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Sample records for proven method understood

  1. Proven Weight Loss Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fact Sheet Proven Weight Loss Methods What can weight loss do for you? Losing weight can improve your health in a number of ways. It can lower ... at www.hormone.org/Spanish . Proven Weight Loss Methods Fact Sheet www.hormone.org

  2. The impact of seeds provenance and nursery provenance method on Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arn. seedlings quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladan Ivetić

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The influence of seed provenances and seedling production methods on quality of one and two years old seedlings of Austrian pine were investigated. Seeds from three provenances of Austrian pine (Goc, Studenica and Sargan were used for seedlings production, combined with three production methods: (i the modified seedbeds (bare-root, (ii the container type Plantagrah II and (iii the container type Gocko. Provenance, as well as the combined influence of provenance and production method had minimal influence on the variability of one and two years old Austrian pine seedlings. Nevertheless, the production method had the highest influence. The production system, besides its importance in nursery, will have a high influence on seedlings growth during the first year after planting. Considering the results of this study (e.g. the highest values of the diameter, number of lateral roots, shoot and root dry weight, and quality index and the lowest value of SQ and satisfactory value of S:R, we can conclude that the seedlings produced in container type Gocko led to the highest seedlings quality, recommended especially for afforestation on hard sites.     

  3. Visualisation methods for large provenance collections in data-intensive collaborative platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinuso, Alessandro; Fligueira, Rosa; Atkinson, Malcolm; Gemuend, Andre

    2016-04-01

    This work investigates improving the methods of visually representing provenance information in the context of modern data-driven scientific research. It explores scenarios where data-intensive workflows systems are serving communities of researchers within collaborative environments, supporting the sharing of data and methods, and offering a variety of computation facilities, including HPC, HTC and Cloud. It focuses on the exploration of big-data visualization techniques aiming at producing comprehensive and interactive views on top of large and heterogeneous provenance data. The same approach is applicable to control-flow and data-flow workflows or to combinations of the two. This flexibility is achieved using the W3C-PROV recommendation as a reference model, especially its workflow oriented profiles such as D-PROV (Messier et al. 2013). Our implementation is based on the provenance records produced by the dispel4py data-intensive processing library (Filgueira et al. 2015). dispel4py is an open-source Python framework for describing abstract stream-based workflows for distributed data-intensive applications, developed during the VERCE project. dispel4py enables scientists to develop their scientific methods and applications on their laptop and then run them at scale on a wide range of e-Infrastructures (Cloud, Cluster, etc.) without making changes. Users can therefore focus on designing their workflows at an abstract level, describing actions, input and output streams, and how they are connected. The dispel4py system then maps these descriptions to the enactment platforms, such as MPI, Storm, multiprocessing. It provides a mechanism which allows users to determine the provenance information to be collected and to analyze it at runtime. For this work we consider alternative visualisation methods for provenance data, from infinite lists and localised interactive graphs, to radial-views. The latter technique has been positively explored in many fields, from text

  4. Active Provenance in Data-intensive Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinuso, Alessandro; Mihajlovski, Andrej; Filgueira, Rosa; Atkinson, Malcolm

    2017-04-01

    Scientific communities are building platforms where the usage of data-intensive workflows is crucial to conduct their research campaigns. However managing and effectively support the understanding of the 'live' processes, fostering computational steering, sharing and re-use of data and methods, present several bottlenecks. These are often caused by the poor level of documentation on the methods and the data and how users interact with it. This work wants to explore how in such systems, flexibility in the management of the provenance and its adaptation to the different users and application contexts can lead to new opportunities for its exploitation, improving productivity. In particular, this work illustrates a conceptual and technical framework enabling tunable and actionable provenance in data-intensive workflow systems in support of reproducible science. It introduces the concept of Agile data-intensive systems to define the characteristic of our target platform. It shows a novel approach to the integration of provenance mechanisms, offering flexibility in the scale and in the precision of the provenance data collected, ensuring its relevance to the domain of the data-intensive task, fostering its rapid exploitation. The contributions address aspects of the scale of the provenance records, their usability and active role in the research life-cycle. We will discuss the use of dynamically generated provenance types as the approach for the integration of provenance mechanisms into a data-intensive workflow system. Enabling provenance can be transparent to the workflow user and developer, as well as fully controllable and customisable, depending from their expertise and the application's reproducibility, monitoring and validation requirements. The API that allows the realisation and adoption of a provenance type is presented, especially for what concerns the support of provenance profiling, contextualisation and precision. An actionable approach to provenance

  5. The impact of seeds provenance and nursery production method on Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arn. seedlings quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladan Ivetić

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The influence of seed provenances and seedling production methodson quality of one and two years old seedlings of Austrian pine wereinvestigated. Seeds from three provenances of Austrian pine (Goč, Studenica and Šargan were used for seedlings production, combined with three production methods: (i the modified seedbeds (bare-root, (ii the container type Plantagrah II and (iii the container type Gočko. Provenance, as well as the combined influence of provenance and production method had minimal influence on the variability of one and two years old Austrian pine seedlings. Nevertheless, the production method had the highest influence. The production system, besides its importance in nursery, will have a high influence on seedlings growth during the first year after planting. Considering the results of this study (e.g. the highest values of the diameter, number of lateral roots, shoot and root dry weight, and quality index and the lowest value of SQ and satisfactory value of S:R, we can conclude that the seedlings produced in container type Gočko led to the highestseedlings quality, recommended especially for afforestation on hard sites.

  6. Multi-Method Provenance Analysis of Namibian Desert Sand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vermeesch, P.; Garzanti, E.

    2014-12-01

    Mineralogical, geochemical and geochronological provenance proxies each have their own strengths and weaknesses: a. Bulk geochemistry, framework petrography and heavy mineral compositions can differentiate between source areas characterised by different lithologies, but are sensitive to hydraulic sorting and chemical alteration. b. Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology is insensitive to winnowing effects, but is 'blind' to lithologies devoid of zircon and cannot differentiate between first cycle and recycled sediments. c. Cosmogenic neon isotopes can be used to identify different generations of surface exposure while simultaneously tracking different magmatic sources. The challenge is then to combine these different proxies into a self consistent story, and do so in as objective a manner as possible. We here present a case study of Namibia's Namib Sand Sea and Skeleton Coast ergs, in which all the aforementioned methods have been combined using a three-way multidimensional scaling (aka INDividual Differences SCALing or INDSCAL) analysis: 1. Each of the datasets was represented by a 'dissimilarity matrix' of pairwise distances between samples. 2. The set of these matrices was fed into the INDSCAL algorithm, which produces two pieces of graphical output: the 'group configuration', which is a scatter plot or 'map' in which similar samples plot close together and dissimilar samples plot far apart, and the 'proxy weights', in which not the samples but the proxies are plotted according to the weight they attached to the 'group configuration' axes. The INDSCAL map of the Namibia dataset indicates that (a) long-shore drift of Orange River sediments dominates the coastal sediment compositions all along the Namibian coast until Angola, and (b) that light and heavy minerals tell complementary parts of the provenance story.

  7. From Provenance Standards and Tools to Queries and Actionable Provenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludaescher, B.

    2017-12-01

    The W3C PROV standard provides a minimal core for sharing retrospective provenance information for scientific workflows and scripts. PROV extensions such as DataONE's ProvONE model are necessary for linking runtime observables in retrospective provenance records with conceptual-level prospective provenance information, i.e., workflow (or dataflow) graphs. Runtime provenance recorders, such as DataONE's RunManager for R, or noWorkflow for Python capture retrospective provenance automatically. YesWorkflow (YW) is a toolkit that allows researchers to declare high-level prospective provenance models of scripts via simple inline comments (YW-annotations), revealing the computational modules and dataflow dependencies in the script. By combining and linking both forms of provenance, important queries and use cases can be supported that neither provenance model can afford on its own. We present existing and emerging provenance tools developed for the DataONE and SKOPE (Synthesizing Knowledge of Past Environments) projects. We show how the different tools can be used individually and in combination to model, capture, share, query, and visualize provenance information. We also present challenges and opportunities for making provenance information more immediately actionable for the researchers who create it in the first place. We argue that such a shift towards "provenance-for-self" is necessary to accelerate the creation, sharing, and use of provenance in support of transparent, reproducible computational and data science.

  8. Utilizing Provenance in Reusable Research Objects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhihao Yuan

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Science is conducted collaboratively, often requiring the sharing of knowledge about computational experiments. When experiments include only datasets, they can be shared using Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs or Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs. An experiment, however, seldom includes only datasets, but more often includes software, its past execution, provenance, and associated documentation. The Research Object has recently emerged as a comprehensive and systematic method for aggregation and identification of diverse elements of computational experiments. While a necessary method, mere aggregation is not sufficient for the sharing of computational experiments. Other users must be able to easily recompute on these shared research objects. Computational provenance is often the key to enable such reuse. In this paper, we show how reusable research objects can utilize provenance to correctly repeat a previous reference execution, to construct a subset of a research object for partial reuse, and to reuse existing contents of a research object for modified reuse. We describe two methods to summarize provenance that aid in understanding the contents and past executions of a research object. The first method obtains a process-view by collapsing low-level system information, and the second method obtains a summary graph by grouping related nodes and edges with the goal to obtain a graph view similar to application workflow. Through detailed experiments, we show the efficacy and efficiency of our algorithms.

  9. Aggregation by Provenance Types: A Technique for Summarising Provenance Graphs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luc Moreau

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available As users become confronted with a deluge of provenance data, dedicated techniques are required to make sense of this kind of information. We present Aggregation by Provenance Types, a provenance graph analysis that is capable of generating provenance graph summaries. It proceeds by converting provenance paths up to some length k to attributes, referred to as provenance types, and by grouping nodes that have the same provenance types. The summary also includes numeric values representing the frequency of nodes and edges in the original graph. A quantitative evaluation and a complexity analysis show that this technique is tractable; with small values of k, it can produce useful summaries and can help detect outliers. We illustrate how the generated summaries can further be used for conformance checking and visualization.

  10. A Proven Method for Meeting Export Control Objectives in Postal and Shipping Sectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-02-01

    A Proven Method for Meeting Export Control Objectives in Postal and Shipping Sectors Gregory Crabb, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Julia H...mail fraud, mail theft, identity theft, child exploitation, and prohibited mailings such as bombs and biological and chemical threats...April 2012. http://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/asset-view.cfm?assetid=10085 [Allen 2014a] Allen, Julia H., Crabb, Gregory; Curtis, Pamela D

  11. Flow-Based Provenance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabah Al-Fedaghi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim/Purpose: With information almost effortlessly created and spontaneously available, current progress in Information and Communication Technology (ICT has led to the complication that information must be scrutinized for trustworthiness and provenance. Information systems must become provenance-aware to be satisfactory in accountability, reproducibility, and trustworthiness of data. Background:\tMultiple models for abstract representation of provenance have been proposed to describe entities, people, and activities involved in producing a piece of data, including the Open Provenance Model (OPM and the World Wide Web Consortium. These models lack certain concepts necessary for specifying workflows and encoding the provenance of data products used and generated. Methodology: Without loss of generality, the focus of this paper is on OPM depiction of provenance in terms of a directed graph. We have redrawn several case studies in the framework of our proposed model in order to compare and evaluate it against OPM for representing these cases. Contribution: This paper offers an alternative flow-based diagrammatic language that can form a foundation for modeling of provenance. The model described here provides an (abstract machine-like representation of provenance. Findings: The results suggest a viable alternative in the area of diagrammatic representation for provenance applications. Future Research: Future work will seek to achieve more accurate comparisons with current models in the field.

  12. The identification of provenance-controlled facies by geochemical methods on a portion of the Vaal Reef, Klerksdorp Goldfield

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henckel, J.; Schweitzer, J.K.; Horsch, H.

    1990-01-01

    The use of geochemical methods for identifying provenance controlled facies in Witwatersrand reefs is considered. Three methods - whole rock geochemistry, zircon analysis, and chromite analysis - have been evaluated in order to establish the feasibility of using these geochemical techniques. An area of Vaal Reef where two sedimentological facies with distinct gold distributions had previously been identified was investigated. The studies reported here gave evidence of differences in the source areas for these two facies. Accordingly, it is concluded that the application of geochemistry to identify provenance-controlled facies is a useful technique which can help geologists arrive at a better interpretation of depositional systems within Witwatersrand reefs and thereby assist in the understanding of gold distribution patterns. 26 refs., 11 figs., 4 tabs

  13. Provenance Usage in the OceanLink Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narock, T.; Arko, R. A.; Carbotte, S. M.; Chandler, C. L.; Cheatham, M.; Fils, D.; Finin, T.; Hitzler, P.; Janowicz, K.; Jones, M.; Krisnadhi, A.; Lehnert, K. A.; Mickle, A.; Raymond, L. M.; Schildhauer, M.; Shepherd, A.; Wiebe, P. H.

    2014-12-01

    A wide spectrum of maturing methods and tools, collectively characterized as the Semantic Web, is helping to vastly improve thedissemination of scientific research. The OceanLink project, an NSF EarthCube Building Block, is utilizing semantic technologies tointegrate geoscience data repositories, library holdings, conference abstracts, and funded research awards. Provenance is a vital componentin meeting both the scientific and engineering requirements of OceanLink. Provenance plays a key role in justification and understanding when presenting users with results aggregated from multiple sources. In the engineering sense, provenance enables the identification of new data and the ability to determine which data sources to query. Additionally, OceanLink will leverage human and machine computation for crowdsourcing, text mining, and co-reference resolution. The results of these computations, and their associated provenance, will be folded back into the constituent systems to continually enhance precision and utility. We will touch on the various roles provenance is playing in OceanLink as well as present our use of the PROV Ontology and associated Ontology Design Patterns.

  14. Poorly understood and often miscategorized congenital umbilical cord hernia: an alternative repair method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    İnce, E; Temiz, A; Ezer, S S; Gezer, H Ö; Hiçsönmez, A

    2017-06-01

    Umbilical cord hernia is poorly understood and often miscategorized as "omphalocele minor". Careless clamping of the cord leads to iatrogenic gut injury in the situation of umbilical cord hernia. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and outcomes of umbilical cord hernias. We also highlight an alternative repair method for umbilical cord hernias. We recorded 15 cases of umbilical cord hernias over 10 years. The patients' data were retrospectively reviewed, and preoperative preparation of the newborn, gestational age, birth weight, other associated malformations, surgical technique used, enteral nutrition, and length of hospitalization were recorded. This study included 15 neonates with umbilical cord hernias. The mean gestational age at the time of referral was 38.2 ± 2.1

  15. LabelFlow Framework for Annotating Workflow Provenance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinar Alper

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Scientists routinely analyse and share data for others to use. Successful data (reuse relies on having metadata describing the context of analysis of data. In many disciplines the creation of contextual metadata is referred to as reporting. One method of implementing analyses is with workflows. A stand-out feature of workflows is their ability to record provenance from executions. Provenance is useful when analyses are executed with changing parameters (changing contexts and results need to be traced to respective parameters. In this paper we investigate whether provenance can be exploited to support reporting. Specifically; we outline a case-study based on a real-world workflow and set of reporting queries. We observe that provenance, as collected from workflow executions, is of limited use for reporting, as it supports queries partially. We identify that this is due to the generic nature of provenance, its lack of domain-specific contextual metadata. We observe that the required information is available in implicit form, embedded in data. We describe LabelFlow, a framework comprised of four Labelling Operators for decorating provenance with domain-specific Labels. LabelFlow can be instantiated for a domain by plugging it with domain-specific metadata extractors. We provide a tool that takes as input a workflow, and produces as output a Labelling Pipeline for that workflow, comprised of Labelling Operators. We revisit the case-study and show how Labels provide a more complete implementation of reporting queries.

  16. Empowering Provenance in Data Integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondylakis, Haridimos; Doerr, Martin; Plexousakis, Dimitris

    The provenance of data has recently been recognized as central to the trust one places in data. This paper presents a novel framework in order to empower provenance in a mediator based data integration system. We use a simple mapping language for mapping schema constructs, between an ontology and relational sources, capable to carry provenance information. This language extends the traditional data exchange setting by translating our mapping specifications into source-to-target tuple generating dependencies (s-t tgds). Then we define formally the provenance information we want to retrieve i.e. annotation, source and tuple provenance. We provide three algorithms to retrieve provenance information using information stored on the mappings and the sources. We show the feasibility of our solution and the advantages of our framework.

  17. Logical provenance in data-oriented workflows?

    KAUST Repository

    Ikeda, R.

    2013-04-01

    We consider the problem of defining, generating, and tracing provenance in data-oriented workflows, in which input data sets are processed by a graph of transformations to produce output results. We first give a new general definition of provenance for general transformations, introducing the notions of correctness, precision, and minimality. We then determine when properties such as correctness and minimality carry over from the individual transformations\\' provenance to the workflow provenance. We describe a simple logical-provenance specification language consisting of attribute mappings and filters. We provide an algorithm for provenance tracing in workflows where logical provenance for each transformation is specified using our language. We consider logical provenance in the relational setting, observing that for a class of Select-Project-Join (SPJ) transformations, logical provenance specifications encode minimal provenance. We have built a prototype system supporting the features and algorithms presented in the paper, and we report a few preliminary experimental results. © 2013 IEEE.

  18. Special Section: The third provenance challenge on using the open provenance model for interoperability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Simmhan, Y; Groth, P.T.; Moreau, L

    2011-01-01

    The third provenance challenge was organized to evaluate the efficacy of the Open Provenance Model (OPM) in representing and sharing provenance with the goal of improving the specification. A data loading scientific workflow that ingests data files into a relational database for the Pan-STARRS sky

  19. Bridging the provenance gap: opportunities and challenges tracking in and ex silico provenance in sUAS workflows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomer, A.

    2017-12-01

    Data provenance - the record of the varied processes that went into the creation of a dataset, as well as the relationships between resulting data objects - is necessary to support the reusability, reproducibility and reliability of earth science data. In sUAS-based research, capturing provenance can be particularly challenging because of the breadth and distributed nature of the many platforms used to collect, process and analyze data. In any given project, multiple drones, controllers, computers, software systems, sensors, cameras, imaging processing algorithms and data processing workflows are used over sometimes long periods of time. These platforms and processing result in dozens - if not hundreds - of data products in varying stages of readiness-for-analysis and sharing. Provenance tracking mechanisms are needed to make the relationships between these many data products explicit, and therefore more reusable and shareable. In this talk, I discuss opportunities and challenges in tracking provenance in sUAS-based research, and identify gaps in current workflow-capture technologies. I draw on prior work conducted as part of the IMLS-funded Site-Based Data Curation project in which we developed methods of documenting in and ex silico (that is, computational and non-computation) workflows, and demonstrate this approaches applicability to research with sUASes. I conclude with a discussion of ontologies and other semantic technologies that have potential application in sUAS research.

  20. File Level Provenance Tracking in CMS

    CERN Document Server

    Jones, C D; Paterno, M; Sexton-Kennedy, L; Tanenbaum, W; Riley, D S

    2009-01-01

    The CMS off-line framework stores provenance information within CMS's standard ROOT event data files. The provenance information is used to track how each data product was constructed, including what other data products were read to do the construction. We will present how the framework gathers the provenance information, the efforts necessary to minimise the space used to store the provenance in the file and the tools that will be available to use the provenance.

  1. Provenance management in Swift with implementation details.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gadelha, L. M. R; Clifford, B.; Mattoso, M.; Wilde, M.; Foster, I. (Mathematics and Computer Science); ( CLS-CI); (Federal Univ. of Rio de Janeiro); (National Lab. for Scientific Computing, Brazil); (Univ. of Chicago)

    2011-04-01

    The Swift parallel scripting language allows for the specification, execution and analysis of large-scale computations in parallel and distributed environments. It incorporates a data model for recording and querying provenance information. In this article we describe these capabilities and evaluate interoperability with other systems through the use of the Open Provenance Model. We describe Swift's provenance data model and compare it to the Open Provenance Model. We also describe and evaluate activities performed within the Third Provenance Challenge, which consisted of implementing a specific scientific workflow, capturing and recording provenance information of its execution, performing provenance queries, and exchanging provenance information with other systems. Finally, we propose improvements to both the Open Provenance Model and Swift's provenance system.

  2. Provenance studies of archaeological ceramics from Mar-Takla (Ain-Minin, Syria) using radioisotope x-ray fluorescence method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakraji, E. H.; Karajou, J.; Othman, I.

    2002-01-01

    The radioisotope x-ray fluorescence method was applied to provenance studies of ceramics fragments originated from the Mar-Takla site in Syria. 35 samples were analyzed, where each sample was irradiated 1000 s by sup 1 sup 0 sup 9 Cd radioisotope source and the elements (As, Ca, fe, Ga, Nb, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sr, Ti, Y, Zn, and Zr) were determined. The data were subjected to two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and principal component analysis (PCA). The study show that 94% of the samples can be considered to be manufactured using two sources of raw materials. (Authors)

  3. Provenance studies of archaeological ceramics from Mar-Takla (Ain-Minin, Syria) using radioisotope X-ray fluorescence method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakraji, E.H.; Othman, I.; Karajou, J.

    2001-01-01

    The radioisotope X-ray fluorescence method was applied to studies of the provenance of the ceramics fragments originated from the Mar-Takla site in Syria. The samples were irradiated 1000s by a 109 Cd radioisotope source and 13 elements (Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr and Pb) were determined in 35 samples. The data were subjected to two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and principal components analysis (PCA). It was shown from the combination of the statistical techniques and the determination of elemental composition of the samples that 94% of the ceramic samples analyzed can be considered to be manufactured using two sources of raw materials

  4. Querying Provenance Information: Basic Notions and an Example from Paleoclimate Reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stodden, V.; Ludaescher, B.; Bocinsky, K.; Kintigh, K.; Kohler, T.; McPhillips, T.; Rush, J.

    2016-12-01

    Computational models are used to reconstruct and explain past environments and to predict likely future environments. For example, Bocinsky and Kohler have performed a 2,000-year reconstruction of the rain-fed maize agricultural niche in the US Southwest. The resulting academic publications not only contain traditional method descriptions, figures, etc. but also links to code and data for basic transparency and reproducibility. Examples include ResearchCompendia.org and the new project "Merging Science and Cyberinfrastructure Pathways: The Whole Tale." Provenance information provides a further critical element to understand a published study and to possibly extend or challenge the findings of the original authors. We present different notions and uses of provenance information using a computational archaeology example, e.g., the common use of "provenance for others" (for transparency and reproducibility), but also the more elusive but equally important use of "provenance for self". To this end, we distinguish prospective provenance (a.k.a. workflow) from retrospective provenance (a.k.a. data lineage) and show how combinations of both forms of provenance can be used to answer different kinds of important questions about a workflow and its execution. Since many workflows are developed using scripting or special purpose languages such as Python and R, we employ an approach and toolkit called YesWorkflow that brings provenance modeling, capture, and querying into the realm of scripting. YesWorkflow employs the basic W3C PROV standard, as well as the ProvONE extension for sharing and exchanging retrospective and prospective provenance information, respectively. Finally, we argue that the utility of provenance information should be maximized by developing different kinds provenance questions and queries during the early phases of computational workflow design and implementation.

  5. Feeling (Mis)Understood and Intergroup Friendships in Interracial Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelton, Nicole; Douglass, Sara; Garcia, Randi L; Yip, Tiffany; Trail, Thomas E

    2014-09-01

    The present research investigated whether having out-group friends serves as a buffer for feeling misunderstood in interracial interactions. Across three experience sampling studies, we found that among ethnic minorities who have few White friends or are not interacting with White friends, daily interracial interactions are associated with feeling less understood. By contrast, we found that among ethnic minorities who have more White friends or are interacting with White friends, the relationship between daily interracial interactions and feeling understood is not significant. We did not find similar results for Whites; that is, having ethnic minority friends did not play a role in the relationship between daily interracial interactions and feeling understood. Together, these studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of intergroup friendships for ethnic minorities. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  6. Recording Process Documentation for Provenance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groth, P.T.; Moreau, L

    2009-01-01

    Scientific and business communities are adopting large-scale distributed systems as a means to solve a wide range of resource-intensive tasks. These communities also have requirements in terms of provenance. We define the provenance of a result produced by a distributed system as the process that

  7. Identification of provenance rocks based on EPMA analyses of heavy minerals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, M.; Sano, N.; Ueki, T.; Yonaga, Y.; Yasue, K. I.; Masakazu, N.

    2017-12-01

    Information on mountain building is significant in the field of geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, because this affects long-term stability in groundwater flow system. Provenance analysis is one of effective approaches for understanding building process of mountains. Chemical compositions of heavy minerals, as well as their chronological data, can be an index for identification of provenance rocks. The accurate identification requires the measurement of as many grains as possible. In order to achieve an efficient provenance analysis, we developed a method for quick identification of heavy minerals using an Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA). In this method, heavy mineral grains extracted from a sample were aligned on a glass slide and mounted in a resin. Concentration of 28 elements was measured for 300-500 grains per sample using EPMA. To measure as many grains as possible, we prioritized swiftness of measurement over precision, configuring measurement time of about 3.5 minutes for each grain. Identification of heavy minerals was based on their chemical composition. We developed a Microsoft® Excel® spread sheet input criteria of mineral identification using a typical range of chemical compositions for each mineral. The grains of 110 wt.% total were rejected. The criteria of mineral identification were revised through the comparison between mineral identification by optical microscopy and chemical compositions of grains classified as "unknown minerals". Provenance rocks can be identified based on abundance ratio of identified minerals. If no significant difference of the abundance ratio was found among source rocks, chemical composition of specific minerals was used as another index. This method was applied to the sediments of some regions in Japan where provenance rocks had lithological variations but similar formation ages. Consequently, the provenance rocks were identified based on chemical compositions of heavy minerals resistant to

  8. Data provenance assurance in the cloud using blockchain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shetty, Sachin; Red, Val; Kamhoua, Charles; Kwiat, Kevin; Njilla, Laurent

    2017-05-01

    Ever increasing adoption of cloud technology scales up the activities like creation, exchange, and alteration of cloud data objects, which create challenges to track malicious activities and security violations. Addressing this issue requires implementation of data provenance framework so that each data object in the federated cloud environment can be tracked and recorded but cannot be modified. The blockchain technology gives a promising decentralized platform to build tamper-proof systems. Its incorruptible distributed ledger/blockchain complements the need of maintaining cloud data provenance. In this paper, we present a cloud based data provenance framework using block chain which traces data record operations and generates provenance data. We anchor provenance data records into block chain transactions, which provide validation on provenance data and preserve user privacy at the same time. Once the provenance data is uploaded to the global block chain network, it is extremely challenging to tamper the provenance data. Besides, the provenance data uses hashed user identifiers prior to uploading so the blockchain nodes cannot link the operations to a particular user. The framework ensures that the privacy is preserved. We implemented the architecture on ownCloud, uploaded records to blockchain network, stored records in a provenance database and developed a prototype in form of a web service.

  9. Poorly Understood Aspects of Striated Muscle Contraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alf Månsson

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Muscle contraction results from cyclic interactions between the contractile proteins myosin and actin, driven by the turnover of adenosine triphosphate (ATP. Despite intense studies, several molecular events in the contraction process are poorly understood, including the relationship between force-generation and phosphate-release in the ATP-turnover. Different aspects of the force-generating transition are reflected in the changes in tension development by muscle cells, myofibrils and single molecules upon changes in temperature, altered phosphate concentration, or length perturbations. It has been notoriously difficult to explain all these events within a given theoretical framework and to unequivocally correlate observed events with the atomic structures of the myosin motor. Other incompletely understood issues include the role of the two heads of myosin II and structural changes in the actin filaments as well as the importance of the three-dimensional order. We here review these issues in relation to controversies regarding basic physiological properties of striated muscle. We also briefly consider actomyosin mutation effects in cardiac and skeletal muscle function and the possibility to treat these defects by drugs.

  10. Logical provenance in data-oriented workflows?

    KAUST Repository

    Ikeda, R.; Das Sarma, Akash; Widom, J.

    2013-01-01

    for general transformations, introducing the notions of correctness, precision, and minimality. We then determine when properties such as correctness and minimality carry over from the individual transformations' provenance to the workflow provenance. We

  11. S-ProvFlow: provenance model and tools for scalable and adaptive analysis pipelines in geoscience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinuso, A.; Mihajlovski, A.; Atkinson, M.; Filgueira, R.; Klampanos, I.; Sanchez, S.

    2017-12-01

    The reproducibility of scientific findings is essential to improve the quality and application of modern data-driven research. Delivering such reproducibility is challenging in the context of systems handling large data-streams with sophisticated computational methods. Similarly, the SKA (Square Kilometer Array) will collect an unprecedented volume of radio-wave signals that will have to be reduced and transformed into derived products, with impact on space-weather research. This highlights the importance of having cross-disciplines mechanisms at the producer's side that rely on usable lineage data to support validation and traceability of the new artifacts. To be informative, provenance has to describe each methods' abstractions and their implementation as mappings onto distributed platforms and their concurrent execution, capturing relevant internal dependencies at runtime. Producers and intelligent toolsets should be able to exploit the produced provenance, steering real-time monitoring activities and inferring adaptations of methods at runtime.We present a model of provenance (S-PROV) that extends W3C PROV and ProvONE, broadening coverage of provenance to aspects related to distribution, scale-up and steering of stateful streaming operators in analytic pipelines. This is supported by a technical framework for tuneable and actionable lineage, ensuring its relevance to the users' interests, fostering its rapid exploitation to facilitate research practices. By applying concepts such as provenance typing and profiling, users define rules to capture common provenance patterns and activate selective controls based on domain-metadata. The traces are recorded in a document-store with index optimisation and a web API serves advanced interactive tools (S-ProvFlow, https://github.com/KNMI/s-provenance). These allow different classes of consumers to rapidly explore the provenance data. The system, which contributes to the SKA-Link initiative, within technology and

  12. SEIS-PROV: Practical Provenance for Seismological Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krischer, L.; Smith, J. A.; Tromp, J.

    2015-12-01

    It is widely recognized that reproducibility is crucial to advance science, but at the same time it is very hard to actually achieve. This results in it being recognized but also mostly ignored by a large fraction of the community. A key ingredient towards full reproducibility is to capture and describe the history of data, an issue known as provenance. We present SEIS-PROV, a practical format and data model to store provenance information for seismological data. In a seismological context, provenance can be seen as information about the processes that generated and modified a particular piece of data. For synthetic waveforms the provenance information describes which solver and settings therein were used to generate it. When looking at processed seismograms, the provenance conveys information about the different time series analysis steps that led to it. Additional uses include the description of derived data types, such as cross-correlations and adjoint sources, enabling their proper storage and exchange. SEIS-PROV is based on W3C PROV (http://www.w3.org/TR/prov-overview/), a standard for generic provenance information. It then applies an additional set of constraints to make it suitable for seismology. We present a definition of the SEIS-PROV format, a way to check if any given file is a valid SEIS-PROV document, and two sample implementations: One in SPECFEM3D GLOBE (https://geodynamics.org/cig/software/specfem3d_globe/) to store the provenance information of synthetic seismograms and another one as part of the ObsPy (http://obspy.org) framework enabling automatic tracking of provenance information during a series of analysis and transformation stages. This, along with tools to visualize and interpret provenance graphs, offers a description of data history that can be readily tracked, stored, and exchanged.

  13. Provenance trials of larch in Siberia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milyutin, L.I. [V.N. Sukachev Inst. of Forest SB RAS, Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation)

    1995-12-31

    Some results of provenance trials of larch in Siberia are given. These provenance trials were established in the last thirty years by efforts of V.N. Sukaczev Inst. of Forest. Provenances and species of larch were tested in some field trials distributed over Siberia between Lat. N 52 deg and 66 deg, Long. E 88 deg and 113 deg: near Krasnoyarsk, in Republic Khakasia (an altitudes of 800 and 1200 metres), in the Lower Yenisei near Turukhansk, in the west and south regions of Krasnoyarsk territory, in the Upper Lena, near Chita. 2 refs

  14. Archives and societal provenance Australian essays

    CERN Document Server

    Piggott, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Records and archival arrangements in Australia are globally relevant because Australia's indigenous people represent the oldest living culture in the world, and because modern Australia is an ex-colonial society now heavily multicultural in outlook. Archives and Societal Provenance explores this distinctiveness using the theoretical concept of societal provenance as propounded by Canadian archival scholars led by Dr Tom Nesmith. The book's seventeen essays blend new writing and re-workings of earlier work, comprising the fi rst text to apply a societal provenance perspective to a national sett

  15. Provenance trials of larch in Siberia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milyutin, L I [V.N. Sukachev Inst. of Forest SB RAS, Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation)

    1996-12-31

    Some results of provenance trials of larch in Siberia are given. These provenance trials were established in the last thirty years by efforts of V.N. Sukaczev Inst. of Forest. Provenances and species of larch were tested in some field trials distributed over Siberia between Lat. N 52 deg and 66 deg, Long. E 88 deg and 113 deg: near Krasnoyarsk, in Republic Khakasia (an altitudes of 800 and 1200 metres), in the Lower Yenisei near Turukhansk, in the west and south regions of Krasnoyarsk territory, in the Upper Lena, near Chita. 2 refs

  16. Dual protection: more needed than practised or understood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berer, Marge

    2006-11-01

    Although non-barrier contraceptive use has become a global norm, unprotected sex in relation to sexually transmitted infections remains the norm almost everywhere. Dual protection is protection from unwanted pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and is a form of safer sex for heterosexual couples that is more needed than practised or understood. This paper draws on a review of the literature in family planning, obstetrics and gynaecology, and AIDS-related journals from 1998 to early 2005. Definitions of dual protection, found mainly in family planning literature, are very narrow. Condoms remain the mainstay of dual protection, but the aim of this paper is to provide an expanded list of dual protection methods to show that there is a range of options. These include non-penetrative sex and the increasing use of condoms with the back-up of emergency contraception on the part of young people. The fact that people may fail to use dual protection consistently and correctly is not a valid reason not to promote it. It is never too late for those providing family planning and STI/HIV prevention services to start promoting condoms and dual protection. In the long-term, the development of highly efficacious and highly acceptable methods of dual protection is an urgent research priority, starting with a wider range of condoms that will appeal to more people.

  17. Quantifying the provenance of aeolian sediments using multiple composite fingerprints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Benli; Niu, Qinghe; Qu, Jianjun; Zu, Ruiping

    2016-09-01

    We introduce a new fingerprinting method that uses multiple composite fingerprints for studies of aeolian sediment provenance. We used this method to quantify the provenance of sediments on both sides of the Qinghai-Tibetan Railway (QTR) in the Cuona Lake section of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), in an environment characterized by aeolian and fluvial interactions. The method involves repeatedly solving a linear mixing model based on mass conservation; the model is not limited to spatial scale or transport types and uses all the tracer groups that passed the range check, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, and a strict analytical solution screening. The proportional estimates that result from using different composite fingerprints are highly variable; however, the average of these fingerprints has a greater accuracy and certainty than any single fingerprint. The results show that sand from the lake beach, hilly surface, and gullies contribute, respectively, 48%, 31% and 21% to the western railway sediments and 43%, 33% and 24% to the eastern railway sediments. The difference between contributions from various sources on either side of the railway, which may increase in the future, was clearly related to variations in local transport characteristics, a conclusion that is supported by grain size analysis. The construction of the QTR changed the local cycling of materials, and the difference in provenance between the sediments that are separated by the railway reflects the changed sedimentary conditions on either side of the railway. The effectiveness of this method suggests that it will be useful in other studies of aeolian sediments.

  18. Lightweight Provenance Service for High-Performance Computing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dai, Dong; Chen, Yong; Carns, Philip; Jenkins, John; Ross, Robert

    2017-09-09

    Provenance describes detailed information about the history of a piece of data, containing the relationships among elements such as users, processes, jobs, and workflows that contribute to the existence of data. Provenance is key to supporting many data management functionalities that are increasingly important in operations such as identifying data sources, parameters, or assumptions behind a given result; auditing data usage; or understanding details about how inputs are transformed into outputs. Despite its importance, however, provenance support is largely underdeveloped in highly parallel architectures and systems. One major challenge is the demanding requirements of providing provenance service in situ. The need to remain lightweight and to be always on often conflicts with the need to be transparent and offer an accurate catalog of details regarding the applications and systems. To tackle this challenge, we introduce a lightweight provenance service, called LPS, for high-performance computing (HPC) systems. LPS leverages a kernel instrument mechanism to achieve transparency and introduces representative execution and flexible granularity to capture comprehensive provenance with controllable overhead. Extensive evaluations and use cases have confirmed its efficiency and usability. We believe that LPS can be integrated into current and future HPC systems to support a variety of data management needs.

  19. Data Provenance and Data Management in eScience

    CERN Document Server

    Bai, Quan; Giugni, Stephen; Williamson, Darrell; Taylor, John

    2013-01-01

    eScience allows scientific research to be carried out in highly distributed environments. The complex nature of the interactions in an eScience infrastructure, which often involves a range of instruments, data, models, applications, people and computational facilities, suggests there is a need for data provenance and data management (DPDM). The W3C Provenance Working Group defines the provenance of a resource as a “record that describes entities and processes involved in producing and delivering or otherwise influencing that resource”. It has been widely recognised that provenance is a critical issue to enable sharing, trust, authentication and reproducibility of eScience process.   Data Provenance and Data Management in eScience identifies the gaps between DPDM foundations and their practice within eScience domains including clinical trials, bioinformatics and radio astronomy. The book covers important aspects of fundamental research in DPDM including provenance representation and querying. It also expl...

  20. Irradiation sensibility of different provenances of Jatropha curcas L. seeds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Qing; Xu Congheng; Peng Daiping; Duan Zhubiao; Han Lei; Sun Qixiang; Peng Zhenhua

    2007-01-01

    The irradiation sensibility of 10 provenances of Jatropha curcas L. seeds to 60 Co γ-rays was studied. The results showed that the relationship between relative germination rate of the seeds and the doses of irradiation was negative correlation, and the difference of relative germination rate among different doses treatment was significant at 5% probability level or highly significant at 1% probability level. For seeds of different provenances, the correlation coefficient of linear regression was from -0.89--0.96, and the medial lethal doses (LD 50) of 10 provinces was from 127 Gy to 184 Gy. According to the LD 50, we could divided 10 provinces of J. curcas L. into sensitive provenance, transitional provenances and obtuse provenances. The provenances of Yuanjiang , Yunan (184 Gy) belonged to sensitive provenance; the provenances of Zhenfeng, Guizhou (127 Gy) and the provenances of Yuedong, Hainan (141 Gy) belonged to obtuse provenance; other 7 provenances belonged to transitional provenances. The results provided important experiment basis for germ plasma resources innovation of J. curcas L. (authors)

  1. Provenance tracking in the ViroLab Virtual Laboratory

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baliś, B.; Bubak, M.; Wach, J.

    2008-01-01

    Provenance describes the process which led to the creation of a piece of data. Tracking provenance of experiment results is essential in modern environments which support conducting of in silico experiments. We present a provenance tracking approach developed as part of the virtual laboratory of the

  2. Secure Location Provenance for Mobile Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-07-01

    A malicious user should not be able to hide a temporary off-track movement from the claimed location provenance. • A malicious user may want to...Seltzer, “Provenance-aware storage systems,” in Proc. of USENIX ATC. USENIX Association, May 2006, pp. 43–56. [48] D. Bhagwat, L. Chiticariu, W.-C. Tan

  3. Lowering the Barrier to Reproducible Research by Publishing Provenance from Common Analytical Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, M. B.; Slaughter, P.; Walker, L.; Jones, C. S.; Missier, P.; Ludäscher, B.; Cao, Y.; McPhillips, T.; Schildhauer, M.

    2015-12-01

    Scientific provenance describes the authenticity, origin, and processing history of research products and promotes scientific transparency by detailing the steps in computational workflows that produce derived products. These products include papers, findings, input data, software products to perform computations, and derived data and visualizations. The geosciences community values this type of information, and, at least theoretically, strives to base conclusions on computationally replicable findings. In practice, capturing detailed provenance is laborious and thus has been a low priority; beyond a lab notebook describing methods and results, few researchers capture and preserve detailed records of scientific provenance. We have built tools for capturing and publishing provenance that integrate into analytical environments that are in widespread use by geoscientists (R and Matlab). These tools lower the barrier to provenance generation by automating capture of critical information as researchers prepare data for analysis, develop, test, and execute models, and create visualizations. The 'recordr' library in R and the `matlab-dataone` library in Matlab provide shared functions to capture provenance with minimal changes to normal working procedures. Researchers can capture both scripted and interactive sessions, tag and manage these executions as they iterate over analyses, and then prune and publish provenance metadata and derived products to the DataONE federation of archival repositories. Provenance traces conform to the ProvONE model extension of W3C PROV, enabling interoperability across tools and languages. The capture system supports fine-grained versioning of science products and provenance traces. By assigning global identifiers such as DOIs, reseachers can cite the computational processes used to reach findings. And, finally, DataONE has built a web portal to search, browse, and clearly display provenance relationships between input data, the software

  4. A Provenance Tracking Model for Data Updates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Ciobanu

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available For data-centric systems, provenance tracking is particularly important when the system is open and decentralised, such as the Web of Linked Data. In this paper, a concise but expressive calculus which models data updates is presented. The calculus is used to provide an operational semantics for a system where data and updates interact concurrently. The operational semantics of the calculus also tracks the provenance of data with respect to updates. This provides a new formal semantics extending provenance diagrams which takes into account the execution of processes in a concurrent setting. Moreover, a sound and complete model for the calculus based on ideals of series-parallel DAGs is provided. The notion of provenance introduced can be used as a subjective indicator of the quality of data in concurrent interacting systems.

  5. Provenance-based refresh in data-oriented workflows

    KAUST Repository

    Ikeda, Robert; Salihoglu, Semih; Widom, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    We consider a general workflow setting in which input data sets are processed by a graph of transformations to produce output results. Our goal is to perform efficient selective refresh of elements in the output data, i.e., compute the latest values of specific output elements when the input data may have changed. We explore how data provenance can be used to enable efficient refresh. Our approach is based on capturing one-level data provenance at each transformation when the workflow is run initially. Then at refresh time provenance is used to determine (transitively) which input elements are responsible for given output elements, and the workflow is rerun only on that portion of the data needed for refresh. Our contributions are to formalize the problem setting and the problem itself, to specify properties of transformations and provenance that are required for efficient refresh, and to provide algorithms that apply to a wide class of transformations and workflows. We have built a prototype system supporting the features and algorithms presented in the paper. We report preliminary experimental results on the overhead of provenance capture, and on the crossover point between selective refresh and full workflow recomputation. © 2011 ACM.

  6. Extending eScience Provenance with User-Submitted Semantic Annotations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michaelis, J.; Zednik, S.; West, P.; Fox, P. A.; McGuinness, D. L.

    2010-12-01

    eScience based systems generate provenance of their data products, related to such things as: data processing, data collection conditions, expert evaluation, and data product quality. Recent advances in web-based technology offer users the possibility of making annotations to both data products and steps in accompanying provenance traces, thereby expanding the utility of such provenance for others. These contributing users may have varying backgrounds, ranging from system experts to outside domain experts to citizen scientists. Furthermore, such users may wish to make varying types of annotations - ranging from documenting the purpose of a provenance step to raising concerns about the quality of data dependencies. Semantic Web technologies allow for such kinds of rich annotations to be made to provenance through the use of ontology vocabularies for (i) organizing provenance, and (ii) organizing user/annotation classifications. Furthermore, through Linked Data practices, Semantic linkages may be made from provenance steps to external data of interest. A desire for Semantically-annotated provenance has been motivated by data management issues in the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory’s (MLSO) Advanced Coronal Observing System (ACOS). In ACOS, photomoeter-based readings are taken of solar activity and subsequently processed into final data products consumable by end users. At intermediate stages of ACOS processing, factors such as evaluations by human experts and weather conditions are logged, which could impact data product quality. If such factors are linked via user-submitted annotations to provenance, it could be significantly beneficial for other users. Likewise, the background of a user could impact the credibility of their annotations. For example, an annotation made by a citizen scientist describing the purpose of a provenance step may not be as reliable as a similar annotation made by an ACOS project member. For this work, we have developed a software package that

  7. The PBase Scientific Workflow Provenance Repository

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Víctor Cuevas-Vicenttín

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Scientific workflows and their supporting systems are becoming increasingly popular for compute-intensive and data-intensive scientific experiments. The advantages scientific workflows offer include rapid and easy workflow design, software and data reuse, scalable execution, sharing and collaboration, and other advantages that altogether facilitate “reproducible science”. In this context, provenance – information about the origin, context, derivation, ownership, or history of some artifact – plays a key role, since scientists are interested in examining and auditing the results of scientific experiments. However, in order to perform such analyses on scientific results as part of extended research collaborations, an adequate environment and tools are required. Concretely, the need arises for a repository that will facilitate the sharing of scientific workflows and their associated execution traces in an interoperable manner, also enabling querying and visualization. Furthermore, such functionality should be supported while taking performance and scalability into account. With this purpose in mind, we introduce PBase: a scientific workflow provenance repository implementing the ProvONE proposed standard, which extends the emerging W3C PROV standard for provenance data with workflow specific concepts. PBase is built on the Neo4j graph database, thus offering capabilities such as declarative and efficient querying. Our experiences demonstrate the power gained by supporting various types of queries for provenance data. In addition, PBase is equipped with a user friendly interface tailored for the visualization of scientific workflow provenance data, making the specification of queries and the interpretation of their results easier and more effective.

  8. PAV ontology: provenance, authoring and versioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciccarese, Paolo; Soiland-Reyes, Stian; Belhajjame, Khalid; Gray, Alasdair Jg; Goble, Carole; Clark, Tim

    2013-11-22

    Provenance is a critical ingredient for establishing trust of published scientific content. This is true whether we are considering a data set, a computational workflow, a peer-reviewed publication or a simple scientific claim with supportive evidence. Existing vocabularies such as Dublin Core Terms (DC Terms) and the W3C Provenance Ontology (PROV-O) are domain-independent and general-purpose and they allow and encourage for extensions to cover more specific needs. In particular, to track authoring and versioning information of web resources, PROV-O provides a basic methodology but not any specific classes and properties for identifying or distinguishing between the various roles assumed by agents manipulating digital artifacts, such as author, contributor and curator. We present the Provenance, Authoring and Versioning ontology (PAV, namespace http://purl.org/pav/): a lightweight ontology for capturing "just enough" descriptions essential for tracking the provenance, authoring and versioning of web resources. We argue that such descriptions are essential for digital scientific content. PAV distinguishes between contributors, authors and curators of content and creators of representations in addition to the provenance of originating resources that have been accessed, transformed and consumed. We explore five projects (and communities) that have adopted PAV illustrating their usage through concrete examples. Moreover, we present mappings that show how PAV extends the W3C PROV-O ontology to support broader interoperability. The initial design of the PAV ontology was driven by requirements from the AlzSWAN project with further requirements incorporated later from other projects detailed in this paper. The authors strived to keep PAV lightweight and compact by including only those terms that have demonstrated to be pragmatically useful in existing applications, and by recommending terms from existing ontologies when plausible. We analyze and compare PAV with related

  9. Provenance based data integrity checking and verification in cloud environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imran, Muhammad; Hlavacs, Helmut; Haq, Inam Ul; Jan, Bilal; Khan, Fakhri Alam; Ahmad, Awais

    2017-01-01

    Cloud computing is a recent tendency in IT that moves computing and data away from desktop and hand-held devices into large scale processing hubs and data centers respectively. It has been proposed as an effective solution for data outsourcing and on demand computing to control the rising cost of IT setups and management in enterprises. However, with Cloud platforms user's data is moved into remotely located storages such that users lose control over their data. This unique feature of the Cloud is facing many security and privacy challenges which need to be clearly understood and resolved. One of the important concerns that needs to be addressed is to provide the proof of data integrity, i.e., correctness of the user's data stored in the Cloud storage. The data in Clouds is physically not accessible to the users. Therefore, a mechanism is required where users can check if the integrity of their valuable data is maintained or compromised. For this purpose some methods are proposed like mirroring, checksumming and using third party auditors amongst others. However, these methods use extra storage space by maintaining multiple copies of data or the presence of a third party verifier is required. In this paper, we address the problem of proving data integrity in Cloud computing by proposing a scheme through which users are able to check the integrity of their data stored in Clouds. In addition, users can track the violation of data integrity if occurred. For this purpose, we utilize a relatively new concept in the Cloud computing called "Data Provenance". Our scheme is capable to reduce the need of any third party services, additional hardware support and the replication of data items on client side for integrity checking.

  10. Provenance based data integrity checking and verification in cloud environments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Imran

    Full Text Available Cloud computing is a recent tendency in IT that moves computing and data away from desktop and hand-held devices into large scale processing hubs and data centers respectively. It has been proposed as an effective solution for data outsourcing and on demand computing to control the rising cost of IT setups and management in enterprises. However, with Cloud platforms user's data is moved into remotely located storages such that users lose control over their data. This unique feature of the Cloud is facing many security and privacy challenges which need to be clearly understood and resolved. One of the important concerns that needs to be addressed is to provide the proof of data integrity, i.e., correctness of the user's data stored in the Cloud storage. The data in Clouds is physically not accessible to the users. Therefore, a mechanism is required where users can check if the integrity of their valuable data is maintained or compromised. For this purpose some methods are proposed like mirroring, checksumming and using third party auditors amongst others. However, these methods use extra storage space by maintaining multiple copies of data or the presence of a third party verifier is required. In this paper, we address the problem of proving data integrity in Cloud computing by proposing a scheme through which users are able to check the integrity of their data stored in Clouds. In addition, users can track the violation of data integrity if occurred. For this purpose, we utilize a relatively new concept in the Cloud computing called "Data Provenance". Our scheme is capable to reduce the need of any third party services, additional hardware support and the replication of data items on client side for integrity checking.

  11. Big Data Provenance: Challenges, State of the Art and Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jianwu; Crawl, Daniel; Purawat, Shweta; Nguyen, Mai; Altintas, Ilkay

    2015-01-01

    Ability to track provenance is a key feature of scientific workflows to support data lineage and reproducibility. The challenges that are introduced by the volume, variety and velocity of Big Data, also pose related challenges for provenance and quality of Big Data, defined as veracity. The increasing size and variety of distributed Big Data provenance information bring new technical challenges and opportunities throughout the provenance lifecycle including recording, querying, sharing and utilization. This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities of Big Data provenance related to the veracity of the datasets themselves and the provenance of the analytical processes that analyze these datasets. It also explains our current efforts towards tracking and utilizing Big Data provenance using workflows as a programming model to analyze Big Data.

  12. The Symbiotic Relationship between Scientific Workflow and Provenance (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephan, E.

    2010-12-01

    The purpose of this presentation is to describe the symbiotic nature of scientific workflows and provenance. We will also discuss the current trends and real world challenges facing these two distinct research areas. Although motivated differently, the needs of the international science communities are the glue that binds this relationship together. Understanding and articulating the science drivers to these communities is paramount as these technologies evolve and mature. Originally conceived for managing business processes, workflows are now becoming invaluable assets in both computational and experimental sciences. These reconfigurable, automated systems provide essential technology to perform complex analyses by coupling together geographically distributed disparate data sources and applications. As a result, workflows are capable of higher throughput in a shorter amount of time than performing the steps manually. Today many different workflow products exist; these could include Kepler and Taverna or similar products like MeDICI, developed at PNNL, that are standardized on the Business Process Execution Language (BPEL). Provenance, originating from the French term Provenir “to come from”, is used to describe the curation process of artwork as art is passed from owner to owner. The concept of provenance was adopted by digital libraries as a means to track the lineage of documents while standards such as the DublinCore began to emerge. In recent years the systems science community has increasingly expressed the need to expand the concept of provenance to formally articulate the history of scientific data. Communities such as the International Provenance and Annotation Workshop (IPAW) have formalized a provenance data model. The Open Provenance Model, and the W3C is hosting a provenance incubator group featuring the Proof Markup Language. Although both workflows and provenance have risen from different communities and operate independently, their mutual

  13. Model-based Abstraction of Data Provenance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Probst, Christian W.; Hansen, René Rydhof

    2014-01-01

    to bigger models, and the analyses adapt accordingly. Our approach extends provenance both with the origin of data, the actors and processes involved in the handling of data, and policies applied while doing so. The model and corresponding analyses are based on a formal model of spatial and organisational......Identifying provenance of data provides insights to the origin of data and intermediate results, and has recently gained increased interest due to data-centric applications. In this work we extend a data-centric system view with actors handling the data and policies restricting actions....... This extension is based on provenance analysis performed on system models. System models have been introduced to model and analyse spatial and organisational aspects of organisations, to identify, e.g., potential insider threats. Both the models and analyses are naturally modular; models can be combined...

  14. Provenance-Based Debugging and Drill-Down in Data-Oriented Workflows

    KAUST Repository

    Ikeda, Robert

    2012-04-01

    Panda (for Provenance and Data) is a system that supports the creation and execution of data-oriented workflows, with automatic provenance generation and built-in provenance tracing operations. Workflows in Panda are arbitrary a cyclic graphs containing both relational (SQL) processing nodes and opaque processing nodes programmed in Python. For both types of nodes, Panda generates logical provenance - provenance information stored at the processing-node level - and uses the generated provenance to support record-level backward tracing and forward tracing operations. In our demonstration we use Panda to integrate, process, and analyze actual education data from multiple sources. We specifically demonstrate how Panda\\'s provenance generation and tracing capabilities can be very useful for workflow debugging, and for drilling down on specific results of interest. © 2012 IEEE.

  15. How self-reliance is understood: viewpoints from one local ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    How self-reliance is understood: viewpoints from one local community in Malawi. ... model that resists dependence on external aid, empowers community development, and provides opportunities to sustain development activity through local initiative, can be employed to increase social capital leading to sustainable growth.

  16. Urachal tumour: case report of a poorly understood carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vallarino Luigi

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Urachal carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm associated with poor prognosis. Case presentation A 45-year-old man was admitted with complaints of abdominal pain and pollakisuria. A soft mass was palpable under his navel. TC-scan revealed a 11 × 6 cm tumor, which was composed of a cystic lesion arising from the urachus and a solid mass component at the urinary bladder dome. The tumor was removed surgically. Histological examination detected poor-differentiated adenocarcinoma, which had invaded the urinary bladder. The patient has been followed up without recurrence for 6 months. Conclusion The urachus is the embryological remnant of urogenital sinus and allantois. Involution usually happens before birth and urachus is present as a median umbilical ligament. The pathogenesis of urachal tumours is not fully understood. Surgery is the treatment of choice and role of adjuvant treatment is not clearly understood.

  17. Provenance an introduction to PROV

    CERN Document Server

    Moreau, Luc

    2013-01-01

    The World Wide Web is now deeply intertwined with our lives, and has become a catalyst for a data deluge, making vast amounts of data available online, at a click of a button. With Web 2.0, users are no longer passive consumers, but active publishers and curators of data. Hence, from science to food manufacturing, from data journalism to personal well-being, from social media to art, there is a strong interest in provenance, a description of what influenced an artifact, a data set, a document, a blog, or any resource on the Web and beyond. Provenance is a crucial piece of information that can

  18. Provenance research: investigation of genetic diversity associated with geography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert Z. Callaham

    1963-01-01

    Provenance in forestry refers to the population of trees growing at n particular place of origin. Provenance research defines the genetic and environmental components of phenotypic variation associated with geographic source. Information on provenance is important in assuring sources of seed to give well-adapted, productive trees and in directing breeding of...

  19. Provenance Store Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paulson, Patrick R.; Gibson, Tara D.; Schuchardt, Karen L.; Stephan, Eric G.

    2008-03-01

    Requirements for the provenance store and access API are developed. Existing RDF stores and APIs are evaluated against the requirements and performance benchmarks. The team’s conclusion is to use MySQL as a database backend, with a possible move to Oracle in the near-term future. Both Jena and Sesame’s APIs will be supported, but new code will use the Jena API

  20. Provenance of pottery determined by soil physicochemical and chemometric methods: A case study from Frederiksgave, Ghana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Lars Holm; Bredwa-Mensah, Y.; Borggaard, Ole K.

    2009-01-01

    Frederiksgave, together with potsherds from two likely production sites at Ga and Dangme Shai, were investigated by visual inspection, total element analysis and X-ray diffraction and the results analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The investigation clearly showed...... that the Frederiksgave pots were not locally produced but came from other production sites indicating trading interaction between the plantation and surrounding settlements. One sample undoubtedly originated from Dangme Shai and another one must have been produced at a third (unknown) site. The provenance...... of the remaining samples is uncertain, but possibly three of them came from Ga and maybe one from Dangme Shai. Ill-defined compositional variation at Dangme Shai and Ga sites is thought to be the main reason for the observed difficulties in tracing the precise provenance of the Frederiksgave samples....

  1. Preliminary Study on the Provenance Interpretation of Obsidian Artifacts using Neutron Activation Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Mi Eun; Jwa, Yong Joo [Gyeongsang National University, Jinju (Korea, Republic of); Sun, Gwang Min; Baek, Ha Ni; Moon, Jong Hwa; Chung, Yong Sam [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    In the case that the obsidian artifacts are treated as a prehistoric cultural property, we cannot analyze them using destructive analytical methods. In this study, we compared geochemical data obtained by NAA with that by the other method, and examined the applicability of the NAA method to interpret the provenance of the obsidian artifacts. Both the NAA and the LA-ICP-MS data show a general similarity in elemental variation. In particular, it is possible to distinguish Baekdusan obsidians from Kyushu obsidians. This kind of contrast between the Baekdusan and the Kyushu obsidians would reflect the different magma composition at the different tectonic and geologic settings. In general the geochemical composition of obsidian is closely related to the accompanied volcanic rocks. For more detailed estimation of obsidian provenance, we should use the geochemical compositions of obsidians as well as volcanic rocks.

  2. Provenance-Based Debugging and Drill-Down in Data-Oriented Workflows

    KAUST Repository

    Ikeda, Robert; Cho, Junsang; Fang, Charlie; Salihoglu, Semih; Torikai, Satoshi; Widom, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    Panda (for Provenance and Data) is a system that supports the creation and execution of data-oriented workflows, with automatic provenance generation and built-in provenance tracing operations. Workflows in Panda are arbitrary a cyclic graphs

  3. Data Provenance and Trust

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stratis D Viglas

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The Oxford Dictionary defines provenance as “the place of origin, or earliest known history of something.” The term, when transferred to its digital counterpart, has morphed into a more general meaning. It is not only used to refer to the origin of a digital artefact but also to its changes over time. By changes in this context we may not only refer to its digital snapshots but also to the processes that caused and materialised the change. As an example, consider a database record r created at point in time t0; an update u to that record at time t1 causes it to have a value r’. In terms of provenance, we do not only want to record the snapshots (t0, r and (t1, r’ but also the transformation u that when applied to (t0, r results in (t1, r’, that is u(t0, r = (t1, r’.

  4. Big Data Provenance: Challenges, State of the Art and Opportunities

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Jianwu; Crawl, Daniel; Purawat, Shweta; Nguyen, Mai; Altintas, Ilkay

    2015-01-01

    Ability to track provenance is a key feature of scientific workflows to support data lineage and reproducibility. The challenges that are introduced by the volume, variety and velocity of Big Data, also pose related challenges for provenance and quality of Big Data, defined as veracity. The increasing size and variety of distributed Big Data provenance information bring new technical challenges and opportunities throughout the provenance lifecycle including recording, querying, sharing and ut...

  5. Innocent Until Proven Guilty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Case, Catherine; Whitaker, Douglas

    2016-01-01

    In the criminal justice system, defendants accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Statistical inference in any context is built on an analogous principle: The null hypothesis--often a hypothesis of "no difference" or "no effect"--is presumed true unless there is sufficient evidence against it. In this…

  6. Tracing where and who provenance in Linked Data: A calculus

    OpenAIRE

    Dezani-Ciancaglini, Mariangiola; Horne, Ross; Sassone, Vladimiro

    2012-01-01

    Linked Data provides some sensible guidelines for publishing and consuming data on the Web. Data published on the Web has no inherent truth, yet its quality can often be assessed based on its provenance. This work introduces a new approach to provenance for Linked Data. The simplest notion of provenance-viz., a named graph indicating where the data is now-is extended with a richer provenance format. The format reflects the behaviour of processes interacting with Linked Data, tracing where the...

  7. Restful Implementation of Catalogue Service for Geospatial Data Provenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, L. C.; Yue, P.; Lu, X. C.

    2013-10-01

    Provenance, also known as lineage, is important in understanding the derivation history of data products. Geospatial data provenance helps data consumers to evaluate the quality and reliability of geospatial data. In a service-oriented environment, where data are often consumed or produced by distributed services, provenance could be managed by following the same service-oriented paradigm. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Catalogue Service for the Web (CSW) is used for the registration and query of geospatial data provenance by extending ebXML Registry Information Model (ebRIM). Recent advance of the REpresentational State Transfer (REST) paradigm has shown great promise for the easy integration of distributed resources. RESTful Web Service aims to provide a standard way for Web clients to communicate with servers based on REST principles. The existing approach for provenance catalogue service could be improved by adopting the RESTful design. This paper presents the design and implementation of a catalogue service for geospatial data provenance following RESTful architecture style. A middleware named REST Converter is added on the top of the legacy catalogue service to support a RESTful style interface. The REST Converter is composed of a resource request dispatcher and six resource handlers. A prototype service is developed to demonstrate the applicability of the approach.

  8. DETECTION OF AUTOANTIBODIES AGAINST MYELOID LYSOSOMAL-ENZYMES - A USEFUL ADJUNCT TO CLASSIFICATION OF PATIENTS WITH BIOPSY-PROVEN NECROTIZING ARTERITIS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tervaert, J.W.C.; Limburg, Piet; ELEMA, J.D.; HUITEMA, M.G.; The, T.H; Kallenberg, Cees; Horst, G.

    PURPOSE: Assessment of the value of determination of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and its specificities for classification of patients with biopsy-proven necrotizing arteritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The serum samples of 28 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven vasculitis involving

  9. Growth and provenance variation of Pinus caribaea var ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    CAMCORE has visited 33 populations of Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Quintana Roo, Mexico. Seed collections have been made in 29 provenances from 1, 325 mother trees. A total of 21 provenances and sources of Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis were ...

  10. Study of provenance properties on ancient porcelain of Yue Kiln at Si-long-kou with NAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Songlin; Fan Dongyu; Feng Xiangqian; Cheng Lin; Lei Yong; Xu Qing; Quan Huishan; Shen Yueming; Zhou Zhexi; Zhang Wenjiang

    2005-01-01

    Chinese ancient porcelain history has lasted about three thousands years from Shang Dynasty (1100∼1600 BC). A large amount of ancient porcelain sherds with accuracy provenance and ages were excavated from a lot of kiln sites in China. Archaeologists and ceramic experts have recognized and researched it with excavated stratum, utensil shape, body quality, glaze color and painting pattern. However, the appearance characteristic of some ancient porcelain manufactured in different kilns is similar. Therefore, it is still difficult to identify the provenance and ages of the samples excavated from some sites using traditional methods. Up, to now, many problems of Chinese ancient porcelain are confused for archaeologist and collecting experts. The elemental composition of ancient porcelain shows certain information of provenance and age. Especially, the sorts and contents of the elements in porcelain didn't change, so it is very useful to determine the provenance of ancient porcelain with elemental composition characteristics. Provenance characteristic is the important scientific information to identify ancient porcelain wares excavated from sites and graves. The porcelain samples of Si-Long-Kou Yue kiln in Zhejiang Province of china have been analyzed with NAA in this paper. The provenance characteristic was compared with it of Hong-Zhou kiln of Jiang-Xi Province and Yao-Zhou kiln of Shan-Xi Province. The experimental data were studied with statistic methods. The results show that the chemical compositions of porcelain body samples for three kilns were different. The difference was been able identified. The porcelain body materials of both Si-Long-Kou Yue kiln and Hong-Zhou kiln of Jiang-Xi were similar. The samples of Yao-Zhou kiln in north of China existed obvious difference.

  11. Integrating prediction, provenance, and optimization into high energy workflows

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schram, M.; Bansal, V.; Friese, R. D.; Tallent, N. R.; Yin, J.; Barker, K. J.; Stephan, E.; Halappanavar, M.; Kerbyson, D. J.

    2017-10-01

    We propose a novel approach for efficient execution of workflows on distributed resources. The key components of this framework include: performance modeling to quantitatively predict workflow component behavior; optimization-based scheduling such as choosing an optimal subset of resources to meet demand and assignment of tasks to resources; distributed I/O optimizations such as prefetching; and provenance methods for collecting performance data. In preliminary results, these techniques improve throughput on a small Belle II workflow by 20%.

  12. The fingerprint element analysis on provenance of ancient chinese Jun porcelain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Zhengyao; Chen Songhua; Wang Jie; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

    1997-01-01

    Forty-three samples of ancient Jun porcelains and so on were chosen. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) was used to measure the 36 trace elements in every sample. Seven elements were chosen as the 'fingerprint elements'. The provenance of the glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Jun porcelain were investigated by the fingerprint element analysis method. The result shows that although the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain samples have been leapt over six hundred years, and glaze colors are utterly different and are from many different kilns, there are long term, stable and same mainly raw material source. The near provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is preliminarily analyzed. A few modern Jun porcelains approximate from ancient Jun porcelains, the majority become estranged from ancient Jun porcelain

  13. QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS: a 'big data' generator for sedimentary provenance analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vermeesch, Pieter; Rittner, Martin; Garzanti, Eduardo

    2017-04-01

    Sedimentary provenance may be traced by 'fingerprinting' sediments with chemical, mineralogical or isotopic means. Normally, each of these provenance proxies is characterised on a separate aliquot of the same sample. For example, the chemical composition of the bulk sample may be analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) on one aliquot, framework petrography on another, heavy mineral analysis on a density separate of a third split, and zircon U-Pb dating on a further density separate of the heavy mineral fraction. The labour intensity of this procedure holds back the widespread application of multi-method provenance studies. We here present a new method to solve this problem and avoid mineral separation by coupling a QEMSCAN electron microscope to an LA-ICP-MS instrument and thereby generate all four aforementioned provenance datasets as part of the same workflow. Given a polished hand specimen, a petrographic thin section, or a grain mount, the QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS method produces chemical and mineralogical maps from which the X-Y coordinates of the datable mineral are extracted. These coordinates are subsequently passed on to the laser ablation system for isotopic and, hence, geochronological analysis. In the process of finding all the zircons in a sediment grain mount, the QEMSCAN yields the compositional and mineralogical compositions as byproducts. We have applied the new QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS instrument suite to over 100 samples from three large sediment routing systems: (1) the Tigris-Euphrates river catchments and Rub' Al Khali desert in Arabia; (2) the Nile catchment in northeast Africa and (3) desert and beach sands between the Orange and Congo rivers in southwest Africa. These studies reveal (1) that Rub' Al Khali sand is predominantly derived from the Arabian Shield and not from Mesopotamia; (2) that the Blue Nile is the principal source of Nile sand; and (3) that Orange River sand is carried northward by longshore drift nearly 1,800km from South Africa to southern

  14. Provenance variation in Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. in California

    Science.gov (United States)

    B.M. Emery; F. Thomas Ledig

    1987-01-01

    In California, the Lake Albacutya provenance of river red gum was clearly superior in volume growth to 22 other provenances collected throughout the range of the species in Australia. It had at least 2.5 times the volume of the plantation mean at 5.5 years, consistent with its performance in other countries with Mediterranean climates like California's. Other...

  15. Diverging Drought Resistance of Scots Pine Provenances Revealed by Infrared Thermography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannes Seidel

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available With recent climate changes, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. forests have been affected by die-off events. Assisted migration of adapted provenances mitigates drought impacts and promotes forest regeneration. Although suitable provenances are difficult to identify by traditional ecophysiological techniques, which are time consuming and invasive, plant water status can be easily assessed by infrared thermography. Thus, we examined the stress responses of 2-year-old potted Scots pine seedlings from six provenances (Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain based on two thermal indices (crop water stress index and stomatal conductance index. Both indices were derived from infrared images during a six-week drought/control treatment in a greenhouse in the summer of 2013. The pines were monitored during the stress and subsequent recovery period. After controlling for fluctuating environmental conditions, soil moisture or treatment-specific water supply was the most important driver of drought stress. The stress magnitude and response to soil water deficit depended on provenance. Under moderate drought conditions, pines from western and eastern Mediterranean provenances (Bulgaria, France, and Spain expressed lower stress levels than those from both continental provenances (Germany and Poland. In pines from the Spanish and Bulgarian provenances, the stress level differences were significantly lower than in continental pines. Moreover, pines from continental provenances were less resilient (showed less recovery after the stress period than Mediterranean pines. Under extreme drought, all provenances were equally stressed with almost no significant differences in their thermal indices. Provenance-specific differences in drought resistance, which are associated with factors such as summer precipitation at the origin of Scots pine seedlings, may offer promising tracks of adaptation to future drought risks.

  16. Growth and Survival Variation among Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L. Provenances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Süleyman Gülcü

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Tree height, basal diameter, and survival were examined in thirteen-year-old provenance test established by 30 seed sources of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. at two exotic sites of the species in Southern part of Turkey. Variations within provenance and among provenances and relations among the traits were estimated to compare Scots pine provenance and two other native species. Averages of tree height and basal diameter were 350 cm and 52.7 mm in Aydogmus site and 385 cm and 51.2 mm in Kemer site, respectively. There were large differences within and among provenances for the characters. Sites were similar (p>0.05 for the characters, while there were significant differences (p≤0.05 among provenances within site according to results of variance analysis (ANOVA. Scots pine provenances were higher and had more thickness than that of black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold and Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich. which were natural species of the region. There were positive and significant (p<0.05 correlations between height and basal diameter in the species. Average survivals were 56% and 35% of the provenances in the sites. They were 71% and 11% in black pine and 53% in Taurus cedar for the sites respectively.

  17. Data Provenance for Agent-Based Models in a Distributed Memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delmar B. Davis

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Agent-Based Models (ABMs assist with studying emergent collective behavior of individual entities in social, biological, economic, network, and physical systems. Data provenance can support ABM by explaining individual agent behavior. However, there is no provenance support for ABMs in a distributed setting. The Multi-Agent Spatial Simulation (MASS library provides a framework for simulating ABMs at fine granularity, where agents and spatial data are shared application resources in a distributed memory. We introduce a novel approach to capture ABM provenance in a distributed memory, called ProvMASS. We evaluate our technique with traditional data provenance queries and performance measures. Our results indicate that a configurable approach can capture provenance that explains coordination of distributed shared resources, simulation logic, and agent behavior while limiting performance overhead. We also show the ability to support practical analyses (e.g., agent tracking and storage requirements for different capture configurations.

  18. DataONE: A Data Federation with Provenance Support

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cao, Yang [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Jones, Christopher [National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara; Cuevas-Vicenttin, Victor [ Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico; Jones, Matthew B. [National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara; Ludascher, Bertram [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; McPhillips, Timothy [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Missier, Paolo [Newcastle University, UK; Schwalm, Christopher [Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC), Massachusetts; Slaughter, Peter [National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara; Vieglais, Dave [University of Kansas; Walker, Lauren [National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara

    2016-01-01

    DataONE is a federated data network focusing on earth and environmental science data. We present the provenance and search features of DataONE by means of an example involving three earth scientists who interact through a DataONE Member Node. DataONE provenance systems enable reproducible research and facilitate proper attribution of scientific results transitively across generations of derived data products.

  19. Using Detrital Zircon Geochronology to Constrain Paleogene Provenance and Its Relationship to Rifting in the Zhu 1 Depression, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Ye, Jiaren; Bidgoli, Tandis; Yang, Xianghua; Shi, Hesheng; Shu, Yu

    2017-11-01

    Paleogene syn-rift successions in the South China Sea are poorly understood and systematic provenance analysis, which could provide clues to their history, is lacking. Here we report 409 new concordant U-Pb ages from detrital zircons separated from the Paleogene Wenchang, Enping, and Zhuhai formations in the Zhu 1 depression, Pearl River Mouth Basin. The new data, combined with the published age data from the region, document changes in the provenance of syn-rift successions. Detrital zircons from the Eocene Wenchang Formation are unimodal, with Jurassic-Cretaceous (180-80 Ma) ages making up >80% of grains. The ages are consistent with the geochronology of intrabasinal highs, dominated by igneous rocks emplaced during the Yanshanian orogeny, and suggest local provenance. By contrast, detrital zircons from the upper Eocene to lower Oligocene Enping Formation form three well-recognized age-clusters, with peaks at 150, 254, and 438 Ma that match documented tectonomagmatism in South China Block (SCB). Combined with increasing numbers of Precambrian zircons, the data suggest increasing influence of regional provenance of the SCB. Similar age peaks are also recognized from the limited number of zircons analyzed from the upper Oligocene Zhuhai Formation and comparability with modern shelf and river sediment indicates the unit was mainly sourced from the SCB and likely transported by a paleo-Pearl River. We infer that the change in provenance, from local uplifts within the Zhu 1 to the SCB, is related to distinct phases of PRMB rift development; however, later changes are best explained by SCB drainage evolution.

  20. Application of INAA to archaeometry: Provenance determination of ancient Greek and Roman white marble artifacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moens, L.J.; Roos, P.G.; De Paepe, P.A.

    1991-01-01

    During the past five years a large scale project was set up to develop a method to determine the provenance of ancient sculptures made of white marble. The problem was solved by applying three different methods of analysis to the material: INAA and EAAS for the determination of minor- and trace-elements, mass spectrometry measuring the relative abundance of the stable O- and C-isotopes and finally petrography. It was found that these three methods yield complementary information. The role of INAA is of capital importance since it allows one to determine the concentration of a large number of elements in a single sample. In addition the application of multi-variate statistical analysis was indispensable to extract the useful information from the data set. After the analysis of hundreds of quarry samples and the setting up of a reference data base, the method was applied to the provenance determination of about a hundred Green and Roman sculptures from several museums in Europe and the US

  1. Climate Data Provenance Tracking for Just-In-Time Computation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fries, S.; Nadeau, D.; Doutriaux, C.; Williams, D. N.

    2016-12-01

    The "Climate Data Management System" (CDMS) was created in 1996 as part of the Climate Data Analysis Tools suite of software. It provides a simple interface into a wide variety of climate data formats, and creates NetCDF CF-Compliant files. It leverages the NumPy framework for high performance computation, and is an all-in-one IO and computation package. CDMS has been extended to track manipulations of data, and trace that data all the way to the original raw data. This extension tracks provenance about data, and enables just-in-time (JIT) computation. The provenance for each variable is packaged as part of the variable's metadata, and can be used to validate data processing and computations (by repeating the analysis on the original data). It also allows for an alternate solution for sharing analyzed data; if the bandwidth for a transfer is prohibitively expensive, the provenance serialization can be passed in a much more compact format and the analysis rerun on the input data. Data provenance tracking in CDMS enables far-reaching and impactful functionalities, permitting implementation of many analytical paradigms.

  2. Sudetic larch in Germany - Results of provenance and progeny research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weisgerber, H. [Forest Centre for Management Planning, Research and Ecology, Hann Muenden (Germany)

    1995-12-31

    There are only a few older sources of Sudetic larch in Germany. They distinguish themselves by outstanding growth and low susceptibility to canker. This impression was confirmed by results of provenance research. The Sudetic larch tested in comparison with numerous other provenances proved to be fast-growing, site-tolerant, to a large extent insusceptible to canker, with straight but also slightly to moderately curved stems. The Sudetic provenances behave remarkably uniformly as regards these characteristics. In addition to provenance research investigations have been going on for a long time in Germany into individual differences within the Sudetic larch populations. A report is given on the results of progeny tests from free and controlled pollination, using the example of a seed orchard consisting of 54 clones. We point also to possibilities for improving stem quality by selection steps. The results of provenance and progeny research on Sudetic larch are in the meantime being put to use to a large extent in practical forestry. The forest administrations of various federal lands recommend the use of reproductive material of Sudetic origin and from seed orchards. 20 refs, 3 figs

  3. Sudetic larch in Germany - Results of provenance and progeny research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weisgerber, H [Forest Centre for Management Planning, Research and Ecology, Hann Muenden (Germany)

    1996-12-31

    There are only a few older sources of Sudetic larch in Germany. They distinguish themselves by outstanding growth and low susceptibility to canker. This impression was confirmed by results of provenance research. The Sudetic larch tested in comparison with numerous other provenances proved to be fast-growing, site-tolerant, to a large extent insusceptible to canker, with straight but also slightly to moderately curved stems. The Sudetic provenances behave remarkably uniformly as regards these characteristics. In addition to provenance research investigations have been going on for a long time in Germany into individual differences within the Sudetic larch populations. A report is given on the results of progeny tests from free and controlled pollination, using the example of a seed orchard consisting of 54 clones. We point also to possibilities for improving stem quality by selection steps. The results of provenance and progeny research on Sudetic larch are in the meantime being put to use to a large extent in practical forestry. The forest administrations of various federal lands recommend the use of reproductive material of Sudetic origin and from seed orchards. 20 refs, 3 figs

  4. Seamless Provenance Representation and Use in Collaborative Science Scenarios

    Science.gov (United States)

    Missier, P.; Ludaescher, B.; Bowers, S.; Altintas, I.; Anand, M. K.; Dey, S.; Sarkar, A.; Shrestha, B.; Goble, C.

    2010-12-01

    The notion of sharing scientific data has only recently begun to gain ground in science, where data is still considered a private asset. There is growing evidence, however, that the benefits of scientific collaboration through early data sharing during the course of a science project may outgrow the risk of losing exclusive ownership of the data. As exemplar success stories are making the headlines[1], principles of effective information sharing have become the subject of e-science research. In particular, any piece of published data should be self-describing, to the extent necessary for consumers to determine its suitability for reuse in their own projects. This is accomplished by associating a body of formally specified and machine-processable metadata to the data. When data is produced and reused by independent groups, however, metadata interoperability issues emerge. This is the case for provenance, a form of metadata that describes the history of a data product, Y. Provenance is typically expressed as a graph-structured set of dependencies that account for the sequence of computational or interactive steps that led to Y, often starting from some primary, observational data. Traversing dependency graphs is one of the mechanisms used to answer questions on data reliability. In the context of the NSF DataONE project[2], we have been studying issues of provenance interoperability in scientific collaboration scenarios. Consider a first scientist, Alice, who publishes a data product X along with its provenance, and a second scientist who further transforms X into a new product Y, also along with its provenance. A third scientist, who is interested in Y, expects to be able to trace Y's history up to the inputs used by Alice. This is only possible, however, if provenance accumulates into a single, uniform graph that can be seamlessly traversed. This becomes problematic when provenance is captured using different tools and computational models (i.e. workflow systems

  5. Inter population variability of frost-resistance in provenances of scot pines (Pinusylvestris L.R. hamata Steven in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özel Halil Barış

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Frost-resistance variability of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L. var. hamata Steven seedlings grown in nurseries conditions, originated from 10 provenances, have been analyzed. The provenances from Black Sea region, Central Anatolian region and Eastern Anatolian region in Turkey have been used in selection of seed zones. The results of frost-resistance tests indicated a strong relationship of implemented freezing degrees with injury degrees of Scotch pine needles and photosynthetic productivities. On the other hand, another significant relationship has been determined between chlorophyll fluorescence and ion leakage methods (r=-0.801. This result shows that those two methods can be safely used in determining the damages due to low temperatures. In frost resistance tests, Scotch pine seedlings from different provenances have been frozen at -10, -20, -30 and -40°C. According to the Duncan test results, it has been determined that damage increased as temperature decreased. The damage level at -10°C implementation is 3.5% which can be tolerated by plants. But when the temperature has been decreased to -20°C, the level of damage has increased to 51.25%. As a result of photosynthetic analyses in this phase, it has been determined that there is a statistically significant relationship between provenances and temperature levels. Under the light of those findings, they have determined that the photosynthetic productivity has significantly decreased at temperatures between -20°C and -40°C. This situation conforms to injury index values determined in this study. As a result of injury index and photosynthetic productivity tests used for determining the damage after frost-resistance tests, it has been determined that the provenances of Amasya-Kunduz, Bolu-Aladağ, Düzce-Yığılca, Samsun-Vezirköprü and Eskişehir-Çatacık are more sensitive to frost than other provenances.

  6. Determination of marble provenance: limits of isotopic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Germann, K.; Holzmann, G.; Winkler, F.J.

    1980-01-01

    Provenance determination of Thessalian stelae marbles using the C/O isotopic analysis proved to be misleading, as the isotopic composition even in very small quarrying areas is heterogeneous and isotopic coincidence of marbles from very distant sources occurs. Therefore additional geological features must be taken into consideration and preference should be given to combinations of both petrographical and geochemical properties. Geological field work to establish the range of possible marble sources and the variability within these sources is one of the prerequisites of provenance studies. (author)

  7. Fagus sylvatica L. provenances maintain different leaf metabolic profiles and functional response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aranda, Ismael; Sánchez-Gómez, David; de Miguel, Marina; Mancha, Jose Antonio; Guevara, María Angeles; Cadahía, Estrella; Fernández de Simón, María Brígida

    2017-07-01

    Most temperate forest tree species will suffer important environmental changes as result of the climate change. Adaptiveness to local conditions could change at different sites in the future. In this context, the study of intra-specific variability is important to clarify the singularity of different local populations. Phenotypic differentiation between three beech provenances covering a wide latitudinal range (Spain/ES, Germany/DE and Sweden/SE), was studied in a greenhouse experiment. Non-target leaf metabolite profiles and ecophysiological response was analyzed in well-watered and water stressed seedlings. There was a provenance-specific pattern in the relative concentrations of some leaf metabolites regardless watering treatment. The DE and SE from the center and north of the distribution area of the species showed a clear differentiation from the ES provenance in the relative concentration of some metabolites. Thus the ES provenance from the south maintained larger relative concentration of some organic and amino acids (e.g. fumaric and succinic acids or valine and isoleucine), and in some secondary metabolites (e.g. kaempferol, caffeic and ferulic acids). The ecophysiological response to mild water stress was similar among the three provenances as a consequence of the moderate water stress applied to seedlings, although leaf N isotope composition (δ15N) and leaf C:N ratio were higher and lower respectively in DE than in the other two provenances. This would suggest potential differences in the capacity to uptake and post-process nitrogen according to provenance. An important focus of the study was to address for the first time inter-provenance leaf metabolic diversity in beech from a non-targeted metabolic profiling approach that allowed differentiation of the three studied provenances.

  8. Patients with computed tomography-proven acute diverticulitis require follow-up to exclude colorectal cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shafquat Zaman

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Traditionally, patients with acute diverticulitis undergo follow-up endoscopy to exclude colorectal cancer (CRC. However, its usefulness has been debated in this era of high-resolution computed tomography (CT diagnosis. We assessed the frequency and outcome of endoscopic follow-up for patients with CT-proven acute diverticulitis, according to the confidence in the CT diagnosis.Methods: Records of patients with CT-proven acute diverticulitis between October 2007 and March 2014 at Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust were retrieved. The National Cancer Registry confirmed the cases of CRC. Endoscopy quality indicators were compared between these patients and other patients undergoing the same endoscopic examination over the same period.Results: We identified 235 patients with CT-proven acute diverticulitis, of which, 187 were managed conservatively. The CT report was confident of the diagnosis of acute diverticulitis in 75% cases. Five of the 235 patients were subsequently diagnosed with CRC (2.1%. Three cases of CRC were detected in the 187 patients managed conservatively (1.6%. Forty-eight percent of the conservatively managed patients underwent follow-up endoscopy; one case of CRC was identified. Endoscopies were often incomplete and caused more discomfort for patients with diverticulitis compared with controls.Conclusions: CRC was diagnosed in patients with CT-proven diverticulitis at a higher rate than in screened asymptomatic populations, necessitating follow-up. CT reports contained statements regarding diagnostic uncertainty in 25% cases, associated with an increased risk of CRC. Follow-up endoscopy in patients with CT-proven diverticulitis is associated with increased discomfort and high rates of incompletion. The use of other follow-up modalities should be considered.

  9. Pharmacists' Perception of the Sale of Non-Clinically Proven Health ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pharmacists' Perception of the Sale of Non-Clinically Proven Health Supplements in Penang, Malaysia. ... A total of 10.7 % respondents indicated that the sale of non-clinically proven products result in high profit. Only 25.0 % of the pharmacists ... Keywords: Perception, Health promotion, Urban poor, Health supplements.

  10. Isotopic provenance analysis and terrane tectonics: a warning about sediment transport distances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bassett, K.N.

    1999-01-01

    temporary storage. Sediment from the Amazon River can be found in the Barbados trench. transported ∼2000 km northward by near shore currents after more than 2500 km by the Amazon River from source. It's interesting to note that while large fluvial systems are helpful for transporting sediment very large distances, it is also possible by other mechanisms. Both the Bengal fan and the Barbados sediment have been transported at least 1500 km by purely marine sediment transport mechanisms. Similar transport distances occur in the Hikurangi submarine channel off the eastern coast of New Zealand (Lewis, 1999). There fine sands are transported ∼2000 km northward into the Kermadec trench by sediment gravity flow and deep water currents. Such modern examples of long distance sediment transport should be kept in mind when interpreting details of terrane translation. The possibility that the fine grained fraction may have been transported 2000-3000 km from their source makes their provenance of very little use when attempting to resolve controversies where distances of tectonic translation are on the same order of magnitude (Insular and Torlesse Superterranes). Thus detailed histories of terrane translation are best developed using coarse rather than fine size tractions. Gravels are transported over 10s to 100s of kilometers rather than the 1000s of kilometers possible for fine grained sediments. In addition, more detailed isotopic and geochemical provenance analysis is possible due to the larger grain size available allowing more specific characterization of the source area. However, truly effective characterization of sediment source rocks can only be accomplished as part of multidisciplinary research projects that would include provenance analysis by a variety of methods combined with basin analysis to understand facies relations and sediment dispersal paths. Copyright (1999) Geological Society of Australia

  11. Model-based Abstraction of Data Provenance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Probst, Christian W.; Hansen, René Rydhof

    Identifying provenance of data provides insights to the origin of data and intermediate results, and has recently gained increased interest due to data-centric applications. In this work we extend a data-centric system view with actors handling the data and policies restricting actions. This

  12. Provenance and recycling of Arabian desert sand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garzanti, Eduardo; Vermeesch, Pieter; Andò, Sergio; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Valagussa, Manuel; Allen, Kate; Kadi, Khalid A.; Al-Juboury, Ali I. A.

    2013-05-01

    This study seeks to determine the ultimate origin of aeolian sand in Arabian deserts by high-resolution petrographic and heavy-mineral techniques combined with zircon U-Pb geochronology. Point-counting is used here as the sole method by which unbiased volume percentages of heavy minerals can be obtained. A comprehensive analysis of river and wadi sands from the Red Sea to the Bitlis-Zagros orogen allowed us to characterize all potential sediment sources, and thus to quantitatively constrain provenance of Arabian dune fields. Two main types of aeolian sand can be distinguished. Quartzose sands with very poor heavy-mineral suites including zircon occupy most of the region comprising the Great Nafud and Rub' al-Khali Sand Seas, and are largely recycled from thick Lower Palaeozoic quartzarenites with very minor first-cycle contributions from Precambrian basement, Mesozoic carbonate rocks, or Neogene basalts. Instead, carbonaticlastic sands with richer lithic and heavy-mineral populations characterize coastal dunes bordering the Arabian Gulf from the Jafurah Sand Sea of Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. The similarity with detritus carried by the axial Tigris-Euphrates system and by transverse rivers draining carbonate rocks of the Zagros indicates that Arabian coastal dunes largely consist of far-travelled sand, deposited on the exposed floor of the Gulf during Pleistocene lowstands and blown inland by dominant Shamal northerly winds. A dataset of detrital zircon U-Pb ages measured on twelve dune samples and two Lower Palaeozoic sandstones yielded fourteen identical age spectra. The age distributions all show a major Neoproterozoic peak corresponding to the Pan-African magmatic and tectonic events by which the Arabian Shield was assembled, with minor late Palaeoproterozoic and Neoarchean peaks. A similar U-Pb signature characterizes also Jafurah dune sands, suggesting that zircons are dominantly derived from interior Arabia, possibly deflated from the Wadi al

  13. Donors in Semiconductors - are they Understood in Electronic Era?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dmochowski, Janusz E

    2007-01-01

    The physics of semiconductors and contemporary electronics cannot be understood without impurities. The hydrogen-like shallow donor (and acceptor) state of electron (hole) bound by Coulomb electrostatic force of excess charge of impurity is used to control conductivity of semiconductors and construct semiconductor diodes, transistors and numerous types of semiconductor electronic and optoelectronic devices, including lasers. Recently, surprisingly, the physics of impurity donors appeared to be much reacher. Experimental evidence has been provided for universal existence of other types of electronic states of the same donor impurity: i) mysterious, deep, DX-type state resulting in metastability - slow hysteresis phenomena - understood as two-electron, acceptor-like state of donor impurity, formed upon large lattice distortion or rearrangement around impurity and accompanying capture of second electron, resulting in negative electron correlation energy U; ii) deep, localized, fully symmetric, A1, one-electron donor state of substitutional impurity. The latter state can be formed from the 'ordinary' shallow hydrogen-like state in the process of strong localization of electron by short range, local potential of impurity core, preserving full (A 1 ) symmetry of the substitutional impurity in the host lattice. The 'anticrossing' of the two A 1 (shallow hydrogenic and deep localized) energy levels upon transformation is observed. All types of electronic states of impurity can be universally observed for the same donor impurity and mutual transformation between different states occur upon changing experimental conditions. The knowledge about existence and properties of these n ew , molecular type, donor states in semiconductors seems still await general recognition and positive application in contemporary material and device science and engineering

  14. Growth dynamics variation of different larch provenances under the mountain conditions in Poland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kulej, M. [Univ. of Agriculture, Cracow (Poland). Section of Seed Production and Selection

    1995-12-31

    The results of 25-year investigations based on measurements and statistical analysis concerning the growth dynamics variation of larch provenances from the entire area of Poland are reported in this paper. This is the first larch provenance experiment in Poland under mountain conditions. The results obtained showed a significant variability among the provenances tested as regards the basic growth characters (height, d.b.h., growth index) at the age of 5, 8, 11, 15, 20 and 25 years. The larch from Klodzko and Proszkow turned out to be the best in respect of growth during the entire 25-years period. Decidedly bad were provenances from Marcule, Grojec, Rawa mazowiecka and Kroscienko. We cannot forecast the future growth of larch when trees are 5-years old since such prognosis may carry an error. However, on the basis of the results obtained it may be concluded that when trees are about 8 years old the stabilization of the position of individual provenances as regards growth takes place. The height growth curves for the individual provenances during the 25-years period (with exception of the provenance from Marcule) fall within the interval {+-} 0,5S from the compensated curve for the entire population studied. All larch provenances in the experiment had reached the height growth culmination. A greatest differentiation in respect of this character occurred in case of the provenances from Sudetes. 27 refs, 4 figs, 8 tabs

  15. Growth dynamics variation of different larch provenances under the mountain conditions in Poland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kulej, M [Univ. of Agriculture, Cracow (Poland). Section of Seed Production and Selection

    1996-12-31

    The results of 25-year investigations based on measurements and statistical analysis concerning the growth dynamics variation of larch provenances from the entire area of Poland are reported in this paper. This is the first larch provenance experiment in Poland under mountain conditions. The results obtained showed a significant variability among the provenances tested as regards the basic growth characters (height, d.b.h., growth index) at the age of 5, 8, 11, 15, 20 and 25 years. The larch from Klodzko and Proszkow turned out to be the best in respect of growth during the entire 25-years period. Decidedly bad were provenances from Marcule, Grojec, Rawa mazowiecka and Kroscienko. We cannot forecast the future growth of larch when trees are 5-years old since such prognosis may carry an error. However, on the basis of the results obtained it may be concluded that when trees are about 8 years old the stabilization of the position of individual provenances as regards growth takes place. The height growth curves for the individual provenances during the 25-years period (with exception of the provenance from Marcule) fall within the interval {+-} 0,5S from the compensated curve for the entire population studied. All larch provenances in the experiment had reached the height growth culmination. A greatest differentiation in respect of this character occurred in case of the provenances from Sudetes. 27 refs, 4 figs, 8 tabs

  16. Study of provenance character on ancient porcelain of Yue Kiln at Silongkou with NAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jihao Zhu; Songlin Feng; Dongyu Fan; Xiangqian Feng; Qing Xu; Yueming Shen; Zhenxi Zhuo; Wenjiang Zhang

    2007-01-01

    Chemical composition is an important information of studying the provenance character of ancient pottery and porcelain. The ancient celadon samples produced in Later Tang (850-907 A.D.) to Former Southern Song (1127-1279 A.D.) have been analyzed with NAA. Its provenance characteristic was compared with that of Hongzhou Kiln of Jiangxi Province and Yaozhou Kiln of Shanxi Province in this paper. The experimental data were studied with statistic methods. The results indicated that the chemical compositions of ancient porcelain body samples made in three kilns were different. The difference is able to be identified. The porcelain body materials of both Silongkou Yue Kiln and Hongzhou Kiln were similar. The samples of Yaozhou kiln in north of China existed obvious difference. (author)

  17. Automated Generation of Technical Documentation and Provenance for Reproducible Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jolly, B.; Medyckyj-Scott, D.; Spiekermann, R.; Ausseil, A. G.

    2017-12-01

    Data provenance and detailed technical documentation are essential components of high-quality reproducible research, however are often only partially addressed during a research project. Recording and maintaining this information during the course of a project can be a difficult task to get right as it is a time consuming and often boring process for the researchers involved. As a result, provenance records and technical documentation provided alongside research results can be incomplete or may not be completely consistent with the actual processes followed. While providing access to the data and code used by the original researchers goes some way toward enabling reproducibility, this does not count as, or replace, data provenance. Additionally, this can be a poor substitute for good technical documentation and is often more difficult for a third-party to understand - particularly if they do not understand the programming language(s) used. We present and discuss a tool built from the ground up for the production of well-documented and reproducible spatial datasets that are created by applying a series of classification rules to a number of input layers. The internal model of the classification rules required by the tool to process the input data is exploited to also produce technical documentation and provenance records with minimal additional user input. Available provenance records that accompany input datasets are incorporated into those that describe the current process. As a result, each time a new iteration of the analysis is performed the documentation and provenance records are re-generated to provide an accurate description of the exact process followed. The generic nature of this tool, and the lessons learned during its creation, have wider application to other fields where the production of derivative datasets must be done in an open, defensible, and reproducible way.

  18. Wood structural differences between northern and southern beech provenances growing at a moderate site.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eilmann, B; Sterck, F; Wegner, L; de Vries, S M G; von Arx, G; Mohren, G M J; den Ouden, J; Sass-Klaassen, U

    2014-08-01

    Planting provenances originating from southern to northern locations has been discussed as a strategy to speed up species migration and mitigate negative effects of climate change on forest stability and productivity. Especially for drought-susceptible species such as European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), the introduction of drought-tolerant provenances from the south could be an option. Yet, beech has been found to respond plastically to environmental conditions, suggesting that the climate on the plantation site might be more important for tree growth than the genetic predisposition of potentially drought-adapted provenances. In this study, we compared the radial growth, wood-anatomical traits and leaf phenology of four beech provenances originating from southern (Bulgaria, France) and northern locations (Sweden, the Netherlands) and planted in a provenance trial in the Netherlands. The distribution of precipitation largely differs between the sites of origin. The northern provenances experience a maximum and the southern provenances experience a minimum of rainfall in summer. We compared tree productivity and the anatomy of the water-conducting system for the period from 2000 to 2010, including the drought year 2003. In addition, tree mortality and the timing of leaf unfolding in spring were analysed for the years 2001, 2007 and 2012. Comparison of these traits in the four beech provenances indicates the influence of genetic predisposition and local environmental factors on the performance of these provenances under moderate site conditions. Variation in radial growth was controlled by environment, although the growth level slightly differed due to genetic background. The Bulgarian provenance had an efficient water-conducting system which was moreover unaffected by the drought in 2003, pointing to a high ability of this provenance to cope well with dry conditions. In addition, the Bulgarian provenance showed up as most productive in terms of height and radial

  19. Water use efficiency studies of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd provenances in Sudan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mustafa, A.F.; Elamin, K.H.; Salih, A.A.

    1996-01-01

    An experiment was conducted in 1989 to screen Acacia senegal L. Willd provenances collected from within the natural gum belt for high water use efficiency. Thirteen provenances were tested for water use efficiency and consequently 6 out of them were selected for further screening. The selection was based on their performance in the preliminary screening. Both the preliminary and the detailed study revealed that provenances 7, 3 and 11 combine high dry matter production with high water use efficiency. Water use efficiency and dry matter production appears to be negatively correlated with root length density and root/shoot ratios. Provenances 7 which exhibited the highest water use efficiency and dry matter yield had the lowest root/shoot ratio and also a low root length density. Based on these studies provenance 7 can be considered a suitable candidate for introduction into gum-belt of Sudan through for rehabilitation of this region. (author). 5 refs, 1 fig., 3 tabs

  20. Water use efficiency studies of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd provenances in Sudan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mustafa, A F; Elamin, K H [Forestry Research Section, Wad Medani (Sudan); Salih, A A [Soil Science Section, Wad Medani (Sudan)

    1996-07-01

    An experiment was conducted in 1989 to screen Acacia senegal L. Willd provenances collected from within the natural gum belt for high water use efficiency. Thirteen provenances were tested for water use efficiency and consequently 6 out of them were selected for further screening. The selection was based on their performance in the preliminary screening. Both the preliminary and the detailed study revealed that provenances 7, 3 and 11 combine high dry matter production with high water use efficiency. Water use efficiency and dry matter production appears to be negatively correlated with root length density and root/shoot ratios. Provenances 7 which exhibited the highest water use efficiency and dry matter yield had the lowest root/shoot ratio and also a low root length density. Based on these studies provenance 7 can be considered a suitable candidate for introduction into gum-belt of Sudan through for rehabilitation of this region. (author). 5 refs, 1 fig., 3 tabs.

  1. Ocular Manifestations of Biopsy-Proven Pulmonary Sarcoidosis in Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seung Yong Choi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To investigate the clinical features and ocular manifestations of biopsy-proven pulmonary sarcoidosis in Korea. Methods. 55 patients diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis by bronchoscopic or excisional biopsy were included. By retrospective clinical chart review, we investigated features of uveitis, ocular and systemic treatments, visual acuity, angiotensin-converting enzyme level, chest radiography, and pulmonary function tests. Clinical features were analyzed by presence of uveitis, site of biopsy, and first manifested sign of sarcoidosis. Results. The group with uveitis (n=39 presented with higher systemic (71.8% and immunosuppressive treatment rates (35.9% than the group without uveitis (31.3%, 0%, resp. (P=0.007, P=0.005, resp.. There were no significant differences in clinical features, including systemic treatment rate, by type of biopsy. Of 39 patients with uveitis, the group with ocular manifestation as a first sign of sarcoidosis showed higher systemic and immunosuppressive treatment rates (88.9%, 55.6% compared to the group with pulmonary manifestation as a first sign (57.1%, 19.0% (P=0.037, P=0.018, resp.. Conclusions. In patients with biopsy-proven pulmonary sarcoidosis, the presence of ocular involvement and uveitis as a first sign could be significant factors associated with higher systemic treatment rate, especially with immunosuppressive agents. Biopsy site determined by location and size had no influence on clinical features.

  2. Nonalbumin proteinuria predominates in biopsy-proven tenofovir nephrotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sise, Meghan E; Hirsch, Jamie S; Canetta, Pietro A; Herlitz, Leal; Mohan, Sumit

    2015-05-15

    Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) nephrotoxicity is characterized by proximal renal tubular injury and dysmorphic mitochondria resulting in proteinuria, orthoglycemic glycosuria, and other markers of proximal tubular dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of proteinuria in patients with biopsy-proven TDF nephrotoxicity. Retrospective chart review. Patients with biopsy-proven TDF nephrotoxicity were identified and their medical charts and biopsy reports were reviewed. Comparison was made with HIV-infected patients not on TDF who underwent kidney biopsy. We identified 43 biopsy-proven cases of TDF nephrotoxicity; mean age 54.7 ± 0.4 years, 53% men, 42% whites. Thirty-seven cases reported proteinuria by dipstick of which only 60% had at least 2+ proteinuria. Twenty-seven patients had urine protein quantified by either 24-h collection or spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio; median proteinuria was 1742 mg/day [interquartile range (IQR) 1200-2000 mg] and 1667 mg/g creatinine (IQR 851-1967 mg/g), respectively. Ten patients had concurrent urinary albumin measured, with a median 236 mg/g creatinine (IQR 137-343 mg/g). The mean urine albumin-to-urine protein ratio (uAPR) was 0.17 (IQR 0.14-0.19), confirming that TDF nephrotoxicity is primarily associated with nonalbumin proteinuria. Control cases had a uAPR of 0.65 (IQR 0.55-0.79) P < 0.001. Histopathology showed the predominance of proximal tubular injury with characteristic mitochondrial abnormalities. In the largest published cohort of patients with biopsy-proven TDF nephrotoxicity, we show that low uAPR is a reliable feature of this disease. Because of the predominance of nonalbumin proteinuria, dipstick urinalysis may be unreliable in TDF nephrotoxicity.

  3. Changing provenance of late Cenozoic sediments in the Jianghan Basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Shao

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The Yangtze River is one of the most important components of the East Asia river system. In this study, sediments in the Jianghan Basin, middle Yangtze River, were selected for trace element and rare earth element (REE measurements, in order to decipher information on the change of sediment provenance and evolution of the Yangtze River. According to the elemental variations, the late Cenozoic sediments of the Jianghan Basin could be divided into four parts. During 2.68–2.28 Ma and 1.25–0 Ma, provenance of the sediments was consistent, whereas sediments were derived from variable sources during 2.28–1.25 Ma. Comparison of the elemental compositions between the Pliocene and Quaternary sediments revealed a change in sediment source from a more felsic source area to a more basic source area around the Pliocene–Quaternary boundary. Input from the Emeishan LIP should account for this provenance change. Based on the provenance analysis of sediments in the Jianghan Basin, we infer that the Yangtze River developed into a large river with its drainage basin extended to the Emeishan LIP no later than the Pliocene–Quaternary boundary.

  4. An Inference-Based Framework to Manage Data Provenance in Geoscience Applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huq, M.R.; Apers, Peter M.G.; Wombacher, Andreas

    2013-01-01

    Data provenance allows scientists to validate their model as well as to investigate the origin of an unexpected value. Furthermore, it can be used as a replication recipe for output data products. However, capturing provenance requires enormous effort by scientists in terms of time and training.

  5. Provenance for Runtime Workflow Steering and Validation in Computational Seismology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinuso, A.; Krischer, L.; Krause, A.; Filgueira, R.; Magnoni, F.; Muraleedharan, V.; David, M.

    2014-12-01

    Provenance systems may be offered by modern workflow engines to collect metadata about the data transformations at runtime. If combined with effective visualisation and monitoring interfaces, these provenance recordings can speed up the validation process of an experiment, suggesting interactive or automated interventions with immediate effects on the lifecycle of a workflow run. For instance, in the field of computational seismology, if we consider research applications performing long lasting cross correlation analysis and high resolution simulations, the immediate notification of logical errors and the rapid access to intermediate results, can produce reactions which foster a more efficient progress of the research. These applications are often executed in secured and sophisticated HPC and HTC infrastructures, highlighting the need for a comprehensive framework that facilitates the extraction of fine grained provenance and the development of provenance aware components, leveraging the scalability characteristics of the adopted workflow engines, whose enactment can be mapped to different technologies (MPI, Storm clusters, etc). This work looks at the adoption of W3C-PROV concepts and data model within a user driven processing and validation framework for seismic data, supporting also computational and data management steering. Validation needs to balance automation with user intervention, considering the scientist as part of the archiving process. Therefore, the provenance data is enriched with community-specific metadata vocabularies and control messages, making an experiment reproducible and its description consistent with the community understandings. Moreover, it can contain user defined terms and annotations. The current implementation of the system is supported by the EU-Funded VERCE (http://verce.eu). It provides, as well as the provenance generation mechanisms, a prototypal browser-based user interface and a web API built on top of a NoSQL storage

  6. Scientific Reproducibility in Biomedical Research: Provenance Metadata Ontology for Semantic Annotation of Study Description.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahoo, Satya S; Valdez, Joshua; Rueschman, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Scientific reproducibility is key to scientific progress as it allows the research community to build on validated results, protect patients from potentially harmful trial drugs derived from incorrect results, and reduce wastage of valuable resources. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently published a systematic guideline titled "Rigor and Reproducibility " for supporting reproducible research studies, which has also been accepted by several scientific journals. These journals will require published articles to conform to these new guidelines. Provenance metadata describes the history or origin of data and it has been long used in computer science to capture metadata information for ensuring data quality and supporting scientific reproducibility. In this paper, we describe the development of Provenance for Clinical and healthcare Research (ProvCaRe) framework together with a provenance ontology to support scientific reproducibility by formally modeling a core set of data elements representing details of research study. We extend the PROV Ontology (PROV-O), which has been recommended as the provenance representation model by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), to represent both: (a) data provenance, and (b) process provenance. We use 124 study variables from 6 clinical research studies from the National Sleep Research Resource (NSRR) to evaluate the coverage of the provenance ontology. NSRR is the largest repository of NIH-funded sleep datasets with 50,000 studies from 36,000 participants. The provenance ontology reuses ontology concepts from existing biomedical ontologies, for example the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), to model the provenance information of research studies. The ProvCaRe framework is being developed as part of the Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) data provenance project.

  7. Provenance variations of scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the Southern PART of Turkey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulcu, S.; Bilir, N.

    2015-01-01

    Tree height, basal diameter, stem form, number, angle and diameter of branches were assessed in eight-year-old provenance test established by 30 seed sources of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) at Aydogmus and Kemer experimental sites of Southern part of Turkey. Growth of the provenances was also compared to two native species (Taurus cedar- Cedrus libani A. Rich and Black pine-Pinus nigra Arnold.) of the region. Variations within provenance and among provenances, and relations among the traits were estimated. There were large differences (p <= 0.05) within provenance and among provenances for the traits, while sites showed similar (0.05 <= p) performance for tree height and stem form. For instance, average of tree height was 181 cm and varied between 138.3 cm and 229.8 cm in provenances of Aydogmus site, it was 184 cm and ranged from 130 cm to 246.1 cm in that of Kemer site. Averages of tree height of a provenance were 144.4 cm in Aydogmus and 194.5 cm in Kemer. Individual tree height of the provenance varied between 69 cm and 267 cm, and ranged from 51 cm to 280 cm in sites. Averages of tree height were 143.2 cm in Black pine 145.6 cm in Taurus cedar which were natural species of the region. There were mostly positive and significant (p <= 0.05) correlations among the traits. Results of the study were discussed for new plantations and breeding of the species. (author)

  8. Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizae on growth and mineral nutrition of greenhouse propagated fruit trees from diverse geographic provenances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guissou, T.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Description of the subject. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM fungi are known to promote plant growth by enhancing mineral uptake in nutrient deficient soils. These beneficial effects on plant growth may vary considerably between cultivars of a given species and between plant species originating from different locations. Objectives. The present experiment evaluated the response of three Sahelian fruit trees: néré (Parkia biglobosa [Jacq.] G.Don, tamarind (Tamarindus indica L., and jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., originating from five different geographic provenances, to mycorrhizal colonization, evaluate their respective mycorrhizal dependency (MD and analyze their leaf and stem mineral composition. Method. Trees were cultivated in a nursery on pre-sterilized soil substrate low in available P (2.18 μg·g-1 with or without inoculum of Glomus aggregatum (Schenck & Smith emend. Koske. The experiment was arranged in a factorial design for each fruit tree species separately: 5 provenances x 2 AM treatments (inoculated and non-inoculated [control] with 10 replicates per treatment. Plants were harvested six months after inoculation and different parameters were measured. Results. Overall, the results showed significant provenance variations in the plant response to mycorrhizal inoculation. Néré mycorrhizal plants, from two seed sources, tamarind and jujube plants from one seed source had significant higher dry weight and shoot height than those from other provenances. Jujube plants from 3 out of the 5 provenances showed significant higher MD. It then appears that seed provenance happened to be determinant even though AM-root colonization levels (80-90% do not vary much from one provenance to another. In all cases, the fruit trees benefited from AM fungi with increased N, P and K mineral uptake in aerial parts. In particular P uptake was proportional to MD concentration in AM-jujube plants. Conclusions. These results demonstrate the importance of

  9. PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, D.; Cheng, H.S.; Lin, J.W.; Yang, F.J.

    2006-01-01

    This paper reports the PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain made in 7-10th century. The chemical compositions of Jun celadon samples made at Juntai, Linru and Hunyuan kilns, the white-glazed porcelain samples made at Ding, Huangye and Dangyangyu kilns, and the Ru celadon samples made at Qiangliang Temple were measured by external-beam PIXE, and the factor analysis was applied for identifying their provenances. Experimental results show that the porcelain products made at different kilns can be distinguished according to the compositional differences measured by PIXE

  10. PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, D. [Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433 (China); Cheng, H.S. [Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433 (China)]. E-mail: hscheng@fudan.edu.cn; Lin, J.W. [Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433 (China); Yang, F.J. [Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433 (China)

    2006-08-15

    This paper reports the PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain made in 7-10th century. The chemical compositions of Jun celadon samples made at Juntai, Linru and Hunyuan kilns, the white-glazed porcelain samples made at Ding, Huangye and Dangyangyu kilns, and the Ru celadon samples made at Qiangliang Temple were measured by external-beam PIXE, and the factor analysis was applied for identifying their provenances. Experimental results show that the porcelain products made at different kilns can be distinguished according to the compositional differences measured by PIXE.

  11. PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, D.; Cheng, H. S.; Lin, J. W.; Yang, F. J.

    2006-08-01

    This paper reports the PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain made in 7-10th century. The chemical compositions of Jun celadon samples made at Juntai, Linru and Hunyuan kilns, the white-glazed porcelain samples made at Ding, Huangye and Dangyangyu kilns, and the Ru celadon samples made at Qiangliang Temple were measured by external-beam PIXE, and the factor analysis was applied for identifying their provenances. Experimental results show that the porcelain products made at different kilns can be distinguished according to the compositional differences measured by PIXE.

  12. Using Blockchain and smart contracts for secure data provenance management

    OpenAIRE

    Ramachandran, Aravind; Kantarcioglu, Dr. Murat

    2017-01-01

    Blockchain technology has evolved from being an immutable ledger of transactions for cryptocurrencies to a programmable interactive the environment for building distributed reliable applications. Although, blockchain technology has been used to address various challenges, to our knowledge none of the previous work focused on using blockchain to develop a secure and immutable scientific data provenance management framework that automatically verifies the provenance records. In this work, we le...

  13. How the provenance of electronic health record data matters for research: a case example using system mapping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Karin E; Kamineni, Aruna; Fuller, Sharon; Olmstead, Danielle; Wernli, Karen J

    2014-01-01

    The use of electronic health records (EHRs) for research is proceeding rapidly, driven by computational power, analytical techniques, and policy. However, EHR-based research is limited by the complexity of EHR data and a lack of understanding about data provenance, meaning the context under which the data were collected. This paper presents system flow mapping as a method to help researchers more fully understand the provenance of their EHR data as it relates to local workflow. We provide two specific examples of how this method can improve data identification, documentation, and processing. EHRs store clinical and administrative data, often in unstructured fields. Each clinical system has a unique and dynamic workflow, as well as an EHR customized for local use. The EHR customization may be influenced by a broader context such as documentation required for billing. We present a case study with two examples of using system flow mapping to characterize EHR data for a local colorectal cancer screening process. System flow mapping demonstrated that information entered into the EHR during clinical practice required interpretation and transformation before it could be accurately applied to research. We illustrate how system flow mapping shaped our knowledge of the quality and completeness of data in two examples: (1) determining colonoscopy indication as recorded in the EHR, and (2) discovering a specific EHR form that captured family history. Researchers who do not consider data provenance risk compiling data that are systematically incomplete or incorrect. For example, researchers who are not familiar with the clinical workflow under which data were entered might miss or misunderstand patient information or procedure and diagnostic codes. Data provenance is a fundamental characteristic of research data from EHRs. Given the diversity of EHR platforms and system workflows, researchers need tools for evaluating and reporting data availability, quality, and

  14. Provenance Representation in the Global Change Information System (GCIS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilmes, Curt

    2012-01-01

    Global climate change is a topic that has become very controversial despite strong support within the scientific community. It is common for agencies releasing information about climate change to be served with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for everything that led to that conclusion. Capturing and presenting the provenance, linking to the research papers, data sets, models, analyses, observation instruments and satellites, etc. supporting key findings has the potential to mitigate skepticism in this domain. The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is now coordinating the production of a National Climate Assessment (NCA) that presents our best understanding of global change. We are now developing a Global Change Information System (GCIS) that will present the content of that report and its provenance, including the scientific support for the findings of the assessment. We are using an approach that will present this information both through a human accessible web site as well as a machine readable interface for automated mining of the provenance graph. We plan to use the developing W3C PROV Data Model and Ontology for this system.

  15. Towards an Ontology-Driven Blockchain Design for Supply Chain Provenance

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Henry M.; Laskowski, Marek

    2016-01-01

    An interesting research problem in our age of Big Data is that of determining provenance. Granular evaluation of provenance of physical goods--e.g. tracking ingredients of a pharmaceutical or demonstrating authenticity of luxury goods--has often not been possible with today's items that are produced and transported in complex, inter-organizational, often internationally-spanning supply chains. Recent adoption of Internet of Things and Blockchain technologies give promise at better supply chai...

  16. Data Provenance Inference in Logic Programming: Reducing Effort of Instance-driven Debugging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huq, M.R.; Mileo, Alessandra; Wombacher, Andreas

    Data provenance allows scientists in different domains validating their models and algorithms to find out anomalies and unexpected behaviors. In previous works, we described on-the-fly interpretation of (Python) scripts to build workflow provenance graph automatically and then infer fine-grained

  17. ESPRIT: A Method for Defining Soluble Expression Constructs in Poorly Understood Gene Sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mas, Philippe J; Hart, Darren J

    2017-01-01

    Production of soluble, purifiable domains or multi-domain fragments of proteins is a prerequisite for structural biology and other applications. When target sequences are poorly annotated, or when there are few similar sequences available for alignments, identification of domains can be problematic. A method called expression of soluble proteins by random incremental truncation (ESPRIT) addresses this problem by high-throughput automated screening of tens of thousands of enzymatically truncated gene fragments. Rare soluble constructs are identified by experimental screening, and the boundaries revealed by DNA sequencing.

  18. Provenance data in social media

    CERN Document Server

    Barbier, Geoffrey; Gundecha, Pritam

    2013-01-01

    Social media shatters the barrier to communicate anytime anywhere for people of all walks of life. The publicly available, virtually free information in social media poses a new challenge to consumers who have to discern whether a piece of information published in social media is reliable. For example, it can be difficult to understand the motivations behind a statement passed from one user to another, without knowing the person who originated the message. Additionally, false information can be propagated through social media, resulting in embarrassment or irreversible damages. Provenance data

  19. Persistent identifiers for web service requests relying on a provenance ontology design pattern

    Science.gov (United States)

    Car, Nicholas; Wang, Jingbo; Wyborn, Lesley; Si, Wei

    2016-04-01

    Delivering provenance information for datasets produced from static inputs is relatively straightforward: we represent the processing actions and data flow using provenance ontologies and link to stored copies of the inputs stored in repositories. If appropriate detail is given, the provenance information can then describe what actions have occurred (transparency) and enable reproducibility. When web service-generated data is used by a process to create a dataset instead of a static inputs, we need to use sophisticated provenance representations of the web service request as we can no longer just link to data stored in a repository. A graph-based provenance representation, such as the W3C's PROV standard, can be used to model the web service request as a single conceptual dataset and also as a small workflow with a number of components within the same provenance report. This dual representation does more than just allow simplified or detailed views of a dataset's production to be used where appropriate. It also allow persistent identifiers to be assigned to instances of a web service requests, thus enabling one form of dynamic data citation, and for those identifiers to resolve to whatever level of detail implementers think appropriate in order for that web service request to be reproduced. In this presentation we detail our reasoning in representing web service requests as small workflows. In outline, this stems from the idea that web service requests are perdurant things and in order to most easily persist knowledge of them for provenance, we should represent them as a nexus of relationships between endurant things, such as datasets and knowledge of particular system types, as these endurant things are far easier to persist. We also describe the ontology design pattern that we use to represent workflows in general and how we apply it to different types of web service requests. We give examples of specific web service requests instances that were made by systems

  20. Obsidian provenance research in the Americas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glascock, Michael D

    2002-08-01

    The characterization of archaeological materials to support provenance research has grown rapidly over the past few decades. Volcanic obsidian has several unique properties that make it the ideal archaeological material for studying prehistoric trade and exchange. This Account describes our laboratory's development of a systematic methodology for the characterization of obsidian sources and artifacts from Mesoamerica and other regions of North and South America in support of archaeological research.

  1. Use of genomic recursions and algorithm for proven and young animals for single-step genomic BLUP analyses--a simulation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fragomeni, B O; Lourenco, D A L; Tsuruta, S; Masuda, Y; Aguilar, I; Misztal, I

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine accuracy of genomic selection via single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) when the direct inverse of the genomic relationship matrix (G) is replaced by an approximation of G(-1) based on recursions for young genotyped animals conditioned on a subset of proven animals, termed algorithm for proven and young animals (APY). With the efficient implementation, this algorithm has a cubic cost with proven animals and linear with young animals. Ten duplicate data sets mimicking a dairy cattle population were simulated. In a first scenario, genomic information for 20k genotyped bulls, divided in 7k proven and 13k young bulls, was generated for each replicate. In a second scenario, 5k genotyped cows with phenotypes were included in the analysis as young animals. Accuracies (average for the 10 replicates) in regular EBV were 0.72 and 0.34 for proven and young animals, respectively. When genomic information was included, they increased to 0.75 and 0.50. No differences between genomic EBV (GEBV) obtained with the regular G(-1) and the approximated G(-1) via the recursive method were observed. In the second scenario, accuracies in GEBV (0.76, 0.51 and 0.59 for proven bulls, young males and young females, respectively) were also higher than those in EBV (0.72, 0.35 and 0.49). Again, no differences between GEBV with regular G(-1) and with recursions were observed. With the recursive algorithm, the number of iterations to achieve convergence was reduced from 227 to 206 in the first scenario and from 232 to 209 in the second scenario. Cows can be treated as young animals in APY without reducing the accuracy. The proposed algorithm can be implemented to reduce computing costs and to overcome current limitations on the number of genotyped animals in the ssGBLUP method. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  2. Physiological response to drought stress in Camptotheca acuminata seedlings from two provenances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeqing eYing

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Drought stress is a key environmental factor limiting the growth and productivity of plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physiological responses of Camptotheca acuminata (C. acuminata to different drought stresses and compare the drought tolerance between the provenances Kunming (KM and Nanchang (NC, which are naturally distributed in different rainfall zones with annual rainfalls of 1000-1100 mm and 1600-1700 mm, respectively. We determined relative water content (RWC, chlorophyll content (Chl(a+b, net photosynthesis (Pn, gas exchange parameters, relative leakage conductivity (REC, malondialdehyde (MDA content and superoxide dismutase (SOD and peroxidase (POD activities of C. acuminata seedlings under both moderate (50% of maximum field capacity and severe drought stress (30% of maximum field capacity. As the degree of water stress increased, RWC, Chl(a+b content, Pn, stomatal conductance (Gs, transpiration rate (Tr and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci values decreased, but water use efficiency (WUE, REC, MDA content and SOD and POD activities increased in provenances KM and NC. Under moderate and severe drought stress, provenance KM had higher RWC, Chl(a+b, Pn, WUE, SOD and POD and lower Gs, Tr, Ci and REC in leaves than provenance NC. The results indicated that provenance KM may maintain stronger drought tolerance via improvements in water-retention capacity, antioxidant enzyme activity and membrane integrity.

  3. Obsidian provenance studies in archaeology: A comparison between PIXE, ICP-AES and ICP-MS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bellot-Gurlet, Ludovic; Poupeau, Gerard; Salomon, Joseph; Calligaro, Thomas; Moignard, Brice; Dran, Jean-Claude; Barrat, Jean-Alix; Pichon, Laurent

    2005-01-01

    Elemental composition fingerprinting by PIXE technique is very attractive for obsidian provenance studies as it may proceed in a non-destructive mode, even if a more complete elemental characterization can be obtained by ICP-MS and/or ICP-AES. Only few studies have compared results obtained by both methods for solid rock samples. In this work, elemental compositions were determined by ICP-MS/-AES for international geochemical standards and by ICP-MS/-AES and PIXE for inter-laboratory reference obsidians. In addition 49 obsidian source samples and artefacts were analysed by both ICP-MS/-AES and PIXE. Instrumental work and measurement quality control performed for obsidian chemical characterization, underline that PIXE and ICP-MS/-AES provide reproducible, accurate and comparable measurements. In some volcanic districts the limited number of elements dosed by PIXE is sufficient for the discrimination of the potential raw sources of obsidians. Therefore, PIXE can be an advantageous substitute to ICP-MS/-AES techniques for provenance studies

  4. Performance of Australian provenances of Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus saligna in Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roger G. Skolmen

    1986-01-01

    Australian provenances of Eucalyptus grandis and E. saligna were compared at four locations on the island of Hawaii to seek seed sources better than those in current use which were introduced earlier from unrecorded locations in Australia. A broad range of latitude and elevation was represented among the provenances. At all four...

  5. Provenance of sediments from Sumatra, Indonesia - Insights from detrital U-Pb zircon geochronology, heavy mineral analyses and Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liebermann, C.; Hall, R.; Gough, A.

    2017-12-01

    The island of Sumatra is situated at the southwestern margin of the Indonesian archipelago. Although it is the sixth largest island in the world, the geology of the Sumatra sedimentary basins and their underlying basement is relatively poorly understood in terms of their provenance. This work is a multi-proxy provenance study utilizing U-Pb detrital zircon dating by LA-ICP-MS combined with optical and Raman spectroscopy-based heavy mineral analysis. It will help to unravel the stratigraphy of Sumatra, contribute to paleogeographic reconstruction of western SE Asia, and aid a wider understanding of Sumatran petroleum plays. Thin section analyses, heavy mineral assemblages, and >3500 concordant U-Pb zircon ages, from samples acquired during two fieldwork seasons indicate a mixed provenance for Cenozoic sedimentary formations, including both local igneous sources and mature basement rocks. Characteristic Precambrian zircon age spectra are found in all analysed Cenozoic sedimentary strata. These can be correlated with zircon age populations found in Sumatran basement rocks; Neoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic age groups are dominant (c. 500-600 Ma, c. 850-1000 Ma, c. 1050-1200 Ma). Paleoproterozoic to Archaean zircons occur as minor populations. The Phanerozoic age spectra of the Cenozoic formations are characterised by distinct Carboniferous, Permo-Triassic, and Jurassic-Cretaceous zircon populations. Permo-Triassic zircons are interpreted to come from granitoids in the Malay peninsula or Sumatra itself. Eocene to Lower Miocene strata are characterised by ultrastable heavy minerals such as zircon, tourmaline, and rutile, which together with garnet, suggest the principal sources were igneous and metamorphic basement rocks. Cenozoic zircons appear only from the Middle Miocene onwards. This change is interpreted to indicate a new contribution from a local volcanic arc, and is supported by the occurrence of unstable heavy minerals such as apatite and clinopyroxene, and the

  6. Ontology development for provenance tracing in National Climate Assessment of the US Global Change Research Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, X.; Zheng, J. G.; Goldstein, J.; Duggan, B.; Xu, J.; Du, C.; Akkiraju, A.; Aulenbach, S.; Tilmes, C.; Fox, P. A.

    2013-12-01

    The periodical National Climate Assessment (NCA) of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) [1] produces reports about findings of global climate change and the impacts of climate change on the United States. Those findings are of great public and academic concerns and are used in policy and management decisions, which make the provenance information of findings in those reports especially important. The USGCRP is developing a Global Change Information System (GCIS), in which the NCA reports and associated provenance information are the primary records. We were modeling and developing Semantic Web applications for the GCIS. By applying a use case-driven iterative methodology [2], we developed an ontology [3] to represent the content structure of a report and the associated provenance information. We also mapped the classes and properties in our ontology into the W3C PROV-O ontology [4] to realize the formal presentation of provenance. We successfully implemented the ontology in several pilot systems for a recent National Climate Assessment report (i.e., the NCA3). They provide users the functionalities to browse and search provenance information with topics of interest. Provenance information of the NCA3 has been made structured and interoperable by applying the developed ontology. Besides the pilot systems we developed, other tools and services are also able to interact with the data in the context of the 'Web of data' and thus create added values. Our research shows that the use case-driven iterative method bridges the gap between Semantic Web researchers and earth and environmental scientists and is able to be deployed rapidly for developing Semantic Web applications. Our work also provides first-hand experience for re-using the W3C PROV-O ontology in the field of earth and environmental sciences, as the PROV-O ontology is recently ratified (on 04/30/2013) by the W3C as a recommendation and relevant applications are still rare. [1] http

  7. Towards Provenance and Traceability in CRISTAL for HEP

    CERN Document Server

    Shamdasani, Jetendr; McClatchey, Richard

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses the CRISTAL object lifecycle management system and its use in provenance data management and the traceability of system events. This software was initially used to capture the construction and calibration of the CMS ECAL detector at CERN for later use by physicists in their data analysis. Some further uses of CRISTAL in different projects (CMS, neuGRID and N4U) are presented as examples of its flexible data model. From these examples, applications are drawn for the High Energy Physics domain and some initial ideas for its use in data preservation HEP are outlined in detail in this paper. Currently investigations are underway to gauge the feasibility of using the N4U Analysis Service or a derivative of it to address the requirements of data and analysis logging and provenance capture within the HEP long term data analysis environment.

  8. Socialization understood in a dynamic way

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todorović Milorad R.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In psychology, the process of socialization often gets the meaning it does not actually have and it also gets attached to things that are related to other processes. Here, socialization is understood only as the entering of a subject into a socio-symbolic order where he acquires his own identity. This entering into a separating order places the good on one side, and the bad on the other, and it is essentially a process that strongly designates the world by giving a man's instinctive nature the social contours obtained through imposed standards. Every form of anti-social behaviour, as well as every great psychological deviation, shows the lack of proper integration into the symbolic. Psychology, as a general theory of the psyche, and social psychology especially, indicates the social and cultural conditions that influence the mental construction. Without the dynamics of psychology, which depicts the psychological life through mental dynamics, psychological etiologies especially of those forms of behaviour that have no social verification would be neglected. Starting from the social and cultural conditions that build the 'psychological', it explains how the motives for suppression of all impulsive tendencies, aggression and libido are built. Mastering the impulses involves the construction of a moral instance (super-ego that differentiates and exists as a constant threat to the ego who tries to smuggle certain instinctive tendencies. Given that it is known, ever since Freud, that - from the standpoint of limiting the impulses, from the standpoint of morality - a man has a completely immoral part (instinctive, id; a part that is struggling to be moral (ego; and a super-ego that can be hyper-moral, and then become utterly cruel (Freud 2006a: 120, it can be observed that socialization is involved in the good part and in the bad part of a man. Success in a man's defense from Eros and Thanatos, on the one hand, and in his defense from the impulses of

  9. Proven Alternatives for Aboveground Treatment of Arsenic in Groundwater

    Science.gov (United States)

    This issue paper, developed for EPA's Engineering Forum, identifies and summarizes experiences with proven aboveground treatment alternatives for arsenic in groundwater, and provides information on their relative effectiveness and cost.

  10. The number of antral follicles in normal women with proven fertility is the best reflection of reproductive age.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scheffer, G.J.; Broekmans, F.J.; Looman, C.W.; Blankenstein, M.A.; Fauser, B.C.J.M.; Jong, F.H. de; Velde, E.R. te

    2003-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the predictive capacity of several markers of reproductive age in normal women. METHODS: Healthy female volunteers (n = 162) aged 25-46 years with proven, normal fertility and regular menstrual cycles were recruited. In this selected group,

  11. Proven commercial reactor types: an introduction to their principal advantages and disadvantages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alesso, H.P.

    1981-01-01

    This study deals with the principal advantages and disadvantages of the five types of proven commercial reactors. A description of each class of commercial reactor (light water, gas-cooled, and heavy water) and their proven reactors is followed by a comparison of reactor types on the basis of technical merit, economics of operation, availability of technology, and associated political issues. (author)

  12. Towards Automatic Capturing of Manual Data Processing Provenance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wombacher, Andreas; Huq, M.R.

    2011-01-01

    Often data processing is not implemented by a work ow system or an integration application but is performed manually by humans along the lines of a more or less specified procedure. Collecting provenance information during manual data processing can not be automated. Further, manual collection of

  13. Scab susceptibility of a provenance collection of pecan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scab (caused by Fusicladium effusum) is the most economically destructive disease of pecan in the Southeast US. Epidemics are favored by rainfall and high humidity. A provenance collection of ~950 pecan trees from 19 locations representing the native range of the species is located in Byron, Georgia...

  14. EFFECTS OF COLD STRATIFICATION AND GA3 ON GERMINATION OF ARBUTUS UNEDO SEEDS OF THREE PROVENANCES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pipinis, Elias; Stampoulidis, Athanasios; Milios, Elias; Kitikidou, Kyriaki; Radoglou, Kalliopi

    2017-01-01

    Arbutus unedo is a valuable Mediterranean shrub as an ornamental plant as well as fruit tree. Fresh fruits of A. unedo are a good source of antioxidants, of vitamins C, E and carotenoids and also are characterized by the high content of mineral elements. The effects of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) and cold stratification (CS) on seed germination performance were investigated in A. unedo seeds collected from three provenances in the Northern part of Greece. Seeds of each provenance were soaked in solutions of GA 3 (500, 1000 or 2000 ppm) for 24 h and subsequently were subjected to CS at 3 - 5°C for 0, 1, 2, and 3 months. Non-stratified seeds of the three A. unedo provenances which were not treated with GA 3 solutions exhibited very low germination. However, seed germination was significantly improved after a one-month period of CS. Similarly, the non-stratified seeds of all three provenances became non-dormant after the treatment with 2000 ppm GA 3 and they germinated at high percentages. However, in untreated seeds with GA3, after a one-month CS period the seeds of the Pieria provenance exhibited higher germination percentage than that of Rodopi provenance seeds. Furthermore, in non-stratified seeds, the Pieria provenance seeds treated with GA3 germinated at higher percentages and more rapidly than those of the other two provenances. The results indicated that untreated seeds exhibited very low germination at 20/25°C. However, in all three provenances seed germinability was significantly improved by a one-month period of CS or treatment of seeds with 2000 ppm GA3. Furthermore, there was a considerable variability among seed provenances in response to the treatments which were applied.

  15. Facilitating Scientific Research through Workflows and Provenance on the DataONE Cyberinfrastructure (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludaescher, B.; Cuevas-Vicenttín, V.; Missier, P.; Dey, S.; Kianmajd, P.; Wei, Y.; Koop, D.; Chirigati, F.; Altintas, I.; Belhajjame, K.; Bowers, S.

    2013-12-01

    Provenance data has numerous applications in science. Two key ones are 1) replication: facilitate the repeatable derivation of results and 2) discovery: enable the location of data based on processing history and derivation relationships. The following scenario illustrates a typical use of provenance data. Alice, a climate scientist, has developed a VisTrails workflow to prepare Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) data. After verifying that the workflow generates data in the desired form, she uses the ReproZip tool to create a reproducible package that will enable other scientists to re-run the workflow without having to install and configure the particular libraries she is using. In addition, she exports the provenance information of the workflow execution and customizes it through a tool such as the ProvExplorer, in order to eliminate the information she regards as superfluous. She then creates and shares a DataONE data package containing the data she prepared, the ReproZip package, the customized provenance, and additional science/system metadata. Both the customized provenance and metadata are indexed by the DataONE Cyberinfrastructure (CI) for discovery purposes. Bob, another climate scientist, is looking for a benchmark GPP data to validate the Terrestrial Biosphere Model (TBM) he has developed. Searching the DataONE repository he finds Alice's data package. He retrieves its ReproZip package, customizes it (e.g. changing the spatial resolution), and re-runs it to generate the benchmark data in the form he desires. The newly generated data is then used as input for his own model evaluation workflow. His workflow generates residual maps and a Taylor diagram that enable him to evaluate the similarity between the results of his model and the benchmark data. At this point, Bob can also make use of the tools Alice used to publish his results as another discoverable and reproducible data package. In order to support these capabilities, we propose to extend the Data

  16. Growth and quality of Grevillea robusta provenances in Ruhande ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    used as sawn timber for furniture industry, for construction and packaging. ... seven Queensland (Australia) provenances and one land race on an oxisol at Ruhande .... Statistical analyses were carried out using Statistical Analysis Systems.

  17. Providing Global Change Information for Decision-Making: Capturing and Presenting Provenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Xiaogang; Fox, Peter; Tilmes, Curt; Jacobs, Katherine; Waple, Anne

    2014-01-01

    Global change information demands access to data sources and well-documented provenance to provide evidence needed to build confidence in scientific conclusions and, in specific applications, to ensure the information's suitability for use in decision-making. A new generation of Web technology, the Semantic Web, provides tools for that purpose. The topic of global change covers changes in the global environment (including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric composition and or chemistry, and ecological systems) that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life and support human systems. Data and findings associated with global change research are of great public, government, and academic concern and are used in policy and decision-making, which makes the provenance of global change information especially important. In addition, since different types of decisions benefit from different types of information, understanding how to capture and present the provenance of global change information is becoming more of an imperative in adaptive planning.

  18. Clinical observations associated with proven and unproven cases in the ESCRS study of prophylaxis of postoperative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Barry, Peter

    2012-02-01

    PURPOSE: To describe cases of postoperative endophthalmitis in the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) study of the prophylaxis of endophthalmitis, compare characteristics of unproven cases and cases proven by culture or polymerase chain reaction, and compare the characteristics with those in other reported series. SETTING: Twenty-four ophthalmology units in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. METHODS: Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze data for statistical association of signs and symptoms in cases with proven or unproven endophthalmitis. Specific data describing characteristics of the cases were compared between the 2 types of cases. RESULTS: Data from 29 endophthalmitis cases were analyzed. Swollen lids and pain were statistically associated with proven cases of endophthalmitis on univariable regression analysis. Multivariable analysis indicated that swollen lids and an opaque vitreous were associated with proven cases. Five cases of endophthalmitis occurred in the cefuroxime-treated groups. No case of streptococcal infection occurred in the cefuroxime-treated groups. However, cases of infection due to streptococci showed striking differences in visual acuity and were associated with earlier onset. Characteristics in the 29 cases parallel results in previous studies, such as the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study, although the addition of a control group in the ESCRS study elicited additional findings. CONCLUSION: Swollen lids, pain, and an opaque vitreous were statistically associated with proven endophthalmitis cases in the ESCRS study.

  19. Autumn frost hardiness in Norway spruce plus tree progeny and trees of the local and transferred provenances in central Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannerz, Mats; Westin, Johan

    2005-09-01

    Reforestation with provenances from locations remote from the planting site (transferred provenances) or the progeny of trees of local provenances selected for superior form and vigor (plus trees) offer alternative means to increase yield over that obtained by the use of seed from unselected trees of the local provenance. Under Swedish conditions, Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) of certain transferred provenances generally has an advantage in productivity relative to the local provenance comparable to that of progeny of plus trees. The aim of this study was to explore the extent to which productivity gains achieved by provenance transfer or the use of plus tree progeny are associated with reductions in autumn frost hardiness, relative to that of trees of the local provenance. In a field trial with 19-year-old trees in central Sweden, bud hardiness was tested on four occasions during the autumn of 2002. Trees of the local provenance were compared with trees of a south Swedish provenance originating 3 degrees of latitude to the south, a Belarusian provenance and the progeny of plus trees of local origin. The Belarusian provenance was the least hardy and the local provenance the most hardy, with plus tree progeny and the south Swedish provenance being intermediate in hardiness. Both the Belarusian provenance and the plus tree progeny were significantly taller than trees of the other populations. Within provenances, tree height was negatively correlated with autumn frost hardiness. Among the plus tree progeny, however, no such correlation between tree height and autumn frost hardiness was found. It is concluded that although the gain in productivity achieved by provenance transfer from Belarus was comparable to that achieved by using the progeny of plus trees of the local provenance, the use of trees of the Belarus provenance involved an increased risk of autumn frost damage because of later hardening.

  20. Comparing Exercise Prescription Methods in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D’Gasper Dineesha

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study was a qualitative study that investigated the exercise prescription method in knee osteoarthritis patients in Malaysia. It purposed to find out the most common and effective method used by physiotherapist in prescribing exercises for knee osteoarthritis patients in Malaysia. Method: This study used a self-administered survey questionnaire. The subjects recruited for this study were diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, age range of between 50 to 80 years old.The methods of delivery were divided into three categories, which include only verbal instructions, verbal instruction together with demonstration and lastly a combination of all three methods including verbal instruction, demonstration and handouts with diagrams. Results: The results showed that 52% received their exercise prescription with verbal instruction and together with demonstration, about 43% of them received all three types of methods which included the verbal instruction, demonstration and take home handouts and 5% of them only received verbal instruction. Out of 5% who received verbal instruction alone, only 1% understood the exercises and the remaining 4% did not and 45% out of 52% who received verbal and demonstration method understood the exercises and the remaining 7% did not. 5% who received only verbal instruction did not seem to continue the exercises at home. 52% received verbal instruction together with demonstration, with about 44% of them having continued their exercises but the remaining 8% did not. 43% who received all three methods reported to continue. Conclusion: The best method of delivering exercises to knee osteoarthritis patients was proven to be the method with a combination of verbal instruction, demonstration together with a take home handout. This method showed very positive outcome and should be implemented and emphasized more in both the government and private sectors of physiotherapy departments.

  1. Opening Up Climate Research: A Linked Data Approach to Publishing Data Provenance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Shaon

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, the formal scientific output in most fields of natural science has been limited to peer-reviewed academic journal publications, with less attention paid to the chain of intermediate data results and their associated metadata, including provenance. In effect, this has constrained the representation and verification of the data provenance to the confines of the related publications. Detailed knowledge of a dataset’s provenance is essential to establish the pedigree of the data for its effective re-use, and to avoid redundant re-enactment of the experiment or computation involved. It is increasingly important for open-access data to determine their authenticity and quality, especially considering the growing volumes of datasets appearing in the public domain. To address these issues, we present an approach that combines the Digital Object Identifier (DOI – a widely adopted citation technique – with existing, widely adopted climate science data standards to formally publish detailed provenance of a climate research dataset as an associated scientific workflow. This is integrated with linked-data compliant data re-use standards (e.g. OAI-ORE to enable a seamless link between a publication and the complete trail of lineage of the corresponding dataset, including the dataset itself.

  2. Neutron activation analysis: a powerful tool in provenance investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meloni, Sandro; Oddone, Massimo

    2002-01-01

    It is well known that neutron activation analysis (NAA), both instrumental and destructive, allows the simultaneous determination of a number of elements, mostly trace elements, with high levels of precision and accuracy. These peculiar properties of NAA are very useful when applied to provenance studies, i.e. to the identification of the origin of raw materials with which artifacts had been manufactured in ancient times. Data reduction by statistical procedures, especially multivariate analysis techniques, provides a statistical 'fingerprint' of investigated materials, both raw materials and archaeological artifacts, that, upon comparison, allows the identification of the provenance of prime matters used for artifact manufacturing. Thus information on quarries and flows exploitation in the antiquity, on technological raw materials processing, on trade routes and about the circulation of fakes, can be obtained. In the present paper two case studies are reported. The first one deals with the identification of the provenance of clay used to make ceramic materials, mostly bricks and tiles, recovered from the excavation of a Roman 'villa' in Lomello (Roman name Laumellum) and of Roman settlings in Casteggio (Roman name Clastidium). Both sites are located in the Province of Pavia in areas called Lomellina and Oltrepo respectively. The second one investigates the origin of the white marble used to build medieval arks, Carolingian age, located in the church of San Felice, now property of the University of Pavia. Experimental set-up, analytical results and data reduction procedures are presented and discussed. (author)

  3. Biomechanical differences in the stem straightening process among Pinus pinaster provenances. A new approach for early selection of stem straightness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sierra-de-Grado, Rosario; Pando, Valentín; Martínez-Zurimendi, Pablo; Peñalvo, Alejandro; Báscones, Esther; Moulia, Bruno

    2008-06-01

    Stem straightness is an important selection trait in Pinus pinaster Ait. breeding programs. Despite the stability of stem straightness rankings in provenance trials, the efficiency of breeding programs based on a quantitative index of stem straightness remains low. An alternative approach is to analyze biomechanical processes that underlie stem form. The rationale for this selection method is that genetic differences in the biomechanical processes that maintain stem straightness in young plants will continue to control stem form throughout the life of the tree. We analyzed the components contributing most to genetic differences among provenances in stem straightening processes by kinetic analysis and with a biomechanical model defining the interactions between the variables involved (Fournier's model). This framework was tested on three P. pinaster provenances differing in adult stem straightness and growth. One-year-old plants were tilted at 45 degrees, and individual stem positions and sizes were recorded weekly for 5 months. We measured the radial extension of reaction wood and the anatomical features of wood cells in serial stem cross sections. The integral effect of reaction wood on stem leaning was computed with Fournier's model. Responses driven by both primary and secondary growth were involved in the stem straightening process, but secondary-growth-driven responses accounted for most differences among provenances. Plants from the straight-stemmed provenance showed a greater capacity for stem straightening than plants from the sinuous provenances mainly because of (1) more efficient reaction wood (higher maturation strains) and (2) more pronounced secondary-growth-driven autotropic decurving. These two process-based traits are thus good candidates for early selection of stem straightness, but additional tests on a greater number of genotypes over a longer period are required.

  4. Defining the "proven technology" technical criterion in the reactor technology assessment for Malaysia's nuclear power program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anuar, Nuraslinda; Kahar, Wan Shakirah Wan Abdul; Manan, Jamal Abdul Nasir Abd

    2015-04-01

    Developing countries that are considering the deployment of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the near future need to perform reactor technology assessment (RTA) in order to select the most suitable reactor design. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in the Common User Considerations (CUC) document that "proven technology" is one of the most important technical criteria for newcomer countries in performing the RTA. The qualitative description of five desired features for "proven technology" is relatively broad and only provides a general guideline to its characterization. This paper proposes a methodology to define the "proven technology" term according to a specific country's requirements using a three-stage evaluation process. The first evaluation stage screens the available technologies in the market against a predefined minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) derived as a condition based on national needs and policy objectives. The result is a list of technology options, which are then assessed in the second evaluation stage against quantitative definitions of CUC desired features for proven technology. The potential technology candidates produced from this evaluation is further narrowed down to obtain a list of proven technology candidates by assessing them against selected risk criteria and the established maximum allowable total score using a scoring matrix. The outcome of this methodology is the proven technology candidates selected using an accurate definition of "proven technology" that fulfills the policy objectives, national needs and risk, and country-specific CUC desired features of the country that performs this assessment. A simplified assessment for Malaysia is carried out to demonstrate and suggest the use of the proposed methodology. In this exercise, ABWR, AP1000, APR1400 and EPR designs assumed the top-ranks of proven technology candidates according to Malaysia's definition of "proven technology".

  5. The impact of oil price on additions to US proven reserves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farzin, Y.H.

    2001-01-01

    Departing from Hotelling's assumption of fixed and known reserves, this paper develops an economic model of additions to proven reserves that explicitly incorporates the effects of expected resource price, cumulative reserves development, and technological progress on reserve additions. The model treats additions to proven oil reserves as output of a production process in which drilling wells is a primary input to transform some of oil-in-place into the economic category of proven reserves. Application of the model to US data for the 1950-1995 period provides strong statistical support for the existence of all the three salient effects. We obtain an estimate of the price elasticity of reserve additions (absent from previous studies) which, although statistically highly significant, is rather small. Using this price elasticity estimate, it is shown that if in the face of steady economic growth, and hence, oil consumption, US oil import dependence is to be kept from rising in the future, ceteris paribus, a steady oil price increase in the range of 1.5-4.5% a year is essential

  6. Drought effects on root and needle terpenoid content of a coastal and an interior Douglas fir provenance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleiber, Anita; Duan, Qiuxiao; Jansen, Kirstin; Verena Junker, Laura; Kammerer, Bernd; Rennenberg, Heinz; Ensminger, Ingo; Gessler, Arthur; Kreuzwieser, Jürgen

    2017-12-01

    Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is a conifer species that stores large amounts of terpenoids, mainly monoterpenoids in resin ducts of various tissues. The effects of drought on stored leaf terpenoid concentrations in trees are scarcely studied and published data are partially controversial, since reduced, unaffected or elevated terpenoid contents due to drought have been reported. Even less is known on the effect of drought on root terpenoids. In the present work, we investigated the effect of reduced water availability on the terpenoid content in roots and needles of Douglas fir seedlings. Two contrasting Douglas fir provenances were studied: an interior provenance (var. glauca) with assumed higher drought resistance, and a coastal provenance (var. menziesii) with assumed lower drought resistance. We tested the hypothesis that both provenances show specific patterns of stored terpenoids and that the patterns will change in response to drought in both, needles and roots. We further expected stronger changes in the less drought tolerant coastal provenance. For this purpose, we performed an experiment under controlled conditions, in which the trees were exposed to moderate and severe drought stress. According to our expectations, the study revealed clear provenance-specific terpenoid patterns in needles. However, such patterns were not detected in the roots. Drought slightly increased the needle terpenoid contents of the coastal but not of the interior provenance. We also observed increased terpenoid abundance mainly in roots of the moderately stressed coastal provenance. Overall, from the observed provenance-specific reactions with increased terpenoid levels in trees of the coastal origin in response to drought, we conclude on functions of terpenoids for abiotic stress tolerance that might be fulfilled by other, constitutively expressed mechanisms in drought-adapted interior provenances. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights

  7. Provenance metadata gathering and cataloguing of EFIT++ code execution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lupelli, I., E-mail: ivan.lupelli@ccfe.ac.uk [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Muir, D.G.; Appel, L.; Akers, R.; Carr, M. [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Abreu, P. [Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • An approach for automatic gathering of provenance metadata has been presented. • A provenance metadata catalogue has been created. • The overhead in the code runtime is less than 10%. • The metadata/data size ratio is about ∼20%. • A visualization interface based on Gephi, has been presented. - Abstract: Journal publications, as the final product of research activity, are the result of an extensive complex modeling and data analysis effort. It is of paramount importance, therefore, to capture the origins and derivation of the published data in order to achieve high levels of scientific reproducibility, transparency, internal and external data reuse and dissemination. The consequence of the modern research paradigm is that high performance computing and data management systems, together with metadata cataloguing, have become crucial elements within the nuclear fusion scientific data lifecycle. This paper describes an approach to the task of automatically gathering and cataloguing provenance metadata, currently under development and testing at Culham Center for Fusion Energy. The approach is being applied to a machine-agnostic code that calculates the axisymmetric equilibrium force balance in tokamaks, EFIT++, as a proof of principle test. The proposed approach avoids any code instrumentation or modification. It is based on the observation and monitoring of input preparation, workflow and code execution, system calls, log file data collection and interaction with the version control system. Pre-processing, post-processing, and data export and storage are monitored during the code runtime. Input data signals are captured using a data distribution platform called IDAM. The final objective of the catalogue is to create a complete description of the modeling activity, including user comments, and the relationship between data output, the main experimental database and the execution environment. For an intershot or post-pulse analysis (∼1000

  8. Provenance metadata gathering and cataloguing of EFIT++ code execution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lupelli, I.; Muir, D.G.; Appel, L.; Akers, R.; Carr, M.; Abreu, P.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • An approach for automatic gathering of provenance metadata has been presented. • A provenance metadata catalogue has been created. • The overhead in the code runtime is less than 10%. • The metadata/data size ratio is about ∼20%. • A visualization interface based on Gephi, has been presented. - Abstract: Journal publications, as the final product of research activity, are the result of an extensive complex modeling and data analysis effort. It is of paramount importance, therefore, to capture the origins and derivation of the published data in order to achieve high levels of scientific reproducibility, transparency, internal and external data reuse and dissemination. The consequence of the modern research paradigm is that high performance computing and data management systems, together with metadata cataloguing, have become crucial elements within the nuclear fusion scientific data lifecycle. This paper describes an approach to the task of automatically gathering and cataloguing provenance metadata, currently under development and testing at Culham Center for Fusion Energy. The approach is being applied to a machine-agnostic code that calculates the axisymmetric equilibrium force balance in tokamaks, EFIT++, as a proof of principle test. The proposed approach avoids any code instrumentation or modification. It is based on the observation and monitoring of input preparation, workflow and code execution, system calls, log file data collection and interaction with the version control system. Pre-processing, post-processing, and data export and storage are monitored during the code runtime. Input data signals are captured using a data distribution platform called IDAM. The final objective of the catalogue is to create a complete description of the modeling activity, including user comments, and the relationship between data output, the main experimental database and the execution environment. For an intershot or post-pulse analysis (∼1000

  9. A history-tracing XML-based provenance framework for workflows

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gerhards, M; Belloum, A.; Berretz, F.; Sander, V.; Skorupa, S.

    2010-01-01

    The importance of validating and reproducing the outcome of computational processes is fundamental to many application domains. Assuring the provenance of workflows will likely become even more important with respect to the incorporation of human tasks to standard workflows by emerging standards

  10. Evaluating the Consistency of the FNA Test in Pathologically Proven Nodules of Thyroidectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Khazaei

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA is a selective diagnostic technique for the evaluation of non-toxic thyroid nodules. Thyroid FNA results are either undiagnosed or suspicious and indeterminate in 20-30% of cases. Therefore, this study seeks to determine the consistency of the FNA test in pathologically proven nodules of thyroidectomy. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out on a total of 73 candidates for thyroidectomy who had been admitted to Imam Ali Hospital. A census sampling method has been used in this study. The FNA samples and pathology samples were evaluated and the consistency of the FNA test in pathologically proven nodules were compared. The SPSS software was used for data analysis. The mean age of the patients was 40.1 ± 12.9 years. 23.3% of the participants were male and 76.7% of them were female. The malignancy rate in the pathology was 65.8% (48 cases and 53.4% (39 cases in the FNA. Of the 48 positive cases, the FNA pathology diagnosed 35 cases (72.9% as positive and 13 cases (27.1% as negative. Of the 25 negative cases, the FNA pathology diagnosed 21 cases (84% as negative and 4 cases (16% as positive. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of FNA in malignancy diagnosis were 72.92, 84, 89.74, and 61.76%, respectively. The results show that FNA does not have a high sensitivity in the diagnosis of malignancy, but has good specificity and the use of other diagnostic methods before the operation of thyroid nodules seems necessary.

  11. Provenance studies in Amazon basin by means of chemical composition obtained by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, J.O.; Munita, C.S.; Soares, E.A.A.

    2015-01-01

    This study determines the provenance of the 106 sediments samples deposited by the Solimoes and Negro rivers in the tectonic depressions in Manaus, Amazon state, Brazil. Twenty-four chemical elements in the sediment samples collected before the confluence of Negro and Solimoes rivers have been determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis, INAA. It is inferred from the multivariate statistical methods that samples from the basin of the Solimoes river and tectonic depression 1 (the most significant of the region) are not significantly different. These results indicate the contribution this river in the sedimentary fill during the evolution in the Quaternary. (author)

  12. Golden Trail: Retrieving the Data History that Matters from a Comprehensive Provenance Repository

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Missier

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Experimental science can be thought of as the exploration of a large research space, in search of a few valuable results. While it is this “Golden Data” that gets published, the history of the exploration is often as valuable to the scientists as some of its outcomes. We envision an e-research infrastructure that is capable of systematically and automatically recording such history – an assumption that holds today for a number of workflow management systems routinely used in e-science. In keeping with our gold rush metaphor, the provenance of a valuable result is a “Golden Trail”. Logically, this represents a detailed account of how the Golden Data was arrived at, and technically it is a sub-graph in the much larger graph of provenance traces that collectively tell the story of the entire research (or of some of it.In this paper we describe a model and architecture for a repository dedicated to storing provenance traces and selectively retrieving Golden Trails from it. As traces from multiple experiments over long periods of time are accommodated, the trails may be sub-graphs of one trace, or they may be the logical representation of a virtual experiment obtained by joining together traces that share common data.The project has been carried out within the Provenance Working Group of the Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE NSF project. Ultimately, our longer-term plan is to integrate the provenance repository into the data preservation architecture currently being developed by DataONE.

  13. Variability in growth of Vachellia nilotica provenances tested in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Niger

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larwanou, Mahamane; Issa, Rabiou; Saadou, Mahamane

    2014-01-01

    A provenance trial of Vachellia nilotica (Acacia nilotica) was conducted in Niger in order to assess variability in growth among 10 provenances from Africa (subsp. adstringens from Niger, Senegal and Cameroun) and outside the continent (subsp. indica from Pakistan and Yemen). Tree height, diameter...... at breast height and crown diameter were measured 15 years after trial establishment. Comparison of blocks located at slightly different elevation showed that trees had better survival and growth at the lower sites. The African provenances had better survival and total basal area than provenances from Yemen...

  14. Features of Scots pine radial growth in conditions of provenance trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzmin, Sergey; Kuzmina, Nina

    2013-04-01

    Provenance trial of Scots pine in Boguchany forestry of Krasnoyarsk krai is conducted on two different soils - dark-grey loam forest soil and sod-podzol sandy soil. Complex of negative factors for plant growth and development appears in dry conditions of sandy soil. It could results in decrease of resistance to diseases. Sandy soils in different climatic zones have such common traits as low absorbing capacity, poorness of elemental nutrition, low microbiological activity and moisture capacity, very high water permeability. But Scots pine trees growing in such conditions could have certain advantages and perspectives of use. In the scope of climate change (global warming) the study of Scots pine growth on sandy soil become urgent because of more frequent appearance of dry seasons. Purpose of the work is revelation of radial growth features of Scots pine with different origin in dry conditions of sandy soil and assessment of external factors influence. The main feature of radial growth of majority of studied pine provenances in conditions of sandy soil is presence of significant variation of increment with distinct decline in 25-years old with loss of tree rings in a number of cases. The reason of it is complex of factors: deficit of June precipitation and next following outbreak of fungal disease. Found «frost rings» for all trees of studied clymatypes in 1992 are the consequence of temperature decline from May 21 to June 2 - from 23 down to 2 degree Celsius. Perspective climatypes with biggest radial increments and least sensitivity to fungal disease were revealed. Eniseysk and Vikhorevka (from Krasnoyarsk krai and Irkutsk oblast)provenances of pine have the biggest radial increments, the least sensitivity to Cenangium dieback and smallest increments decline. These climatypes are in the group of perspective provenances and in present time they are recommended for wide trial in the region for future use in plantation forest growing. Kandalaksha (Murmansk oblast

  15. Associating uncertainty with datasets using Linked Data and allowing propagation via provenance chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Car, Nicholas; Cox, Simon; Fitch, Peter

    2015-04-01

    With earth-science datasets increasingly being published to enable re-use in projects disassociated from the original data acquisition or generation, there is an urgent need for associated metadata to be connected, in order to guide their application. In particular, provenance traces should support the evaluation of data quality and reliability. However, while standards for describing provenance are emerging (e.g. PROV-O), these do not include the necessary statistical descriptors and confidence assessments. UncertML has a mature conceptual model that may be used to record uncertainty metadata. However, by itself UncertML does not support the representation of uncertainty of multi-part datasets, and provides no direct way of associating the uncertainty information - metadata in relation to a dataset - with dataset objects.We present a method to address both these issues by combining UncertML with PROV-O, and delivering resulting uncertainty-enriched provenance traces through the Linked Data API. UncertProv extends the PROV-O provenance ontology with an RDF formulation of the UncertML conceptual model elements, adds further elements to support uncertainty representation without a conceptual model and the integration of UncertML through links to documents. The Linked ID API provides a systematic way of navigating from dataset objects to their UncertProv metadata and back again. The Linked Data API's 'views' capability enables access to UncertML and non-UncertML uncertainty metadata representations for a dataset. With this approach, it is possible to access and navigate the uncertainty metadata associated with a published dataset using standard semantic web tools, such as SPARQL queries. Where the uncertainty data follows the UncertML model it can be automatically interpreted and may also support automatic uncertainty propagation . Repositories wishing to enable uncertainty propagation for all datasets must ensure that all elements that are associated with uncertainty

  16. Incipient archaeometry in Venezuela. Provenance study of pre-Hispanic pottery figurines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajo Bohus, L.; Greaves, E.D.; Bermudez, J.; Mackowiak de Antczak, Ma. M.; Antczak, A.; Kasztovszky, Zs.; Poirier, T.; Simonits, A.

    2005-01-01

    Application of different analytical techniques contributed with new results to the interpretation and the provenance study of Venezuelan figurines dating from the 12th and 15th centuries. Elements in bulk samples, powdered samples of figurines and soil were determined using total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA). Results and ceramics macroscopic observations indicate that average elemental composition of the figurines from the mainland significantly differ from those encountered on the Caribbean islands. The multidisciplinary experience de facto formed a group dedicated to archaeometry and provided data for provenance study of pre-Hispanic pottery figurines. (author)

  17. Study of provenance properties on ancient celadon of different kilns with NAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Songlin; Fan Dongyu; Feng Xiangqian; Xu Qing; Cheng Lin; Lei Yong; Shen Yueming; Zhang Wenjiang; Zhua Zhenxi

    2005-01-01

    Provenance characteristic is an important scientific parameter to identify ancient porcelain wares unearthed from sites and graves. The porcelain samples of Si-Long-Kou Yue kiln of Zhejiang Province, Hong-Zhou kiln of Jiangxi Province and Yao-Zhou kiln of Shanxi Province have been analyzed with neutron activation analysis (NAA). The experimental data were studied with statistic methods. The results show that the chemical compositions of porcelain body samples for three kilns were different. The difference was able to be identified. The body materials of both Si-Long-Kou Yue kiln and Hong-Zhou kiln of Jiangxi were similar. The samples of Yao-Zhou kiln in north of China existed obvious difference. (authors)

  18. Growth and quality of Grevillea robusta provenances in Ruhande ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    seven Queensland (Australia) provenances and one land race on an oxisol at Ruhande Arboretum,. Butare, Rwanda was carried out. The species is .... could not be executed due to problems of war and genocide in 1994. Assessment procedures ..... Forest Ecology and Management 80: 279-285. 10. Kalinganire, A. 1999.

  19. Facilitating Fine Grained Data Provenance using Temporal Data Model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huq, M.R.; Wombacher, Andreas; Apers, Peter M.G.

    2010-01-01

    E-science applications use fine grained data provenance to maintain the reproducibility of scientific results, i.e., for each processed data tuple, the source data used to process the tuple as well as the used approach is documented. Since most of the e-science applications perform on-line

  20. Use of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy in the determination of gem provenance: beryls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McManus, Catherine E.; McMillan, Nancy J.; Harmon, Russell S.; Whitmore, Robert C.; De Lucia, Frank C. Jr.; Miziolek, Andrzej W.

    2008-01-01

    The provenance of gem stones has been of interest to geologists, gemologists, archeologists, and historians for centuries. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides a minimally destructive tool for recording the rich chemical signatures of gem beryls (aquamarine, goshenite, heliodor, and morganite). Broadband LIBS spectra of 39 beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18) specimens from 11 pegmatite mines in New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Maine (USA) are used to assess the potential of using principal component analysis of LIBS spectra to determine specimen provenance. Using this technique, beryls from the three beryl-bearing zones in the Palermo no. 1 pegmatite (New Hampshire) can be recognized. However, the compositional variation within this single mine is comparable to that in beryls from all three states. Thus, a very large database with detailed location metadata will be required to routinely determine gem beryl provenance

  1. Pharmacists' Perception of the Sale of Non-Clinically Proven Health ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    Proven Health Supplements in Penang, Malaysia. Mohamed A Hassali. 1 ... Conclusions: Pharmacists who participated in the study have mixed opinions on the efficacy ... acceptance amongst the general public in many parts of the world in ...

  2. Combining User Reputation and Provenance Analysis for Trust Assessment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ceolin, D.; Groth, P.T.; Maccatrozzo, V.; Fokkink, W.J.; van Hage, W.R.; Nottamkandath, A.

    2016-01-01

    Trust is a broad concept that in many systems is often reduced to user reputation alone. However, user reputation is just one way to determine trust. The estimation of trust can be tackled from other perspectives as well, including by looking at provenance. Here, we present a complete pipeline for

  3. High Throughput Petrochronology and Sedimentary Provenance Analysis by Automated Phase Mapping and LAICPMS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vermeesch, Pieter; Rittner, Martin; Petrou, Ethan; Omma, Jenny; Mattinson, Chris; Garzanti, Eduardo

    2017-11-01

    The first step in most geochronological studies is to extract dateable minerals from the host rock, which is time consuming, removes textural context, and increases the chance for sample cross contamination. We here present a new method to rapidly perform in situ analyses by coupling a fast scanning electron microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS) to a Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LAICPMS) instrument. Given a polished hand specimen, a petrographic thin section, or a grain mount, Automated Phase Mapping (APM) by SEM/EDS produces chemical and mineralogical maps from which the X-Y coordinates of the datable minerals are extracted. These coordinates are subsequently passed on to the laser ablation system for isotopic analysis. We apply the APM + LAICPMS method to three igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary case studies. In the first case study, a polished slab of granite from Guernsey was scanned for zircon, producing a 609 ± 8 Ma weighted mean age. The second case study investigates a paragneiss from an ultra high pressure terrane in the north Qaidam terrane (Qinghai, China). One hundred seven small (25 µm) metamorphic zircons were analyzed by LAICPMS to confirm a 419 ± 4 Ma age of peak metamorphism. The third and final case study uses APM + LAICPMS to generate a large provenance data set and trace the provenance of 25 modern sediments from Angola, documenting longshore drift of Orange River sediments over a distance of 1,500 km. These examples demonstrate that APM + LAICPMS is an efficient and cost effective way to improve the quantity and quality of geochronological data.

  4. A Structured Review and Classification of Demolding Issues and Proven Solutions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Delaney, K. D.; Bissacco, G.; Kennedy, D.

    2012-01-01

    The demolding of replicated parts can result in damage to both the replication tooling and finished parts and is a particular problem for the replication of smaller parts which can be quite fragile. Various techniques have been proposed in the literature to solve such problems by reducing....... Such a rationalization of existing knowledge will enable replication tool developers to systematically select and apply proven solutions to solve, and ultimately prevent, demolding problems....... the overall demolding force. This paper presents the challenge of demolding replicated parts and reviews the proven solutions from the literature which have been developed. A summary chart of these solutions is presented which may be used to implement plans to solve demolding problems with replicated parts...

  5. MRI of pathology-proven peripheral nerve amyloidosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKenzie, Gavin A.; Broski, Stephen M.; Howe, Benjamin M.; Spinner, Robert J.; Amrami, Kimberly K.; Dispenzieri, Angela; Ringler, Michael D.

    2017-01-01

    To highlight the MRI characteristics of pathologically proven amyloidosis involving the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and determine the utility of MRI in directing targeted biopsy for aiding diagnosis. A retrospective study was performed for patients with pathologically proven PNS amyloidosis who also underwent MRI of the biopsied or excised nerve. MRI signal characteristics, nerve morphology, associated muscular denervation changes, and the presence of multifocal involvement were detailed. Pathology reports were reviewed to determine subtypes of amyloid. Charts were reviewed to gather patient demographics, neurological symptoms and radiologist interpretation. Four men and three women with a mean age of 62 ± 11 years (range 46-76) were identified. All patients had abnormal findings on EMG with mixed sensorimotor neuropathy. All lesions demonstrated diffuse multifocal neural involvement with T1 hypointensity, T2 hyperintensity, and variable enhancement on MRI. One lesion exhibited superimposed T2 hypointensity. Six of seven patients demonstrated associated muscular denervation changes. Peripheral nerve amyloidosis is rare, and the diagnosis is difficult because of insidious symptom onset, mixed sensorimotor neurologic deficits, and the potential for a wide variety of nerves affected. On MRI, peripheral nerve involvement is most commonly characterized by T1 hypointensity, T2 hyperintensity, variable enhancement, maintenance of the fascicular architecture with fusiform enlargement, multifocal involvement and muscular denervation changes. While this appearance mimics other inflammatory neuropathies, MRI can readily detect neural changes and direct-targeted biopsy, thus facilitating early diagnosis and appropriate management. (orig.)

  6. MRI of pathology-proven peripheral nerve amyloidosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McKenzie, Gavin A.; Broski, Stephen M.; Howe, Benjamin M.; Spinner, Robert J.; Amrami, Kimberly K.; Dispenzieri, Angela; Ringler, Michael D. [Mayo Clinic, Department of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Rochester, MN (United States)

    2017-01-15

    To highlight the MRI characteristics of pathologically proven amyloidosis involving the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and determine the utility of MRI in directing targeted biopsy for aiding diagnosis. A retrospective study was performed for patients with pathologically proven PNS amyloidosis who also underwent MRI of the biopsied or excised nerve. MRI signal characteristics, nerve morphology, associated muscular denervation changes, and the presence of multifocal involvement were detailed. Pathology reports were reviewed to determine subtypes of amyloid. Charts were reviewed to gather patient demographics, neurological symptoms and radiologist interpretation. Four men and three women with a mean age of 62 ± 11 years (range 46-76) were identified. All patients had abnormal findings on EMG with mixed sensorimotor neuropathy. All lesions demonstrated diffuse multifocal neural involvement with T1 hypointensity, T2 hyperintensity, and variable enhancement on MRI. One lesion exhibited superimposed T2 hypointensity. Six of seven patients demonstrated associated muscular denervation changes. Peripheral nerve amyloidosis is rare, and the diagnosis is difficult because of insidious symptom onset, mixed sensorimotor neurologic deficits, and the potential for a wide variety of nerves affected. On MRI, peripheral nerve involvement is most commonly characterized by T1 hypointensity, T2 hyperintensity, variable enhancement, maintenance of the fascicular architecture with fusiform enlargement, multifocal involvement and muscular denervation changes. While this appearance mimics other inflammatory neuropathies, MRI can readily detect neural changes and direct-targeted biopsy, thus facilitating early diagnosis and appropriate management. (orig.)

  7. Biometric characters of seeds and wings as markers of geographical differentiation between European scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. provenances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lech Urbaniak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Biometric characters of seeds and wings served to describe interprovenance differentiation of Scots pine in Europe. Grouping analysis was applied, Mahalanobis distances were calculated as well as Hotellings T2 statistics were applied. The similarity of East European and Finnish provenances was conspicuous. The provenance from Scotland proved to be similar to provenances originating from the region of Scandinavia. On the other hand, two southern provenances 54(Rychtal, Poland and 55(Luboml, Ukraine, were also found similar to provenances originating from the region of Scandinavia (western Norway. The obtained pattern of reciprocal relations may indicate pathways of Scots pine migration in the postglacial period or may be a result of adaptation to certain similar environmental conditions. No relations were detected between size of seeds and geographic origin of provenances.

  8. Soil magnetic susceptibility mapping as a pollution and provenance tool: an example from southern New Zealand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, A. P.; Ohneiser, C.; Turnbull, R. E.; Strong, D. T.; Demler, S.

    2018-02-01

    The presence or absence, degree and variation of heavy metal contamination in New Zealand soils is a matter of ongoing debate as it affects soil quality, agriculture and human health. In many instances, however, the soil heavy metal concentration data do not exist to answer these questions and the debate is ongoing. To address this, magnetic susceptibility (a common proxy for heavy metal contamination) values were measured in topsoil (0-30 cm) and subsoil (50-70 cm) at grid sites spaced at 8 km intervals across ca. 20 000 km2 of southern New Zealand. Samples were measured for both mass- and volume-specific magnetic susceptibility, with results being strongly, positively correlated. Three different methods of determining anomalies were applied to the data including the topsoil-subsoil difference method, Tukey boxplot method and geoaccumulation index method, with each method filtering out progressively more anomalies. Additional soil magnetic (hysteresis, isothermal remanence and thermomagnetic) measurements were made on a select subset of samples from anomalous sites. Magnetite is the dominant remanence carrying mineral, and magnetic susceptibility is governed by that minerals concentration in soils, rather than mineral type. All except two anomalous sites have a dominant geogenic source (cf. anthropogenic). By proxy, heavy metal contamination in southern New Zealand soils is minimal, making them relatively pristine. The provenance of the magnetic minerals in the anomalous sites can be traced back to likely sources in outcrops of igneous rocks within the same catchment, terrane or rock type: a distance of Soil provenance is a key step when mapping element or isotopic distribution, vectoring to mineralization or studying soil for agricultural suitability, water quality or environmental regulation. Measuring soil magnetic susceptibility is a useful, quick and inexpensive tool that usefully supplements soil geochemical data.

  9. Biopsy-proven childhood glomerulonephritis in Johor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoo, J J; Pee, S; Thevarajah, B; Yap, Y C; Chin, C K

    2004-06-01

    There has been no published study of biopsy-proven childhood glomerulonephritis in Malaysia. To determine the pattern of childhood glomerulonephritis in Johor, Malaysia from a histopathological perspective and the various indications used for renal biopsy in children. Retrospective study was done of all renal biopsies from children under 16 years of age, received in Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor between 1994 and 2001. The histopathological findings were reviewed to determine the pattern of biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis. The indications for biopsy, mode of therapy given after biopsy and the clinical outcome were studied. 122 adequate biopsies were received, 9 children had repeat biopsies. Of the 113 biopsies, minimal change disease formed the most common histopathological diagnosis (40.7%) while lupus nephritis formed the most common secondary glomerulonephritis (23.0%). The main indications for biopsy were nephrotic syndrome (50.8%), lupus nephritis (25.4%) and renal impairment (13.1%). The mode of therapy was changed in 59.8% of the children. Of 106 patients followed-up, 84 children were found to have normal renal function in remission or on treatment. 4 patients developed chronic renal impairment and 16 reached end stage renal disease. Five of the 16 children with end stage disease had since died while 11 were on renal replacement therapy. Another 2 patients died of other complications. The pattern of childhood GN in our study tended to reflect the more severe renal parenchymal diseases in children and those requiring more aggressive treatment. This was because of our criteria of selection (indication) for renal biopsy. Renal biopsy where performed appropriately in selected children may not only be a useful investigative tool for histological diagnosis and prognosis but may help clinicians plan the optimal therapy for these children.

  10. Attaining provenance proxies from OSL and TL sensitivities: Coupling with grain size and heavy minerals data from southern Brazilian coastal sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zular, André; Sawakuchi, André O.; Guedes, Carlos C.F.; Giannini, Paulo C.F.

    2015-01-01

    In the São Francisco do Sul (SFS) barrier in southern Brazil, the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) sensitivities of coastal sands vary according to geomorphological units. Sands from older beach ridges (ages older than 2000 years ago) show higher OSL and TL sensitivities than younger units (ages younger than 2000 years). Geomorphological units in the SFS attest to changes in provenance as a result of a coastal climate shift evidenced through grain size and heavy mineral analysis. We argue that in the SFS barrier sands, OSL and TL sensitivity signals provide an additional proxy to climate events and can be used as an alternative method to assess changes in provenance and tracking source-to-sink systems to monitor past and future environmental changes. - Highlights: • OSL and TL sensitivities are confronted with grain size and heavy minerals data. • We report OSL and 110 °C TL sensitivities as provenance proxies. • 110 °C TL sensitivity outlines environmental changes better than OSL sensitivity data.

  11. Rooting Ability of Melia volkensii Cuttings Under Different Auxin Concentration Levels and Provenances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oeba, V.O; Muok, B.; Odee, D

    2007-01-01

    Melia volkensii is one of the most popular fast growing agro-forestry tree species in East Africa's arid and semi arid lands. It is valued for for production of termite resistant timber. Kenya Forestry Research Institute is carrying out studies on management, improvement and domestication of species with a major focus on improving low germination mortality and other propagation methods. Vegetative propagation was investigated in order to supplement more seedlings for increased demand of the species. The objective of this study was to determine and predict the effect of varying levels of auxin concentrations on rooting of melia volkensii shoot cuttings under different provenances. The experiment was set in a split plot design and conducted in a non-mist propagator. The number of roots was recorded for every cutting in the experiment. Mean cumulative cutting percentage were analysed using ANOVA procedures by first checking homogeneity of variance; Pearson correlation were carried out to check the interrelation of the factors with rooting and Logistic ability of the cuttings. The results showed that cuttings inoculated with 0.3 mgl-1 s ignificantly (p n ot showing any rooting from three provenances. In conclusion 0.03 mgl-1 s hould be used for further vegetative propagation of M. vokensii. Cutting from Taveta inoculated with 0.3 mgl-1 w ould significantly increase the number of seedlings for planting

  12. Multivariate analysis in provenance studies: Cerrillos obsidians case, Peru

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bustamante, A.; Delgado, M.; Latini, R. M.; Bellido, A. V. B.

    2007-01-01

    We present the preliminary results of a provenance study of obsidians samples from Cerrillos (ca. 800-100 b.c.) using Moessbauer Spectroscopy. The Cerrillos archaeological site, located in the Upper Ica Valley, Peru, is the only Paracas ceremonial center excavated so far. The archaeological data collected suggest the existence of a complex social and economic organization on the south coast of Peru. Provenance research of obsidian provides valuable information about the selection of lithic resources by our ancestors and eventually about the existence of communication routes and exchange networks. We characterized 18 obsidian artifacts samples by Moessbauer spectroscopy from Cerrillos. The spectra, recorded at room temperature using different velocities, are mainly composed of broad asymmetric doublets due to the superposition of at least two quadrupole doublets corresponding to Fe 2+ in two different sites (species A and B), one weak Fe 3+ doublet (specie C) and magnetic components associated to the presence of small particles of magnetite. Multivariate statistical analysis of the Moessbauer data (hyperfine parameters) allows to defined two main groups of obsidians, reflecting different geographical origins.

  13. Multivariate analysis in provenance studies: Cerrillos obsidians case, Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bustamante, A.; Delgado, M.; Latini, R. M.; Bellido, A. V. B.

    2007-02-01

    We present the preliminary results of a provenance study of obsidians samples from Cerrillos (ca. 800 100 b.c.) using Mössbauer Spectroscopy. The Cerrillos archaeological site, located in the Upper Ica Valley, Peru, is the only Paracas ceremonial center excavated so far. The archaeological data collected suggest the existence of a complex social and economic organization on the south coast of Peru. Provenance research of obsidian provides valuable information about the selection of lithic resources by our ancestors and eventually about the existence of communication routes and exchange networks. We characterized 18 obsidian artifacts samples by Mössbauer spectroscopy from Cerrillos. The spectra, recorded at room temperature using different velocities, are mainly composed of broad asymmetric doublets due to the superposition of at least two quadrupole doublets corresponding to Fe2+ in two different sites (species A and B), one weak Fe3+ doublet (specie C) and magnetic components associated to the presence of small particles of magnetite. Multivariate statistical analysis of the Mössbauer data (hyperfine parameters) allows to defined two main groups of obsidians, reflecting different geographical origins.

  14. Lapis lazuli provenance study by means of micro-PIXE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Re, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.re@to.infn.it [Dipartimento di Fisica Sperimentale, Universita di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); INFN Sezione di Torino and Centre of Excellence ' Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces' , Universita di Torino, Via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Giudice, Alessandro Lo [Dipartimento di Fisica Sperimentale, Universita di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); INFN Sezione di Torino and Centre of Excellence ' Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces' , Universita di Torino, Via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Angelici, Debora [Dipartimento di Fisica Sperimentale, Universita di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Calusi, Silvia; Giuntini, Lorenzo; Massi, Mirko [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita and INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Pratesi, Giovanni [Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra and Museo di Storia Naturale, Universita di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze (Italy)

    2011-10-15

    In this paper we report about the micro-PIXE characterisation of lapis lazuli, for a provenance study of this semi-precious stone, used for glyptic as early as 7000 years ago. The final aim is to find markers permitting to identify the origin of the raw material coming from three quarries in regions of historical importance: Afghanistan, Pamir Mountains and Siberia. This may help to reconstruct trade routes, especially for ancient objects for which written testimonies are scanty or absent at all. Due to the heterogeneity of lapis lazuli we concentrate our attention on single phases instead of the whole stone; in particular we focused on two of the main phases: lazurite, responsible for the blue colour, and diopside, the most frequent accessory mineral. This study was preceded and completed by means of microanalysis with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX) and Cold-Cathodoluminescence (cold-CL) analysis. Despite the limited number of analysed samples, results are sufficient to exclude/suggest a few features as provenance markers, partly confirming what has been previously published in literature.

  15. Lapis lazuli provenance study by means of micro-PIXE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Re, Alessandro; Giudice, Alessandro Lo; Angelici, Debora; Calusi, Silvia; Giuntini, Lorenzo; Massi, Mirko; Pratesi, Giovanni

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we report about the micro-PIXE characterisation of lapis lazuli, for a provenance study of this semi-precious stone, used for glyptic as early as 7000 years ago. The final aim is to find markers permitting to identify the origin of the raw material coming from three quarries in regions of historical importance: Afghanistan, Pamir Mountains and Siberia. This may help to reconstruct trade routes, especially for ancient objects for which written testimonies are scanty or absent at all. Due to the heterogeneity of lapis lazuli we concentrate our attention on single phases instead of the whole stone; in particular we focused on two of the main phases: lazurite, responsible for the blue colour, and diopside, the most frequent accessory mineral. This study was preceded and completed by means of microanalysis with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX) and Cold-Cathodoluminescence (cold-CL) analysis. Despite the limited number of analysed samples, results are sufficient to exclude/suggest a few features as provenance markers, partly confirming what has been previously published in literature.

  16. The fission-track analysis: An alternative technique for provenance studies of prehistoric obsidian artefacts

    CERN Document Server

    Bellot-Gurlet, L; Dorighel, O; Oddone, M; Poupeau, G; Yegingil, Z

    1999-01-01

    Comparison of fission-track parameters - age and track densities - is an alternative tool for correlating obsidian artefacts with their potential natural sources. This method was applied by different fission-track groups in various regions and results were compared with those obtained using the more popular provenance identification techniques based on chemical composition studies. Hundreds of analyses prove that fission-track dating is a complementary technique which turns out to be very useful, specially when the chemical composition does not fully discriminate different sources. Archaeologically significant results were obtained applying the fission-track analysis in various regions of earth.

  17. The fission-track analysis: An alternative technique for provenance studies of prehistoric obsidian artefacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bellot-Gurlet, L.; Bigazzi, G.; Dorighel, O.; Oddone, M.; Poupeau, G.; Yegingil, Z.

    1999-01-01

    Comparison of fission-track parameters - age and track densities - is an alternative tool for correlating obsidian artefacts with their potential natural sources. This method was applied by different fission-track groups in various regions and results were compared with those obtained using the more popular provenance identification techniques based on chemical composition studies. Hundreds of analyses prove that fission-track dating is a complementary technique which turns out to be very useful, specially when the chemical composition does not fully discriminate different sources. Archaeologically significant results were obtained applying the fission-track analysis in various regions of earth

  18. Feeling Heard & Understood in the Hospital Environment: Benchmarking Communication Quality Among Patients with Advanced Cancer Before and After Palliative Care Consultation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingersoll, Luke T; Saeed, Fahad; Ladwig, Susan; Norton, Sally A; Anderson, Wendy; Alexander, Stewart C; Gramling, Robert

    2018-05-02

    Maximizing value in palliative care requires continued development and standardization of communication quality indicators. To describe the basic epidemiology of a newly-adopted patient-centered communication quality indicator for hospitalized palliative care patie9nts with advanced cancer. Cross-sectional analysis of 207 advanced cancer patients who received palliative care consultation at two medical centers in the United States. Participants completed the Heard & Understood quality indicator immediately before and the day following the initial palliative care consultation: "Over the past two days ["24 hours" for the post-consultation version], how much have you felt heard and understood by the doctors, nurses and hospital staff? Completely/Quite a Bit/Moderately/Slightly/Not at All". We categorized "Completely" as indicating ideal quality. Approximately one-third indicated ideal Heard & Understood quality before palliative care consultation. Age, financial security, emotional distress, preferences for comfort-longevity tradeoffs at end-of-life, and prognosis expectations were associated with pre-consultation quality. Among those with less-than-ideal quality at baseline, 56% rated feeling more Heard & Understood the day following palliative care consultation. The greatest pre-post improvement was among people who had unformed end-of-life treatment preferences or who reported having "no idea" about their prognosis at baseline. Most patients felt incompletely heard and understood at the time of referral to palliative care consultation and more than half improved following consultation. Feeling heard and understood is an important quality indicator sensitive to interventions to improve care and key variations in the patient experience. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Defining the “proven technology” technical criterion in the reactor technology assessment for Malaysia’s nuclear power program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anuar, Nuraslinda, E-mail: nuraslinda@uniten.edu.my [College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia); Kahar, Wan Shakirah Wan Abdul, E-mail: shakirah@tnb.com.my; Manan, Jamal Abdul Nasir Abd [Nuclear Energy Department, Regulatory Economics and Planning Division, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, No. 8 Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2015-04-29

    Developing countries that are considering the deployment of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the near future need to perform reactor technology assessment (RTA) in order to select the most suitable reactor design. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in the Common User Considerations (CUC) document that “proven technology” is one of the most important technical criteria for newcomer countries in performing the RTA. The qualitative description of five desired features for “proven technology” is relatively broad and only provides a general guideline to its characterization. This paper proposes a methodology to define the “proven technology” term according to a specific country’s requirements using a three-stage evaluation process. The first evaluation stage screens the available technologies in the market against a predefined minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) derived as a condition based on national needs and policy objectives. The result is a list of technology options, which are then assessed in the second evaluation stage against quantitative definitions of CUC desired features for proven technology. The potential technology candidates produced from this evaluation is further narrowed down to obtain a list of proven technology candidates by assessing them against selected risk criteria and the established maximum allowable total score using a scoring matrix. The outcome of this methodology is the proven technology candidates selected using an accurate definition of “proven technology” that fulfills the policy objectives, national needs and risk, and country-specific CUC desired features of the country that performs this assessment. A simplified assessment for Malaysia is carried out to demonstrate and suggest the use of the proposed methodology. In this exercise, ABWR, AP1000, APR1400 and EPR designs assumed the top-ranks of proven technology candidates according to Malaysia’s definition of “proven technology”.

  20. Defining the “proven technology” technical criterion in the reactor technology assessment for Malaysia’s nuclear power program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anuar, Nuraslinda; Kahar, Wan Shakirah Wan Abdul; Manan, Jamal Abdul Nasir Abd

    2015-01-01

    Developing countries that are considering the deployment of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the near future need to perform reactor technology assessment (RTA) in order to select the most suitable reactor design. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in the Common User Considerations (CUC) document that “proven technology” is one of the most important technical criteria for newcomer countries in performing the RTA. The qualitative description of five desired features for “proven technology” is relatively broad and only provides a general guideline to its characterization. This paper proposes a methodology to define the “proven technology” term according to a specific country’s requirements using a three-stage evaluation process. The first evaluation stage screens the available technologies in the market against a predefined minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) derived as a condition based on national needs and policy objectives. The result is a list of technology options, which are then assessed in the second evaluation stage against quantitative definitions of CUC desired features for proven technology. The potential technology candidates produced from this evaluation is further narrowed down to obtain a list of proven technology candidates by assessing them against selected risk criteria and the established maximum allowable total score using a scoring matrix. The outcome of this methodology is the proven technology candidates selected using an accurate definition of “proven technology” that fulfills the policy objectives, national needs and risk, and country-specific CUC desired features of the country that performs this assessment. A simplified assessment for Malaysia is carried out to demonstrate and suggest the use of the proposed methodology. In this exercise, ABWR, AP1000, APR1400 and EPR designs assumed the top-ranks of proven technology candidates according to Malaysia’s definition of “proven technology”

  1. Research on supplying potential of uranium source from rocks in western provenance area of Hailaer basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Yuliang; Liu Hanbin; Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing

    2006-01-01

    Using U-Pb isotope composition evolution, this paper expounds the initial uranium content in volcanic rocks of provenance area of Xihulitu basin and in granites of provenance area of Kelulun sag, western Hailaer basin. The initial uranium content (U 0 ) in volcanic rocks of provenance area is higher, the average initial uranium content of volcanic rocks is 10.061 x 10 -6 , the average uranium variation coefficient (ΔU) is -49.57%; the average initial uranium content of granites is 18.381 x 10 -6 , the average uranium variation coefficient (ΔU) is -80%. The results indicate that rocks in provenance area could provide the pre-enrichment of uranium in deposited sandstone. U-Ra equilibrium coefficients of rocks indicate that there is obvious U-Ra disequilibrium phenomenon in volcanic rocks, and the time when granites provided uranium source occurred 16000 a ago. (authors)

  2. Provenance and evolution of miocene turbidite sedimentation in the central Apennines, Italy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiocchini, Ugo; Cipriani, Nicola

    1992-05-01

    A study of the siliciclastic detritus within the calcareous Miocene turbidite sandstones of the central Apennines has elucidated the provenance of these sandstones. Three ratios: Q/(Q+F), K/F, and Mc/M, have been used and binary correlations of these parameters show that: (1) the sandstones of the Marnoso-Arenacea are characterized by a northern Alpine supply, mainly derived from metamorphic rocks and subordinately from granitic rocks; (2) a secondary supply of western provenance, interbedded within the Marnoso-Arenacea, shows a typical arkosic composition and suggests that granitic rocks of Alpine-type were associated with the Ligurides; (3) the Urbania and Serraspinosa sandstones consist of detritus derived from sources almost identical to those supplying the Marnoso-Arenacea; (4) all the sandstones of the remaining central Apennine basins are characterized by a siliciclastic supply similar to the arkosic one; the rare carbonate fragments can be referred to the Apennine units. The continuity of the Alpine are in the Tyrrhenian area strongly suggests a connection between the western crystalline units and turbidite sedimentation in the basins examined. The crystalline units are associated with a segment of the Alpine chain tectonically linked to the Liguride nappes (Apennine source areas) during the eastwards migration of the Apennines deformation. The crystalline units were gradually eroded during the Burdigalian to Early Pliocene interval when the Laga basin was completely filled. Currently the term "Alpine" is used as synonymous with northern provenance. However, a detailed study carried out over ten years, revealed a western Alpine supply associated with an Apennine source area; we therefore suggest that it is necessary to distinguish a northern Alpine provenance from a western Alpine supply.

  3. Ontology development for provenance tracing in National Climate Assessment of the US Global Change Research Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Linyun; Ma, Xiaogang; Zheng, Jin; Goldstein, Justin; Duggan, Brian; West, Patrick; Aulenbach, Steve; Tilmes, Curt; Fox, Peter

    2014-05-01

    This poster will show how we used a case-driven iterative methodology to develop an ontology to represent the content structure and the associated provenance information in a National Climate Assessment (NCA) report of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). We applied the W3C PROV-O ontology to implement a formal representation of provenance. We argue that the use case-driven, iterative development process and the application of a formal provenance ontology help efficiently incorporate domain knowledge from earth and environmental scientists in a well-structured model interoperable in the context of the Web of Data.

  4. Serum Progranulin as an Independent Marker of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Biopsy-Proven Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

    OpenAIRE

    Yilmaz, Yusuf; Eren, Fatih; Yonal, Oya; Polat, Zulfikar; Bacha, Mohammad; Kurt, Ramazan; Ozturk, Oguzhan; Avsar, Erol

    2011-01-01

    Background: Elevated progranulin levels are associated with visceral obesity, elevated plasma glucose, and dyslipidemia. Progranulin has not been previously investigated as a biomarker of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We sought to determine whether serum progranulin levels are altered in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and if they are associated with their clinical, biochemical, and histological characteristics. Subjects and methods: We measured serum progranulin levels in 95 pa...

  5. A recipe for the use of rutile in sedimentary provenance analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triebold, Silke; von Eynatten, Hilmar; Zack, Thomas

    2012-12-01

    Rutile has received considerable attention in the last decade as a valuable petrogenetic indicator mineral. Based on both new and previously published data, we carve out advantages and pitfalls regarding TiO2-minerals in sedimentary provenance analysis. This results in a recipe for the use of rutile in provenance studies. The main points are: Rutile geochemistry from different grain size fractions does not differ systematically, and hence rutiles should be extracted from the fraction containing the most rutile grains (usually 63-200 μm). Similarly, different magnetic susceptibility of rutile does not systematically imply different trace element composition. Before interpretation of TiO2-mineral data, it is important to determine the polymorph type. Rutile, anatase and brookite appear to differ systematically in trace element composition. As an alternative to Raman spectroscopy, chemical classification according to Nb, Cr, Sn, Fe, V, and Zr concentrations can be applied. For rutile, a new host lithology discrimination scheme based on Cr-Nb systematics is introduced (x = 5 ∗ (Nb [ppm] - 500) - Cr [ppm]), which leads to better classification results than previously published discrimination methods. According to this equation, metamafic rutiles have negative values of x, while metapelitic rutiles have positive values. Evaluation of the growth temperature calculations of metamorphic rutile after different authors shows that the equations given by Tomkins et al. (2007) should be applied to both metamafic and metapelitic rutiles. Although there is a pressure effect on the Zr incorporation in rutile, the pressure range for most rutiles of 5-15 kbar introduces an uncertainty in calculated temperature of no more than ± 35 °C. The distribution of calculated temperatures from detrital rutiles is crucial; only well-defined temperature populations should be used for thermometry interpretation.

  6. Provenance of sandstone on the western flank of Anambra Basin ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Petrographic and heavy mineral studies were carried out on clastic deposits that crop out in Ikpeshi, Auchi and Fugar localities in order to determine the provenance of the ... The heavy mineral suites and the petrographic signatures of the sandstones suggest derivation mainly from acid igneous rocks, gneisses and older ...

  7. Can cathodoluminescence of feldspar be used as provenance indicator?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholonek, Christiane; Augustsson, Carita

    2016-05-01

    We have studied feldspar from crystalline rocks for its textural and spectral cathodoluminescence (CL) characteristics with the aim to reveal their provenance potential. We analyzed ca. 60 rock samples of plutonic, volcanic, metamorphic, and pegmatitic origin from different continents and of 16 Ma to 2 Ga age for their feldspar CL textures and ca. 1200 feldspar crystals from these rocks for their CL color spectra. Among the analyzed rocks, igneous feldspar is most commonly zoned, whereby oscillatory zoning can be confirmed to be typical for volcanic plagioclase. The volcanic plagioclase also less commonly contains twin lamellae that are visible in CL light than crystals from other rock types. Alkali feldspar, particularly from igneous and pegmatitic rocks, was noted to be most affected by alteration features, visible as dark spots, lines and irregular areas. The size of all textural features of up to ca. 150 μm, in combination with possible alteration in both the source area and the sedimentary system, makes the CL textures of feldspar possible to use for qualitative provenance research only. We observed alkali feldspar mostly to luminesce in a bluish color and sometimes in red, and plagioclase in green to yellow. The corresponding CL spectra are dominated by three apparent intensity peaks at 440-520 nm (mainly blue), 540-620 nm (mainly green) and 680-740 nm (red to infrared). A dominance of the peak in the green wavelength interval over the blue one for plagioclase makes CL particularly useful for the differentiation of plagioclase from alkali feldspar. An apparent peak position in red to infrared at < 710 nm for plagioclase mainly is present in mafic rocks. Present-day coastal sand from Peru containing feldspar with the red to infrared peak position mainly exceeding 725 nm for northern Peruvian sand and a larger variety for sand from southern Peru illustrates a discriminative effect of different source areas. We conclude that the provenance application

  8. Prevalence of Concomitant Sacroiliac joint Dysfunction in Patients With Image Proven Herniated Lumbar Discs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salah Alalawi

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Background:Sacroiliac joint (SIJ dysfunction is a widely known but poorly defined cause of low back pain. To our knowledge, few published studies have been conducted to evaluate systematically the prevalence and significance of concomitant sacroiliac joint dysfunction in patients with herniated lumbar discs. As concomitant SIJ dysfunction in low back pain patients is likely to respond to particular noninvasive interventions such as manipulation,improved understanding of the relationship between these two diagnoses would improve clinical decision making and research.Methods:This study was designated to estimate the prevalence of concomitant sacroiliac joint dysfunction in sub acute low back pain patients with image proven discopathy and evaluate the theory that sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be a source of pain and functional disability in discopathy. A total of 202 patients with sub acute radicular back pain and MRI proven herniated lumbar discs underwent standardized   physiatrist history and physical examination, specified for detection of concomitant sacroiliac joint dysfunction.Results: Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a concomitant finding in 72.3% of evaluated patients.There was significantly higher SIJ dysfunction prevalence in female patients (p <0.0001. Conclusion: SIJ dysfunction is a significant pathogenic factor with high possibility of occurrence in low back pain. Thus, in the presence of radicular and sacroiliac joint symptoms, SIJ dysfunction, regardless of intervertebral disc pathology, must be considered in clinical decisiomaking.

  9. The photon is no strict particle and nonlocality is far from being proven

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greulich, Karl Otto [Fritz Lipmann Institut, Jena (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    Two aspects of philosophical discussions on physics are the wave particle dualism and non locality including entanglement. However the strict particle aspect of the photon, in the common sense view, has never been proven. The accumulation time argument, the only experimental verification of a strictly particle like photon, has so far not yet been satisfied. Also, experiments thought to prove nonlocality have loophole which have so far not yet been safely closed, and now an even more serious loophole emerges. Thus, also nonlocality cannot be seen as proven. This demands some fine tuning of philosophical discussions on critical experiments in physics.

  10. Different types of power reactors and provenness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goodman, E.I.

    1977-01-01

    The lecture guides the potential buyer in the selection of a reactor type. Recommended criteria regarding provenness, licensability, and contractual arrangements are defined and discussed. Tabular data summarizing operating experience and commercial availability of units are presented and discussed. The status of small and medium power reactors which are of interest to many developing countries is presented. It is stressed that each prospective buyer will have to establish his own criteria based on specific conditions which will be applied to reactor selection. In all cases it will be found that selection, either pre-selection of bidders or final selection of supplier, will be a fairly complex evaluation. (orig.) [de

  11. Outcome of biopsy proven minimal change disease (MCD) in children

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background and Objectives: MCD is the most common histological sub-type of nephrotic syndrome with variable clinical course in children. There are limited studies in literature on the outcome of biopsy proven MCD. The objective was to look at the treatment response and outcome of patients with MCD treated at a tertiary ...

  12. Responses of leaf nitrogen and mobile carbohydrates in different Quercus species/provenances to moderate climate changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, M-H; Cherubini, P; Dobbertin, M; Arend, M; Xiao, W-F; Rigling, A

    2013-01-01

    Global warming and shortage of water have been evidenced in the recent past and are predicted for the future. Climate change will inevitably have considerable impact on plant physiology, growth, productivity and forest ecosystem functions. The present study determined the effects of simulated daytime air warming (+1 to 1.5 °C during the growing season), drought (-40% and -57% of mean precipitation of 728 mm during the 2007 and 2008 growing season, respectively) and their combination, on leaf nitrogen (N) and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) of two Quercus species (Q. robur and Q. petraea) and provenances (two provenances for each species) grown in two soil types in Switzerland across two treatment years, to test the hypothesis that leaf N and NSC in the more water-sensitive species (Q. robur) and provenances (originating from water-rich locations) will more strongly respond to global warming and water deficit, compared to those in the more drought-tolerant species (Q. petraea) or provenances. No species- and provenance-specific responses in leaf N and NSC to the climate treatment were found, indicating that the results failed to support our hypothesis. The between-species variation of leaf N and NSC concentrations mainly reflected differences in biology of the two species, and the between-provenance variation of N and NSC concentrations apparently mirrored the climate of their origins. Hence, we conclude that (i) the two Quercus species studied are somewhat insensitive, due to their distribution covering a wide geographical and climate range, to moderate climate change within Switzerland, and (ii) a moderate global warming of B1 scenario (IPCC 2007) will not, or at least less, negatively affect the N and carbon physiology in Q. robur and Q. petraea. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  13. Effects Of Drought Stress on Germination in Fourteen Provenances of Pinus Brutia Ten. Seeds in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hakan Şevik

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Pinus brutia Ten., Red pine, known to be tough drought resistant pine specie, could effectively be used for afforestation of disturbed areas. It is of great interest for the afforestation in arid zones. Appropriate seed sources for the specific areas guarantees reforestation success. Away from its native areas Pinus brutia Ten. is planted for its ornamental value and timber production purposes. Selection of drought resistant provenances can very well increase the survival success. In this study, the effects of water potential on germination were studied in fourteen provenances of Pinus brutia Ten. from Turkey. Water potentials between 0 and -8 bars were obtained using polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG-6000 solutions. Seeds were kept for 35 day at 20 ± 0.5°C. A decrease in water potential produced a marked reduction in germination percentage and germination value. As a result, significant variations between the provenances were found. It was determined that, under a -8 bar water stress, Isparta-Bucak and Mersin-Silifke, respectively corresponding to 58% and 57% of the control group, were the least water stress affected provenances.

  14. Can yeast glycolysis be understood in terms of in vitro kinetics of the constituent enxymes? Testing biochemistry.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teusink, B.; Passarge, J.R.; Reijenga, C.A.; Esgalhado, M.E.L.M.; van der Weijden, C.C.; Schepper, M.; Walsh, M.C.; Bakker, B.M.; van Dam, K.; Westerhoff, H.V.; Snoep, J.L.

    2000-01-01

    This paper examines whether the in vivo behavior of yeast glycolysis can be understood in terms of the in vitro kinetic properties of the constituent enzymes. In nongrowing, anaerobic, compressed Saccharomyces cerevisiae the values of the kinetic parameters of most glycolytic enzymes were

  15. Studies on 13C isotope discrimination for identifying tree provenances efficient in water use under water deficit conditions in Kenya

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nyamai, D.O.; Juma, P.O.

    1996-01-01

    Screening for drought resistance traits was conducted in a semi-arid site in Machakos using 11 provenances of Acacia tortilis, 6 provenances of Prosopis juliflora and 4 provenances of Casuarina equisetifolia. Tolerance to drought was assessed by the 13 C isotope discrimination (Δ) technique as well as by determining the waster use efficiency (WUE). Measurements of dry matter and early growth performance were also taken as indicators of drought resistance. The results showed significant differences in the 13 C Isotope discrimination, water use efficiency and dry matter yields by the different provenances tested. Generally, the results indicated that there were significant linear negative relationships between 13 C discrimination with water use efficiency as well as dry matter yield. The results further showed highly significant positive relationship between dry matter yield and water use efficiency. Acacia tortilis provenances from middle East and neighbouring North Eastern Africa region appear to possess the greatest abilities for drought resistance in comparison with those from sub-saharan Africa as indicated by their 13 C Isotope discrimination levels, dry matter yield and water use efficiency. However, Acacia provenance from Israel had the highest drought resistance trail. Prosopis provenance from Costa Rica and Casuarina from Dakar region in Senegal also emerged as the best provenances in terms of drought tolerance as shown by the 13 C isotope discrimination and dry matter traits. (author). 8 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs

  16. Provenance variation in subalpine fir grown as an exotic tree species in Denmark and Iceland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skúlason, Brynjar

    Neonectria neomacrospora in Denmark. In Iceland the corkbark fir showed superior results, especially for survival rate and Christmas tree quality. The White River provenance from British Columbia is recommended for use in Denmark. The Mount Taylor provenance from the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico...... fir (A. lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa) and corkbark fir (A. lasiocarpa var. arizonica (Merriam) Lemmon) was established at three sites in Denmark and at one site in Iceland in 1999. Adaptability, Christmas tree quality, growth rhythm and susceptibility to pests and pathogens were measured and assessed...... and the most spring frost damage on buds. The westernmost subalpine fir provenances from Washington state and British Columbia showed the overall best results in Denmark, with the highest survival (after 15 years), fastest height growth and highest Christmas tree quality and profitability, as well as both good...

  17. Provenance-specific growth responses to drought and air warming in three European oak species

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arend, Matthias; Kuster, Thomas; Gunthardt-Goerg, Madeleine S.; Dobbertin, Matthias

    2011-03-15

    This study evaluated oak growth responses to air warming through research conducted with species coming from climatically different sites submitted to differing climates including periodic drought and air warming. Results showed different responses to drought and air warming as an adaptation to the conditions, and differences in growth response from one provenance to another were found but local climate factors were not responsible. This study highlighted that provenance was important to growth responses and it will have to be taken into account for regeneration of oaks in a changed climate if these results are confirmed.

  18. Effet du travail du sol sur la productivité de différentes provenances de Jatropha curcas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barro Lamine

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Jatropha curcas L. (JCL, an oleaginous species traditionally used as live fence, is massively planted in Africa to produce biofuel. However, the influence of many factors on its productivity remains scientifically unknown. This study aimed to assess the effect of subsoiling (factor 1 : subsoiling and control and plant material provenance (factor 2 : Casamance and Diobass on its development and productivity. The results have shown two years after planting that plant provenance had a significant effect on growth variables, plant above ground architecture and fruits number. The Casamance provenance has generally produced the highest values. Subsoiling did not have a significant effect on most of the studied variables, except for low primary branches number and fruiting branches number. Even more, subsoiling appeared to enhance JCL growth. These results have allowed to understand the importance of provenances but also of soil preparation on the performances of JCL and to identify priority areas for research.

  19. Radial variation of basic density and wood cells dimensions of Cariniana legalis (Mart. O. Kuntze depending on the provenance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Israel Luiz de Lima

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Provenance tests can provide information about the silvicultural behavior and wood quality for the exploration of variability and conservation of genetic material for future use. This study aims to investigate the effect of provenances on some wood properties of the Cariniana legalis. Seedlings of three provenances (Porto Ferreira, Piracicaba and Campinas were planted in Luiz Antonio-SP using randomized block design with six replicates. After 26 years of planting, eighteen trees, six of each provenance, were felled. The properties studied were basic density and the cellular dimensions. The results revealed that the basic density, fiber length, fiber wall thickness, vessel element length, vessel diameter, uniseriate ray height and width were influenced by the provenances. A good positive relationship was found among the fiber length, fiber wall thickness, vessel element length; vessel diameter and multiseriate ray height with radial position and a negative relation between vessel frequency with the radial position.

  20. Is restlessness best understood as a process? Reflecting on four boys’ restlessness during music therapy in kindergarten

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helle-Valle, Anna; Binder, Per-Einar; Anderssen, Norman; Stige, Brynjulf

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT ADHD can be considered an internationally recognized framework for understanding children’s restlessness. In this context, children’s restlessness is understood as a symptom of neurodevelopmental disorder. However, there are other possible understandings of children’s restlessness. In this article, we explore four boys’ collaborative and creative process as it is described and understood by three adults. The process is framed by a community music therapy project in a Norwegian kindergarten, and we describe four interrelated phases of this process: Exploring musical vitality and cooperation, Consolidating positions, Performing together, and Discovering ripple effects. We discuss these results in relation to seven qualities central to a community music therapy approach: participation, resource orientation, ecology, performance, activism, reflexivity and ethics. We argue that in contrast to a diagnostic approach that entails a focus on individual problems, a community music therapy approach can shed light on adult and systemic contributions to children’s restlessness. PMID:28532331

  1. The Decline of Vitality Caused by Increasing Drought in a Beech Provenance Trial Predicted by Juvenile Growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anikó Horváth

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Due to rapidly changing environmental conditions, locally adapted tree populations are likely to experience climate conditions to which they are not well adapted. Common garden experiments provide a powerful tool for studying adaptive responses in changing climates. Out of the 1998 series of international beech provenance trials, one experiment was established in Bucsuta, SW Hungary. Because of its peripheral location, this is probably the most apposite site in the experimental series to study and predict responses of populations to sudden climatic changes, simulated by transfer. Material and Methods: 15-year diameter data of 28 beech populations from different regions of Europe were used to mimic responses to climate change by transplantation to the test site. The effect of 17 climate variables and five derived climate indices on growth have been compared, while Ellenberg drought index (EQ was selected for calculating a linear regression (transfer function to project a growth trend for future climate change. Results: Out of the bioclimatic variables, Ellenberg drought index at the location of the origin of provenances has shown the best correlation with 15-year diameter. The regression of growth vs. the ecodistance of transfer (difference between data of the trial site and of the site of origin, expressed in EQ, explained 25% of the total variation between provenances and indicated a clear trend of declining performance with the increasing change of climate the populations were adapted to. Conclusion: Negative effect of rapid climate change on beech populations cannot be denied, and the results draw attention to the importance of using appropriate planting stock matching with future climate conditions at the planting site.

  2. Statistical methods for quality improvement

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ryan, Thomas P

    2011-01-01

    ...."-TechnometricsThis new edition continues to provide the most current, proven statistical methods for quality control and quality improvementThe use of quantitative methods offers numerous benefits...

  3. Change in Sediment Provenance Near the Current Estuary of Yellow River Since the Holocene Transgression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Sheng; Feng, Xiuli; Li, Guogang; Liu, Xiao; Xiao, Xiao; Feng, Li

    2018-06-01

    Sedimentary sequence and sediment provenance are important factors when it comes to the studies on marine sedimentation. This paper studies grain size distribution, lithological characteristics, major and rare earth elemental compositions, micropaleontological features and 14C ages in order to examine sedimentary sequence and sediment provenance of the core BH6 drilled at the mouth of the Yellow River in Bohai Sea. According to the grain size and the micropaleontological compositions, 4 sedimentary units have been identified. Unit 1 (0-8.08 mbsf) is of the delta sedimentary facies, Unit 2 (8.08-12.08 mbsf) is of the neritic shelf facies, Unit 3 (12.08-23.85 mbsf) is of near-estuary beach-tidal facies, and Unit 4 (23.85 mbsf-) is of the continental lake facies. The deposits from Unit 1 to Unit 3 have been found to be marine strata formed after the Holocene transgression at about 10 ka BP, while Unit 4 is continental lacustrine deposit formed before 10 ka BP. The provenances of core BH6 sediments show properties of the continental crust and vary in different sedimentary periods. For Unit 4 sediments, the source regions are dispersed while the main provenance is not clear, although the parent rock characteristics of a few samples are similar to the Luanhe River sediments. For Unit 3, sediments at 21.1-23.85 mbsf have been mainly transported from the Liaohe River, while sediments above 21.1 mbsf are mainly from the Yellow River and partially from the Liaohe River. For Unit 2, the sediments have been mainly transported from the Yellow River, with a small amount from other rivers. For Unit 1, the provenance is mainly the Yellow River catchment. These results help in better understanding the evolution of the Yellow River Delta.

  4. VisTrails is an open-source scientific workflow and provenance management system

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mthombeni, Thabo DM

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available VisTrails is an open-source scientific workflow and provenance management system that provides support for simulations, data exploration and visualization. Whereas workflows have been traditionally used to automate repetitive tasks, for applications...

  5. Breast cancer screening, outside the population-screening program, of women from breast cancer families without proven BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations : a simulation study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jacobi, C.E.; Nagelkerke, N.J.D.; van Houwelingen, J.C.; de Bock, G.H.

    Purpose: We assessed the cost-effectiveness of mammography screening for women under the age of 50, from breast cancer families without proven BRCA1./BRCA2 mutations, because current criteria for screening healthy women from breast cancer families are not evidence-based. Methods: We did simulation

  6. Breast cancer screening, outside the population-screening program, of women from breast cancer families without proven BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations: a simulation study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jacobi, C.E.; Nagelkerke, N.J.D.; van Houwelingen, J.C.; de Bock, Truuske

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: We assessed the cost-effectiveness of mammography screening for women under the age of 50, from breast cancer families without proven BRCA1./BRCA2 mutations, because current criteria for screening healthy women from breast cancer families are not evidence-based. Methods: We did simulation

  7. Assessment of biopsy-proven liver fibrosis by two-dimensional shear wave elastography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herrmann, Eva; de Lédinghen, Victor; Cassinotto, Christophe

    2018-01-01

    sites, as well as on successful transient elastography (TE) in 665 patients. Most patients had chronic hepatitis C (HCV, n = 379), hepatitis B (HBV, n = 400) or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, n = 156). AUROCs of 2D-SWE in patients with HCV, HBV and NAFLD were 86.3%, 90.6% and 85...... equipment were contacted to share their data. Retrospective statistical analysis used direct and paired receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the ROC curve (AUROC) analysis accounting for random effects. RESULTS: Data on both 2D-SWE and liver biopsy was available in 1134 patients from 13......BACKGROUND AND AIMS: 2D shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) has proven to be efficient for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in small to moderate size clinical trials. We aimed at running a larger scale meta-analysis of individual data. METHODS: Centers which have worked with Aixplorer ultrasound...

  8. Enhancing Privacy in Wearable IoT through a Provenance Architecture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard K. Lomotey

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The Internet of Things (IoT is inspired by network interconnectedness of humans, objects, and cloud services to facilitate new use cases and new business models across multiple enterprise domains including healthcare. This creates the need for continuous data streaming in IoT architectures which are mainly designed following the broadcast model. The model facilitates IoT devices to sense and deliver information to other nodes (e.g., cloud, physical objects, etc. that are interested in the information. However, this is a recipe for privacy breaches since sensitive data, such as personal vitals from wearables, can be delivered to undesired sniffing nodes. In order to protect users’ privacy and manufacturers’ IP, as well as detecting and blocking malicious activity, this research paper proposes privacy-oriented IoT architecture following the provenance technique. This ensures that the IoT data will only be delivered to the nodes that subscribe to receive the information. Using the provenance technique to ensure high transparency, the work is able to provide trace routes for digital audit trail. Several empirical evaluations are conducted in a real-world wearable IoT ecosystem to prove the superiority of the proposed work.

  9. A mechanism for proven technology foresight for emerging fast reactor designs and concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anuar, Nuraslinda; Muhamad Pauzi, Anas

    2016-01-01

    The assessment of emerging nuclear fast reactor designs and concepts viability requires a combination of foresight methods. A mechanism that allows for the comparison and quantification of the possibility of being a proven technology in the future, β for the existing fast reactor designs and concepts is proposed as one of the quantitative foresight method. The methodology starts with the identification at the national or regional level, of the factors that would affect β. The factors are then categorized into several groups; economic, social and technology elements. Each of the elements is proposed to be mathematically modelled before all of the elemental models can be combined. Once the overall β model is obtained, the β min is determined to benchmark the acceptance as a candidate design or concept. The β values for all the available designs and concepts are then determined and compared with the β min , resulting in a list of candidate designs that possess the β value that is larger than the β min . The proposed methodology can also be applied to purposes other than technological foresight

  10. A mechanism for proven technology foresight for emerging fast reactor designs and concepts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anuar, Nuraslinda, E-mail: nuraslinda@uniten.edu.my; Muhamad Pauzi, Anas, E-mail: anas@uniten.edu.my [College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia)

    2016-01-22

    The assessment of emerging nuclear fast reactor designs and concepts viability requires a combination of foresight methods. A mechanism that allows for the comparison and quantification of the possibility of being a proven technology in the future, β for the existing fast reactor designs and concepts is proposed as one of the quantitative foresight method. The methodology starts with the identification at the national or regional level, of the factors that would affect β. The factors are then categorized into several groups; economic, social and technology elements. Each of the elements is proposed to be mathematically modelled before all of the elemental models can be combined. Once the overall β model is obtained, the β{sub min} is determined to benchmark the acceptance as a candidate design or concept. The β values for all the available designs and concepts are then determined and compared with the β{sub min}, resulting in a list of candidate designs that possess the β value that is larger than the β{sub min}. The proposed methodology can also be applied to purposes other than technological foresight.

  11. Evaluation of aspect-oriented frameworks in Python for extending a project with provenance documentation features

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we describe two sides of a real life use case of introducing an aspect-oriented framework into an industrial-grade project. This paper is divided into two parts: the selection process for an AOP framework in the Python programming language, and its use for modularized non-invasive recording of provenance data in a distributed data management tool. Criteria for the choice of such a framework are discussed and the background of provenance documentation is laid out.

  12. Studies on {sup 13}C isotope discrimination for identifying tree provenances efficient in water use under water deficit conditions in Kenya

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nyamai, D O; Juma, P O [Kenya Forestry Research Inst., Nairobi (Kenya). Agroforestry Research Programme

    1996-07-01

    Screening for drought resistance traits was conducted in a semi-arid site in Machakos using 11 provenances of Acacia tortilis, 6 provenances of Prosopis juliflora and 4 provenances of Casuarina equisetifolia. Tolerance to drought was assessed by the {sup 13}C isotope discrimination ({Delta}) technique as well as by determining the waster use efficiency (WUE). Measurements of dry matter and early growth performance were also taken as indicators of drought resistance. The results showed significant differences in the {sup 13}C Isotope discrimination, water use efficiency and dry matter yields by the different provenances tested. Generally, the results indicated that there were significant linear negative relationships between {sup 13}C discrimination with water use efficiency as well as dry matter yield. The results further showed highly significant positive relationship between dry matter yield and water use efficiency. Acacia tortilis provenances from middle East and neighbouring North Eastern Africa region appear to possess the greatest abilities for drought resistance in comparison with those from sub-saharan Africa as indicated by their {sup 13}C Isotope discrimination levels, dry matter yield and water use efficiency. However, Acacia provenance from Israel had the highest drought resistance trail. Prosopis provenance from Costa Rica and Casuarina from Dakar region in Senegal also emerged as the best provenances in terms of drought tolerance as shown by the {sup 13}C isotope discrimination and dry matter traits. (author). 8 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs.

  13. Mini-PROven. Reduced emissions from small and medium-size coke ovens thanks to single-chamber pressure control; Mini-PROven. Emissionsreduzierung an kleinen und mittleren Koksoefen mit einer Einzelkammerdruckregelung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huhn, Friedrich; Krebber, Frank; Kuehn-Gajdzik, Joanna; Ueberschaer, Kerstin [ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH, Dortmund (Germany). Coke Plant Technologies Div.

    2012-07-01

    For environment and occupational health reasons it is becoming increasingly important for coke plants to be operated with the lowest possible level of emissions. In the past, changing pressure conditions in each individual oven, with particularly high values at the beginning of the coking period, often resulted in considerable emissions at the oven closures. To prevent this happening on modern large-scale ovens, ThyssenKrupp Uhde developed the PROven trademark (Pressure Regulated Oven), a single-chamber pressure control system which regulates the pressure in the individual coke chambers down to a constantly low level. In the meantime, after many years of successful service, the system has been upgraded in both its design and process engineering. The result is Mini-PROven, which in future can also be retro-fitted to old small and medium-size coke oven batteries in the interest of better environmental protection. (orig.)

  14. Audio podcasts in practical courses in biochemistry ? cost-efficient e-learning in a well-proven format from radio broadcasting

    OpenAIRE

    M?nch-Harrach, Dieter; Kothe, Christian; Hampe, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Audio podcasts are an e-learning format that may help to motivate students to deal with the contents of medical education more intensely. We adopted a well-proven format from radio broadcasting, the radio documentary, to direct the listeners? attention to information about practical courses in biochemistry over a period of 20 minutes at most. Information, original sounds, and a specific atmosphere allow listeners to perceive the contents intensely. Method: In order to organise t...

  15. The Provenance of Late Bronze Age Transport Amphorae found in Egypt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.M.V. Smith

    2000-10-01

    Full Text Available This study, which forms part of a larger project on Canaanite amphorae, illustrates the use of ceramic petrography in refining the visual classification of the fabrics of imported New Kingdom amphorae excavated from Memphis and Amarna in Egypt. Provenances for the Canaanite amphorae are suggested which contradict previous assumptions.

  16. DNA barcode and identification of the varieties and provenances of Taiwan's domestic and imported made teas using ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Shih-Chieh; Wang, Chia-Hsiang; Yen, Cheng-En; Chang, Chieh

    2017-04-01

    The major aim of made tea identification is to identify the variety and provenance of the tea plant. The present experiment used 113 tea plants [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] housed at the Tea Research and Extension Substation, from which 113 internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fragments, 104 trnL intron, and 98 trnL-trnF intergenic sequence region DNA sequences were successfully sequenced. The similarity of the ITS2 nucleotide sequences between tea plants housed at the Tea Research and Extension Substation was 0.379-0.994. In this polymerase chain reaction-amplified noncoding region, no varieties possessed identical sequences. Compared with the trnL intron and trnL-trnF intergenic sequence fragments of chloroplast cpDNA, the proportion of ITS2 nucleotide sequence variation was large and is more suitable for establishing a DNA barcode database to identify tea plant varieties. After establishing the database, 30 imported teas and 35 domestic made teas were used in this model system to explore the feasibility of using ITS2 sequences to identify the varieties and provenances of made teas. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using ITS2 sequences with the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean, which indicated that the same variety of tea plant is likely to be successfully categorized into one cluster, but contamination from other tea plants was also detected. This result provides molecular evidence that the similarity between important tea varieties in Taiwan remains high. We suggest a direct, wide collection of made tea and original samples of tea plants to establish an ITS2 sequence molecular barcode identification database to identify the varieties and provenances of tea plants. The DNA barcode comparison method can satisfy the need for a rapid, low-cost, frontline differentiation of the large amount of made teas from Taiwan and abroad, and can provide molecular evidence of their varieties and provenances. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Influence of tree provenance on biogenic VOC emissions of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stumps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kivimäenpää, Minna; Magsarjav, Narantsetseg; Ghimire, Rajendra; Markkanen, Juha-Matti; Heijari, Juha; Vuorinen, Martti; Holopainen, Jarmo K.

    2012-12-01

    Resin-storing plant species such as conifer trees can release substantial amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere under stress circumstances that cause resin flow. Wounding can be induced by animals, pathogens, wind or direct mechanical damage e.g. during harvesting. In atmospheric modelling of biogenic VOCs, actively growing vegetation has been mostly considered as the source of emissions. Root systems and stumps of resin-storing conifer trees could constitute a significant store of resin after tree cutting. Therefore, we assessed the VOC emission rates from the cut surface of Scots pine stumps and estimated the average emission rates for an area with a density of 2000 stumps per ha. The experiment was conducted with trees of one Estonian and three Finnish Scots pine provenances covering a 1200 km gradient at a common garden established in central Finland in 1991. VOC emissions were dominated by monoterpenes and less than 0.1% of the total emission was sesquiterpenes. α-Pinene (7-92% of the total emissions) and 3-carene (0-76% of the total emissions) were the dominant monoterpenes. Proportions of α-pinene and camphene were significantly lower and proportions of 3-carene, sabinene, γ-terpinene and terpinolene higher in the southernmost Saaremaa provenance compared to the other provenances. Total terpene emission rates (standardised to +20 °C) from stumps varied from 27 to 1582 mg h-1 m-2 when measured within 2-3 h after tree cutting. Emission rates decreased rapidly to between 2 and 79 mg h-1 m-2 at 50 days after cutting. The estimated daily terpene emission rates on a hectare basis from freshly cut stumps at a cut tree density of 2000 per ha varied depending on provenance. Estimated emission ranges were 100-710 g ha-1 d-1 and 137-970 g ha-1 d-1 in 40 and in 60 year-old forest stands, respectively. Our result suggests that emission directly from stump surfaces could be a significant source of monoterpene emissions for a few weeks after

  18. Signal or noise? Separating grain size-dependent Nd isotope variability from provenance shifts in Indus delta sediments, Pakistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jonell, T. N.; Li, Y.; Blusztajn, J.; Giosan, L.; Clift, P. D.

    2017-12-01

    Rare earth element (REE) radioisotope systems, such as neodymium (Nd), have been traditionally used as powerful tracers of source provenance, chemical weathering intensity, and sedimentary processes over geologic timescales. More recently, the effects of physical fractionation (hydraulic sorting) of sediments during transport have called into question the utility of Nd isotopes as a provenance tool. Is source terrane Nd provenance resolvable if sediment transport strongly induces noise? Can grain-size sorting effects be quantified? This study works to address such questions by utilizing grain size analysis, trace element geochemistry, and Nd isotope geochemistry of bulk and grain-size fractions (Pakistan. Here we evaluate how grain size effects drive Nd isotope variability and further resolve the total uncertainties associated with Nd isotope compositions of bulk sediments. Results from the Indus delta indicate bulk sediment ɛNd compositions are most similar to the <63 µm fraction as a result of strong mineralogical control on bulk compositions by silt- to clay-sized monazite and/or allanite. Replicate analyses determine that the best reproducibility (± 0.15 ɛNd points) is observed in the 125-250 µm fraction. The bulk and finest fractions display the worst reproducibility (±0.3 ɛNd points). Standard deviations (2σ) indicate that bulk sediment uncertainties are no more than ±1.0 ɛNd points. This argues that excursions of ≥1.0 ɛNd points in any bulk Indus delta sediments must in part reflect an external shift in provenance irrespective of sample composition, grain size, and grain size distribution. Sample standard deviations (2s) estimate that any terrigenous bulk sediment composition should vary no greater than ±1.1 ɛNd points if provenance remains constant. Findings from this study indicate that although there are grain-size dependent Nd isotope effects, they are minimal in the Indus delta such that resolvable provenance-driven trends can be

  19. Automated metadata, provenance cataloging and navigable interfaces: Ensuring the usefulness of extreme-scale data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schissel, D.P., E-mail: schissel@fusion.gat.com [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Abla, G.; Flanagan, S.M. [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Greenwald, M. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Lee, X. [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Romosan, A.; Shoshani, A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Stillerman, J.; Wright, J. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

    2014-05-15

    For scientific research, it is not the mere existence of experimental or simulation data that is important, but the ability to make use of it. This paper presents the results of research to create a data model, infrastructure, and a set of tools that support data tracking, cataloging, and integration across a broad scientific domain. The system is intended to document workflow and data provenance in the widest sense. Combining research on integrated metadata, provenance, and ontology information with research on user interfaces has allowed the construction of early prototype. While using fusion science as a test bed, the system's framework and data model is quite general.

  20. Automated metadata, provenance cataloging and navigable interfaces: Ensuring the usefulness of extreme-scale data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schissel, D.P.; Abla, G.; Flanagan, S.M.; Greenwald, M.; Lee, X.; Romosan, A.; Shoshani, A.; Stillerman, J.; Wright, J.

    2014-01-01

    For scientific research, it is not the mere existence of experimental or simulation data that is important, but the ability to make use of it. This paper presents the results of research to create a data model, infrastructure, and a set of tools that support data tracking, cataloging, and integration across a broad scientific domain. The system is intended to document workflow and data provenance in the widest sense. Combining research on integrated metadata, provenance, and ontology information with research on user interfaces has allowed the construction of early prototype. While using fusion science as a test bed, the system's framework and data model is quite general

  1. Rapidly aggravated Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease: autopsy-proven case

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Seung Hyun; Kang, Hyun Koo; Yu, Hyeon; Lee, Sang Chun [Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2005-11-15

    Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (DJD) is one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which is mediated by what has been known as 'prion'. It is a rare and fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the middle and old aged. There are a number of subtypes of CJD, one of which is the sporadic type characterized by rapidly progressing clinical symptoms, including progressive dementia, myoclonic jerk, and pyramidal or extrapyramidal syndrome. Patients usually end up dying within 1 to 2 years of contacting the disease. We report an autopsy-proven case of sporadic CJD with clinical symptoms that progressed within several days, along with dramatic changes on diffusion weighted magnetic resonance images.

  2. Rapidly aggravated Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease: autopsy-proven case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Seung Hyun; Kang, Hyun Koo; Yu, Hyeon; Lee, Sang Chun

    2005-01-01

    Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (DJD) is one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which is mediated by what has been known as 'prion'. It is a rare and fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the middle and old aged. There are a number of subtypes of CJD, one of which is the sporadic type characterized by rapidly progressing clinical symptoms, including progressive dementia, myoclonic jerk, and pyramidal or extrapyramidal syndrome. Patients usually end up dying within 1 to 2 years of contacting the disease. We report an autopsy-proven case of sporadic CJD with clinical symptoms that progressed within several days, along with dramatic changes on diffusion weighted magnetic resonance images

  3. Renewable Energy and Proven Oil Reserves Relation: Evidence from OPEC Members

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Arcan TUZCU

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The well documented literature on the relation between energy consumption and climate change has been extended by the addition of renewable energy consumption. Several studies show its impact on technical efficiency, per capita income or carbon dioxide (CO2 emission levels for developed and developing countries. However, to the extent of our knowledge, very few of them state the importance of renewable energy for the countries where the main type of fossil fuels, oil, is exported. This study aims to explore the association between renewable energy, real gross domestic product (GDP, CO2 emission level, real oil prices as well as the proven oil reserves for seven members of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC. The analyses are conducted using panel data techniques, namely fixed effect – random effect tests. Our results show a positive and significant relation between renewable energy consumption, and real GDP and CO2 emission level. A statistically not significant coefficient is found for the relation between renewable energy and the proven oil reserves. The relation between energy and real oil prices is also insignificant.

  4. Responses to mild water deficit and rewatering differ among secondary metabolites but are similar among provenances within Eucalyptus species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKiernan, Adam B; Potts, Brad M; Brodribb, Timothy J; Hovenden, Mark J; Davies, Noel W; McAdam, Scott A M; Ross, John J; Rodemann, Thomas; O'Reilly-Wapstra, Julianne M

    2016-02-01

    Water deficit associated with drought can severely affect plants and influence ecological interactions involving plant secondary metabolites. We tested the effect of mild water deficit and rewatering on physiological, morphological and chemical traits of juvenile Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and Eucalyptus viminalis Labill. We also tested if responses of juvenile eucalypts to water deficit and rewatering varied within species using provenances across a rainfall gradient. Both species and all provenances were similarly affected by mild water deficit and rewatering, as only foliar abscisic acid levels differed among provenances during water deficit. Across species and provenances, water deficit decreased leaf water potential, above-ground biomass and formylated phloroglucinol compound concentrations, and increased condensed tannin concentrations. Rewatering reduced leaf carbon : nitrogen, and total phenolic and chlorogenic acid concentrations. Water deficit and rewatering had no effect on total oil or individual terpene concentrations. Levels of trait plasticity due to water deficit and rewatering were less than levels of constitutive trait variation among provenances. The overall uniformity of responses to the treatments regardless of native provenance indicates limited diversification of plastic responses when compared with the larger quantitative variation of constitutive traits within these species. These responses to mild water deficit may differ from responses to more extreme water deficit or to responses of juvenile/mature eucalypts growing at each locality. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. PIXE characterization of Western Mediterranean and Anatolian obsidians and Neolithic provenance studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Bourdonnec, F.-X.; Delerue, S.; Dubernet, S.; Moretto, Ph.; Calligaro, Th.; Dran, J.-C.; Poupeau, G.

    2005-01-01

    The possibility of non-destructive elemental analysis makes PIXE a very attractive technique in archaeological provenance studies. This technique has been fruitfully implemented on two different facilities to address the issue of obsidian provenance in the Mediterranean and in surrounding regions. At C2RMF, we took advantage of the possibility to analyze large archaeological pieces with the external micro-beam set-up. At CENBG, we used the nuclear microprobe providing a 5 μm beam diameter in large scans (700 x 700 μm 2 ) to control the homogeneity of elemental distribution. In both cases we dosed the same set of 13 elements: Na, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr and Zr. While at C2RMF, two Si(Li) detectors were used simultaneously to measure all elements at once with 3 MeV protons, at CENBG where only one detector was available, the light elements Na to Fe were determined with a 1.5 MeV beam, and the heavy ones, including Fe, with a beam energy of 2.7 MeV. In Western Mediterranean, it is possible with PIXE to differentiate all obsidian sources of archaeological significance. Examples are given of obsidian provenances from Neolithic sites of France and from the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. In the Near East, we can differentiate the Cappadocian and Eastern Anatolian obsidian sources used during the early Neolithic. This is illustrated by examples taken from Neolithic sites of the Middle Euphrates Valley (Syria)

  6. Neurological symptoms in patients with biopsy proven celiac disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bürk, Katrin; Farecki, Marie-Louise; Lamprecht, Georg; Roth, Guenter; Decker, Patrice; Weller, Michael; Rammensee, Hans-Georg; Oertel, Wolfang

    2009-12-15

    In celiac disease (CD), the gut is the typical manifestation site but atypical neurological presentations are thought to occur in 6 to 10% with cerebellar ataxia being the most frequent symptom. Most studies in this field are focused on patients under primary neurological care. To exclude such an observation bias, patients with biopsy proven celiac disease were screened for neurological disease. A total of 72 patients with biopsy proven celiac disease (CD) (mean age 51 +/- 15 years, mean disease duration 8 +/- 11 years) were recruited through advertisements. All participants adhered to a gluten-free diet. Patients were interviewed following a standard questionnaire and examined clinically for neurological symptoms. Medical history revealed neurological disorders such as migraine (28%), carpal tunnel syndrome (20%), vestibular dysfunction (8%), seizures (6%), and myelitis (3%). Interestingly, 35% of patients with CD reported of a history of psychiatric disease including depression, personality changes, or even psychosis. Physical examination yielded stance and gait problems in about one third of patients that could be attributed to afferent ataxia in 26%, vestibular dysfunction in 6%, and cerebellar ataxia in 6%. Other motor features such as basal ganglia symptoms, pyramidal tract signs, tics, and myoclonus were infrequent. 35% of patients with CD showed deep sensory loss and reduced ankle reflexes in 14%. Gait disturbances in CD do not only result from cerebellar ataxia but also from proprioceptive or vestibular impairment. Neurological problems may even develop despite strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. (c) 2009 Movement Disorder Society.

  7. Remaining missed opportunities of child survival in Peru: modelling mortality impact of universal and equitable coverage of proven interventions

    OpenAIRE

    Yvonne Tam; Luis Huicho; Carlos A. Huayanay-Espinoza; María Clara Restrepo-Méndez

    2016-01-01

    Background Peru has made great improvements in reducing stunting and child mortality in the past decade, and has reached the Millennium Development Goals 1 and 4. The remaining challenges or missed opportunities for child survival needs to be identified and quantified, in order to guide the next steps to further improve child survival in Peru. Methods We used the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) to project the mortality impact of proven interventions reaching every women and child in need, and the mor...

  8. Method æ, the agile software development method tailored for the pharmaceutical industry.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hajou, A.; Batenburg, R.S.; Jansen, S.

    2015-01-01

    Agile software development methods have a high adoption rate due to their proven business benefits. Its success has not yet been identified in the pharmaceutical industry, due to the industry’s incompatibility with generic agile methods. Comprehensive research has been done to engineer a tailored

  9. Provenance and composition study on Terengganu inscribed stone using in-situ nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaafar Abdullah; Roslan Yahya; Hearie Hassan; Engku Mohd Fahmi Engku Chik; Mohamad Rabaie Shari; Airwan Affendi Mahmood; Abdul Quddoss Abu Bakar; Ainul Mardhiah Terry

    2012-01-01

    This paper focused on the analysis of trace elements and provenance study of the Inscribed Stone of Terengganu (BBPT) using Neutron-induced Prompt Gamma-Ray Techniques (NIPGAT). In this study, portable NIPGAT system was designed and developed by using volume-based measurement. It is a nondestructive testing technique for the samples. This system uses low activity of isotopic neutron radioactive source from californium-252 (Cf-252) as an irradiation source. Gamma ray spectroscopy as well as specialized computer software has been utilized to conduct the research. The study has determined that the stone was a dolerite stone based on the composition of the stone elements. Although most of the scientific data for this study have been collected, this project is still running to complete the scope of provenance study. (author)

  10. Study on the provenance of ancient porcelain excavated in Maojiawan ruin by WDXRF analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Guoxi

    2007-01-01

    In order to determine the provenance of two different kinds of ancient celadons which were excavated in Maojiawan ruin located in Beijing of China and named FLQ (imitated celadon) and WLNQ which is celadon outside and blue-white inside, ten components of each sample's body and glaze were measured by the wave length dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) analysis. Multivariates statistical analysis was used to analyze and compare the experiment data with those of LQY (ancient celadon) made in Zhejiang and ancient Jingdezhen porcelain (JDZ) made in Jingdezhen. The results show that the two different kinds of ancient celadons have the same provenance as JDZ, that is, they were produced in Jingdezhen. (authors)

  11. Isotopic approach to the provenance study of artifacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mabuchi, Hisao

    1994-01-01

    Isotopic abundance ratios, which are proved to be generally constant, are known to vary, for certain elements, from one place to another. Light elements, such as hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, show measurable variations of their isotope ratios due to isotopic fractionation which takes place during geochemical or biochemical processes. Isotope ratios of strontium and lead vary due to the decay of long-lived radioactive nuclides 87 Rb and 238 U- 235 U- 232 Th, respectively. Such isotopic anomalies can be applicable to provenance studies of archaeological objects. Thus, 13 C/ 12 C, 18 O/ 16 O, or 87 Sr/ 86 Sr were used to examine the authenticity of Greek marble statues. Also, lead isotope ratios have been used since mid-1960s extensively for provenance studies of glasses and bronzes of different civilizations. As an example, the author presents a series of his own works on lead isotope ratios applied to ancient Japanese bronzes, which are summarized as follows. 1) It was generally observed that lead isotope ratios reflect difference in culture to which bronzes belong. 2) Mirrors in the Western Han period (206 B.C. - A.D.8) are clearly distinguished by lead isotope ratios from those made after the mid-Eastern Han period (ca.A.D.150 - 300). 3) Korean mirrors and weapons excavated from the Yayoi sites contain lead of easily recognizable Mississippi Valley type. 4) Bronze objects made in Japan (imitative Han style mirrors, Dotaku, imitative weapons, arrowheads etc.) in the Yayoi and Kofun periods are classified by lead isotope ratios in the following order: the Korean mirror type to the Western Han mirror type in the Yayoi period and the mid- to post- Han mirror type in the Kofun period. 5) Indigenous Japanese lead seems to have been used after the mid-7th century. (J.P.N.)

  12. Federated provenance of oceanographic research cruises: from metadata to data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Rob; Leadbetter, Adam; Shepherd, Adam

    2016-04-01

    The World Wide Web Consortium's Provenance Data Model and associated Semantic Web ontology (PROV-O) have created much interest in the Earth and Space Science Informatics community (Ma et al., 2014). Indeed, PROV-O has recently been posited as an upper ontology for the alignment of various data models (Cox, 2015). Similarly, PROV-O has been used as the building blocks of a data release lifecycle ontology (Leadbetter & Buck, 2015). In this presentation we show that the alignment between different local data descriptions of an oceanographic research cruise can be achieved through alignment with PROV-O and that descriptions of the funding bodies, organisations and researchers involved in a cruise and its associated data release lifecycle can be modelled within a PROV-O based environment. We show that, at a first-order, this approach is scalable by presenting results from three endpoints (the Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA; the British Oceanographic Data Centre at the National Oceanography Centre, UK; and the Marine Institute, Ireland). Current advances in ontology engineering, provide pathways to resolving reasoning issues from varying perspectives on implementing PROV-O. This includes the use of the Information Object design pattern where such edge cases as research cruise scheduling efforts are considered. PROV-O describes only things which have happened, but the Information Object design pattern allows for the description of planned research cruises through its statement that the local data description is not the the entity itself (in this case the planned research cruise) and therefore the local data description itself can be described using the PROV-O model. In particular, we present the use of the data lifecycle ontology to show the connection between research cruise activities and their associated datasets, and the publication of those data sets online with Digital Object Identifiers and

  13. A user-orientated approach to provenance capture and representation for in silico experiments, explored within the atmospheric chemistry community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Chris J; Haji, Mohammed H; Jimack, Peter K; Pilling, Michael J; Dew, Peter M

    2009-07-13

    We present a novel user-orientated approach to provenance capture and representation for in silico experiments, contrasted against the more systems-orientated approaches that have been typical within the e-Science domain. In our approach, we seek to capture the scientist's reasoning in the form of annotations as an experiment evolves, while using the scientist's terminology in the representation of process provenance. Our user-orientated approach is applied in a case study within the atmospheric chemistry domain: we consider the design, development and evaluation of an electronic laboratory notebook, a provenance capture and storage tool, for iterative model development.

  14. The provenance study of Chinese ancient architectonical colored glaze by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Lin; Feng Songlin; Li Rongwu; Lue Zhirong; Li Guoxia

    2008-01-01

    The colored glazes are very popular and famous in Chinese ancient architectures. In order to exactly locate the provenance of ancient architectonical colored glazes, 196 pieces of ancient colored glaze bodies and porcelain bodies fired in Xiyue Temple and Lidipo kiln are analyzed by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are reported and discussed in this paper

  15. The provenance study of Chinese ancient architectonical colored glaze by INAA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng Lin [Key Laboratory of Beam Technology and Material Modification of Ministry of Education, College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Radiation Center, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)], E-mail: chenglin@bnu.edu.cn; Feng Songlin [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li Rongwu [Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100049 (China); Lue Zhirong [Shan' xi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xi' an 710054 (China); Li Guoxia [Institute of Physical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052 (China)

    2008-12-15

    The colored glazes are very popular and famous in Chinese ancient architectures. In order to exactly locate the provenance of ancient architectonical colored glazes, 196 pieces of ancient colored glaze bodies and porcelain bodies fired in Xiyue Temple and Lidipo kiln are analyzed by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are reported and discussed in this paper.

  16. Effects of temperature and drought manipulations on seedlings of Scots pine provenances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taeger, S; Sparks, T H; Menzel, A

    2015-03-01

    Rising temperatures and more frequent and severe climatic extremes as a consequence of climate change are expected to affect growth and distribution of tree species that are adapted to current local conditions. Species distribution models predict a considerable loss of habitats for Pinus sylvestris. These models do not consider possible intraspecific differences in response to drought and warming that could buffer those impacts. We tested 10 European provenances of P. sylvestris, from the southwestern to the central European part of the species distribution, for their response to warming and to drought using a factorial design. In this common-garden experiment the air surrounding plants was heated directly to prevent excessive soil heating, and drought manipulation, using a rain-out shelter, permitted almost natural radiation, including high light stress. Plant responses were assessed as changes in phenology, growth increment and biomass allocation. Seedlings of P. sylvestris revealed a plastic response to drought by increased taproot length and root-shoot ratios. Strongest phenotypic plasticity of root growth was found for southwestern provenances, indicating a specific drought adaptation at the cost of overall low growth of aboveground structures even under non-drought conditions. Warming had a minor effect on growth but advanced phenological development and had a contrasting effect on bud biomass and diameter increment, depending on water availability. The intraspecific variation of P. sylvestris provenances could buffer climate change impacts, although additional factors such as the adaptation to other climatic extremes have to be considered before assisted migration could become a management option. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  17. Mineralogy, stratigraphy, and provenance of soil coverbeds in the Kumara district, Westland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neall, V.E.; Stewart, R.B.; Wallace, R.C.; Williams, M.C.; Mew, G.

    2001-01-01

    The sand and silt mineralogy of four soils preserved on fluvioglacial outwash terraces at Kumara indicates that the main soil body is developed in up to 1 m of loessial coverbeds that accumulated subsequent to cessation of gravel terrace formation. Oxygen isotope abundances of the dominant mineral quartz in these soils show a higher temperature origin for the >250 micro-m fraction, consistent with derivation from local granodiorites. Finer quartz is of a mixed provenance origin consistent with the variety of rock types in the region. The finest quartz, <5 micro-m, of aerosolic origin, can be used as a proxy time record for the coverbed accumulations. The widespread 22 590 yr BP Aokautere Ash chronohorizon is preserved in three of the profiles, whilst wind redeposition of the glass shards is responsible for traces of rhyolitic glass in all subsequent horizons. Widespread landscape erosion is postulated either immediately before or during deposition of the K-1 terrace, so that similar subsequent coverbed sequences ae preserved on the K-1 and all older terraces in this district. Magnetic mineral assemblages in the profiles indicate a slightly different loessial provenance for the Cockeye, K-1, and K-2.1 profiles, but the K-2.2 is significantly different from the rest. This is probably a function of aeolian winnowing and variablity of source materials. In the past, different mountain catchments have connected with different lower river reaches, due to transcurrent movement on the Alpine Fault. This is interpreted as having led to changing provenance of river sediment supplying loess to local soils. (author). 39 refs.,10 figs., 4 tabs

  18. Microbial profile of the vitreous aspirates in culture proven exogenous endophthalmitis: A 10-year retrospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H Bhattacharjee

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To describe the microbiological profile and clinical outcome in the eyes with culture-proven exogenous endophthalmitis. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 495 eyes diagnosed as exogenous endophthalmitis was performed over a period of 10 years. In all, aseptically collected aqueous and vitreous aspirates were cultured for bacteria and fungus using standard microbiological techniques. Gram-stain and KOH preparation of the specimens were also performed. The antibiotic susceptibility testing for bacterial isolates was performed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The treatment was modified according to the antibiotic sensitivity profile. The final clinical ocular condition was divided into improved, stable or deteriorated. Results: Of 148 culture-proven endophthalmitis eyes, 137 (92.57% were referred from elsewhere, and 11 (7.43% belonged to our institute. Aetiologically, 76 (51.35% eyes were post-cataract surgery, 61 (41.22% were post-traumatic, 5 (3.38% eyes post-intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection, 5 associated with corneal diseases and 1 bleb-related endophthalmitis. In 31 (20.95% eyes, primary intravitreal antibiotics were given outside. The cultures revealed monomicrobial growth in 92.57% (n = 137 and polymicrobial growth in 7.43% (n = 11. Among the bacteria (n = 121, 81.76%, Pseudomonas species dominated overall (n = 32, 27.11% and post-operative (n = 26, 38.23% endophthalmitis group. Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 14, 28% was prominent in post-traumatic endophthalmitis group. Ninety-two percent (n = 108 isolates of bacteria were sensitive to vancomycin. In 78 (52.7% eyes, the clinical ocular condition improved or remained stable while deteriorated in 51 (34.46%. Conclusion: A bacterial predominance was observed among causative organisms of exogenous endophthalmitis with Pseudomonas species being the most common. The appropriate surgical intervention improved or stabilised the visual acuity in nearly

  19. Phorbol esters seed content and distribution in Latin American provenances of Jatropha curcas L.: potential for biopesticide, food and feed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bueso, Francisco; Sosa, Italo; Chun, Roldan; Pineda, Renan

    2016-01-01

    Jatropha curcas L. (Jatropha) is believed to have originated from Mexico and Central America. So far, characterization efforts have focused on Asia, Africa and Mexico. Non-toxic, low phorbol ester (PE) varieties have been found only in Mexico. Differences in PE content in seeds and its structural components, crude oil and cake from Jatropha provenances cultivated in Central and South America were evaluated. Seeds were dehulled, and kernels were separated into tegmen, cotyledons and embryo for PE quantitation by RP-HPLC. Crude oil and cake PE content was also measured. No phenotypic departures in seed size and structure were observed among Jatropha cultivated in Central and South America compared to provenances from Mexico, Asia and Africa. Cotyledons comprised 96.2-97.5 %, tegmen 1.6-2.4 % and embryo represented 0.9-1.4 % of dehulled kernel. Total PE content of all nine provenances categorized them as toxic. Significant differences in kernel PE content were observed among provenances from Mexico, Central and South America (P 95 % of PEs concentrated in cotyledons, 0.5-3 % in the tegmen and 0.5-1 % in the embryo. Over 60 % of total PE in dehulled kernels accumulated in the crude oil, while 35-40 % remained in the cake after extraction. Low phenotypic variability in seed physical, structural traits and PE content was observed among provenances from Latin America. Very high-PE provenances with potential as biopesticide were found in Central America. No PE-free, edible Jatropha was found among provenances currently cultivated in Central America and Brazil that could be used for human consumption and feedstock. Furthermore, dehulled kernel structural parts as well as its crude oil and cake contained toxic PE levels.

  20. Foliar nitrogen metabolism of adult Douglas-fir trees is affected by soil water availability and varies little among provenances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Baoguo; Kreuzwieser, Jürgen; Dannenmann, Michael; Junker, Laura Verena; Kleiber, Anita; Hess, Moritz; Jansen, Kirstin; Eiblmeier, Monika; Gessler, Arthur; Kohnle, Ulrich; Ensminger, Ingo; Rennenberg, Heinz; Wildhagen, Henning

    2018-01-01

    The coniferous forest tree Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is native to the pacific North America, and is increasingly planted in temperate regions worldwide. Nitrogen (N) metabolism is of great importance for growth, resistance and resilience of trees. In the present study, foliar N metabolism of adult trees of three coastal and one interior provenance of Douglas-fir grown at two common gardens in southwestern Germany (Wiesloch, W; Schluchsee, S) were characterized in two subsequent years. Both the native North American habitats of the seed sources and the common garden sites in Germany differ in climate conditions. Total and mineral soil N as well as soil water content were higher in S compared to W. We hypothesized that i) provenances differ constitutively in N pool sizes and composition, ii) N pools are affected by environmental conditions, and iii) that effects of environmental factors on N pools differ among interior and coastal provenances. Soil water content strongly affected the concentrations of total N, soluble protein, total amino acids (TAA), arginine and glutamate. Foliar concentrations of total N, soluble protein, structural N and TAA of trees grown at W were much higher than in trees at S. Provenance effects were small but significant for total N and soluble protein content (interior provenance showed lowest concentrations), as well as arginine, asparagine and glutamate. Our data suggest that needle N status of adult Douglas-fir is independent from soil N availability and that low soil water availability induces a re-allocation of N from structural N to metabolic N pools. Small provenance effects on N pools suggest that local adaptation of Douglas-fir is not dominated by N conditions at the native habitats.

  1. Multiparametric evaluation by simultaneous PET-MRI examination in patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cavaliere, Carlo; Romeo, Valeria; Aiello, Marco; Mesolella, Massimo; Iorio, Brigida; Barbuto, Luigi; Cantone, Elena; Nicolai, Emanuele; Covello, Mario

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • PET/MRI is feasible and useful for primary staging of laryngeal cancer. • PET/MRI simultaneously provides morphological, metabolic and functional parameters of tumoral laryngeal lesions. • PET/MRI allows an appropriate tumoral staging in terms of lesion extension with significant impact on therapeutic strategies. - Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between metabolic 18Fluoro-Deoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (18FDG/PET) and morpho-functional parameters derived by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer. To assess the clinical impact of PET/MRI examination on patient’s staging and treatment planning. Methods: 16 patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer were enrolled and underwent whole body PET/CT followed by a dedicated PET/MRI of the head/neck region. Data were separately evaluated by two blinded groups: metabolic (SUV and MTV), diffusion (ADC) and perfusion (K trans , V e , k ep and iAUC) maps were obtained by positioning regions of interest (ROIs). Tumoral local extension assessed on PET/MRI was compared to endoscopic findings. Results: A good inter-observer agreement was found in anatomical location and local extension of PET/MRI lesions (Cohen’s kappa 0.9). PET/CT SUV measures highly correlate with ones derived by PET/MRI (e.g., p = 0.96 for measures on VOI). Significant correlations among metabolic, diffusion and perfusion parameters have been detected. PET/MRI had a relevant clinical impact, confirming endoscopic findings (6 cases), helping treatment planning (9 cases), and modifying endoscopic primary staging (1 case). Conclusions: PET/MRI is useful for primary staging of laryngeal cancer, allowing simultaneous collection of metabolic and functional data and conditioning the therapeutic strategies.

  2. Multiparametric evaluation by simultaneous PET-MRI examination in patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cavaliere, Carlo [IRCCS SDN, Via E. Gianturco, 113-80143, Naples (Italy); Romeo, Valeria, E-mail: valeria.romeo@unina.it [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples (Italy); Aiello, Marco [IRCCS SDN, Via E. Gianturco, 113-80143, Naples (Italy); Mesolella, Massimo; Iorio, Brigida [Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatologic Science, ENT Section, Federico II University, Naples (Italy); Barbuto, Luigi [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples (Italy); Cantone, Elena [Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatologic Science, ENT Section, Federico II University, Naples (Italy); Nicolai, Emanuele; Covello, Mario [IRCCS SDN, Via E. Gianturco, 113-80143, Naples (Italy)

    2017-03-15

    Highlights: • PET/MRI is feasible and useful for primary staging of laryngeal cancer. • PET/MRI simultaneously provides morphological, metabolic and functional parameters of tumoral laryngeal lesions. • PET/MRI allows an appropriate tumoral staging in terms of lesion extension with significant impact on therapeutic strategies. - Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between metabolic 18Fluoro-Deoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (18FDG/PET) and morpho-functional parameters derived by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer. To assess the clinical impact of PET/MRI examination on patient’s staging and treatment planning. Methods: 16 patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer were enrolled and underwent whole body PET/CT followed by a dedicated PET/MRI of the head/neck region. Data were separately evaluated by two blinded groups: metabolic (SUV and MTV), diffusion (ADC) and perfusion (K{sub trans}, V{sub e}, k{sub ep} and iAUC) maps were obtained by positioning regions of interest (ROIs). Tumoral local extension assessed on PET/MRI was compared to endoscopic findings. Results: A good inter-observer agreement was found in anatomical location and local extension of PET/MRI lesions (Cohen’s kappa 0.9). PET/CT SUV measures highly correlate with ones derived by PET/MRI (e.g., p = 0.96 for measures on VOI). Significant correlations among metabolic, diffusion and perfusion parameters have been detected. PET/MRI had a relevant clinical impact, confirming endoscopic findings (6 cases), helping treatment planning (9 cases), and modifying endoscopic primary staging (1 case). Conclusions: PET/MRI is useful for primary staging of laryngeal cancer, allowing simultaneous collection of metabolic and functional data and conditioning the therapeutic strategies.

  3. Climate-related Indicators and Data Provenance: Evaluating Coupled Boundary Objects for Science, Innovation, and Decision-Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiggins, A.; Young, A.; Brody, C.; Gerst, M.; Kenney, M. A.; Lamoureux, A.; Rice, A.; Wolfinger, F.

    2015-12-01

    Boundary object theory focuses on the role of artifacts, such as indicator images, in translation and communication across the boundaries of social groups. We use this framework for understanding how data can communicate across contexts to answer the question: Can coupling climate-related indicators with data provenance support scientific innovation and science translation? To address this question we conducted a study to understand the features and capabilities necessary for indicators and data provenance for scientific uses, using the recently online-released U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) Indicators and Global Change Information System (GCIS) as linked boundary objects. We conducted semi-structured interviews with professional researchers in which we asked the researchers to explore and describe what they observed that was useful or frustrating for a subset of the USGCRP Indicators, related GCIS content, and other similar indicator and metadata websites. Participants found these sites' navigation and the labeling and description of their assets frustrating and confusing, but were able to clearly articulate the metadata and provenance information they needed to both understand and trust the indicators. In addition to identifying desired features that are likely to be specific to this audience (e.g., references or citations for indicators), scientists wanted clear, easier-to-access provenance information of the type usually recommended for documenting research data. Notably, they felt the information would be best presented in a fashion accessible to a broader audience, as those with more technical expertise should be able to infer additional contextual details given the provenance information that they had identified as key. Such results are useful for the improvement of indicator systems, such as the prototype released by USGCRP. We note in particular that the consistency of responses across the multi-disciplinary sample, which included scholars in

  4. Citation and Recognition of contributions using Semantic Provenance Knowledge Captured in the OPeNDAP Software Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, P.; Michaelis, J.; Lebot, T.; McGuinness, D. L.; Fox, P. A.

    2014-12-01

    Providing proper citation and attribution for published data, derived data products, and the software tools used to generate them, has always been an important aspect of scientific research. However, It is often the case that this type of detailed citation and attribution is lacking. This is in part because it often requires manual markup since dynamic generation of this type of provenance information is not typically done by the tools used to access, manipulate, transform, and visualize data. In addition, the tools themselves lack the information needed to be properly cited themselves. The OPeNDAP Hyrax Software Framework is a tool that provides access to and the ability to constrain, manipulate, and transform, different types of data from different data formats, into a common format, the DAP (Data Access Protocol), in order to derive new data products. A user, or another software client, specifies an HTTP URL in order to access a particular piece of data, and appropriately transform it to suit a specific purpose of use. The resulting data products, however, do not contain any information about what data was used to create it, or the software process used to generate it, let alone information that would allow the proper citing and attribution to down stream researchers and tool developers. We will present our approach to provenance capture in Hyrax including a mechanism that can be used to report back to the hosting site any derived products, such as publications and reports, using the W3C PROV recommendation pingback service. We will demonstrate our utilization of Semantic Web and Web standards, the development of an information model that extends the PROV model for provenance capture, and the development of the pingback service. We will present our findings, as well as our practices for providing provenance information, visualization of the provenance information, and the development of pingback services, to better enable scientists and tool developers to be

  5. Petrogenesis of the NE Gondwanan uppermost Ediacaran-Lower Cretaceous siliciclastic sequence of Jordan: Provenance, tectonic, and climatic implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amireh, Belal S.

    2018-04-01

    Detrital framework modes of the NE Gondwanan uppermost Ediacaran-Lower Cretaceous siliciclastic sequence of Jordan are determined employing the routine polarized light microscope. The lower part of this sequence constitutes a segment of the vast lower Paleozoic siliciclastic sheet flanking the northern Gondwana margin that was deposited over a regional unconformity truncating the outskirts of the East African orogen in the aftermath of the Neoproterozoic amalgamation of Gondwana. The research aims to evaluate the factors governing the detrital light mineral composition of this sandstone. The provenance terranes of the Arabian craton controlled by plate tectonics appear to be the primary factor in most of the formations, which could be either directly inferred employing Dickinson's compositional triangles or implied utilizing the petrographic data achieved and the available tectonic and geological data. The Arabian-Nubian Shield constitutes invariably the craton interior or the transitional provenance terrane within the NE Gondwana continental block that consistently supplied sandy detritus through northward-flowing braided rivers to all the lower Paleozoic formations. On the other hand, the Lower Cretaceous Series received siliciclastic debris, through braided-meandering rivers having same northward dispersal direction, additionally from the lower Paleozoic and lower-middle Mesozoic platform strata in the Arabian Craton. The formations making about 50% of the siliciclastic sequence represent a success for Dickinson's plate tectonics-provenance approach in attributing the detrital framework components primarily to the plate tectonic setting of the provenance terranes. However, even under this success, the varying effects of the other secondary sedimentological and paleoclimatological factors are important and could be crucial. The inapplicability of this approach to infer the appropriate provenance terranes of the remaining formations could be ascribed either to the

  6. Protru: Leveraging Provenance to Enhance Network Trust in a Wireless Sensor Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dogan, Gulustan

    2013-01-01

    Trust can be an important component of wireless sensor networks for believability of the produced data and historical value is a crucial asset in deciding trust of the data. A node's trust can change over time after its initial deployment due to various reasons such as energy loss, environmental conditions or exhausting sources. Provenance can…

  7. Applying Formal Methods to NASA Projects: Transition from Research to Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othon, Bill

    2009-01-01

    NASA project managers attempt to manage risk by relying on mature, well-understood process and technology when designing spacecraft. In the case of crewed systems, the margin for error is even tighter and leads to risk aversion. But as we look to future missions to the Moon and Mars, the complexity of the systems will increase as the spacecraft and crew work together with less reliance on Earth-based support. NASA will be forced to look for new ways to do business. Formal methods technologies can help NASA develop complex but cost effective spacecraft in many domains, including requirements and design, software development and inspection, and verification and validation of vehicle subsystems. To realize these gains, the technologies must be matured and field-tested so that they are proven when needed. During this discussion, current activities used to evaluate FM technologies for Orion spacecraft design will be reviewed. Also, suggestions will be made to demonstrate value to current designers, and mature the technology for eventual use in safety-critical NASA missions.

  8. Neutron activation analysis of bulk samples from Chinese ancient porcelain to provenance research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jian Zhu; Wentao Hao; Jianming Zhen; Tongxiu Zhen; Glascock, M.D.

    2013-01-01

    Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is an important technique to determine the provenance of ancient ceramics. The most common technique used for preparing ancient samples for NAA is to grind them into a powder and then encapsulate them before neutron irradiation. Unfortunately, ceramic materials are typically very hard making it a challenge to grind them into a powder. In this study we utilize bulk porcelain samples cut from ancient shards. The bulk samples are irradiated by neutrons alongside samples that have been conventionally ground into a powder. The NAA for both the bulk samples and powders are compared and shown to provide equivalent information regarding their chemical composition. Also, the multivariate statistical have been employed to the analysis data for check the consistency. The findings suggest that NAA results are less dependent on the state of the porcelain sample, and thus bulk samples cut from shards may be used to effectively determine their provenance. (author)

  9. Beyond the midbrain atrophy: wide spectrum of structural MRI finding in cases of pathologically proven progressive supranuclear palsy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakurai, Keita; Tokumaru, Aya M.; Shimoji, Keigo; Murayama, Shigeo; Kanemaru, Kazutomi; Morimoto, Satoru; Aiba, Ikuko; Nakagawa, Motoo; Ozawa, Yoshiyuki; Shimohira, Masashi; Shibamoto, Yuta; Matsukawa, Noriyuki; Hashizume, Yoshio

    2017-01-01

    Recently, it has been recognized that pathologically proven progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) cases are classified into various clinical subtypes with non-uniform symptoms and imaging findings. This article reviews essential imaging findings, general information, and advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for PSP and presents these MRI findings of pathologically proven typical and atypical PSP cases for educational purposes. With the review of literatures, notably including atypical pathologically proven PSP cases, MRI and clinical information of 15 pathologically proven typical and atypical PSP cases were retrospectively evaluated. In addition to typical symptoms, PSP patients can exhibit atypical symptoms including levodopa-responsive parkinsonism, pure akinesia, non-fluent aphasia, corticobasal syndrome, and predominant cerebellar ataxia. As well as clinical symptoms, the degree of midbrain atrophy, a well-known imaging hallmark, is not consistent in atypical PSP cases. This fact has important implications for the limitation of midbrain atrophy as a diagnostic imaging biomarker of PSP pathology. Additional evaluation of other imaging findings including various regional atrophies of the globus pallidus, frontal lobe, cerebral peduncle, and superior cerebellar peduncle is essential for the diagnosis of atypical PSP cases. It is necessary for radiologists to recognize the wide clinical and radiological spectra of typical and atypical PSP cases. (orig.)

  10. Beyond the midbrain atrophy: wide spectrum of structural MRI finding in cases of pathologically proven progressive supranuclear palsy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sakurai, Keita; Tokumaru, Aya M.; Shimoji, Keigo [Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Center of Gerontology, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tokyo (Japan); Murayama, Shigeo; Kanemaru, Kazutomi; Morimoto, Satoru [Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Department of Neurology, Tokyo (Japan); Aiba, Ikuko [National Hospital Organization Higashi Nagoya National Hospital, Department of Neurology, Nagoya (Japan); Nakagawa, Motoo; Ozawa, Yoshiyuki; Shimohira, Masashi; Shibamoto, Yuta [Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Department of Radiology, Nagoya (Japan); Matsukawa, Noriyuki [Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Nagoya (Japan); Hashizume, Yoshio [Fukushimura Hospital, Choju Medical Institute, Toyohashi (Japan)

    2017-05-15

    Recently, it has been recognized that pathologically proven progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) cases are classified into various clinical subtypes with non-uniform symptoms and imaging findings. This article reviews essential imaging findings, general information, and advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for PSP and presents these MRI findings of pathologically proven typical and atypical PSP cases for educational purposes. With the review of literatures, notably including atypical pathologically proven PSP cases, MRI and clinical information of 15 pathologically proven typical and atypical PSP cases were retrospectively evaluated. In addition to typical symptoms, PSP patients can exhibit atypical symptoms including levodopa-responsive parkinsonism, pure akinesia, non-fluent aphasia, corticobasal syndrome, and predominant cerebellar ataxia. As well as clinical symptoms, the degree of midbrain atrophy, a well-known imaging hallmark, is not consistent in atypical PSP cases. This fact has important implications for the limitation of midbrain atrophy as a diagnostic imaging biomarker of PSP pathology. Additional evaluation of other imaging findings including various regional atrophies of the globus pallidus, frontal lobe, cerebral peduncle, and superior cerebellar peduncle is essential for the diagnosis of atypical PSP cases. It is necessary for radiologists to recognize the wide clinical and radiological spectra of typical and atypical PSP cases. (orig.)

  11. EPR spectroscopy can help with paint pigment provenance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Troup, G.J.; Hutton, D.R.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: The microwave magnetic spectroscopic technique EPR can be used to determine the presence of paramagnetic impurities in paint pigments, and the purity of composition regarding the main colourant. Hence EPR can help determine provenance of pigments, just as it can for gemstones. Specimens of Lapis Lazuli (synthetic, Afghanistan, Chile, Greenland) showed quite recognisably different spectra, at room temperature, in a Varian E-12 X-band spectrometer (9.1 GHz frequency). Similarly, specimens of yellow ochre, two imported into Australia, one North Australian, another 95% pure Goethite, showed recognisably different spectra. The North Australian one uniquely gave a known radiation damage signal from quartz, perhaps to be expected, given the abundance of radioactive ores in the region. Further samples have been obtained and the results from these will be reported

  12. Entity Linking Leveraging the GeoDeepDive Cyberinfrastructure and Managing Uncertainty with Provenance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maio, R.; Arko, R. A.; Lehnert, K.; Ji, P.

    2017-12-01

    Unlocking the full, rich, network of links between the scientific literature and the real world entities to which data correspond - such as field expeditions (cruises) on oceanographic research vessels and physical samples collected during those expeditions - remains a challenge for the geoscience community. Doing so would enable data reuse and integration on a broad scale; making it possible to inspect the network and discover, for example, all rock samples reported in the scientific literature found within 10 kilometers of an undersea volcano, and associated geochemical analyses. Such a capability could facilitate new scientific discoveries. The GeoDeepDive project provides negotiated access to 4.2+ million documents from scientific publishers, enabling text and document mining via a public API and cyberinfrastructure. We mined this corpus using entity linking techniques, which are inherently uncertain, and recorded provenance information about each link. This opens the entity linking methodology to scrutiny, and enables downstream applications to make informed assessments about the suitability of an entity link for consumption. A major challenge is how to model and disseminate the provenance information. We present results from entity linking between journal articles, research vessels and cruises, and physical samples from the Petrological Database (PetDB), and incorporate Linked Data resources such as cruises in the Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R) catalog where possible. Our work demonstrates the value and potential of the GeoDeepDive cyberinfrastructure in combination with Linked Data infrastructure provided by the EarthCube GeoLink project. We present a research workflow to capture provenance information that leverages the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendation PROV Ontology.

  13. Scab susceptibility of a provenance collection of pecan in in the southeastern USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pecan scab is the most economically destructive disease of pecan in the Southeast US. It is spread in rain and is widespread in the Southeast where conditions conducive to epidemics. A provenance collection of pecan from 19 locations representing the native range of the tree is located in Byron, Geo...

  14. ASDF: An Adaptable Seismic Data Format with Full Provenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, J. A.; Krischer, L.; Tromp, J.; Lefebvre, M. P.

    2015-12-01

    In order for seismologists to maximize their knowledge of how the Earth works, they must extract the maximum amount of useful information from all recorded seismic data available for their research. This requires assimilating large sets of waveform data, keeping track of vast amounts of metadata, using validated standards for quality control, and automating the workflow in a careful and efficient manner. In addition, there is a growing gap between CPU/GPU speeds and disk access speeds that leads to an I/O bottleneck in seismic workflows. This is made even worse by existing seismic data formats that were not designed for performance and are limited to a few fixed headers for storing metadata.The Adaptable Seismic Data Format (ASDF) is a new data format for seismology that solves the problems with existing seismic data formats and integrates full provenance into the definition. ASDF is a self-describing format that features parallel I/O using the parallel HDF5 library. This makes it a great choice for use on HPC clusters. The format integrates the standards QuakeML for seismic sources and StationXML for receivers. ASDF is suitable for storing earthquake data sets, where all waveforms for a single earthquake are stored in a one file, ambient noise cross-correlations, and adjoint sources. The format comes with a user-friendly Python reader and writer that gives seismologists access to a full set of Python tools for seismology. There is also a faster C/Fortran library for integrating ASDF into performance-focused numerical wave solvers, such as SPECFEM3D_GLOBE. Finally, a GUI tool designed for visually exploring the format exists that provides a flexible interface for both research and educational applications. ASDF is a new seismic data format that offers seismologists high-performance parallel processing, organized and validated contents, and full provenance tracking for automated seismological workflows.

  15. Six Sigma method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Does, R.J.M.M.; de Mast, J.; Balakrishnan, N.; Brandimarte, P.; Everitt, B.; Molenberghs, G.; Piegorsch, W.; Ruggeri, F.

    2015-01-01

    Six Sigma is built on principles and methods that have proven themselves over the twentieth century. It has incorporated the most effective approaches and integrated them into a full program. It offers a management structure for organizing continuous improvement of routine tasks, such as

  16. Isotope methods in hydrology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moser, H.; Rauert, W.

    1980-01-01

    Of the investigation methods used in hydrology, tracer methods hold a special place as they are the only ones which give direct insight into the movement and distribution processes taking place in surface and ground waters. Besides the labelling of water with salts and dyes, as in the past, in recent years the use of isotopes in hydrology, in water research and use, in ground-water protection and in hydraulic engineering has increased. This by no means replaces proven methods of hydrological investigation but tends rather to complement and expand them through inter-disciplinary cooperation. The book offers a general introduction to the application of various isotope methods to specific hydrogeological and hydrological problems. The idea is to place the hydrogeologist and the hydrologist in the position to recognize which isotope method will help him solve his particular problem or indeed, make a solution possible at all. He should also be able to recognize what the prerequisites are and what work and expenditure the use of such methods involves. May the book contribute to promoting cooperation between hydrogeologists, hydrologists, hydraulic engineers and isotope specialists, and thus supplement proven methods of investigation in hydrological research and water utilization and protection wherever the use of isotope methods proves to be of advantage. (orig./HP) [de

  17. Variation in short-term and long-term responses of photosynthesis and isoprenoid-mediated photoprotection to soil water availability in four Douglas-fir provenances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junker, Laura Verena; Kleiber, Anita; Jansen, Kirstin; Wildhagen, Henning; Hess, Moritz; Kayler, Zachary; Kammerer, Bernd; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter; Kreuzwieser, Jürgen; Gessler, Arthur; Ensminger, Ingo

    2017-01-10

    For long-lived forest tree species, the understanding of intraspecific variation among populations and their response to water availability can reveal their ability to cope with and adapt to climate change. Dissipation of excess excitation energy, mediated by photoprotective isoprenoids, is an important defense mechanism against drought and high light when photosynthesis is hampered. We used 50-year-old Douglas-fir trees of four provenances at two common garden experiments to characterize provenance-specific variation in photosynthesis and photoprotective mechanisms mediated by essential and non-essential isoprenoids in response to soil water availability and solar radiation. All provenances revealed uniform photoprotective responses to high solar radiation, including increased de-epoxidation of photoprotective xanthophyll cycle pigments and enhanced emission of volatile monoterpenes. In contrast, we observed differences between provenances in response to drought, where provenances sustaining higher CO 2 assimilation rates also revealed increased water-use efficiency, carotenoid-chlorophyll ratios, pools of xanthophyll cycle pigments, β-carotene and stored monoterpenes. Our results demonstrate that local adaptation to contrasting habitats affected chlorophyll-carotenoid ratios, pool sizes of photoprotective xanthophylls, β-carotene, and stored volatile isoprenoids. We conclude that intraspecific variation in isoprenoid-mediated photoprotective mechanisms contributes to the adaptive potential of Douglas-fir provenances to climate change.

  18. A global renewable mix with proven technologies and common materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    García-Olivares, Antonio; Ballabrera-Poy, Joaquim; García-Ladona, Emili; Turiel, Antonio

    2012-01-01

    A global alternative mix to fossil fuels is proposed, based on proven renewable energy technologies that do not use scarce materials. The mix consists of a combination of onshore and offshore wind turbines, concentrating solar power stations, hydroelectricity and wave power devices attached to the offshore turbines. Solar photovoltaic power could contribute to the mix if its dependence on scarce materials is solved. The most adequate deployment areas for the power stations are studied, as well as the required space. Material requirements are studied for the generation, power transport and for some future transport systems. The order of magnitude of copper, aluminium, neodymium, lithium, nickel, zinc and platinum that may be required for the proposed solution is obtained and compared with available reserves. Overall, the proposed global alternative to fossil fuels seems technically feasible. However, lithium, nickel and platinum could become limiting materials for future vehicles fleet if no global recycling systems were implemented and rechargeable zinc–air batteries would not be developed; 60% of the current copper reserves would have to be employed in the implementation of the proposed solution. Altogether, they may become a long-term physical constraint, preventing the continuation of the usual exponential growth of energy consumption. - Highlights: ▶ A global renewable mix with proven energy technologies and common materials. ▶ Wind turbines, concentrating solar power, hydroelectricity and wave attenuators. ▶ Mix technically feasible. Lithium, nickel and platinum may limit vehicles fleet. ▶ Sixty per cent of copper reserves used in the mix and in societal electrification. ▶ Power cannot growth exponentially. Future “spaceship economy” scenario expected.

  19. Provenance and indirect dating study on Hongzhou Kiln porcelains by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, X.Q.; Feng, S.L.; Fan, C.S.; Zhang, W.J.; Quan, K.S.

    2005-01-01

    Hongzhou Kiln is one of the six leading celadon kilns in Tang Dynasty and plays an important role in the history of Chinese ceramics for its diverse decoration styles and innovative technology. Archaeologists divided Hongzhou Kiln production into 8 periods, i.e. Eastern Han and Eastern Wu, Western Jin, Eastern Jin, Southern Dynasties, Sui, Early Tang, Middle Tang, Late Tang and Five Dynasties. Up to now, 26 kiln sites have been discovered and excavated. A study on the chemical composition of the porcelains of different periods and provenance will help to know the developing process of Hongzhou celadon such as variation of raw materials, recipes, manufacturing technology, causes of prosperity and decline, etc. Over 200 sherds were collected and their body samples were analyzed by INAA. The compositional differences between samples with the same period but different provenance were observed. The contents of Na, Rb, Ba, Fe, Th, U, etc were found to be different among samples from different periods, which implies they may be used to identify the manufacturing age. The analytical data were further processed by principal component analysis (PCA). The statistical results show that all the sherds can be classified into 5 groups, (1) Eastern Han and Eastern Wu; (2) Western Jin, Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties; (3) Sui; (4) Early Tang and Middle Tang; (5) Late Tang and Five Dynasties.

  20. Magnetic resonance imaging findings associated with surgically proven rotator interval lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vinson, Emily N.; Major, Nancy M. [Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, P.O. Box 3808, Durham, NC (United States); Higgins, Laurence D. [Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Boston, MA (United States)

    2007-05-15

    To identify shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings associated with surgically proven rotator interval abnormalities. The preoperative MRI examinations of five patients with surgically proven rotator interval (RI) lesions requiring closure were retrospectively evaluated by three musculoskeletal-trained radiologists in consensus. We assessed the structures in the RI, including the coracohumeral ligament, superior glenohumeral ligament, fat tissue, biceps tendon, and capsule for variations in size and signal alteration. In addition, we noted associated findings of rotator cuff and labral pathology. Three of three of the MR arthrogram studies demonstrated extension of gadolinium to the cortex of the undersurface of the coracoid process compared with the control images, seen best on the sagittal oblique images. Four of five of the studies demonstrated subjective thickening of the coracohumeral ligament, and three of five of the studies demonstrated subjective thickening of the superior glenohumeral ligament. Five of five of the studies demonstrated a labral tear. The MRI arthrogram finding of gadolinium extending to the cortex of the undersurface of the coracoid process was noted on the studies of those patients with rotator interval lesions at surgery in this series. Noting this finding - especially in the presence of a labral tear and/or thickening of the coracohumeral ligament or superior glenohumeral ligament - may be helpful in the preoperative diagnosis of rotator interval lesions. (orig.)

  1. Performance of Acacia tortilis, Prosopis juliflora and Casuarina equisetifolia provenances in soils low in phosphorus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nyamai, D.O.; Juma, P.O.

    1996-01-01

    Acacia tortilis, Prosopis juliflora and Casuarina equisetifolia provenances were screened to determine their potential for adaptability under P limiting conditions as a strategy to exploit genotypic differences in terms of utilization and uptake efficiencies. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute using soils taken from the field which are critically low in available P. The experimental treatments comprised of P application at 0 and 60 Kg P 2 O 5 /ha for 11 provenances of Acacia, 6 Prosopis and 4 Casuarina spp. Trait for adaptability to P deficiency was determined by measuring the growth performance, P uptake and utilization efficiencies at zero and moderate application of P. The results indicated considerable differences in the growth performance and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE). Acacia provenances showed the highest PUE compared with Prosopis and Casuarina spp although this was not reflected in the total dry matter yield. However, it was observed that P application resulted in an increase in shoot dry matter, height, root collar diameter and root dry matter in the case of Casuarina. Similarly, the highest total P uptake was obtained in Casuarina and Prosopis spp. The results further indicated that P application probably contributed to the reduction in root dry matter and root: shoot ratios of Acacia and Prosopis but not Casuarina spp. (author). 15 refs, 1 fig., 2 tabs

  2. Performance of Acacia tortilis, Prosopis juliflora and Casuarina equisetifolia provenances in soils low in phosphorus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nyamai, D O; Juma, P O [Kenya Forestry Research Inst., Nairobi (Kenya). Agroforestry Research Programme

    1996-07-01

    Acacia tortilis, Prosopis juliflora and Casuarina equisetifolia provenances were screened to determine their potential for adaptability under P limiting conditions as a strategy to exploit genotypic differences in terms of utilization and uptake efficiencies. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute using soils taken from the field which are critically low in available P. The experimental treatments comprised of P application at 0 and 60 Kg P{sub 2}O{sub 5}/ha for 11 provenances of Acacia, 6 Prosopis and 4 Casuarina spp. Trait for adaptability to P deficiency was determined by measuring the growth performance, P uptake and utilization efficiencies at zero and moderate application of P. The results indicated considerable differences in the growth performance and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE). Acacia provenances showed the highest PUE compared with Prosopis and Casuarina spp although this was not reflected in the total dry matter yield. However, it was observed that P application resulted in an increase in shoot dry matter, height, root collar diameter and root dry matter in the case of Casuarina. Similarly, the highest total P uptake was obtained in Casuarina and Prosopis spp. The results further indicated that P application probably contributed to the reduction in root dry matter and root: shoot ratios of Acacia and Prosopis but not Casuarina spp. (author). 15 refs, 1 fig., 2 tabs.

  3. Isolation and characterization of biosurfactant producing bacteria from Persian Gulf (Bushehr provenance).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassanshahian, Mehdi

    2014-09-15

    Biosurfactants are surface active materials that are produced by some microorganisms. These molecules increase biodegradation of insoluble pollutants. In this study sediments and seawater samples were collected from the coastline of Bushehr provenance in the Persian Gulf and their biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated. Biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated by using an enrichment method in Bushnell-Hass medium with diesel oil as the sole carbon source. Five screening tests were used for selection of Biosurfactant producing bacteria: hemolysis in blood agar, oil spreading, drop collapse, emulsification activity and Bacterial Adhesion to Hydrocarbon test (BATH). These bacteria were identified using biochemical and molecular methods. Eighty different colonies were isolated from the collected samples. The most biosurfactant producing isolates related to petrochemical plants of Khark Island. Fourteen biosurfactant producing bacteria were selected between these isolates and 7 isolates were screened as these were predominant producers that belong to Shewanella alga, Shewanella upenei, Vibrio furnissii, Gallaecimonas pentaromativorans, Brevibacterium epidermidis, Psychrobacter namhaensis and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The largest clear zone diameters in oil spreading were observed for G. pentaromativorans strain O15. Also, this strain has the best emulsification activity and reduction of surface tension, suggesting it is the best of thee isolated strains. The results of this study confirmed that there is high diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria in marine ecosystem of Iran and by application of these bacteria in petrochemical waste water environmental problems can be assisted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Dynamic Data Citation through Provenance - new approach for reproducible science in Geoscience Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastrakova, I.; Car, N.

    2017-12-01

    Geoscience Australia (GA) is recognised and respected as the National Repository and steward of multiple nationally significance data collections that provides geoscience information, services and capability to the Australian Government, industry and stakeholders. Internally, this brings a challenge of managing large volume (11 PB) of diverse and highly complex data distributed through a significant number of catalogues, applications, portals, virtual laboratories, and direct downloads from multiple locations. Externally, GA is facing constant changer in the Government regulations (e.g. open data and archival laws), growing stakeholder demands for high quality and near real-time delivery of data and products, and rapid technological advances enabling dynamic data access. Traditional approach to citing static data and products cannot satisfy increasing demands for the results from scientific workflows, or items within the workflows to be open, discoverable, thrusted and reproducible. Thus, citation of data, products, codes and applications through the implementation of provenance records is being implemented. This approach involves capturing the provenance of many GA processes according to a standardised data model and storing it, as well as metadata for the elements it references, in a searchable set of systems. This provides GA with ability to cite workflows unambiguously as well as each item within each workflow, including inputs and outputs and many other registered components. Dynamic objects can therefore be referenced flexibly in relation to their generation process - a dataset's metadata indicates where to obtain its provenance from - meaning the relevant facts of its dynamism need not be crammed into a single citation object with a single set of attributes. This allows for simple citations, similar to traditional static document citations such as references in journals, to be used for complex dynamic data and other objects such as software code.

  5. ProvenCare perinatal: a model for delivering evidence/ guideline-based care for perinatal populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Scott A; Laam, Leslie A; Wary, Andrea A; Mateer, Harry O; Cassagnol, Hans P; McKinley, Karen E; Nolan, Ruth A

    2011-05-01

    Geisinger Health System (GHS) has applied its ProvenCare model to demonstrate that a large integrated health care delivery system, enabled by an electronic health record (EHR), could reengineer a complicated clinical process, reduce unwarranted variation, and provide evidence-based care for patients with a specified clinical condition. In 2007 GHS began to apply the model to a more complicated, longer-term condition of "wellness"--perinatal care. ADAPTING PROVENCARE TO PERINATAL CARE: The ProvenCare Perinatal initiative was more complex than the five previous ProvenCare endeavors in terms of breadth, scope, and duration. Each of the 22 sites created a process flow map to depict the current, real-time process at each location. The local practice site providers-physicians and mid-level practitioners-reached consensus on 103 unique best practice measures (BPMs), which would be tracked for every patient. These maps were then used to create a single standardized pathway that included the BPMs but also preserved some unique care offerings that reflected the needs of the local context. A nine-phase methodology, expanded from the previous six-phase model, was implemented on schedule. Pre- to postimplementation improvement occurred for all seven BPMs or BPM bundles that were considered the most clinically relevant, with five statistically significant. In addition, the rate of primary cesarean sections decreased by 32%, and birth trauma remained unchanged as the number of vaginal births increased. Preliminary experience suggests that integrating evidence/guideline-based best practices into work flows in inpatient and outpatient settings can achieve improvements in daily patient care processes and outcomes.

  6. The provenance study of Chinese ancient color glaze from Shanxi by INAA and factor analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, L.; Ding, X.L.; Feng, S.L.; Feng, X.Q.; Lu, Z.R.

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports the results of the provenance study of Chinese ancient color glaze in Shanxi. The minor and trace elements of body of color glaze in different dynasty from Xiyue temper kiln and that of Lidipo kiln in Ming Dynasty determined by INAA, some of ancient porcelain from Lidipo kiln were measured, also. The factor analysis showed that provenances of the ancient color glazes from Xiyue Temple that were produced during Song Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty were in the place of the Xiyue kiln, and body material of ancient color have little been changed, on the other hand, that of Later Qing Dynasty were-produced from Lidipo kiln. Different color glazes were measured by SRXRF and it proved the colored elements were Fe and Cu.

  7. Interoperability Using Lightweight Metadata Standards: Service & Data Casting, OpenSearch, OPM Provenance, and Shared SciFlo Workflows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, B. D.; Manipon, G.; Hua, H.; Fetzer, E.

    2011-12-01

    Under several NASA grants, we are generating multi-sensor merged atmospheric datasets to enable the detection of instrument biases and studies of climate trends over decades of data. For example, under a NASA MEASURES grant we are producing a water vapor climatology from the A-Train instruments, stratified by the Cloudsat cloud classification for each geophysical scene. The generation and proper use of such multi-sensor climate data records (CDR's) requires a high level of openness, transparency, and traceability. To make the datasets self-documenting and provide access to full metadata and traceability, we have implemented a set of capabilities and services using known, interoperable protocols. These protocols include OpenSearch, OPeNDAP, Open Provenance Model, service & data casting technologies using Atom feeds, and REST-callable analysis workflows implemented as SciFlo (XML) documents. We advocate that our approach can serve as a blueprint for how to openly "document and serve" complex, multi-sensor CDR's with full traceability. The capabilities and services provided include: - Discovery of the collections by keyword search, exposed using OpenSearch protocol; - Space/time query across the CDR's granules and all of the input datasets via OpenSearch; - User-level configuration of the production workflows so that scientists can select additional physical variables from the A-Train to add to the next iteration of the merged datasets; - Efficient data merging using on-the-fly OPeNDAP variable slicing & spatial subsetting of data out of input netCDF and HDF files (without moving the entire files); - Self-documenting CDR's published in a highly usable netCDF4 format with groups used to organize the variables, CF-style attributes for each variable, numeric array compression, & links to OPM provenance; - Recording of processing provenance and data lineage into a query-able provenance trail in Open Provenance Model (OPM) format, auto-captured by the workflow engine

  8. Data Provenance Architecture for the Geosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, F.; Irving, D. H.

    2012-12-01

    The pace at which geoscientific insights inform societal development quickens with time and these insights drive decisions and actions of ever-increasing human and economic significance. Until recently academic, commercial and government bodies have maintained distinct bodies of knowledge to support scientific enquiry as well as societal development. However, it has become clear that the curation of the body of data is an activity of equal or higher social and commercial value. We address the community challenges in the curation of, access to, and analysis of scientific data including: the tensions between creators, providers and users; incentives and barriers to sharing; ownership and crediting. We also discuss the technical and financial challenges in maximising the return on the effort made in generating geoscientific data. To illustrate how these challenges might be addressed in the broader geoscientific domain, we describe the high-level data governance and analytical architecture in the upstream Oil Industry. This domain is heavily dependent on costly and highly diverse geodatasets collected and assimilated over timeframes varying from seconds to decades. These data must support both operational decisions at the minute-hour timefame and strategic and economic decisions of enterprise or national scale, and yet be sufficiently robust to last the life of a producing field. We develop three themes around data provenance, data ownership and business models for data curation. 1/ The overarching aspiration is to ensure that data provenance and quality is maintained along the analytical workflow. Hence if data on which a publication or report changes, the report and its publishers can be notified and we describe a mechanism by which dependent knowledge products can be flagged. 2/ From a cost and management point of view we look at who "owns" data especially in cases where the cost of curation and stewardship is significant compared to the cost of acquiring the data

  9. Wood constructions. Energy eficient, sustainable, practically proven; Holzbau Konstruktionen. Energieeffizient, nachhaltig, praxisgerecht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lueckmann, Rudolf

    2012-07-01

    The book 'Wood constructions' provides standardized and practically proven designs, all necessary information on building physics, fire protection and additional specialized knowledge for energy efficient renovations and construction details in wood construction. The main topics of this book are: Fundamentals, timber-frame structures, wood preservation, thermal insulation, sound insulation, fire protection, energy-efficient timber buildings, timber construction systems, rehabilitation of timber structures, relevant regulations and standards.

  10. Provenance of Fine-grained Sediments in the Inner Shelf of the Korea Strait (South Sea), Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Um, In kwon; Choi, Man Sik; Bae, Sung Ho; Song, Yunho; Kong, Gee Soo

    2018-03-01

    Major metals (Al, Fe, Mg, and Ti), trace metals (Li, Cs, Sc, and Rb), and rare earth elements (REEs) in the fine-grained sediments (South Sea mud (CSSM) were analyzed to determine the sediment provenance. The spatial distribution of the analyzed elements showed a clear separation between the western (W-CSSM) and eastern (E-CSSM) regions of the CSSM. Concentrations of Fe, Ti, Mg, Sc, and REEs were higher in the WCSSM, whereas concentrations of Al, Cs, Li, and Rb were higher in the E-CSSM. Unlike the ratios of trace metals ((Cs+Sc)/Li and Rb/Li), REEs could not be used to track the provenance of fine-grained sediments because of a grain size effect. The mixing relationships of the provenance indicators showed that the fine-grained sediments of the CSSM comprise a mixture of the sediments discharged from the Seomjin River (SRS) and sediments eroded and transported from the Heuksan mud belt (HMBS) area by the Korean Coastal Current. Sediments originating from the HMB were deposited mostly in the W-CSSM, whereas those from the Seomjin River were deposited mostly in the E-CSSM. This study indicated that sediments from Chinese rivers as well as the Geum River are important even in the inner shelf of the South Sea of Korea.

  11. Genetic variation of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) provenances and families from Oregon and Washington in juvenile height growth and needle color

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jim Hamlin; Angelia Kegley; Richard Sniezko

    2011-01-01

    A three year common garden study was conducted on whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) which included 215 families from the eight provenances or seed zones in Oregon and Washington. Total height and needle color were assessed. Height differed significantly among provenances and families, and was primarily associated with source elevation, longitude, and precipitation. A...

  12. Species choice, provenance and species trials among native Brazilian species

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drumond, M A

    1982-01-01

    Six papers from the conference are presented. Drumond, M.A., Potential of species native to the semi-arid tropics, 766-781, (Refs. 18), reports on Anadenanthera macrocarpa, Mimosa species, Schinopsis brasiliensis, Spondias tuberosa, Ziziphus joazeiro, Cnidoscolus phyllacanthus, Bursera leptophleos (leptophloeos), Tabebuia impetiginosa, Astronium urundeuva, and Mimosa caesalpinia. Monteiro, R.F.R., Speltz, R.M., Gurgel, J.T. do A.; Silvicultural performance of 24 provenances of Araucaria angustifolia in Parana, 814-824, (Refs. 8). Pires, C.L. da S., Kalil Filho, A.N., Rosa, P.R.F. da, Parente, P.R., Zanatto, A.C.S.; Provenance trials of Cordia alliodora in the State of Sao Paulo, 988-995, (Refs. 9). Nogueira, J.C.B., Siqueira, A.C.M.F., Garrido, M.A.O., Gurgel Garrido, L.M. do A., Rosa, P.R.F., Moraes, J.L. de, Zandarin, M.A., Gurgel Filho, O.A., Trials of some native species in various regions of the State of Sao Paulo, 1051-1063, (Refs. 9) describes Centrolobium tomentosum, Peltophorum dubium, Tabebuia vellosoi, Cariniana legalis, and Balfourodendron riedelianum. Batista, M.P., Borges, J.F., Franco, M.A.B.; Early growth of a native species in comparison with exotics in northeastern Para, Brazil, 1105-1110, (Refs. 3). Jacaranda copaia is compared with Gmelina arborea, Pinus caribaea various hondurensis, Eucalyptus deglupta, and E. urophylla. Lima, P.C.F., Souza, S.M. de, Drumond, M.A.; Trials of native forest species at Petrolina, Pernambuco, 1139-1148, (Refs. 8), deals with Anadenanthera macrocarpa, Piptadenia obliqua, Pithecellobium foliolosum, Astronium urundeuva, Schinopsis brasiliensis, Cassia excelsa, Caesalpinia pyramidalis, Parkia platycephala, Pseudobombax simplicifolium, Tabebuia impetiginosa, Caesalpinia ferrea, and Aspidosperma pyrifolium. 18 references.

  13. BioQ: tracing experimental origins in public genomic databases using a novel data provenance model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saccone, Scott F; Quan, Jiaxi; Jones, Peter L

    2012-04-15

    Public genomic databases, which are often used to guide genetic studies of human disease, are now being applied to genomic medicine through in silico integrative genomics. These databases, however, often lack tools for systematically determining the experimental origins of the data. We introduce a new data provenance model that we have implemented in a public web application, BioQ, for assessing the reliability of the data by systematically tracing its experimental origins to the original subjects and biologics. BioQ allows investigators to both visualize data provenance as well as explore individual elements of experimental process flow using precise tools for detailed data exploration and documentation. It includes a number of human genetic variation databases such as the HapMap and 1000 Genomes projects. BioQ is freely available to the public at http://bioq.saclab.net.

  14. Antral follicle count in normal (fertility-proven) and infertile Indian women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agarwal, Arjit; Verma, Ashish; Agarwal, Shubhra; Shukla, Ram Chandra; Jain, Madhu; Srivastava, Arvind

    2014-07-01

    Antral follicle count (AFC) has been labeled as the most accurate biomarker to assess female fecundity. Unfortunately, no baseline Indian data exists, and we continue using surrogate values from the Western literature (inferred from studies on women, grossly different than Indian women in morphology and genetic makeup). (1) To establish the role of AFC as a function of ovarian reserve in fertility-proven and in subfertile Indian women. (2) To establish baseline cut-off AFC values for Indian women. Prospective observational case-control study. Thirty patients undergoing workup for infertility were included and compared to equal number of controls (women with proven fertility). The basal ovarian volume and AFC were measured by endovaginal. USG the relevant clinical data and hormonal assays were charted for every patient. SPSS platform was used to perform the Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test for intergroup comparisons. Correlations were determined by Pearson's ranked correlation coefficient. Regression analysis revealed the highest correlation of AFC and age in fertile and infertile patients with difference in mean AFC of both the groups. Comparison of the data recorded for cases and controls showed no significant difference in the mean ovarian volume. AFC has the closest association with chronological age in normal and infertile Indian women. The same is lower in infertile women than in matched controls. Baseline and cut-off values in Indian women are lower than that mentioned in the Western literature.

  15. Small vessel disease, neurovascular regulation and cognitive impairment: post-mortem studies reveal a complex relationship, still poorly understood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Love, Seth; Miners, J Scott

    2017-07-15

    The contribution of vascular disease to cognitive impairment is under-recognized and the pathogenesis is poorly understood. This information gap has multiple causes, including a lack of post-mortem validation of clinical diagnoses of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) or vascular dementia (VaD), the exclusion of cases with concomitant neurodegenerative disease when diagnosing VCI/VaD, and a lack of standardization of neuropathological assessment protocols for vascular disease. Other contributors include a focus on end-stage destructive lesions to the exclusion of more subtle types of diffuse brain injury, on structural abnormalities of arteries and arterioles to the exclusion of non-structural abnormalities and capillary damage, and the use of post-mortem sampling strategies that are biased towards the identification of neurodegenerative pathologies. Recent studies have demonstrated the value of detailed neuropathology in characterizing vascular contributions to cognitive impairment (e.g. in diabetes), and highlight the importance of diffuse white matter changes, capillary damage and vasoregulatory abnormalities in VCI/VaD. The use of standardized, evidence-based post-mortem assessment protocols and the inclusion of biochemical as well as morphological methods in neuropathological studies should improve the accuracy of determination of the contribution of vascular disease to cognitive impairment and clarify the relative contribution of different pathogenic processes to the tissue damage. © 2017 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  16. Nd and Sr isotopes: implications of provenance and geological mapping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albuquerque, Marcio Fernando dos Santos; Horbe, Adriana Maria Coimbra; Dantas, Elton Luiz

    2015-01-01

    XRD, Nd and Sr isotopes, major, minor and traces elements quantification were applied to rocks, lateritic crusts and soils from Sumauma Supergroup and Alto Tapajos Group, in order to indicate provenance of the rocks and using lateritic products as geologic mapping tool. For the rocks, the results showed sources related to provinces Tapajos Parima, Rondonia Juruena, Sunsas, Carajas and Amazonia Central. However, the incision of Cachimbo graben allowed which the Sumauma Supergroup erosion also were source for the Alto Tapajos Group, allied to contribution of volcanics from Colider Group. Lateritic crusts and soils are correlates to bedrocks, allowing the use as geologic mapping tool. (author)

  17. ESTIMATE OF THE HEAVY MINERAL-CONTENT IN SAND AND ITS PROVENANCE BY RADIOMETRIC METHODS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DEMEIJER, RJ; LESSCHER, HME; SCHUILING, RD; ELBURG, ME

    1990-01-01

    A comparison has been made of the traditional gravimetric method for measuring the heavy mineral mass fraction in sand with a method based on the emission of gamma-rays from the uranium and thorium series by radiogenic heavy-minerals. The comparision reveals that beach sand along the Dutch coast may

  18. Conifer seedling recruitment across a gradient from forest to alpine tundra: effects of species, provenance, and site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castanha, C.; Torn, M.S.; Germino, M.J.; Weibel, Bettina; Kueppers, L.M.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Seedling germination and survival is a critical control on forest ecosystem boundaries, such as at the alpine–treeline ecotone. In addition, while it is known that species respond individualistically to the same suite of environmental drivers, the potential additional effect of local adaptation on seedling success has not been evaluated. Aims: To determine whether local adaptation may influence the position and movement of forest ecosystem boundaries, we quantified conifer seedling recruitment in common gardens across a subalpine forest to alpine tundra gradient at Niwot Ridge, Colorado, USA. Methods: We studied Pinus flexilis and Picea engelmannii grown from seed collected locally at High (3400 m a.s.l.) and Low (3060 m a.s.l.) elevations. We monitored emergence and survival of seeds sown directly into plots and survival of seedlings germinated indoors and transplanted after snowmelt. Results: Emergence and survival through the first growing season was greater for P. flexilis than P. engelmannii and for Low compared with High provenances. Yet survival through the second growing season was similar for both species and provenances. Seedling emergence and survival tended to be greatest in the subalpine forest and lowest in the alpine tundra. Survival was greater for transplants than for field-germinated seedlings. Conclusions: These results suggest that survival through the first few weeks is critical to the establishment of natural germinants. In addition, even small distances between seed sources can have a significant effect on early demographic performance – a factor that has rarely been considered in previous studies of tree recruitment and species range shifts.

  19. The Late Ordovician Extinction: How it became the best understood of the five major extinctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheehan, P.

    2003-04-01

    The end Ordovician extinction has become arguably the best-understood major extinction event in Earth History. A plethora of workers have established the pattern of faunal change and causes of the extinction with remarkably little disagreement. The first indication of increased extinction at the end of the Ordovician was a graph of global diversity patterns by Norman Newell in 1967, although he did not recognize it as a major event. The presence of a major extinction event became clear as William Berry and Art Boucot assembled data for Silurian correlation charts in the late 1960s. The first reports of North African glaciation in the late 1960s provided a cause for the extinction and study of the event snowballed. It was no accident that recognition of the extinction began in North America, because it was there that the extinction completely overturned faunas in the epicontinental seas. Glacio-eustatic regression of shallow seaway coincided with the disappearance of endemic Laurentian faunas and replacement by a highly cosmopolitan fauna in the Silurian. Once the event was established in North America, paleontologists soon found evidence of the event around the globe. The well-documented Hirnantia Fauna was found to correspond to the glacial interval, and Pat Brenchley soon recognized that there were two pulses of extinction, at the beginning and end of the glaciation. At the same time that the faunal changes were being documented geologic studies of the glaciation provided information on the environmental changes associated with the extinction. The timing of the glacial maximum was established in Africa and by the presence of dropstones in high latitude marine rocks. The 1990s saw geochemical techniques employed that allowed examination of atmospheric CO2 and temperature changes. In many places carbonate deposition declined. Glacio-eustatic regression was obvious in many areas, and a sea-level decline in the range of 50-100 m was established. Shallow

  20. A simplified method of power calibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, M.; Elliott, A.

    1974-01-01

    The Nuclear Reactor Facility, University of Missouri Rolla, has developed a unique method of power calibration for pool type reactors. Since water is incompressible it can be assumed that a rise in the water level of the pool while operating at power can be attributed to the heat input from the reactor core. Water level changes of a small magnitude are easily detectable. This method has proven to be less costly, less time consuming, and more reproducible than the conventional gold foil calibration, and has proven to be more accurate than a heat balance because several problems with heat flow through the walls and to the atmosphere are automatically compensated for with this method. The accuracy of this means of calibration depends upon the accuracy of the measurement of the water level and can normally be expected to be two to four percent. (author)

  1. A simplified method of power calibration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jones, M; Elliott, A [University of Missouri-Rolla (United States)

    1974-07-01

    The Nuclear Reactor Facility, University of Missouri Rolla, has developed a unique method of power calibration for pool type reactors. Since water is incompressible it can be assumed that a rise in the water level of the pool while operating at power can be attributed to the heat input from the reactor core. Water level changes of a small magnitude are easily detectable. This method has proven to be less costly, less time consuming, and more reproducible than the conventional gold foil calibration, and has proven to be more accurate than a heat balance because several problems with heat flow through the walls and to the atmosphere are automatically compensated for with this method. The accuracy of this means of calibration depends upon the accuracy of the measurement of the water level and can normally be expected to be two to four percent. (author)

  2. Provenance of the K/T boundary layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hildebrand, A.R.; Boynton, W.V.

    1988-01-01

    An array of chemical, physical and isotopic evidence indicates that an impact into oceanic crust terminated the Cretaceous Period. Approximately 1500 cu km of debris, dispersed by the impact fireball, fell out globally in marine and nonmarine environments producing a 2 to 4 mm thick layer (fireball layer). In North American locales, the fireball layer overlies a 15 to 25 mm thick layer of similar but distinct composition. This 15 to 25 mm layer (ejecta layer) may represent approximately 1000 cu km of lower energy ejecta from a nearby impact site. Isotopic and chemical evidence supports a mantle provenance for the bulk of the layers. The extraordinary REE pattern of the boundary clays was modelled as a mixture of oceanic crust, mantle, and approximately 10 percent continental material. The results are presented. If the siderophiles of the ejecta layer were derived solely from the mantle, a test may be available to see if the siderophile element anomaly of the fireball layer had an extraterrestrial origin. Radiogenic Os-187 is depleted in the mantle relative to an undifferentiated chondritic source. Os-187/Os-186 ratios of 1.049 and 1.108 were calculated for the ejecta and fireball layers, respectively

  3. Provenance and supply of Fe-enriched terrigenous sediments in the western equatorial Pacific and their relation to precipitation variations during the late Quaternary

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wu, J.W.; Liu, Z.; Zhou, nn.

    2013-01-01

    Iron (Fe) deposition in the equatorial Pacific has important implications for the global carbon cycle, while the provenance of Fe supply and its change remain highly debated. Here, we geochemically characterize the provenance of terrigenous sediments deposited on the pathways of the Equatorial

  4. Provenance and use wears of Pre-Hispanic obsidian scrapers from Metztitlan, Hidalgo, Mexico

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandujano, C.; Elizalde, S.; Cassiano, G.; Soto, D.

    2002-01-01

    The research was performed with archaeological obsidian scrapers, collected at the Metztitlan area, Hidalgo, Mexico. The provenance of the raw material was determined by NAA. SEM technique was applied to identify use wears on pre-Hispanic tools and experimental replicas. The Metztitlan scrapers made of the obsidian of Zacualtipan, Hidalgo, Mexico, were probably used for Agave juice extraction in the Late Postclassical period. (author)

  5. Provenance and paleogeography of the Devonian Durazno Group, southern Parana Basin in Uruguay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uriz, N. J.; Cingolani, C. A.; Basei, M. A. S.; Blanco, G.; Abre, P.; Portillo, N. S.; Siccardi, A.

    2016-03-01

    A succession of Devonian cover rocks occurs in outcrop and in the subsurface of central-northern Uruguay where they were deposited in an intracratonic basin. This Durazno Group comprises three distinct stratigraphic units, namely the Cerrezuelo, Cordobés and La Paloma formations. The Durazno Group does not exceed 300 m of average thickness and preserves a transgressive-regressive cycle within a shallow-marine siliciclastic shelf platform, and is characterized by an assemblage of invertebrate fossils of Malvinokaffric affinity especially within the Lower Devonian Cordobés shales. The sedimentary provenance of the Durazno Group was determined using petrography, geochemistry, and morphological studies of detrital zircons as well as their U-Pb ages. Sandstone petrography of Cerrezuelo and La Paloma sequences shows that they have a dominantly quartz-feldspathic composition with a minor contribution of other minerals. Whole-rock geochemical data indicate that alteration was strong in each of the three formations studied; chondritic-normalized REE patterns essentially parallel to PAAS, the presence of a negative Eu-anomaly, and Th/Sc and La/Hf ratios point to an average source composition similar to UCC or slightly more felsic. Within the Cerrezuelo Formation, recycling of older volcano-metasedimentary sources is interpreted from Zr/Sc ratios and high Hf, Zr, and REE concentrations. U-Pb detrital zircon age populations of the Cerrezuelo and La Paloma formations indicate that the principal source terranes are of Neoproterozoic age, but include also minor populations derived from Mesoproterozoic and Archean-Paleoproterozoic rocks. A provenance from the Cuchilla Dionisio-Dom Feliciano, Nico Pérez and Piedra Alta terranes of Uruguay and southern Brazil is likely. This study establishes an intracratonic extensional tectonic setting during Durazno time. Considering provenance age sources, regional paleocurrent distributions and the established orogenic history recorded in SW

  6. Mineralogy of Nicobar Fan turbidites (IODP Leg 362): Himalayan provenance and diagenetic control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limonta, M.; Garzanti, E.; Ando, S.; Carter, A.; Milliken, K. L.; Pickering, K. T.

    2017-12-01

    In this study we use quantitative petrographic and heavy-mineral data on silt-sized and sand-sized sediments from the Nicobar Fan turbiditic depositional system to unravel their provenance and discriminate between pre-depositional and post-depositional processes controlling sediment mineralogy. Eighteen samples from the two drill sites U1480 e U1481, collected down to a depth of 1400 m during International Ocean Discovery Expedition 362, were selected for analysis. A complete section of the sedimentary section overlying oceanic basaltic basement was recovered at the U1480 drill site, whereas the U1481 drill site, located 35 km to the southeast, focused on the deeper interval of the sedimentary section overlying oceanic basement. Here we illustrate the compositional trends observed throughout the recovered succession, and compare heavy-mineral suites characterizing sediments drilled at the two U1480 and U1481 sites to check for potential differences in sediment provenance over a relatively short distance in trench settings. Diagenetic control with increasing burial depth was also specifically investigated. In Pleistocene sediments at depths of a few tens of meters only, rich heavy-mineral assemblages include mainly hornblende, epidote, and garnet, associated with apatite, clinopyroxene, tourmaline, sillimanite, kyanite, zircon, titanite, and rare staurolite and rutile, testifying to long-distance provenance from the Himalayan range via the Ganga-Brahmaputra fluvio-deltaic-turbiditic system. Heavy-mineral concentration shows a progressive decrease with burial depth, pointing to selective diagenetic dissolution of less durable detrital minerals. Clinopyroxene becomes rare below 400 m depth and was not recorded below 500 m depth, where amphibole decreases notably in relative abundance. More durable heavy minerals, including zircon, tourmaline, apatite, garnet and epidote, consequently tend to be relatively enriched with increasing age and burial depth. Petrographic and

  7. Provenance of the heavy metals in sand sediments of the Oman Sea (Sistan and Baluchestan district

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Soleimani

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Mineral composition of source rock is one of the most important factors for concentration and distribution of heavy metals in sediments. Therefore, study on distribution of these elements and the related minerals in sediments provides information about natural origin of elements. Moreover, the interpretation of origin and distribution of sandy sediments is considerably enhanced by mineralogical and geochemical studies of these sediments. The main objective of this research is to evaluate distribution of Zn, Cu, Sr, Cd, Fe and Mn in sand sediments of the Oman Sea, their relationship with mineral composition of the sediments and also determining their provenance. Materials and Methods Sampling of surface sediments of the Oman Sea was performed in 16 sampling stations. Heavy minerals and rock fragments of the sediments in fine and coarse sand sizes respectively were qualitatively and quantitatively studied by polarizing microscope (Folk, 1974; Pettijohn et al., 1981; Tucker, 1988. Concentration of the heavy metals were also analyzed by AAS method (Mico et al., 2008. Result Mineralogical composition of the studied sediments contain quartz, feldspars and heavy minerals in their order of abundances. The rock fragments consist of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic in their order of frequencies as well. The concentrations of the studied heavy metals (in ppm in the sediments are Cd (1.42, Cu (9.99, Zn (36.72, Sr (181.18, Mn (377.33 and Fe (20247.55 in their order of abundances. Distribution of the Zn concentration generally shows decreasing trend from west of the study area to the Guatr Bay. The concentrations of Zn and Cu show close relationship with the frequencies of biotite and muscovite. The Cu concentration also shows positive correlation with the Zn and Fe concentrations. Distribution of the Sr and Cd concentrations is similar to variation of the calcium carbonate content. The Cd and Sr concentrations also show positive correlation

  8. Provenance tracking for scientific software toolchains through on-demand release and archiving

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ham, David

    2017-04-01

    There is an emerging consensus that published computational science results must be backed by a provenance chain tying results to the exact versions of input data and the code which generated them. There is also now an impressive range of web services devoted to revision control of software, and the archiving in citeable form of both software and input data. However, much scientific software itself builds on libraries and toolkits, and these themselves have dependencies. Further, it is common for cutting edge research to depend on the latest version of software in online repositories, rather than the official release version. This creates a situation in which an author who wishes to follow best practice in recording the provenance chain of their results must archive and cite unreleased versions of a series of dependencies. Here, we present an alternative which toolkit authors can easily implement to provide a semi-automatic mechanism for creating and archiving custom software releases of the precise version of a package used in a particular simulation. This approach leverages the excellent services provided by GitHub and Zenodo to generate a connected set of citeable DOIs for the archived software. We present the integration of this workflow into the Firedrake automated finite element framework as a practical example of this approach in use on a complex geoscientific tool chain in practical use.

  9. Isotopic evidences for provenances of east asian dust

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Jiedong; Chen Jun; Li Gaojun; Ji Junfeng; Rao Wenbo

    2007-01-01

    Based on systematical investigations on Nd-Sr isotopes of both the <75μm and <5μm silicate fractions of loess, sand, river and lacustrine sediment samples for ten major deserts, gobi, the Loess Plateau, and the northeast part of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, the following results are obtained. (1) Three isotopic regions of Chinese deserts are identified. Region A (Aland A2), which is the deserts on the northern boundary of China with the highest ε Nd (0)>-7.0. Region B, which is the deserts on the northern margin of Tibetan Plateau with ε Nd (0) ranges form -11.9 to -7.4. Region C, which is the deserts on the Ordos Plateau with the lowest ε nd (0)<-11.5. The distribution of the three isotopic regions is controlled by the tectonic setting in North China. (2) The reliable isotope ranges of the Loess Plateau are 87 Sr/ 86 Sr from 0.71784 to 0.71944, ε Nd (0) from -9.2 to -11.3, which fall in Region B of the Qaiham Desert, Badain Jaran Desert and Tengger Desert. This indicates that the possibility of the Gurbantunggut Desert, Hunlun Buir sandy land, Onqin Daga sandy land, Horqin sandy land, the Hobq Desert and Mu Us Desert, as provenances for the loess are excluded. The isotopic range of the northeast part of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau coincides with those of the Badain Jaran Desert and Tengger Desert, and loess in the Loess Plateau, suggesting that the predominant source area of the Loess Plateau is most likely to be the northeast part of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, and the Qaidam Desert, Badain Jaran Desert and Tengger Desert are middle transport stations of loess materials. (3) The comparison with isotopic data of dust extracted from snow deposits at Greenland and sediments of North Pacific confirms the Badain Jaran Desert, Tengger Desert and the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau to be main source. (4) The analyzed results for dust samples in Beijing region demonstrate that aeolian dust in normal time in 2006 is mostly derived from mixing of Region B and bed rock soil

  10. The provenance investigation on ancient chinese Ru porcelains by NAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Songhua

    1997-01-01

    The 28 samples of glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Ru porcelains are analyzed by neutron activation. The 36 element contents in each sample are determined. The neutron activation analysis (NAA) data are analyzed by fuzzy cluster. The trend cluster diagram is obtained. The result shows that the ancient Chinese Ru porcelains were most probably from the same raw material source though they were from different time, fired in different kilns and in different colors. The near provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is preliminarily analyzed. The two modern Ru porcelains approximate to ancient Ru porcelains, one becomes estranged from ancient Ru porcelains. Jingdezhen porcelain is unconcerned with Ru porcelains

  11. IGCC based on proven technology developing towards 50% efficiency mark

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goudappel, E.; Berkhout, M. [Jacobs Consultancy, Leiden (Netherlands)

    2006-07-01

    In this paper the achievements made over the last 10 years in terms of reliability, load following and efficiency improvement potential at the Buggenum IGCC plant, are presented. Also the air side heat integration and its pros and cons are discussed. Additionally future business opportunities adjacent to the power production itself and the view on coal gasification in the near future are provided. The results are discussed and it is shown that with 'proven' gasifier and gas treatment technology, overall efficiency exceeding 47% (LHV basis) can be reached. It puts this technical potential in perspective and describes the view on interesting business opportunities around IGCC projects. 5 figs., 3 tabs.

  12. ProvenCare: Geisinger's Model for Care Transformation through Innovative Clinical Initiatives and Value Creation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-04-01

    Geisinger's system of care can be seen as a microcosm of the national delivery of healthcare, with implications for decision makers in other health plans. In this interview, Dr Ronald A. Paulus focuses on Geisinger's unique approach to patient care. In its core, this approach represents a system of quality and value initiatives based on 3 major programs-Proven Health Navigation (medical home); the ProvenCare model; and transitions of care. The goal of such an approach is to optimize disease management by using a rational reimbursement paradigm for appropriate interventions, providing innovative incentives, and engaging patients in their own care as part of any intervention. Dr Paulus explains the reasons why, unlike Geisinger, other stakeholders, including payers, providers, patients, and employers, have no intrinsic reasons to be concerned with quality and value initiatives. In addition, he says, an electronic infrastructure that could be modified as management paradigms evolve is a necessary tool to ensure the healthcare delivery system's ability to adapt to new clinical realities quickly to ensure the continuation of delivering best value for all stakeholders.

  13. Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6): a proven mid-sized reactor with fuel cycle capability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopwood, J.; Soulard, M.; Hastings, I.J.

    2011-01-01

    Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) is finalizing development of the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), which incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and adds enhancements that make the reactor even more safe and easier to operate. The EC6 is the only mid-sized reactor (700 MWe class) with a proven pedigree that meets modern reactor expectations and regulatory standards. It is sized for smaller grids and also has outstanding fuel-cycle capability. Changes are incremental and consistent with the CANDU 6 project approach. The EC6 utilizes modern computers and a distributed control system housed in an advanced control room which, along with automated testing and on-line diagnostics, make the plant easier and safer to operate, with minimal operator intervention. Containment and seismic capability are upgraded to meet modern standards. The first deployment of the EC6 is anticipated in Canada; international markets are also being pursued. AECL is performing a comprehensive review of the EC6 design in the wake of the Fukushima accident, will review lessons learned, and incorporate any necessary improvements into new build design. (author)

  14. Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6): a proven mid-sized reactor with fuel cycle capability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopwood, J.; Soulard, M.; Hastings, I.J.

    2011-01-01

    Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) is finalizing development of the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), which incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and enhancements that make the reactor even more safe and easier to operate. The EC6 is the only mid-sized reactor (700 MWe class) with a proven pedigree that meets modern reactor expectations and regulatory standards. It is sized for smaller grids and also has outstanding fuel-cycle capability. Changes are incremental and consistent with the CANDU 6 project approach. The EC6 utilizes modern computers and a distributed control system housed in an advanced control room which, along with automated testing and on-line diagnostics, make the plant easier and safer to operate, with minimal operator intervention. Containment and seismic capability are upgraded to meet modern standards. The first deployment of the EC6 is anticipated in Canada; international markets are also being pursued. AECL is performing a comprehensive review of the EC6 design in the wake of the Fukushima accident, will review lessons learned, and incorporate any necessary improvements into new build design. (author)

  15. On iteration-separable method on the multichannel scattering theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zubarev, A.L.; Ivlieva, I.N.; Podkopaev, A.P.

    1975-01-01

    The iteration-separable method for solving the equations of the Lippman-Schwinger type is suggested. Exponential convergency of the method of proven. Numerical convergency is clarified on the e + H scattering. Application of the method to the theory of multichannel scattering is formulated

  16. New Insights into the Provenance of the Southern Junggar Basin in the Jurassic from Heavy Mineral Analysis and Sedimentary Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, T. Q.; Wu, C.; Zhu, W.

    2017-12-01

    Being a vital component of foreland basin of Central-western China, Southern Junggar Basin has observed solid evidences of oil and gas in recent years without a considerable advancement. The key reason behind this is the lack of systematic study on sedimentary provenance analysis of the Southern Junggar basin. Three parts of the Southern Junggar basin, including the western segment (Sikeshu Sag), the central segment (Qigu Fault-Fold Belt) and the eastern segment (Fukang Fault Zone), possess varied provenance systems, giving rise to difficulties for oil-gas exploration. In this study, 3468 heavy minerals data as well as the sedimentary environment analysis of 10 profiles and 7 boreholes were used to investigate the provenances of the deposits in the southern Junggar basin . Based on this research, it reveals that: Sikeshu sag initially shaped the foreland basin prototype in the Triassic and its provenance area of the sediments from the Sikeshu sag has primarily been situated in zhongguai uplift-chepaizi uplift depositional systems located in the northwestern margin of the Junggar Basin. From the early Jurassic, the key sources were likely to be late Carboniferous to early Permain post-collisional volcanic rocks from the North Tian Shan block to Centrao Tian Shan. In the Xishanyao formation, Abundant lithic metamorphic, epidote and garnet that suggests the source rocks were possibly late Carboniferous subduction-related arc volcanic rocks of the Central Tian Shan. In the Toutunhe formation, Bogda Mountains began uplifting and gradually becoming the major provenance. Moreover, the sedimentary boundaries of Junggar basin have also shifted towards the North Tian Shan again. In the late Jurassic, the conglomerates of the Kalazha formation directly overlie the fine-grained red beds of Qigu formation, which throw light on the rapid tectonic uplift of the North Tian Shan. In the eastern segment, meandering river delta and shore-lacustrine environments were fully developed

  17. Discovery radiomics via evolutionary deep radiomic sequencer discovery for pathologically proven lung cancer detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafiee, Mohammad Javad; Chung, Audrey G; Khalvati, Farzad; Haider, Masoom A; Wong, Alexander

    2017-10-01

    While lung cancer is the second most diagnosed form of cancer in men and women, a sufficiently early diagnosis can be pivotal in patient survival rates. Imaging-based, or radiomics-driven, detection methods have been developed to aid diagnosticians, but largely rely on hand-crafted features that may not fully encapsulate the differences between cancerous and healthy tissue. Recently, the concept of discovery radiomics was introduced, where custom abstract features are discovered from readily available imaging data. We propose an evolutionary deep radiomic sequencer discovery approach based on evolutionary deep intelligence. Motivated by patient privacy concerns and the idea of operational artificial intelligence, the evolutionary deep radiomic sequencer discovery approach organically evolves increasingly more efficient deep radiomic sequencers that produce significantly more compact yet similarly descriptive radiomic sequences over multiple generations. As a result, this framework improves operational efficiency and enables diagnosis to be run locally at the radiologist's computer while maintaining detection accuracy. We evaluated the evolved deep radiomic sequencer (EDRS) discovered via the proposed evolutionary deep radiomic sequencer discovery framework against state-of-the-art radiomics-driven and discovery radiomics methods using clinical lung CT data with pathologically proven diagnostic data from the LIDC-IDRI dataset. The EDRS shows improved sensitivity (93.42%), specificity (82.39%), and diagnostic accuracy (88.78%) relative to previous radiomics approaches.

  18. Using sedimentary archives to reconstruct pollution history and sediment provenance: The Ohre River, Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Matys Grygar, Tomáš; Elznicová, J.; Kiss, T.; Smith, H. G.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 144, SEP (2016), s. 109-129 ISSN 0341-8162 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-00340S Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : Polluted floodplains * Pollution history * Fluvial archives * Sediment provenance * Environmental geochemistry Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 3.191, year: 2016

  19. Provenance evolution in the northern South China Sea and its implication of paleo-drainage systems from Eocene to Miocene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Y.; Shao, L.; Qiao, P.

    2017-12-01

    Geochemistry analysis and detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology aim to fully investigate the "source to sink" patterns of northern South China Sea (SCS) from Eocene to Miocene. Evolutional history of the surrounding drainage system has been highly focused on, in comparison to sedimentary characteristics of the SCS basins. Rapid local provenances were prevailed while large-scale fluvial transport remained to evolve during Eocene. Since early Oligocene, sediments from the South China were more abundantly delivered to the northeastern Pearl River Mouth Basin in addition to Dongsha volcanism supplement. Aside from intrabasinal provenances, long-distance transport started to play significant role in Zhu1 Depression, possibly reaching western and southern Baiyun Sag, partially. Western Qiongdongnan Basin might accept sediments from central Vietnam with its eastern area more affected from Hainan Island and Southern Uplift. In the late Oligocene, due to drastic sea-level changes and rapid exhumation, mafic to altramafic sediments were transported in abundance to Central Depression from Kontum Massif, while multiple provenances casted integrated influence on eastern sedimentary sequences. Southern Baiyun Sag was also affected by an increased supplement from the west Shenhu Uplift or even central Vietnam. Overall pattern did not change greatly since early Miocene, but long-distance transport has become dominant in the northern SCS. Under controlled by regional tectonic cycles, Pearl River gradually evolved into the present scale and exerted its influence on basinal provenances by several stages. Zhu1 Depression was partially delivered sediments from its tributaries in early Oligocene while northern Zhu2 Depression has not been provided abundant materials until late Oligocene. Meanwhile, although detailed transportation routine remains uncertain and controversial, an impressive paleo-channel spanning the whole Qiongdongnan Basin was presumed to supply huge amount of mafic to

  20. Reliability of kinetic visual field testing in children with mutation-proven retinal dystrophies: Implications for therapeutic clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedania, Vaidehi S; Liu, Jerry Y; Schlegel, Dana; Andrews, Chris A; Branham, Kari; Khan, Naheed W; Musch, David C; Heckenlively, John R; Jayasundera, K Thiran

    2018-01-01

    Kinetic visual field testing is used to monitor disease course in retinal dystrophy clinical care and treatment response in treatment trials, which are increasingly recruiting children. This study investigates Goldmann visual field (GVF) changes in young children with mutation-proven retinal dystrophies as they age and with progression of the retinal degeneration. Retrospective review of children ≤ 17 years old with a mutation-proven retinal dystrophy. Objective clinical disease activity was assessed by a retinal degeneration specialist masked to GVF results. Digital quantification of GVF area was performed. Twenty-nine children (58 eyes), ages 5-16, were identified. GVF area increased with age despite progression in 20 children and clinical stability in nine children. Mean ± standard error increase in GVF area/year was 333 ± 130 mm 2 (I4e, p = 0.012), 720 ± 155 mm 2 (III4e, p children with mutation-proven retinal dystrophies, there is a significant increase in GVF area with age, particularly those children with retinal dystrophies can be an unreliable measure of response to treatment and on which to base appropriate counseling about visual impairment.

  1. Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Methods - Annual Plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Early cancer detection is a proven life-saving strategy. Learn about the research opportunities NCI supports, including liquid biopsies and other less-invasive methods, for detecting early cancers and precancerous growths.

  2. Retrospective analysis of 104 histologically proven adult brainstem gliomas: clinical symptoms, therapeutic approaches and prognostic factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reithmeier, Thomas; Kuzeawu, Aanyo; Hentschel, Bettina; Loeffler, Markus; Trippel, Michael; Nikkhah, Guido

    2014-01-01

    Adult brainstem gliomas are rare primary brain tumors (<2% of gliomas). The goal of this study was to analyze clinical, prognostic and therapeutic factors in a large series of histologically proven brainstem gliomas. Between 1997 and 2007, 104 patients with a histologically proven brainstem glioma were retrospectively analyzed. Data about clinical course of disease, neuropathological findings and therapeutic approaches were analyzed. The median age at diagnosis was 41 years (range 18-89 years), median KPS before any operative procedure was 80 (range 20-100) and median survival for the whole cohort was 18.8 months. Histopathological examinations revealed 16 grade I, 31 grade II, 42 grade III and 14 grade IV gliomas. Grading was not possible in 1 patient. Therapeutic concepts differed according to the histopathology of the disease. Median overall survival for grade II tumors was 26.4 months, for grade III tumors 12.9 months and for grade IV tumors 9.8 months. On multivariate analysis the relative risk to die increased with a KPS ≤ 70 by factor 6.7, with grade III/IV gliomas by the factor 1.8 and for age ≥ 40 by the factor 1.7. External beam radiation reduced the risk to die by factor 0.4. Adult brainstem gliomas present with a wide variety of neurological symptoms and postoperative radiation remains the cornerstone of therapy with no proven benefit of adding chemotherapy. Low KPS, age ≥ 40 and higher tumor grade have a negative impact on overall survival

  3. Provenance and sediment fluxes in the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwadi) River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garzanti, Eduardo; Wang, Jiangang; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Limonta, Mara

    2016-04-01

    The Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwadi) River, still a natural system scarcely affected by human activities, ranks among the five major rivers in the world for its annual suspended load, estimated as 364±60 million tons (Robinson et al., 2007). Sourced in Himalayan glaciers southeast of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis at ca. 28°N, the Irrawaddy originates from the confluence of the Nmai and Mali Rivers, flows southward to receive its major Chindwin tributary in the middle of the central Myanmar Basin, and eventually empties through a nine-armed delta into the Andaman Sea. The compositional fingerprint of bedload sand in the upper Irrawaddy is characterized by common feldspars, medium/high rank of metamorphic rock fragments and high heavy-mineral concentration, reflecting provenance from mid-crustal granitoids, amphibolite-facies and subordinately greenschist-facies rocks widely exposed in the Mogok Belt and Lohit Plutonic Complex. Minor volcanic/metavolcanic and serpentinite grains indicate additional supply from volcanic-arc remnants and the Neotethyan ophiolitic suture. Sand of the Chindwin River has much higher quartz/feldspar ratio and much lower metamorphic indices and heavy-mineral concentration, reflecting provenance mainly from upper crustal sedimentary and very low-grade metasedimentary rocks exposed in the Indo-Burman Ranges (Garzanti et al., 2013). Feldspatho-litho-quartzose to litho-feldspatho-quartzose composition in the lower Irrawaddy is intermediate between that of Chindwin and upper Irrawaddy sand. The slight progressive downstream increase in volcanic rock fragments and chert, and decrease in metamorphic indices, point to additional local supply from volcanic and sedimentary cover rocks. U-Pb age spectra of detrital zircons are characterized by a major cluster between 30 and 150 Ma, corresponding to the long-lasting magmatic activity of the Western Myanmar Arc (Wang et al., 2014), with other clusters at 500-600 Ma and 800-1200 Ma, and a few ages between 1

  4. Reporting on the Strategies Needed to Implement Proven Interventions: An Example From a "Real-World" Cross-Setting Implementation Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gold, Rachel; Bunce, Arwen E; Cohen, Deborah J; Hollombe, Celine; Nelson, Christine A; Proctor, Enola K; Pope, Jill A; DeVoe, Jennifer E

    2016-08-01

    The objective of this study was to empirically demonstrate the use of a new framework for describing the strategies used to implement quality improvement interventions and provide an example that others may follow. Implementation strategies are the specific approaches, methods, structures, and resources used to introduce and encourage uptake of a given intervention's components. Such strategies have not been regularly reported in descriptions of interventions' effectiveness, or in assessments of how proven interventions are implemented in new settings. This lack of reporting may hinder efforts to successfully translate effective interventions into "real-world" practice. A recently published framework was designed to standardize reporting on implementation strategies in the implementation science literature. We applied this framework to describe the strategies used to implement a single intervention in its original commercial care setting, and when implemented in community health centers from September 2010 through May 2015. Per this framework, the target (clinic staff) and outcome (prescribing rates) remained the same across settings; the actor, action, temporality, and dose were adapted to fit local context. The framework proved helpful in articulating which of the implementation strategies were kept constant and which were tailored to fit diverse settings, and simplified our reporting of their effects. Researchers should consider consistently reporting this information, which could be crucial to the success or failure of implementing proven interventions effectively across diverse care settings. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02299791. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. “Team Building: Proven Strategies for Improving Team Performance, 4th Edition”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Greg Homan

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Team Building is an important issue for Youth Development professionals. We utilize team-focused work to achieve our objectives in educating youth. The team building skills we integrate into programming serve to prepare youth for the dynamic, highly interpersonal work environment of today. “Team Building: Proven Strategies for Improving Team Performance, 4th Edition,” by W. Dyer, W.G. Dyer, and J. Dyer (2007, provides a practical theoretical framework for those interested in team building application, training, and practice in everyday work.

  6. Isolation and characterization of biosurfactant producing bacteria from Persian Gulf (Bushehr provenance)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassanshahian, Mehdi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated from Persian Gulf. • There is high diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria in the Persian Gulf. • These bacteria are very useful for management of oil pollution in the sea. - Abstract: Biosurfactants are surface active materials that are produced by some microorganisms. These molecules increase biodegradation of insoluble pollutants. In this study sediments and seawater samples were collected from the coastline of Bushehr provenance in the Persian Gulf and their biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated. Biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated by using an enrichment method in Bushnell-Hass medium with diesel oil as the sole carbon source. Five screening tests were used for selection of Biosurfactant producing bacteria: hemolysis in blood agar, oil spreading, drop collapse, emulsification activity and Bacterial Adhesion to Hydrocarbon test (BATH). These bacteria were identified using biochemical and molecular methods. Eighty different colonies were isolated from the collected samples. The most biosurfactant producing isolates related to petrochemical plants of Khark Island. Fourteen biosurfactant producing bacteria were selected between these isolates and 7 isolates were screened as these were predominant producers that belong to Shewanella alga, Shewanella upenei, Vibrio furnissii, Gallaecimonas pentaromativorans, Brevibacterium epidermidis, Psychrobacter namhaensis and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The largest clear zone diameters in oil spreading were observed for G. pentaromativorans strain O15. Also, this strain has the best emulsification activity and reduction of surface tension, suggesting it is the best of thee isolated strains. The results of this study confirmed that there is high diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria in marine ecosystem of Iran and by application of these bacteria in petrochemical waste water environmental problems can be assisted

  7. Analytic Provenance Datasets: A Data Repository of Human Analysis Activity and Interaction Logs

    OpenAIRE

    Mohseni, Sina; Pachuilo, Andrew; Nirjhar, Ehsanul Haque; Linder, Rhema; Pena, Alyssa; Ragan, Eric D.

    2018-01-01

    We present an analytic provenance data repository that can be used to study human analysis activity, thought processes, and software interaction with visual analysis tools during exploratory data analysis. We conducted a series of user studies involving exploratory data analysis scenario with textual and cyber security data. Interactions logs, think-alouds, videos and all coded data in this study are available online for research purposes. Analysis sessions are segmented in multiple sub-task ...

  8. Reactions of Adansonia digitata L. provenances to long-term stress at seedling stage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bouda, Z. H N; Bayala, J.; Jensen, J. S.

    2015-01-01

    The effects of drought stress on growth parameters and dry matter partitioning of seven provenances (six from West Africa and one from East Africa) of Adansonia digitata L. were assessed in a seedling experiment in Burkina Faso. Three water regimes corresponding to 100 % (control), 75 % and 50 % ...

  9. Generalized subspace correction methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kolm, P. [Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden); Arbenz, P.; Gander, W. [Eidgenoessiche Technische Hochschule, Zuerich (Switzerland)

    1996-12-31

    A fundamental problem in scientific computing is the solution of large sparse systems of linear equations. Often these systems arise from the discretization of differential equations by finite difference, finite volume or finite element methods. Iterative methods exploiting these sparse structures have proven to be very effective on conventional computers for a wide area of applications. Due to the rapid development and increasing demand for the large computing powers of parallel computers, it has become important to design iterative methods specialized for these new architectures.

  10. Frequency and outcomes of biopsy-proven fibroadenomas recommended for surgical excision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Shimwoo; Mercado, Cecilia L; Cangiarella, Joan F; Chhor, Chloe M

    2017-12-16

    Our aim was to investigate the outcomes of fibroadenomas recommended for surgical excision due to large size (>2cm) or interval growth. A retrospective review of our institutional radiology database from 2007 to 2015 was performed. We identified 167 biopsy-proven fibroadenomas recommended for surgical consultation. Of these, 75 (45%) cases actually underwent excision, 7 (9%, 95% CI: 4-18%) of which were upgraded to phyllodes tumors upon histopathological examination. Our results support the current recommendation to surgically excise breast lesions diagnosed as fibroadenomas with size >2cm or with interval growth due to the considerable risk of finding phyllodes tumors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. RESEARCH NOTE A Universal, rapid, and inexpensive method for ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Navya

    success of the extracted gDNA to be submitted into post-PCR analysis. ... The application of the universal method for DNA extraction not restricted into routine ... On the other hand, the universal method has proven its feasibility to be utilized.

  12. Provenance based data integrity checking and verification in cloud environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haq, Inam Ul; Jan, Bilal; Khan, Fakhri Alam; Ahmad, Awais

    2017-01-01

    Cloud computing is a recent tendency in IT that moves computing and data away from desktop and hand-held devices into large scale processing hubs and data centers respectively. It has been proposed as an effective solution for data outsourcing and on demand computing to control the rising cost of IT setups and management in enterprises. However, with Cloud platforms user’s data is moved into remotely located storages such that users lose control over their data. This unique feature of the Cloud is facing many security and privacy challenges which need to be clearly understood and resolved. One of the important concerns that needs to be addressed is to provide the proof of data integrity, i.e., correctness of the user’s data stored in the Cloud storage. The data in Clouds is physically not accessible to the users. Therefore, a mechanism is required where users can check if the integrity of their valuable data is maintained or compromised. For this purpose some methods are proposed like mirroring, checksumming and using third party auditors amongst others. However, these methods use extra storage space by maintaining multiple copies of data or the presence of a third party verifier is required. In this paper, we address the problem of proving data integrity in Cloud computing by proposing a scheme through which users are able to check the integrity of their data stored in Clouds. In addition, users can track the violation of data integrity if occurred. For this purpose, we utilize a relatively new concept in the Cloud computing called “Data Provenance”. Our scheme is capable to reduce the need of any third party services, additional hardware support and the replication of data items on client side for integrity checking. PMID:28545151

  13. Provenance discrimination of sediments in the Zhejiang-Fujian mud belt, East China Sea: Implications for the development of the mud depocenter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiting; Li, Anchun; Dong, Jiang; Lu, Jian; Huang, Jie; Wan, Shiming

    2018-01-01

    In the past decade, the 800 km elongated mud belt off Zhejiang-Fujian coast, East China Sea (ECS), has been extensively studied for understanding the source to sink processes on the East Asian continental margin in the context of the Asian monsoon. However, to better understand the sediment source and dispersal pattern, the existing mineralogical and geochemical data of adjacent river systems, including the Changjiang River (CJR) and local rivers in Zhejiang, Fujian and Taiwan, need to be systematically reviewed. Therefore, various indicators from published literatures for the provenance discrimination in the mud belt have been summarised in this article. The results show that high diversity of clay mineral assemblages in fluvial sediments being supplied into the mud belt, e.g., dominant illite and chlorite in the CJR, absence of smectite in Taiwan rivers, similar amounts of the four clay mineral species in Zhejiang rivers, and dominant kaolinite in Fujian rivers. On heavy mineralogy, the CJR is dominated by dolomite, hornblende, and flaky minerals; and among of them, dolomite is distinctive for the CJR. For geochemical approaches, elemental compositions, combined with strontium and neodymium isotopes, reflect strong provenance control. However, geochemical and mineralogical compositions are found to vary with grain size, and thus extra caution should be taken when using these parameters as provenance indicator to discriminate the marine sediments with variety of grain-size fractions. In addition, pyrrhotite, occurred in fluvial sediments from western Taiwan, has not been found in sediments derived from mainland China, indicating that magnetic parameters could be used to discriminate sediment provenance. The mud belt formed during sea-level highstand, when modern current system in the ECS has been established, resulting in sediments derived from the CJR have been transported southward since 8 ka. In addition, sediment provenances have not been constant since

  14. Black and red granites in the Egyptian Antiquity Museum of Turin. A minero-petrographic and provenance study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serra, M.; Borghi, A.; Vaggelli, G.; D'Amicone, E.; Vigna, L.

    2009-04-01

    The University of Turin, in cooperation with the Egyptian Antiquity Museum, has recently undertaken several projects aimed at developing a scientific approach to the analysis of ancient Egyptian finds. In particular, a straightforward project to investigate the stony handcrafts preserved in the statuary rooms started in 2006 to obtain their systematic petrographic classification and their possible geological sources. The main intent of the project was to understand the provenance of the materials used in Pharaonic period, setting the base for the identification of the ancient quarry sites and for a correct interpretation of the extraction and working techniques, in order to provide fundamental information about economical and social development of Egyptian civilization through historical times. The choice to focus attention on black and red granites came from the statement of the percentage relevance (40 of the 54 sculptures actually exposed) of these materials in the statuary rooms. Moreover, especially for black granites, the need of detailed minero-petrographic analysis arose from the difficulty in making a macroscopic classification of the fine-grained dark-coloured rock varieties. Therefore, five black granite statues, belonging to the Drovetti collection were sampled in a micro-invasive way: three sculptures of goddess Sekhmet (cat. 260, 251, 247), the statue of Ramses II (cat. 1380) and the statue of goddess Hathor (cat. 694). The choice to analyse even three of the twenty-one statues of goddess Sekhmet (cat. 247, cat. 251, cat. 260), originally located in the same Egyptian temple but ichnographically different, derived from the need of answering the archaeological questions about their provenance. On the other hand, the opportunity of studying the fine-grained black rocks used for the sculptures of goddess Hathor (cat. 694) and of Ramses II in Majesty (cat. 1380), symbol of the Egyptian museum of Turin, provided the opportunity to analyse and classify the

  15. Botanical Provenance of Traditional Medicines From Carpathian Mountains at the Ukrainian-Polish Border

    OpenAIRE

    Weronika Kozlowska; Charles Wagner; Charles Wagner; Erin M. Moore; Erin M. Moore; Adam Matkowski; Slavko Komarnytsky; Slavko Komarnytsky

    2018-01-01

    Plants were an essential part of foraging for food and health, and for centuries remained the only medicines available to people from the remote mountain regions. Their correct botanical provenance is an essential basis for understanding the ethnic cultures, as well as for chemical identification of the novel bioactive molecules with therapeutic effects. This work describes the use of herbal medicines in the Beskid mountain ranges located south of Krakow and Lviv, two influential medieval cen...

  16. The market of human organs: a window into a poorly understood global business.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surman, O S; Saidi, R; Purtilo, R; Simmerling, M; Ko, D; Burke, T F

    2008-03-01

    The global demand for human organs has set the stage for an exploding and poorly understood global business in human organs. Whenever there is demand for a product, the opportunity for business arises. The form that a business takes is dependent on a complex network of inputs and outputs, each affecting the others. Historically, the details of any specific market are drastically underestimated. Nowhere is this truer than in the market of human organs. The drivers, which propel the "goods" of human organs, form a flourishing business. Critical analysis is essential to understanding of the supply and demand sides and to determine the role of government in regulating the industry. Governmental groups have dismissed formation of a regulated market for organ sales. The concept is nonetheless a topic of active discussion, motivated by the suffering of patients in need of organs and exploitation of the victims of human trafficking. Ethical principles have been invoked on each side of the ensuing debate. Theory in the absence of sufficient data is shaky ground for enactment of new policy. The Aristotelian concept of "practical wisdom" and the pragmatism of William James illuminate the importance of scientific investigation as guide to policy formation. How will stakeholders benefit or lose? What impact might be anticipated in regard to organized medicine's social contract? What can we learn about cross-cultural differences and their effect on the global landscape?

  17. Leapfrogging of tree species provenances? Interaction of microclimate and genetics on upward shifts in tree species' range limits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinhardt, K.; Castanha, C.; Germino, M. J.; Kueppers, L. M.

    2011-12-01

    The elevation limit of tree growth (alpine treeline) is considered to be constrained by environmental (i.e., thermal) and genetic (i.e., inability to adapt to climatic conditions) limitations to growth. Warming conditions due to climate change are predicted to cause upward shifts in the elevation of alpine treelines, through relief of cold-induced physiological limitations on seedling recruitment beyond current treeline boundaries. To determine how genetics and climate may interact to affect seedling establishment, we transplanted recently germinated seedlings from high- and low-elevation provenances (HI and LO, respectively) of Pinus flexilis in common gardens arrayed along an elevation and canopy gradient from subalpine forest into the alpine zone at Niwot Ridge, CO. We compared differences in microclimate and seedling ecophysiology among sites and between provenances. During the first summer of growth, frequently cloudy skies resulted in similar solar radiation incidence and air and soil temperatures among sites, despite nearly a 500 m-span in elevation across all sites. Preliminary findings suggest that survival of seedlings was similar between the lowest and highest elevations, with greater survival of LO (60%) compared to HI (40%) seedlings at each of these sites. Photosynthesis, carbon balance (photosynthesis/respiration), and conductance increased more than 2X with elevation for both provenances, and were 35-77% greater in LO seedlings compared to HI seedlings. There were no differences in dark-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) among sites or between provenances. However, in a common-garden study at low elevation, we observed no differences in carbon or water relations between two naturally-germinated mitochondrial haplotypes of P. flexilis (of narrow and wide-ranging distributions). We did observe water-related thresholds on seedling carbon balance and survival that occurred when soil volumetric water content dropped below 10% and seedling water

  18. Clinical characteristics of biopsy-proven allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis: variety in causative fungi and laboratory findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishiguro, Takashi; Takayanagi, Noboru; Kagiyama, Naho; Shimizu, Yoshihiko; Yanagisawa, Tsutomu; Sugita, Yutaka

    2014-01-01

    The diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) has traditionally relied widely on Rosenberg's criteria, which emphasize immunologic responses while overlooking the investigation of mucous plugs as a primary criterion. Therefore, the characteristics of biopsy-proven ABPM require further elucidation. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of biopsy-proven ABPM and address whether full compliance with clinical criteria, such as the presence of asthma, and certain laboratory findings is necessary to establish a diagnosis of ABPM. We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients with biopsy-proven ABPM focusing on causative fungi and laboratory findings. Causative fungi included Aspergillus sp. in seven patients, Schizophyllum commune in four patients, Penicillium sp. in two patients and unknown in five patients. Bronchial asthma was observed in 10 patients, eosinophilia was observed in 10 patients and an increased serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E level was observed in 14 of the 17 patients. IgG for Aspergillus sp. was positive in six of the seven patients with ABPM due to Aspergillus and turned positive in the remaining patient during follow-up. Technological limitations prevented the measurement of specific IgE for S. commune and IgG for S. commune and Penicillium sp. in most patients. Computed tomography revealed central bronchiectasis, pulmonary infiltration and mucous plugs in all patients. Causative fungi other than Aspergillus sp. are not uncommon, and immunological tests for other fungi should be popularized. Asthma and characteristic laboratory findings, such as peripheral blood eosinophilia, increased serum IgE and precipitating antibodies, may not always be required to diagnose ABPM. The importance of typical pathologic findings of mucous plugs for diagnosing ABPM requires reevaluation. Further studies are needed to establish more elaborate diagnostic criteria for ABPM.

  19. Culture-proven bacterial keratitis in a Malaysian general hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooi, S H; Hooi, S T

    2005-12-01

    One hundred patients (101 eyes) with culture-proven bacterial keratitis were treated in the Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru, over a 4-year period. The majority of patients was male (63%), Malay (60%), from the Johor Bahru district (62%) and aged between 41 to 50 years (20%). The ocular predisposing factors were ocular trauma (41 eyes), ocular surface disease (28 eyes) and contact lens wear (26 eyes). The corneal ulcers were mainly large (50.5%), central (59.4%) and colonized by Gram-negative bacteria (78.1%). The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (67 eyes), Staphylococcus aureus (12 eyes), Acinetobacter baumanii (6 eyes), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5 eyes), Corynebacterium sp. (3 eyes:) and Streptococcus pneumonliae (3 eyes). Twelve eyes (11.8%) had polymicrobial infection. A good visual outcome occurred in 52.5% of eyes analysed. Prognostic factors for visual outcome include presenting Snellen visual acuity, time to presentation after onset of ocular symptoms, ocular predisposing factor, corneal ulcer location and corneal ulcer size.

  20. Archaeological reconstruction of medieval lead production: Implications for ancient metal provenance studies and paleopollution tracing by Pb isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baron, Sandrine; Le-Carlier, Cecile; Carignan, Jean; Ploquin, Alain

    2009-01-01

    The identification of metal provenance is often based on chemical and Pb isotope analyses of materials from the operating chain, mainly ores and metallic artefacts. Such analyses, however, have their limits. Some studies are unable to trace metallic artefacts or ingots to their ore sources, even in well-constrained archaeological contexts. Possible reasons for this difficulty are to be found among a variety of limiting factors: (i) problems of ore signatures, (ii) mixing of different ores (alloys), (iii) the use of additives during the metallurgical process, (iv) metal recycling and (v) possible Pb isotopic fractionation during metal production. This paper focuses on the issue of Pb isotope fractionation during smelting to address the issue of metal provenance. Through an experimental reconstruction of argentiferous Pb production in the medieval period, an attempt was made to better understand and interpret the Pb isotopic composition of ore smelting products. It is shown that the measured differences (outside the total external uncertainties of 0.005 (2*sd) for 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios) in Pb signatures measured between ores, slag and smoke are not due to Pb mass fractionation processes, but to (1) ore heterogeneity (Δ 206 Pb/ 204 Pb slag-ores = 0.066) and (2) the use of additives during the metallurgical process (Δ 206 Pb/ 204 Pb slag-ores = 0.083). Even if these differences are due to causes (1) and/or (2), smoke from the ore reduction appears to reflect the ore mining area without a significant disturbance of its Pb signature for all the isotopic ratios (Δ 206 Pb/ 204 Pb smokes-ores = 0.026). Thus, because the isotopic heterogeneity of the mining district and additives is averaged in slags, slag appears as the most relevant product to identify ancient metal provenance. Whereas aiming at identifying a given mine seems beyond the possibilities provided by the method, searching for the mining district through analysis of the smelting workshop materials should

  1. Late Quaternary loess-like paleosols and pedocomplexes, geochemistry, provenance and source area weathering, Manasbal, Kashmir Valley, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babeesh, C.; Achyuthan, Hema; Jaiswal, Manoj Kumar; Lone, Aasif

    2017-05-01

    The late Quaternary loess and loess-like deposits in Kashmir Valley are natural archives that have preserved paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental records of the region. We present a loess-like paleosol located along the margin of the Manasbal Lake, Ganderbal, which was studied in detail for understanding the pedological processes and reconstructing the late Quaternary soil formation. In this paper we present loess-like paleosol formation of a nearly 10.6 m thick sequence exposed along the margin of Manasbal Lake, Ganderbal District, Srinagar, Kashmir. Geochemical and textural data of this loess-like sedimentary sequence fluctuate reflecting the varied depositional processes operating in the valley, differential intensity of weathering, and processes of pedogenesis. Weathering indices such as chemical index of alteration, chemical index of weathering, and plagioclase index of alteration reveal weak to moderate weathering of the parent material. Provenance discrimination diagrams of the present study disclose that the Manasbal loess-like paleosol sediments are derived from the mixed source rocks suggesting a variety of provenance with variable geological settings, which apparently have undergone weak to moderate recycling processes. The Manasbal paleosol horizons have been dated by the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) method to the marine isotope stages mid-MIS-3 (41.7 ± 8.0 ka) and late-MIS-2 (14.6 ± 3.8 ka). During the MIS-3 period, the climate was wetter, forming a strong AhBtk paleosol as inferred from the geochemical data. A steady increase in the CaCO3 content and C/N ratio in the paleosols from 6.50 m (MIS-3) indicates arid and drier climatic conditions. The area around Manasbal Lake incised because of climate change and neotectonic activity since post-14 ka.

  2. IgG4-Related Disease: Baseline clinical and laboratory features in 125 patients with biopsy-proven disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Zachary S.; Deshpande, Vikram; Mattoo, Hamid; Mahajan, Vinay S.; Kulikova, Maria; Pillai, Shiv; Stone, John H.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an immune-mediated fibroinflammatory condition that can affect nearly any organ. No detailed clinical and laboratory assessments have been reported in large numbers of patients with IgG4-RD diagnoses established by strict clinicopathological correlation. Methods We reviewed the baseline features of 125 patients with biopsy-proven disease. The diagnosis was confirmed by pathology review according to consensus diagnostic criteria. Disease activity and damage were assessed by the IgG4-RD Responder Index (RI). Flow cytometry was used to assess levels of circulating plasmablasts. Results Of the 125 patients, 103 had active disease and 86 were on no treatment. Only 51% of the patients with active disease had elevated serum IgG4 concentrations. However, patients with active disease and elevated serum IgG4 concentrations were older, had a higher RI, a greater number of organs involved, lower complement levels, higher absolute eosinophil counts, and higher IgE levels compared to those with active disease but normal serum IgG4 (PIgG4+ plasmablast level and RI (R=0.45, P=0.003) was stronger than that of total plasmablasts and RI. Seventy-six (61%) of the patients were male, but no significant differences according to gender were observed with regard to disease severity, organ involvement, or serum IgG4 concentrations. Glucocorticoids failed to produce sustained remission in the majority of patients. Conclusion Nearly 50% of this patient cohort with biopsy-proven, clinically-active IgG4-RD had normal serum IgG4 concentrations. Serum IgG4 elevation identify a subset with more inflammatory features. IgG4+ plasmablasts correlate well with disease activity. PMID:25988916

  3. Surgeon-level reporting presented by funnel plot is understood by doctors but inaccurately interpreted by members of the public.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhalla, Ashish; Mehrotra, Prerna; Amawi, Falah; Lund, Jonathan N

    2015-01-01

    Risk-adjusted outcome data for general surgeons practicing in the United Kingdom were published for the first time in 2013 with the aim of increasing transparency, improving standards, and providing the public with information to aid decision making. Most specialties used funnel plots to present their data. We assess the ability of members of the public (MoP), medical students, nonsurgical doctors (NSD), and surgeons to understand risk-adjusted surgical outcome data. A fictitious outcome dataset was created and presented in the form of a funnel plot to 10 participants from each of the aforementioned group. Standard explanatory text was provided. Each participant was given 5 minutes to review the funnel plot and complete a questionnaire. For each question, there was only 1 correct answer. Completion rate was 100% (n = 40). No difference existed between NSD and surgeons. A significant difference for identification of the "worst performing surgeon" was noted between surgeons and MoP (p plot significantly "more difficult" to interpret than surgeons did (p < 0.01) and NSD (p < 0.01). MoP found these data significantly more "difficult to understand" and were less likely to both spot "outliers" and use this data to inform decisions than doctors. Surgeons should be aware that outcome data may require an alternative method of presentation to be understood by MoP. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Experimental evaluation of job provenance in ATLAS environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krenek, A; Sitera, J; Chudoba, J; Dvorak, F; Filipovic, J; KmunIcek, J; Matyska, L; Mulas, M; Ruda, M; Sustr, Z; Campana, S; Molinari, E; Rebatto, D

    2008-01-01

    Grid middleware stacks, including gLite, matured into the state of being able to process up to millions of jobs per day. Logging and Bookkeeping, the gLite job-tracking service, keeps pace with this rate; however, it is not designed to provide a long-term archive of information on executed jobs. ATLAS - representative of a large user community - addresses this issue with its own job catalogue (ProdDB). Development of such a customized service, not easily reusable, took considerable effort which is not affordable by smaller communities. On the contrary, Job Provenance (JP), a generic gLite service designed for long-term archiving of information on executed jobs focusing on scalability, extensibility, uniform data view, and configurability, allows more specialized catalogues to be easily built. We present the first results of an experimental JP deployment for the ATLAS production infrastructure where a JP installation was fed with a part of ATLAS jobs, and also stress tested with real production data. The main outcome of this work is a demonstration that JP can complement large-scale application-specific job catalogue services, while serving a similar purpose where there are none available

  5. Descartes Mountains and Cayley Plains - Composition and provenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drake, M. J.; Taylor, G. J.; Goles, G. G.

    1974-01-01

    Trace element compositions of petrographically characterized 2-4 mm lithic fragments from Apollo 16 soil samples are used to calculate initial REE concentrations in liquids in equilibrium with lunar anorthosites and to discuss the provenance of the Cayley Formation. Lithic fragments may be subdivided into four groups: (1) ANT rocks, (2) K- and SiO2-rich mesostasis-bearing rocks, (3) poikiloblastic rocks, and (4) (spinel) troctolites. Model liquids in equilibrium with essentially monominerallic anorthosites have initial REE concentrations 5-8 times those of chondrites. The REE contents of K- and SiO2-rich mesostasis-bearing rocks and poikiloblastic rocks are dominated by the mesostasis phases. ANT rocks appear to be more abundant in the Descartes Mountains, while poikiloblastic rocks appear to be more abundant in the Cayley Plains. Poikiloblastic rocks have intermediate to high LIL-element concentrations yet the low gamma-ray activity of Mare Orientale implies low LIL-element concentrations. Consequently, it is unlikely that the Cayley Formation is Orientale ejecta. A local origin as ejecta from smaller impacts is a more plausible model for the deposition of the Cayley Formation.

  6. Provenance of the lower Miocene of the Gulf of Mexico from detrital zircon double dating

    Science.gov (United States)

    xu, J.

    2013-12-01

    The lower Miocene interval of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) has recently gained increasing attention from oil and gas industry due to its hydrocarbon potential below the salt canopy. However, it has been less well studied than both the underlying Oligocene and overlying middle Miocene strata. The lower Miocene worldwide is a transitional period of tectonic, climatic, and oceanographic change. In particular, it is a period of major tectonic reorganization in the western interior of North America (Rocky Mountains), involving a shift from the Oligocene thermal phase, with abundant volcanic activity recorded in the thick Frio/Vicksburg succession of the GOM, to the Miocene Basin-Range extensional phase. Climatic conditions also changed from a relatively arid Oligocene to wetter Miocene, resulting in increased sediment yields from exhumed tectonic structures. Previous provenance studies used proportions of quartz, feldspar and lithic fragments and consideration of likely river courses through known paleogeomorphological elements. Only limited detrital zircon (DZ) U-Pb studies on Paleocene strata have been undertaken and there has been no previous U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double dating in the GOM. In this study we apply the latest analytical approaches, such as DZ U-Pb dating to gain robust source terranes ages and more fully elucidate the complex sediment provenance and dispersal history of GOM. We also employ DZ (U-Th)/He (ZHe) dating, combined with DZ U-Pb, to not only define sedimentary provenance but also the exhumation histories of detrital source regions. Samples of lower Miocene outcrop exposures in Texas and Louisiana have been collected to discriminate the varied tectonic and drainage system changes across the basin in lateral. In addition, samples from the Eocene, Oligocene and middle Miocene have been obtained to reveal vertical shift of source terranes contributions. Our initial age data show detrital zircons of lower Miocene sediments come from a wide range of source

  7. Using Motivational Interviewing with School-Age Bullies: A New Use for a Proven, Evidence-Based Intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juhnke, Brenna A.; Juhnke, Gerald A.; Curtis, Russell C.; Thompson, E. Heather; Coll, Kenneth M.; Yu, Fangzhou; Moyer, Michael S.; Mullett, Alison

    2013-01-01

    Motivational interviewing is a proven, evidence-based intervention. It has been successfully utilized as a potent intervention with students presenting a broad range of concerns from substance abuse to obesity. To date, however, no articles exist within the general counseling literature or the "Journal of School Counseling" specifically…

  8. Data Quality Assurance and Provenance Tracking in ICOADS Release 3.0

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cram, T.; Worley, S. J.; Ji, Z.; Schuster, D.

    2017-12-01

    The International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) Release 3.0 (R3.0) is the world's most extensive collection of global surface marine meteorological in situ observational data. Managed under an international partnership, it contains over 455 million unique multi-parameter records, dates back to 1662, and is updated monthly in near real-time. It is a foundational dataset for weather and climate research that has been used by thousands of users. By using rigorous data preparation methods, new IT infrastructure, and International Maritime Meteorological Archive (IMMA) format enhancements, ICOADS R3.0 is exemplary in data quality assurance, provenance tracking, and capturing user feedback. The features in this data lifecycle management will be presented and include, but are not limited to, written data translation specification for each data source being added to ICOADS, assignment of data source identification parameters, attachment of the original data in the IMMA format to support future re-evaluation if necessary, permanently assigned unique identification on every record making data development and community collaborations easily possible using a relational database infrastructure, and extensible capacity of the IMMA format to augment the data richness beyond the primary scope of marine surface data. Some recent augmentations are more completely specified ocean observations from profiling observing systems, feedback data submitted by the atmospheric and oceanographic reanalysis providers, higher quality edited cloud reports, and community provided data value adjustments with uncertainty estimates. Highlights covering these ICOADS value-added features will be explained and the open free access from NCAR will be briefly described.

  9. WWW: The Scientific Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blystone, Robert V.; Blodgett, Kevin

    2006-01-01

    The scientific method is the principal methodology by which biological knowledge is gained and disseminated. As fundamental as the scientific method may be, its historical development is poorly understood, its definition is variable, and its deployment is uneven. Scientific progress may occur without the strictures imposed by the formal…

  10. New markers to identify the provenance of lapis lazuli: trace elements in pyrite by means of micro-PIXE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Re, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Torino, Torino (Italy); Angelici, D. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Torino, Torino (Italy); Universita di Torino, Dipartimento di Fisica, Torino (Italy); Universita di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Torino (Italy); Lo Giudice, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Torino, Torino (Italy); Universita di Torino, Dipartimento di Fisica, Torino (Italy); Maupas, E. [Universita di Torino, Dipartimento di Fisica, Torino (Italy); Giuntini, L.; Calusi, S.; Massi, M.; Mando, P.A. [Universita di Firenze, Dipartimento di Fisica, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Gelli, N. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Borghi, A. [Universita di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Torino (Italy); Gallo, L.M. [Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino (Italy); Pratesi, G. [Universita di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Firenze (Italy); Museo di Storia Naturale, Firenze (Italy)

    2013-04-15

    Lapis lazuli has been used for glyptics and carving since the fifth millennium BC to produce jewels, amulets, seals, inlays, etc; the identification of the origin of the stone used for carving artworks may be valuable for reconstructing old trade routes. Since ancient lapis lazuli art objects are precious, only non-destructive techniques can be used to identify their provenance, and ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques allow us to characterise this stone in a fully non-invasive way. In addition, by using an ion microprobe, we have been able to focus the analysis on single crystals, as their typical dimensions may range from a few microns to hundreds of microns. Provenance markers, identified in previous IBA studies and already presented elsewhere, were based on the presence/absence of mineral phases, on the presence/quantity of trace elements inside a phase and on characteristic features of the luminescence spectra. In this work, a systematic study on pyrite crystals, a common accessory mineral in lapis lazuli, was carried out, following a multi-technique approach: optical microscopy and SEM-EDX to select crystals for successive trace element micro-PIXE measurements at two Italian facilities, the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro and the INFN LABEC laboratory in Firenze. The results of this work allowed us to obtain new markers for lapis lazuli provenance identification. (orig.)

  11. Model-murderers. Afterthoughts on the Goldhagen method and history

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lorenz, C.F.G.

    2002-01-01

    This article analyses the theoretical and methodological structure of Goldhagen's book Hitler's Willing Executioners. It argues that the paradoxical success of HWE can better be understood when its paradoxical implicit theory and method are understood. Although Goldhagen claims that HWE embodies an

  12. Scale models: A proven cost-effective tool for outage planning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, R. [Commonwealth Edison Co., Morris, IL (United States); Segroves, R. [Sargent & Lundy, Chicago, IL (United States)

    1995-03-01

    As generation costs for operating nuclear stations have risen, more nuclear utilities have initiated efforts to improve cost effectiveness. Nuclear plant owners are also being challenged with lower radiation exposure limits and new revised radiation protection related regulations (10 CFR 20), which places further stress on their budgets. As source term reduction activities continue to lower radiation fields, reducing the amount of time spent in radiation fields becomes one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing radiation exposure. An effective approach for minimizing time spent in radiation areas is to use a physical scale model for worker orientation planning and monitoring maintenance, modifications, and outage activities. To meet the challenge of continued reduction in the annual cumulative radiation exposures, new cost-effective tools are required. One field-tested and proven tool is the physical scale model.

  13. Sediment provenance in contractional orogens: The detrital zircon record from modern rivers in the Andean fold-thrust belt and foreland basin of western Argentina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capaldi, Tomas N.; Horton, Brian K.; McKenzie, N. Ryan; Stockli, Daniel F.; Odlum, Margaret L.

    2017-12-01

    This study analyzes detrital zircon U-Pb age populations from Andean rivers to assess whether active synorogenic sedimentation accurately records proportional contributions from varied bedrock source units across different drainage areas. Samples of modern river sand were collected from west-central Argentina (28-33°S), where the Andes are characterized by active uplift and deposition in diverse contractional provinces, including (1) hinterland, (2) wedge-top, (3) proximal foreland, and (4) distal broken foreland basin settings. Potential controls on sediment provenance were evaluated by comparing river U-Pb age distributions with predicted age spectra generated by a sediment mixing model weighted by relative catchment exposure (outcrop) areas for different source units. Several statistical measures (similarity, likeness, and cross-correlation) are employed to compare how well the area-weighted model predicts modern river age populations. (1) Hinterland basin provenance is influenced by local relief generated along thrust-bounded ranges and high zircon fertility of exposed crystalline basement. (2) Wedge-top (piggyback) basin provenance is controlled by variable lithologic durability among thrust-belt bedrock sources and recycled basin sediments. (3) Proximal foreland (foredeep) basin provenance of rivers and fluvial megafans accurately reflect regional bedrock distributions, with limited effects of zircon fertility and lithologic durability in large (>20,000 km2) second-order drainage systems. (4) In distal broken segments of the foreland basin, regional provenance signatures from thrust-belt and hinterland areas are diluted by local contributions from foreland basement-cored uplifts.

  14. Lectures on the coupling method

    CERN Document Server

    Lindvall, Torgny

    2002-01-01

    An important tool in probability theory and its applications, the coupling method is primarily used in estimates of total variation distances. The method also works well in establishing inequalities, and it has proven highly successful in the study of Markov and renewal process asymptotics. This text represents a detailed, comprehensive examination of the method and its broad variety of applications. Readers progress from simple to advanced topics, with end-of-discussion notes that reinforce the preceding material. Topics include renewal theory, Markov chains, Poisson approximation, ergodicity

  15. The future of the finite element method in geotechnics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brinkgreve, R.B.J.

    2012-01-01

    In this presentation a vision is given on tlie fiiture of the finite element method (FEM) for geotechnical engineering and design. In the past 20 years the FEM has proven to be a powerful method for estimating deformation, stability and groundwater flow in geoteclmical stmctures. Much has been

  16. The Rajang Unconformity: Major provenance change between the Eocene and Miocene sequences in NW Borneo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breitfeld, H. T.; Hennig, J.; BouDagher-Fadel, M.; Hall, R.

    2017-12-01

    The offshore Sarawak Basin NW of North Sarawak is a major hydrocarbon province in SE Asia. A very thick sedimentary sequence of Oligocene to ?Early Miocene age, named Cycle 1, is an important hydrocarbon source and reservoir. Despite numerous wells the stratigraphy and tectonic history is not very well understood. The Nyalau Formation of onshore North Sarawak is the supposed equivalent of the offshore Cycle 1 sequence. The Nyalau Formation is a thick sedimentary sequence of mainly tidal to deltaic deposits. The formation is dominated by well-bedded sandstone-mudstone alternations and thicker sandstones with abundant bioturbation. The sandstones are predominantly arenaceous. Various lithic fragments and feldspar indicate multiple sources and fresh input from igneous and metamorphic rocks. Interbedded thin limestone beds and marls yielded Early Miocene foraminifera for the upper part of the succession. Zircons separated from the sandstones yielded mainly Cretaceous and Triassic ages. The Triassic is the dominant age population. The Nyalau Formation conformably overlies the Buan Shale and the Tatau Formation, and in places unconformably overlies the Belaga Formation. The Belaga Formation is part of the Rajang Group that represents remnants of a large submarine fan deposited in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene in Central Sarawak. In contrast to the Nyalau Formation, the majority of zircons from the Rajang Group have Cretaceous ages. This marks an important change in provenance at the major unconformity separating the Belaga and Nyalau Formations. This unconformity was previously interpreted as the result of an orogeny in the Late Eocene. However, there is no evidence for a subduction or collision event at this time in Sarawak. We interpret it to mark plate reorganisation in the Middle Eocene and name it the Rajang Unconformity. Borneo is the principal source of Cretaceous zircons which were derived from the Schwaner Mountains and West Sarawak. The dominant Triassic zircon

  17. Provenance and indirect dating study on Hongzhou Kiln porcelains by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, X.Q.; Feng, S.L.; Quan, K.S.

    2007-01-01

    Over 100 sherds were collected from Hongzhou Kiln of Jiangxi Province, China and their body samples were analyzed by INAA. The compositional differences between samples with the same period but different provenance were observed. The contents of Na, Rb, Ba, Fe, Th, U, etc., were found to be different among samples from different periods, which implies they may be used to identify the manufacturing age indirectly. The analytical data were further processed by principal components analysis (PCA). The statistical results show that all the sherds can be classified into 5 groups: (1) Eastern Han and Eastern Wu; (2) Western Jin, Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties; (3) Sui; (4) Early Tang and Middle Tang; (5) Late Tang and Five Dynasties. (author)

  18. Understanding RTI in Mathematics: Proven Methods and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gersten, Russell, Ed.; Newman-Gonchar, Rebecca, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    Edited by National Math Panel veteran Russell Gersten with contributions by all of the country's leading researchers on RTI and math, this cutting-edge text blends the existing evidence base with practical guidelines for RTI implementation. Current and future RTI coordinators, curriculum developers, math specialists, and department heads will get…

  19. Stratigraphy and sediment provenance of the Karoo Supergroup in Southern Botswana using geochemical indicators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diskin, Sorcha; Wendorff, Marek; Lasarwe, Reneilwe

    2010-05-01

    /Yb)N plotted against CeN shows a relationship between REE fractionation and provenance, the samples from the Ecca's lacustrine Kwetla Formation and Bori Formation fall into the Intermediate Igneous Provenance Field along with data from the Dwyka, whereas the deltaic Kweneng and Boritse Formation belong to the quartzose provenance field. This agrees with indicators from the major element discriminators.

  20. Provenance determination of pottery by trace element analysis. Problems, solutions and applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mommsen, H.

    2001-01-01

    Provenance determinations of pottery by chemical analysis is reviewed and shown to work well. Since pottery is produced from a well homogenized clay paste according to a certain recipe, sharp elemental patterns are expected for a series of products having the same origin. To obtain such patterns when forming compositional groups of pottery, a consideration of experimental errors, a correction for dilution and a choice of only stable elements is necessary. The patterns thus obtained will have low probability of overlap with groups of different origin. Examples for well defined groups of German stonewares and of Mycenaean wares from the Peloponnese are recorded. (author)

  1. Antimicrobial stewardship initiatives throughout Europe: proven value for money

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edwin J.M. Oberjé

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial stewardship is recognized as a key component to stop the current European spread of antimicrobial resistance. It has also become evident that antimicrobial resistance is a problem that cannot be tackled by single institutions or physicians. Prevention of antimicrobial resistance needs rigorous actions at ward level, institution level, national level and at supra-national levels. Countries can learn from each other and possibly transplant best practices across borders to prevent antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study is to highlight some of the success stories of proven cost-effective interventions, and to describe the actions that have been taken, the outcomes that have been found, and the difficulties that have been met. In some cases we came across substantial scope for real-life cost savings. Although the best approach to effectively hinder the spread of antimicrobial resistance remains unclear and may vary significantly among settings, several EU-wide examples demonstrate that cost-effective antimicrobial stewardship is possible. Such examples can encourage others to implement (the most cost-effective elements in their system.

  2. Warming and provenance limit tree recruitment across and beyond the elevation range of subalpine forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kueppers, Lara M; Conlisk, Erin; Castanha, Cristina; Moyes, Andrew B; Germino, Matthew J; de Valpine, Perry; Torn, Margaret S; Mitton, Jeffry B

    2017-06-01

    Climate niche models project that subalpine forest ranges will extend upslope with climate warming. These projections assume that the climate suitable for adult trees will be adequate for forest regeneration, ignoring climate requirements for seedling recruitment, a potential demographic bottleneck. Moreover, local genetic adaptation is expected to facilitate range expansion, with tree populations at the upper forest edge providing the seed best adapted to the alpine. Here, we test these expectations using a novel combination of common gardens, seeded with two widely distributed subalpine conifers, and climate manipulations replicated at three elevations. Infrared heaters raised temperatures in heated plots, but raised temperatures more in the forest than at or above treeline because strong winds at high elevation reduced heating efficiency. Watering increased season-average soil moisture similarly across sites. Contrary to expectations, warming reduced Engelmann spruce recruitment at and above treeline, as well as in the forest. Warming reduced limber pine first-year recruitment in the forest, but had no net effect on fourth-year recruitment at any site. Watering during the snow-free season alleviated some negative effects of warming, indicating that warming exacerbated water limitations. Contrary to expectations of local adaptation, low-elevation seeds of both species initially recruited more strongly than high-elevation seeds across the elevation gradient, although the low-provenance advantage diminished by the fourth year for Engelmann spruce, likely due to small sample sizes. High- and low-elevation provenances responded similarly to warming across sites for Engelmann spruce, but differently for limber pine. In the context of increasing tree mortality, lower recruitment at all elevations with warming, combined with lower quality, high-provenance seed being most available for colonizing the alpine, portends range contraction for Engelmann spruce. The lower

  3. Application of radiometric analysis in the study of provenance and transport processes of Brazilian coastal sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, C.; Anjos, R.M.; Veiga, R.; Macario, K.

    2011-01-01

    Natural gamma radiation of beach sand deposits was measured along the south coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with the aim of studying the provenance and transport processes of sediments in this area. Concentrations of thorium, uranium and potassium were evaluated using γ-ray spectrometry and a behavioral study of eTh/eU and eTh/K cross plots was performed, reflecting the mineralogical properties of beach sands, as well as their history of transport and sorting processes. The results show that such technique can be efficiently used to map heavy mineral distributions and to distinguish the different origins of coastal sediments disclosing the influence of nearby rivers. - Research highlights: → Based on the natural γ-ray analyses of beach sand, high concentrations of heavy minerals have been found around the Mambucaba River deltaic complex, located in the South of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. → Concentrations of thorium, uranium and potassium concentration can give information on the mineral composition and provenance of beach sands and consequently investigate heavy mineral deposits.

  4. Application of radiometric analysis in the study of provenance and transport processes of Brazilian coastal sediments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carvalho, C. [Laboratorio de Radioecologia (LARA), Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Gal. Milton Tavares de Souza, s/no, Gragoata, 24210-346 Niteroi, RJ (Brazil); Anjos, R.M., E-mail: meigikos@if.uff.b [Laboratorio de Radioecologia (LARA), Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Gal. Milton Tavares de Souza, s/no, Gragoata, 24210-346 Niteroi, RJ (Brazil); Veiga, R.; Macario, K. [Laboratorio de Radioecologia (LARA), Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Gal. Milton Tavares de Souza, s/no, Gragoata, 24210-346 Niteroi, RJ (Brazil)

    2011-02-15

    Natural gamma radiation of beach sand deposits was measured along the south coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with the aim of studying the provenance and transport processes of sediments in this area. Concentrations of thorium, uranium and potassium were evaluated using {gamma}-ray spectrometry and a behavioral study of eTh/eU and eTh/K cross plots was performed, reflecting the mineralogical properties of beach sands, as well as their history of transport and sorting processes. The results show that such technique can be efficiently used to map heavy mineral distributions and to distinguish the different origins of coastal sediments disclosing the influence of nearby rivers. - Research highlights: {yields} Based on the natural {gamma}-ray analyses of beach sand, high concentrations of heavy minerals have been found around the Mambucaba River deltaic complex, located in the South of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. {yields} Concentrations of thorium, uranium and potassium concentration can give information on the mineral composition and provenance of beach sands and consequently investigate heavy mineral deposits.

  5. Provenance study of a Bronze Age sword from Giurgiu

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olariu, Agata; Badica, T.; Popescu, I. V.; Alexandrescu, E.

    2000-01-01

    This work is a compositional study of a bronze sword recently discovered near Giurgiu using the method of charged particles induced X ray emission (PIXE). The sword is of it Reutlingen type dated in the period Bronze Age D - Hallstatt A1, around 1200 B. C. The knowledge of its composition could give supplementary information about the provenance of this sword by comparing with other copper-based alloy objects from Bronze Age. To obtain the composition of the sword we have applied the method PIXE at the Tandem accelerator of IFIN-HH Magurele. We have extracted 3 samples from the body of the sword: one sample from the tip of the sword and 2 samples from the hilt. The samples have been flattened by a hammer and introduced in the irradiation chamber of the PIXE spectrometer. The targets have been irradiated by a current of protons of 3 MeV and about 5 nA from the linear accelerator Tandem of the department. The detection of the characteristic X ray emission have been done by a GeHP detector. The acquisition of the X ray spectra has been done online on a PC with a MCA interface Canberra. The detection system gave a 190 eV resolution at 5.9 keV. In the frame of the experimental conditions the following elements have been observed: As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sn and Zn. In the table we present the results of the PIXE analysis of the Bronze Age sword from Giurgiu. The instrumentation errors have been less than 15%. The values of the elemental concentrations have been normalized to 100%. In order to have a comparative study of composition we considered also the composition of 7 swords of the same type and from the same period from regions from the south of Danube in Bulgaria, and 6 copper-based alloy objects from Spalnaca deposit, in Transylvania, dated also Bronze Age. The sword from Giurgiu has a composition closer to the Bulgarian swords for the elements: As, Co, Cu, Ni, Sn. The ratios Sn/Cu versus As/Cu for the sword from Giurgiu, Spalnaca-Transylvania objects and

  6. Study on the provenance of ancient Yaozhou celadon made at Lidipo and Shangdian during Kin period using nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.Q.; Xue, D.X.

    2007-01-01

    Yaozhou Kiln at Lidipo and Shangdian are two independent porcelain kiln groups of Yaozhou kiln series in Shanxi Province. Both of them were consisted of some individual porcelain kilns. The samples of 20 pieces of porcelain sherds produced in Shangdian and 43 pieces of porcelain sherds made in Lidipo sites which produced in Kin Dynasty (1115-1234 A.D.) have been collected. The main chemical compositions in body were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The contents of trace elements were measured using neutron activation analysis (NAA). Principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise discriminant analysis were used to study the provenance characteristic of these samples. The results indicated that the main components and trace elements in the specimen can be used to reveal the provenance characteristic. (author)

  7. Selection of core animals in the Algorithm for Proven and Young using a simulation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradford, H L; Pocrnić, I; Fragomeni, B O; Lourenco, D A L; Misztal, I

    2017-12-01

    The Algorithm for Proven and Young (APY) enables the implementation of single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) in large, genotyped populations by separating genotyped animals into core and non-core subsets and creating a computationally efficient inverse for the genomic relationship matrix (G). As APY became the choice for large-scale genomic evaluations in BLUP-based methods, a common question is how to choose the animals in the core subset. We compared several core definitions to answer this question. Simulations comprised a moderately heritable trait for 95,010 animals and 50,000 genotypes for animals across five generations. Genotypes consisted of 25,500 SNP distributed across 15 chromosomes. Genotyping errors and missing pedigree were also mimicked. Core animals were defined based on individual generations, equal representation across generations, and at random. For a sufficiently large core size, core definitions had the same accuracies and biases, even if the core animals had imperfect genotypes. When genotyped animals had unknown parents, accuracy and bias were significantly better (p ≤ .05) for random and across generation core definitions. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  8. Multiparametric evaluation by simultaneous PET-MRI examination in patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavaliere, Carlo; Romeo, Valeria; Aiello, Marco; Mesolella, Massimo; Iorio, Brigida; Barbuto, Luigi; Cantone, Elena; Nicolai, Emanuele; Covello, Mario

    2017-03-01

    To evaluate the relationship between metabolic 18Fluoro-Deoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (18FDG/PET) and morpho-functional parameters derived by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer. To assess the clinical impact of PET/MRI examination on patient's staging and treatment planning. 16 patients with histologically proven laryngeal cancer were enrolled and underwent whole body PET/CT followed by a dedicated PET/MRI of the head/neck region. Data were separately evaluated by two blinded groups: metabolic (SUV and MTV), diffusion (ADC) and perfusion (K trans , V e , k ep and iAUC) maps were obtained by positioning regions of interest (ROIs). Tumoral local extension assessed on PET/MRI was compared to endoscopic findings. A good inter-observer agreement was found in anatomical location and local extension of PET/MRI lesions (Cohen's kappa 0.9). PET/CT SUV measures highly correlate with ones derived by PET/MRI (e.g., p=0.96 for measures on VOI). Significant correlations among metabolic, diffusion and perfusion parameters have been detected. PET/MRI had a relevant clinical impact, confirming endoscopic findings (6 cases), helping treatment planning (9 cases), and modifying endoscopic primary staging (1 case). PET/MRI is useful for primary staging of laryngeal cancer, allowing simultaneous collection of metabolic and functional data and conditioning the therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Oxygen isotopic ratios in quartz as an indicator of provenance of dust

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, M.L.

    1977-01-01

    Quartz was isolated in the long range aerosol size range (fine silt, 1-10 μm in diameter) from atmospheric aerosols, wind-erosive soils, soil silts, shales, and Pacific pelagic sediments of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, to trace their provenance or origin, as part of a study of dust mineral sequestering of 137 Cs and other products of nuclear fission. The oxygen isotopic ratio ( 18 O/ 16 O) was determined by mass spectrometry. The provenance has been established for this fine silt fraction which reflects the relative proportion of two classes of quartz source: (a) weathering of igneous and metamorphic rocks (high temperature origin and low 18 O/ 16 O ratio) and (b) of quartz crystallized in cherts and overgrowths (low temperature origin and high 18 O/ 16 O ratio). This quartz mixing ratio is a basic model or paradigm. Analyses of present day atmospheric aerosols and eolian-derived soils, Pacific pelagic sediments, and now-raised Phanerozoic marine sediments show that the Northern and Southern Hemispheres have separate large-scale reservoirs of the fine grain sizes that contribute to aerosol dusts. These can be identified by distinctive values of 18 O/ 16 O ratios of the quartz therein. The difference in quartz delta 18 O value in parts per thousand per ml ( 0 / 00 of about 12 +- 2 0 / 00 in Southern Hemisphere mixed detrital sediments and about 19 +- 2 0 / 00 in those of the Northern Hemisphere (for constant size, the 1-10 μm size fraction) results from the presence of a considerably larger proportion of quartz having low-temperature origin and higher delta 18 O values (chert, silica overgrowths, etc.) in the Northern Hemisphere reservoirs. The early paleoclimatic and paleogeochemical differences remain the control of the North-South Hemisphere difference in delta 18 O values in long-range aerosol sized quartz

  10. Intraspecific Variation in Wood Anatomical, Hydraulic, and Foliar Traits in Ten European Beech Provenances Differing in Growth Yield

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajek, Peter; Kurjak, Daniel; von Wühlisch, Georg; Delzon, Sylvain; Schuldt, Bernhard

    2016-01-01

    In angiosperms, many studies have described the inter-specific variability of hydraulic-related traits and little is known at the intra-specific level. This information is however mandatory to assess the adaptive capacities of tree populations in the context of increasing drought frequency and severity. Ten 20-year old European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances representing the entire distribution range throughout Europe and differing significantly in aboveground biomass increment (ABI) by a factor of up to four were investigated for branch wood anatomical, hydraulic, and foliar traits in a provenance trial located in Northern Europe. We quantified to which extend xylem hydraulic and leaf traits are under genetic control and tested whether the xylem hydraulic properties (hydraulic efficiency and safety) trades off with yield and wood anatomical and leaf traits. Our results showed that only three out of 22 investigated ecophysiological traits showed significant genetic differentiations between provenances, namely vessel density (VD), the xylem pressure causing 88% loss of hydraulic conductance and mean leaf size. Depending of the ecophysiological traits measured, genetic differentiation between populations explained 0–14% of total phenotypic variation, while intra-population variability was higher than inter-population variability. Most wood anatomical traits and some foliar traits were additionally related to the climate of provenance origin. The lumen to sapwood area ratio, vessel diameter, theoretical specific conductivity and theoretical leaf-specific conductivity as well as the C:N-ratio increased with climatic aridity at the place of origin while the carbon isotope signature (δ13C) decreased. Contrary to our assumption, none of the wood anatomical traits were related to embolism resistance but were strong determinants of hydraulic efficiency. Although ABI was associated with both VD and δ13C, both hydraulic efficiency and embolism resistance were

  11. Missing Rings, Synchronous Growth, and Ecological Disturbance in a 36-Year Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) Provenance Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caroline Leland; John Hom; Nicholas Skowronski; F. Thomas Ledig; Paul J. Krusic; Edward R. Cook; Dario Martin-Benito; Javier Martin-Fernandez; Neil Pederson; Dusan Gomory

    2016-01-01

    Provenance studies are an increasingly important analog for understanding how trees adapted to particular climatic conditions might respond to climate change. Dendrochronological analysis can illuminate differences among trees from different seed sources in terms of absolute annual growth and sensitivity to external growth factors. We analyzed annual radial growth of...

  12. ProvenCare-Psoriasis: A disease management model to optimize care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gionfriddo, Michael R; Pulk, Rebecca A; Sahni, Dev R; Vijayanagar, Sonal G; Chronowski, Joseph J; Jones, Laney K; Evans, Michael A; Feldman, Steven R; Pride, Howard

    2018-03-15

    There are a variety of evidence-based treatments available for psoriasis. The transition of this evidence into practice is challenging. In this article, we describe the design of our disease management approach for Psoriasis (ProvenCare®) and present preliminary evidence of the effect of its implementation. In designing our approach, we identified three barriers to optimal care: 1) lack of a standardized and discrete disease activity measure within the electronic health record, 2) lack of a system-wide, standardized approach to care, and 3) non-uniform financial access to appropriate non-pharmacologic treatments. We implemented several solutions, which collectively form our approach. We standardized the documentation of clinical data such as body surface area (BSA), created a disease management algorithm for psoriasis, and aligned incentives to facilitate the implementation of the algorithm. This approach provides more coordinated, cost effective care for psoriasis, while being acceptable to key stakeholders. Future work will examine the effect of the implementation of our approach on important clinical and patient outcomes.

  13. Provenance and dating study on Jianyao Kiln porcelain bodies using NAA and WDXRF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Xiangqian; Feng Songlin; Li Jian'an; Li Dejin

    2007-01-01

    In order to distinguish provenance and age of Jianyao Kiln porcelains based on their chemical composition, 139 sherds that cover seven periods of production, were collected from three kiln sites. Trace and major elements in their body samples were determined by NAA and WDXRF, respectively. The analytical data and statistical analysis results show that all the body samples can be classified into 4 groups, i.e. Late Tang and Five Dynanties, Northern Song, Southern Song and Yuan. The raw materials adopted by Daluhoumen kiln site black porcelains were similar to those of Yingzhangqian site, but quite different from those of Anweishan site. (authors)

  14. Geochemistry and mineralogy of late Quaternary loess in the upper Mississippi River valley, USA: Provenance and correlation with Laurentide Ice Sheet history

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhs, Daniel; Bettis, E. Arthur; Skipp, Gary L.

    2018-01-01

    The midcontinent of North America contains some of the thickest and most extensive last-glacial loess deposits in the world, known as Peoria Loess. Peoria Loess of the upper Mississippi River valley region is thought to have had temporally varying glaciogenic sources resulting from inputs of sediment to the Mississippi River from different lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Here, we explore a new method of determining loess provenance using K/Rb and K/Ba values (in K-feldspars and micas) in loess from a number of different regions in North America. Results indicate that K/Rb and K/Ba values can distinguish loess originating from diverse geologic terrains in North America. Further, different loess bodies that are known to have had the same source sediments (using other criteria) have similar K/Rb and K/Ba values. We also studied three thick loess sections in the upper Mississippi River valley region. At each site, the primary composition of the loess changed over the course of the last glacial period, and K/Rb and K/Ba values parallel changes in carbonate mineral content and clay mineralogy. We thus confirm conclusions of earlier investigators that loess composition changed as a result of the shifting dominance of different lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet and the changing course of the Mississippi River. We conclude that K/Rb and K/Ba values are effective, robust, and rapid indicators of loess provenance that can be applied to many regions of the world.

  15. Geochemistry and mineralogy of late Quaternary loess in the upper Mississippi River valley, USA: Provenance and correlation with Laurentide Ice Sheet history

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhs, Daniel R.; Bettis, E. Arthur; Skipp, Gary L.

    2018-05-01

    The midcontinent of North America contains some of the thickest and most extensive last-glacial loess deposits in the world, known as Peoria Loess. Peoria Loess of the upper Mississippi River valley region is thought to have had temporally varying glaciogenic sources resulting from inputs of sediment to the Mississippi River from different lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Here, we explore a new method of determining loess provenance using K/Rb and K/Ba values (in K-feldspars and micas) in loess from a number of different regions in North America. Results indicate that K/Rb and K/Ba values can distinguish loess originating from diverse geologic terrains in North America. Further, different loess bodies that are known to have had the same source sediments (using other criteria) have similar K/Rb and K/Ba values. We also studied three thick loess sections in the upper Mississippi River valley region. At each site, the primary composition of the loess changed over the course of the last glacial period, and K/Rb and K/Ba values parallel changes in carbonate mineral content and clay mineralogy. We thus confirm conclusions of earlier investigators that loess composition changed as a result of the shifting dominance of different lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet and the changing course of the Mississippi River. We conclude that K/Rb and K/Ba values are effective, robust, and rapid indicators of loess provenance that can be applied to many regions of the world.

  16. Can delusions be understood linguistically?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinzen, Wolfram; Rosselló, Joana; McKenna, Peter

    2016-07-01

    Delusions are widely believed to reflect disturbed cognitive function, but the nature of this remains elusive. The "un-Cartesian" cognitive-linguistic hypothesis maintains (a) that there is no thought separate from language, that is, there is no distinct mental space removed from language where "thinking" takes place; and (b) that a somewhat broadened concept of grammar is responsible for bestowing meaning on propositions, and this among other things gives them their quality of being true or false. It is argued that a loss of propositional meaning explains why delusions are false, impossible and sometimes fantastic. A closely related abnormality, failure of linguistic embedding, can additionally account for why delusions are held with fixed conviction and are not adequately justified by the patient. The un-Cartesian linguistic approach to delusions has points of contact with Frith's theory that inability to form meta-representations underlies a range of schizophrenic symptoms. It may also be relevant to the nature of the "second factor" in monothematic delusions in neurological disease. Finally, it can inform the current debate about whether or not delusions really are beliefs.

  17. Home is to be understood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buhl, Mie; Werner Hansen, Siv

    2018-01-01

    , and involved artists with refugee status (mainly from Syria), a group of local volunteers, and members of the museum staff. The project derived from the annual theme “ON THE MOVE” and culminated in an art exhibition and event on June 4th 2016. Up until then the museum had invited the artists to create artworks...... for the exhibition, while including the volunteers in the process, facilitating the meeting of those who are at home and those who are on the run. In this sense, the MFSK situates themselves as a social-political activist; a contemporary institution dealing with contemporary societal issues. The migrant and refugee...... of engaging with themes of refuge, home and exile? What are the implications of volunteering in such project? The paper’s discussions are framed by the theories of gallery education (Bishop, 2006; Mörsch, 2009), co-creation in museums (Simon, 2010), community arts (Kester, 2013), and draws on fieldwork...

  18. Can delusions be understood linguistically?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinzen, Wolfram; Rosselló, Joana; McKenna, Peter

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Delusions are widely believed to reflect disturbed cognitive function, but the nature of this remains elusive. The “un-Cartesian” cognitive-linguistic hypothesis maintains (a) that there is no thought separate from language, that is, there is no distinct mental space removed from language where “thinking” takes place; and (b) that a somewhat broadened concept of grammar is responsible for bestowing meaning on propositions, and this among other things gives them their quality of being true or false. It is argued that a loss of propositional meaning explains why delusions are false, impossible and sometimes fantastic. A closely related abnormality, failure of linguistic embedding, can additionally account for why delusions are held with fixed conviction and are not adequately justified by the patient. The un-Cartesian linguistic approach to delusions has points of contact with Frith’s theory that inability to form meta-representations underlies a range of schizophrenic symptoms. It may also be relevant to the nature of the “second factor” in monothematic delusions in neurological disease. Finally, it can inform the current debate about whether or not delusions really are beliefs. PMID:27322493

  19. How flares can be understood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Severny, A.B.

    1977-01-01

    Specific features of the flare phenomenon which are important for understanding of flares are the following: (1) Fine structure of visible emission of flares, especially at the very beginning and in the pre-flare active region. This structure can be seen also in later stages of development as bright points, some of which exist from the flare beginning (Babin's observations at Crimea, 1972-1976). (2) Turbulent motion with velocities up to 250-300 km s -1 as can be estimated from broadening of emission lines. (3) Predominantly red asymmetry of emission lines in the explosive phase and during further development of flares. (4) 'Supersonic' velocities and supergravitational accelerations of separate moving masses of the flare plasma. (5) The appearance of flares in areas with high grad H, exceeding 0.1 G km -1 which is equivalent to regions of electric currents > approximately 10 11 A. (6) Strong variations of net magnetic flux through the active region, as it follows from Meudon, Crimean, and Sacramento Peak (Rust's) observations. (Auth.)

  20. We Have Not Understood Descartes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallias, Andras

    1996-01-01

    Describes a personal involvement with digital media and the origins of the conception of the "diagrammatic" poem. Reflects on what is considered to be a poem in tune with today's computerized society. (PA)

  1. Possibilities and limitations of using historic provenance tests to infer forest species growth responses to climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laura P. Leites; Gerald E. Rehfeldt; Andrew P. Robinson; Nicholas L. Crookston; Barry Jaquish

    2012-01-01

    Under projected changes in global climate, the growth and survival of existing forests will depend on their ability to adjust physiologically in response to environmental change. Quantifying their capacity to adjust and whether the response is species- or population-specific is important to guide forest management strategies. New analyses of historic provenance tests...

  2. The provenance of Taklamakan desert sand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rittner, Martin; Vermeesch, Pieter; Carter, Andrew; Bird, Anna; Stevens, Thomas; Garzanti, Eduardo; Andò, Sergio; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Dutt, Ripul; Xu, Zhiwei; Lu, Huayu

    2016-03-01

    Sand migration in the vast Taklamakan desert within the Tarim Basin (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, PR China) is governed by two competing transport agents: wind and water, which work in diametrically opposed directions. Net aeolian transport is from northeast to south, while fluvial transport occurs from the south to the north and then west to east at the northern rim, due to a gradual northward slope of the underlying topography. We here present the first comprehensive provenance study of Taklamakan desert sand with the aim to characterise the interplay of these two transport mechanisms and their roles in the formation of the sand sea, and to consider the potential of the Tarim Basin as a contributing source to the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP). Our dataset comprises 39 aeolian and fluvial samples, which were characterised by detrital-zircon U-Pb geochronology, heavy-mineral, and bulk-petrography analyses. Although the inter-sample differences of all three datasets are subtle, a multivariate statistical analysis using multidimensional scaling (MDS) clearly shows that Tarim desert sand is most similar in composition to rivers draining the Kunlun Shan (south) and the Pamirs (west), and is distinctly different from sediment sources in the Tian Shan (north). A small set of samples from the Junggar Basin (north of the Tian Shan) yields different detrital compositions and age spectra than anywhere in the Tarim Basin, indicating that aeolian sediment exchange between the two basins is minimal. Although river transport dominates delivery of sand into the Tarim Basin, wind remobilises and reworks the sediment in the central sand sea. Characteristic signatures of main rivers can be traced from entrance into the basin to the terminus of the Tarim River, and those crossing the desert from the south to north can seasonally bypass sediment through the sand sea. Smaller ephemeral rivers from the Kunlun Shan end in the desert and discharge their sediment there. Both river run

  3. Remaining missed opportunities of child survival in Peru: modelling mortality impact of universal and equitable coverage of proven interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yvonne Tam

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Peru has made great improvements in reducing stunting and child mortality in the past decade, and has reached the Millennium Development Goals 1 and 4. The remaining challenges or missed opportunities for child survival needs to be identified and quantified, in order to guide the next steps to further improve child survival in Peru. Methods We used the Lives Saved Tool (LiST to project the mortality impact of proven interventions reaching every women and child in need, and the mortality impact of eliminating inequalities in coverage distribution between wealth quintiles and urban–rural residence. Results Our analyses quantified the remaining missed opportunities in Peru, where prioritizing scale-up of facility-based case management for all small and sick babies will be most effective in mortality reduction, compared to other evidenced-based interventions that prevent maternal and child deaths. Eliminating coverage disparities between the poorest quintiles and the richest will reduce under-five and neonatal mortality by 22.0 and 40.6 %, while eliminating coverage disparities between those living in rural and urban areas will reduce under-five and neonatal mortality by 29.3 and 45.2 %. This projected neonatal mortality reduction achieved by eliminating coverage disparities is almost comparable to that already achieved by Peru over the past decade. Conclusions Although Peru has made great strides in improving child survival, further improvement in child health, especially in newborn health can be achieved if there is universal and equitable coverage of proven, quality health facility-based interventions. The magnitude of reduction in mortality will be similar to what has been achieved in the past decade. Strengthening health system to identify, understand, and direct resources to the poor and rural areas will ensure that Peru achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

  4. Modeling the field of a coil using the magnetic charge method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Casteren, D.T.E.H.; Paulides, J.J.H.; Lomonova, E.A.

    2017-01-01

    In the last decades the magnetic charge method has proven to be an excellent tool to analyze and design permanent magnet based systems. Recent research has shown that inclusion of the relative permeability of magnetic materials is also possible using the extended charge method. Contrary to popular

  5. Gold Provenance Studies for Romanian Archaeological Objects Using Micro-SR-XRF

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilescu, Angela; Constantinescu, Bogdan; Bugoi, Roxana; Radtke, Martin; Reinholz, Uwe; Simon, Rolf

    2010-04-01

    Studies by Synchrotron Radiation—X-Ray Fluorescence (SR-XRF) for the search of the presence of trace elements like Sb, Sn, Te and Pb in archaeological metallic objects found on the territory of Romania—old coins and Bronze Age jewelry, aimed to determine the provenance of the gold used in their manufacture. The results are compared with the detailed elemental composition of alluvial or primary gold samples, obtained by the same technique. This work attempted to establish the origin of the gold used for the mint of two different types of koson coins. We found that the kosons with monogram are made of refined gold, while the one used for the kosons without monogram is mainly alluvial. The gold used in the manufacture of the Calarasi Vulchitrun-type disk and the Tauteu hair ring is also of alluvial origin.

  6. Optimization methods for logical inference

    CERN Document Server

    Chandru, Vijay

    2011-01-01

    Merging logic and mathematics in deductive inference-an innovative, cutting-edge approach. Optimization methods for logical inference? Absolutely, say Vijay Chandru and John Hooker, two major contributors to this rapidly expanding field. And even though ""solving logical inference problems with optimization methods may seem a bit like eating sauerkraut with chopsticks. . . it is the mathematical structure of a problem that determines whether an optimization model can help solve it, not the context in which the problem occurs."" Presenting powerful, proven optimization techniques for logic in

  7. Distribution, provenance and early diagenesis of major and trace metals in sediment cores from the Mandovi estuary, western India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Prajith, A.; Rao, V.P.; Chakraborty, P.

    Major elements and trace metals were analyzed in four sediment cores recovered along a transect in the Mandovi estuary for their distribution, provenance and early diagenesis. The sediments were clayey silts in cores from the upper/lower estuary...

  8. Preliminary results on time-resolved ion beam induced luminescence applied to the provenance study of lapis lazuli

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Czelusniak, C. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Palla, L. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Pisa and Università di Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Massi, M. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Carraresi, L.; Giuntini, L. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Re, A.; Lo Giudice, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Torino & INFN Sezione di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Pratesi, G. [Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze (Italy); Mazzinghi, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Ruberto, C. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Castelli, L. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); and others

    2016-03-15

    This work will present preliminary results concerning the use of time-resolved ion beam induced luminescence applied to provenance studies of lapis lazuli. Measurements were performed at the pulsed beam facility at LABEC laboratory in Florence. Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious gemstone, used as ornament since the early civilizations that can be found in few places on Earth. The importance of this work lies in understanding the origin of various samples of lapis lazuli, from which it may be possible to gain insight into trade routes from ancient times. The samples studied in this work originated from Chile, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Myanmar, and Siberia. The stones were irradiated with 3 MeV protons and the resulting luminescence was detected by a photomultiplier tube, whose output was acquired using a sampling digitizer VME module (CAEN/V1720). Wavelength discrimination was performed at 430 nm utilizing a range of beam currents. The results showed that, by changing the beam current intensity, one can study different features of lapis lazuli, and this may aid in distinguishing lapis lazuli from different provenances.

  9. Preliminary results on time-resolved ion beam induced luminescence applied to the provenance study of lapis lazuli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Czelusniak, C.; Palla, L.; Massi, M.; Carraresi, L.; Giuntini, L.; Re, A.; Lo Giudice, A.; Pratesi, G.; Mazzinghi, A.; Ruberto, C.; Castelli, L.

    2016-01-01

    This work will present preliminary results concerning the use of time-resolved ion beam induced luminescence applied to provenance studies of lapis lazuli. Measurements were performed at the pulsed beam facility at LABEC laboratory in Florence. Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious gemstone, used as ornament since the early civilizations that can be found in few places on Earth. The importance of this work lies in understanding the origin of various samples of lapis lazuli, from which it may be possible to gain insight into trade routes from ancient times. The samples studied in this work originated from Chile, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Myanmar, and Siberia. The stones were irradiated with 3 MeV protons and the resulting luminescence was detected by a photomultiplier tube, whose output was acquired using a sampling digitizer VME module (CAEN/V1720). Wavelength discrimination was performed at 430 nm utilizing a range of beam currents. The results showed that, by changing the beam current intensity, one can study different features of lapis lazuli, and this may aid in distinguishing lapis lazuli from different provenances.

  10. External beam milli-PIXE as analytical tool for Neolithic obsidian provenance studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Constantinescu, B.; Cristea-Stan, D. [National Institute for Nuclear Physics and Engineering Horia Hulubei, Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); Kovács, I.; Szõkefalvi-Nagy, Z. [Wigner Research Centre for Phyics, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Budapest (Hungary)

    2013-07-01

    Full text: Obsidian is the most important archaeological material used for tools and weapons before metals appearance. Its geological sources are limited and concentrated in few geographical zones: Armenia, Eastern Anatolia, Italian Lipari and Sardinia islands, Greek Melos and Yali islands, Hungarian and Slovak Tokaj Mountains. Due to this fact, in Mesolithic and Neolithic periods obsidian was the first archaeological material intensively traded even at long distances. To determine the geological provenance of obsidian and to identify the prehistoric long-range trade routes and possible population migrations elemental concentration ratios can help a 101, since each geological source has its 'fingerprints'. In this work external milli-PIXE technique was applied for elemental concentration ratio determinations in some Neolithic tools found in Transylvania and in the lron Gales region near Danube, and on few relevant geological samples (Slovak Tokaj Mountains, Lipari,Armenia). In Transylvania (the North-Western part of Romania, a region surrounded by Carpathian Mountains), Neolithic obsidian tools were discovered mainly in three regions: North-West - Oradea (near the border with Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine), Centre -Cluj and Southwest- Banat (near the border with Serbia). A special case is lron Gales - Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites, directly related to the appearance of agriculture replacing the Mesolithic economy based on hunting and fishing. Three long-distance trade routes could be considered: from Caucasus Mountains via North of the Black Sea, from Greek islands or Asia Minor via ex-Yugoslavia area or via Greece-Bulgaria or from Central Europe- Tokaj Mountains in the case of obsidian. As provenance 'fingerprints', we focused on Ti to Mn, and Rb-Sr-Y-Zr ratios. The measurements were performed at the external milli-PIXE beam-line of the 5MV VdG accelerator of the Wigner RCP. Proton energy of 3MeV and beam currents in the range of 1 ±1 D

  11. External beam milli-PIXE as analytical tool for Neolithic obsidian provenance studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Constantinescu, B.; Cristea-Stan, D.; Kovács, I.; Szõkefalvi-Nagy, Z.

    2013-01-01

    Full text: Obsidian is the most important archaeological material used for tools and weapons before metals appearance. Its geological sources are limited and concentrated in few geographical zones: Armenia, Eastern Anatolia, Italian Lipari and Sardinia islands, Greek Melos and Yali islands, Hungarian and Slovak Tokaj Mountains. Due to this fact, in Mesolithic and Neolithic periods obsidian was the first archaeological material intensively traded even at long distances. To determine the geological provenance of obsidian and to identify the prehistoric long-range trade routes and possible population migrations elemental concentration ratios can help a 101, since each geological source has its 'fingerprints'. In this work external milli-PIXE technique was applied for elemental concentration ratio determinations in some Neolithic tools found in Transylvania and in the lron Gales region near Danube, and on few relevant geological samples (Slovak Tokaj Mountains, Lipari,Armenia). In Transylvania (the North-Western part of Romania, a region surrounded by Carpathian Mountains), Neolithic obsidian tools were discovered mainly in three regions: North-West - Oradea (near the border with Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine), Centre -Cluj and Southwest- Banat (near the border with Serbia). A special case is lron Gales - Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites, directly related to the appearance of agriculture replacing the Mesolithic economy based on hunting and fishing. Three long-distance trade routes could be considered: from Caucasus Mountains via North of the Black Sea, from Greek islands or Asia Minor via ex-Yugoslavia area or via Greece-Bulgaria or from Central Europe- Tokaj Mountains in the case of obsidian. As provenance 'fingerprints', we focused on Ti to Mn, and Rb-Sr-Y-Zr ratios. The measurements were performed at the external milli-PIXE beam-line of the 5MV VdG accelerator of the Wigner RCP. Proton energy of 3MeV and beam currents in the range of 1 ±1 D

  12. Lab and Field Warming Similarly Advance Germination Date and Limit Germination Rate for High and Low Elevation Provenances of Two Widespread Subalpine Conifers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lara M. Kueppers

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Accurately predicting upslope shifts in subalpine tree ranges with warming requires understanding how future forest populations will be affected by climate change, as these are the seed sources for new tree line and alpine populations. Early life history stages are particularly sensitive to climate and are also influenced by genetic variation among populations. We tested the climate sensitivity of germination and initial development for two widely distributed subalpine conifers, using controlled-environment growth chambers with one temperature regime from subalpine forest in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and one 5 °C warmer, and two soil moisture levels. We tracked germination rate and timing, rate of seedling development, and seedling morphology for two seed provenances separated by ~300 m elevation. Warming advanced germination timing and initial seedling development by a total of ~2 weeks, advances comparable to mean differences between provenances. Advances were similar for both provenances and species; however, warming reduced the overall germination rate, as did low soil moisture, only for Picea engelmannii. A three-year field warming and watering experiment planted with the same species and provenances yielded responses qualitatively consistent with the lab trials. Together these experiments indicate that in a warmer, drier climate, P. engelmannii germination, and thus regeneration, could decline, which could lead to declining subalpine forest populations, while Pinus flexilis forest populations could remain robust as a seed source for upslope range shifts.

  13. Resource diversity and provenance underpin spatial patterns in functional diversity across native and exotic species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez, Verónica; Wood, Jamie R; Butler, Simon J

    2018-05-01

    Functional diversity metrics are increasingly used to augment or replace taxonomic diversity metrics to deliver more mechanistic insights into community structure and function. Metrics used to describe landscape structure and characteristics share many of the same limitations as taxonomy-based metrics, particularly their reliance on anthropogenically defined typologies with little consideration of structure, management, or function. However, the development of alternative metrics to describe landscape characteristics has been limited. Here, we extend the functional diversity framework to characterize landscapes based on the diversity of resources available across habitats present. We then examine the influence of resource diversity and provenance on the functional diversities of native and exotic avian communities in New Zealand. Invasive species are increasingly prevalent and considered a global threat to ecosystem function, but the characteristics of and interactions between sympatric native and exotic communities remain unresolved. Understanding their comparative responses to environmental change and the mechanisms underpinning them is of growing importance in predicting community dynamics and changing ecosystem function. We use (i) matrices of resource use (species) and resource availability (habitats) and (ii) occurrence data for 62 native and 25 exotic species and 19 native and 13 exotic habitats in 2015 10 × 10 km quadrats to examine the relationship between native and exotic avian and landscape functional diversity. The numbers of species in, and functional diversities of, native and exotic communities were positively related. Each community displayed evidence of environmental filtering, but it was significantly stronger for exotic species. Less environmental filtering occurred in landscapes providing a more diverse combination of resources, with resource provenance also an influential factor. Landscape functional diversity explained a greater

  14. Newton-like methods for Navier-Stokes solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, N.; Xu, X.; Richards, B. E.

    1992-12-01

    The paper reports on Newton-like methods called SFDN-alpha-GMRES and SQN-alpha-GMRES methods that have been devised and proven as powerful schemes for large nonlinear problems typical of viscous compressible Navier-Stokes solutions. They can be applied using a partially converged solution from a conventional explicit or approximate implicit method. Developments have included the efficient parallelization of the schemes on a distributed memory parallel computer. The methods are illustrated using a RISC workstation and a transputer parallel system respectively to solve a hypersonic vortical flow.

  15. A provenance study of iron archaeological artefacts by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry multi-elemental analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desaulty, Anne-Marie; Mariet, Clarisse; Dillmann, Philippe; Joron, Jean Louis; Fluzin, Philippe

    2008-01-01

    Raw materials and wastes (i.e. ore, slag and laitier) from ironmaking archaeological sites have been analyzed in order to understand the behavior of the trace elements in the ancient ironmaking processes and to find the significant-most elements to characterize an iron making region. The ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) appears to be an excellent technique for this type of studies. The comparison between the ICP-MS results obtained with the Standard Addition method and the INAA (Instrumental Neutron Activation Analyses) results proved that Sc, Co, (Ni), Rb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Yb, Hf, Th, U contents in the ores, slag and laitiers, and Co and Ni contents in the cast iron can be successfully determined by ICP-MS after wet acid digestion (low detection limits, good sensitivity and precision). By using significant trace element pairs (Yb/Ce, Ce/Th, La/Sc, U/Th, Nb/Y) present in the ores, laitiers and slag, it is possible to discriminate different French ironmaking regions as the Pays de Bray, Lorraine and Pays d'Ouche. These results open the way to further studies on the provenance of iron objects. The comparison between the ICP-MS results obtained with the Standard Calibration Curves method and the INAA results shows that matrices rich in iron, affect the ICP-MS analyses by suppressing the analytes signal. Further studies are necessary to improve understanding matrix effects

  16. Examining Key Notions for Method Adaption

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aydin, Mehmet N.; Ralyté, Jolita; Brinkkemper, Sjaak; Henderson-Sellers, Brian

    2007-01-01

    It is a well-known fact that IS development methods are not used as prescribed in actual development projects. That is, every ISD method in a development project is subject to its modifications because its peculiarities and emerging situations cannot be understood adequately in a prescribed manner.

  17. A Provenance-Based Infrastructure to Support the Life Cycle of Executable Papers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2011-01-01

    As publishers establish a greater online presence as well as infrastructure to support the distribution of more varied information, the idea of an executable paper that enables greater interaction has developed. An executable paper provides more information for computational experiments and results...... than the text, tables, and figures of standard papers. Executable papers can bundle computational content that allow readers and reviewers to interact, validate, and explore experiments. By including such content, authors facilitate future discoveries by lowering the barrier to reproducing...... and extending results. We present an infrastructure for creating, disseminating, and maintaining executable papers. Our approach is rooted in provenance, the documentation of exactly how data, experiments, and results were generated. We seek to improve the experience for everyone involved in the life cycle...

  18. Ion Beam Analysis for the provenance attribution of lapis lazuli used in glyptic art: The case of the "Collezione Medicea"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Re, Alessandro; Angelici, Debora; Lo Giudice, Alessandro; Corsi, Jacopo; Allegretti, Silvia; Biondi, Alessia Fabiola; Gariani, Gianluca; Calusi, Silvia; Gelli, Nicla; Giuntini, Lorenzo; Massi, Mirko; Taccetti, Francesco; La Torre, Leonardo; Rigato, Valentino; Pratesi, Giovanni

    2015-04-01

    The first part of this study reports on the wide campaign for the extension of the database of both trace and minor elements concentration in diopside by means of μ-PIXE measurements and of luminescence spectra in diopside and wollastonite by means of μ-IL measurements. Diopside and wollastonite are actually two of the most common lapis lazuli-forming minerals. For this former part of the study, we analysed rocks of known provenance at the microbeam line of the LNL laboratories in Legnaro (PD) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN). The latter part of the paper is dedicated to the non-invasive Ion Beam Analyses (IBA) characterisation of six pieces of the "Collezione Medicea". The collection is exhibited at the Museum of Natural History (University of Firenze) and belonged to the Medici family. It includes artworks made of lapis lazuli manufactured in the 16th and 17th centuries but there is not precise information about the provenance of the used raw material. Results on the artworks show, as expected, that the Chilean provenance of the material used for the analysed artworks has to be excluded. Lapis lazuli used for five of the analysed artworks can be ascribed to the Afghan quarry district, while one object cannot be attributed only on the base of diopside and wollastonite analysis.

  19. Humic acid provenance influence to the adsorption capacity in uranium and thorium removal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasetyo, E.

    2018-01-01

    It is common knowledge that humic acid is organic compound without certain chemical composition since it is derived from different organic materials. Further this raises question whether the different humic acid sample used could lead to different adsorbent properties e.g. adsorption capacity. To address the problem, this paper is aimed to clarify the relation between the provenances of humic acid and synthesized adsorbent properties especially adsorption capacities by quantitative and qualitative functional groups determination including discussion on their effect to the metal ion adsorption mechanism using three humic acid samples. Two commercial samples were derived from recent compost while the other extracted from tertiary carbonaceous mudstone strata.

  20. Assessing the role of detrital zircon sorting on provenance interpretations in an ancient fluvial system using paleohydraulics - Permian Cutler Group, Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Findlay, C. P., III; Ewing, R. C.; Perez, N. D.

    2017-12-01

    Detrital zircon age signatures used in provenance studies are assumed to be representative of entire catchments from which the sediment was derived, but the extent to which hydraulic sorting can bias provenance interpretations is poorly constrained. Sediment and mineral sorting occurs with changes in hydraulic conditions driven by both allogenic and autogenic processes. Zircon is sorted from less dense minerals due to the difference in density, and any age dependence on zircon size could potentially bias provenance interpretations. In this study, a coupled paleohydraulic and geochemical provenance approach is used to identify changes in paleohydraulic conditions and relate them to spatial variations in provenance signatures from samples collected along an approximately time-correlative source-to-sink pathway in the Permian Cutler Group of the Paradox Basin. Samples proximal to the uplift have a paleoflow direction to the southwest. In the medial basin, paleocurrent direction indicates salt movement caused fluvial pathways divert to the north and northwest on the flanks of anticlines. Channel depth, flow velocity, and discharge calculations were derived from field measurements of grain size and dune and bar cross-stratification indicate that competency of the fluvial system decreased from proximal to the medial basin by up to a factor of 12. Based upon the paleohydraulic calculations, zircon size fractionation would occur along the transect such that the larger zircons are removed from the system prior to reaching the medial basin. Analysis of the size and age distribution of zircons from the proximal and distal fluvial system of the Cutler Group tests if this hydraulic sorting affects the expected Uncompahgre Uplift age distribution.

  1. Low among-provenance differences in structural and functional plasticity in response to nutrients in saplings of the circum-Mediterranean tree Arbutus unedo L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santiso, Xabier; Retuerto, Rubén

    2015-10-01

    The Mediterranean region is an area of special interest for conservation where the incidence of multiple drivers of global change is expected to increase. One of the factors predicted to change is soil-nutrient availability, an essential factor for plant growth. Thus, study of the effects of variation in this parameter is especially relevant in species with a circum-Mediterranean distribution, such as Arbutus unedo L., in which the different provenances grow in different habitats, which must differ in nutritional conditions. We aimed to determine the effect of provenance on plasticity, to establish whether structural and morphological traits differ in the level of plasticity and to assess how nutrients affect the photosynthetic light response. In a common garden experiment, we studied seven provenances from the circum-Mediterranean range of A. unedo and established two nutrient treatments (low and high nutrient availability). We measured physiological and structural traits in 1-year-old sapling and determined a phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) to quantify the level of plasticity, whereas the radiation effects were tested by construction and analysis of light response curves. Interestingly, provenance did not explain a significant amount of variance, but the plasticity was four times higher for the structural traits than for the physiological traits. Therefore, the plasticity to nutrient availability will not favour or prevent the expansion or contraction of the range of any of these provenances of A. unedo. Furthermore, the structural plasticity demonstrated the ability of the strawberry tree to optimize resource allocation, whereas the physiology remained stable, thus avoiding extra expenditure. The study findings also suggest that increased availability of nutrients would improve the performance of the species during the Mediterranean summer, characterized by high irradiance. These abilities will be key to the survival of saplings of the species under the future

  2. The importance of XRD analysis in provenance and palaeoenvironmental studies of the Piedras de Afilar Formation, Neoproterozoic of Uruguay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pamoukaghlian, K.; Poiré, D. G.; Gaucher, C.; Uriz, N.; Cingolani, C.; Frigeiro, P.

    2009-04-01

    The Piedras de Afilar Formation crops out in the southeast part of Uruguay, forming part of the Tandilia Terrane (sensu Bossi et al. 2005). Pamoukaghlian et al. (2006) and Gaucher et al. (2008) have published δ13C, δ18O and U/Pb SHRIMP results, which indicate a Neoproterozoic age for this formation. The palaeoenvironment has been defined as a shallow marine platform based on the presence of interference ripples, hummocky and mega-hummocky cross-stratification. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses help to better constrain the palaeoenvironment: the presence of chlorite/smectite found in black shales, suggest a reducing environment, and abundant illite indicates a cold to temperate climate. Provenance studies have been undertaken that utilise a combination of detailed palaeocurrent measurements, petrographic descriptions, XRD analyses, and geochemical isotopic analyses, including U/Pb SHRIMP determinations. Mineral compositional diagrams for sandstones suggest a stable cratonic provenance. Palaeocurrents are mainly from the NNE, indicating a provenance from the cratonic areas of the Tandilia Terrane. The illite crystal index indicates diagenetic to low-metamorphic conditions for the sequence; this is important to confirm that the identified minerals are authigenic. Clay minerals identified by XRD analysis of sandstones from the siliciclastic member are illite (80 - 90%), kaolinite (5 - 10%), and chlorite (5 - 10%). This is consistent with a provenance from the cratonic areas (quartz-feldspar dominated rock types). Isotopic analyses have been undertaken to provide better constraints on the tectonic setting. U/Pb SHRIMP ages for the youngest zircons are 990 Ma (Gaucher et al. 2008), and the basal granite (Granito de la Paz) is 2056 ± 11 Ma (Hartmann et al. 2001), suggesting a provenance from the Archaean basement for the Piedras de Afilar Formation, like its counterparts in the Rio de la Plata Craton. References Bossi, J., Piñeyro, D., Cingolani, C. (2005). El l

  3. On the feasibility of establishing the provenance of Australian Aboriginal artefacts using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and proton-induced X-ray emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Creagh, D.C.; Kubik, M.E.; Sterns, M.

    2007-01-01

    Museums and galleries in Australia have extensive collections of Aboriginal artefacts in their custody. In particular, the National Museum of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia are custodians of works of very considerable significance, in both cultural and financial terms. Art fraud can occur, documentation relating to artefacts can be mislaid, or the artefacts can be incorrectly filed. Because of this, it has become essential to establish protocols for the objective determination of the provenance of artefacts through scientific tests. For the work reported here we are concerned with the comparison of very small quantities of materials, paint scrapings from artefacts. Scrapings from artefacts of unknown provenance are compared with those from artefacts of known provenance, and the database established using an extended set of analytical techniques by Kubik. We describe here our use of synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD) to determine the mineral phase compositions of very small amounts of pigment material (<50 μg), and the use of PIXE to give their atomic compositions to a threshold level of 1 ppm for similar masses of material

  4. EPR OF Mn2+ IMPURITIES IN CALCITE: A DETAILED STUDY PERTINENT TO MARBLE PROVENANCE DETERMINATION

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weihe, H.; Piligkos, S.; Barra, A.L.

    2009-01-01

    We demonstrate that the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of Mn2+ impurities in calcite, and therefore also in marble, may be accurately reproduced by a traditional spin Hamiltonian formalism. The success of such a treatment, however, very much depends on the spin Hamiltonian parameters...... having the correct signs as well as magnitudes. We present data that determine the sign of the axial anisotropy parameter and thereby facilitate future quantum mechanical characterizations of marble electron paramagnetic resonance spectra that supplement provenance determination....

  5. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging in biopsy-proven Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hyo Cheol; Chang, Kee Hyun; Song In Chan; Lee, Sang Hyun; Kwon, Bae Ju; Han, Moon Hee; Kim, Sang Yun [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2001-12-01

    To compare conventional and diffusion-weighted MR imaging in terms of their depiction of the abnormalities occurring in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We retrospectively analyzed the findings of conventional (T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) and diffusion-weighted MR imaging in four patients with biopsy-proven Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The signal intensity of the lesion was classified by visual assessment as markedly high, slightly high, or isointense, relative to normal brain parenchyma. Both conventional and diffusion-weighted MR images demonstrated bilateral high signal intensity in the basal ganglia in all four patients. Cortical lesions were observed on diffusion-weighted MR images in all four, and on fluidattenuated inversion recovery MR images in one, but in no patient on T2-weighted images. Conventional MR images showed slightly high signal intensity in all lesions, while diffusion-weighted images showed markedly high signal intensity in most. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging is more sensitive than its conventional counterpart in the depiction of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and permits better detection of the lesion in both the cerebral cortices and basal ganglia.

  6. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging in biopsy-proven Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyo Cheol; Chang, Kee Hyun; Song In Chan; Lee, Sang Hyun; Kwon, Bae Ju; Han, Moon Hee; Kim, Sang Yun

    2001-01-01

    To compare conventional and diffusion-weighted MR imaging in terms of their depiction of the abnormalities occurring in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We retrospectively analyzed the findings of conventional (T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) and diffusion-weighted MR imaging in four patients with biopsy-proven Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The signal intensity of the lesion was classified by visual assessment as markedly high, slightly high, or isointense, relative to normal brain parenchyma. Both conventional and diffusion-weighted MR images demonstrated bilateral high signal intensity in the basal ganglia in all four patients. Cortical lesions were observed on diffusion-weighted MR images in all four, and on fluidattenuated inversion recovery MR images in one, but in no patient on T2-weighted images. Conventional MR images showed slightly high signal intensity in all lesions, while diffusion-weighted images showed markedly high signal intensity in most. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging is more sensitive than its conventional counterpart in the depiction of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and permits better detection of the lesion in both the cerebral cortices and basal ganglia

  7. Improved Multilevel Fast Multipole Method for Higher-Order discretizations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borries, Oscar Peter; Meincke, Peter; Jorgensen, Erik

    2014-01-01

    The Multilevel Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM) allows for a reduced computational complexity when solving electromagnetic scattering problems. Combining this with the reduced number of unknowns provided by Higher-Order discretizations has proven to be a difficult task, with the general conclusion b...

  8. Grain size effect on Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in eolian dust. Implications for tracing dust provenance and Nd model age

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Jinliang; Zhu Liping; Zhen Xiaolin; Hu Zhaoguo

    2009-01-01

    Strontium (Sr) and neodymium (Nd) isotopic compositions enable identification of dust sources and reconstruction of atmospheric dispersal pathways. The Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in eolian dust change systematically with grain size in ways not yet fully understood. This study demonstrates the grain size effect on the Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in loess and 2006 dust fall, based on analyses of seven separated grain size fractions. The analytical results indicate that Sr isotopic ratios strongly depend on the grain size fractions in samples from all types of eolian dust. In contrast, the Nd isotopic ratios exhibit little variation in loess, although they vary significantly with grain size in samples from a 2006 dust fall. Furthermore, Nd model ages tend to increase with increasing grain size in samples from all types of eolian dust. Comparatively, Sr isotopic compositions exhibit high sensitively to wind sorting, while Nd isotopic compositions show greater sensitively to dust origin. The principal cause for the different patterns of Sr and Nd isotopic composition variability with grain size appears related to the different geochemical behaviors between rubidium (Rb) and Sr, and the similar geochemical behaviors between samarium (Sm) and Nd. The Nd isotope data indicate that the various grain size fractions in loess have similar origins for each sample. In contrast, various provenance components may separate into different grain size fractions for the studied 2006 dust fall. The Sr and Nd isotope compositions further confirm that the 2006 dust fall and Pleistocene loess in Beijing have different sources. The loess deposits found in Beijing and those found on the Chinese Loess Plateau also derive from different sources. Variations between Sr and Nd isotopic compositions and Nd model ages with grain size need to be considered when directly comparing analyses of eolian dust of different grain size. (author)

  9. Impact of fresh and saline water flooding on leaf gas exchange in two Italian provenances of Tamarix africana Poiret.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abou Jaoudé, R; de Dato, G; Palmegiani, M; De Angelis, P

    2013-01-01

    In Mediterranean coastal areas, changes in precipitation patterns and seawater levels are leading to increased frequency of flooding and to salinization of estuaries and freshwater systems. Tamarix spp. are often the only woody species growing in such environments. These species are known for their tolerance to moderate salinity; however, contrasting information exists regarding their tolerance to flooding, and the combination of the two stresses has never been studied in Tamarix spp. Here, we analyse the photosynthetic responses of T. africana Poiret to temporary flooding (45 days) with fresh or saline water (200 mm) in two Italian provenances (Simeto and Baratz). The measurements were conducted before and after the onset of flooding, to test the possible cumulative effects of the treatments and effects on twig aging, and to analyse the responses of twigs formed during the experimental period. Full tolerance was evident in T. africana with respect to flooding with fresh water, which did not affect photosynthetic performances in either provenance. Saline flooding was differently tolerated by the two provenances. Moreover, salinity tolerance differently affected the two twig generations. In particular, a reduction in net assimilation rate (-48.8%) was only observed in Baratz twigs formed during the experimental period, compared to pre-existing twigs. This reduction was a consequence of non-stomatal limitations (maximum carboxylation rate and electron transport), probably as a result of higher Na transport to the twigs, coupled with reduced Na storage in the roots. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  10. Provenance validation of polished rice samples using nuclear and isotopic analytical techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pabroa, P.C.B.; Sucgang, R.J.; Mendoza, N.D.S.; Ebihara, M.; Peña, M.

    2015-01-01

    Rice (Oryza sativa) has been considered the best staple food among all cereals and is the staple food for over 3 billion people, constituting over half of the world’s population. Elemental and isotopic analysis revealed variance between Philippine and Japanese rice. Rice samples collected in Japan and in the Philippines (market survey samples from Metro Manila, and farm harvests from Aklan province and Central Luzon) were washed, dried and ground to fine powder. Elemental analyses of the samples were carried out using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) while isotopic signatures of the samples were determined using the isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Results show that compared with the unpolished rice standard NIES CRM10b, the polished Japanese and Philippine rice sampled show reduced concentrations of elements by as much as 1/10. 1/4 , 1/5 and 1/3 for Mg, Mn, K and Na, respectively. Levels of Ca and Zn are not greatly affected. Arsenic, probably introduced from fertilizers used in rice fields is found in all the Japanese rice tested at an average concentration of 0.103 μg/g and three out of four of the Philippine rice at an average concentration of 0.70μg/g. Higher levels of Br seen in two of the Philippine rice at 14 and 34μg/g indicated probable contamination source from the pesticide methyl bromide during quarantine. Good correlation of isotopic signatures with geographical location of polished, but not for unpolished, rice samples from Central Luzon and Aklan indicated that provenance studies are best done on polished rice samples. Isotopic with of ω’”13C show signature that of a C3 plant with possible narrow distinguishable signature with Japanese rice falling within -27.5 to -28.5 while Philippine rice within -29 to -30. Rice provenance can be ascertained using elemental analysis and isotopic abundance determination as shown by the study.(author)

  11. Efficient searching in meshfree methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olliff, James; Alford, Brad; Simkins, Daniel C.

    2018-04-01

    Meshfree methods such as the Reproducing Kernel Particle Method and the Element Free Galerkin method have proven to be excellent choices for problems involving complex geometry, evolving topology, and large deformation, owing to their ability to model the problem domain without the constraints imposed on the Finite Element Method (FEM) meshes. However, meshfree methods have an added computational cost over FEM that come from at least two sources: increased cost of shape function evaluation and the determination of adjacency or connectivity. The focus of this paper is to formally address the types of adjacency information that arises in various uses of meshfree methods; a discussion of available techniques for computing the various adjacency graphs; propose a new search algorithm and data structure; and finally compare the memory and run time performance of the methods.

  12. Provenance-aware optimization of workload for distributed data production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makatun, Dzmitry; Lauret, Jérôme; Rudová, Hana; Šumbera, Michal

    2017-10-01

    Distributed data processing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (HENP) is a prominent example of big data analysis. Having petabytes of data being processed at tens of computational sites with thousands of CPUs, standard job scheduling approaches either do not address well the problem complexity or are dedicated to one specific aspect of the problem only (CPU, network or storage). Previously we have developed a new job scheduling approach dedicated to distributed data production - an essential part of data processing in HENP (preprocessing in big data terminology). In this contribution, we discuss the load balancing with multiple data sources and data replication, present recent improvements made to our planner and provide results of simulations which demonstrate the advantage against standard scheduling policies for the new use case. Multi-source or provenance is common in computing models of many applications whereas the data may be copied to several destinations. The initial input data set would hence be already partially replicated to multiple locations and the task of the scheduler is to maximize overall computational throughput considering possible data movements and CPU allocation. The studies have shown that our approach can provide a significant gain in overall computational performance in a wide scope of simulations considering realistic size of computational Grid and various input data distribution.

  13. Opinion: Taking phytoremediation from proven technology to accepted practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerhardt, Karen E; Gerwing, Perry D; Greenberg, Bruce M

    2017-03-01

    Phytoremediation is the use of plants to extract, immobilize, contain and/or degrade contaminants from soil, water or air. It can be an effective strategy for on site and/or in situ removal of various contaminants from soils, including petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), solvents (e.g., trichloroethylene [TCE]), munitions waste (e.g., 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene [TNT]), metal(loid)s, salt (NaCl) and radioisotopes. Commercial phytoremediation technologies appear to be underutilized globally. The primary objective of this opinion piece is to discuss how to take phytoremediation from a proven technology to an accepted practice. An overview of phytoremediation of soil is provided, with the focus on field applications, to provide a frame of reference for the subsequent discussion on better utilization of phytoremediation. We consider reasons why phytoremediation is underutilized, despite clear evidence that, under many conditions, it can be applied quite successfully in the field. We offer suggestions on how to gain greater acceptance for phytoremediation by industry and government. A new paradigm of phytomanagement, with a specific focus on using phytoremediation as a "gentle remediation option" (GRO) within a broader, long-term management strategy, is also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Age and provenance of Triassic to Cenozoic sediments of West and Central Sarawak, Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breitfeld, H. Tim; Galin, Thomson; Hall, Robert

    2015-04-01

    Sarawak is located on the northern edge of Sundaland in NW Borneo. West and Central Sarawak include parts of the Kuching and Sibu Zones. These contain remnants of several sedimentary basins with ages from Triassic to Cenozoic. New light mineral, heavy mineral and U-Pb detrital zircon ages show differences in provenance reflecting the tectonic evolution of the region. The oldest clastic sediments are Triassic (Sadong Formation and its deep marine equivalent Kuching Formation). They were sourced by a Triassic (Carnian to Norian) volcanic arc and reworked Paleoproterozoic detritus derived from Cathaysialand. The Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous Pedawan Formation is interpreted as forearc basin fill with distinctive zircon populations indicating subduction beneath present-day West Sarawak which initiated in the Late Jurassic. Subsequent subduction until the early Late Cretaceous formed the Schwaner Mountains magmatic arc. After collision of SW Borneo and other microcontinental fragments with Sundaland in the early Late Cretaceous, deep marine sedimentation (Pedawan Formation) ceased, and there was uplift forming the regional Pedawan-Kayan unconformity. Two episodes of extension followed and were responsible for basin development on land in West Sarawak from the latest Cretaceous onwards, probably in a pull-apart setting. The first episode is associated with sediments of the Kayan Group, deposited in the Latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to Eocene, and the second episode with Upper Eocene sediments of the Ketungau Basin. Zircon ages indicate volcanic activity throughout the Early Cenozoic in NW Borneo, and inherited zircon ages indicate reworking of Triassic and Cretaceous rocks. A large deep marine basin, the Rajang Basin, was north of the Lupar Line Fault in Central Sarawak (Sibu Zone) from the Late Cretaceous to the Late Eocene. Zircons from sediments of the Rajang Basin indicate they have similar ages and provenance to contemporaneous terrestrial sediments of the Kayan

  15. Modal identification of composite structures using Eigen realization method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamidzadeh, H.R.; Afolabi, D.

    1996-01-01

    Experimental modal analysis has proved to be a useful tool to determine the vibration response of complex composite structures. An accurate method for extracting modal parameters of these type of structures are presented. The method used experimental impulse response of the system as input and provides natural frequencies and damping ratios of a dynamic system. The employed theories are Eigen Realization and Impulse Response methods. The adopted method is superior to other available methods in time and frequency domains. The presented method is proven to provide robustness with respect to measured noise

  16. The frontal method in hydrodynamics simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters, R.A.

    1980-01-01

    The frontal solution method has proven to be an effective means of solving the matrix equations resulting from the application of the finite element method to a variety of problems. In this study, several versions of the frontal method were compared in efficiency for several hydrodynamics problems. Three basic modifications were shown to be of value: 1. Elimination of equations with boundary conditions beforehand, 2. Modification of the pivoting procedures to allow dynamic management of the equation size, and 3. Storage of the eliminated equations in a vector. These modifications are sufficiently general to be applied to other classes of problems. ?? 1980.

  17. Study of provenance character on ancient celadon of Jin Dynasty produced in Yaozhou Kiln of Lidipo and Shangdian using nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.Q.; Feng, S.L.; Feng, X.Q.; Lei, Y.; Cheng, L.; Xu, Q.; Zhou, Z.X.; Xue, D.X.

    2005-01-01

    Yaozhou ware is a typical product of celadon porcelain in northern China. It was very famous for the various color glazes, multiple utensils and unique grain pattern. Yaozhou kiln series were made of Tongchuan, Lidipo, Shangdian, Chenlu kiln site and etc in Shanxi Province of china. It is one of seven kiln series in China. Celadon samples of 63 pieces of sherds were collected, which excavated in stratum of Jin Dynasty (1127-1234A.D.) from Yaozhou kiln of Lidipo and Shangdian sites. The main and trace elements of theses specimens were analyzed by NAA and EDXRF respectively. The contents of 10 main and 18 trace elements were determined precisely. The experimental data are performed with factor and discrimination analysis of statistic method. The result indicates that the trace elements can reveal the provenance character of porcelain better than main compositions.

  18. Flares in Biopsy-Proven Giant Cell Arteritis in Northern Italy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Restuccia, Giovanna; Boiardi, Luigi; Cavazza, Alberto; Catanoso, Mariagrazia; Macchioni, Pierluigi; Muratore, Francesco; Cimino, Luca; Aldigeri, Raffaella; Crescentini, Filippo; Pipitone, Nicolò; Salvarani, Carlo

    2016-01-01

    Abstract This study evaluated the frequency, timing, and characteristics of flares in a large cohort of Italian patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis (GCA) and to identify factors at diagnosis able to predict the occurrence of flares. We evaluated 157 patients with biopsy-proven transmural GCA diagnosed and followed at the Rheumatology Unit of Reggio Emilia Hospital (Italy) for whom sufficient information was available from the time of diagnosis until at least 4 years of follow-up. Fifty-seven patients (36.5%) experienced ≥1 flares. Fifty-one (46.4%) of the 110 total flares (88 relapses and 22 recurrences) were experienced during the first 2 years after diagnosis. The majority of relapses occurred with doses of prednisone ≤ 10 mg/day (82.9%), whereas only 3.4% of relapses occurred for doses ≥ 25 mg/day. Polymyalgia rheumatica (46.5%) and cranial symptoms (41.9%) were the most frequent manifestations at the time of the first relapse. Cumulative prednisone dose during the first year and total cumulative prednisone dose were significantly higher in flaring patients compared with those without flares (7.8 ± 2.4 vs 6.7 ± 2.4 g, P = 0.02; 15.5 ± 8.9 vs 10.0 ± 9.2 g, P = 0.0001, respectively). The total duration of prednisone treatment was longer in flaring patients (58 ± 44 vs 30 ± 30 months, P = 0.0001). Patients with disease flares had at diagnosis more frequently systemic manifestations (P = 0.02) and fever ≥ 38°C (P = 0.02), significantly lower hemoglobin levels (P = 0.05), more frequent presence at temporal artery biopsy (TAB) specimens of giant cells (P = 0.04) and intraluminal acute thrombosis (P = 0.007), and more moderate/severe arterial inflammation (P = 0.009) compared with those without flares. In the multivariate model fever ≥ 38 °C (hazard ratio 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–4.32, P = 0.03) and the severity of inflammatory infiltrate

  19. Innovative Research Methods for Rethinking Gender in CSPs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McCarthy, Lauren

    2016-01-01

    Gender and women’s empowerment has become a big issue within CSPs in recent years. (See pages 58-61). Yet designing research projects that have proven impact on improving the lives of women in supply chains can be challenging, especially in CSPs where under - standings of ‘gender’ and ‘equality’ ......’ can differ culturally. This article therefore explores innovative research methods suitable to get a clearer view on gender issues.......Gender and women’s empowerment has become a big issue within CSPs in recent years. (See pages 58-61). Yet designing research projects that have proven impact on improving the lives of women in supply chains can be challenging, especially in CSPs where under - standings of ‘gender’ and ‘equality...

  20. Geochemical provenance of anomalous metal concentrations in stream sediments in the Ashton 1:250,000 quadrangle, Idaho/Montana/Wyoming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shannon, S.S. Jr.

    1982-01-01

    Stream-sediment samples from 1500 sites in the Ashton, Idaho/Montana/Wyoming 1:250,000 quadrangle were analyzed for 45 elements. Almost all samples containing anomalous concentrations (exceeding one standard deviation above the mean value of any element) were derived from drainage basins underlain by Quaternary rhyolite, Tertiary andesite or Precambrian gneiss and schist. Aluminum, barium, calcium, cobalt, iron, nickel, magnesium, scandium, sodium, strontium, and vanadium have no andesite provenance. Most anomalous manganese, europium, hafnium, and zirconium values were derived from Precambrian rocks. All other anomalous elemental concentrations are related to Quaternary rhyolite. This study demonstrates that multielemental stream-sediment analyses can be used to infer the provenance of stream sediments. Such data are available for many parts of the country as a result of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation. This study suggests that stream-sediment samples collected in the Rocky Mountains can be used either as pathfinders or as direct indicators to select targets for mineral exploration for a host of metals

  1. Terrigenous sediment provenance from geochemical tracers, south Molokai reef flat, Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takesue, R.K.

    2010-01-01

    Land-derived runoff is one of the greatest threats to coral-reef health. Identification of runoff sources is an important step in erosion mitigation efforts. A geochemical sediment provenance study was done in uplands and across the adjacent fringing reef on the southeast shore of Molokai, Hawaii, to determine whether sediment runoff originated from hillsides or gulches. Source-region identification was based on geochemical differences between alkalic basalt, which outcrops on hillsides, and tholeiitic basalt, which outcrops in gulches. In Kawela watershed, copper to iron ratios (Cu/Fe) were distinct in hillside soil versus gulch sediment and suggest that hillside erosion is the predominant mechanism of sediment delivery to the nearshore. This suggests that runoff-mitigation efforts should take steps to reduce hillside erosion. Cadmium to thorium ratios (Cd/Th) in nearshore sediment suggest that there is a high-Cd source of runoff east of Kamalo Gulch. This compositional difference is consistent with the predominance of tholeiitic basalt on the eastern end of Molokai.

  2. Ion Beam Analysis for the provenance attribution of lapis lazuli used in glyptic art: The case of the “Collezione Medicea”

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Re, Alessandro; Angelici, Debora; Lo Giudice, Alessandro; Corsi, Jacopo; Allegretti, Silvia; Biondi, Alessia Fabiola; Gariani, Gianluca; Calusi, Silvia; Gelli, Nicla; Giuntini, Lorenzo; Massi, Mirko; Taccetti, Francesco; La Torre, Leonardo; Rigato, Valentino; Pratesi, Giovanni

    2015-01-01

    The first part of this study reports on the wide campaign for the extension of the database of both trace and minor elements concentration in diopside by means of μ-PIXE measurements and of luminescence spectra in diopside and wollastonite by means of μ-IL measurements. Diopside and wollastonite are actually two of the most common lapis lazuli-forming minerals. For this former part of the study, we analysed rocks of known provenance at the microbeam line of the LNL laboratories in Legnaro (PD) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN). The latter part of the paper is dedicated to the non-invasive Ion Beam Analyses (IBA) characterisation of six pieces of the “Collezione Medicea”. The collection is exhibited at the Museum of Natural History (University of Firenze) and belonged to the Medici family. It includes artworks made of lapis lazuli manufactured in the 16 th and 17 th centuries but there is not precise information about the provenance of the used raw material. Results on the artworks show, as expected, that the Chilean provenance of the material used for the analysed artworks has to be excluded. Lapis lazuli used for five of the analysed artworks can be ascribed to the Afghan quarry district, while one object cannot be attributed only on the base of diopside and wollastonite analysis

  3. Ion Beam Analysis for the provenance attribution of lapis lazuli used in glyptic art: The case of the “Collezione Medicea”

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Re, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.re@unito.it [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Torino & INFN Sezione di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Angelici, Debora [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Torino & INFN Sezione di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino (Italy); Lo Giudice, Alessandro; Corsi, Jacopo; Allegretti, Silvia; Biondi, Alessia Fabiola; Gariani, Gianluca [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Torino & INFN Sezione di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Calusi, Silvia [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Gelli, Nicla [INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Giuntini, Lorenzo [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Massi, Mirko; Taccetti, Francesco [INFN Sezione di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); La Torre, Leonardo; Rigato, Valentino [INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell’Università 2, 35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Pratesi, Giovanni [Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze (Italy)

    2015-04-01

    The first part of this study reports on the wide campaign for the extension of the database of both trace and minor elements concentration in diopside by means of μ-PIXE measurements and of luminescence spectra in diopside and wollastonite by means of μ-IL measurements. Diopside and wollastonite are actually two of the most common lapis lazuli-forming minerals. For this former part of the study, we analysed rocks of known provenance at the microbeam line of the LNL laboratories in Legnaro (PD) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN). The latter part of the paper is dedicated to the non-invasive Ion Beam Analyses (IBA) characterisation of six pieces of the “Collezione Medicea”. The collection is exhibited at the Museum of Natural History (University of Firenze) and belonged to the Medici family. It includes artworks made of lapis lazuli manufactured in the 16{sup th} and 17{sup th} centuries but there is not precise information about the provenance of the used raw material. Results on the artworks show, as expected, that the Chilean provenance of the material used for the analysed artworks has to be excluded. Lapis lazuli used for five of the analysed artworks can be ascribed to the Afghan quarry district, while one object cannot be attributed only on the base of diopside and wollastonite analysis.

  4. Provenance of whitefish in the Gulf of Bothnia determined by elemental analysis of otolith cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lill, J.-O.; Finnäs, V.; Slotte, J. M. K.; Jokikokko, E.; Heimbrand, Y.; Hägerstrand, H.

    2018-02-01

    The strontium concentration in the core of otoliths was used to determine the provenance of whitefish found in the Gulf of Bothnia, Baltic Sea. To that end, a database of strontium concentration in fish otoliths representing different habitats (sea, river and fresh water) had to be built. Otoliths from juvenile whitefish were therefore collected from freshwater ponds at 5 hatcheries, from adult whitefish from 6 spawning sites at sea along the Finnish west coast, and from adult whitefish ascending to spawn in the Torne River, in total 67 otoliths. PIXE was applied to determine the elemental concentrations in these otoliths. While otoliths from the juveniles raised in the freshwater ponds showed low but varying strontium concentrations (194-1664 μg/g,), otoliths from sea-spawning fish showed high uniform strontium levels (3720-4333 μg/g). The otolith core analysis of whitefish from Torne River showed large variations in the strontium concentrations (1525-3650 μg/g). These otolith data form a database to be used for provenance studies of wild adult whitefish caught at sea. The applicability of the database was evaluated by analyzing the core of polished otoliths from 11 whitefish from a test site at sea in the Larsmo archipelago. Our results show that by analyzing strontium in the otolith core, we can differentiate between hatchery-origin and wild-origin whitefish, but not always between river and sea spawning whitefish.

  5. Clay mineralogy indicates the muddy sediment provenance in the estuarine-inner shelf of the East China Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yifei; Zou, Xinqing; Liu, Qing; Wang, Chenglong; Ge, Chendong; Xu, Min

    2018-02-01

    The estuarine-inner shelf mud regions of the East China Sea (ECS) are valuable for studying the source-to-sink processes of fluvial sediments deposited since the Holocene. In this study, we present evidence of the provenance and environmental evolution of two cores (S5-2 and JC07) from the estuarine-inner shelf regions of the ECS over the past 100 years based on 210Pb dating, high-resolution grain size measurements and clay mineral analyses. The results indicate that the clay mineral assemblages of cores S5-2 and JC07 are dominated by illite, followed by kaolinite and chlorite, and present scarce amounts of smectite. A comparison of these clay mineral assemblages with several major sources reveals that the fine sediments on the estuarine-inner shelf of the ECS represent a mixture of provenances associated with the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, as well as smaller rivers. However, the contribution of each provenance has varied greatly over the past hundred years, as indicated by the down-core variability due to strong sediment reworking and transport on the inner shelf and the reduction of the sediment load from the Yangtze River basin. In the mud region of the Yangtze River estuary, the sediment from 1930 to 1956 was primarily derived from the Yangtze River, although the Yellow River was also an important influence. From 1956 to 2013, the Yellow River contribution decreased, whereas the Yangtze River contribution correspondingly increased. In the Zhe-Min mud region, the Yangtze River contributed more sediment than did other rivers from 1910 to 1950; however, the Yangtze River contribution gradually decreased from 1950 to 2013. Moreover, the other small rivers accounted for minor contributions, and the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) played an important role in the sediment transport process in the ECS. Our results indicate that the weakening/strengthening of the EAWM and a decrease in the sediment load of the Yangtze River influenced the transport and fate of sediment

  6. Provenance study through analysis of microstructural characteristics using an optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy for Goryeo celadon excavated from the seabed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min-su, Han

    2013-08-01

    This paper aims at identifying the provenance of Goryeo celadons by understanding its microstructural characteristics, such as particles, blisters, forms and amount of pores, and the presence of crystal formation, bodies, and glazes and its boundary, using an optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis of the reproduced samples shows that the glazed layer of the sherd fired at higher temperatures has lower viscosity and therefore it encourages the blisters to be combined together and the layer to become more transparent. In addition, the result showed that the vitrification and melting process of clay minerals such as feldspars and quartzs on the bodies was accelerated for those samples. To factor such characteristics of the microstructure and apply it to the sherds, the samples could be divided into six categories based on status, such as small particles with many small pores or mainly large and small circular pores in the bodies, only a limited number of varied sized blisters in the glazes, and a few blisters and needle-shaped crystals on the boundary surface. In conclusion, the analysis of the microstructural characteristics using an optical microscope and SEM have proven to be useful as a categorizing reference factor in a provenance study on Goryeo celadons.

  7. Assessment of baroreflex sensitivity from spontaneous oscillations of blood pressure and heart rate: proven clinical value?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinna, Gian Domenico; Maestri, Roberto; La Rovere, Maria Teresa

    2015-01-01

    The baroreceptor-heart rate reflex (baroreflex sensitivity, BRS) is a key mechanism contributing to the neural regulation of the cardiovascular system. Several methods have been proposed so far to assess BRS by analyzing the spontaneous beat-to-beat fluctuations of arterial blood pressure and heart rate. These methods are inherently simple, non-invasive and low-cost. This study is an attempt to address the question of whether spontaneous baroreflex methods have proven to be of value in the clinical setting. In the first part of this article, we critically review most representative clinical studies using spontaneous BRS techniques either for risk stratification or treatment evaluation, these being major issues in the clinical management of the patients. In the second part, we address two important aspects of spontaneous BRS measurements: measurability and reliability. Estimation of BRS in the studies selected for the review was performed according to the sequence, transfer function, alpha-index and phase-rectified signal averaging method. Arterial blood pressure was recorded non-invasively during supine, short-term (<30 min) laboratory recordings. The conclusion from this review is that spontaneous BRS techniques have been shown to be of great value in clinical practice but further work is needed to confirm the validity of previous findings and to widen the field of clinical applications. Measurability and reliability can be a major issue in the measurement of spontaneous BRS, particularly in some patient populations like post-myocardial infarction and heart failure patents. Main causes of poor measurability are: non-sinus rhythm, a high rate of ectopic beats and the need for recorded time series of RR interval and arterial blood pressure to satisfy the constraints of the different BRS estimation algorithms. As for reliability, within-subject variability is rather high in the measurements of spontaneous BRS and, therefore, should be carefully taken into account

  8. Epidemiology of biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis in Queensland adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jegatheesan, Dev; Nath, Karthik; Reyaldeen, Reza; Sivasuthan, Goutham; John, George T; Francis, Leo; Rajmokan, Mohana; Ranganathan, Dwarakanathan

    2016-01-01

    There is a paucity of data pertaining to the incidence of biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis (GN) in Australia. This retrospective study aims to review the data from all adult native renal biopsies performed in the state of Queensland from 2002 to 2011--comparing results with centres from across the world. Pathology reports of 3697 adult native kidney biopsies were reviewed, of which 2048 had GN diagnoses. Age, gender, clinical indication and histopathology findings were compared. The average age at biopsy was 48 ± 17 years. Male preponderance was noted overall (∼60%), with lupus nephritis being the only individual GN with female predilection. The average rate of biopsy was 12.04 per hundred thousand people per year (php/yr). Nephrotic and nephritic syndromes comprised approximately 75% of all clinical indications that lead to GN diagnoses. IgA nephropathy (1.41 php/yr) was the most common primary GN followed by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (1.02 php/yr) and crescentic GN (0.73 php/yr). Diabetic nephropathy (0.84 php/yr), lupus nephritis (0.69 php/yr) and amyloidosis (0.19 php/yr) were the most commonly identified secondary GN. IgA nephropathy is the predominant primary GN in Queensland, and nephrotic syndrome the most common indication for a renal biopsy. While crescentic GN incidence has significantly increased with time, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis incidence has not shown any trend. Incidence of GN overall appears to increase with age. The annual rate of biopsy in this study appears lower than previously published in an Australian population. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

  9. Sufficient Descent Conjugate Gradient Methods for Solving Convex Constrained Nonlinear Monotone Equations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    San-Yang Liu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Two unified frameworks of some sufficient descent conjugate gradient methods are considered. Combined with the hyperplane projection method of Solodov and Svaiter, they are extended to solve convex constrained nonlinear monotone equations. Their global convergence is proven under some mild conditions. Numerical results illustrate that these methods are efficient and can be applied to solve large-scale nonsmooth equations.

  10. Tracking and Establishing Provenance of Earth Science Datasets: A NASA-Based Example

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramapriyan, Hampapuram K.; Goldstein, Justin C.; Hua, Hook; Wolfe, Robert E.

    2016-01-01

    Information quality is of paramount importance to science. Accurate, scientifically vetted and statistically meaningful and, ideally, reproducible information engenders scientific trust and research opportunities. Not surprisingly, federal bodies (e.g., NASA, NOAA, USGS) have very strictly affirmed the importance of information quality in their product requirements. So-called Highly Influential Scientific Assessments (HISA) such as The Third US National Climate Assessment (NCA3) published in 2014 undergo a very rigorous review process to ensure transparency and credibility. To support the transparency of such reports, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has developed the Global Change Information System (GCIS). A recent activity was performed to trace the provenance as completely as possible for all NCA3 figures that were predominantly based on NASA data. This poster presents the mechanics of that project and the lessons learned from that activity.

  11. Epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of culture-proven acute otitis media in Taiwanese children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Nan-Chang; Lin, Hsin-Yi; Hsu, Chyong-Hsin; Huang, Fu-Yuan; Lee, Kuo-Sheng; Chi, Hsin

    2012-10-01

    Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common diseases in children. Here, we describe the epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of AOM in Taiwanese children over a 10-year period. We retrospectively enrolled pediatric patients with culture-proven AOM who were treated at Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei between 1999-2008. The data include demographic characteristics, clinical history, and microbiological characteristics. Six hundred and fourteen patients were included. The male:female ratio was 1.4 (p 5 years of age and was associated with spontaneous otorrhea (pculture-confirmed AOM in Taiwanese children. Although S. pyogenes is not as common, it usually causes AOM in children > 5 years of age and is associated with spontaneous otorrhea. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Study on provenance of ancient Yaozhou porcelain bodies by fingerprint elements scatter analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Weijuan; Guo Min; Gao Zhengyao; Li Guoxia; Xie Jianzhong

    2004-01-01

    25 samples of Yaozhou porcelain bodies, 3 samples of the tri-color pottery bodies during the Tang Dynasty, 1 samples of Saggar material during Song Dynasty and 4 samples of clay mineral taken from the place near Yaozhou Kiln Museum was selected. The technique of neutron activation analysis (NAA) has been employed to measure the content of 29 kinds of elements in the samples. 8 elements of them were selected as fingerprint elements to make scatter analysis. The conclusion is that the ancient Yaozhou porcelain bodies produced by different kilns have long shared a stable and concentrated raw material sources. Both the tri-colored pottery bodies made in Yaozhou Kilns during the Tang Dynasty and the Yaozhou porcelain bodies are from the same provenance. (authors)

  13. Platelet Counts, MPV and PDW in Culture Proven and Probable Neonatal Sepsis and Association of Platelet Counts with Mortality Rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, M. S.; Waheed, A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine frequency of thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis, the MPV (mean platelet volume) and PDW (platelet distribution width) in patients with probable and culture proven neonatal sepsis and determine any association between platelet counts and mortality rate. Study Design: Descriptive analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: NICU, Fazle Omar Hospital, from January 2011 to December 2012. Methodology: Cases of culture proven and probable neonatal sepsis, admitted in Fazle Omar Hospital, Rabwah, were included in the study. Platelet counts, MPV and PDW of the cases were recorded. Mortality was documented. Frequencies of thrombocytopenia ( 450000/mm3) were ascertained. Mortality rates in different groups according to platelet counts were calculated and compared by chi-square test to check association. Results: Four hundred and sixty nine patients were included; 68 (14.5%) of them died. One hundred and thirty six (29%) had culture proven sepsis, and 333 (71%) were categorized as probable sepsis. Thrombocytopenia was present in 116 (24.7%), and thrombocytosis was present in 36 (7.7%) cases. Median platelet count was 213.0/mm3. Twenty eight (27.7%) patients with thrombocytopenia, and 40 (12.1%) cases with normal or raised platelet counts died (p < 0.001). Median MPV was 9.30, and median PDW was 12.30. MPV and PDW of the patients who died and who were discharged were not significantly different from each other. Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia is a common complication of neonatal sepsis. Those with thrombocytopenia have higher mortality rate. No significant difference was present between PDW and MPV of the cases who survived and died. (author)

  14. Serum Progranulin as an Independent Marker of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Biopsy-Proven Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf Yilmaz

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Elevated progranulin levels are associated with visceral obesity, elevated plasma glucose, and dyslipidemia. Progranulin has not been previously investigated as a biomarker of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. We sought to determine whether serum progranulin levels are altered in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and if they are associated with their clinical, biochemical, and histological characteristics.

  15. Petrology and geochemistry of the Miocene-Pliocene fluvial succession, Katawaz Basin, Western Pakistan: Implications on provenance and source area weathering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kasi, Aimal K.; Kassi, Aktar Muhammad; Friis, Henrik

    Petrology and geochemistry of sandstones and mudstones of the Miocene Dasht Murgha Group (DMG) and Pliocene Malthanai Formation (MF) of the Pishin Belt (Katawaz Basin), northwestern Pakistan have been carried out to find out their provenance and source area weathering. Sandstones of the Dasht...

  16. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound features of histologically proven focal nodular hyperplasia: diagnostic performance compared with contrast-enhanced CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Wei; Chen, Li-Da; Liu, Guang-Jian; Xu, Zuo-Feng; Xie, Xiao-Yan; Wang, Yan; Zhou, Lu-Yao; Lu, Ming-De; Shen, Shun-Li

    2013-01-01

    To investigate and compare contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the characterisation of histologically proven focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). CEUS was performed in 85 patients with 85 histologically proven FNHs. Enhancement, centrifugal filling, spoke-wheel arteries, feeding artery and central scarring were reviewed and correlated with lesion size or liver background. Independent factors for predicting FNH from other focal liver lesions (FLLs) were evaluated. Forty-seven FLLs with CECT were randomly selected for comparison of diagnostic performance with CEUS. Centrifugal filling was more common (P = 0.002) and the significant predictor (P = 0.003) in FNHs ≤3 cm. Lesion size or liver background has no significant influence on the detection rate of the spoke-wheel arteries and feeding artery (P > 0.05). Central scarring was found in 42.6 % of FNHs ≥3 cm (P = 0.000). The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity and specificity showed no significant differences between CEUS and CECT (P > 0.05), except that the sensitivity of CEUS was better for reader 1 (P = 0.041). CEUS is valuable in characterising centrifugal filling signs or spoke wheels in small FNHs and should be employed as the first-line imaging technique for diagnosis of FNH. (orig.)

  17. Catalytic Filtration: A proven technology for Dioxin emission control from waste incinerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, K.T.; Xu, Zhengtian

    2010-01-01

    Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and di benzofurans (PCD/ Fs), in a family of dioxin derivatives with high toxicity, often associated with environmental pollution are the most toxic man made substances, emitted in gas and solid phases during incineration of waste. The threat of dioxin is drawing increasing attention around the world. Governments around the world are phasing in more stringent dioxin emission regulations, and reports about dioxin levels in food products have generated widespread concerns among the public. Issues related to dioxin emissions and disposals are moving up the environmental agenda demanding the most effective and environmentally sound technologies. With heightened public awareness, more stringent regulations, and potential penalties for non-compliance, its more important than ever to avoid the risks associated with inadequate dioxin control. The permissible dioxin emission in most industrial nations is less than 0.1 ng (TEQ)/ Nm 3 and permissible dust emission is from less than 10 to less than 50 mg/ Nm 3 . The common system to remove dioxin is installing an injection process for powdered activated carbon (PAC). This was seen as a proven and widely used technology to control dioxin. This sorbent based system moves dioxin and furan molecules from the gas stream to the solid residue. There are new concerns about existing or future landfill restrictions on the amount and toxicity of sorbent levels in fly ash. Other alternatives are non-flammable additives and catalytic technologies. The non-flammable additives are not proven to control dioxin at temperatures above 200 degree Celsius. Catalytic filter technology can be high initial investment but gaining popularity for operational benefits and reduction of solid residues for landfill. Several criteria are being considered to compare the initial cost of the catalytic filter system and the cost reduction of exhaust gas treatment that can pay for the return of the investment. Field experiences

  18. Classification of Argentinean Sauvignon blanc wines by UV spectroscopy and chemometric methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azcarate, Silvana Mariela; Cantarelli, Miguel Ángel; Pellerano, Roberto Gerardo; Marchevsky, Eduardo Jorge; Camiña, José Manuel

    2013-03-01

    Argentina is an important worldwide wine producer. In this country, there are several recognizable provinces that produce Sauvignon blanc wines: Neuquén, Río Negro, Mendoza, and San Juan. The analysis of the provenance of these white wines is complex and requires the use of expensive and time-consuming techniques. For this reason, this work discusses the determination of the provenance of Argentinean Sauvignon blanc wines by the use of UV spectroscopy and chemometric methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The proposed method requires low-cost equipment and short-time analysis in comparison with other techniques. The results are in very good agreement with results based on the geographical origin of Sauvignon blanc wines. This manuscript describes a method to determine the geographical origin of Sauvignon wines from Argentina. The main advantage of this method is the use of nonexpensive techniques, such as UV-Vis spectroscopy. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

  19. An experimental detrending approach to attributing change of pan evaporation in comparison with the traditional partial differential method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tingting; Sun, Fubao; Xia, Jun; Liu, Wenbin; Sang, Yanfang

    2017-04-01

    In predicting how droughts and hydrological cycles would change in a warming climate, change of atmospheric evaporative demand measured by pan evaporation (Epan) is one crucial element to be understood. Over the last decade, the derived partial differential (PD) form of the PenPan equation is a prevailing attribution approach to attributing changes to Epan worldwide. However, the independency among climatic variables required by the PD approach cannot be met using long term observations. Here we designed a series of numerical experiments to attribute changes of Epan over China by detrending each climatic variable, i.e., an experimental detrending approach, to address the inter-correlation among climate variables, and made comparison with the traditional PD method. The results show that the detrending approach is superior not only to a complicate system with multi-variables and mixing algorithm like aerodynamic component (Ep,A) and Epan, but also to a simple case like radiative component (Ep,R), when compared with traditional PD method. The major reason for this is the strong and significant inter-correlation of input meteorological forcing. Very similar and fine attributing results have been achieved based on detrending approach and PD method after eliminating the inter-correlation of input through a randomize approach. The contribution of Rh and Ta in net radiation and thus Ep,R, which has been overlooked based on the PD method but successfully detected by detrending approach, provides some explanation to the comparing results. We adopted the control run from the detrending approach and applied it to made adjustment of PD method. Much improvement has been made and thus proven this adjustment an effective way in attributing changes to Epan. Hence, the detrending approach and the adjusted PD method are well recommended in attributing changes in hydrological models to better understand and predict water and energy cycle.

  20. Sediment provenance in the Laxmi Basin of the Arabian Sea during the last 800 kyrs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khim, B. K.; Horikawa, K.; Asahara, Y.; Kim, J. E.; Ikehara, M.; Lee, J.

    2017-12-01

    International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 355 conducted to drill 1109.4 m penetration at Site U1456 in the Laxmi Basin of the Arabian Sea. Four lithologic units are defined onboard at Site U1456 (Pandey et al., 2016). Unit I is 121 m long, consisting mostly of pelagic carbonates (nannofossil ooze and/or foraminifera-rich nannofossil ooze) interbedded with thin terrigenous (clay, silt, and sand) turbidite layers. The age model of Unit I was determined by the correlation of δ18O fluctuations of planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinoides ruber) to LR04 stacks, estimating 1.2 Ma. A total of 60 samples, collected in the context of magnetic susceptibility (MS) changes at a discrete interval from a composite section (Holes U1456A and U1456C) of Unit I, were analyzed to measure Nd and Sr isotopes of detrital fraction. Based on Nd and Sr isotopes, the sediment provenance in the Laxmi Basin during the last 800 kyrs was traced in response to the monsoon activity between the interglacial and glacial periods. ɛNd and 87Sr/86Sr vary in a range from -12.4 to -8.0 and from 0.712 to 0.727, respectively. The correlation between ɛNd and 87Sr/86Sr is quite linear, indicating that the sediments were provided mainly by two dominant sources. Considering the ɛNd and 87Sr/86Sr end-members of sediment sources (i.e., river sediments), the Tapi River and Narmada River are the main contributors of sediments to Site U1456 with a little influence by the modern Indus River. However, the glacial sediments from the Indus River and the Mahi River may supply an additional fraction, leading to less ɛNd and more 87Sr/86Sr at Site U1456. Judged by the sediment sources, the sediments in the Laxmi Basin are characterized by the mixture of different provenances. In addition, it should be noted that the low ɛNd and high 87Sr/86Sr values coincide largely with high MS and vice versa, irrespectively of the glacial-interglacial change. Thus, rather than the sediment provenances, ɛNd and 87Sr/86Sr

  1. Beryllium-10 in Chesapeake Bay sediments: an indicator of sediment provenance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helz, G.R.; Valette-Silver, Nathalie

    1992-01-01

    In a plot of 10 Be vs. Fe, central Chesapeake Bay sediments can be segregated into distinct units. This plot reveals an unexpected, statistically significant difference between sediments on the eastern and western flanks of the main channel, implying different origins. Although the 10 Be concentrations in sediments from these two regions span as much as an order of magnitude range, the 10 Be/Fe ratios vary by an amount approximating analytical error alone. The large concentration ranges are ascribed to hydraulic sorting, which can produce variance in composition while not affecting ratios between grain surface components such as Fe and Be. On the basis of 10 Be/Fe signatures, sediments on the western flank of the main channel appear to have been derived from the Susquehanna or another Piedmont/Appalachian river. Sediments on the eastern flank may have been transported from the south, by landward flowing bottom currents, or may be relics of a Pleistocene estuarine system. Conditions under which 10 Be may prove a useful tool in sediment provenance studies elsewhere are discussed. (Author)

  2. Approximation of the unsteady Brinkman-Forchheimer equations by the pressure stabilization method

    KAUST Repository

    Louaked, Mohammed; Seloula, Nour; Trabelsi, Saber

    2017-01-01

    In this work, we propose and analyze the pressure stabilization method for the unsteady incompressible Brinkman-Forchheimer equations. We present a time discretization scheme which can be used with any consistent finite element space approximation. Second-order error estimate is proven. Some numerical results are also given.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2017

  3. Focus Group Interview in Family Practice Research: Implementing a qualitative research method

    OpenAIRE

    Wood, Marjorie L.

    1992-01-01

    Focus group interviews, described as a qualitative research method with good potential in family medicine, are traced from their origins in market research to their growing role in sociology and medicine. Features of this method are described, including design, conduct, and analysis. Both proven and potential areas for primary care research using focus groups are outlined.

  4. Approximation of the unsteady Brinkman-Forchheimer equations by the pressure stabilization method

    KAUST Repository

    Louaked, Mohammed

    2017-07-20

    In this work, we propose and analyze the pressure stabilization method for the unsteady incompressible Brinkman-Forchheimer equations. We present a time discretization scheme which can be used with any consistent finite element space approximation. Second-order error estimate is proven. Some numerical results are also given.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2017

  5. A new method of lower extremity immobilization in radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Xuhai; Dai, Tangzhi; Shu, Xiaochuan; Pu, Yuanxue; Feng, Gang; Li, Xuesong; Liao, Dongbiao; Du, Xiaobo

    2012-01-01

    We developed a new method for immobilization of the fix lower extremities by using a thermoplastic mask, a carbon fiber base plate, a customized headrest, and an adjustable angle holder. The lower extremities of 11 patients with lower extremity tumors were immobilized by this method. CT simulation was performed for each patient. For all 11 patients, the device fit was suitable and comfortable and had good reproducibility, which was proven in daily radiotherapy

  6. Detrital thermochronology of Rhine, Elbe and Meuse river sediment (Central Europe): implications for provenance, erosion and mineral fertility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glotzbach, C.; Busschers, F. S.; Winsemann, J.

    2018-03-01

    Here we present detrital apatite fission track (AFT), zircon fission track (ZFT) and a few apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) data of Middle Pleistocene to modern Rhine, Meuse and Elbe river sediments in order to resolve processes that control detrital age distributions (provenance, erosion and mineral fertility). We used a modelling approach to compare observed with theoretically predicted age distributions from an interpolated in situ AFT and ZFT age map. In situ cooling ages do show large differences in the Rhine drainage basin, facilitating the differentiation between different source regions. Inconsistencies between observed and theoretical age distributions of the Meuse and Elbe samples can be explained by mixing and reworking of sediments with different provenances (Meuse Middle Pleistocene terrace sediment) and a yet unexplored source region with old AFT ages (Elbe samples). Overall, the results show that detrital thermochronology is capable of identifying the provenance of Middle Pleistocene to modern sediments. The AFT age distributions of Rhine sediments are dominated ( 70%) by AFT ages representing the Alps. A possible explanation is higher erosion rates in the Alps as compared to areas outside the Alps. A Late Pleistocene sample from the Upper Rhine Graben contains apatite grains from the Molasse and Hegau volcanics, which we explain with a shift of the headwaters of the Rhine to the north as a result of intense Middle Pleistocene Riss glaciation. Contrary to the observed dominance of Alpine-derived AFT ages in Rhine sediments, the relative contribution of zircon ages with sources in the Alps is lower and significantly decreases downstream, suggesting a major source of zircons outside the Alps. This can be explained by increased zircon fertility of sediments derived from the Rhenish massif. Therefore, we conclude that erosion and mineral fertility are the main processes controlling detrital AFT and ZFT age distributions of the sampled river sediment. In case of

  7. Clinical governance; How been understood, what is needed? Nurses' perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Homayoun Sadeghi Bazargani

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Clinical Governance (CG is an overarching concept, using organizational capacity, safeguards high standards of the health services and provides a safe care for patients.  The aim of this research was to study nurses’ perception about Clinical Governance. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was done with Focus Group Discussions (FGD. Purposeful Sampling was used to select the objectives including 65 participants. Actually 7 FGD’s were held. Content analysis was used to extract the meaningful themes. Results:Nurses believed that patient centeredness and evidence based practice is the core of the CG concept. Also they mentioned that cultural change, staffs training, adequate financial and human resources are required to successfully implementation of CG in hospitals.  Conclusion: Spreading up a shared vision about CG and providing the required infrastructures in hospitals would be facilitate CG initiatives. Proper commitment of the managers and staff participation could lead an effective CG implementation.

  8. Theoretical study of the dependence of single impurity Anderson model on various parameters within distributional exact diagonalization method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syaina, L. P.; Majidi, M. A.

    2018-04-01

    Single impurity Anderson model describes a system consisting of non-interacting conduction electrons coupled with a localized orbital having strongly interacting electrons at a particular site. This model has been proven successful to explain the phenomenon of metal-insulator transition through Anderson localization. Despite the well-understood behaviors of the model, little has been explored theoretically on how the model properties gradually evolve as functions of hybridization parameter, interaction energy, impurity concentration, and temperature. Here, we propose to do a theoretical study on those aspects of a single impurity Anderson model using the distributional exact diagonalization method. We solve the model Hamiltonian by randomly generating sampling distribution of some conducting electron energy levels with various number of occupying electrons. The resulting eigenvalues and eigenstates are then used to define the local single-particle Green function for each sampled electron energy distribution using Lehmann representation. Later, we extract the corresponding self-energy of each distribution, then average over all the distributions and construct the local Green function of the system to calculate the density of states. We repeat this procedure for various values of those controllable parameters, and discuss our results in connection with the criteria of the occurrence of metal-insulator transition in this system.

  9. Audiopodcasts im Biochemiepraktikum – Kostengünstiges eLearning in bewährtem Hörfunkformat [Audio podcasts in practical courses in biochemistry – cost-efficient e-learning in a well-proven format from radio broadcasting

    OpenAIRE

    Münch-Harrach, Dieter; Hampe, Wolfgang; Kothe, Christian

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Audio podcasts are an e-learning format that may help to motivate students to deal with the contents of medical education more intensely. We adopted a well-proven format from radio broadcasting, the radio documentary, to direct the listeners' attention to information about practical courses in biochemistry over a period of 20 minutes at most. Information, original sounds, and a specific atmosphere allow listeners to perceive the contents intensely.Method: In order to organise ...

  10. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy with or without carbogen and nicotinamide in inoperable biopsy-proven glioblastoma multiforme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, Jean-Marc; Noeel, Georges; Chiras, Jacques; Khe, H.-X.; Delattre, Jean-Yves; Baillet, Francois; Mazeron, Jean-Jacques

    2003-01-01

    Background: Nicotinamide and carbogen have been shown to enhance the radiation effect in tumour models. Purpose: Prospective evaluation of the toxicity and efficacy of carbogen and nicotinamide with external beam radiotherapy in the management of inoperable glioblastoma. Patients and methods: From April 1995 to December 1997, 33 patients with inoperable biopsy-proven glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were enrolled in a phase II trial, to undergo radiotherapy (59.4 Gy in 1.8 Gy/fraction), intra-arterial cerebral chemotherapy (ACNU 100 mg/m 2 , three cycles), carbogen breathing (15 l/min), and nicotinamide (85 mg/kg). This experimental group was compared to a control group of 38 patients with inoperable GBM treated with radiotherapy and three cycles of nitrosourea-based chemotherapy from January 1990 to March 1995, in our institution. Results: In the experimental group, carbogen breathing was well tolerated, but only 51.5% of patients completed daily nicotinamide over the 6.5-week treatment period. Nausea and vomiting were the most frequent side effects of nicotinamide. No significant difference in overall survival was observed among the two treatment groups: median survival times were 36.7 and 35.3 weeks for patients treated with carbogen and nicotinamide, and for those treated in the control group, respectively. Conclusion: The association of carbogen and nicotinamide with radiotherapy is feasible, but tolerable only in 51.5% of patients with GBM. Carbogen and nicotinamide did not appear to modify the evolution of glioblastoma

  11. The Center of Gravity, Systemically Understood

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-23

    manner that gave him the time to pursue and destroy the retreating army. Centuries later, another great captain – Napoléon Bonaparte – employed...Jena-Auerstadt 1806 In 1806, Napoléon Bonaparte became the first operational artist in the history of modern war when he defeated the Prussian... Napoleon , Operational Art, and the Jena Campaign,” in Historical Perspectives of the Operational Art, ed. Michael D. Krause and R. Cody Phillips

  12. Snow precipitation at four ice core sites in East Antarctica: provenance, seasonality and blocking factors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scarchilli, Claudio [ENEA, Rome (Italy); Universita degli studi di Trieste, Trieste (Italy); Frezzotti, Massimo; Ruti, Paolo Michele [ENEA, Rome (Italy)

    2011-11-15

    Snow precipitation is the primary mass input to the Antarctic ice sheet and is one of the most direct climatic indicators, with important implications for paleoclimatic reconstruction from ice cores. Provenance of precipitation and the dynamic conditions that force these precipitation events at four deep ice core sites (Dome C, Law Dome, Talos Dome, and Taylor Dome) in East Antarctica were analysed with air mass back trajectories calculated using the Lagrangian model and the mean composite data for precipitation, geopotential height and wind speed field data from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast from 1980 to 2001. On an annual basis, back trajectories showed that the Atlantic-Indian and Ross-Pacific Oceans were the main provenances of precipitation in Wilkes Land (80%) and Victoria Land (40%), respectively, whereas the greatest influence of the ice sheet was on the interior near the Vostok site (80%) and in the Southwest Ross Sea (50%), an effect that decreased towards the coast and along the Antarctic slope. Victoria Land received snowfall atypically with respect to other Antarctica areas in terms of pathway (eastern instead of western), seasonality (summer instead of winter) and velocity (old air age). Geopotential height patterns at 500 hPa at low (>10 days) and high (2-6 days) frequencies during snowfall cycles at two core sites showed large positive anomalies at low frequencies developing in the Tasman Sea-Eastern Indian Ocean at higher latitudes (60-70 S) than normal. This could be considered part of an atmospheric blocking event, with transient eddies acting to decelerate westerlies in a split region area and accelerate the flow on the flanks of the low-frequency positive anomalies. (orig.)

  13. Petrographic and geochemical analyisis for determination of provenance of the Slovenj Gradec Miocene Basin fill (Western Central Paratethys)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivančič, Kristina; Trajanova, Mirka; Skaberne, Dragomir; Šmuc, Andrej

    2017-04-01

    The Slovenj Gradec Basin (SGB) is located in northern Slovenia between eastern margin of the Northern Karavanke and the western Pohorje Mts. Structurally, it belongs to Eastern Alps. It is filled with Miocene clastic sediments. Modal composition of sandstones was determined on thin sections by point-counter and presented with the QFL and QmFLt diagrams. Their geochemical composition was determined by classical method and by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Based on petrography, sedimentary fill of the SGB consists mostly of lithic grains and quartz, derived from metamorphic and carbonate rocks. Locally, fragments of granitoids occur. Binder consists of carbonate, subordinately quartz cement, and carbonate matrix. Recycled orogen (lithic and transitional recycled) provenance of the grains was determined. Geochemical composition shows that: - Sandstones from the SGB belong to the fields of shale, wacke, litharenite, arkose and subarkose (Pettijohn, 1972). - In the ternary diagram of weathering trends (cf. Nesbitt & Young 1984), the samples group near the CaO+Na2OAl2O3 conjunctive. Calculated minimum CIA (Fedo et al., 1995) is 40.06, indicating that the source rocks were not subjected to considerable weathering. - According to discriminant function (cf. Roser & Korsch, 1988) all samples from SGB originate from quartzose sedimentary rocks. - For determination of tectonic setting of source rocks (Verma & Armstrong-Altrin, 2013) the studied samples plot in the field of collision zone. - In the multidimensional discriminant function diagram for the discrimination of active and passive margin after Verma and Armstrong (2016), the samples plot into the field of passive margin. The data indicate that source rocks of the SGB sedimentary fill were derived from Eastern Alps and Southern Alps. It is suggested that SGB was detached from the Styrian and Mura-Zala Basins in the course of the Pohorje Mts. oblique transpressive uplift during the late Miocene to Pliocene

  14. Nonlinear Subincremental Method for Determination of Elastic-Plastic-Creep Behaviour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottosen, N. Saabye; Gunneskov, O.

    1985-01-01

    to general elastic-plastic-creep behaviour including problems with a highly nonlinear total strain path caused by the occurrence of creep hardening. This nonlinear method degenerates to the linear approach for elastic-plastic behaviour and when secondary creep is present. It is also linear during step......The frequently used subincremental method has so far been used on a linear interpolation of the total strain path within each main step. This method has proven successful when elastic-plastic behaviour and secondary creep is involved. The authors propose a nonlinear subincremental method applicable...

  15. Stereotactic radiotherapy of histologically proven inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer: Patterns of failure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andratschke, Nicolaus; Zimmermann, Frank; Boehm, Eva; Schill, Sabine; Schoenknecht, Christine; Thamm, Reinhard; Molls, Michael; Nieder, Carsten; Geinitz, Hans

    2011-01-01

    Background and purpose: To report patterns of failure of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in inoperable patients with histologically confirmed stage I NSCLC. Materials and methods: Ninety-two inoperable patients (median age: 75 years) with clinically staged, histologically proven T1 (n = 31) or T2 (n = 61), N0, M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included in this study. Treatment consisted of 3–5 fractions with 7–15 Gy per fraction prescribed to the 60% isodose. Results: Freedom from local recurrence at 1, 3 and 5 years was 89%, 83% and 83%, respectively. All 10 local failures were observed in patients with T2 tumors. Isolated regional recurrence was observed in 7.6%. The crude rate of distant progression was 20.7%. Overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 79%, 38% and 17% with a median survival of 29 months. Disease specific survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 93%, 64% and 48%. Karnofsky performance status, T stage, gross tumor volume and tumor location had no significant impact on overall and disease specific survival. SBRT was generally well tolerated and all patients completed therapy as planned. Conclusion: SBRT for stage I lung cancer is very well tolerated in this patient cohort with significant cardiopulmonal comorbidity and results in excellent local control rates, although a considerable portion develops regional and distant metastases.

  16. SWOT ANALYSIS ON SAMPLING METHOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHIS ANCA OANA

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Audit sampling involves the application of audit procedures to less than 100% of items within an account balance or class of transactions. Our article aims to study audit sampling in audit of financial statements. As an audit technique largely used, in both its statistical and nonstatistical form, the method is very important for auditors. It should be applied correctly for a fair view of financial statements, to satisfy the needs of all financial users. In order to be applied correctly the method must be understood by all its users and mainly by auditors. Otherwise the risk of not applying it correctly would cause loose of reputation and discredit, litigations and even prison. Since there is not a unitary practice and methodology for applying the technique, the risk of incorrectly applying it is pretty high. The SWOT analysis is a technique used that shows the advantages, disadvantages, threats and opportunities. We applied SWOT analysis in studying the sampling method, from the perspective of three players: the audit company, the audited entity and users of financial statements. The study shows that by applying the sampling method the audit company and the audited entity both save time, effort and money. The disadvantages of the method are difficulty in applying and understanding its insight. Being largely used as an audit method and being a factor of a correct audit opinion, the sampling method’s advantages, disadvantages, threats and opportunities must be understood by auditors.

  17. CT of sarcomatous degeneration in neurofibromatosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coleman, B.G.; Arger, P.H.; Dalinka, M.K.; Obringer, A.C.; Raney, B.R.; Meadows, A.T.

    1983-01-01

    Neurofibromatosis is a relatively common disorder that often involves many organ systems. One of the least understood aspects of this malady is a well documented potential for sarcomatous degeneration of neurofibromas. The inability to identify patients at risk and the lack of noninvasive screening methods for symptomatic patients often leads to late diagnosis. In six of seven subsequently proven neurofibrosarcomas, CT demonstrated low-density areas that histopathologically appeared to be due to necrosis, hemorrhage, and/or cystic degeneration. The density differences within these sarcomas were enhanced by the intravenous adminstration of iodinated contrast agents

  18. Chest CT findings in EBUS-TBNA-proven anthracosis in enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirchner, J. [Allgemeines Krankenhaus Hagen (Germany). Dept. of Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology; Mueller, P. [Allgemeines Krankenhaus Hagen (Germany). Dept. of Medicine; Broll, M.; Kirchner, E.M. [Sana Klinikum Duisburg (Germany). Dept. of Medicine; Pomjanski, N.; Biesterfeld, S. [University Hospital Duesseldorf (Germany). Dept. of Pathology; Liermann, D. [Marien Hospital, Herne (Germany). Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine; Kickuth, R. [University Hospital Wuerzburg (Germany). Dept. of Radiology

    2014-12-15

    We demonstrate the multislice computed tomography (MSCT) findings of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA)-proven hilar and mediastinal lymph node enlargement with signs of anthracosis. 53 enlarged lymph nodes in 39 patients (28 male, 11 female) with EBUS-TBNA-confirmed anthracosis were analyzed retrospectively. The mean short axis diameter of the enlarged lymph nodes with signs of anthracosis was 13.7 mm. Lymph nodes most often showed an oval shape (84%) and were well defined in 66% of cases. Lymph node confluence was observed in 32% of cases. Calcifications were documented in 24.5% of cases. Contrast enhancement and fatty involution were seen seldom (3.8%). Lymph node necrosis was not seen. Lymph node anthracosis may be found most often in enlarged, well defined lymph nodes with an oval shape, frequently associated with confluence and calcifications.

  19. Cheminformatics and the Semantic Web: adding value with linked data and enhanced provenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frey, Jeremy G; Bird, Colin L

    2013-01-01

    Cheminformatics is evolving from being a field of study associated primarily with drug discovery into a discipline that embraces the distribution, management, access, and sharing of chemical data. The relationship with the related subject of bioinformatics is becoming stronger and better defined, owing to the influence of Semantic Web technologies, which enable researchers to integrate heterogeneous sources of chemical, biochemical, biological, and medical information. These developments depend on a range of factors: the principles of chemical identifiers and their role in relationships between chemical and biological entities; the importance of preserving provenance and properly curated metadata; and an understanding of the contribution that the Semantic Web can make at all stages of the research lifecycle. The movements toward open access, open source, and open collaboration all contribute to progress toward the goals of integration. PMID:24432050

  20. Potential of Sr isotopic analysis in ceramic provenance studies: Characterisation of Chinese stonewares

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bao-Ping; Zhao, Jian-Xin; Greig, Alan; Collerson, Kenneth D.; Zhuo, Zhen-Xi; Feng, Yue-Xin

    2005-11-01

    We compare the trace element and Sr isotopic compositions of stoneware bodies made in Yaozhou and Jizhou to characterise these Chinese archaeological ceramics and examine the potential of Sr isotopes in provenance studies. Element concentrations determined by ICP-MS achieve distinct characterisation for Jizhou samples due to their restricted variation, yet had limited success with Yaozhou wares because of their large variability. In contrast, 87Sr/86Sr ratios in Yaozhou samples have a very small variation and are all significantly lower than those of Jizhou samples, which show a large variation and cannot be well characterised with Sr isotopes. Geochemical interpretation reveals that 87Sr/86Sr ratios will have greater potential to characterise ceramics made of low Rb/Sr materials such as kaolin clay, yet will show larger variations in ceramics made of high Rb/Sr materials such as porcelain stone.

  1. Potential of Sr isotopic analysis in ceramic provenance studies: Characterisation of Chinese stonewares

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Baoping; Zhao Jianxin; Greig, Alan; Collerson, Kenneth D.; Zhuo Zhenxi; Feng Yuexin

    2005-01-01

    We compare the trace element and Sr isotopic compositions of stoneware bodies made in Yaozhou and Jizhou to characterise these Chinese archaeological ceramics and examine the potential of Sr isotopes in provenance studies. Element concentrations determined by ICP-MS achieve distinct characterisation for Jizhou samples due to their restricted variation, yet had limited success with Yaozhou wares because of their large variability. In contrast, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios in Yaozhou samples have a very small variation and are all significantly lower than those of Jizhou samples, which show a large variation and cannot be well characterised with Sr isotopes. Geochemical interpretation reveals that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios will have greater potential to characterise ceramics made of low Rb/Sr materials such as kaolin clay, yet will show larger variations in ceramics made of high Rb/Sr materials such as porcelain stone

  2. Provenance of Neoproterozoic to upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, eastern Greenland: Implications for recognizing the sources of sediments in the Norwegian Sea

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sláma, Jiří; Walderhaug, O.; Fonneland, H.; Kosler, J.; Pederson, R. B.

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 238, 3/4 (2011), s. 254-267 ISSN 0037-0738 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : sedimentary * Eastern Greenland * provenance * U-Pb and Lu-Hf * zircon * Jan Mayen Island * North Atlantic Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 1.537, year: 2011

  3. Nursing Research Using Historical Methods: Qualitative Designs and Methods in Nursing Mary de Chesnay Nursing Research Using Historical Methods: Qualitative Designs and Methods in Nursing 236pp £65.95 Springer 9780826126177 0826126170 [Formula: see text].

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-18

    Just as the present can be understood by examining the past, the use of historical research methods can help nurses to understand the present to influence the future. This text emphasises how this approach to nursing research can provide a contextual framework from which nurses can consider their own practice.

  4. Geoscience Academic Provenance: A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Geoscience Students' Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houlton, H.; Keane, C.

    2012-04-01

    The demand and employment opportunities for geoscientists in the United States are projected to increase 23% from 2008 to 2018 (Gonzales, 2011). Despite this trend, there is a disconnect between undergraduate geoscience students and their desire to pursue geoscience careers. A theoretical framework was developed to understand the reasons why students decide to major in the geosciences and map those decisions to their career aspirations (Houlton, 2010). A modified critical incident study was conducted to develop the pathway model from 17, one-hour long semi-structured interviews of undergraduate geoscience majors from two Midwest Research Institutions (Houlton, 2010). Geoscience Academic Provenance maps geoscience students' initial interests, entry points into the major, critical incidents and future career goals as a pathway, which elucidates the relationships between each of these components. Analyses identified three geoscience student population groups that followed distinct pathways: Natives, Immigrants and Refugees. A follow up study was conducted in 2011 to ascertain whether these students continued on their predicted pathways, and if not, reasons for attrition. Geoscientists can use this framework as a guide to inform future recruitment and retention initiatives and target these geoscience population groups for specific employment sectors.

  5. LQCD workflow execution framework: Models, provenance and fault-tolerance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piccoli, Luciano; Simone, James N; Kowalkowlski, James B; Dubey, Abhishek

    2010-01-01

    Large computing clusters used for scientific processing suffer from systemic failures when operated over long continuous periods for executing workflows. Diagnosing job problems and faults leading to eventual failures in this complex environment is difficult, specifically when the success of an entire workflow might be affected by a single job failure. In this paper, we introduce a model-based, hierarchical, reliable execution framework that encompass workflow specification, data provenance, execution tracking and online monitoring of each workflow task, also referred to as participants. The sequence of participants is described in an abstract parameterized view, which is translated into a concrete data dependency based sequence of participants with defined arguments. As participants belonging to a workflow are mapped onto machines and executed, periodic and on-demand monitoring of vital health parameters on allocated nodes is enabled according to pre-specified rules. These rules specify conditions that must be true pre-execution, during execution and post-execution. Monitoring information for each participant is propagated upwards through the reflex and healing architecture, which consists of a hierarchical network of decentralized fault management entities, called reflex engines. They are instantiated as state machines or timed automatons that change state and initiate reflexive mitigation action(s) upon occurrence of certain faults. We describe how this cluster reliability framework is combined with the workflow execution framework using formal rules and actions specified within a structure of first order predicate logic that enables a dynamic management design that reduces manual administrative workload, and increases cluster-productivity.

  6. Congenital heart defects in molecularly proven Kabuki syndrome patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Digilio, Maria Cristina; Gnazzo, Maria; Lepri, Francesca; Dentici, Maria Lisa; Pisaneschi, Elisa; Baban, Anwar; Passarelli, Chiara; Capolino, Rossella; Angioni, Adriano; Novelli, Antonio; Marino, Bruno; Dallapiccola, Bruno

    2017-11-01

    The prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHD) in Kabuki syndrome ranges from 28% to 80%. Between January 2012 and December 2015, 28 patients had a molecularly proven diagnosis of Kabuki syndrome. Pathogenic variants in KMT2D (MLL2) were detected in 27 patients, and in KDM6A gene in one. CHD was diagnosed in 19/27 (70%) patients with KMT2D (MLL2) variant, while the single patient with KDM6A change had a normal heart. The anatomic types among patients with CHD included aortic coarctation (4/19 = 21%) alone or associated with an additional CHD, bicuspid aortic valve (4/19 = 21%) alone or associated with an additional CHD, perimembranous subaortic ventricular septal defect (3/19 = 16%), atrial septal defect ostium secundum type (3/19 = 16%), conotruncal heart defects (3/19 = 16%). Additional CHDs diagnosed in single patients included aortic dilatation with mitral anomaly and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. We also reviewed CHDs in patients with a molecular diagnosis of Kabuki syndrome reported in the literature. In conclusion, a CHD is detected in 70% of patients with KMT2D (MLL2) pathogenic variants, most commonly left-sided obstructive lesions, including multiple left-sided obstructions similar to those observed in the spectrum of the Shone complex, and septal defects. Clinical management of Kabuki syndrome should include echocardiogram at the time of diagnosis, with particular attention to left-sided obstructive lesions and mitral anomalies, and annual monitoring for aortic arch dilatation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Epidemic microclusters of blood-culture proven sepsis in very-low-birth weight infants: experience of the German Neonatal Network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Härtel, Christoph; Faust, Kirstin; Avenarius, Stefan; Bohnhorst, Bettina; Emeis, Michael; Gebauer, Corinna; Groneck, Peter; Heitmann, Friedhelm; Hoehn, Thomas; Hubert, Mechthild; Kribs, Angela; Küster, Helmut; Laux, Reinhard; Mögel, Michael; Müller, Dirk; Olbertz, Dirk; Roll, Claudia; Siegel, Jens; Stein, Anja; Vochem, Matthias; Weller, Ursula; von der Wense, Axel; Wieg, Christian; Wintgens, Jürgen; Hemmelmann, Claudia; Simon, Arne; Herting, Egbert; Göpel, Wolfgang

    2012-01-01

    We evaluated blood culture-proven sepsis episodes occurring in microclusters in very-low-birth-weight infants born in the German Neonatal Network (GNN) during 2009-2010. Thirty-seven centers participated in GNN; 23 centers enrolled ≥50 VLBW infants in the study period. Data quality was approved by on-site monitoring. Microclusters of sepsis were defined as occurrence of at least two blood-culture proven sepsis events in different patients of one center within 3 months with the same bacterial species. For microcluster analysis, we selected sepsis episodes with typically cross-transmitted bacteria of high clinical significance including gram-negative rods and Enterococcus spp. In our cohort, 12/2110 (0.6%) infants were documented with an early-onset sepsis and 235 late-onset sepsis episodes (≥72 h of age) occurred in 203/2110 (9.6%) VLBW infants. In 182/235 (77.4%) late-onset sepsis episodes gram-positive bacteria were documented, while coagulase negative staphylococci were found to be the most predominant pathogens (48.5%, 95%CI: 42.01-55.01). Candida spp. and gram-negative bacilli caused 10/235 (4.3%, 95%CI: 1.68% -6.83%) and 43/235 (18.5%) late-onset sepsis episodes, respectively. Eleven microclusters of blood-culture proven sepsis were detected in 7 hospitals involving a total 26 infants. 16/26 cluster patients suffered from Klebsiella spp. sepsis. The median time interval between the first patient's Klebsiella spp. sepsis and cluster cases was 14.1 days (interquartile range: 1-27 days). First patients in the cluster, their linked cases and sporadic sepsis events did not show significant differences in short term outcome parameters. Microclusters of infection are an important phenomenon for late-onset sepsis. Most gram-negative cluster infections occur within 30 days after the first patient was diagnosed and Klebsiella spp. play a major role. It is essential to monitor epidemic microclusters of sepsis in surveillance networks to adapt clinical practice

  8. Petrology and provenance of the Neogene fluvial succession in Pishin Belt (Katawaz Basin) western Pakistan: Implications for sedimentation in peripheral forelands basins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kasi, Aimal Khan; Kassi, Aktar Muhammad; Friis, Henrik

    2017-01-01

    Sandstones and conglomerates of the Neogene fluvial succession in Pishin Belt (Katawaz Basin), Pakistan were studied for the first time to understand the composition, provenance and tectonic settings of the source areas. Sandstones of the Miocene Dasht Murgha Group and Pliocene Malthanai Formatio...

  9. A provenance study of roof tiles and potteries using neutron activation analysis from Katap-Ri, Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwang, Yong Chung

    2005-01-01

    In Katap-ri, South Korea, potteries and roof tiles are excavated with the assumed raw materials. Using NAA, the provenance of these cultural remains was examined among the neighboring others, and the correlation the assumed raw materials with potteries and roof tiles was also examined. From the results of statistics it is concluded that this cultural site is distinguished from others by several trace elements, Ba, Cr, Sc, Yb, Eu, and Rb with 93.2 % accuracy. Also it turned out that the assumed raw materials wasn't related to potteries and roof tiles with 96.3 % accuracy

  10. The Use of Data Mining Methods to Predict the Result of Infertility Treatment Using the IVF ET Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malinowski Paweł

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The IVF ET method is a scientifically recognized infertility treat- ment method. The problem, however, is this method’s unsatisfactory efficiency. This calls for a more thorough analysis of the information available in the treat- ment process, in order to detect the factors that have an effect on the results, as well as to effectively predict result of treatment. Classical statistical methods have proven to be inadequate in this issue. Only the use of modern methods of data mining gives hope for a more effective analysis of the collected data. This work provides an overview of the new methods used for the analysis of data on infertility treatment, and formulates a proposal for further directions for research into increasing the efficiency of the predicted result of the treatment process.

  11. Quantitation of 4-Methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-one (4MSP) in Hops by a Stable Isotope Dilution Assay in Combination with GC×GC-TOFMS: Method Development and Application To Study the Influence of Variety, Provenance, Harvest Year, and Processing on 4MSP Concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reglitz, Klaas; Steinhaus, Martin

    2017-03-22

    A stable isotope dilution assay was developed for quantitation of 4-methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-one (4MSP) in hops. The approach included the use of 4-( 13 C)methyl-4-sulfanyl(1,3,5- 13 C 3 )pentan-2-one as internal standard, selective isolation of hop thiols by mercurated agarose, and GC×GC-TOFMS analysis. Application of the method to 53 different hop samples revealed 4MSP concentrations between <1 and 114 μg/kg. Notably high concentrations were associated with United States varieties such as Citra, Eureka, Simcoe, and Apollo, whereas 4MSP was absent from traditional German and English varieties. Further experiments showed that besides the variety, also harvest year and storage vitally influenced 4MSP concentrations, whereas the impact of provenance was less pronounced. Hop processing such as drying and pelletizing had only a minor impact on 4MSP concentrations. Like the majority of other hop volatiles, 4MSP is predominantly located in the lupulin glands.

  12. The SPH homogeneization method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kavenoky, Alain

    1978-01-01

    The homogeneization of a uniform lattice is a rather well understood topic while difficult problems arise if the lattice becomes irregular. The SPH homogeneization method is an attempt to generate homogeneized cross sections for an irregular lattice. Section 1 summarizes the treatment of an isolated cylindrical cell with an entering surface current (in one velocity theory); Section 2 is devoted to the extension of the SPH method to assembly problems. Finally Section 3 presents the generalisation to general multigroup problems. Numerical results are obtained for a PXR rod bundle assembly in Section 4

  13. Provenance of Earth Science Datasets - How Deep Should One Go?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramapriyan, H.; Manipon, G. J. M.; Aulenbach, S.; Duggan, B.; Goldstein, J.; Hua, H.; Tan, D.; Tilmes, C.; Wilson, B. D.; Wolfe, R.; Zednik, S.

    2015-12-01

    For credibility of scientific research, transparency and reproducibility are essential. This fundamental tenet has been emphasized for centuries, and has been receiving increased attention in recent years. The Office of Management and Budget (2002) addressed reproducibility and other aspects of quality and utility of information from federal agencies. Specific guidelines from NASA (2002) are derived from the above. According to these guidelines, "NASA requires a higher standard of quality for information that is considered influential. Influential scientific, financial, or statistical information is defined as NASA information that, when disseminated, will have or does have clear and substantial impact on important public policies or important private sector decisions." For information to be compliant, "the information must be transparent and reproducible to the greatest possible extent." We present how the principles of transparency and reproducibility have been applied to NASA data supporting the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3). The depth of trace needed of provenance of data used to derive conclusions in NCA3 depends on how the data were used (e.g., qualitatively or quantitatively). Given that the information is diligently maintained in the agency archives, it is possible to trace from a figure in the publication through the datasets, specific files, algorithm versions, instruments used for data collection, and satellites, as well as the individuals and organizations involved in each step. Such trace back permits transparency and reproducibility.

  14. Potential of Sr isotopic analysis in ceramic provenance studies: Characterisation of Chinese stonewares

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Baoping [Advanced Centre for Queensland University Isotope Research Excellence (ACQUIRE), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia)]. E-mail: b.li@uq.edu.au; Zhao Jianxin [Advanced Centre for Queensland University Isotope Research Excellence (ACQUIRE), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Greig, Alan [Advanced Centre for Queensland University Isotope Research Excellence (ACQUIRE), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Collerson, Kenneth D. [Advanced Centre for Queensland University Isotope Research Excellence (ACQUIRE), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Zhuo Zhenxi [Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, Xi' an 710054 (China); Feng Yuexin [Advanced Centre for Queensland University Isotope Research Excellence (ACQUIRE), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia)

    2005-11-15

    We compare the trace element and Sr isotopic compositions of stoneware bodies made in Yaozhou and Jizhou to characterise these Chinese archaeological ceramics and examine the potential of Sr isotopes in provenance studies. Element concentrations determined by ICP-MS achieve distinct characterisation for Jizhou samples due to their restricted variation, yet had limited success with Yaozhou wares because of their large variability. In contrast, {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratios in Yaozhou samples have a very small variation and are all significantly lower than those of Jizhou samples, which show a large variation and cannot be well characterised with Sr isotopes. Geochemical interpretation reveals that {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratios will have greater potential to characterise ceramics made of low Rb/Sr materials such as kaolin clay, yet will show larger variations in ceramics made of high Rb/Sr materials such as porcelain stone.

  15. Toward a unified method for analysing and teaching Human Robot Interaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dinesen, Jens Vilhelm

    , drawing on key theories and methods from both communications- and interaction-theory. The aim is to provide a single unified method for analysing interaction, through means of video analysis and then applying theories, with proven mutual compatibility, to reach a desired granularity of study.......This abstract aims to present key aspect of a future paper, which outlines the ongoing development ofa unified method for analysing and teaching Human-Robot-Interaction. The paper will propose a novel method for analysing both HRI, interaction with other forms of technologies and fellow humans...

  16. APPLICATIONS OF BOREHOLE-ACOUSTIC METHODS IN ROCK MECHANICS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paillet, Frederick L.

    1985-01-01

    Acoustic-logging methods using a considerable range of wavelengths and frequencies have proven very useful in the in situ characterization of deeply buried crystalline rocks. Seismic velocities are useful in investigating the moduli of unfractured rock, and in producing a continuous record of rock quality for comparison with discontinuous intervals of core. The considerable range of frequencies makes the investigation of scale effects possible in both fractured and unfractured rock. Several specific methods for the characterization of in situ permeability have been developed and verified in the field.

  17. Evaluation of NGS and RT-PCR methods for ALK rearrangement in European NSCLC patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Letovanec, Igor; Finn, Stephen; Zygoura, Panagiota

    2018-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: The reported prevalence of ALK rearrangement in NSCLC ranges from 2%-7%. The primary standard diagnostic method is fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Recently, immunohistochemistry (IHC) has also proven to be a reproducible and sensitive technique. Reverse transcriptase...

  18. Physical acoustics principles and methods

    CERN Document Server

    Mason, Warren P

    1964-01-01

    Physical Acoustics: Principles and Methods, Volume l-Part A focuses on high frequency sound waves in gases, liquids, and solids that have been proven as powerful tools in analyzing the molecular, defect, domain wall, and other types of motions. The selection first tackles wave propagation in fluids and normal solids and guided wave propagation in elongated cylinders and plates. Discussions focus on fundamentals of continuum mechanics; small-amplitude waves in a linear viscoelastic medium; representation of oscillations and waves; and special effects associated with guided elastic waves in plat

  19. Study of composition and provenance of ancient Mamluk-Ayyubid potteries in Jordan using ICP-MS and synchrotron radiation XRF techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aldrabee, A.; Wriekat, A.; Abusaleem, K.; Radtke, M.

    2012-12-01

    Multielement analysis of thirty two Ayubid-Mamluk glazed pottery shards were analyzed for determining chemical composition in order to study their provenance. The shards lasted in the present research come from the historical site of Khirbt Far is on the Karat plateau in Jordan. The chemical analysis for sixteen samples was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and by synchrotron radiation x-rays fluorescence spectrometry (SR-X RF) for all samples. The quantitative analysis for elements Mg, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Mo, Bi, and U has been determined by ICP-MS and the semi-quantitative analysis for the elements Fe, Cu, Zu, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag, Cd, and Pd has been conducted for all samples by SR-X RF. The data were analyzed by using principal component analysis PCA and hierarchical cluster analysis with Bray-Curtis in order to define grouping of different glazed pottery by obtain information about their similarity and clustering. The results of chemical analysis provided persuasive evidence that the Khirbet faribet Faris pottery shards have at least three different sources of provenance. (Author)

  20. A proven and highly cost-effective method of early detection of breast cancer for developing countries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rebentisch, D.P.; Rebentisch, H.D.; Thomas, K.; Karat, S.; Jadhav, A.J.

    1995-01-01

    Carcinoma of the breast is the third most common cancer in Indian women. With rapid industrialization and effective control of communicable diseases, better diagnostic and treatment facilities, cancer is emerging as a major health problem. Since early detection is the only way to reduce morbidity and mortality from breast cancer, we undertook a pilot project to evaluate efficacy of using existing manpower and resources for screening women in the high risk group. Methodology pros and cons, results, and recommendations are presented. Our method can be adopted by any developing country interested in a screening programme for malignant disease

  1. A proven and highly cost-effective method of early detection of breast cancer for developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebentisch, D P; Rebentisch, H D; Thomas, K; Karat, S; Jadhav, A J

    1995-12-01

    Carcinoma of the breast is the third most common cancer in Indian women. With rapid industrialization and effective control of communicable diseases, better diagnostic and treatment facilities, cancer is emerging as a major health problem. Since early detection is the only way to reduce morbidity and mortality from breast cancer, we undertook a pilot project to evaluate efficacy of using existing manpower and resources for screening women in the high risk group. Methodology pros and cons, results, and recommendations are presented. Our method can be adopted by any developing country interested in a screening programme for malignant disease.

  2. Detrital Zircon Provenance Record of Pre-Andean to Modern Tectonics in the Northern Andes: Examples from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, S. W. M.; Jackson, L. J.; Horton, B. K.

    2015-12-01

    Detrital zircon U-Pb age distributions from modern rivers and Mesozoic-Cenozoic basin fill in the northern Andes provide insights into pre-Andean, Andean, and active uplift and exhumation of distinctive sediment source regions. Diagnostic age signatures enable straightforward discrimination of competing sediment sources within the Andean magmatic arc (Western Cordillera-Central Cordillera), retroarc fold-thrust belt (Eastern Cordillera-Subandean Zone), and Amazonian craton (composed of several basement provinces). More complex, however, are the mid/late Cenozoic provenance records generated by recycling of basin fill originally deposited during early/mid Mesozoic extension, late Mesozoic thermal subsidence, and early Cenozoic shortening. Although subject to time-transgressive trends, regionally significant provenance patterns in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia reveal: (1) Triassic-Jurassic growth of extensional subbasins fed by local block uplifts (with commonly unimodal 300­-150 Ma age peaks); (2) Cretaceous deposition in an extensive postrift setting fed by principally cratonic sources (with common 1800-900 Ma ages); and (3) Cenozoic growth of a broad flexural basin fed initially fed by magmatic-arc rocks (100-0 Ma), then later dominance by thrust-belt sedimentary rocks with progressively greater degrees of basin recycling (yielding diverse and variable age populations from the aforementioned source regions). U-Pb results from modern rivers and smaller subbasins prove useful in evaluating source-to-sink relationships, downstream mixing relationships, hinterland-foreland basin connectivity, paleodrainage integration, and tectonic/paleotopographic reconstructions. Most but not all of the elevated intermontane basins in the modern hinterland of the northern Andes contain provenance records consistent with genesis in a broader foreland basin developed at low elevation. Downstream variations within modern axial rivers and Cenozoic axial basins inform predictive models of

  3. A case study on the application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in determining the provenance of a rock used in an alleged nickel switching incident.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roelofse, F; Horstmann, U E

    2008-01-15

    The application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in forensic science to establish the provenance of a range of questioned substances including soils, drugs, explosives, currency, ivory and rhino horn has been widely documented. The present study wishes to highlight the applicability of IRMS and specifically stable carbon IRMS in determining the provenance of a carbonate rock that was switched for nickel metal exported from South Africa to Israel. The technique employed effectively argued against a South African origin for the rock whilst simultaneously supporting an Israeli origin, enabling investigators to focus their attention accordingly. The study represents the first documented instance known to the authors where IRMS has been employed in the forensic geo-location of a rock.

  4. Provenance and distribution of clay minerals in the sediments of the western continental shelf and slope of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rao, V.P.; Rao, B.R.

    -Goa (93 samples) For the convenience of description, the Saurashtra-Goa region has been divided into the Saurashtra, Gulf of Cambay-Ratnagiri and Ratnagiri-Goa sectors based on variations in clay mineral abundances. The boundaries between these sectors... are approximate and variations in the mineral abundances tend to grade one to the other. Smectite is the most abundant mineral in the inner shelf sediments of all the sectors [Fig. 3(Ba), 3(Ca) and Provenance and distribution of clay minerals 1763 0 Sm*ctlt* m...

  5. Long-term effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentration and provenance on four clones of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis). I. Plant growth, allocation and ontogeny

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Centritto, M. [Inst. di Biochimica ed Ecofisiologia Vegetale, Rome (Italy); Lee, H.S.J.; Jarvis, P.G. [Univ. Edinburgh, Inst. of Ecology and Resource Management, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

    1999-09-01

    An investigation was carried out to determine the effects of elevated CO(2) concentration on the long-term growth and carbon allocation of four clones of Sitka spruce taken from two provenances under conditions of non-limiting water and nutrient supply. The use of clones from different provenances provided a unique way of examining effects of elevated CO(2) concentration on competitiveness of saplings adapted to climates with different temperature and day length. The saplings were fertilized following the Ingestad approach to yield a supply of mineral nutrients at free access in order to maintain nutrient uptake proportional to plant growth, and rule out undefined variability in sink strength that might have been caused by water and nutrient deficiencies. There was considerable variation in growth responses among clones. Across all four clones there was a 40% increase in total dry mass of the saplings growth in elevated CO(2) concentration, but the genetic differences in the growth response to elevated CO(2) concentration were significant. The clones originated from different latitudinal provenances, and were acclimated to different temperatures and day length climates, and so had different abilities to acclimate to their new environment. Some Sitka spruce clones may grow better in lowland Scotland as climate change occurs. Genetic differences in the growth response to elevated CO(2) concentration may be exploited through the assessment of nursery stock for future forest planning. 33 refs., 5 figs.

  6. Pathological discrepancy between colposcopic directed cervical biopsy and Loop Electrosurgical-Excision Procedures (LEEPs in patients with biopsies proven high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sitchuphong Noothong

    2017-10-01

    Conclusion: The prevalence of patients with CIN1 or less from LEEP specimens who previously had colposcopic biopsies proven CIN2 or 3 was 16.3%. CIN2 from biopsy was the statistically significant risk factor of CIN1 or less in LEEP specimens.

  7. Chaotic system optimal tracking using data-based synchronous method with unknown dynamics and disturbances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Ruizhuo; Wei Qinglai

    2017-01-01

    We develop an optimal tracking control method for chaotic system with unknown dynamics and disturbances. The method allows the optimal cost function and the corresponding tracking control to update synchronously. According to the tracking error and the reference dynamics, the augmented system is constructed. Then the optimal tracking control problem is defined. The policy iteration (PI) is introduced to solve the min-max optimization problem. The off-policy adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) algorithm is then proposed to find the solution of the tracking Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs (HJI) equation online only using measured data and without any knowledge about the system dynamics. Critic neural network (CNN), action neural network (ANN), and disturbance neural network (DNN) are used to approximate the cost function, control, and disturbance. The weights of these networks compose the augmented weight matrix, and the uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB) of which is proven. The convergence of the tracking error system is also proven. Two examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed synchronous solution method for the chaotic system tracking problem. (paper)

  8. The AtChem On-line model and Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN): A free community modelling tool with provenance capture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, J. C.; Boronska, K.; Martin, C. J.; Rickard, A. R.; Vázquez Moreno, M.; Pilling, M. J.; Haji, M. H.; Dew, P. M.; Lau, L. M.; Jimack, P. K.

    2010-12-01

    AtChem On-line1 is a simple to use zero-dimensional box modelling toolkit, developed for use by laboratory, field and chamber scientists. Any set of chemical reactions can be simulated, in particular the whole Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM2) or any subset of it. Parameters and initial data can be provided through a self-explanatory web form and the resulting model is compiled and run on a dedicated server. The core part of the toolkit, providing a robust solver for thousands of chemical reactions, is written in Fortran and uses SUNDIALS3 CVODE libraries. Chemical systems can be constrained at multiple, user-determined timescales; this enabled studies of radical chemistry at one minute timescales. AtChem On-line is free to use and requires no installation - a web browser, text editor and any compressing software is all the user needs. CPU and storage are provided by the server (input and output data are saved indefinitely). An off-line version is also being developed, which will provide batch processing, an advanced graphical user interface and post-processing tools, for example, Rate of Production Analysis (ROPA) and chainlength analysis. The source code is freely available for advanced users wishing to adapt and run the program locally. Data management, dissemination and archiving are essential in all areas of science. In order to do this in an efficient and transparent way, there is a critical need to capture high quality metadata/provenance for modelling activities. An Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) has been developed in parallel with AtChem Online as part of the EC EUROCHAMP24 project. In order to use controlled chamber experiments to evaluate the MCM, we need to be able to archive, track and search information on all associated chamber model runs, so that they can be used in subsequent mechanism development. Therefore it would be extremely useful if experiment and model metadata/provenance could be easily and automatically stored electronically

  9. A method for measuring plasma position in TJ-I Tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quin, J.; TJ-I Team.

    1993-01-01

    A method using pairs of Mirnov coils to measure the plasma position in TJ-I is presented. The simple toroidal filament model which neglects the effect of plasma current density profile has proven to be acceptable within the experimental accuracy. The effect of plasma current density profile remains to be small, if the plasma current density profile has a quadratic form. (Author)

  10. PPI-IRO: A two-stage method for protein-protein interaction extraction based on interaction relation ontology

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Chuanxi; Chen, Peng; Wang, Rujing; Wang, Xiujie; Su, Yaru; Li, Jinyan

    2014-01-01

    Mining Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) from the fast-growing biomedical literature resources has been proven as an effective approach for the identifi cation of biological regulatory networks. This paper presents a novel method based on the idea

  11. Launch Services, a Proven Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trafton, W. C.; Simpson, J.

    2002-01-01

    From a commercial perspective, the ability to justify "leap frog" technology such as reusable systems has been difficult to justify because the estimated 5B to 10B investment is not supported in the current flat commercial market coupled with an oversupply of launch service suppliers. The market simply does not justify investment of that magnitude. Currently, next generation Expendable Launch Systems, including Boeing's Delta IV, Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5, Ariane V ESCA and RSC's H-IIA are being introduced into operations signifying that only upgrades to proven systems are planned to meet the changes in anticipated satellite demand (larger satellites, more lifetime, larger volumes, etc.) in the foreseeable future. We do not see a new fleet of ELVs emerging beyond that which is currently being introduced, only continuous upgrades of the fleet to meet the demands. To induce a radical change in the provision of launch services, a Multinational Government investment must be made and justified by World requirements. The commercial market alone cannot justify such an investment. And if an investment is made, we cannot afford to repeat previous mistakes by relying on one system such as shuttle for commercial deployment without having any back-up capability. Other issues that need to be considered are national science and security requirements, which to a large extent fuels the Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Former Soviet Union, European and United States space transportation entries. Additionally, this system must support or replace current Space Transportation Economies with across-the-board benefits. For the next 10 to 20 years, Multinational cooperation will be in the form of piecing together launch components and infrastructure to supplement existing launch systems and reducing the amount of non-recurring investment while meeting the future requirements of the End-User. Virtually all of the current systems have some form of multinational participation: Sea Launch

  12. N3 Bias Field Correction Explained as a Bayesian Modeling Method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Christian Thode; Iglesias, Juan Eugenio; Van Leemput, Koen

    2014-01-01

    Although N3 is perhaps the most widely used method for MRI bias field correction, its underlying mechanism is in fact not well understood. Specifically, the method relies on a relatively heuristic recipe of alternating iterative steps that does not optimize any particular objective function. In t...

  13. Fluvial landscape development in the southwestern Kalahari during the Holocene - Chronology and provenance of fluvial deposits in the Molopo Canyon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramisch, Arne; Bens, Oliver; Buylaert, Jan-Pieter

    2017-01-01

    are sparse and often discontinuous. Hence, little is known about Holocene environmental change in this region. This study focuses on reconstructing paleoenvironmental change from the timing and provenance of fluvial deposits located within the Molopo Canyon, which connects the southern Kalahari drainage...... to the deposition of alluvial fills. These results suggest that the southern Kalahari Drainage remained endorheic and therefore disconnected from the Orange River throughout the Holocene....

  14. Conflict Prevalence in Primary School and How It Is Understood to Affect Teaching and Learning in Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nana Afia Amponsaa Opoku-Asare

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Verbal and non-verbal interactions that occur daily between teachers and headteachers, teachers and pupils, and among pupils can generate conflict that may adversely affect teaching, learning, and schooling effectiveness. Little attention is, however, paid to the quality of relationships that exists between teachers and pupils, among teachers, among pupils, between teachers and their school heads, and between schools and their local communities. This study sought to investigate conflict prevalence in Ghana’s primary schools, and how relationship conflict is understood to affect teaching and learning at the level of headteachers as administrators, teachers as classroom managers, and pupils as learners, and direct beneficiaries of primary education. Using data gathered via interview, questionnaire administration, and observation in 30 public primary schools in 10 circuits of one district of Ashanti Region, the findings revealed a high prevalence of fighting, heckling, bullying, and other forms of relationship conflict among pupils; strained teacher–pupil relations due to insolence, indiscipline, and use of offensive language; and teacher–parent arguments and quarrels due to harsh punishment and verbal assault of pupils. Teacher–pupil conflicts may extend to teachers excluding the affected pupils from teaching and learning activities, denying them the rights to ask and answer questions, and have their class exercises marked, leading to lowered pupil self-esteem, reduced concentration during lessons, and passive involvement in learning activities, which could result in truancy and school dropout. Strengthening guidance mechanisms and encouraging peer mediation could significantly curb conflict in school environments and thereby raise educational standards in the district.

  15. Neoliberal policies and urban reconfigurations. Victoria, San Fernando, province of Buenos Aires, a city understood from theory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Ester Donadío

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to explain from a theoretical conceptual approach the particularities that exist in Victoria, San Fernando, Buenos Aires, from its urban production. Through a series of field works, semi-structured interviews and observations, it was possible to perceive that in this locality, there are three logics of city production, market, state and necessity, according to Abramo, P. (2002. The post-development cities of Latin America, a space in which constant tensions are generated that alter the harmonious development of daily life and the interaction of those who inhabit the area. On the other hand, it is also perceived that the inhabitants naturalize that way of life, their spatial disposition, the progressive privatization of public areas and the proliferation of closed housing estates. Here is a quote that we have heard repeatedly in interviews with the neighbors: "No one in Victoria gives a ball to anyone." At the moment of understanding Victoria from the theory, we take into account such concepts as the "heterotopy" of Foucault M. (1967 - understood as the juxtaposition of spaces that would be incompatible -the term "com-fusa city" (Abramo P. - as an urban structure that interweaves two traditional models (the Mediterranean compact and the Anglo-Saxon diffused, the notion of "privatopia" by I.Rodriguez Chumillas (2005 and E. Mckenzie (1994 as private spatial consolidation, and finally the concepts: informative and dual cities of R Castells (1995 terms that emerge from the process of globalization, which may be useful to think about the reality of Victoria .

  16. Prospective Evaluation of Serum β-Glucan Testing in Patients With Probable or Proven Fungal Diseases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angebault, Cécile; Lanternier, Fanny; Dalle, Frédéric; Schrimpf, Cécile; Roupie, Anne-Laure; Dupuis, Aurélie; Agathine, Aurélie; Scemla, Anne; Paubelle, Etienne; Caillot, Denis; Neven, Bénédicte; Frange, Pierre; Suarez, Felipe; d'Enfert, Christophe; Lortholary, Olivier; Bougnoux, Marie-Elisabeth

    2016-01-01

    Background. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in invasive fungal diseases (IFD). Serum (1-3)-β-d-glucan (BG) is believed to be an early IFD marker, but its diagnostic performance has been ambiguous, with insufficient data regarding sensitivity at the time of IFD diagnosis (TOD) and according to outcome. Whether its clinical utility is equivalent for all types of IFD remains unknown. Methods. We included 143 patients with proven or probable IFD (49 invasive candidiasis, 45 invasive aspergillosis [IA], and 49 rare IFD) and analyzed serum BG (Fungitell) at TOD and during treatment. Results. (1-3)-β-d-glucan was undetectable at TOD in 36% and 48% of patients with candidemia and IA, respectively; there was no correlation between negative BG results at TOD and patients' characteristics, localization of infection, or prior antifungal use. Nevertheless, patients with candidemia due to Candida albicans were more likely to test positive for BG at TOD (odds ratio = 25.4, P = .01) than patients infected with other Candida species. In 70% of the patients with a follow-up, BG negativation occurred in >1 month for candidemia and >3 months for IA. A slower BG decrease in patients with candidemia was associated with deep-seated localizations (P = .04). Thirty-nine percent of patients with rare IFD had undetectable BG at TOD; nonetheless, all patients with chronic subcutaneous IFD tested positive at TOD. Conclusions. Undetectable serum BG does not rule out an early IFD, when the clinical suspicion is high. After IFD diagnostic, kinetics of serum BG are difficult to relate to clinical outcome. PMID:27419189

  17. Application of INAA to provenance study of ceramics from Baixo Sao Francisco River, Sergipe, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, J.O.; Munita, C.S.; Toyota, Rosimeiri G.; Vergne, C.

    2007-01-01

    The study of the physical and chemical characteristics of crafts, in association with historical and archaeological research, has allowed for the reconstruction of ancient community habits. Archaeological studies include several techniques to reconstruct ancient cultures. Since ceramics represent a sophisticated merging of previously separate domains of human knowledge and experience, these objects are studied by means of archaeometric methods. In recent years an interdisciplinary research program was started between Museu Arqueologico de Xingo (MAX) and Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP) to study the ancient ceramist cultures from Xingo region, located in Sergipe, Brazilian Northeast. Recent studies conducted in the area have showed the existence of an independent ceramist group without relation to the ceramist group well established in the Brazilian Northeast, Tupiguarani and Aratu. Instrumental neutron activation analysis, INAA, is a suitable technique for provenance studies. In this work the chemical composition of 103 samples: 30 clays and 73 ceramics from Barracao archaeological site, from Baixo Sao Francisco, were analyzed. This analysis allowed for the definition of compositional groups of ceramics according to the chemical similarities of ceramic paste, which reveals the raw material composition used in the manufacturing process by prehistoric man. The outliers were identified by means robust Mahalanobis distance. The results were interpreted by means of cluster analysis, principal components analysis and discriminant analysis. The results obtained in this work, in association with archaeological information, allowed for the identification of the ceramic groups in relation to the ceramist occupations of the Xingo area. This work contributes for the reconstruction of the Baixo Sao Francisco region communities and for the reconstitution of the Brazilian Northeast ceramist population. (author)

  18. Les fidélités languedociennes et provençales du cardinal de Fleury à la Cour The Languedocien and Provençal loyalties of Cardinal de Fleury at court

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pascale Mormiche

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Ayant vécu à la Cour depuis 1666 environ et surtout après 1680, le cardinal André Hercule de Fleury est un personnage central dans l’étude sur la longue durée du clientélisme et des réseaux utilisés par les Méridionaux afin d’obtenir des emplois à la Cour. Sa propre ascension s’appuie d’abord sur une bonne gestion des relations locales entre Lodève et Montpellier. Il est alors soutenu par les familles Bonzi et Castries qui l’accompagnent vers Paris. Modifiant ensuite ses relations en fonction des familles qui dominent à la Cour, à la Chapelle et dans le service du roi à la fin du XVIIe siècle, il parvient à l’épiscopat puis au préceptorat royal. À partir de ce moment, il se comporte comme un « patron » dont l’influence s’accroît pendant la Régence et surtout après 1722. Cet article met en évidence les liens variés que le cardinal utilise à son profit puis comme protecteur des Languedociens et des Provençaux dont certains parviennent, grâce à lui, au ministériat.Having resided at the court since around 1666 and especially after 1680, the Cardinal André Hercule de Fleury is a central figure in the study of the enduring ‘clientelism’ and networks exploited by the Méridionaux (Southerners to obtain employment at the court. His own admission to court owed initially to good management of relations between Lodève and Montpellier. He was supported at the time by the Bonzi and Castries families, who accompanied him to Paris. Later adjusting his relations according to the dominant families at court, at the chapel and in the service of the king in the late seventeenth century, he obtained the bishopric and then the royal tutorship. From that time on, he acted as a ‘patron’ whose influence grew during the Regency and especially after 1722. This article brings to light the ties used by the cardinal to his advantage and subsequently as protector of the Languedociens and Provençaux, some of whom

  19. Decontamination and provenance tracking. The key to acceptable recycle of nuclear materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bradbury, D.; Elder, G.R.; Wood, C.J.

    2002-01-01

    Decommissioning of nuclear plants and components demands the proper management of the process, both for economic reasons and for retaining public confidence in the continued use of nuclear power. Surface decontamination has an important role to play in decommissioning. A new development, the EPRI DFDX process, produces secondary waste from decontamination in the form of powdered metal rather than ion exchange resin, thereby reducing the volume of secondary waste for storage and eventual disposal. The process has been patented and licensed and is due to be field-tested on a number of sites starting in 2002. Although the purpose of the process is to clean materials sufficiently to achieve unrestricted release, in practice there is some public unease at the prospect of formerly contaminated materials passing into unrestricted use. Greater public support for recycle can be achieved by recording the provenance of decontaminated materials and recycling them back into restricted uses in the nuclear industry. Because the materials have first been decontaminated to below free release levels, there is no objection to using non-radioactive facilities for the recycling and manufacturing activities, provided that the materials are properly tracked to prevent their uncontrolled release. (author)

  20. Two-Level Hierarchical FEM Method for Modeling Passive Microwave Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polstyanko, Sergey V.; Lee, Jin-Fa

    1998-03-01

    In recent years multigrid methods have been proven to be very efficient for solving large systems of linear equations resulting from the discretization of positive definite differential equations by either the finite difference method or theh-version of the finite element method. In this paper an iterative method of the multiple level type is proposed for solving systems of algebraic equations which arise from thep-version of the finite element analysis applied to indefinite problems. A two-levelV-cycle algorithm has been implemented and studied with a Gauss-Seidel iterative scheme used as a smoother. The convergence of the method has been investigated, and numerical results for a number of numerical examples are presented.

  1. Provenance study of obsidian samples by using portable and conventional X ray fluorescence spectrometers. Performance comparison of both instrumentations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cristina Vazquez

    2012-01-01

    The potentiality of portable instrumentation lies on the possibility of the in situ determinations. Sampling, packaging and transport of samples from the site to the laboratory are avoided and the analysis becomes non destructive at all. However, detection limits for light elements are, in most cases, a limitation for quantification purposes. In this work a comparison between the results obtained with an X ray fluorescence spectrometer laboratory based and a portable instrument is performed. A set of 76 obsidian archaeological specimens from northwest Patagonia, Argentina was used to carry out the study. Samples were collected in the area of the middle and high basin of the Limay River. The analytical information obtained with both instrumentations was complemented with Principal Component Analysis in order to define groups and identify provenance sources. The information from both instruments allows arriving to the same conclusion about sample provenance and mobility of hunter-gatherer groups. Three groups of sources were identified in both cases matching with the geographical information. Also, same sets of outlier samples or not associated to these sources were found. Artifact samples were associated mainly to the closest sources, but some of them are related to sources located more than three hundred kilometers, evidencing the large mobility of the hunter-gatherers by the obsidian interchange. No significant differences between concentrations values obtained by laboratory based instrument and portable one were found. (author)

  2. Study of elementary composition of Melissa oficinalis from different provenances by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, Allan; Sussa, Fábio V.; Silva, Paulo S.C.

    2017-01-01

    The elemental composition of medicinal plants depends on a number of factors, including soil, irrigation water, climate, among others. All these factors play a fundamental role in all the biological and metabolic systems of plants inducing greater or lesser production of secondary metabolites, which are the active principles of plant drugs. This work aims to determine the elemental concentrations of samples of Melissa officinalis L correlated this composition with the locations of provenance of these samples. Additionally, some physical-chemical characteristics were evaluated to verify the degree of agreement between the material that can be obtained in the trade and the limits established by the Brazilian Farmacopeia. The results indicated that practically all the evaluated aspects are in disagreement with the norms, that the elemental composition varies according to the origin of the plant and that this can be used as indicator of the origin of the samples

  3. Comparative proteomic analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum for the identification of key proteins in bile tolerance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamon, Erwann; Horvatovich, Peter; Izquierdo, Esther; Bringel, Francoise; Marchioni, Eric; Aoude-Werner, Dalal; Ennahar, Said

    2011-01-01

    Background: Lactic acid bacteria are commonly marketed as probiotics based on their putative or proven health-promoting effects. These effects are known to be strain specific but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Therefore, unravelling the determinants behind probiotic

  4. Influence of provenance on physical and mechanical properties wood of Pinus tropicalis Morelet in Viñales. Pinar del Río. Cuba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yarelys García García

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The overall objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of origin on the physical-mechanical Pinus tropicalis Morelet wood, with a view to providing the information necessary for their rational use properties. Five provenances were selected in the experimental plots at the Experimental Station of Viñales, where 10 trees were randomly selected to analyze the dendrometer following variables: diameter at 1.30 total height, crown diameter and crown height. In turn, at the height of 1.30 m a log of 50 cm in length for the study Densities, Total shrinkage in volume, radial contraction, Longitudinal, tangential and compression is obtained. The results obtained state that the origin is not a variable that has a marked influence on the physical - mechanical properties analyzed. Diameter 1.30 and crown diameter dendrometric variables are best levels of correlation present in relation to the properties of the wood examined. Considering the results obtained provenances La Jagua and Viñales must be very careful during drying and commissioning since they have a higher coefficient of anisotropy.

  5. Enhanced provenance interpretation using combined U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double dating of detrital zircon grains from lower Miocene strata, proximal Gulf of Mexico Basin, North America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jie; Stockli, Daniel F.; Snedden, John W.

    2017-10-01

    Detrital zircon U-Pb analysis is an effective approach for investigating sediment provenance by relating crystallization age to potential crystalline source terranes. Studies of large passive margin basins, such as the Gulf of Mexico Basin, that have received sediment from multiple terranes with non-unique crystallization ages or sedimentary strata, benefit from additional constraints to better elucidate provenance interpretation. In this study, U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double dating analyses on single zircons from the lower Miocene sandstones in the northern Gulf of Mexico Basin reveal a detailed history of sediment source evolution. U-Pb age data indicate that most zircon originated from five major crystalline provinces, including the Western Cordillera Arc (1800 Ma) terranes. Zircon (U-Th)/He ages record tectonic cooling and exhumation in the U.S. since the Mesoproterozoic related to the Grenville to Laramide Orogenies. The combined crystallization and cooling information from single zircon double dating can differentiate volcanic and plutonic zircons. Importantly, the U-Pb-He double dating approach allows for the differentiation between multiple possible crystallization-age sources on the basis of their subsequent tectonic evolution. In particular, for Grenville zircons that are present in all of lower Miocene samples, four distinct zircon U-Pb-He age combinations are recognizable that can be traced back to four different possible sources. The integrated U-Pb and (U-Th)/He data eliminate some ambiguities and improves the provenance interpretation for the lower Miocene strata in the northern Gulf of Mexico Basin and illustrate the applicability of this approach for other large-scale basins to reconstruct sediment provenance and dispersal patterns.

  6. Provenance study of ancient Chinese Yaozhou porcelain by neutron activation analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, G. X.; Y Gao, Z.; Li, R. W.; Zhao, W. J.; Xie, J. Z.; Feng, S. L.; Zhuo, Z. X.; Y Fan, D.; Zhang, Y.; Cai, Z. F.; Liu, H.

    2003-09-01

    This paper reports our study of the provenance of ancient Chinese Yaozhou porcelain. The content of 29 elements in the Yaozhou porcelain samples was measured by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data were further analysed using fuzzy cluster analysis to obtain the trend fuzzy cluster diagrams. These samples with different glaze colour, ranging over more than 700 years, were fired in different kilns. Our analysis indicates the relatively concentrated distribution of the sources of the raw material for the Yaozhou porcelain body samples. They can be classified into two independent periods, i.e. the Tang (AD 618-907) and the Five Dynasties (AD 907-960) period, and the Song (AD 960-1279) and Jin (AD 1115-1234) period. Our analysis also indicates that the sources of the raw material for the ancient Yaozhou porcelain glaze samples are quite scattered and those for the black glaze in the Tang Dynasty are very concentrated. The sources of the raw material for the celadon glaze and the white glaze in the Tang Dynasty are widely distributed and those for the celadon glaze in the Song Dynasty are close to those of the bluish white glaze in the Jin Dynasty, and they are very concentrated. The sources of the raw material for the porcelain glazes cover those of the porcelain bodies.

  7. Missing Rings, Synchronous Growth, and Ecological Disturbance in a 36-Year Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida Provenance Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Leland

    Full Text Available Provenance studies are an increasingly important analog for understanding how trees adapted to particular climatic conditions might respond to climate change. Dendrochronological analysis can illuminate differences among trees from different seed sources in terms of absolute annual growth and sensitivity to external growth factors. We analyzed annual radial growth of 567 36-year-old pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill. trees from 27 seed sources to evaluate their performance in a New Jersey Pine Barrens provenance experiment. Unexpectedly, missing rings were prevalent in most trees, and some years-1992, 1999, and 2006-had a particularly high frequency of missing rings across the plantation. Trees from local seed sources (<55 km away from the plantation had a significantly smaller percentage of missing rings from 1980-2009 (mean: 5.0%, relative to northernmost and southernmost sources (mean: 9.3% and 7.9%, respectively. Some years with a high frequency of missing rings coincide with outbreaks of defoliating insects or dry growing season conditions. The propensity for missing rings synchronized annual variations in growth across all trees and might have complicated the detection of potential differences in interannual variability among seed sources. Average ring width was significantly larger in seed sources from both the southernmost and warmest origins compared to the northernmost and coldest seed sources in most years. Local seed sources had the highest average radial growth. Adaptation to local environmental conditions and disturbances might have influenced the higher growth rate found in local seed sources. These findings underscore the need to understand the integrative impact of multiple environmental drivers, such as disturbance agents and climate change, on tree growth, forest dynamics, and the carbon cycle.

  8. Analytic methods for the Percus-Yevick hard sphere correlation functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Henderson

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The Percus-Yevick theory for hard spheres provides simple accurate expressions for the correlation functions that have proven exceptionally useful. A summary of the author's lecture notes concerning three methods of obtaining these functions are presented. These notes are original only in part. However, they contain some helpful steps and simplifications. The purpose of this paper is to make these notes more widely available.

  9. A method for measuring plasma position in TJ-I Tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quin, J.; TJ-I, Team

    1993-01-01

    A method using pairs of Mirnov coils to measure the plasma position in TJ-I is presented. The simple toroidal filament model which neglects the effect of plasma current density profile has proven to be acceptable within the experimental accuracy. The effect of plasma current density profile remains to be small, if the plasma current density profile has a quadratic form. (Author) 5 refs

  10. A method for measuring plasma position in TJ-I Tokamak

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Quin, J.; TJ-I, Team

    1993-07-01

    A method using pairs of Mirnov coils to measure the plasma position in TJ-I is presented. The simple toroidal filament model which neglects the effect of plasma current density profile has proven to be acceptable within the experimental accuracy. The effect of plasma current density profile remains to be small, if the plasma current density profile has a quadratic form. (Author) 5 refs.

  11. Archaeometric characterization and provenance determination of sculptures and architectural elements from Gerasa, Jordan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Bashaireh, Khaled

    2018-02-01

    This study aims at the identification of the provenance of white marble sculptures and architectural elements uncovered from the archaeological site of Gerasa and neighboring areas, north Jordan. Most of the marbles are probably of the Roman or Byzantine periods. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and mass spectrometry were used to investigate petrographic, mineralogical and isotopic characteristics of the samples, respectively. Analytical results were compared with the main reference databases of known Mediterranean marble quarries exploited in antiquity. The collected data show that the most likely main sources of the sculptures were the Greek marble quarries of Paros-2 (Lakkoi), Penteli (Mount Pentelikon, Attica), and Thasos-3 (Thasos Island, Cape Vathy, Aliki); the Asia Minor marble quarries of Proconessus-1 (Marmara) and Aphrodisias (Aphrodisias); and the Italian quarry of Carrara (Apuan Alps). Similarly, the Asia Minor quarries of the fine-grained Docimium (Afyon) and the coarse-grained Proconessus-1 (Marmara) and Thasos-3 are the most likely sources of the architectural elements. The results agree with published data on the wide use of these marbles for sculpture and architectural elements.

  12. Study of the provenance of Belgian Merovingian garnets by PIXE at IPNAS cyclotron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathis, F.; Vrielynck, O.; Laclavetine, K.; Chene, G.; Strivay, D.

    2008-01-01

    Recent archaeological excavation in Belgium reveals one of the biggest Merovingian necropolis ever found in this country. This necropolis contains 436 tombs with a period of occupation of almost two centuries. Some of these tombs were very rich, especially two of them, and delivered an important funerary furniture. About 60 jewels inlaid with red garnets have been found, most of them of 'cloisonne' style (namely about 450 garnets). The new extracted beam set-up of the IPNAS cyclotron (University of Liege, Belgium) has been improved in order to analyse by PIXE these garnets and try to determine their provenance. These analyses reveal that the garnets found in the necropolis of Grez-Doiceau are very homogeneous in composition (almandine garnets) and are coming almost from a unique source. These results have been compared to previous studies led in France during these past five years. This permits to identify the source of almandine garnet situated in India and to highlight differences in garnet supply between France and Belgium in Merovingian times

  13. Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use in Patients with Proven or Suspected Cardiovascular Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Sun Bin

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Systematic search of bibliographic databases was conducted to describe the prevalence of dietary supplement use in cardiac patients. Included for review were studies that investigated supplement use in people with cardiovascular risk factors or proven cardiovascular disease. Databases searched were Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Meditext, H&S and IPA. Over five hundred articles were retrieved and twenty studies met the criteria for this review. Dietary supplements were taken by a median 36% (interquartile range: 26–42% of cardiac patients; 36% (IQR 18–43% reported taking a vitamin/mineral supplement and 12% (IQR 7–21% used herbal supplements. Many users indicated that supplements were taken specifically for heart health and 16–64% of users reported using supplements alongside prescription medications. However 39–95% of treating physicians were unaware of patients’ supplement use. Dietary supplement use in patients with cardiovascular disease appears common, as does the concurrent use of supplements with prescription medicines. This information is often not communicated to doctors and treating physicians may need to be more proactive in asking about supplement use.

  14. Sr - an element shows the way - Applications of Sr isotopes for provenance, tracing and migration (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prohaska, T.; Irrgeher, J.; Zitek, A.; Teschler Nicola, M.

    2010-12-01

    Strontium - named after the small Scottish town Strontian - as such is an element with little popularity. Firstly described by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1798, the metal is used in metallurgy to some extent whereas its compounds are interesting in glass industries, electronics and pyrotechnics. The element has chemical similarity to Ca and makes up 1/60 of the earth’s amount of the latter. Nonetheless, it is its isotopic composition which makes Sr so interesting for a large number of scientists. The natural composition of the four naturally occurring isotopes (84Sr, 86Sr 87Sr and 88Sr) varies in nature due to the radioactive decay of 87Rb to 87Sr. Thus, it was early recognized as geochronometer especially in Ca rich matrices. With increasing precision of applied methodology, the natural variation of the 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio (analyzed at first mainly by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)) became more and more popular in provenance studies. The natural variation of the ratio is mainly determined by the geological age and the original composition of the rock and can be used therefore as fingerprint of the local geology. The ratio is transferred with no significant fractionation via the water into plants and finally via the food chain into animal and human tissues (especially bones and teeth). As the element is chemically similar to Ca, it appears in most matrices. The use for provenance studies is supported by the fact that the long half life (4.8 x 1010 years) does not lead to an alteration during the time scales which are investigated (from recent samples to human or animal skeletal remains which date back up to 30.000 BC). The uniqueness of the system besides the natural variation is defined by the ubiquity in nature and the relatively high (and thus measurable) elemental concentration in most tissues. It was finally the advent of multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) which augmented the number of applications

  15. Multisensor satellite observations of meso- and submesoscale surface circulation in the Liguro-Provençal Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karimova, Svetlana; Alvera-Azcarate, Aida

    2017-04-01

    Despite great efforts being paid to studying circulation of the Western Mediterranean Basin and the factors triggering bioproductivity of its marine ecosystem, the evidence provided by satellite imagery has not been fully analysed yet. In the present paper, we concentrate our attention on mesoscale and submesoscale circulation features of the Liguro-Provençal Basin captured by satellite radiometer, spectroradiometer, and radar images. Using such a dataset makes it possible to observe the circulation features from a wide spatial range, from the basin scale through mesoscale to the scales of a few kilometers. Mesoscale features in this study are being mostly observed with thermal infrared imagery retrieved by AVHRR and AATSR sensors. Special attention in the work was paid to an analysis of the data coming from a geostationary satellite, namely ones provided by SEVIRI. Due to their uniquely high temporal resolution, such imagery allows observing circulation features in their evolution. During the winter blooming events, surface circulation at meso- to submesoscales in the region of interest was additionally highlighted by images obtained in the visible range. Full spatial resolution images provided by Envisat MERIS, Sentinel-2 MSI, and Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI made the greatest contribution to this part. The smallest scales (namely submesoscale) are being observed with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery provided by Envisat ASAR and Sentinel-1 SAR. During an analysis of SAR images, it was noted that there was strikingly great amount of biogenic surfactants on the water surface in the region of interest. Apparently, low biological productivity typical for the Western Mediterranean ecosystem is not a limiting factor for the formation of surfactant films seen in SAR imagery. This finding though requires further consideration in some other researches, and hereafter we just benefited from the presence of surfactants, because they behave as good tracers of surface currents

  16. Typhoid Fever and Acute Appendicitis: A Rare Association Not Yet Fully Formed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel J. Sartori

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Infections caused by foodborne enteric pathogens including typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella species can mimic symptoms of acute appendicitis. The association between such bacterial pathogens and pathology-proven acute appendicitis has been described, but this link is poorly understood. Here we describe a case of a young man with typhoid fever presenting with histology-proven acute appendicitis requiring urgent appendectomy, and provide a brief review of relevant literature to prompt more widespread recognition of this rare cause of a common surgical emergency.

  17. Essays on Networks: Theory and Applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.M. Babus (Ana Maria)

    2008-01-01

    textabstractNetworks have proven to be a useful representation of various systems. Social and economic interactions, biological and ecological systems, the internet can be understood better if modelled as networks. Intuitively, a network describes a collection of nodes and the links between them.

  18. Integration of genetic and clinical risk factors improves prognostication in relapsed childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Irving, J.A.; Enshaei, A.; Parker, C.A.; Sutton, R.; Kuiper, R.P.; Erhorn, A.; Minto, L.; Venn, N.C.; Law, T.; Yu, J.; Schwab, C.; Davies, R.; Matheson, E.; Davies, A.; Sonneveld, E.; Boer, M.L. Den; Love, S.B.; Harrison, C.J.; Hoogerbrugge, P.M.; Revesz, T.; Saha, V.; Moorman, A.V.

    2016-01-01

    Somatic genetic abnormalities are initiators and drivers of disease and have proven clinical utility at initial diagnosis. However, the genetic landscape and its clinical utility at relapse are less well understood and have not been studied comprehensively. We analyzed cytogenetic data from 427

  19. Integration of genetic and clinical risk factors improves prognostication in relapsed childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J. Irving (Julie); A. Enshaei; Parker, C.A. (Catriona A.); R. Sutton; R. Kuiper (Ruud); Erhorn, A. (Amy); L. Minto (L.); N. Venn; T. Law (T.); Yu, J. (Jiangyan); C. Schwab (Claire); Davies, R. (Rosanna); Matheson, E. (Elizabeth); Davies, A. (Alysia); E. Sonneveld (Edwin); M.L. den Boer (Monique); Love, S.B. (Sharon B.); C.J. Harrison (Christine); P.M. Hoogerbrugge (Peter); T. Revesz (Tamas); V. Saha (Vaskar); A.V. Moorman (Anthony)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractSomatic genetic abnormalities are initiators and drivers of disease and have proven clinical utility at initial diagnosis. However, the genetic landscape and its clinical utility at relapse are less well understood and have not been studied comprehensively. We analyzed cytogenetic data

  20. The fingerprint elements analysis on the provenance relation between ancient chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Weijuan; Xie Jianzhong; Li Guoxia; Gao Zhengyao; Li Rongwu; Zhang Bin; Feng Songlin; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

    2002-01-01

    The 46 samples of glazes and bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, Jun Porcelain and imitative porcelain were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The contents of 36 elements for each sample were measured, the eight elements were chosen as the fingerprint elements to complete scatter analysis. The result showed that the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain had almost identical and stable sources of raw materials. The close provenance relation between ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain was preliminarily verified. It is found that most modern Jun porcelain samples were similar to the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain, three modern Ru porcelain samples were similar to the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain. Jingdezhen porcelain has no relation to Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain