine, arginine, taurine, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis. Taken together, with cellular metabolome study followed by bioinformatic analysis to profile specific metabolic pathways in response to radiation, we deepened our understanding of radiation-resistant mechanisms and radiation sensibilization in cancer, which may further provide a theoretical and practical basis for personalized cancer therapy.

  8. New insights on developmental dyslexia subtypes: heterogeneity of mixed reading profiles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Zoubrinetzky

    Full Text Available We examined whether classifications based on reading performance are relevant to identify cognitively homogeneous subgroups of dyslexic children. Each of the 71 dyslexic participants was selected to have a mixed reading profile, i.e. poor irregular word and pseudo-word reading performance (accuracy and speed. Despite their homogeneous reading profile, the participants were found to split into four distinct cognitive subgroups, characterized by a single phonological disorder, a single visual attention span disorder, a double deficit or none of these disorders. The two subgroups characterized by single and contrasted cognitive disorders were found to exhibit a very similar reading pattern but more contrasted spelling performance (quantitative analysis. A qualitative analysis of the error types produced in reading and spelling provided some cues about the participants' underlying cognitive deficit. The overall findings disqualify subtyping based on reading profiles as a classification method to identify cognitively homogeneous subgroups of dyslexic children. They rather show an opaque relationship between the cognitive underpinnings of developmental dyslexia and their behavioral manifestations in reading and spelling. Future neuroimaging and genetic studies should take this issue into account since synthesizing over cognitively heterogeneous children would entail potential pitfalls.

  9. New Insights on Developmental Dyslexia Subtypes: Heterogeneity of Mixed Reading Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoubrinetzky, Rachel; Bielle, Frédérique; Valdois, Sylviane

    2014-01-01

    We examined whether classifications based on reading performance are relevant to identify cognitively homogeneous subgroups of dyslexic children. Each of the 71 dyslexic participants was selected to have a mixed reading profile, i.e. poor irregular word and pseudo-word reading performance (accuracy and speed). Despite their homogeneous reading profile, the participants were found to split into four distinct cognitive subgroups, characterized by a single phonological disorder, a single visual attention span disorder, a double deficit or none of these disorders. The two subgroups characterized by single and contrasted cognitive disorders were found to exhibit a very similar reading pattern but more contrasted spelling performance (quantitative analysis). A qualitative analysis of the error types produced in reading and spelling provided some cues about the participants' underlying cognitive deficit. The overall findings disqualify subtyping based on reading profiles as a classification method to identify cognitively homogeneous subgroups of dyslexic children. They rather show an opaque relationship between the cognitive underpinnings of developmental dyslexia and their behavioral manifestations in reading and spelling. Future neuroimaging and genetic studies should take this issue into account since synthesizing over cognitively heterogeneous children would entail potential pitfalls. PMID:24918441

  10. Aesthetic evaluation of profile incisor inclination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaleb, Nathalie; Bouserhal, Joseph; Bassil-Nassif, Nayla

    2011-06-01

    The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) the impact of maxillary incisor inclination on the aesthetics of the profile view of a smile, (2) to determine the most aesthetic inclination in the profile view of a smile and correlate it with facial features, and (3) to determine if dentists, orthodontists, and laypeople appreciate differently incisor inclination in smile aesthetics. A smiling profile photograph of a female subject (22 years of age) who fulfilled the criteria of soft tissue normative values and a balanced smile was obtained. The photograph was manipulated to simulate six lingual and labial inclinations at 5 degree increments to a maximum of 15 degrees. The seven photographs were randomly distributed in a binder to three groups of raters (30 dentists, 30 orthodontists, and 30 laypeople) who scored the attractiveness of the photographic variations using a visual analogue scale. Comparison of the mean scores was carried out by repeated analysis of variance, univariate tests, and multiple Bonferroni comparisons. The results showed a statistically significant interaction between the rater's profession and the aesthetic preference of incisor inclination (P = 0.013). The profile smile corresponding to an increase of 5 degrees in a labial direction had the highest score among all professions and among male and female raters. Orthodontists preferred labial crown torque; dentists and laypeople did not appreciate excessive incisor inclination in either the lingual or the labial directions. The most preferred smile matched with a maxillary incisor inclined 93 degrees to the horizontal line and +7 degrees to the lower facial third.

  11. Cardioprotective and Metabolomic Profiling of Selected Medicinal Plants against Oxidative Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadia Afsheen

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In this research work, the antioxidant and metabolomic profiling of seven selected medicinally important herbs including Rauvolfia serpentina, Terminalia arjuna, Coriandrum sativum, Elettaria cardamom, Piper nigrum, Allium sativum, and Crataegus oxyacantha was performed. The in vivo cardioprotective potential of these medicinal plants was evaluated against surgically induced oxidative stress through left anterior descending coronary artery ligation (LADCA in dogs. The antioxidant profiling of these plants was done through DPPH and DNA protection assay. The C. oxyacantha and T. arjuna showed maximum antioxidant potential, while the E. cardamom showed poor antioxidative strength even at its high concentration. Different concentrations of extracts of the said plants exhibited the protection of plasmid DNA against H2O2 damage as compared to the plasmid DNA merely treated with H2O2. The metabolomic profiling through LC-MS analysis of these antioxidants revealed the presence of active secondary metabolites responsible for their antioxidant potential. During in vivo analysis, blood samples of all treatment groups were drawn at different time intervals to analyze the cardiac and hemodynamic parameters. The results depicted that the group pretreated with HC4 significantly sustained the level of CK-MB, SGOT, and LDH as well as hemodynamic parameters near to normal. The histopathological examination also confirmed the cardioprotective potential of HC4. Thus, the HC4 being safe and inexpensive cardioprotective herbal combination could be considered as an alternate of synthetic drugs.

  12. Cardioprotective and Metabolomic Profiling of Selected Medicinal Plants against Oxidative Stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afsheen, Nadia; Jahan, Nazish; Ijaz, Misbah; Manzoor, Asad; Khan, Khalid Mahmood; Hina, Saman

    2018-01-01

    In this research work, the antioxidant and metabolomic profiling of seven selected medicinally important herbs including Rauvolfia serpentina, Terminalia arjuna, Coriandrum sativum, Elettaria cardamom, Piper nigrum, Allium sativum, and Crataegus oxyacantha was performed. The in vivo cardioprotective potential of these medicinal plants was evaluated against surgically induced oxidative stress through left anterior descending coronary artery ligation (LADCA) in dogs. The antioxidant profiling of these plants was done through DPPH and DNA protection assay. The C. oxyacantha and T. arjuna showed maximum antioxidant potential, while the E. cardamom showed poor antioxidative strength even at its high concentration. Different concentrations of extracts of the said plants exhibited the protection of plasmid DNA against H2O2 damage as compared to the plasmid DNA merely treated with H2O2. The metabolomic profiling through LC-MS analysis of these antioxidants revealed the presence of active secondary metabolites responsible for their antioxidant potential. During in vivo analysis, blood samples of all treatment groups were drawn at different time intervals to analyze the cardiac and hemodynamic parameters. The results depicted that the group pretreated with HC4 significantly sustained the level of CK-MB, SGOT, and LDH as well as hemodynamic parameters near to normal. The histopathological examination also confirmed the cardioprotective potential of HC4. Thus, the HC4 being safe and inexpensive cardioprotective herbal combination could be considered as an alternate of synthetic drugs. PMID:29576858

  13. Liver Gene Expression Profiles of Rats Treated with Clofibric Acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michel, Cécile; Desdouets, Chantal; Sacre-Salem, Béatrice; Gautier, Jean-Charles; Roberts, Ruth; Boitier, Eric

    2003-01-01

    Clofibric acid (CLO) is a peroxisome proliferator (PP) that acts through the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α, leading to hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents. CLO-induced hepatocarcinogenesis is a multi-step process, first transforming normal liver cells into foci. The combination of laser capture microdissection (LCM) and genomics has the potential to provide expression profiles from such small cell clusters, giving an opportunity to understand the process of cancer development in response to PPs. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the impact of the successive steps of LCM procedure on gene expression profiling by comparing profiles from LCM samples to those obtained with non-microdissected liver samples collected after a 1 month CLO treatment in the rat. We showed that hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and laser microdissection itself do not impact on RNA quality. However, the overall process of the LCM procedure affects the RNA quality, resulting in a bias in the gene profiles. Nonetheless, this bias did not prevent accurate determination of a CLO-specific molecular signature. Thus, gene-profiling analysis of microdissected foci, identified by H&E staining may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat by allowing identification of specific genes that are regulated by CLO in early pre-neoplastic foci. PMID:14633594

  14. Profile correction to electron temperature and enhancement factor in soft-x-ray pulse-height-analysis measurements in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sesnic, S.; Diesso, M.; Hill, K.; Holland, A.; Pohl, F.

    1988-01-01

    Because soft-x-ray pulse-height-analysis spectra contain chordal information, the electron temperature and the radiation intensity (enhancement factor) measurements do not represent the local values. The correction factors for the electron temperature and the enhancement factor as a function of the temperature and density profile parameters and the energy are obtained. The spectrum distortion due to pulse pileup effects is also evaluated. A set of curves is given from which the distortion of the spectrum can be obtained if the electron temperature, the Be filter thickness, and the electronic parameters of the acquisition system are known. PG 1810,1812 ID 131801CON N X-ray diagnostics TT Profile correction to electron temperature and enhancement factor in soft-x-ray pulse-height-analysis measurements in tokamaks AU S. Sesnic, M. Diesso, K. Hill, and A. Holland LO Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 AU F. Pohl LO Max-Planck Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, 8046-Garching, Federal Republic of Germany SD (Presented on 16 March 1988) AB Because soft-x-ray pulse-height-analysis spectra contain chordal information, the electron temperature and the radiation intensity (enhancement factor) measurements do not represent the local values. The correction factors for the electron temperature and the enhancement factor as a function of the temperature and density profile parameters and the energy are obtained. The spectrum distortion due to pulse pileup effects is also evaluated. A set of curves is given from which the distortion of the spectrum can be obtained if the electron tempe

  15. Flexibl Pavement Analysis Considering Temperature Profile and Anisotropy Behavior in Hot Mix Asphalt Layer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Choi Joonho

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available A three Dimensional finite element model (FEM incorporating the anisotropic properties and temperature profile of hot mix asphalt (HMA pavement was developed to predict the structural responses of HMA pavement subject to heavy loads typically encountered in the field. In this study, ABAQUS was adopted to model the stress and strain relationships within the pavement structure. The results of the model were verified using data collected from the Korean Highway Corporation Test Road (KHCTR. The results demonstrated that both the base course and surface course layers follow the anisotropic behavior and the incorporation of the temperature profile throughout the pavement has a substantial effect on the pavement response predictions that impact pavement design. The results also showed that the anisotropy level of HMA and base material can be reduced to as low as 80% and 15% as a result of repeated loading, respectively.

  16. Systemic and Local Cytokine Profile following Spinal Cord Injury in Rats: A Multiplex Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yana O. Mukhamedshina

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Our study of the changes in cytokine profile in blood serum and in the spinal cord after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI has shown that an inflammatory reaction and immunological response are not limited to the CNS, but widespread. This fact was confirmed by changes detected in a cytokine profile in blood serum samples [MIP-1α, interleukin 1 (IL-1 α, IL-2, IL-5, IL-1β, MCP-1, RANTES]. There were also changes in the levels of MIP-1α, IL-1α, IL-2, IL-5, IL-18, GM-colony-stimulating factor, IL-17α, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-13, MCP-1, and GRO KC CINC-1 in samples of the rat injured spinal cord. The results underscore the complex cytokine network imbalance exhibited after SCI and show significant changes in the concentrations of 14 cytokines/chemokines with different inflammatory and immunological activities.

  17. Efficient three-dimensional resist profile-driven source mask optimization optical proximity correction based on Abbe-principal component analysis and Sylvester equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Pei-Chun; Yu, Chun-Chang; Chen, Charlie Chung-Ping

    2015-01-01

    As one of the critical stages of a very large scale integration fabrication process, postexposure bake (PEB) plays a crucial role in determining the final three-dimensional (3-D) profiles and lessening the standing wave effects. However, the full 3-D chemically amplified resist simulation is not widely adopted during the postlayout optimization due to the long run-time and huge memory usage. An efficient simulation method is proposed to simulate the PEB while considering standing wave effects and resolution enhancement techniques, such as source mask optimization and subresolution assist features based on the Sylvester equation and Abbe-principal component analysis method. Simulation results show that our algorithm is 20× faster than the conventional Gaussian convolution method.

  18. Cytokine profile determined by data-mining analysis set into clusters of non-small-cell lung cancer patients according to prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrera, L; Montes-Servín, E; Barrera, A; Ramírez-Tirado, L A; Salinas-Parra, F; Bañales-Méndez, J L; Sandoval-Ríos, M; Arrieta, Ó

    2015-02-01

    Immunoregulatory cytokines may play a fundamental role in tumor growth and metastases. Their effects are mediated through complex regulatory networks. Human cytokine profiles could define patient subgroups and represent new potential biomarkers. The aim of this study was to associate a cytokine profile obtained through data mining with the clinical characteristics of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We conducted a prospective study of the plasma levels of 14 immunoregulatory cytokines by ELISA and a cytometric bead array assay in 110 NSCLC patients before chemotherapy and 25 control subjects. Cytokine levels and data-mining profiles were associated with clinical, quality of life and pathological outcomes. NSCLC patients had higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-12p70, IL-17a and interferon (IFN)-γ, and lower levels of IL-33 and IL-29 compared with controls. The pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-8 were associated with lower hemoglobin levels, worse functional performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, ECOG), fatigue and hyporexia. The anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-10 and IL-33 were associated with anorexia and lower body mass index. We identified three clusters of patients according to data-mining analysis with different overall survival (OS; 25.4, 16.8 and 5.09 months, respectively, P = 0.0012). Multivariate analysis showed that ECOG performance status and data-mining clusters were significantly associated with OS (RR 3.59, [95% CI 1.9-6.7], P < 0.001 and 2.2, [1.2-3.8], P = 0.005). Our results provide evidence that complex cytokine networks may be used to identify patient subgroups with different prognoses in advanced NSCLC. These cytokines may represent potential biomarkers, particularly in the immunotherapy era in cancer research. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email

  19. Unbiased metabolite profiling by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and multivariate data analysis for herbal authentication: classification of seven Lonicera species flower buds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Wen; Yang, Hua; Qi, Lian-Wen; Liu, E-Hu; Ren, Mei-Ting; Yan, Yu-Ting; Chen, Jun; Li, Ping

    2012-07-06

    Plant-based medicines become increasingly popular over the world. Authentication of herbal raw materials is important to ensure their safety and efficacy. Some herbs belonging to closely related species but differing in medicinal properties are difficult to be identified because of similar morphological and microscopic characteristics. Chromatographic fingerprinting is an alternative method to distinguish them. Existing approaches do not allow a comprehensive analysis for herbal authentication. We have now developed a strategy consisting of (1) full metabolic profiling of herbal medicines by rapid resolution liquid chromatography (RRLC) combined with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF MS), (2) global analysis of non-targeted compounds by molecular feature extraction algorithm, (3) multivariate statistical analysis for classification and prediction, and (4) marker compounds characterization. This approach has provided a fast and unbiased comparative multivariate analysis of the metabolite composition of 33-batch samples covering seven Lonicera species. Individual metabolic profiles are performed at the level of molecular fragments without prior structural assignment. In the entire set, the obtained classifier for seven Lonicera species flower buds showed good prediction performance and a total of 82 statistically different components were rapidly obtained by the strategy. The elemental compositions of discriminative metabolites were characterized by the accurate mass measurement of the pseudomolecular ions and their chemical types were assigned by the MS/MS spectra. The high-resolution, comprehensive and unbiased strategy for metabolite data analysis presented here is powerful and opens the new direction of authentication in herbal analysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Comparative analysis of root transcriptome profiles of two pairs of drought-tolerant and susceptible rice near-isogenic lines under different drought stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moumeni Ali

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant roots are important organs to uptake soil water and nutrients, perceiving and transducing of soil water deficit signals to shoot. The current knowledge of drought stress transcriptomes in rice are mostly relying on comparative studies of diverse genetic background under drought. A more reliable approach is to use near-isogenic lines (NILs with a common genetic background but contrasting levels of resistance to drought stress under initial exposure to water deficit. Here, we examined two pairs of NILs in IR64 background with contrasting drought tolerance. We obtained gene expression profile in roots of rice NILs under different levels of drought stress help to identify genes and mechanisms involved in drought stress. Results Global gene expression analysis showed that about 55% of genes differentially expressed in roots of rice in response to drought stress treatments. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs increased in NILs as the level of water deficits, increased from mild to severe condition, suggesting that more genes were affected by increasing drought stress. Gene onthology (GO test and biological pathway analysis indicated that activated genes in the drought tolerant NILs IR77298-14-1-2-B-10 and IR77298-5-6-B-18 were mostly involved in secondary metabolism, amino acid metabolism, response to stimulus, defence response, transcription and signal transduction, and down-regulated genes were involved in photosynthesis and cell wall growth. We also observed gibberellic acid (GA and auxin crosstalk modulating lateral root formation in the tolerant NILs. Conclusions Transcriptome analysis on two pairs of NILs with a common genetic background (~97% showed distinctive differences in gene expression profiles and could be effective to unravel genes involved in drought tolerance. In comparison with the moderately tolerant NIL IR77298-5-6-B-18 and other susceptible NILs, the tolerant NIL IR77298-14-1-2-B-10 showed

  1. Māori identity signatures: A latent profile analysis of the types of Māori identity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greaves, Lara M; Houkamau, Carla; Sibley, Chris G

    2015-10-01

    Māori are the indigenous peoples of New Zealand. However, the term 'Māori' can refer to a wide range of people of varying ethnic compositions and cultural identity. We present a statistical model identifying 6 distinct types, or 'Māori Identity Signatures,' and estimate their proportion in the Māori population. The model is tested using a Latent Profile Analysis of a national probability sample of 686 Māori drawn from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study. We identify 6 distinct signatures: Traditional Essentialists (22.6%), Traditional Inclusives (16%), High Moderates (31.7%), Low Moderates (18.7%), Spiritually Orientated (4.1%), and Disassociated (6.9%). These distinct Identity Signatures predicted variation in deprivation, age, mixed-ethnic affiliation, and religion. This research presents the first formal statistical model assessing how people's identity as Māori is psychologically structured, documents the relative proportion of these different patterns of structures, and shows that these patterns reliably predict differences in core demographics. We identify a range of patterns of Māori identity far more diverse than has been previously proposed based on qualitative data, and also show that the majority of Māori fit a moderate or traditional identity pattern. The application of our model for studying Māori health and identity development is discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Size effects in winding roll formed profiles: A study of carcass production for flexible pipes in offshore industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Peter Søe; Nielsen, Morten Storgaard; Bay, Niels

    2013-01-01

    neutral plane. Other parameters such as profile entry angle on the mandrel and spiral pitch are likely to have significant importance. Proper dividing point position is shown to be obtainable by adjusting the profile in the roll forming stage. The profile rolling is successfully modeled by Finite Element......Carcass production of flexible offshore oil and gas pipes implies winding and interlocking of a roll formed stainless steel profile around a mandrel in a spiral shape. The location of the dividing point between the left and right half of the s-shaped profile in the finished carcass is very...... Analysis (FEA), whereas a simplified FE-model of the subsequent winding operation shows that full interlock modeling is required for proper prediction of profile deformation. © (2013) Trans Tech Publications....

  3. Depth-profile analysis of thermoelectric layers on Si wafers by pulsed r.f. glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reinsberg, K.-G.; Schumacher, C.; Tempez, A.; Nielsch, K.; Broekaert, J.A.C.

    2012-01-01

    In this work the depth-profile analysis of thermoelectric layers deposited on Au and Cr covered Si wafers with the aid of pulsed radiofrequency glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry (pulsed RF-GD-TOFMS also called plasma profiling TOFMS (PP-TOFMS™)) is described. For thermoelectric materials the depth resolutions obtained with both PP-TOFMS and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) are shown to be well comparable and in the order of the roughness of the corresponding layers (between 20 and 3700 nm). With both methods a direct solid analysis without any preparation steps is possible. In addition, the analysis of the samples with PP-TOFMS proved to be faster by a factor of 26 compared to SIMS, as sputtering rates were found to be 80 nm s −1 and 3 nm s −1 , respectively. For the analyzed samples the results of PP-TOFMS and SIMS show that a homogeneous deposition was obtained. Quantitative results for all samples could also be obtained directly by PP-TOFMS when the stoichiometry of one sample was determined beforehand for instance by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (SEM-EDX). For Bi 2 Te 3 the standard deviation for the main component concentrations within one sample then is found to be between 1.1% and 1.9% and it is 3.6% from sample to sample. For Sb 2 Te 3 the values within one sample are from 1.7% to 4.2% and from sample to sample 5.3%, respectively. - Highlights: ► Depth resolution in sub micrometer size by glow discharge mass spectrometry. ► Bi and Sb telluride layers composition with GD-TOF-MS, ICP-OES and SEM-EDX agree. ► Homogeneities of layers measured with GD-TOF-MS and SIMS agree.

  4. Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles and Diversity in Salmonella from Humans and Cattle, 2004-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afema, J A; Mather, A E; Sischo, W M

    2015-11-01

    Analysis of long-term anti-microbial resistance (AMR) data is useful to understand source and transmission dynamics of AMR. We analysed 5124 human clinical isolates from Washington State Department of Health, 391 cattle clinical isolates from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and 1864 non-clinical isolates from foodborne disease research on dairies in the Pacific Northwest. Isolates were assigned profiles based on phenotypic resistance to 11 anti-microbials belonging to eight classes. Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), Salmonella Newport (SN) and Salmonella Montevideo (SM) were the most common serovars in both humans and cattle. Multinomial logistic regression showed ST and SN from cattle had greater probability of resistance to multiple classes of anti-microbials than ST and SN from humans (P resistant ST and SN for people, occurrence of profiles unique to cattle and not observed in temporally related human isolates indicates these profiles are circulating in cattle only. We used various measures to assess AMR diversity, conditional on the weighting of rare versus abundant profiles. AMR profile richness was greater in the common serovars from humans, although both source data sets were dominated by relatively few profiles. The greater profile richness in human Salmonella may be due to greater diversity of sources entering the human population compared to cattle or due to continuous evolution in the human environment. Also, AMR diversity was greater in clinical compared to non-clinical cattle Salmonella, and this could be due to anti-microbial selection pressure in diseased cattle that received treatment. The use of bootstrapping techniques showed that although there were shared profiles between humans and cattle, the expected and observed number of profiles was different, suggesting Salmonella and associated resistance from humans and cattle may not be wholly derived from a common population. © 2014 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health Published by

  5. Aromatic profile of ciders by chemical quantitative, gas chromatography-olfactometry, and sensory analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antón, María José; Suárez Valles, Belén; García Hevia, Ana; Picinelli Lobo, Anna

    2014-01-01

    Nine samples of Asturias cider have been analyzed for volatile, olfactometric, and sensorial profiles. The aromatic composition was mainly constituted by fusel alcohols and ethyl esters. Among the minor volatile compounds, fatty acids, volatile phenols, and alcohols were the main components. The olfactometric analysis revealed the existence of 55 aromatic areas, exhibiting a wide range of intensities. Components like amyl alcohols, 2-phenylethanol, ethyl esters such as 2-methylbutyrate, hexanoate and octanoate, hexanoic and octanoic acids 2-phenylethyl acetate, 4-ethyl guaiacol, and 4-ethyl phenol could be considered as being part of the structure of cider aroma. The extract dilution analysis of one extract identified 2 volatile phenols (4-ethyl guaiacol and 4-ethyl phenol) among the most powerful odorants in cider. These components gave significant correlations with the sensory attributes sweet, spicy, and lees. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

  6. Characterization of Escherichia coli isolates from different fecal sources by means of classification tree analysis of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seurinck, Sylvie; Deschepper, Ellen; Deboch, Bishaw; Verstraete, Willy; Siciliano, Steven

    2006-03-01

    Microbial source tracking (MST) methods need to be rapid, inexpensive and accurate. Unfortunately, many MST methods provide a wealth of information that is difficult to interpret by the regulators who use this information to make decisions. This paper describes the use of classification tree analysis to interpret the results of a MST method based on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles of Escherichia coli isolates, and to present results in a format readily interpretable by water quality managers. Raw sewage E. coli isolates and animal E. coli isolates from cow, dog, gull, and horse were isolated and their FAME profiles collected. Correct classification rates determined with leaveone-out cross-validation resulted in an overall low correct classification rate of 61%. A higher overall correct classification rate of 85% was obtained when the animal isolates were pooled together and compared to the raw sewage isolates. Bootstrap aggregation or adaptive resampling and combining of the FAME profile data increased correct classification rates substantially. Other MST methods may be better suited to differentiate between different fecal sources but classification tree analysis has enabled us to distinguish raw sewage from animal E. coli isolates, which previously had not been possible with other multivariate methods such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis.

  7. Profiles of equilibrium constants for self-association of aromatic molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beshnova, Daria A; Lantushenko, Anastasia O; Davies, David B; Evstigneev, Maxim P

    2009-04-28

    Analysis of the noncovalent, noncooperative self-association of identical aromatic molecules assumes that the equilibrium self-association constants are either independent of the number of molecules (the EK-model) or change progressively with increasing aggregation (the AK-model). The dependence of the self-association constant on the number of molecules in the aggregate (i.e., the profile of the equilibrium constant) was empirically derived in the AK-model but, in order to provide some physical understanding of the profile, it is proposed that the sources for attenuation of the equilibrium constant are the loss of translational and rotational degrees of freedom, the ordering of molecules in the aggregates and the electrostatic contribution (for charged units). Expressions are derived for the profiles of the equilibrium constants for both neutral and charged molecules. Although the EK-model has been widely used in the analysis of experimental data, it is shown in this work that the derived equilibrium constant, K(EK), depends on the concentration range used and hence, on the experimental method employed. The relationship has also been demonstrated between the equilibrium constant K(EK) and the real dimerization constant, K(D), which shows that the value of K(EK) is always lower than K(D).

  8. Somatic symptom profiles in the general population: a latent class analysis in a Danish population-based health survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliasen M

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Marie Eliasen,1 Torben Jørgensen,1–3 Andreas Schröder,4 Thomas Meinertz Dantoft,1 Per Fink,4 Chalotte Heinsvig Poulsen,1,5 Nanna Borup Johansen,1 Lene Falgaard Eplov,5 Sine Skovbjerg,1 Svend Kreiner2 1Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Centre for Health, The Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, 2Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 3Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, 4Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, 5Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, The Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify and describe somatic symptom profiles in the general adult population in order to enable further epidemiological research within multiple somatic symptoms.Methods: Information on 19 self-reported common somatic symptoms was achieved from a population-based questionnaire survey of 36,163 randomly selected adults in the Capital Region of Denmark (55.4% women. The participants stated whether they had been considerably bothered by each symptom within 14 days prior to answering the questionnaire. We used latent class analysis to identify the somatic symptom profiles. The profiles were further described by their association with age, sex, chronic disease, and self-perceived health.Results: We identified 10 different somatic symptom profiles defined by number, type, and site of the symptoms. The majority of the population (74.0% had a profile characterized by no considerable bothering symptoms, while a minor group of 3.9% had profiles defined by a high risk of multiple somatic symptoms. The remaining profiles were more likely to be characterized by a few specific symptoms. The profiles could further be described by their associations with age, sex, chronic disease, and self-perceived health.Conclusion: The identified somatic symptom profiles could be distinguished by number, type, and site of

  9. Toward a quantitative typology of burglars: a latent profile analysis of career offenders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughn, Michael G; DeLisi, Matt; Beaver, Kevin M; Howard, Matthew O

    2008-11-01

    Burglary is a serious, costly, and prevalent crime but prior typologies of burglars are mostly speculative and based on qualitative data. Using a sample of 456 adult career criminals, the current study used latent profile analysis to construct a methodologically rigorous quantitative typology. Four classes of burglars emerged: young versatile, vagrant, drug-oriented, and sexual predators. All groups demonstrated significant involvement in varied forms of crime, but the sexual predator group was the most violent and had the most serious criminal careers. Connections to the criminal career literature are offered and suggestions for further empirical study of offender typologies are discussed.

  10. Latent profile analysis of lifestyle characteristics and health risk behaviors among Koreans who have completed industrial accident care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Wan-Suk; Moon, Ok-Kon; Yeum, Dong-Moon

    2017-10-07

    This study investigated the characteristics and health behavior profiles of 1,803 workers who had experienced industrial accidents. Average weekly exercise days, average number of cigarettes smoked per day, average daily sleep duration, and number of days of alcohol consumption were selected to investigate health behavior profiles. Specifically, latent profile analysis was applied to identify the health behavior profiles of people who had completed industrial accident care; the latent classes were the health-conscious type (n=240), the potential-risk type (n=850), and the high-risk type (n=713). Comparison of the health-conscious and potential-risk types indicated that younger subjects, the employed, and those with lower social status and life satisfaction were more likely to be the potential-risk type. Comparison of the health-conscious and high-risk types revealed that males, younger subjects, the employed, those without chronic illnesses, and those with lower social status and life satisfaction were more likely to be the high-risk type. The results suggest that industrial accident victims who have completed accident care have different health behaviors and it is necessary to improve health promotion based on health type characteristics.

  11. Non destructive method of determination of depth profiling with ESCA spectroscopy by angular distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pijolat, Michele.

    1979-07-01

    The aim of this study has been to determine the possibilities of photoelectron spectroscopy ESCA for depth profiling in the first hundred angstrom of a compound. First of all, the technique ESCA has been described in an analytical point of view. Then, the common sputter profiling method has been tested, and a model to deduce the concentrations profile has been formulated. However the analysis of the various effects due to the sputtering events showed that this method is able to give only the profile shape with a bad depth resolution. A new non destructive method based on the analysed depth dependence with photoelectrons emission angle is settled. A computational method (simplexe optimization) is used to deduce the concentrations profile. Simulation have revealed the necessity of submitting constraints proper to the system physical properties and allowed to state the applicability range of the method. The interface profiles Ag-Pd, Ag-Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 -Si have been measured, and the surface segregation in CuNi alloy has been studied [fr

  12. [Emergency Medical Technician profile in Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Isasi, Santiago; Rodríguez-Lorenzo, María José; Vázquez-Santamariña, David; Abella-Lorenzo, Javier; Castro Dios, Diana Josefa; Fernández García, Daniel

    2017-12-11

    The emergency medical technician plays a fundamental role and is the most important figure quantitatively in pre-hospital emergencies. The aim was to asses the socio-demographic, work-related, health characteristics and technical skills of an Emergency Medical Technician in Spain. Cross-sectional descriptive study. An ad hoc questionnaire was managed using Google Docs® that was delivered between April-June 2014 via email and social networks. A total of 705 questionnaires were collected. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS ® 20.0 Windows version. A significance level p≤0.05 was used for all analyzes. The data analyzed show that the profile of the Emergency Medical Technician in Spain is an 39 year-old man, married or living as a couple and has a child. The average BMI is 27 kg/m2, does regular exercise, does not smoke. His seniority in the company is 10 years and has the Medium Cycle of Emergency Medical Technician. The analysis for gender shows that men have an average of 40, an average BMI of 27, 5 kg/m2 and work in an advanced life support unit; while women have an average of 36,5 years, an average BMI of 24,7 kg/m2, mainly work in Basic Life Support Unit and her seniority in the company is 6,76 years. Emergency Medical Technician profile is a overweight men, who refer to practise regular exercise, his seniority in the company is 10 years and is in possession of CMTES; differences were observed according to gender in BMI, resource where they perform their work, seniority and age.

  13. Meta-Analysis: Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Lipid Profiles in Normal to Mildly Hypercholesterolemic Individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikiko Shimizu

    Full Text Available Recent experimental and clinical studies have suggested that probiotic supplementation has beneficial effects on serum lipid profiles. However, there are conflicting results on the efficacy of probiotic preparations in reducing serum cholesterol.To evaluate the effects of probiotics on human serum lipid levels, we conducted a meta-analysis of interventional studies.Eligible reports were obtained by searches of electronic databases. We included randomized, controlled clinical trials comparing probiotic supplementation with placebo or no treatment (control. Statistical analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.3.3. Subanalyses were also performed.Eleven of 33 randomized clinical trials retrieved were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. No participant had received any cholesterol-lowering agent. Probiotic interventions (including fermented milk products and probiotics produced changes in total cholesterol (TC (mean difference -0.17 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.27 to -0.07 mmol/L and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C (mean difference -0.22 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.30 to -0.13 mmol/L. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels did not differ significantly between probiotic and control groups. In subanalysis, long-term (> 4-week probiotic intervention was statistically more effective in decreasing TC and LDL-C than short-term (≤ 4-week intervention. The decreases in TC and LDL-C levels with probiotic intervention were greater in mildly hypercholesterolemic than in normocholesterolemic individuals. Both fermented milk product and probiotic preparations decreased TC and LDL-C levels. Gaio and the Lactobacillus acidophilus strain reduced TC and LDL-C levels to a greater extent than other bacterial strains.In conclusion, this meta-analysis showed that probiotic supplementation could be useful in the primary prevention of hypercholesterolemia and may lead to reductions in risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

  14. Inclusive Education and ELT Policies in Colombia: Views from Some "PROFILE" Journal Authors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robayo Acuña, Lina María; Cárdenas, Melba Libia

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on a study aimed at exploring inclusive policies in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Colombia, as evidenced in the articles published in the "PROFILE" Journal by Colombian authors. The use of the documentary research method and critical discourse analysis showed that some policies--mainly The National…

  15. Profile Septa cut out condensate crud

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poschmann, T.

    1991-01-01

    Secondary side corrosion is a major factor leading to steam generator tube plugging. Large quantities of steam generator sludge can harden, prolonging system maintenance during an outage. However, eliminating the ingress of solids to the PWR steam generators can reduce the need for sludge lancing and increase the life of the steam generator tubes. The Pall Corporation has developed an improved filter demineralizer septum for retrofitting traditional yarn-wound elements without having to modify hardware. In November 1990, operators at Turkey Point installed 496 2in x 70in Pall's Profile Septa in one of the four filter demineralizer vessels on unit 3. After installation of the Profile Septa, samples of filter influent and effluent were taken and analyzed over a one-month period - these showed a particulate removal rate of 96-99%. Contaminant analysis by Pall Corporation identified the vast majority of particulates to be iron oxides. This is as was expected, since Turkey Point has titanium condenser tubes which reduce the source of copper oxides. The success of Profile Septa at Turkey Point has encouraged the other utilities to look at using the septa at their own plants. The cost for these retrofits would be recouped through savings in maintenance costs, due to faster steam generator lancing (fewer solids), reduced radiation exposure and, ultimately, longer steam generator life. (author)

  16. Reading Profiles in Multi-Site Data With Missingness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckert, Mark A; Vaden, Kenneth I; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta

    2018-01-01

    Children with reading disability exhibit varied deficits in reading and cognitive abilities that contribute to their reading comprehension problems. Some children exhibit primary deficits in phonological processing, while others can exhibit deficits in oral language and executive functions that affect comprehension. This behavioral heterogeneity is problematic when missing data prevent the characterization of different reading profiles, which often occurs in retrospective data sharing initiatives without coordinated data collection. Here we show that reading profiles can be reliably identified based on Random Forest classification of incomplete behavioral datasets, after the missForest method is used to multiply impute missing values. Results from simulation analyses showed that reading profiles could be accurately classified across degrees of missingness (e.g., ∼5% classification error for 30% missingness across the sample). The application of missForest to a real multi-site dataset with missingness ( n = 924) showed that reading disability profiles significantly and consistently differed in reading and cognitive abilities for cases with and without missing data. The results of validation analyses indicated that the reading profiles (cases with and without missing data) exhibited significant differences for an independent set of behavioral variables that were not used to classify reading profiles. Together, the results show how multiple imputation can be applied to the classification of cases with missing data and can increase the integrity of results from multi-site open access datasets.

  17. Reading Profiles in Multi-Site Data With Missingness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark A. Eckert

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Children with reading disability exhibit varied deficits in reading and cognitive abilities that contribute to their reading comprehension problems. Some children exhibit primary deficits in phonological processing, while others can exhibit deficits in oral language and executive functions that affect comprehension. This behavioral heterogeneity is problematic when missing data prevent the characterization of different reading profiles, which often occurs in retrospective data sharing initiatives without coordinated data collection. Here we show that reading profiles can be reliably identified based on Random Forest classification of incomplete behavioral datasets, after the missForest method is used to multiply impute missing values. Results from simulation analyses showed that reading profiles could be accurately classified across degrees of missingness (e.g., ∼5% classification error for 30% missingness across the sample. The application of missForest to a real multi-site dataset with missingness (n = 924 showed that reading disability profiles significantly and consistently differed in reading and cognitive abilities for cases with and without missing data. The results of validation analyses indicated that the reading profiles (cases with and without missing data exhibited significant differences for an independent set of behavioral variables that were not used to classify reading profiles. Together, the results show how multiple imputation can be applied to the classification of cases with missing data and can increase the integrity of results from multi-site open access datasets.

  18. Airline Passenger Profiling Based on Fuzzy Deep Machine Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Yu-Jun; Sheng, Wei-Guo; Sun, Xing-Ming; Chen, Sheng-Yong

    2017-12-01

    Passenger profiling plays a vital part of commercial aviation security, but classical methods become very inefficient in handling the rapidly increasing amounts of electronic records. This paper proposes a deep learning approach to passenger profiling. The center of our approach is a Pythagorean fuzzy deep Boltzmann machine (PFDBM), whose parameters are expressed by Pythagorean fuzzy numbers such that each neuron can learn how a feature affects the production of the correct output from both the positive and negative sides. We propose a hybrid algorithm combining a gradient-based method and an evolutionary algorithm for training the PFDBM. Based on the novel learning model, we develop a deep neural network (DNN) for classifying normal passengers and potential attackers, and further develop an integrated DNN for identifying group attackers whose individual features are insufficient to reveal the abnormality. Experiments on data sets from Air China show that our approach provides much higher learning ability and classification accuracy than existing profilers. It is expected that the fuzzy deep learning approach can be adapted for a variety of complex pattern analysis tasks.

  19. Lines profile variations and binarity in Wolf-Rayet stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bisiacchi, G.F.; Firmani, C.; Lara, E. de

    1982-01-01

    Recently, HD50896, a WN5 star, for a long time considered as isolated, has been demonstrated to be a binary. This star shows very small displacement of the lines due to orbital motion and no evidence of the secondary spectrum. Is HD50896 a rare system in which the profile variations are peculiarly strong and easy to be detected, or are there many of these undetected binaries for which the analysis of the profile variation may be a powerful method to determine the periodicity. With this problem in mind the authors have observed a sample of 17 WR stars during a week to analyze both profile and radial velocity variations. This sample includes all the WR stars with Msub(v) 0 0 except for five stars that are binaries with determined period. All the spectra have been taken with a dispersion of 1.1 A channel -1 using a SIT television camera and a low dispersion spectrograph attached to the 2-meter telescope of the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional in San Pedro Martir, Baja California (Mexico). (Auth.)

  20. Professional assessment of facial profile attractiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soh, Jen; Chew, Ming Tak; Wong, Hwee Bee

    2005-08-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the assessments of Chinese facial profile attractiveness by orthodontists and oral surgeons. The sample comprised 31 dental professionals (20 orthodontists, 11 oral surgeons) in an Asian community. Facial profile photographs and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 2 Chinese adults (1 man, 1 woman) with normal profiles, Class I incisor relationships, and Class I skeletal patterns were digitized. The digital images were modified by altering cephalometric skeletal and dental hard tissue Chinese normative values in increments of 2 standard deviations in the anteroposterior plane to obtain 7 facial profiles for each sex. The images were bimaxillary protrusion, protrusive mandible, retrusive mandible, normal profile (Class I incisor with Class I skeletal pattern), retrusive maxilla, protrusive maxilla, and bimaxillary retrusion. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine professional differences in assessment. Multiple regression analysis was performed with age, professional status, sex, and number of years in practice as independent variables. A strong correlation was found in the profile assessment between orthodontists and oral surgeons. Normal and bimaxillary retrusive Chinese male and female profiles were judged to be highly attractive by orthodontists and oral surgeons. Chinese male and female profiles with protrusive mandibles were judged the least attractive. There was a difference in professional opinion about the most attractive male profile (P profile and oral surgeons preferring a fuller normal Chinese profile. Sex of dental professionals and number of years in clinical practice were found to affect profile rankings.

  1. Analysis of the Sensory Profile in Children with Smith-Magenis Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildenbrand, Hanna L.; Smith, Ann C. M.

    2012-01-01

    This study systematically assessed sensory processing in 34 children, aged 3-14 years, with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) using the Sensory Profile Caregiver Questionnaire. Scores for the SMS cohort were significantly different from scores of the national sample of children with and without disabilities in all Sensory Profile categories and…

  2. A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials for comparing the effectiveness and safety profile of treatments with marketing authorization for relapsing multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadjigeorgiou, G M; Doxani, C; Miligkos, M; Ziakas, P; Bakalos, G; Papadimitriou, D; Mprotsis, T; Grigoriadis, N; Zintzaras, E

    2013-12-01

    The relative effectiveness and safety profile of the treatments with marketing authorization for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) are not well known because randomized controlled trials with head-to-head comparisons between these treatments do not exist. Thus, a network of multiple-treatments meta-analysis was performed using four clinical outcomes: 'patients free of relapse', 'patients without disease progression', 'patients without MRI progression' and 'patients with adverse events'. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on MS were systematically searched in PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial. The network analysis performed pairwise comparisons between the marketed treatments (Betaferon 250mcg, Avonex 30mcg, Rebif 44mcg, Rebif 22mcg, Aubagio 7 mg, Aubagio 14 mg, Copaxone 20 mg, Tysabri 300 mg, Gilenya 0·5 mg and Novantrone 12 mg/m(2)) using direct and indirect analyses. The analysis included 48 articles, involving 20 455 patients with MS. The direct analysis showed better response for more than one outcome for Gilenya compared with Avonex ('patients free of relapse' and 'patients without MRI progression') and for Betaferon compared with Avonex ('patients without disease progression' and 'patients without MRI progression'). The indirect analysis indicated that Tysabri may have better relative effectiveness compared with the other treatments for two outcomes: 'patients free of relapse' and 'patients without MRI progression'. Regarding 'patients with adverse events', no data were available for all comparisons to make fair inferences. This was an attempt, for the first time, to compare the efficacy and safety profile of existing approved treatments for relapsing MS. Although some treatments have shown better response, the results of the network analysis should be interpreted with caution because of the lack of RCTs with head-to-head comparisons between treatments. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Concentration profiles near an activated enzyme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Soohyung; Agmon, Noam

    2008-09-25

    When a resting enzyme is activated, substrate concentration profile evolves in its vicinity, ultimately tending to steady state. We use modern theories for many-body effects on diffusion-influenced reactions to derive approximate analytical expressions for the steady-state profile and the Laplace transform of the transient concentration profiles. These show excellent agreement with accurate many-particle Brownian-dynamics simulations for the Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The steady-state profile has a hyperbolic dependence on the distance of the substrate from the enzyme, albeit with a prefactor containing the complexity of the many-body effects. These are most conspicuous for the substrate concentration at the surface of the enzyme. It shows an interesting transition as a function of the enzyme turnover rate. When it is high, the contact concentration decays monotonically to steady state. However, for slow turnover it is nonmonotonic, showing a minimum due to reversible substrate binding, then a maximum due to diffusion of new substrate toward the enzyme, and finally decay to steady state. Under certain conditions one can obtain a good estimate for the critical value of the turnover rate constant at the transition.

  4. Travel and Tourism Marketing. Ohio's Competency Analysis Profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

    Developed through a modified DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) process involving business, industry, labor, and community agency representatives in Ohio, this document is a comprehensive and verified employer competency profile for travel and tourism occupations. The list contains units (with and without subunits), competencies, and competency…

  5. Non-Maxwellian Analysis of the Transition-region Line Profiles Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dudík, Jaroslav; Polito, V.; Dzifčáková, Elena; Del Zanna, G.; Testa, P.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 842, č. 1 (2017), 1/1-1/18 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA16-18495S; GA ČR(CZ) GA17-16447S Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : line profiles * data analysis * radiation mechanisms Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 5.533, year: 2016

  6. Chemical profiling and antioxidant activity of Bolivian propolis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nina, Nélida; Quispe, Cristina; Jiménez-Aspee, Felipe; Theoduloz, Cristina; Giménez, Alberto; Schmeda-Hirschmann, Guillermo

    2016-04-01

    Propolis is a relevant research subject worldwide. However, there is no information so far on Bolivian propolis. Ten propolis samples were collected from regions with high biodiversity in the main honey production places in Bolivia and were analyzed for their total phenolics (TP), flavonoids (TF) and antioxidant activity. The chemical profiles of the samples were assessed by TLC, HPLC-DAD, HPLC-DAD-MS/MS(n) and NMR analysis. TP, TF, TLC and NMR analysis showed significant chemical differences between the samples. Isolation of the main constituents by chromatography and identification by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS(n) achieved more than 35 constituents. According to their profiles, the Bolivian propolis can be classified into phenolic-rich and triterpene-rich samples. Propolis from the valleys (Cochabamba, Chuquisaca and Tarija) contained mainly prenylated phenylpropanoids, while samples from La Paz and Santa Cruz contained cycloartane and pentacyclic triterpenes. Phenolic-rich samples presented moderate to strong antioxidant activity while the triterpene-rich propolis were weakly active. High chemical diversity and differential antioxidant effects were found in Bolivian propolis. Our results provide additional evidence on the chemical composition and bioactivity of South American propolis. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Density profile analysis during an ELM event in ASDEX Upgrade H-modes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nunes, I.; Manso, M.; Serra, F.; Horton, L.D.; Conway, G.D.; Loarte, A.

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports results on measurements of the density profiles. Here we analyse the behaviour of the electron density for a set of experiments in type I ELMy H-mode discharges in ASDEX Upgrade where the plasma current, plasma density, triangularity and input power were varied. Detailed measurements of the radial extent of the perturbation on the density profiles caused by the edge localized mode (ELM) crash (ELM affected depth), the velocity of the radial propagation of the perturbation as well as the width and gradient of the density pedestal are determined. The effect of a type I ELM event on the density profiles affects the outermost 20-40% of the plasma minor radius. At the scrape-off layer (SOL) the density profile broadens while in the pedestal region the density decreases resulting in a smaller density gradient. This change in the density profile defines a pivot point around which the density profile changes. The average radial velocity at the SOL is in the range 125-150 ms -1 and approximately constant for all the density layers far from the pivot point. The width of the density pedestal is approximately constant for all the ELMy H-mode discharges analysed, with values between 2 and 3.5 cm. These results are then compared with an analytical model where the width of the density is predominantly set by ionization (neutral penetration model). The width of the density profiles for L-mode discharges is included, since L- and H-mode have different particle transport. No agreement between the experimental results and the model is found

  8. Building a profile of subjective well-being for social media users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lushi; Gong, Tao; Kosinski, Michal; Stillwell, David; Davidson, Robert L

    2017-01-01

    Subjective well-being includes 'affect' and 'satisfaction with life' (SWL). This study proposes a unified approach to construct a profile of subjective well-being based on social media language in Facebook status updates. We apply sentiment analysis to generate users' affect scores, and train a random forest model to predict SWL using affect scores and other language features of the status updates. Results show that: the computer-selected features resemble the key predictors of SWL as identified in early studies; the machine-predicted SWL is moderately correlated with the self-reported SWL (r = 0.36, p subjective well-being profile can also reflect other psychological traits like depression (r = 0.24, p social media language.

  9. Microphysical retrievals from simultaneous polarimetric and profiling radar observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. P. Morris

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The character of precipitation detected at the surface is the final product of many microphysical interactions in the cloud above, the combined effects of which may be characterized by the observed drop size distribution (DSD. This necessitates accurate retrieval of the DSD from remote sensing data, especially radar as it offers large areal coverage, high spatial resolution, and rigorous quality control and testing. Combined instrument observations with a UHF wind profiler, an S-band polarimetric weather radar, and a video disdrometer are analyzed for two squall line events occuring during the calendar year 2007. UHF profiler Doppler velocity spectra are used to estimate the DSD aloft, and are complemented by DSDs retrieved from an exponential model applied to polarimetric data. Ground truth is provided by the disdrometer. A complicating factor in the retrieval from UHF profiler spectra is the presence of ambient air motion, which can be corrected using the method proposed by Teshiba et al. (2009, in which a comparison between idealized Doppler spectra calculated from the DSDs retrieved from KOUN and those retrieved from contaminated wind profiler spectra is performed. It is found that DSDs measured using the distrometer at the surface and estimated using the wind profiler and polarimetric weather radar generally showed good agreement. The DSD retrievals using the wind profiler were improved when the estimates of the vertical wind were included into the analysis, thus supporting the method of Teshiba et al. (2009. Furthermore, the the study presents a method of investigating the time and height structure of DSDs.

  10. WAIS-III index score profiles in the Canadian standardization sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, Rael T

    2007-01-01

    Representative index score profiles were examined in the Canadian standardization sample of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III). The identification of profile patterns was based on the methodology proposed by Lange, Iverson, Senior, and Chelune (2002) that aims to maximize the influence of profile shape and minimize the influence of profile magnitude on the cluster solution. A two-step cluster analysis procedure was used (i.e., hierarchical and k-means analyses). Cluster analysis of the four index scores (i.e., Verbal Comprehension [VCI], Perceptual Organization [POI], Working Memory [WMI], Processing Speed [PSI]) identified six profiles in this sample. Profiles were differentiated by pattern of performance and were primarily characterized as (a) high VCI/POI, low WMI/PSI, (b) low VCI/POI, high WMI/PSI, (c) high PSI, (d) low PSI, (e) high VCI/WMI, low POI/PSI, and (f) low VCI, high POI. These profiles are potentially useful for determining whether a patient's WAIS-III performance is unusual in a normal population.

  11. Automatic Metaphase Finding by Inter-Chromosome Extrema Profile Analysis

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Vega-Alvarado, Leticia

    2001-01-01

    ...-level inter-chromosome coarseness features in microscopic images of metaphase spreads, and allows to quantity the texture of the cytological objects analysing the intensity profile between chromosome...

  12. Sample preparation optimization in fecal metabolic profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deda, Olga; Chatziioannou, Anastasia Chrysovalantou; Fasoula, Stella; Palachanis, Dimitris; Raikos, Νicolaos; Theodoridis, Georgios A; Gika, Helen G

    2017-03-15

    Metabolomic analysis of feces can provide useful insight on the metabolic status, the health/disease state of the human/animal and the symbiosis with the gut microbiome. As a result, recently there is increased interest on the application of holistic analysis of feces for biomarker discovery. For metabolomics applications, the sample preparation process used prior to the analysis of fecal samples is of high importance, as it greatly affects the obtained metabolic profile, especially since feces, as matrix are diversifying in their physicochemical characteristics and molecular content. However there is still little information in the literature and lack of a universal approach on sample treatment for fecal metabolic profiling. The scope of the present work was to study the conditions for sample preparation of rat feces with the ultimate goal of the acquisition of comprehensive metabolic profiles either untargeted by NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS or targeted by HILIC-MS/MS. A fecal sample pooled from male and female Wistar rats was extracted under various conditions by modifying the pH value, the nature of the organic solvent and the sample weight to solvent volume ratio. It was found that the 1/2 (w f /v s ) ratio provided the highest number of metabolites under neutral and basic conditions in both untargeted profiling techniques. Concerning LC-MS profiles, neutral acetonitrile and propanol provided higher signals and wide metabolite coverage, though extraction efficiency is metabolite dependent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Beam profiles in the nonwedged direction for dynamic wedges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lydon, J.M.; Rykers, K.L.

    1996-01-01

    One feature of the dynamic wedge is the improved flatness of the beam profile in the nonwedged direction when compared to fixed wedges. Profiles in the nonwedged direction for fixed wedges show a fall-off in dose away from the central axis when compared to the open field profile. This study will show that there is no significant difference between open field profiles and nonwedged direction profiles for dynamically wedged beams. The implications are that the dynamic wedge offers an improved dose distribution in the nonwedged direction that can be modelled by approximating the dynamically wedged field to an open field. This is possible as both the profiles and depth doses of the dynamically wedged fields match those of the open fields, if normalized to d max of the same field size. For treatment planning purposes the effective wedge factor (EWF) provides a normalization factor for the open field depth dose data set. Data will be presented to demonstrate that the EWF shows relatively little variation with depth and can be treated as being independent of field size in the nonwedged direction. (author)

  14. Values profile of health career students from Southern Chile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Véliz Burgos

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Higher education institutions must include curricular strategies that enable students to make decisions according to the values and principles related to their professions. The objective of this study was to determine the values profile expressed by health career students from Southern Chile. Materials and methods: This is a quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study with a purposive sample of 242 (M = 20.1 years old nursing, psychology and kinesiology students to whom the Schwartz Value Survey was applied. Software SPSS 20.0 was used to perform a hierarchical clustering analysis and verify the values dimensions associated with each other. One-way ANOVA with post-hoc tests were conducted to verify the means differences among the scores of the values subscales. Results: Two large homogeneous clusters of values were identified. One consisted of the dimensions of Conformity, Security, Achievement, Tradition and Benevolence, and the other one of the dimensions of Hedonism and Stimulation. During the analysis of means, significant statistical differences were observed between the groups in the dimensions of Universalism, Power, Self-Direction, Benevolence, Conformity, Tradition and Achievement (p < 0.01. The most outstanding means differences were those between psychology and nursing students. In the dimensions of Power, Conformity and Tradition, kinesiology and nursing students showed higher means than psychology students (p < 0.01. Conclusions: The results reveal health career students’ values profile. The next step should be to compare those profiles with the values profile of graduates from each discipline, in order to contribute to the strengthening of the dimensions which students from each career consider important for their professional performance.

  15. Phenotypic Profiling of Antibiotic Response Signatures in Escherichia coli Using Raman Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Athamneh, A. I. M.; Alajlouni, R. A.; Wallace, R. S.; Seleem, M. N.

    2014-01-01

    Identifying the mechanism of action of new potential antibiotics is a necessary but time-consuming and costly process. Phenotypic profiling has been utilized effectively to facilitate the discovery of the mechanism of action and molecular targets of uncharacterized drugs. In this research, Raman spectroscopy was used to profile the phenotypic response of Escherichia coli to applied antibiotics. The use of Raman spectroscopy is advantageous because it is noninvasive, label free, and prone to automation, and its results can be obtained in real time. In this research, E. coli cultures were subjected to three times the MICs of 15 different antibiotics (representing five functional antibiotic classes) with known mechanisms of action for 30 min before being analyzed by Raman spectroscopy (using a 532-nm excitation wavelength). The resulting Raman spectra contained sufficient biochemical information to distinguish between profiles induced by individual antibiotics belonging to the same class. The collected spectral data were used to build a discriminant analysis model that identified the effects of unknown antibiotic compounds on the phenotype of E. coli cultures. Chemometric analysis showed the ability of Raman spectroscopy to predict the functional class of an unknown antibiotic and to identify individual antibiotics that elicit similar phenotypic responses. Results of this research demonstrate the power of Raman spectroscopy as a cellular phenotypic profiling methodology and its potential impact on antibiotic drug development research. PMID:24295982

  16. Meta-analysis of Cancer Gene Profiling Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Janine; Winter, Christof; Schroeder, Michael

    2016-01-01

    The simultaneous measurement of thousands of genes gives the opportunity to personalize and improve cancer therapy. In addition, the integration of meta-data such as protein-protein interaction (PPI) information into the analyses helps in the identification and prioritization of genes from these screens. Here, we describe a computational approach that identifies genes prognostic for outcome by combining gene profiling data from any source with a network of known relationships between genes.

  17. Identification and expression profiling analysis of TCP family genes involved in growth and development in maize.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chai, Wenbo; Jiang, Pengfei; Huang, Guoyu; Jiang, Haiyang; Li, Xiaoyu

    2017-10-01

    The TCP family is a group of plant-specific transcription factors. TCP genes encode proteins harboring bHLH structure, which is implicated in DNA binding and protein-protein interactions and known as the TCP domain. TCP genes play important roles in plant development and have been evolutionarily and functionally elaborated in various plants, however, no overall phylogenetic analysis or expression profiling of TCP genes in Zea mays has been reported. In the present study, a systematic analysis of molecular evolution and functional prediction of TCP family genes in maize ( Z . mays L.) has been conducted. We performed a genome-wide survey of TCP genes in maize, revealing the gene structure, chromosomal location and phylogenetic relationship of family members. Microsynteny between grass species and tissue-specific expression profiles were also investigated. In total, 29 TCP genes were identified in the maize genome, unevenly distributed on the 10 maize chromosomes. Additionally, ZmTCP genes were categorized into nine classes based on phylogeny and purifying selection may largely be responsible for maintaining the functions of maize TCP genes. What's more, microsynteny analysis suggested that TCP genes have been conserved during evolution. Finally, expression analysis revealed that most TCP genes are expressed in the stem and ear, which suggests that ZmTCP genes influence stem and ear growth. This result is consistent with the previous finding that maize TCP genes represses the growth of axillary organs and enables the formation of female inflorescences. Altogether, this study presents a thorough overview of TCP family in maize and provides a new perspective on the evolution of this gene family. The results also indicate that TCP family genes may be involved in development stage in plant growing conditions. Additionally, our results will be useful for further functional analysis of the TCP gene family in maize.

  18. Small Business Profiles for the States and Territories - 2017

    Data.gov (United States)

    Small Business Administration — The Office of Advocacy’s Small Business Profiles are an annual analysis of each state’s small business activities. Each profile gathers the latest information from...

  19. Argumentation skill profile using “Toulmin Argumentation Pattern” analysis of high school student at Subang on topic hydrostatic pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syerliana, L.; Muslim; Setiawan, W.

    2018-05-01

    This study aims to know profile of argumentation skill high school student at Kabupaten Subang. To achieve this goal, researcher conducted a descriptive study to analysis student test results of argumentation skill of 35 students XII SMAN. Data collection using argumentation test which has validation by expert and then it is analyzed using TAP (Toulmin Argumentation Pattern) which consist of some components such a data, claim, warrant, backing, and rebuttal on the topic of hydrostatic pressure. The method used in this research is descriptive method. The result of this research show the student’s scientific argumentation skill is still low, this is proven by 54% average claim score, 38% data, 29% warrant, 35% backing and 35% rebuttal. These findings will serve as a basis for further research on innovative learning models that can improve students’ argumentation skill.

  20. Physician profiling. An analysis of inpatient practice patterns in Florida and Oregon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, H G; Miller, M E; Welch, W P

    1994-03-03

    Physician profiling is a method of cost control that focuses on patterns of care instead of on specific clinical decisions. It is one cost-control method that takes into account physicians' desire to curb the intrusion of administrative mechanisms into the clinical encounter. To provide a concrete example of profiling, we analyzed the inpatient practice patterns of physicians in Florida and Oregon. Data for 1991 from Medicare's National Claims History File were used to profile 12,720 attending physicians in Florida and 2589 in Oregon. For each attending physician, we determined the total relative value of all physicians' services delivered during each patient's hospital stay. Relative value was measured in relative-value units (RVUs), according to the resource-based relative-value scale used by Medicare in determining payments to physicians. The mean number of RVUs per admission was then adjusted for the physician's case mix according to the patients' assigned diagnosis-related groups. The influence of the physician's specialty and of selected types of services (such as imaging and endoscopy) was also examined. Florida physicians used markedly more resources, on average, than their colleagues in Oregon (46 vs. 30 case-mix-adjusted RVUs per admission). The difference was apparent for all specialties and all types of service. To illustrate the profiling data potentially available to the medical staffs of individual hospitals, we examined specific data on individual attending physicians and for various types of service for three hospitals' staffs. Despite similar overall profiles that fell below the national mean, each staff had a different practice pattern and would require different efforts to improve efficiency. In an effort to encourage further debate, we have described one method of physician profiling. Profiling data help identify and characterize differences in practice style to which individual physicians or hospital staffs can respond. Because profiling is