Extinction of visible and infrared radiation in rain Comparison of theory and experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Ulbrich, C. W.; Atlas, D.

1985-01-01

A critical review is given of the experimental and theoretical results concerning the measurement of rainfall using optical extinction, i.e., the attenuation of radiation with wavelength less than or equal to that of the infrared band. It is shown that rainfall rates found from an empirical relation involving optical extinction generally display average deviations without regard for sign of only 25 percent when compared with those measured by raingages directly beneath the optical beam. It is also shown that the differences between experimental and theoretical results can be explained in terms of variations of the shape of the raindrop size distribution, i.e., deviations from exponentiality.

Pre-adolescent and adolescent mice are less sensitive to the effects of acute nicotine on extinction and spontaneous recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutlu, Munir Gunes; Zeid, Dana; Tumolo, Jessica M; Gould, Thomas J

2018-04-01

Adolescence is a period of high risk for the initiation of nicotine product usage and exposure to traumatic events. In parallel, nicotine exposure has been found to age-dependently modulate acquisition of contextual fear memories; however, it is unknown if adolescent nicotine exposure alters extinction of fear related memories. Age-related differences in sensitivity to the effects of nicotine on fear extinction could increase or decrease susceptibility to anxiety disorders. In this study, we examined the effects of acute nicotine administration on extinction and spontaneous recovery of contextual fear memories in pre-adolescent (PND 23), late adolescent (PND 38), and adult (PND 53) C57B6/J mice. Mice were first trained in a background contextual fear conditioning paradigm and given an intraperitoneal injection of one of four doses of nicotine (0.045, 0.09, 0.18, or 0.36mg/kg, freebase) prior to subsequent extinction or spontaneous recovery sessions. Results indicated that all acute nicotine doses impaired extinction of contextual fear in adult mice. Late adolescent mice exhibited impaired extinction of contextual fear only following higher doses of acute nicotine, and extinction of contextual fear was unaffected by acute nicotine exposure in pre-adolescent mice. Finally, acute nicotine exposure enhanced spontaneous recovery of fear memory, but only in adult mice. Overall, our results suggest that younger mice were less sensitive to nicotine's impairing effects on extinction of contextual fear and to nicotine's enhancing effects on spontaneous recovery of contextual fear memory. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cowpea, Common Bean And Mung Bean Radiation Use Efficiency, Light Extinction Coefficient And Radiation Interception In Double Cropping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alimadadi, A.; Rostamza, M.; Jahansooz, M.R.; Ahmadi, A.; Tavakol Afshari, R.

2006-01-01

Crop growth modeling for forecasting various plant's functions and their contribution to yield, is one of the ways to improve field management. This trial was set up to evaluate radiation use efficiency of mung bean, common bean and cowpea cultivars in a double cropping system. Field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of College of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj. A 4-replicate group balanced block field experiment was set up. Results showed that the differences among three pulses were significant in terms of biomass (p0.05). Cowpea, producing 5876.8 Kg/ha, had the highest yield among the species used in this study. Comparison of grain yield observed in this experiment with mono crop yield potential, showed that cowpea, common bean and mung bean produced 40%, 37% and 58% of their mono crop grain yield potential, respectively. In the late vegetative growth period, cowpea, mung bean and common bean absorbed 90%, 33% and 36% of photosynthetic active radiation, respectively. There was a significant difference among pulses, in terms of their radiation use efficiency and light extinction coefficient (p0.05 and p0.01, respectively). Cowpea, common bean and mung bean had radiation use efficiencies of 0.84, 0.82 and 0.99, g/MJ and light extinction coefficients of 0.605, 0.344 and 0.458, respectively. Results indicated that in some cultivars, when K decreases and LAI increases, LUE might be increased twice

Complete mitochondrial genomes of living and extinct pigeons revise the timing of the columbiform radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, André E R; Novak, Ben J; Haile, James; Heupink, Tim H; Fjeldså, Jon; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Poinar, Hendrik; Church, George M; Shapiro, Beth

2016-10-26

Pigeons and doves (Columbiformes) are one of the oldest and most diverse extant lineages of birds. However, the nature and timing of the group's evolutionary radiation remains poorly resolved, despite recent advances in DNA sequencing and assembly and the growing database of pigeon mitochondrial genomes. One challenge has been to generate comparative data from the large number of extinct pigeon lineages, some of which are morphologically unique and therefore difficult to place in a phylogenetic context. We used ancient DNA and next generation sequencing approaches to assemble complete mitochondrial genomes for eleven pigeons, including the extinct Ryukyu wood pigeon (Columba jouyi), the thick-billed ground dove (Alopecoenas salamonis), the spotted green pigeon (Caloenas maculata), the Rodrigues solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria), and the dodo (Raphus cucullatus). We used a Bayesian approach to infer the evolutionary relationships among 24 species of living and extinct pigeons and doves. Our analyses indicate that the earliest radiation of the Columbidae crown group most likely occurred during the Oligocene, with continued divergence of major clades into the Miocene, suggesting that diversification within the Columbidae occurred more recently than has been reported previously.

Toxic clinical hypoxic radiation sensitizers plus radiation-induced toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richmond, R.C.

1984-01-01

The operational definition espoused twelve years ago that clinical hypoxic radiation sensitizers should be nontoxic interferes with the recognition and research of useful radiation sensitizers. Eight years ago the toxic antitumor drug cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) was reported to be a hypoxic radiation sensitizer and the selective antitumor action of this drug was stressed as potentially creating tumor-targeted radiation sensitization. This rationale of oxidative antitumor drugs as toxic and targeted clinical sensitizers is useful, and has led to the study reported here. The antitumor drug cis-(1,1-cyclobutane-dicarboxylato)diammineplatinum(II), or JM-8, is being tested in clinical trials. Cells of S. typhimurium in PBS in the presence of 0.2mM JM-8 are found to be sensitized to irradiation under hypoxic, but not oxic, conditions. JM-8 is nontoxic to bacteria at this concentration, but upon irradiation the JM-8 solution becomes highly toxic. This radiation induced toxicity of JM-8 preferentially develops from hypoxic solution, and thus contributes to the rationale of hypoxic tumor cell destruction

Wide-Field Imaging of Single-Nanoparticle Extinction with Sub-nm2 Sensitivity

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Lukas M.; Langbein, Wolfgang; Borri, Paola

2018-03-01

We report on a highly sensitive wide-field imaging technique for quantitative measurement of the optical extinction cross section σext of single nanoparticles. The technique is simple and high speed, and it enables the simultaneous acquisition of hundreds of nanoparticles for statistical analysis. Using rapid referencing, fast acquisition, and a deconvolution analysis, a shot-noise-limited sensitivity down to 0.4 nm2 is achieved. Measurements on a set of individual gold nanoparticles of 5 nm diameter using this method yield σext=(10.0 ±3.1 ) nm2, which is consistent with theoretical expectations and well above the background fluctuations of 0.9 nm2 .

Mass extinctions and supernova explosions

OpenAIRE

Korschinek, Gunther

2016-01-01

A nearby supernova (SN) explosion could have negatively influenced life on Earth, maybe even been responsible for mass extinctions. Mass extinction poses a significant extinction of numerous species on Earth, as recorded in the paleontologic, paleoclimatic, and geological record of our planet. Depending on the distance between the Sun and the SN, different types of threats have to be considered, such as ozone depletion on Earth, causing increased exposure to the Sun's ultraviolet radiation, o...

Convergence of the Bouguer-Beer law for radiation extinction in particulate media

Science.gov (United States)

Frankel, A.; Iaccarino, G.; Mani, A.

2016-10-01

Radiation transport in particulate media is a common physical phenomenon in natural and industrial processes. Developing predictive models of these processes requires a detailed model of the interaction between the radiation and the particles. Resolving the interaction between the radiation and the individual particles in a very large system is impractical, whereas continuum-based representations of the particle field lend themselves to efficient numerical techniques based on the solution of the radiative transfer equation. We investigate radiation transport through discrete and continuum-based representations of a particle field. Exact solutions for radiation extinction are developed using a Monte Carlo model in different particle distributions. The particle distributions are then projected onto a concentration field with varying grid sizes, and the Bouguer-Beer law is applied by marching across the grid. We show that the continuum-based solution approaches the Monte Carlo solution under grid refinement, but quickly diverges as the grid size approaches the particle diameter. This divergence is attributed to the homogenization error of an individual particle across a whole grid cell. We remark that the concentration energy spectrum of a point-particle field does not approach zero, and thus the concentration variance must also diverge under infinite grid refinement, meaning that no grid-converged solution of the radiation transport is possible.

Genotypic sex determination enabled adaptive radiations of extinct marine reptiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Organ, Chris L; Janes, Daniel E; Meade, Andrew; Pagel, Mark

2009-09-17

Adaptive radiations often follow the evolution of key traits, such as the origin of the amniotic egg and the subsequent radiation of terrestrial vertebrates. The mechanism by which a species determines the sex of its offspring has been linked to critical ecological and life-history traits but not to major adaptive radiations, in part because sex-determining mechanisms do not fossilize. Here we establish a previously unknown coevolutionary relationship in 94 amniote species between sex-determining mechanism and whether a species bears live young or lays eggs. We use that relationship to predict the sex-determining mechanism in three independent lineages of extinct Mesozoic marine reptiles (mosasaurs, sauropterygians and ichthyosaurs), each of which is known from fossils to have evolved live birth. Our results indicate that each lineage evolved genotypic sex determination before acquiring live birth. This enabled their pelagic radiations, where the relatively stable temperatures of the open ocean constrain temperature-dependent sex determination in amniote species. Freed from the need to move and nest on land, extreme physical adaptations to a pelagic lifestyle evolved in each group, such as the fluked tails, dorsal fins and wing-shaped limbs of ichthyosaurs. With the inclusion of ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs and sauropterygians, genotypic sex determination is present in all known fully pelagic amniote groups (sea snakes, sirenians and cetaceans), suggesting that this mode of sex determination and the subsequent evolution of live birth are key traits required for marine adaptive radiations in amniote lineages.

Extinction of NGC 7027

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaton, M.J.

1979-01-01

Emission intensities of recombination lines in hydrogenic spectra are known accurately relative to intensities in the free-free radio continuum. For NGC 7027 intensities have been measured for the radio continuum and for H I and He II lines in the wavelength range from lambda = 2.17 μm to lambda = 1640 A: comparison with the calculated emission intensities gives the extinction. Determinations of the standard interstellar extinction function are critically discussed. The extinction deduced for the total radiation from NGC 7027 has a dependence on wavelength for 6563 A >= lambda >= 1640 A which is in excellent agreement with the adopted standard results, but there are some anomalies for longer wavelengths and for the ratio of total to selective extinction. These can be explained using a model which allows for a local contribution to the extinction which is variable over the surface of the nebula. (author)

SEM probe of IC radiation sensitivity

Science.gov (United States)

Gauthier, M. K.; Stanley, A. G.

1979-01-01

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) used to irradiate single integrated circuit (IC) subcomponent to test for radiation sensitivity can localize area of IC less than .03 by .03 mm for determination of exact location of radiation sensitive section.

Radiation-sensitive material and method of recording information upon radiation-sensitive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, V.V.; Krjuchin, A.A.

1981-01-01

The invention can be employed for recording binary information in memory units of electronic computers, in video-recording equipment, laser recording devices and other recording means. The proposed radiation-sensitive material comprises a metallic layer made of silver, or copper, or nickel, or thallium, or alloy thereof, an inorganic material layer made of arsenic chalcogenide, or antimony chalcogenide, or bismuth chalcogenide, and a separation layer disposed between the metallic layer and the inorganic material layer made of a material which is inert relative to said layers, which separation layer has a thickness sufficient for preventing interaction between the metallic layer and the inorganic material layer when the radiation-sensitive materials is exposed to electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation having a power density lower than a threshold value required for the breakdown of the separation layer in the area exposed to radiation. The separation layer can be made from As, Sb, Si or Ge or their oxides, metallic oxides of e.g. Al, Ti, V or Fe, or from polyorganosiloxane films. (author)

Extinction of radiant energy by large atmospheric crystals with different shapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shefer, Olga

2016-01-01

The calculated results of extinction characteristics of visible and infrared radiation for large semi-transparent crystals are obtained by hybrid technique, which is a combination of the geometric optics method and the physical optics method. Energy and polarization characteristics of the radiation extinction in terms of the elements of the extinction matrix for individual large crystals and ensemble of crystals are discussed. Influences of particle shapes, aspect ratios, parameters of size distribution, complex refractive index, orientation of crystals, wavelength, and the polarization state of an incident radiation on the extinction are illustrated. It is shown that the most expressive and stable features of energy and polarization characteristics of the extinction are observed in the midinfrared region, despite the fact that the ice particles significantly absorb the radiant energy of this spectrum. It is demonstrated that the polarized extinction characteristics can reach several tens of percent at IR wavelengths. For the large crystals, the conditions of occurrence of the spectral behavior of the extinction coefficient in the visible, near-IR, and mid-IR wavelength ranges are determined. - Highlights: • Method of physical optics is used at coherent sum of diffracted and refracted fields. • The extinction characteristics in terms of elements of extinction matrix are obtained. • Influence of shapes and sizes of large particles on the extinction is evaluated. • Conditions of occurrence of extinction features are determined.

Numerical Analysis of Characteristics of Cellular Counterflow Diffusion Flames near Radiative Extinction Limit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Su Ryong [Seoul National University of Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-06-15

Nonlinear characteristics of cellular counterflow diffusion flame near the radiative extinction limit at large Damköhler number are numerically investigated. Lewis number is assumed to be 0.5 and flame evolution is calculated by imposing an infinitesimal disturbance to a one-dimensional(1-D) steady state flame. The early stage of nonlinear development is very similar to that predicted in a linear stability analysis. The disturbance with the wavenumber of the fastest growing mode emerges and grows gradually. Eventual, an alternating pattern of reacting and quenching stripes is developed. The cellular flame temperature is higher than that of 1-D flame because of the gain of the total enthalpy. As the Damköhler number is further increased, the shape of the cell becomes circular to increase the surface area per unit reacting volume. The cellular flames do not extinguish but survive even above the 1-D steady state extinction condition.

Evidence for the concentration induced extinction of gas sensitivity in amorphous and nanostructured Te thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsiulyanu, D.; Mocreac, O.; Enachi, M.; Volodina, G.

2013-01-01

The extinction of sensitivity to nitrogen dioxide induced by high gas concentration have been observed in ultrathin tellurium films. The phenomenon becomes apparent in both continuous and nanostructured films shown by AFM, SEM and XRD analyses to be in amorphous state. Sensitivity of 30 nm thickness Te film decreases near linearly with concentration increase between 150 and 500 ppb of nitrogen dioxide. The results are explained in terms of formation of a nitrogen dioxide catalytic gate in which a molecule adsorbs (and desorbs) without reacting. (authors)

Acoustical radiation torque and force for spheres and Bessel beam extinction efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Marston, Philip L.; Zhang, Likun

2014-11-01

The scattering of optical and acoustical beams is relevant to the levitation and manipulation of drops. Here we examine theoretical developments in the acoustical case. We previously showed how the optical theorem for extinction can be extended to invariant beams. The example of a sphere in a Bessel beam facilitates the direct comparison with a circular disc computed using Babinet's principle and the Kirchhoff approximation. In related work, by considering traveling or standing wave first-order vortex beams we previously showed that the radiation torque is the ratio of the absorbed power and the radian acoustic frequency. By modifying the scattering to account for the viscosity of the surrounding fluid in the analysis of the absorbed power, approximations for radiation torque and force are obtained at long wavelengths in special cases and these can be compared with results published elsewhere.

Convergence of the Bouguer–Beer law for radiation extinction in particulate media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frankel, A.; Iaccarino, G.; Mani, A.

2016-01-01

Radiation transport in particulate media is a common physical phenomenon in natural and industrial processes. Developing predictive models of these processes requires a detailed model of the interaction between the radiation and the particles. Resolving the interaction between the radiation and the individual particles in a very large system is impractical, whereas continuum-based representations of the particle field lend themselves to efficient numerical techniques based on the solution of the radiative transfer equation. We investigate radiation transport through discrete and continuum-based representations of a particle field. Exact solutions for radiation extinction are developed using a Monte Carlo model in different particle distributions. The particle distributions are then projected onto a concentration field with varying grid sizes, and the Bouguer–Beer law is applied by marching across the grid. We show that the continuum-based solution approaches the Monte Carlo solution under grid refinement, but quickly diverges as the grid size approaches the particle diameter. This divergence is attributed to the homogenization error of an individual particle across a whole grid cell. We remark that the concentration energy spectrum of a point-particle field does not approach zero, and thus the concentration variance must also diverge under infinite grid refinement, meaning that no grid-converged solution of the radiation transport is possible. - Highlights: • Transmission of radiation through turbulent particle distributions is computed. • The continuum representation of discrete particles is grid dependent. • Error of radiation transmission decreases for mild grid refinement. • Homogenization error increases when the grid and particle sizes are comparable.

Radiation sensitive solid state devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shannon, J.M.; Ralph, J.E.

1975-01-01

A solid state radiation sensitive device is described employing JFETs as the sensitive elements. Two terminal construction is achieved by using a common conductor to capacitively couple to the JFET gate and to one of the source and drain connections. (auth)

Wildfires and animal extinctions at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Adair, Robert K.

2010-06-01

Persuasive models of the ejection of material at high velocities from the Chicxulub asteroid impact marking the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary have led to the conclusion that upon return, that material, heated in passage through the upper atmosphere, generated a high level of infrared energy density over the Earth's surface. That radiant energy has been considered to be a direct source of universal wildfires, which were presumed to be a major cause of plant and animal species extinctions. The extinction of many animal species, especially the dinosaurs, has also been attributed to the immediate lethal effects of the radiation. I find that the absorption of the radiation by the atmosphere, by cloud formations, and by ejecta drifting in the lower atmosphere reduced the radiation at the surface to a level that cannot be expected to have generated universal fires. Although the reduced radiation will have likely caused severe injuries to many animals, such insults alone seem unlikely to have generated the overall species extinctions that have been deduced.

Radiation-sensitive diacrylates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demajistre, R.

1976-01-01

Novel diacrylates are prepared by reacting a monohydroxylated acrylic monomer with a polyisocyanate. The reaction product may be polymerized by subjecting to ionizing irradiation, actinic light or to free radical catalysts to form a useful coating material. The diacrylates may also be copolymerized with other radiation sensitive materials. 6 claims, no drawings

Comparative study of different surrogate markers for individual radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffmann, Nele Julia

2013-01-01

Radiotherapy is an important part of therapeutic tumor treatment concept. The applied total dose is limited by the unavoidable radiation effect on the surrounding normal tissue and the risk of radiation induced acute or chronic side effects. The clinical radiation sensitivity, i.e. the risk of radiogenic side effects is strongly coupled to the cellular radiation sensitivity. The contribution is focused on the development of a predictive tool for the individual radiation sensitivity for individual radiotherapeutic planning using lymphocytes. Residual foci, i.e. accumulated repair associated proteins at the residual double strand break are supposed to be surrogate markers of the cellular radiation sensitivity. No relation between the foci detection and the G(0)/G(1) was found assay with respect to the individual radiation sensitivity.

Superoxide dismutase amplifies organismal sensitivity to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, M.D.; Meshnick, S.R.; Eaton, J.W.

1989-01-01

Although increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity is often associated with enhanced resistance of cells and organisms to oxidant challenges, few direct tests of the antioxidant importance of this enzyme have been carried out. To assess the importance of SOD in defending against gamma-radiation, we employed Escherichia coli with deficient, normal, and super-normal enzyme activities. Surprisingly, the radiation sensitivity of E. coli actually increases as bacterial SOD activity increases. Elevated intracellular SOD activity sensitizes E. coli to radiation-induced mortality, whereas SOD-deficient bacteria show normal or decreased radiosensitivity. Toxic effects of activated oxygen species are involved in this phenomenon; bacterial SOD activity has no effect on radiation sensitivity under anaerobic conditions or on the lethality of other, non-oxygen-dependent, toxins such as ultraviolet radiation

Manipulating parameters of reinforcement to reduce problem behavior without extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunnavatana, S Shanun; Bloom, Sarah E; Samaha, Andrew L; Slocum, Timothy A; Clay, Casey J

2018-04-01

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) most often includes extinction as a treatment component. However, extinction is not always feasible and it can be counter-therapeutic if implemented without optimal treatment integrity. Researchers have successfully implemented DRA without extinction by manipulating various parameters of reinforcement such that alternative behavior is favored. We extended previous research by assessing three participants' sensitivities to quality, magnitude, and immediacy using arbitrary responses and reinforcers that maintain problem behavior. The results were used to implement an intervention for problem behavior using DRA without extinction. Our findings indicate that arbitrary responses can be used to identify individual and relative sensitivity to parameters of reinforcement for reinforcers that maintain problem behavior. Treatment was effective for all participants when we manipulated parameters of reinforcement to which they were most sensitive, and, for two participants, the treatment was less effective when we manipulated parameters to which they were least sensitive. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Radiation-induced Genomic Instability and Radiation Sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varnum, Susan M.; Sowa, Marianne B.; Kim, Grace J.; Morgan, William F.

2013-01-19

The obvious relationships between reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory type responses and reactive chemokines and cytokines suggests a general stress response induced by ionizing radiation most likely leads to the non-targeted effects described after radiation exposure. We argue that true bystander effects do not occur in the radiation therapy clinic. But there is no question that effects outside the target volume do occur. These “out of field effects” are considered very low dose effects in the context of therapy. So what are the implications of non-targeted effects on radiation sensitivity? The primary goal of therapy is to eradicate the tumor. Given the genetic diversity of the human population, lifestyle and environment factors it is likely some combination of these will influence patient outcome. Non-targeted effects may contribute to a greater or lesser extent. But consider the potential situation involving a partial body exposure due to a radiation accident or radiological terrorism. Non-targeted effects suggest that the tissue at risk for demonstrating possible detrimental effects of radiation exposure might be greater than the volume actually irradiated.

Radiation sensitivity of human lung cancer cell lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carmichael, J.; Degraff, W.G.; Gamson, J.; Russo, G.; Mitchell, J.B.; Gazdar, A.F.; Minna, J.D.; Levitt, M.L.

1989-01-01

X-Ray survival curves were determined using a panel of 17 human lung cancer cell lines, with emphasis on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In contrast to classic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines, NSCLC cell lines were generally less sensitive to radiation as evidenced by higher radiation survival curve extrapolation numbers, surviving fraction values following a 2Gy dose (SF2) and the mean inactivation dose values (D) values. The spectrum of in vitro radiation responses observed was similar to that expected in clinical practice, although mesothelioma was unexpectedly sensitive in vitro. Differences in radiosensitivity were best distinguished by comparison of SF2 values. Some NSCLC lines were relatively sensitive, and in view of this demonstrable variability in radiation sensitivity, the SF2 value may be useful for in vitro predictive assay testing of clinical specimens. (author)

Numerical investigation of radiative properties and surface plasmon resonance of silver nanorod dimers on a substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Wei; Zhu, Tong; Zhu, QunZhi

2014-01-01

When the distance between two silver nanoparticles is small enough, interparticle surface plasmon coupling has a great impact on their radiative properties. It is becoming a promising technique to use in the sensing and imaging. A model based on finite difference time domain method is developed to investigate the effect of the assembled parameters on the radiative properties and the field-enhancement effect of silver nanorod dimer. The numerical results indicate that the radiative properties of silver nanorod dimer are very sensitive to the assembled angle and the polarization orientation of incident wave. There is great difference on the intensity and location of field-enhancement effect for the cases of different assembled angle and polarization. The most intensive field-enhancement effect occurs in the middle of two nanorods when two nanorods is assembled head to head and the polarization orientation parallels to the length axis of nanorods. Moreover, compared with the single nanorod, the wavelength of extinction peak of dimer has a red-shift, and the intensity of field-enhancement effect on the dimer is more intensive than that of single particle. With the increasing of particle length, extinction cross-section of silver nanorod dimer rises, while extinction efficiency and scattering efficiency firstly increase then drop down gradually. In addition, the extinction peaks of silver nanorod dimer on the substrate are smaller than that without the substrate, and their extinction peaks has a red-shift compared with that without the substrate. -- Highlights: ► Radiative properties of silver nanorod dimer are very sensitive to the assembled angle. ► The projective length of nanorod dimer on the polarization orientation is crucial. ► Compared with single nanorod, wavelength of extinction peak of dimer has a red-shift. ► Extinction peaks of dimer on the substrate are smaller than that without the substrate

Radiation sensitive devices and systems for detection of radioactive materials and related methods

Science.gov (United States)

Kotter, Dale K

2014-12-02

Radiation sensitive devices include a substrate comprising a radiation sensitive material and a plurality of resonance elements coupled to the substrate. Each resonance element is configured to resonate responsive to non-ionizing incident radiation. Systems for detecting radiation from a special nuclear material include a radiation sensitive device and a sensor located remotely from the radiation sensitive device and configured to measure an output signal from the radiation sensitive device. In such systems, the radiation sensitive device includes a radiation sensitive material and a plurality of resonance elements positioned on the radiation sensitive material. Methods for detecting a presence of a special nuclear material include positioning a radiation sensitive device in a location where special nuclear materials are to be detected and remotely interrogating the radiation sensitive device with a sensor.

Radiation sensitivity of mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, C.J.

1985-01-01

The authors tested various aspects of the so-called ''competition'' model for radiation sensitization/protection. In this model, sensitizers and/or protectors react in first order chemical reactions with radiation-induced target radicals in the cell, producing damage fixation or repair respectively. It is only because of these parallel, first-order competing reactions that they may assign net amounts of damage on the basis of the chemical reactivity of the sentiziers/protectors with the radicals. It might be expected that such a simple model could not explain all aspects of cellular radiosensitivity and this has indeed been found to be true. However, one is able, with the simple model, to pose quite specific questions, and obtain quantitative information with respect to the relative agreement between experiment and theory. Many experiments by several investigators have found areas of disagreement with the competition theory, particularly with respect to the follow items: 1) role of cellular glutathione as the most important endogeneous radiation protector 2) characteristics of various sensitizers which cause them to behave differently from each other 3) methods relating to the quantitative kinetic analysis of experimenal results. This paper addresses these specific areas of disagreement from both an experimental and theoretical basis

Influence of catalase on the radiation sensitizing effect of misonidazole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gazso, G.L.; Dam, A.

1985-01-01

The radiation modifying action of misonidazole and catalase was investigated in Bacillus megaterium spores at various oxygen concentrations. Catalase (120 μg/ml) decreased the radiation sensitizing action of misonidazole. Misonidazole as an electron affinic radiation sensitizer enhanced the build up of H 2 O 2 , thus promoting the reaction with catalase. Protection by catalase was not enough to eliminate the total radiation sensitizing effect of misonidazole. (orig.)

Extinction and renewal of cue-elicited reward-seeking.

Science.gov (United States)

Bezzina, Louise; Lee, Jessica C; Lovibond, Peter F; Colagiuri, Ben

2016-12-01

Reward cues can contribute to overconsumption of food and drugs and can relapse. The failure of exposure therapies to reduce overconsumption and relapse is generally attributed to the context-specificity of extinction. However, no previous study has examined whether cue-elicited reward-seeking (as opposed to cue-reactivity) is sensitive to context renewal. We tested this possibility in 160 healthy volunteers using a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) design involving voluntary responding for a high value natural reward (chocolate). One reward cue underwent Pavlovian extinction in the same (Group AAA) or different context (Group ABA) to all other phases. This cue was compared with a second non-extinguished reward cue and an unpaired control cue. There was a significant overall PIT effect with both reward cues eliciting reward-seeking on test relative to the unpaired cue. Pavlovian extinction substantially reduced this effect, with the extinguished reward cue eliciting less reward-seeking than the non-extinguished reward cue. Most interestingly, extinction of cue-elicited reward-seeking was sensitive to renewal, with extinction less effective for reducing PIT when conducted in a different context. These findings have important implications for extinction-based interventions for reducing maladaptive reward-seeking in practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of texaphyrins as tumor selective radiation sensitizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qing Fan; Woodburn, Kathryn W.; Young, Stuart W.

1997-01-01

Texaphyrins are expanded porphyrin macrocycles that selectively localize and are retained in cancerous lesions. The function of the texaphyrin can be manipulated by the incorporation of different metal ions into the macrocycle's central cavity. Gadolinium texaphyrin (Gd-Tex) and lutetium texaphyrin (Lu-Tex) were evaluated as radiation sensitizers. Radiation sensitization studies were performed using SMT-F and EMT6 mammary tumor-bearing mice. Single and multifraction dose regimens were performed. SMT-F bearing DBA/2N mice and EMT6 bearing Balb/c mice were intravenously administered with Gd-Tex of Lu-Tex (5-40 μmol/kg) 30 minutes to 5 hours prior to radiation (10-50 Gray) for the single fraction studies. The more radioresistant EMT-6 sarcoma model was used for the multifraction studies. The tumor bearing animals were injected with Gd-Tex (5, 20, or 40 μmol/kg) to 2 hours prior radiation (1, 2, or 4 Gray), this regimen was performed for five consecutive days. Gd-Tex is paramagnetic and has a strong fluorescence signal. Tumor selectivity was determined by MRI and fluorescence spectral imaging before and up to 24 hours following the administration of Gd-Tex. Gd-Tex but not Lu-Tex, proved to be an effective radiation sensitizer. Administration of Gd-Tex (40 μmol/kg) prior to a single dose of 30 Gray radiation provided a significant improvement in survival in SMT-F-bearing DBA/2N mice as compared to animals receiving radiation alone (p = 0.0034). A significant radiation sensitization effect was also found in multiple fraction studies (five consecutive days) with Balb/C mice bearing EMT-6 neoplasma-- following 1 Gray of radiation for 5 days there was a significant difference between the 20 and 40 μmol/kg group and controls (p = 0.003, p = 0.005 respectively). MRI and fluorescence spectral imaging studies of tumor bearing animals revealed excellent contrast enhancement of the tumor which persisted up to 24 hours. Texaphyrins localize in neoplasms as visualized using MRI

Relationship between intrinsic radiation sensitivity and metastatic potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, Anne M.; Mei, Su; Doty, Jay; Chen Yi; Pardo, Francisco S.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Prior studies emphasized genetic modulation of tumorigenicity, and experimental metastatic potential in cells transfected with oncogenes. Whether the intrinsic radiation sensitivity of cells might correlate with parallel changes in metastatic potential is unknown. Methods and Materials: Rat embryo cells (REC) were transfected with the following oncogenes, and where appropriate, with corresponding selection markers: pCMV neopEJ6.6ras, pEJ6.6ras/v-myc, pE1a, and pEJ6-.6ras/E1a. Individual transfectant clones and corresponding pooled cellular populations were propagated in selective medium. In vitro cellular radiation sensitivity was determined via clonogenic assays, a minimum of three, by standard techniques and individual SF 2 and MID parameters determined. Tumorigenicity was defined as the number of tumors forming following the injection of 1 x 10 5 - 1 x 10 6 cells into the axillary pouch of three different strains of immune-deficient mice. Animals were killed once resultant tumors reached a maximum size of 1.5-2.0 cm in maximum diameter. For determination of experimental metastatic potential, between 1 x 10 5 -1 x 10 6 cells were injected into the tail veins of litter-matched sibling mice in parallel to the tumorigenicity studies. Results: Radiobiologic studies indicate similar levels of radiation sensitivity among REC, mock-transfected REC, E1a, and combined E1a/ras transfectants. pEJ6.6ras, and combined ras/myc transfected pooled cellular populations demonstrated increases in radiation resistance when compared to the pooled radiobiologic data from untransfected and mock-transfected corresponding pooled cellular populations (p 2 , MID). Rat embryo cells, E1a, and mock-transfectants were relatively radiation sensitive and nontumorigenic. pE1a/ras was tumorigenic but demonstrated relatively low experimental metastatic potential. Ras, and ras/myc transfectants, demonstrated similar levels of experimental metastatic potential on lung colonization assays

Dependence of extinction cross-section on incident polarization state and particle orientation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Ping; Wendisch, Manfred; Bi Lei; Kattawar, George; Mishchenko, Michael; Hu, Yongxiang

2011-01-01

This note reports on the effects of the polarization state of an incident quasi-monochromatic parallel beam of radiation and the orientation of a hexagonal ice particle with respect to the incident direction on the extinction process. When the incident beam is aligned with the six-fold rotational symmetry axis, the extinction is independent of the polarization state of the incident light. For other orientations, the extinction cross-section for linearly polarized light can be either larger or smaller than its counterpart for an unpolarized incident beam. Therefore, the attenuation of a quasi-monochromatic radiation beam by an ice cloud depends on the polarization state of the beam if ice crystals within the cloud are not randomly oriented. Furthermore, a case study of the extinction of light by a quartz particle is also presented to illustrate the dependence of the extinction cross-section on the polarization state of the incident light.

Mass Extinctions and Supernova Explosions

Science.gov (United States)

Korschinek, Gunther

A nearby supernova (SN) explosion could have negatively influenced life on Earth, maybe even been responsible for mass extinctions. Mass extinction poses a significant extinction of numerous species on Earth, as recorded in the paleontologic, paleoclimatic, and geological record of our planet. Depending on the distance between the Sun and the SN, different types of threats have to be considered, such as ozone depletion on Earth, causing increased exposure to the Sun's ultraviolet radiation or the direct exposure of lethal X-rays. Another indirect effect is cloud formation, induced by cosmic rays in the atmosphere which result in a drop in the Earth's temperature, causing major glaciations of the Earth. The discovery of highly intensive gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which could be connected to SNe, initiated further discussions on possible life-threatening events in the Earth's history. The probability that GRBs hit the Earth is very low. Nevertheless, a past interaction of Earth with GRBs and/or SNe cannot be excluded and might even have been responsible for past extinction events.

Variation of the extinction law in the Trifid nebula

OpenAIRE

Cambrésy, L.; Rho, J.; Marshall, D. J.; Reach, W. T.

2011-01-01

Context. In the past few years, the extinction law has been measured in the infrared wavelengths for various molecular clouds and different laws have been obtained. Aims. In this paper we seek variations of the extinction law within the Trifid nebula region. Such variations would demonstrate local dust evolution linked to variation of the environment parameters such as the density or the interstellar radiation field. Methods. The extinction values, A_λ/A_v, are obtained using the 2MASS, UKIDS...

Radiation-sensitive genetically susceptible pediatric sub-populations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kleinerman, Ruth A. [National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Rockville, MD (United States)

2009-02-15

Major advances in pediatric cancer treatment have resulted in substantial improvements in survival. However, concern has emerged about the late effects of cancer therapy, especially radiation-related second cancers. Studies of childhood cancer patients with inherited cancer syndromes can provide insights into the interaction between radiation and genetic susceptibility to multiple cancers. Children with retinoblastoma (Rb), neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) are at substantial risk of developing radiation-related second and third cancers. A radiation dose-response for bone and soft-tissue sarcomas has been observed in hereditary Rb patients, with many of these cancers occurring in the radiation field. Studies of NF1 patients irradiated for optic pathway gliomas have reported increased risks of developing another cancer associated with radiotherapy. High relative risks for second and third cancers were observed for a cohort of 200 LFS family members, especially children, possibly related to radiotherapy. Children with NBCCS are very sensitive to radiation and develop multiple basal cell cancers in irradiated areas. Clinicians following these patients should be aware of their increased genetic susceptibility to multiple primary malignancies enhanced by sensitivity to ionizing radiation. (orig.)

Interstellar Extinction

OpenAIRE

Gontcharov, George

2017-01-01

This review describes our current understanding of interstellar extinction. This differ substantially from the ideas of the 20th century. With infrared surveys of hundreds of millions of stars over the entire sky, such as 2MASS, SPITZER-IRAC, and WISE, we have looked at the densest and most rarefied regions of the interstellar medium at distances of a few kpc from the sun. Observations at infrared and microwave wavelengths, where the bulk of the interstellar dust absorbs and radiates, have br...

Radiation sensitization studies by silymarin on HCT-15 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lal, Mitu; Gupta, Damodar; Arora, R.

2014-01-01

Radiotherapy has been widely used for treatment of human cancers. However, cancer cells develop radioresistant phenotypes following multiple exposures to the treatment agent that decrease the efficacy of radiotherapy. Here it was investigated that the radiation sensitization effects of silymarin found in colon cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate mechanisms involved in radiation sensitization growth inhibitory effect of silymarin in combination with radiation, in Human colon carcinoma (HCT-15). The human colon carcinoma was utilized and SRB-assay was performed to study anti-proliferative effect of silymarin in combination with gamma radiation (2 Gy) appropriate radiation dose was optimized and confirmed by clonogenic assay. Microscopic analysis was done by staining with Hoechst-33342, DAPI, Propidium iodide to confirm the presence of apoptosis. Nitric oxide production, changes in lipid peroxidation, Cell cycle analysis were carried out and mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by uptake of cationic dye JC-1 by using flow cytometer. Silymarin in combination with radiation (2 Gy) inhibited 70% ± 5% population growth of HCT-15 cells in time and dose dependent manner. Pre treatment of cells with silymarin for 30 min before radiation was found to be most effective for radiation sensitization. There was 25% increase in levels of nitric oxide as compare to control, whereas 2.5 fold change in lipid peroxidation with respect to control. IR-induced apoptosis in HCT-15 cell line was significantly enhanced by silymarin, as reflected by viability, DNA fragmentation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, silymarin in combination with IR is found to be effective in sensitization of HCT-15 cells. In vivo studies on development of tumor and sensitization aspects needs to done in future. (author)

In vivo radiation sensitivity of glioblastoma multiforme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taghian, Alphonse; Freeman, Jill; Suit, Herman; DuBois, Willem; Budach, Wilfried; Baumann, Michael

1995-01-01

Purpose: Human glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most resistant tumors to radiation. In previous reports, we have demonstrated a wide range of radiation sensitivity of GBM in vitro; that is, SF 2 values of 0.2 to 0.8. The great sensitivity of some of the cell lines is not in accord with the almost invariably fatal clinical outcome of patients with GBM. The sensitivity of cells in vitro pertains to cells cultured in optimal nutritional conditions. The TCD 50 (the radiation dose necessary to control 50% of the tumors locally) determined in lab animals is analogous to the use of radiation with curative intent in clinical radiation oncology. The aim of the present study was (a) to evaluate the sensitivity of GBM in vivo relative to that of other tumor types and (b) assess the relationship between the single dose TCD 50 of the xenografts and the sensitivity of the corresponding cell lines in vitro. Methods and Materials: The TCD 50 assay was used to study twelve human tumor lines. Four previously published values were added. A total of 10 GBM, 4 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 1 soft tissue sarcoma (STS), and 1 cancer colon (CC) are included in the analysis. For further suppression of the residual immune system, all the animals received 6 Gy whole-body irradiation 1 day before transplantation. Local tumor irradiations were given as a single dose, under conditions of clamp hypoxia using a Cs irradiator. Results: The TCD 50 values for the 10 GBM xenografts varied between 32.5 and 75.2 Gy, with an average of 47.2 ± 13.1 Gy. The TCD 50 values for the SCC were similar to those of the GBM and ranged from 40.7 and 54.4 Gy, with a mean of 46.8 ± 6.4. The difference between the average TCD 50 of GBM and SCC was not significant. The STS and CC xenografts had TCD 50 values of 46.0 and 49.2 Gy, respectively. No correlation was found between the TCD 50 in vivo and the SF 2 or D 0 in vitro. Conclusions: Our data on GBM xenografts showed a wide range of sensitivities to single dose

In vivo radiation sensitivity of glioblastoma multiforme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taghian, Alphonse; Freeman, Jill; Suit, Herman; DuBois, Willem; Budach, Wilfried; Baumann, Michael

1995-04-30

Purpose: Human glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most resistant tumors to radiation. In previous reports, we have demonstrated a wide range of radiation sensitivity of GBM in vitro; that is, SF{sub 2} values of 0.2 to 0.8. The great sensitivity of some of the cell lines is not in accord with the almost invariably fatal clinical outcome of patients with GBM. The sensitivity of cells in vitro pertains to cells cultured in optimal nutritional conditions. The TCD{sub 50} (the radiation dose necessary to control 50% of the tumors locally) determined in lab animals is analogous to the use of radiation with curative intent in clinical radiation oncology. The aim of the present study was (a) to evaluate the sensitivity of GBM in vivo relative to that of other tumor types and (b) assess the relationship between the single dose TCD{sub 50} of the xenografts and the sensitivity of the corresponding cell lines in vitro. Methods and Materials: The TCD{sub 50} assay was used to study twelve human tumor lines. Four previously published values were added. A total of 10 GBM, 4 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 1 soft tissue sarcoma (STS), and 1 cancer colon (CC) are included in the analysis. For further suppression of the residual immune system, all the animals received 6 Gy whole-body irradiation 1 day before transplantation. Local tumor irradiations were given as a single dose, under conditions of clamp hypoxia using a Cs irradiator. Results: The TCD{sub 50} values for the 10 GBM xenografts varied between 32.5 and 75.2 Gy, with an average of 47.2 {+-} 13.1 Gy. The TCD{sub 50} values for the SCC were similar to those of the GBM and ranged from 40.7 and 54.4 Gy, with a mean of 46.8 {+-} 6.4. The difference between the average TCD{sub 50} of GBM and SCC was not significant. The STS and CC xenografts had TCD{sub 50} values of 46.0 and 49.2 Gy, respectively. No correlation was found between the TCD{sub 50} in vivo and the SF{sub 2} or D{sub 0} in vitro. Conclusions: Our data on GBM

Sensitivities in synchrotron radiation TXRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pianetta, P.; Baur, K.; Brennan, S.

2000-01-01

This work describes the progress we achieved at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) in improving the sensitivity for both the transition metals and light elements such as Al and Na. The transition metal work has matured to the point where a facility exists at SSRL in which semiconductor companies are able to perform industrially relevant measurements at state of the art detection limits. This facility features clean wafer handling and automated data acquisition making routine analytical measurements possible. The best sensitivity demonstrated so far is 3.4 E7 atoms/cm 2 for a 5000 second count time corresponding to 7.6 E7 atoms/cm 2 for a standard 1000 second count time. This is more than a factor of 100 better than what can be achieved with conventional TXRF systems. The detection of light elements such as Al and Na is challenging due to the presence of the h stronger Si fluorescence peak. For traditional energy-dispersive detection only the tunability of synchrotron radiation to excitation energies below the Si-K absorption edge leads to an acceptable sensitivity for Al detection which is limited by a large background due to inelastic x-ray Raman scattering. An alternative approach to overcome the Raman contribution and the strong Si fluorescence is to use a wavelength-dispersive spectrometer for fluorescence detection. The benefits of such a multilayer spectrometer over a solid state detector are its higher energy resolution and greater dynamic range. This strategy allows primary excitation above the Si K absorption edge, eliminating the background due to Raman scattering, and a gracing emission geometry to guarantee high surface sensitivity. Studies testing this concept in combination with high flux synchrotron radiation are underway and first results will be presented. (author)

Correlation of radiation sensitivity and nitrofurantoin sensitivity of Escherichia coli K-12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kloeck, K.

1981-01-01

The Uvr- and rec-mutants of E.coli K-12 have been tested with a view to their radiation- and nitrofuration sensitivity. The tests showed that all mutants tested were more radiation- and NF-sensitive than the wild type AB 1157. When the NF-sensitivity had been compared to the UV- and X-ray sensitivity it became obvious that the NF-sensitivity is correlated to the UV-sensitivity. Studies carried out with regard to the time dependence of the NF-effect on E.coli showed that the effect of NF on E. Coli became weaker after about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. That is possibly caused by the fact that the E. coli bacteria succeed in reducing the NF to an inactive form. By means of nitrosoguanidine mutants of E-coli AB 1157 had been induced and by means of the Replicite Plating Method, NF-sensible mutants had been isolated from the plutonium mixture. Among the mutants which had been isolated by this method, 74% had been more UV-sensitive than the wild type and 55% more X-ray sensitive. Thus NF-sensitive mutants have not necessarily to be considered as rec-mutants as there are also uvr-mutants in the mixture. (orig.) [de

Cool-flame Extinction During N-Alkane Droplet Combustion in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Nayagam, Vedha; Dietrich, Daniel L.; Hicks, Michael C.; Williams, Forman A.

2014-01-01

Recent droplet combustion experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have revealed that large n-alkane droplets can continue to burn quasi-steadily following radiative extinction in a low-temperature regime, characterized by negative-temperaturecoefficient (NTC) chemistry. In this study we report experimental observations of n-heptane, n-octane, and n-decane droplets of varying initial sizes burning in oxygen/nitrogen/carbon dioxide and oxygen/helium/nitrogen environments at 1.0, 0.7, and 0.5 atmospheric pressures. The oxygen concentration in these tests varied in the range of 14% to 25% by volume. Large n-alkane droplets exhibited quasi-steady low-temperature burning and extinction following radiative extinction of the visible flame while smaller droplets burned to completion or disruptively extinguished. A vapor-cloud formed in most cases slightly prior to or following the "cool flame" extinction. Results for droplet burning rates in both the hot-flame and cool-flame regimes as well as droplet extinction diameters at the end of each stage are presented. Time histories of radiant emission from the droplet captured using broadband radiometers are also presented. Remarkably the "cool flame" extinction diameters for all the three n-alkanes follow a trend reminiscent of the ignition delay times observed in previous studies. The similarities and differences among the n-alkanes during "cool flame" combustion are discussed using simplified theoretical models of the phenomenon

Mass extinction efficiency and extinction hygroscopicity of ambient PM2.5 in urban China.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Zhen; Ma, Xin; He, Yujie; Jiang, Jingkun; Wang, Xiaoliang; Wang, Yungang; Sheng, Li; Hu, Jiangkai; Yan, Naiqiang

2017-07-01

The ambient PM 2.5 pollution problem in China has drawn substantial international attentions. The mass extinction efficiency (MEE) and hygroscopicity factor (f(RH)) of PM 2.5 can be readily applied to study the impacts on atmospheric visibility and climate. The few previous investigations in China only reported results from pilot studies and are lack of spatial representativeness. In this study, hourly average ambient PM 2.5 mass concentration, relative humidity, and atmospheric visibility data from China national air quality and meteorological monitoring networks were retrieved and analyzed. It includes 24 major Chinese cities from nine city-clusters with the period of October 2013 to September 2014. Annual average extinction coefficient in urban China was 759.3±258.3Mm -1 , mainly caused by dry PM 2.5 (305.8.2±131.0Mm -1 ) and its hygroscopicity (414.6±188.1Mm -1 ). High extinction coefficient values were resulted from both high ambient PM 2.5 concentration (68.5±21.7µg/m 3 ) and high relative humidity (69.7±8.6%). The PM 2.5 mass extinction efficiency varied from 2.87 to 6.64m 2 /g with an average of 4.40±0.84m 2 /g. The average extinction hygroscopic factor f(RH=80%) was 2.63±0.45. The levels of PM 2.5 mass extinction efficiency and hygroscopic factor in China were in comparable range with those found in developed countries in spite of the significant diversities among all 24 cities. Our findings help to establish quantitative relationship between ambient extinction coefficient (visual range) and PM 2.5 & relative humidity. It will reduce the uncertainty of extinction coefficient estimation of ambient PM 2.5 in urban China which is essential for the research of haze pollution and climate radiative forcing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Roadmap to Clinical Use of Gold Nanoparticles for Radiation Sensitization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuemann, Jan, E-mail: jschuemann@mgh.harvard.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Berbeco, Ross [Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Chithrani, Devika B. [Department of Physics, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Cho, Sang Hyun [Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Kumar, Rajiv [Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); McMahon, Stephen J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom); Sridhar, Srinivas [Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Krishnan, Sunil [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States)

2016-01-01

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in interest in the use of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as radiation sensitizers for radiation therapy. This interest was initially driven by their strong absorption of ionizing radiation and the resulting ability to increase dose deposited within target volumes even at relatively low concentrations. These early observations are supported by extensive experimental validation, showing GNPs' efficacy at sensitizing tumors in both in vitro and in vivo systems to a range of types of ionizing radiation, including kilovoltage and megavoltage X rays as well as charged particles. Despite this experimental validation, there has been limited translation of GNP-mediated radiation sensitization to a clinical setting. One of the key challenges in this area is the wide range of experimental systems that have been investigated, spanning a range of particle sizes, shapes, and preparations. As a result, mechanisms of uptake and radiation sensitization have remained difficult to clearly identify. This has proven a significant impediment to the identification of optimal GNP formulations which strike a balance among their radiation sensitizing properties, their specificity to the tumors, their biocompatibility, and their imageability in vivo. This white paper reviews the current state of knowledge in each of the areas concerning the use of GNPs as radiosensitizers, and outlines the steps which will be required to advance GNP-enhanced radiation therapy from their current pre-clinical setting to clinical trials and eventual routine usage.

Individual radiation sensitivity: implications in medical practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gisone, P.; Dubner, D.; Perez, M.D.R.; Michelin, S.; Di Giogio, M. [Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Bourguignon, M. [Direction Generale de la Surete Nucleaire et de la Radioprotection, Paris (France)

2006-07-01

Important advances in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine towards better treatment modalities and safer applications have taken place in recent years. Progress in medical imaging, better tumour targeting and optimization of radiation delivery have allowed for dose escalation and improved patient outcome. However, the tolerance of normal tissues constitutes the limiting factor for dose escalation in therapeutical uses of ionizing radiation (IR). Patients vary considerably in their normal tissue response to IR even after similar treatments. As many as 5% of cancer patients develop severe effects to external radiation therapy in normal tissues within the treatment field: they may include acute effects such as erythema and desquamation of the exposed skin and mucosa that appear during or directly after radiotherapy, late effects developed months or years later, such as fibrosis and telangiectasia and cancer induction. Several patient and treatment related factors are known to influence the variability of side effects, however up to a 70% of the total variance of normal tissue radiation response remained unexplained. Thus, individual sensitivity to IR, i.e. hypersensitivity to carcinogenic risks (stochastic effects) and hypersensitivity to deterministic effects, is becoming an important issue in oncology and raises questions regarding the underlying mechanisms. The mechanisms of DNA repair, the signalling pathways involved in radiation sensitivity and non-targeted effects are key aspects, essential to understanding radiation effects at genetic level. Moreover, human genetic diseases that combine higher incidence of cancer and hypersensitivity to IR are associated with defects in cell response to DNA damage. Therefore, much interest has raised during the last years in the developing of predictive tests capable to detect in advance such hypersensitive conditions. The goal of this presentation is to review the possible mechanisms involved in genetic and epigenetic

Individual radiation sensitivity: implications in medical practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gisone, P.; Dubner, D.; Perez, M.D.R.; Michelin, S.; Di Giogio, M.; Bourguignon, M.

2006-01-01

Important advances in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine towards better treatment modalities and safer applications have taken place in recent years. Progress in medical imaging, better tumour targeting and optimization of radiation delivery have allowed for dose escalation and improved patient outcome. However, the tolerance of normal tissues constitutes the limiting factor for dose escalation in therapeutical uses of ionizing radiation (IR). Patients vary considerably in their normal tissue response to IR even after similar treatments. As many as 5% of cancer patients develop severe effects to external radiation therapy in normal tissues within the treatment field: they may include acute effects such as erythema and desquamation of the exposed skin and mucosa that appear during or directly after radiotherapy, late effects developed months or years later, such as fibrosis and telangiectasia and cancer induction. Several patient and treatment related factors are known to influence the variability of side effects, however up to a 70% of the total variance of normal tissue radiation response remained unexplained. Thus, individual sensitivity to IR, i.e. hypersensitivity to carcinogenic risks (stochastic effects) and hypersensitivity to deterministic effects, is becoming an important issue in oncology and raises questions regarding the underlying mechanisms. The mechanisms of DNA repair, the signalling pathways involved in radiation sensitivity and non-targeted effects are key aspects, essential to understanding radiation effects at genetic level. Moreover, human genetic diseases that combine higher incidence of cancer and hypersensitivity to IR are associated with defects in cell response to DNA damage. Therefore, much interest has raised during the last years in the developing of predictive tests capable to detect in advance such hypersensitive conditions. The goal of this presentation is to review the possible mechanisms involved in genetic and epigenetic

Observational evidence of dust evolution in galactic extinction curves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cecchi-Pestellini, Cesare [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, P.zza Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy); Casu, Silvia; Mulas, Giacomo [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Via della Scienza, I-09047 Selargius (Italy); Zonca, Alberto, E-mail: cecchi-pestellini@astropa.unipa.it, E-mail: silvia@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, E-mail: gmulas@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, E-mail: azonca@oa-cagliari.inaf.it [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Cagliari, Strada Prov.le Monserrato-Sestu Km 0.700, I-09042 Monserrato (Italy)

2014-04-10

Although structural and optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbons are known to respond to varying physical conditions, most conventional extinction models are basically curve fits with modest predictive power. We compare an evolutionary model of the physical properties of carbonaceous grain mantles with their determination by homogeneously fitting observationally derived Galactic extinction curves with the same physically well-defined dust model. We find that a large sample of observed Galactic extinction curves are compatible with the evolutionary scenario underlying such a model, requiring physical conditions fully consistent with standard density, temperature, radiation field intensity, and average age of diffuse interstellar clouds. Hence, through the study of interstellar extinction we may, in principle, understand the evolutionary history of the diffuse interstellar clouds.

Preventing Noise-Induced Extinction in Discrete Population Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Bashkirtseva

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A problem of the analysis and prevention of noise-induced extinction in nonlinear population models is considered. For the solution of this problem, we suggest a general approach based on the stochastic sensitivity analysis. To prevent the noise-induced extinction, we construct feedback regulators which provide a low stochastic sensitivity and keep the system close to the safe equilibrium regime. For the demonstration of this approach, we apply our mathematical technique to the conceptual but quite representative Ricker-type models. A variant of the Ricker model with delay is studied along with the classic widely used one-dimensional system.

Extinction cross-section suppression and active acoustic invisibility cloaking

Science.gov (United States)

Mitri, F. G.

2017-10-01

Invisibility in its canonical form requires rendering a zero extinction cross-section (or energy efficiency) from an active or a passive object. This work demonstrates the successful theoretical realization of this physical effect for an active cylindrically radiating acoustic body, undergoing periodic axisymmetric harmonic vibrations near a flat rigid boundary. Radiating, amplification and extinction cross-sections of the active source are defined. Assuming monopole and dipole modal oscillations of the circular source, conditions are found where the extinction energy efficiency factor of the active source vanishes, achieving total invisibility with minimal influence of the source size. It also takes positive or negative values, depending on its size and distance from the boundary. Moreover, the amplification energy efficiency factor is negative for the acoustically-active source. These effects also occur for higher-order modal oscillations of the active source. The results find potential applications in the development of acoustic cloaking devices and invisibility.

Extinction cross-section suppression and active acoustic invisibility cloaking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitri, F G

2017-01-01

Invisibility in its canonical form requires rendering a zero extinction cross-section (or energy efficiency) from an active or a passive object. This work demonstrates the successful theoretical realization of this physical effect for an active cylindrically radiating acoustic body, undergoing periodic axisymmetric harmonic vibrations near a flat rigid boundary. Radiating, amplification and extinction cross-sections of the active source are defined. Assuming monopole and dipole modal oscillations of the circular source, conditions are found where the extinction energy efficiency factor of the active source vanishes, achieving total invisibility with minimal influence of the source size. It also takes positive or negative values, depending on its size and distance from the boundary. Moreover, the amplification energy efficiency factor is negative for the acoustically-active source. These effects also occur for higher-order modal oscillations of the active source. The results find potential applications in the development of acoustic cloaking devices and invisibility. (letter)

Relative radiation sensitivity of insulators, stabilizers, and superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Konynenburg, R.A.; Guinan, M.W.

1980-12-01

The operating conditions of the magnets including temperature and radiation fields are discussed. Comments were made on the nuclear heating. Components of the magnet system, including the materials used, the important properties, the atomic structure, the damage mechanism, and the effects of room temperature warmup are described. Some failure criteria for the various components are suggested. Available data concerning radiation effects on each component are discussed. Their radiation sensitivities are compared using the conditions calculated for the ETF toroidal field magnet inboard leg, and ranked in order of sensitivity. Comments were made on the implications of this ranking for the directions of future applied materials research

Effect of troglitazone on radiation sensitivity in cervix cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Zheng Zhe; Liu, Xian Guang; Song, Hye Jin; Choi, Chi Hwan; Kim, Won Dong; Park, Woo Yoon; Yu, Jae Ran

2012-01-01

Troglitazone (TRO) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ ) agonist. TRO has antiproliferative activity on many kinds of cancer cells via G1 arrest. TRO also increases Cu 2+ /Zn 2+ -superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and catalase. Cell cycle, and SOD and catalase may affect on radiation sensitivity. We investigated the effect of TRO on radiation sensitivity in cancer cells in vitro. Three human cervix cancer cell lines (HeLa, Me180, and SiHa) were used. The protein expressions of SOD and catalase, and catalase activities were measured at 2-10 μM of TRO for 24 hours. Cell cycle was evaluated with flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate. Cell survival by radiation was measured with clonogenic assay. By 5 μM TRO for 24 hours, the mRNA, protein expression and activity of catalase were increased in all three cell lines. G0- G1 phase cells were increased in HeLa and Me180 by 5 μM TRO for 24 hours, but those were not increased in SiHa. By pretreatment with 5 μM TRO radiation sensitivity was increased in HeLa and Me180, but it was decreased in SiHa. In Me180, with 2 μM TRO which increased catalase but not increased G0-G1 cells, radiosensitization was not observed. ROS produced by radiation was decreased with TRO. TRO increases radiation sensitivity through G0-G1 arrest or decreases radiation sensitivity through catalasemediated ROS scavenging according to TRO dose or cell types. The change of radiation sensitivity by combined with TRO is not dependent on the PPAR γ expression level.

Radiation sensitivity of integrated circuits Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bereczkine Kerenyi, Ilona

1986-01-01

The cosmic ray sensitivity of CMOS integrated circuits are overviewed in three parts. The aim is to analyze the effects of ionizing radiation on the degradation of electronic parameters, the effects of the electric state during irradiation, and the radiation hardening of ICs. In this Part 1 a general introduction of the response of semiconductors to cosmic radiation is given, and the radiation tolerance and hardening of small-scale integrated CMOS ICs is analyzed in detail. The devices include various basic inverters and simple gate ICs. (R.P.)

Mitochondrial genomes reveal an explosive radiation of extinct and extant bears near the Miocene-Pliocene boundary.

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Johannes; Unger, Tina; Noçon, Aline; Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Kolokotronis, Sergios-Orestis; Stiller, Mathias; Soibelzon, Leopoldo; Spriggs, Helen; Dear, Paul H; Briggs, Adrian W; Bray, Sarah C E; O'Brien, Stephen J; Rabeder, Gernot; Matheus, Paul; Cooper, Alan; Slatkin, Montgomery; Pääbo, Svante; Hofreiter, Michael

2008-07-28

Despite being one of the most studied families within the Carnivora, the phylogenetic relationships among the members of the bear family (Ursidae) have long remained unclear. Widely divergent topologies have been suggested based on various data sets and methods. We present a fully resolved phylogeny for ursids based on ten complete mitochondrial genome sequences from all eight living and two recently extinct bear species, the European cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) and the American giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus). The mitogenomic data yield a well-resolved topology for ursids, with the sloth bear at the basal position within the genus Ursus. The sun bear is the sister taxon to both the American and Asian black bears, and this clade is the sister clade of cave bear, brown bear and polar bear confirming a recent study on bear mitochondrial genomes. Sequences from extinct bears represent the third and fourth Pleistocene species for which complete mitochondrial genomes have been sequenced. Moreover, the cave bear specimen demonstrates that mitogenomic studies can be applied to Pleistocene fossils that have not been preserved in permafrost, and therefore have a broad application within ancient DNA research. Molecular dating of the mtDNA divergence times suggests a rapid radiation of bears in both the Old and New Worlds around 5 million years ago, at the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. This coincides with major global changes, such as the Messinian crisis and the first opening of the Bering Strait, and suggests a global influence of such events on species radiations.

Mitochondrial genomes reveal an explosive radiation of extinct and extant bears near the Miocene-Pliocene boundary

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Rabeder Gernot

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite being one of the most studied families within the Carnivora, the phylogenetic relationships among the members of the bear family (Ursidae have long remained unclear. Widely divergent topologies have been suggested based on various data sets and methods. Results We present a fully resolved phylogeny for ursids based on ten complete mitochondrial genome sequences from all eight living and two recently extinct bear species, the European cave bear (Ursus spelaeus and the American giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus. The mitogenomic data yield a well-resolved topology for ursids, with the sloth bear at the basal position within the genus Ursus. The sun bear is the sister taxon to both the American and Asian black bears, and this clade is the sister clade of cave bear, brown bear and polar bear confirming a recent study on bear mitochondrial genomes. Conclusion Sequences from extinct bears represent the third and fourth Pleistocene species for which complete mitochondrial genomes have been sequenced. Moreover, the cave bear specimen demonstrates that mitogenomic studies can be applied to Pleistocene fossils that have not been preserved in permafrost, and therefore have a broad application within ancient DNA research. Molecular dating of the mtDNA divergence times suggests a rapid radiation of bears in both the Old and New Worlds around 5 million years ago, at the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. This coincides with major global changes, such as the Messinian crisis and the first opening of the Bering Strait, and suggests a global influence of such events on species radiations.

Sensitivity of clostridium acetobutylicum to oxygen and ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sozer, A.C.; Adler, H.I.; Machanoff, R.; Haney, S.

1984-01-01

The authors are studying the sensitivity of four strains of the obligate anaerobe, Clostridium acetobutylicum, to oxygen and ionizing radiation. Anaerobic bacteria are useful for such studies because of the absence of elaborate oxygen detoxification mechanisms that are found in aerobes. Their experiments make use of sterile membrane fragments from Escherichia coli that rapidly remove molecular oxygen from media and permit growth of anaerobes without the use of reducing agents or anaerobic chambers. Of the four strains examined for sensitivity to ionizing radiation under anaerobic conditions, one has an LD/sub 50/ of -- 25 krads and the others have an LD/sub 50/ of -- 7 krads. The radiation resistant strain is also relatively resistant to oxygen exposure. Sensitivity to oxygen was determined by diluting cells in buffer at 28 0 and bubbling with air. An exposure to air for 40 min induced only slight inactivation in the radiation resistant strain. All strains are capable of removing oxygen from complex media but there is no apparent correlation between this oxygen consuming reaction and inactivation by either oxygen or radiation

Immunological aspects of light radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellman, K.B.; Schuller, G.B.

1981-01-01

The immune system comprises one aspect of the host's defense mechanism against potentially harmful agents. It has become recognized as an important factor in light radiation sensitivity and light-mediated disease. The interaction of light radiation with the immune system has formed the basis for the evolving discipline of photoimmunology. A description of the multicomponent immune system, its modification by light radiation, and a discussion of how photoimmunological studies may provide data important for understanding the mechanisms involved in photosensitivity are presented in this review. Photosensitivity may be either acquired or may be genetic in nature. Acquired photosensitivity involves an individual's reaction to either light alone or light in conjunction with topically or systemically administered photosenitizing agents. The outcome of such a reaction can be benign or severe, depending on a number of factors. Genetic photosensitivity includes the reactions to light radiation of individuals carrying the genetic information for inherited diseases such as Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) and Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Factors associated with these conditions can lead to enhanced sensitivity to radiation-related diseases, such as cancer. In addition, there are conditions which cannot be readily placed in either of the categories just described but, nevertheless, have been correlated with immune system dysfunction. These include photoallergy, photosensitivity associated with autoimmunity, and light-induced skin cancer. Immunological studies have provided information which may aid in elucidating the problem of photosensitivity and in the development of suitable radioprotective measures

DNA repair and radiation sensitivity in mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, D.J.C.; Stackhouse, M.; Chen, D.S.

1993-01-01

Ionizing radiation induces various types of damage in mammalian cells including DNA single-strand breaks, DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), DNA-protein cross links, and altered DNA bases. Although human cells can repair many of these lesions there is little detailed knowledge of the nature of the genes and the encoded enzymes that control these repair processes. We report here on the cellular and genetic analyses of DNA double-strand break repair deficient mammalian cells. It has been well established that the DNA double-strand break is one of the major lesions induced by ionizing radiation. Utilizing rodent repair-deficient mutant, we have shown that the genes responsible for DNA double-strand break repair are also responsible for the cellular expression of radiation sensitivity. The molecular genetic analysis of DSB repair in rodent/human hybrid cells indicate that at least 6 different genes in mammalian cells are responsible for the repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks. Mapping and the prospect of cloning of human radiation repair genes are reviewed. Understanding the molecular and genetic basis of radiation sensitivity and DNA repair in man will provide a rational foundation to predict the individual risk associated with radiation exposure and to prevent radiation-induced genetic damage in the human population

Estimating extinction using unsupervised machine learning

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Meingast, Stefan; Lombardi, Marco; Alves, João

2017-05-01

Dust extinction is the most robust tracer of the gas distribution in the interstellar medium, but measuring extinction is limited by the systematic uncertainties involved in estimating the intrinsic colors to background stars. In this paper we present a new technique, Pnicer, that estimates intrinsic colors and extinction for individual stars using unsupervised machine learning algorithms. This new method aims to be free from any priors with respect to the column density and intrinsic color distribution. It is applicable to any combination of parameters and works in arbitrary numbers of dimensions. Furthermore, it is not restricted to color space. Extinction toward single sources is determined by fitting Gaussian mixture models along the extinction vector to (extinction-free) control field observations. In this way it becomes possible to describe the extinction for observed sources with probability densities, rather than a single value. Pnicer effectively eliminates known biases found in similar methods and outperforms them in cases of deep observational data where the number of background galaxies is significant, or when a large number of parameters is used to break degeneracies in the intrinsic color distributions. This new method remains computationally competitive, making it possible to correctly de-redden millions of sources within a matter of seconds. With the ever-increasing number of large-scale high-sensitivity imaging surveys, Pnicer offers a fast and reliable way to efficiently calculate extinction for arbitrary parameter combinations without prior information on source characteristics. The Pnicer software package also offers access to the well-established Nicer technique in a simple unified interface and is capable of building extinction maps including the Nicest correction for cloud substructure. Pnicer is offered to the community as an open-source software solution and is entirely written in Python.

Instructions, multiple schedules, and extinction: Distinguishing rule-governed from schedule-controlled behavior.

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Hayes, S C; Brownstein, A J; Haas, J R; Greenway, D E

1986-09-01

Schedule sensitivity has usually been examined either through a multiple schedule or through changes in schedules after steady-state responding has been established. This study compared the effects of these two procedures when various instructions were given. Fifty-five college students responded in two 32-min sessions under a multiple fixed-ratio 18/differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 6-s schedule, followed by one session of extinction. Some subjects received no instructions regarding the appropriate rates of responding, whereas others received instructions to respond slowly, rapidly, or both. Relative to the schedule in operation, the instructions were minimal, partially inaccurate, or accurate. When there was little schedule sensitivity in the multiple schedule, there was little in extinction. When apparently schedule-sensitive responding occurred in the multiple schedule, however, sensitivity in extinction occurred only if differential responding in the multiple schedule could not be due to rules supplied by the experimenter. This evidence shows that rule-governed behavior that occurs in the form of schedule-sensitive behavior may not in fact become schedule-sensitive even though it makes contact with the scheduled reinforcers.

IR emission and UV extinction in two open clusters

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Hackwell, J.A.; Hecht, J.H.

1989-01-01

Recent models of interstellar extinction have shown the importance of understanding both the UV and IR properties of interstellar dust grains. IRAS data have shown variations in 60 and 100 micron emissions presumably due to the presence of IR cirrus, while recent observations in the UV by Fitzpatrick and Massa have identified components in the UV extinction curve which vary in different star regions. A Draine and Anderson model connects these results by proposing that different size variations in interstellar grains would cause distinct changes in both the IR emission and the UV extinction. In order to test this model it is necessary to make observations in well defined locations away from peculiar extinction regions. In the infrared this means looking away from the galactic plane so as to limit non-local sources of IR radiation. Two open clusters that are out of the galactic plane and which contain a number of late B and early A stars suitable for UV extinction studies, and whose IRAS data show variations in the 60/100 micron ratio were studied. Based on the Drain and Anderson model, variations were expected in their UV extinction curves that correlate with the IR cirrus emission

Albendazole sensitizes cancer cells to ionizing radiation

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Patel, Kirtesh; Doudican, Nicole A; Schiff, Peter B; Orlow, Seth J

2011-01-01

Brain metastases afflict approximately half of patients with metastatic melanoma (MM) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and represent the direct cause of death in 60 to 70% of those affected. Standard of care remains ineffective in both types of cancer with the challenge of overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB) exacerbating the clinical problem. Our purpose is to determine and characterize the potential of albendazole (ABZ) as a cytotoxic and radiosensitizing agent against MM and SCLC cells. Here, ABZ's mechanism of action as a DNA damaging and microtubule disrupting agent is assessed through analysis of histone H2AX phosphorylation and cell cyle progression. The cytotoxicity of ABZ alone and in combination with radiation therapy is determined though clonogenic cell survival assays in a panel of MM and SCLC cell lines. We further establish ABZ's ability to act synergistically as a radio-sensitizer through combination index calculations and apoptotic measurements of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. ABZ induces DNA damage as measured by increased H2AX phosphorylation. ABZ inhibits the growth of MM and SCLC at clinically achievable plasma concentrations. At these concentrations, ABZ arrests MM and SCLC cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle after 12 hours of treatment. Exploiting the notion that cells in the G2/M phase are the most sensitive to radiation therapy, we show that treatment of MM and SCLC cells treated with ABZ renders them more sensitive to radiation in a synergistic fashion. Additionally, MM and SCLC cells co-treated with ABZ and radiation exhibit increased apoptosis at 72 hours. Our study suggests that the orally available antihelminthic ABZ acts as a potent radiosensitizer in MM and SCLC cell lines. Further evaluation of ABZ in combination with radiation as a potential treatment for MM and SCLC brain metastases is warranted

Albendazole sensitizes cancer cells to ionizing radiation

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Brain metastases afflict approximately half of patients with metastatic melanoma (MM) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and represent the direct cause of death in 60 to 70% of those affected. Standard of care remains ineffective in both types of cancer with the challenge of overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB) exacerbating the clinical problem. Our purpose is to determine and characterize the potential of albendazole (ABZ) as a cytotoxic and radiosensitizing agent against MM and SCLC cells. Methods Here, ABZ's mechanism of action as a DNA damaging and microtubule disrupting agent is assessed through analysis of histone H2AX phosphorylation and cell cyle progression. The cytotoxicity of ABZ alone and in combination with radiation therapy is determined though clonogenic cell survival assays in a panel of MM and SCLC cell lines. We further establish ABZ's ability to act synergistically as a radio-sensitizer through combination index calculations and apoptotic measurements of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Results ABZ induces DNA damage as measured by increased H2AX phosphorylation. ABZ inhibits the growth of MM and SCLC at clinically achievable plasma concentrations. At these concentrations, ABZ arrests MM and SCLC cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle after 12 hours of treatment. Exploiting the notion that cells in the G2/M phase are the most sensitive to radiation therapy, we show that treatment of MM and SCLC cells treated with ABZ renders them more sensitive to radiation in a synergistic fashion. Additionally, MM and SCLC cells co-treated with ABZ and radiation exhibit increased apoptosis at 72 hours. Conclusions Our study suggests that the orally available antihelminthic ABZ acts as a potent radiosensitizer in MM and SCLC cell lines. Further evaluation of ABZ in combination with radiation as a potential treatment for MM and SCLC brain metastases is warranted. PMID:22094106

Enhanced THz extinction in arrays of resonant semiconductor particles.

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Schaafsma, Martijn C; Georgiou, Giorgos; Rivas, Jaime Gómez

2015-09-21

We demonstrate experimentally the enhanced THz extinction by periodic arrays of resonant semiconductor particles. This phenomenon is explained in terms of the radiative coupling of localized resonances with diffractive orders in the plane of the array (Rayleigh anomalies). The experimental results are described by numerical calculations using a coupled dipole model and by Finite-Difference in Time-Domain simulations. An optimum particle size for enhancing the extinction efficiency of the array is found. This optimum is determined by the frequency detuning between the localized resonances in the individual particles and the Rayleigh anomaly. The extinction calculations and measurements are also compared to near-field simulations illustrating the optimum particle size for the enhancement of the near-field.

Non-nitro radiation sensitizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, G.P.

1986-01-01

This short communication aims to update the review of non-nitro radiation sensitizers (Shenoy and Singh 1985) and correct omissions. Work is mentioned and bibliography given for studied of cis-platinum, potassium permanganate, cobalt hexammine, sodium bromide, dimethylsulphoxide, zinc and copper ions, organic nitroxyl free radicals (TAN,TMPN and NPPN + PNAP), halogenated pyrimidines, organic and inorganic iodine containing compounds, diacetyl, acetone and acetophenone, rho-hydrobenzoic acid and its esters, pentobarbitone and secobarbitone, heparin and 9-anilinoacridines, dehydropiandosterone and paraquat. (U.K.)

Radiation sensitivity of human malignant lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seshadri, R.; Matthews, C.; Morley, A.A.

1985-01-01

A simple and rapid in vitro technique to assess the sensitivity of human malignant lymphocytes to roentgen irradiation is described. A variety of established malignant lymphocyte cell lines were cloned in microwells and clone survival was used as the end-point. The survival of the clonogenic malignant lymphocyte down to a fraction of approximately 0.001 could be measured accurately. Except for a T-cell line, the radiation sensitivities of the cell lines were similar to that of normal T-lymphocytes. (orig.)

Physical determinants of radiation sensitivity in bacterial spores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powers, E.L.

1982-01-01

Several factors modifying radiation sensitivity in dry bacterial spores are described and discussed. Vacuum inducing the loss of critical structural water, very low dose rates of radiation from which the cell may recover, radiations of high linear energy transfer, and the action of temperature over long periods of time on previously irradiated cells are recognized from extensive laboratory work as important in determining survival of spores exposed to low radiation doses at low temperatures for long periods of time. Some extensions of laboratory work are proposed

Toward the elucidation of factors concerning the individual difference of radiation sensitivity, and the reduction of radiation risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nenoi, Mitsuru; Nakajima, Tetsuo; Wang, Bing

2013-01-01

This article describes studies aiming at the title subject and contains 2 topics of genetic and non-genetic factors modifying the radiation sensitivity. The ultimate purposes of those studies are the introduction of individual weighting factor to correct the individual differences of the sensitivity (IDS) and the practical control of the sensitivity-concerned factors, in the field of medical exposure. For genetic factors, described are studies on factors modifying the sensitivity at DNA repair and on the control of the sensitivity through the DNA repairing factors. The former, using cultured cells, aims at identifying protein (gene) of possible biomarker for IDS in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), an important mechanism in repairing the double strand break of DNA. Ku protein is found as the candidate. The latter has revealed that cells lacking Artemis, XRCC4 or MDC1 gene are highly sensitive, and are planning to suppress Artemis activity artificially, which may lead to the reduction of radiation cancer formation due to the death of highly sensitive cells. For non-genetic factors, described are studies on the life habits modifying the sensitivity, on the control of the sensitivity through the radiation-induced adaptive response and with steroid hormone. In the first, in mice treated with high-calorie diet and X-irradiation, a possible radiation response is suggested in the hepatic DNA-methylation and micro-RNA. Second, the combination of radiation adaptive response in the genome damage and restriction of diet ingestion is shown to lower the sensitivity of mice with use of C, Ne ion or X-ray irradiation. Third, in studies on the radiation-induced formation and condensation of breast cancer stem cells in the presence of progesterone, the hormone is found to produce micro-RNA molecules relating with the suppression of cellular senescence and repressed carcinogenesis with over-expression of apoptosis inhibitory molecules. (T.T.)

Extinction and ecological retreat in a community of primates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crowley, B. E.; Godfrey, L. R.; Guilderson, T. P.; Zermeno, P.; Koch, P. L.; Dominy, N. J.

2012-05-23

The lemurs of Madagascar represent a prodigious adaptive radiation. At least 17 species ranging from 11 to 160 kg have become extinct during the past 2000 years. The effect of this loss on contemporary lemurs is unknown. The concept of competitive release favours the expansion of living species into vacant niches. Alternatively, factors that triggered the extinction of some species could have also reduced community-wide niche breadth. Here, we use radiocarbon and stable isotope data to examine temporal shifts in the niches of extant lemur species following the extinction of eight large-bodied species. We focus on southwestern Madagascar and report profound isotopic shifts, both from the time when now-extinct lemurs abounded and from the time immediately following their decline to the present. Unexpectedly, the past environments exploited by lemurs were drier than the protected (albeit often degraded) riparian habitats assumed to be ideal for lemurs today. Neither competitive release nor niche contraction can explain these observed trends. We develop an alternative hypothesis: ecological retreat, which suggests that factors surrounding extinction may force surviving species into marginal or previously unfilled niches.

Investigation of graphene-based nanoscale radiation sensitive materials

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Robinson, Joshua A.; Wetherington, Maxwell; Hughes, Zachary; LaBella, Michael, III; Bresnehan, Michael

2012-06-01

Current state-of-the-art nanotechnology offers multiple benefits for radiation sensing applications. These include the ability to incorporate nano-sized radiation indicators into widely used materials such as paint, corrosion-resistant coatings, and ceramics to create nano-composite materials that can be widely used in everyday life. Additionally, nanotechnology may lead to the development of ultra-low power, flexible detection systems that can be embedded in clothing or other systems. Graphene, a single layer of graphite, exhibits exceptional electronic and structural properties, and is being investigated for high-frequency devices and sensors. Previous work indicates that graphene-oxide (GO) - a derivative of graphene - exhibits luminescent properties that can be tailored based on chemistry; however, exploration of graphene-oxide's ability to provide a sufficient change in luminescent properties when exposed to gamma or neutron radiation has not been carried out. We investigate the mechanisms of radiation-induced chemical modifications and radiation damage induced shifts in luminescence in graphene-oxide materials to provide a fundamental foundation for further development of radiation sensitive detection architectures. Additionally, we investigate the integration of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with graphene-based devices to evaluate radiation induced conductivity in nanoscale devices. Importantly, we demonstrate the sensitivity of graphene transport properties to the presence of alpha particles, and discuss the successful integration of hBN with large area graphene electrodes as a means to provide the foundation for large-area nanoscale radiation sensors.

Gamma response study of radiation sensitive MOSFETs for their use as gamma radiation sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Saurabh; Kumar, A. Vinod [Radiation Safety Systems Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India); Aggarwal, Bharti; Singh, Arvind; Topkar, Anita, E-mail: anita@barc.gov.in [Electronics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

2016-05-23

Continuous monitoring of gamma dose is important in various fields like radiation therapy, space-related research, nuclear energy programs and high energy physics experiment facilities. The present work is focused on utilization of radiation-sensitive Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) to monitor gamma radiation doses. Static characterization of these detectors was performed to check their expected current-voltage relationship. Threshold voltage and transconductance per unit gate to source voltage (K factor) were calculated from the experimental data. The detector was exposed to gamma radiation in both, with and without gate bias voltage conditions, and change in threshold voltage was monitored at different gamma doses. The experimental data was fitted to obtain equation for dependence of threshold voltage on gamma dose. More than ten times increase in sensitivity was observed in biased condition (+3 V) compared to the unbiased case.

Radiation sensitivity and EPR dosimetric potential of gallic acid and its esters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuner, Hasan; Oktay Bal, M.; Polat, Mustafa

2015-01-01

In the preset work the radiation sensitivities of Gallic Acid anhydrous and monohydrate, Octyl, Lauryl, and Ethyl Gallate (GA, GAm, OG, LG, and EG) were investigated in the intermediate (0.5–20 kGy) and low radiation (<10 Gy) dose range using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. While OG, LG, and EG are presented a singlet EPR spectra, their radiation sensitivity found to be very different in the intermediate dose range. At low radiation dose range (<10 Gy) only LG is found to be present a signal that easily distinguished from the noise signals. The intermediate and low dose range radiation sensitivities are compared using well known EPR dosimeter alanine. The radiation yields (G) of the interested material were found to be 1.34×10 −2 , 1.48×10 −2 , 4.14×10 −2 , and 6.03×10 −2 , 9.44×10 −2 for EG, GA, GAm, OG, and LG, respectively at the intermediate dose range. It is found that the simple EPR spectra and the noticeable EPR signal of LG make it a promising dosimetric material to be used below 10 Gy of radiation dose. - Highlights: • Radiation sensitivity of gallic acid and its esters were studied in intermediate and low radiation dose range using EPR. • While the irradiated samples of GA were presented complex EPR spectra the esters presented singlet ESR spectra. • Samples were compared to alanine in terms of the dosimetric point of view. • The radiation sensitivities of the investigated materials were very low at intermediate doses. • Lauryl ester of gallic acid was found to present a good sensitivity below 10 Gy

Sensitivity of transient synchrotron radiation to tokamak plasma parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Kritz, A.H.

1988-12-01

Synchrotron radiation from a hot plasma can inform on certain plasma parameters. The dependence on plasma parameters is particularly sensitive for the transient radiation response to a brief, deliberate, perturbation of hot plasma electrons. We investigate how such a radiation response can be used to diagnose a variety of plasma parameters in a tokamak. 18 refs., 13 figs

Impairment in extinction of contextual and cued, fear following post-training whole body irradiation

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Reid HJ Olsen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Because of the use of radiation in cancer therapy, the risk of nuclear contamination from power plants, military conflicts, and terrorism, there is a compelling scientific and public health interest in the effects of environmental radiation exposure on brain function, in particular hippocampal function and learning and memory. Previous studies have emphasized changes in learning and memory following radiation exposure. These approaches have ignored the question of how radiation exposure might impact recently acquired memories, which might be acquired under traumatic circumstances (cancer treatment, nuclear disaster, etc.. To address the question of how radiation exposure might affect the processing and recall of recently acquired memories, we employed a fear-conditioning paradigm wherein animals were trained, and subsequently irradiated (whole-body X-ray irradiation 24 hours later. Animals were given two weeks to recover, and were tested for retention and extinction of hippocampus-dependent contextual fear conditioning. Exposure to irradiation following training was associated with reduced daily increases in body weights over the 22 days of the study and resulted in greater freezing levels and aberrant extinction 2 weeks later. This was also observed when the intensity of the training protocol was increased. Cued freezing levels and measures of anxiety 2 weeks after training were also higher in irradiated than sham-irradiated mice. In contrast to contextual freezing levels, cued freezing levels were even higher in irradiated mice receiving 5 shocks during training than sham-irradiated mice receiving 10 shocks during training. In addition, the effects of radiation on extinction of contextual fear were more profound than those on the extinction of cued fear. Thus, whole body irradiation elevates contextual and cued fear memory recall.

Andrographolide Sensitizes Ras-Transformed Cells to Radiation in vitro and in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, Shih-Kai; Hung, Ling-Chien; Kuo, Cheng-Deng

2010-01-01

Purpose: Increasing the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation is a major goal of radiotherapy. The present study investigated the radiosensitizing effects of andrographolide and examined the molecular mechanisms of andrographolide-mediated radiosensitization. Methods and Materials: An H-ras-transformed rat kidney epithelial (RK3E) cell line was used to measure the radiosensitizing effects of andrographolide in clonogenic assays, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide assays, and a xenograft tumor growth model. The mechanism of andrographolide-sensitized cell death was analyzed using annexin V staining, caspase 3 activity assays, and terminal transferase uridyl nick end labeling assays. The roles of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and Akt in andrographolide-mediated sensitization were examined using reporter assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and Western blotting. Results: Concurrent andrographolide treatment (10 μM, 3 h) sensitized Ras-transformed cells to radiation in vitro (sensitizer enhancement ratio, 1.73). Andrographolide plus radiation (one dose of 300 mg/kg peritumor andrographolide and one dose of 6 Gy radiation) resulted in significant tumor growth delay (27 ± 2.5 days) compared with radiation alone (22 ± 1.5 days; p <.05). Radiation induced apoptotic markers (e.g., caspase-3, membrane reversion, DNA fragmentation), and andrographolide treatment did not promote radiation-induced apoptosis. However, the protein level of activated Akt was significantly reduced by andrographolide. NF-κB activity was elevated in irradiated Ras-transformed cells, and andrographolide treatment significantly reduced radiation-induced NF-κB activity. Conclusion: Andrographolide sensitized Ras-transformed cells to radiation both in vitro and in vivo. Andrographolide-mediated radiosensitization was associated with downregulation of Akt and NF-κB activity. These observations indicate that andrographolide is a novel radiosensitizing agent

Alterations in neuronal morphology in infralimbic cortex predict resistance to fear extinction following acute stress

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Kelly M. Moench

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Dysfunction in corticolimbic circuits that mediate the extinction of learned fear responses is thought to underlie the perseveration of fear in stress-related psychopathologies, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Chronic stress produces dendritic hypertrophy in basolateral amygdala (BLA and dendritic hypotrophy in medial prefrontal cortex, whereas acute stress leads to hypotrophy in both BLA and prelimbic cortex. Additionally, both chronic and acute stress impair extinction retrieval. Here, we examined the effects of a single elevated platform stress on extinction learning and dendritic morphology in infralimbic cortex, a region considered to be critical for extinction. Acute stress produced resistance to extinction, as well as dendritic retraction in infralimbic cortex. Spine density on apical and basilar terminal branches was unaffected by stress. However, animals that underwent conditioning and extinction had decreased spine density on apical terminal branches. Thus, whereas dendritic morphology in infralimbic cortex appears to be particularly sensitive to stress, changes in spines may more sensitively reflect learning. Further, in stressed rats that underwent conditioning and extinction, the level of extinction learning was correlated with spine densities, in that rats with poorer extinction retrieval had more immature spines and fewer thin spines than rats with better extinction retrieval, suggesting that stress may have impaired learning-related spine plasticity. These results may have implications for understanding the role of medial prefrontal cortex in learning deficits associated with stress-related pathologies.

Parameterization of the Extinction Coefficient in Ice and Mixed-Phase Arctic Clouds during the ISDAC Field Campaign

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korolev, A; Shashkov, A; Barker, H

2012-03-06

This report documents the history of attempts to directly measure cloud extinction, the current measurement device known as the Cloud Extinction Probe (CEP), specific problems with direct measurement of extinction coefficient, and the attempts made here to address these problems. Extinction coefficient is one of the fundamental microphysical parameters characterizing bulk properties of clouds. Knowledge of extinction coefficient is of crucial importance for radiative transfer calculations in weather prediction and climate models given that Earth's radiation budget (ERB) is modulated much by clouds. In order for a large-scale model to properly account for ERB and perturbations to it, it must ultimately be able to simulate cloud extinction coefficient well. In turn this requires adequate and simultaneous simulation of profiles of cloud water content and particle habit and size. Similarly, remote inference of cloud properties requires assumptions to be made about cloud phase and associated single-scattering properties, of which extinction coefficient is crucial. Hence, extinction coefficient plays an important role in both application and validation of methods for remote inference of cloud properties from data obtained from both satellite and surface sensors (e.g., Barker et al. 2008). While estimation of extinction coefficient within large-scale models is relatively straightforward for pure water droplets, thanks to Mie theory, mixed-phase and ice clouds still present problems. This is because of the myriad forms and sizes that crystals can achieve, each having their own unique extinction properties. For the foreseeable future, large-scale models will have to be content with diagnostic parametrization of crystal size and type. However, before they are able to provide satisfactory values needed for calculation of radiative transfer, they require the intermediate step of assigning single-scattering properties to particles. The most basic of these is extinction

Characterization of new radiation-sensitive mutant, Escherichia coli K-12 radC102

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felzenszwalb, I.; Sargentini, N.J.; Smith, K.C.

1984-01-01

A new radiation-sensitive mutant, radC, has been isolated. The radC gene is located at 81.0 min on the Escherichia coli K-12 linkage map. The radC mutation sensitized cells to uv radiation, but unlike most DNA repair mutations, sensitization to X rays was observed only for rich medium-grown cells. For cells grown in rich medium, the radC mutant was normal for γ radiation mutagenesis, but showed less uv-radiation mutagenesis than the wild-type strain; it showed normal amount of X- and uv-radiation-induced DNA degradation, and it wasapprox. =60% deficient in recombination ability. The radC strain was normal for host cell reactivation of γ and uv-irradiated bacteriophage the radC mutation did not sensitize a recA strain, but did sensitize a radA and a polA strain to X and uv radiation and a uvrA strain to uv radiation. Therefore, it is suggested that the radC gene product plays a role in the growth medium-dependent, recA gene-dependent repair of DNA single-strand breaks after X irradiation, and in postreplication repair after uv irradiation

Epicatechin stimulates mitochondrial activity and selectively sensitizes cancer cells to radiation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hosam A Elbaz

Full Text Available Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice for solid tumors including pancreatic cancer, but the effectiveness of treatment is limited by radiation resistance. Resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy is associated with reduced mitochondrial respiration and drugs that stimulate mitochondrial respiration may decrease radiation resistance. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of (--epicatechin to stimulate mitochondrial respiration in cancer cells and to selectively sensitize cancer cells to radiation. We investigated the natural compound (--epicatechin for effects on mitochondrial respiration and radiation resistance of pancreatic and glioblastoma cancer cells using a Clark type oxygen electrode, clonogenic survival assays, and Western blot analyses. (--Epicatechin stimulated mitochondrial respiration and oxygen consumption in Panc-1 cells. Human normal fibroblasts were not affected. (--Epicatechin sensitized Panc-1, U87, and MIA PaCa-2 cells with an average radiation enhancement factor (REF of 1.7, 1.5, and 1.2, respectively. (--Epicatechin did not sensitize normal fibroblast cells to ionizing radiation with a REF of 0.9, suggesting cancer cell selectivity. (--Epicatechin enhanced Chk2 phosphorylation and p21 induction when combined with radiation in cancer, but not normal, cells. Taken together, (--epicatechin radiosensitized cancer cells, but not normal cells, and may be a promising candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment when combined with radiation.

Extinction of Pavlovian conditioning: The influence of trial number and reinforcement history.

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Chan, C K J; Harris, Justin A

2017-08-01

Pavlovian conditioning is sensitive to the temporal relationship between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US). This has motivated models that describe learning as a process that continuously updates associative strength during the trial or specifically encodes the CS-US interval. These models predict that extinction of responding is also continuous, such that response loss is proportional to the cumulative duration of exposure to the CS without the US. We review evidence showing that this prediction is incorrect, and that extinction is trial-based rather than time-based. We also present two experiments that test the importance of trials versus time on the Partial Reinforcement Extinction Effect (PREE), in which responding extinguishes more slowly for a CS that was inconsistently reinforced with the US than for a consistently reinforced one. We show that increasing the number of extinction trials of the partially reinforced CS, relative to the consistently reinforced CS, overcomes the PREE. However, increasing the duration of extinction trials by the same amount does not overcome the PREE. We conclude that animals learn about the likelihood of the US per trial during conditioning, and learn trial-by-trial about the absence of the US during extinction. Moreover, what they learn about the likelihood of the US during conditioning affects how sensitive they are to the absence of the US during extinction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The evolution of the Indian Ocean parrots (Psittaciformes): extinction, adaptive radiation and eustacy.

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Kundu, S; Jones, C G; Prys-Jones, R P; Groombridge, J J

2012-01-01

Parrots are among the most recognisable and widely distributed of all bird groups occupying major parts of the tropics. The evolution of the genera that are found in and around the Indian Ocean region is particularly interesting as they show a high degree of heterogeneity in distribution and levels of speciation. Here we present a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Indian Ocean parrots, identifying the possible geological and geographical factors that influenced their evolution. We hypothesise that the Indian Ocean islands acted as stepping stones in the radiation of the Old-World parrots, and that sea-level changes may have been an important determinant of current distributions and differences in speciation. A multi-locus phylogeny showing the evolutionary relationships among genera highlights the interesting position of the monotypic Psittrichas, which shares a common ancestor with the geographically distant Coracopsis. An extensive species-level molecular phylogeny indicates a complex pattern of radiation including evidence for colonisation of Africa, Asia and the Indian Ocean islands from Australasia via multiple routes, and of island populations 'seeding' continents. Moreover, comparison of estimated divergence dates and sea-level changes points to the latter as a factor in parrot speciation. This is the first study to include the extinct parrot taxa, Mascarinus mascarinus and Psittacula wardi which, respectively, appear closely related to Coracopsis nigra and Psittacula eupatria. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis of Afterbody Radiative Heating Predictions for Earth Entry

Science.gov (United States)

West, Thomas K., IV; Johnston, Christopher O.; Hosder, Serhat

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to perform sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification for afterbody radiative heating predictions of Stardust capsule during Earth entry at peak afterbody radiation conditions. The radiation environment in the afterbody region poses significant challenges for accurate uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis due to the complexity of the flow physics, computational cost, and large number of un-certain variables. In this study, first a sparse collocation non-intrusive polynomial chaos approach along with global non-linear sensitivity analysis was used to identify the most significant uncertain variables and reduce the dimensions of the stochastic problem. Then, a total order stochastic expansion was constructed over only the important parameters for an efficient and accurate estimate of the uncertainty in radiation. Based on previous work, 388 uncertain parameters were considered in the radiation model, which came from the thermodynamics, flow field chemistry, and radiation modeling. The sensitivity analysis showed that only four of these variables contributed significantly to afterbody radiation uncertainty, accounting for almost 95% of the uncertainty. These included the electronic- impact excitation rate for N between level 2 and level 5 and rates of three chemical reactions in uencing N, N(+), O, and O(+) number densities in the flow field.

Multiparametric assessment of radiation effects for the individual radiation sensitivity estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The effects of low dose irradiation are highly relevant for radiation protection in the public. The sensitivity to clastogenic and tumorigenic effects of ionizing radiation (IR) varies considerably amongst individuals. Examples for genetically determined enhanced sensitivity are well known in some hereditary diseases: patients with chromosomal instability syndromes, Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T), Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome (NBS) and Bloom Syndrome (BS) show strongly enhanced sensitivity towards IR, severe immunodeficiencies, and a high incidence for developing leukemias and lymphomas. This obvious coincidence of enhanced radiosensitivity and tumor risk, and the frequently observed enhanced radiosensitivity of genetically non-defined tumor patients indicate that tumor patients may constitute a subpopulation with enriched genetical predisposition for enhanced radiosensitivity. Furthermore, a subpopulation of radiosensitive individuals may be part of the probably inconspicuous total population. For example, individuals heterozygous for the above mentioned genes (and possibly some other genes) show enhanced radiosensitivity if compared with the normal population. In general, heterozygous carriers of those hereditary deficiencies are clinically inconspicuous, but due an haploinsufficiency their tumour risk may be enhanced. This has been shown for mice carrying an heterozygous Nbs1 mutation (J.-Q. Wang, Lyon, pers. Communication). Our findings concerning enhanced radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations in heterozygous Nbs1 cell lines support this notion. The identification of high risk groups with enhanced radiosensitivity is therefore an important task for radioprotection. This project aimed at establishing a procedure which allows to test various cellular parameters as indicators for effects of radiation. A standard protocol for the isolation and cryoconservation of primary blood cells was developed. DNA repair analysis (Comet Assay) and radiation-induced apoptosis

Temporal Dynamics of Recovery from Extinction Shortly after Extinction Acquisition

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Archbold, Georgina E.; Dobbek, Nick; Nader, Karim

2013-01-01

Evidence suggests that extinction is new learning. Memory acquisition involves both short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) components; however, few studies have examined early phases of extinction retention. Retention of auditory fear extinction was examined at various time points. Shortly (1-4 h) after extinction acquisition…

Radiation-sensitive switching circuits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, J.H.; Cockshott, C.P.

1976-03-16

A radiation-sensitive switching circuit has a light emitting diode which supplies light to a photo-transistor, the light being interrupted from time to time. When the photo-transistor is illuminated, current builds up and when this current reaches a predetermined value, a trigger circuit changes state. The peak output of the photo-transistor is measured and the trigger circuit is arranged to change state when the output of the device is a set proportion of the peak output, so as to allow for aging of the components. The circuit is designed to control the ignition system in an automobile engine.

Radiation-sensitive switching circuits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, J.H.; Cockshott, C.P.

1976-03-16

A radiation-sensitive switching circuit includes a light emitting diode which from time to time illuminates a photo-transistor, the photo-transistor serving when its output reaches a predetermined value to operate a trigger circuit. In order to allow for aging of the components, the current flow through the diode is increased when the output from the transistor falls below a known level. Conveniently, this is achieved by having a transistor in parallel with the diode, and turning the transistor off when the output from the phototransistor becomes too low. The circuit is designed to control the ignition system in an automobile engine.

Enhanced THz extinction in arrays of resonant semiconductor particles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaafsma, M. C.; Georgiou, G.; J. Gomez Rivas,

2015-01-01

We demonstrate experimentally the enhanced THz extinction by periodic arrays of resonant semiconductor particles. This phenomenon is explained in terms of the radiative coupling of localized resonances with diffractive orders in the plane of the array (Rayleigh anomalies). The experimental results

Mutagenesis-mediated virus extinction: virus-dependent effect of viral load on sensitivity to lethal defection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Héctor Moreno

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Lethal mutagenesis is a transition towards virus extinction mediated by enhanced mutation rates during viral genome replication, and it is currently under investigation as a potential new antiviral strategy. Viral load and virus fitness are known to influence virus extinction. Here we examine the effect or the multiplicity of infection (MOI on progeny production of several RNA viruses under enhanced mutagenesis. RESULTS: The effect of the mutagenic base analogue 5-fluorouracil (FU on the replication of the arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV can result either in inhibition of progeny production and virus extinction in infections carried out at low multiplicity of infection (MOI, or in a moderate titer decrease without extinction at high MOI. The effect of the MOI is similar for LCMV and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV, but minimal or absent for the picornaviruses foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV. The increase in mutation frequency and Shannon entropy (mutant spectrum complexity as a result of virus passage in the presence of FU was more accentuated at low MOI for LCMV and VSV, and at high MOI for FMDV and EMCV. We present an extension of the lethal defection model that agrees with the experimental results. CONCLUSIONS: (i Low infecting load favoured the extinction of negative strand viruses, LCMV or VSV, with an increase of mutant spectrum complexity. (ii This behaviour is not observed in RNA positive strand viruses, FMDV or EMCV. (iii The accumulation of defector genomes may underlie the MOI-dependent behaviour. (iv LCMV coinfections are allowed but superinfection is strongly restricted in BHK-21 cells. (v The dissimilar effects of the MOI on the efficiency of mutagenic-based extinction of different RNA viruses can have implications for the design of antiviral protocols based on lethal mutagenesis, presently under development.

Radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex sensitized with commercial gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chirinos, H.; Lugao, A.

2002-01-01

The industrial activities using natural rubber latex are fully compatible with rural areas in Amazon and other places in Brazil, as well as in other tropical countries. However the classical sulfur vulcanization presents many occupational problems for the workers in rural areas. Radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex is a much more friendly process as sulfur compounds are not needed for crosslinking, although chemicals as acrylate monomers, particularly multifunctional acrylates are still used as sensitizers for radiation processes. Two commercial gases, acetylene and butadiene, were selected as sensitizers for the radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex instead of acrylates. These gases accelerate the crosslinking rates of the cure process and lower the radiation dose required to achieve vulcanization of natural rubber latex and improve the mechanical properties to reduce the tackiness of rubber goods. (author)

Radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex sensitized with commercial gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chirinos, H.; Lugao, A. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2002-07-01

The industrial activities using natural rubber latex are fully compatible with rural areas in Amazon and other places in Brazil, as well as in other tropical countries. However the classical sulfur vulcanization presents many occupational problems for the workers in rural areas. Radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex is a much more friendly process as sulfur compounds are not needed for crosslinking, although chemicals as acrylate monomers, particularly multifunctional acrylates are still used as sensitizers for radiation processes. Two commercial gases, acetylene and butadiene, were selected as sensitizers for the radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex instead of acrylates. These gases accelerate the crosslinking rates of the cure process and lower the radiation dose required to achieve vulcanization of natural rubber latex and improve the mechanical properties to reduce the tackiness of rubber goods. (author)

Fear extinction deficits following acute stress associate with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala neurons

OpenAIRE

Maroun, Mouna; Ioannides, Pericles J.; Bergman, Krista L.; Kavushansky, Alexandra; Holmes, Andrew; Wellman, Cara L.

2013-01-01

Stress-sensitive psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder are characterized by deficits in fear extinction and dysfunction of corticolimbic circuits mediating extinction. Chronic stress facilitates fear conditioning, impairs extinction, and produces dendritic proliferation in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a critical site of plasticity for extinction. Acute stress impairs extinction, alters plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex-to-BLA circuit, and causes dendritic retrac...

Long path optical extinction and meteorology in the San Francisco bay area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porch, W M; Galloway, T R; Green, T J; Ellsaesser, H W

1981-01-01

Comparison of night-time long path extinction (25 km) across San Francisco Bay and local meteorological measurements at Oakland Airport revealed a dominant role of boundary layer mixing on visibility. Inversion depth and inversion depth multiplied by wind speed were both strongly inversely correlated with night-time atmospheric extinction. Oakland Airport wind speed and humidity showed little correlation with the extinction measurements. Stellar extinction was also found to be sensitive to mixing depth. This is important as visibility and turbidity trend studies rarely include mixing depth measurements. These results indicate the importance of developing instruments to use the same light source for remote sensing of atmospheric constituents, wind and humidity.

Rethinking Extinction

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Dunsmoor, Joseph E.; Niv, Yael; Daw, Nathaniel; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

Extinction serves as the leading theoretical framework and experimental model to describe how learned behaviors diminish through absence of anticipated reinforcement. In the past decade, extinction has moved beyond the realm of associative learning theory and behavioral experimentation in animals and has become a topic of considerable interest in the neuroscience of learning, memory, and emotion. Here, we review research and theories of extinction, both as a learning process and as a behavioral technique, and consider whether traditional understandings warrant a re-examination. We discuss the neurobiology, cognitive factors, and major computational theories, and revisit the predominant view that extinction results in new learning that interferes with expression of the original memory. Additionally, we reconsider the limitations of extinction as a technique to prevent the relapse of maladaptive behavior, and discuss novel approaches, informed by contemporary theoretical advances, that augment traditional extinction methods to target and potentially alter maladaptive memories. PMID:26447572

A pharyngeal jaw evolutionary innovation facilitated extinction in Lake Victoria cichlids.

Science.gov (United States)

McGee, Matthew D; Borstein, Samuel R; Neches, Russell Y; Buescher, Heinz H; Seehausen, Ole; Wainwright, Peter C

2015-11-27

Evolutionary innovations, traits that give species access to previously unoccupied niches, may promote speciation and adaptive radiation. Here, we show that such innovations can also result in competitive inferiority and extinction. We present evidence that the modified pharyngeal jaws of cichlid fishes and several marine fish lineages, a classic example of evolutionary innovation, are not universally beneficial. A large-scale analysis of dietary evolution across marine fish lineages reveals that the innovation compromises access to energy-rich predator niches. We show that this competitive inferiority shaped the adaptive radiation of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika and played a pivotal and previously unrecognized role in the mass extinction of cichlid fishes in Lake Victoria after Nile perch invasion. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In vivo assay of the radiation sensitivity of hypoxic tumour cells. Influence of radiation quality and hypoxic sensitization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porschen, W.; Bosiljanoff, P.; Gewehr, K.; Muehlensiepen, H.; Feinendegen, L.E.

1977-01-01

In order to measure quantitatively tumour cell kinetics in living mice, tumour bearing animals (sarcoma-180) received intravenously 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IUdR), a thymidine analogue, which was labelled with 125 I or with 131 I, both of which can be easily externally counted by their gamma emission. IUdR is stably bound to DNA, reutilization is minimal and the measured activity loss from the tumour later than 50 hours after injection signals cell loss or cell death. The effect of irradiation on euoxic and average tumour cells was studied by sequentially labelling the tumour bearing animals first with 125 IUdR and, 70 hours later, with 131 IUdR. At the time of the second injection the average tumour cell population is labelled by the first injection of 125 IUdR, and the second injection of 131 IUdR nearly exclusively tags the perivascular tumour cells; these are euoxic in contrast to the average tumour cell, a large proportion of which is hypoxic. The radiation-induced activity loss rates from the two labelled tumour cell populations indicate the sensitivities of the two populations. At dose levels that cause identical effects on euoxic cells, the ratio of radiation-induced enhancement of cell loss rates for euoxic cells to average cells was 2.6 for 60 Co gamma radiation, 1.4 for 15MeV neutron irradiation, and 1.0 for alpha irradiation (1.5.MeV). The effect of five hypoxic cell sensitizers was analysed. The sensitization was limited to hypoxic cells, and the most effective drug was Ro-07-0582, showing at the 50% level of maximum effect a dose modifying factor of 1.5. Sensitization was highest when the drug was given 15 min prior to irradiation. Hyperthermia affected nearly exclusively hypoxic cells and showed a dose modifying factor of about 2 when the tumours were heated at 42 0 C for 30 min immediately after irradiation. The resulting enhancement of effect was reduced when hyperthermia was applied prior to irradiation. (author)

Seasonal atmospheric extinction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhail, J.S.

1979-01-01

Mean monochromatic extinction coefficients at various wavelengths at the Kottamia Observatory site have shown the existence of a seasonal variation of atmospheric extinction. The extinction of aerosol compontnts with wavelengths at winter represent exceedingly good conditions. Spring gives the highest extinction due to aerosol. (orig.)

Safety in numbers: extinction arising from predator-driven Allee effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, Stephen D; Courchamp, Franck

2010-05-01

Experimental evidence of extinction via an Allee effect (AE) is a priority as more species become threatened by human activity. Kramer & Drake (2010) begin the International Year of Biodiversity with the important--but double-edged--demonstration that predators can induce an AE in their prey. The good news is that their experiments help bridge the knowledge gap between theoretical and empirical AEs. The bad news is that this predator-driven AE precipitates the prey extinction via a demographic AE. Although their findings will be sensitive to departures from their experimental protocol, this link between predation and population extinction could have important consequences for many prey species.

Radiation curable pressure sensitive adhesive composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steuben, K.C.

1978-01-01

Radiation curable pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprises: a polyoxyalkylene homo- or copolymer which is either a polyoxyethylene homopolymer or a poly (oxyethylene-oxypropylene) copolymer, or mixture thereof, having a molecular weight of from 1,700 to 90,000, in which at least 40 percent by weight of the oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units; a liquid carbamyloxy alkyl acrylate; and, optionally, a photoinitiator

Role of mitochondria in radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Indo, Hiroko; Tomita, Kazuo; Majima, Hideyuki; Matsui, Hirofumi; Ozawa, Toshihiko

2007-01-01

This paper describes mainly the role of mitochondrial (Mt) manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) for deciding the radiation sensitivity of cells. The fact that Mt concerns with apoptosis has been shown by the finding that change in Mt membrane potential relates with the cell death. Mt has the electron transport system to yield the cellular energy molecule (ATP) and from which electrons are leaked out in 2-3%, a considerably large proportion in a cell. The electrons react with oxygen nearby to yield SO (O 2 ·- ), which in turn induces apoptosis through oxidation stress (OS). On the other hand, MnSOD is transported in Mt from cytoplasm and excludes the reactive oxygen species (ROS) like SO. Studies by MnSOD gene-deletion, knockout, cDNA-transfection, and transgenesis have indicated MnSOD is essential for keeping life and resistance to OS. Authors have shown that overexpression of Mt MnSOD protects against radiation-induced cell death, suggesting that Mt participates in radiation sensitivity where SO is involved. Interestingly, MnSOD activity is low in cancer cells, its overexpression results in tumor suppression and MnSOD is a target in leukemia therapy. When MTS (Mt targeting sequence, necessary for the enzyme to enter Mt)-deleted MnSOD is transfected, cells lack resistance to radiation, indicating the enzyme must be present in Mt. Mt DNA damage leading to electron transport system impairment is found to increase ROS, and to be reversed by the transfection of MnSOD gene. Studies of Mt DNA damage in cancer cells where aerobic glycolysis is actively operated, are currently in progress lively, and are thought to promote the development of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. (R.T.)

On the treatment of primary extinction in diffraction theories based on intensity coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, J.R.; Goncalves, O.D.; Graf, H.A.

1988-01-01

Czochralski-grown silicon crystals of approximately 10 cm diameter and 1 cm thickness have been annealed at 1470 K in order to create a homogeneous defect structure, which is a basic condition for all statistical treatment of extinction. Absolute values of the integrated reflecting power of the 220, 440 and 660 reflections have been measured with 0.0392 A γ-radiation in symmetrical Laue geometry for sample thicknesses between 1 and 3 cm. The amount of extinction in the experimental data varies between γ≅0.95 and γ≅0.05. Darwin's extinction theory has been used to describe the thickness dependence of the data sets. Despite some shortcomings of the model, it is shown that the assumption of a physically unrealistic Lorentzian mosaic distribution models the effect of primary extinction in an extinction theory based on the energy-transfer model. The sharp central part of the Lorentzian distribution produces a reduction of the effective sample thickness due to primary extinction, whereas the wings of the distribution dominate the correction for secondary extinction in the remaining part of the sample. A more flexible mosaic distribution function is proposed, which should be useful in cases of severe extinction. (orig.)

Does red noise increase or decrease extinction risk? Single extreme events versus series of unfavorable conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwager, Monika; Johst, Karin; Jeltsch, Florian

2006-06-01

Recent theoretical studies have shown contrasting effects of temporal correlation of environmental fluctuations (red noise) on the risk of population extinction. It is still debated whether and under which conditions red noise increases or decreases extinction risk compared with uncorrelated (white) noise. Here, we explain the opposing effects by introducing two features of red noise time series. On the one hand, positive autocorrelation increases the probability of series of poor environmental conditions, implying increasing extinction risk. On the other hand, for a given time period, the probability of at least one extremely bad year ("catastrophe") is reduced compared with white noise, implying decreasing extinction risk. Which of these two features determines extinction risk depends on the strength of environmental fluctuations and the sensitivity of population dynamics to these fluctuations. If extreme (catastrophic) events can occur (strong noise) or sensitivity is high (overcompensatory density dependence), then temporal correlation decreases extinction risk; otherwise, it increases it. Thus, our results provide a simple explanation for the contrasting previous findings and are a crucial step toward a general understanding of the effect of noise color on extinction risk.

On the instability effects in radiation-sensitive chalcogenide glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balitska, V.; Kovalskiy, A.; Shpotyuk, O.; Vakiv, M.

2007-01-01

The features of application of radiation-sensitive media based on chalcogenide glasses of As-Ge-S system for registration of high-energy γ-radiation are analysed. It is shown that compositional features of the observed time-instability effect should be taken into account in order to ensure a higher accuracy of the developed dosimeters

On the instability effects in radiation-sensitive chalcogenide glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balitska, V. [Lviv State University for Vital Activity Safety, 35 Kleparivska str., Lviv, UA-79007 (Ukraine); Lviv Institute of Materials of SRC ' Carat' , 202 Stryjska str., Lviv, UA-79031 (Ukraine); Kovalskiy, A. [Lviv Institute of Materials of SRC ' Carat' , 202 Stryjska str., Lviv, UA-79031 (Ukraine); International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass, Lehigh University, 5 East Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015-3195 (United States); Shpotyuk, O. [Lviv Institute of Materials of SRC ' Carat' , 202 Stryjska str., Lviv, UA-79031 (Ukraine); International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass, Lehigh University, 5 East Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015-3195 (United States)], E-mail: shpotyuk@novas.lviv.ua; Vakiv, M. [Lviv Institute of Materials of SRC ' Carat' , 202 Stryjska str., Lviv, UA-79031 (Ukraine)

2007-04-15

The features of application of radiation-sensitive media based on chalcogenide glasses of As-Ge-S system for registration of high-energy {gamma}-radiation are analysed. It is shown that compositional features of the observed time-instability effect should be taken into account in order to ensure a higher accuracy of the developed dosimeters.

The Visualization of Infrared Radiation Using Thermal Sensitive Foils

Science.gov (United States)

Bochnícek, Zdenek

2013-01-01

This paper describes a set of demonstration school experiments where infrared radiation is detected using thermal sensitive foils. The possibility of using standard glass lenses for infrared imaging is discussed in detail. It is shown that with optic components made from glass, infrared radiation up to 2.5 µm of wavelength can be detected. The…

Effect of ionizing radiation on properties of acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panta, P.P.; Zimek, Z.A.; Giuszewski, W.; Kowalewski, R.; Wojtynska, E.; Wnuk, A.

1998-01-01

Pressure-sensitive adhesives for technical application are widely produced. The biological properties of adhesives depend on the type of monomers used. The available literature data as experience of the authors of this study in the area of pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive, polymers used in medicine, polymerisation in aqueous media, radiation sterilization, permit to make an assumption that it is possible to elaborate the technology of production of pressure-sensitive adhesives in aqueous emulsion for medical applications. Identification of phenomena influencing the adhesive properties, especially its adhesion, cohesion, tack and durability is of great importance. The control of polymer structure is performed by means of adequate selection of conditions of synthesis and parameters of radiation processing. The authors investigate the influence on the final products of such factors as the type and amount of monomers used, their mutual ratio, as well as the ratio monomers and the dose of ionising radiation. There is no available literature information concerning the investigation of resistance of acrylic emulsion adhesive to sterilisation by electron beam. It is known from unpublished research that some adhesives are resistant to radiation, while others undergo destruction. It probably depends on the composition of emulsion, specifically on the additives which modify adhesives. Simultaneous achievement of good cohesion and adhesion in the case of such types of pressure sensitive adhesives is very difficult pressure sensitive adhesives is very difficult

Radiation sensitivity and EPR dosimetric potential of gallic acid and its esters

Science.gov (United States)

Tuner, Hasan; Oktay Bal, M.; Polat, Mustafa

2015-02-01

In the preset work the radiation sensitivities of Gallic Acid anhydrous and monohydrate, Octyl, Lauryl, and Ethyl Gallate (GA, GAm, OG, LG, and EG) were investigated in the intermediate (0.5-20 kGy) and low radiation (<10 Gy) dose range using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. While OG, LG, and EG are presented a singlet EPR spectra, their radiation sensitivity found to be very different in the intermediate dose range. At low radiation dose range (<10 Gy) only LG is found to be present a signal that easily distinguished from the noise signals. The intermediate and low dose range radiation sensitivities are compared using well known EPR dosimeter alanine. The radiation yields (G) of the interested material were found to be 1.34×10-2, 1.48×10-2, 4.14×10-2, and 6.03×10-2, 9.44×10-2 for EG, GA, GAm, OG, and LG, respectively at the intermediate dose range. It is found that the simple EPR spectra and the noticeable EPR signal of LG make it a promising dosimetric material to be used below 10 Gy of radiation dose.

Sensitivity of surface temperature to radiative forcing by contrail cirrus in a radiative-mixing model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Schumann

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Earth's surface temperature sensitivity to radiative forcing (RF by contrail cirrus and the related RF efficacy relative to CO2 are investigated in a one-dimensional idealized model of the atmosphere. The model includes energy transport by shortwave (SW and longwave (LW radiation and by mixing in an otherwise fixed reference atmosphere (no other feedbacks. Mixing includes convective adjustment and turbulent diffusion, where the latter is related to the vertical component of mixing by large-scale eddies. The conceptual study shows that the surface temperature sensitivity to given contrail RF depends strongly on the timescales of energy transport by mixing and radiation. The timescales are derived for steady layered heating (ghost forcing and for a transient contrail cirrus case. The radiative timescales are shortest at the surface and shorter in the troposphere than in the mid-stratosphere. Without mixing, a large part of the energy induced into the upper troposphere by radiation due to contrails or similar disturbances gets lost to space before it can contribute to surface warming. Because of the different radiative forcing at the surface and at top of atmosphere (TOA and different radiative heating rate profiles in the troposphere, the local surface temperature sensitivity to stratosphere-adjusted RF is larger for SW than for LW contrail forcing. Without mixing, the surface energy budget is more important for surface warming than the TOA budget. Hence, surface warming by contrails is smaller than suggested by the net RF at TOA. For zero mixing, cooling by contrails cannot be excluded. This may in part explain low efficacy values for contrails found in previous global circulation model studies. Possible implications of this study are discussed. Since the results of this study are model dependent, they should be tested with a comprehensive climate model in the future.

Fear extinction deficits following acute stress associate with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala neurons

Science.gov (United States)

Maroun, Mouna; Ioannides, Pericles J.; Bergman, Krista L.; Kavushansky, Alexandra; Holmes, Andrew; Wellman, Cara L.

2013-01-01

Stress-sensitive psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder are characterized by deficits in fear extinction and dysfunction of corticolimbic circuits mediating extinction. Chronic stress facilitates fear conditioning, impairs extinction, and produces dendritic proliferation in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a critical site of plasticity for extinction. Acute stress impairs extinction, alters plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex-to-BLA circuit, and causes dendritic retraction in the medial prefrontal cortex. Here, we examined extinction learning and basolateral amygdala pyramidal neuron morphology in adult male rats following a single elevated platform stress. Acute stress impaired extinction acquisition and memory, and produced dendritic retraction and increased mushroom spine density in basolateral amygdala neurons in the right hemisphere. Unexpectedly, irrespective of stress, rats that underwent fear and extinction testing showed basolateral amygdala dendritic retraction and altered spine density relative to non-conditioned rats, particularly in the left hemisphere. Thus, extinction deficits produced by acute stress are associated with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, the finding that conditioning and extinction as such was sufficient to alter basolateral amygdala morphology and spine density illustrates the sensitivity of basolateral amygdala morphology to behavioral manipulation. These findings may have implications for elucidating the role of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. PMID:23714419

γ-radiation induces cellular sensitivity and aberrant methylation in human tumor cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ashok; Rai, Padmalatha S; Upadhya, Raghavendra; Vishwanatha; Prasada, K Shama; Rao, B S Satish; Satyamoorthy, Kapettu

2011-11-01

Ionizing radiation induces cellular damage through both direct and indirect mechanisms, which may include effects from epigenetic changes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ionizing radiation on DNA methylation patterns that may be associated with altered gene expression. Sixteen human tumor cell lines originating from various cancers were initially tested for radiation sensitivity by irradiating them with γ-radiation in vitro and subsequently, radiation sensitive and resistant cell lines were treated with different doses of a demethylating agent, 5-Aza-2'-Deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) and a chromatin modifier, Trichostatin-A (TSA). Survival of these cell lines was measured using 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) and clonogenic assays. The effect of radiation on global DNA methylation was measured using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The transcription response of methylated gene promoters, from cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16(INK4a)) and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) genes, to radiation was measured using a luciferase reporter assay. γ-radiation resistant (SiHa and MDAMB453) and sensitive (SaOS2 and WM115) tumor cell lines were examined for the relationship between radiation sensitivity and DNA methylation. Treatment of cells with 5-aza-dC and TSA prior to irradiation enhanced DNA strand breaks, G2/M phase arrest, apoptosis and cell death. Exposure to γ-radiation led to global demethylation in a time-dependent manner in tumor cells in relation to resistance and sensitivity to radiation with concomitant activation of p16(INK4a) and ATM gene promoters. These results provide important information on alterations in DNA methylation as one of the determinants of radiation effects, which may be associated with altered gene expression. Our results may help in delineating the mechanisms of radiation resistance in tumor cells, which can influence diagnosis, prognosis and

CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION FROM A RADIATION-SENSITIVE PRECURSOR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

The present invention relates in one aspect to a method of depositing a thin film on a substrate by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) from a radiation-sensitive precursor substance. The method comprises the steps of: (i) placing the substrate in a reaction chamber of a CVD system; (ii) heating...... heating pulse followed by an idle period; (iii) during at least one of the idle periods, providing a pressure pulse of precursor substance inside the reaction chamber by feeding at least one precursor substance to the reaction chamber so as to establish a reaction partial pressure for thin film deposition...... is formed. According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) system for depositing a thin film onto a substrate using precursor substances containing at least one radiation sensitive species....

Guide for use of radiation-sensitive indicators. 2. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This guide covers the use of radiation-sensitive indicators in radiation processing. These indicators may be labels, papers, inks or packaging materials which undergo a color change or become colored when exposed to ionizing radiation. The purpose of these indicators is to determine visually whether or not a product has been irradiated, rather than to measure different dose levels. Such materials are not dosimeters and should not be used as a substitute for proper dosimetry. Information about dosimetry systems for ionizing radiation is provided in other ASTM and ISO/ASTM documents (see ISO/ASTM Guide 51261

Molar extinction coefficients of solutions of some organic compounds

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

efficients of these compounds have been used to calculate effective atomic numbers and electron densities. The additivity ... Molar extinction coefficients; effective atomic numbers; electron density. PACS Nos 29.30. ... the radiation path and is linearly dependent on the concentration of the absorbing species. This is most ...

Extinction of Light during the Fog Life Cycle: a Result from the ParisFog Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elias, T.; Haeffelin, M.; Drobinski, P.; Gomes, L.; Rangognio, J.; Bergot, T.; Chazette, P.; Raut, J.-C.; Colomb, M.

2009-01-01

Data set acquired by five particle-dedicated instruments set up on the SIRTA experimental site during the ParisFog field campaign are exploited to document microphysical properties of particles contributing to extinction of visible radiation in variable situations. The case study is a 48-hour period when atmospheric conditions are highly variable: relative humidity changes between 50 and 100%, visibility ranges between 35000 and 65 m, the site is either downwind Paris area either under maritime influence. A dense and homogeneous fog formed by radiative cooling during the 18-19 February night. In 7 hours, visibility decreases from 26 000 m to 65 m, because of transported pollution (factor 3 in visibility reduction), aerosol hydration (factor 20) and aerosol activation (factor 6). According to Mie theory, extinction in clear-sky polluted and unpolluted regimes is due equally to Aitken and accumulation modes. Extinction in haze is due to hydrated aerosols distributed in the accumulation mode, for diameter smaller than 2 μm. Hydrated aerosols of the accumulation mode still contribute to 20-30% extinction in the fog. Measurements show that fog droplets, with diameter included between 2 and 10 μm, contribute to 40% extinction during the first hours of the fog.

Extinction and recolonization of coastal megafauna following human arrival in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Catherine J; Rawlence, Nicolas J; Prost, Stefan; Anderson, Christian N K; Knapp, Michael; Scofield, R Paul; Robertson, Bruce C; Smith, Ian; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth A; Chilvers, B Louise; Waters, Jonathan M

2014-07-07

Extinctions can dramatically reshape biological communities. As a case in point, ancient mass extinction events apparently facilitated dramatic new evolutionary radiations of surviving lineages. However, scientists have yet to fully understand the consequences of more recent biological upheaval, such as the megafaunal extinctions that occurred globally over the past 50 kyr. New Zealand was the world's last large landmass to be colonized by humans, and its exceptional archaeological record documents a vast number of vertebrate extinctions in the immediate aftermath of Polynesian arrival approximately AD 1280. This recently colonized archipelago thus presents an outstanding opportunity to test for rapid biological responses to extinction. Here, we use ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis to show that extinction of an endemic sea lion lineage (Phocarctos spp.) apparently facilitated a subsequent northward range expansion of a previously subantarctic-limited lineage. This finding parallels a similar extinction-replacement event in penguins (Megadyptes spp.). In both cases, an endemic mainland clade was completely eliminated soon after human arrival, and then replaced by a genetically divergent clade from the remote subantarctic region, all within the space of a few centuries. These data suggest that ecological and demographic processes can play a role in constraining lineage distributions, even for highly dispersive species, and highlight the potential for dynamic biological responses to extinction. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Radiation sensitivity of T-lymphocytes from immunodeficient wasted mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla, M.; Libertin, C.; Krco, C.; Woloschak, G.E.

1990-01-01

Mice with the autosomal recessive gene wasted (wst/wst) exhibit neurologic disorders, reduced mucosal immune responses, and abnormal DNA repair mechanisms. The wst/wst mouse has been proposed as a murine model for the human disorder ataxia telangiectasia. Experiments were designed to examine the sensitivity of T-cells from wasted mice to ionizing radiation. Results demonstrated that T-cell clones derived from wasted mice are more sensitive to the killing effects of gamma-rays than similar T-cell clones from control mice. Bulk thymocyte and splenic cell cultures demonstrated similar radiation sensitivity. Both thymic and splenic lymphocytes from wasted mice also expressed low proliferative responses to mitogenic stimulation with concanavalin A (Con A) that could not be attributed to an absence or reduction in T-cell number. However, following activation with Con A, cell cultures exhibited a marked decrease in the percentage of Thyl + cells in wasted mice, in contrast to cultures from control mice in which significant increases in Thyl + cells were observed. Furthermore, when cells were treated with gamma-rays in combination with Con A, Thyl + cells were decreased in control spleen and thymus, but were elevated in similarly treated wasted cultures. These changes were accompanied by an increase in cell volume in T-cells from wasted but not from control mice. These results describe the sensitivity of T-cells from wasted mice to ionizing radiation; in addition, they suggest that the wst/wst abnormality may be associated with cell cycle aberrancies

First evidence for a massive extinction event affecting bees close to the K-T boundary.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra M Rehan

Full Text Available Bees and eudicot plants both arose in the mid-late Cretaceous, and their co-evolutionary relationships have often been assumed as an important element in the rise of flowering plants. Given the near-complete dependence of bees on eudicots we would expect that major extinction events affecting the latter would have also impacted bees. However, given the very patchy distribution of bees in the fossil record, identifying any such extinctions using fossils is very problematic. Here we use molecular phylogenetic analyses to show that one bee group, the Xylocopinae, originated in the mid-Cretaceous, coinciding with the early radiation of the eudicots. Lineage through time analyses for this bee subfamily show very early diversification, followed by a long period of seemingly no radiation and then followed by rapid diversification in each of the four constituent tribes. These patterns are consistent with both a long-fuse model of radiation and a massive extinction event close to the K-T boundary. We argue that massive extinction is much more plausible than a long fuse, given the historical biogeography of these bees and the diversity of ecological niches that they occupy. Our results suggest that events near the K-T boundary would have disrupted many plant-bee relationships, with major consequences for the subsequent evolution of eudicots and their pollinators.

First evidence for a massive extinction event affecting bees close to the K-T boundary.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehan, Sandra M; Leys, Remko; Schwarz, Michael P

2013-01-01

Bees and eudicot plants both arose in the mid-late Cretaceous, and their co-evolutionary relationships have often been assumed as an important element in the rise of flowering plants. Given the near-complete dependence of bees on eudicots we would expect that major extinction events affecting the latter would have also impacted bees. However, given the very patchy distribution of bees in the fossil record, identifying any such extinctions using fossils is very problematic. Here we use molecular phylogenetic analyses to show that one bee group, the Xylocopinae, originated in the mid-Cretaceous, coinciding with the early radiation of the eudicots. Lineage through time analyses for this bee subfamily show very early diversification, followed by a long period of seemingly no radiation and then followed by rapid diversification in each of the four constituent tribes. These patterns are consistent with both a long-fuse model of radiation and a massive extinction event close to the K-T boundary. We argue that massive extinction is much more plausible than a long fuse, given the historical biogeography of these bees and the diversity of ecological niches that they occupy. Our results suggest that events near the K-T boundary would have disrupted many plant-bee relationships, with major consequences for the subsequent evolution of eudicots and their pollinators.

Expression of Ku correlates with radiation sensitivities in the head and neck cancer cell lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Wook; Yu, Eun Sil; Yi, So Lyoung; Son, Se Hee; Kim, Jong Hoon; Ahn, Seung Do; Shin, Seong Soo; Choi, Eun Kyung

2004-01-01

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a serine/threonine kinase consisting of a 470 kDa catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and a heterodimeric regulatory complex, called Ku, which is composed of 70 kDa (Ku 70) and 86 kDa (Ku 80) proteins. The DNA-PK has been shown to play a pivotal role in rejoining DNA double-strand-breaks (dsb) in mammalian cells. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the level of Ku expression and radiation sensitivity. Nine head and neck, cancer cell lines showed various intrinsic radiation sensitivities. Among the nine, AMC-HN-3 cell was the most sensitive for X-ray irradiation and AMC-HN-9 cell was the most resistance. The most sensitive and resistant cell lines were selected and the test sensitivity of radiation and expression of Ku were measured. Radiation sensitivity was obtained by colony forming assay and Ku protein expression using Western blot analysis. Ku80 increased expression by radiation, wheras Ku70 did not. Overexpression of Ku80 protein increased radiation resistance in AMC-HN9 cell line. There was a correlation between Ku80 expression and radiation resistance. Ku80 was shown to play an important role in radiation damage response. Induction of Ku80 expression had an important role in DNA damage repair by radiation. Ku80 expression may be an effective predictive assay of radiosensitivity on head and neck cancer

Changes in bacterial radiation sensitivity due to deuterium substitution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, A.; Weiss, H.

1985-01-01

The influence of deuterium substitution for hydrogen on radiation sensitivity was measured under various conditions for E. coli B/r irradiated by 450 kev electrons in single intense pulses. Cells were grown in a nutrient medium made from a deuterium oxide based solution. They were suspended in a D/sub 2/O based buffered saline and plated in thin aqueous layers on membrane filters and irradiated in 100% N/sub 2/ or 100% O/sub 2/. Comparisons were made to cells similarly plated and irradiated but grown instead in a water based nutrient medium and suspended in either a water based or a D/sub 2/O based buffered saline. For the conventionally grown cells, D/sub 2/O increased the radiation sensitivity in both gases by about 10%. For cells grown and suspended with D/sub 2/O based media, a 50% reduction of radiation sensitivity was found with both gas and an increased extrapolation number was observed. In this latter method, deuterium is more fully substituted for hydrogen in the molecular substrate of the cell. These cells were also irradiated over a temperature range of 2 0 C to 43 0 C after being suspended in deuterated ethanol. Speculations for the changes induced by the substitution are presented

Maximal Sensitive Dependence and the Optimal Path to Epidemic Extinction

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

1996; Elgart and Kamenev, 2004). Instead, in this article, we will employ an eikonal approximation to recast the problem in terms of an effective...a control strategy on the extinction rate can be determined by its effect on the optimal path (Dykman et al., 2008). Through the use of the eikonal ...the solution of Eqs. (6a)–(6b) in the eikonal form (Elgart and Kamenev, 2004; Doering et al., 2005; Kubo et al., 1973; Wentzell, 1976; Gang, 1987

Genetic and epigenetic features in radiation sensitivity. Part I: Cell signalling in radiation response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourguignon, Michel H.; Gisone, Pablo A.; Perez, Maria R.; Michelin, Severino; Dubner, Diana; Giorgio, Marina di; Carosella, Edgardo D.

2005-01-01

Recent progress especially in the field of gene identification and expression has attracted greater attention to genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to cancer, possibly enhanced by ionising radiation. It has been proposed that the occurrence and severity of the adverse reactions to radiation therapy are also influenced by such genetic susceptibility. This issue is especially important for radiation therapists since hypersensitive patients may suffer from adverse effects in normal tissues following standard radiation therapy, while normally sensitive patients could receive higher doses of radiation offering a better likelihood of cure for malignant tumours. This paper, the first of two parts, reviews the main mechanisms involved in cell response to ionising radiation. DNA repair machinery and cell signalling pathways are considered and their role in radiosensitivity is analysed. The implication of non-targeted and delayed effects in radiosensitivity is also discussed. (orig.)

Novel concepts in modification of radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bump, E.A.; Palayoor, S.T.; Lai, L.L.; Cerce, B.A.; Langley, R.E.; Coleman, C.N.; Braunhut, S.J.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether biological effects of radiation, such as apoptosis, that differ from classical clonogenic cell killing, can be modified with agents that would not be expected to modify classical clonogenic cell killing. This would expand the range of potential modifiers of radiation therapy. EL4 murine lymphoma cell apoptosis was determined by electrophoretic analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation. DNA was extracted 24 h after irradiation or addition of inducing agents. Modifiers of radiation-induced apoptosis were added immediately after irradiation. The effects of radiation on wounded endothelial monolayers were studied by scraping a line across the monolayer 30 min after irradiation. Cell detachment was used as an endpoint to determine the protective effect of prolonged exposure to retinol prior to irradiation. EL4 cell apoptosis can be induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide or the glutathione oxidant SR-4077. Radiation-induced EL4 cell apoptosis can be inhibited with 3-aminobenzamide, an agent that sensitizes cells to classical clonogenic cell killing. Radiation-induced endothelial cell detachment from confluent monolayers can be modified by pretreatment with retinol. These results raise the possibility that radiation could induce apoptosis by an oxidative stress mechanism that is different from that involved in classical clonogenic cell killing. These and other recent findings encourage the notion that differential modification of classical clonogenic cell killing and other important endpoints of radiation action may be possible. 47 refs., 3 figs

Highly sensitive microcalorimeters for radiation research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avaev, V.N.; Demchuk, B.N.; Ioffe, L.A.; Efimov, E.P.

1984-01-01

Calorimetry is used in research at various types of nuclear-physics installations to obtain information on the quantitative and qualitative composition of ionizing radiation in a reactor core and in the surrounding layers of the biological shield. In this paper, the authors examine the characteristics of highly sensitive microcalorimeters with modular semiconductor heat pickups designed for operation in reactor channels. The microcalorimeters have a thin-walled aluminum housing on whose inner surface modular heat pickups are placed radially as shown here. The results of measurements of the temperature dependence of the sensitivity of the microcalorimeters are shown. The results of measuring the sensitivity of a PMK-2 microcalorimeter assembly as a function of integrated neutron flux for three energy intervals and the adsorbed gamma energy are shown. In order to study specimens with different shapes and sizes, microcalorimeters with chambers in the form of cylinders and a parallelepiped were built and tested

Permo-Triassic vertebrate extinctions: A program

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, E. C.

1988-01-01

Since the time of the Authors' study on this subject, a great deal of new information has become available. Concepts of the nature of extinctions have changed materially. The Authors' conclusion that a catastrophic event was not responsible for the extinction of vertebrates has modified to the extent that hypotheses involving either the impact of a massive extra-terrestrial body or volcanism provide plausible but not currently fully testable hypotheses. Stated changes resulted in a rapid decrease in organic diversity, as the ratio of origins of taxa to extinctions shifted from strongly positive to negative, with momentary equilibrium being reached at about the Permo-Triassic boundary. The proximate causes of the changes in the terrestrial biota appear to lie in two primary factors: (1) strong climatic changes (global mean temperatures, temperature ranges, humidity) and (2) susceptibility of the dominant vertebrates (large dicynodonts) and the glossopteris flora to disruption of the equlibrium of the world ecosystem. The following proximate causes have been proposed: (1) rhythmic fluctuations in solar radiation, (2) tectonic events as Pangea assembled, altering land-ocean relationships, patterns of wind and water circulation and continental physiography, (3) volcanism, and (4) changes subsequent to impacts of one or more massive extra terrestrial objects, bodies or comets. These hypotheses are discussed.

Radiation and thermal characteristics of mouse lymphoma cells and their radiation-sensitive mutant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Yuji; Yasunaga, Tadamasa; Uozumi, Hideaki; Takahashi, Mutsumasa; Sawada, Shozo.

1988-01-01

Radiation and thermal characteristics of L5178Y cells and their radiation-sensitive mutant M10 cells were studied by the colony-forming method and the dye-exclusion method using eosin-Y. Although M10 cells were remarkably radiation-sensitive compared with L5178Y cells, it was diffcult to cause interphase death of M10 after a large dose of irradiation. After heat treatments, L5178Y cells revealed more cell destruction and were stained well by eosin-Y, but it was relatively difficult to produce cell destruction of M10 cells, which showed poor staining by eosin-Y. When assayed by the colony-forming method, M10 cells were also heat-resistant compared to L5178Y. The dye-exclusion rate was closely correlated with cell survival after hyperthermia of L5178Y cells, suggesting that this is a simple method of detecting the thermosensitivity and thermotolerance of cancer cells. The difference in survival of L5178Y cells and M10 cells after combined treatment with gamma irradiation and hyperthermia was smaller than with gamma irradiation alone. It was also found that there was a relationship between radiation-induced interphase death and hyperthermia-induced interphase death, and that interphase death accounted for a major part of cell death caused by hyperthermia in mouse leukemia cells. (author)

Bimodal extinction without cross-modal extinction.

OpenAIRE

Inhoff, A W; Rafal, R D; Posner, M J

1992-01-01

Three patients with unilateral neurological injury were clinically examined. All showed consistent unilateral extinction in the tactile and visual modalities on simultaneous intramodal stimulation. There was virtually no evidence for cross-modal extinction, however, so that contralateral stimulation of one modality would have extinguished perception of ipsilateral stimuli in the other modality. It is concluded that the attentional system controlling the encoding of tactile and visual stimuli ...

Molar extinction coefficients of solutions of some organic compounds

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

(C4H8O2), succinimide (C4H5NO2) as estimated from the measured absorbance of. 7 radiations in their ... species in the solution and ε is called the molar absorptivity or extinction coefficient. (l mol-1cm-1 or ... Integration of eq. (4) leads to.

Familial melanoma associated with dominant ultraviolet radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramsay, R.G.; Chen, P.; Imray, F.P.; Kidson, C.; Lavin, M.F.; Hockey, A.

1982-01-01

Sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation was studied in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from 32 members of two families with histories of multiple primary melanomas in several generations. As assayed by colony formation in agar or by trypan blue exclusion following irradiation, cellular sensitivity showed a bimodal distribution. All persons with melanoma or multiple moles were in the sensitive group, while some family members exhibited responses similar to those of controls. Cells from four cases of sporadic melanoma showed normal levels of sensitivity. The data are consistent with a dominantly inherited ultraviolet light sensitivity associated with these examples of familial melanoma. Spontaneous and ultraviolet light-induced sister chromatid exchange frequencies were similar to those in control cell lines. No defect in excision repair was detected in any of the above cell lines, but the sensitive group showed postirradiation inhibition of DNA replication intermediate between controls and an excision-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum cell line

Rethinking Extinction

OpenAIRE

Dunsmoor, Joseph E.; Niv, Yael; Daw, Nathaniel; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

Extinction serves as the leading theoretical framework and experimental model to describe how learned behaviors diminish through absence of anticipated reinforcement. In the past decade, extinction has moved beyond the realm of associative learning theory and behavioral experimentation in animals and has become a topic of considerable interest in the neuroscience of learning, memory, and emotion. Here, we review research and theories of extinction, both as a learning process and as a behavior...

Out-of-Time Beam Extinction in the MU2E Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prebys, E. J. [Fermilab; Werkema, S. [Fermilab

2015-06-01

The Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab will search for the conversion of a muon to an electron in the field of an atomic nucleus with unprecedented sensitivity. The experiment requires a beam consisting of proton bunches 250 ns FW long, separated by 1.7 $\\mu$ sec, with no out-of-time protons at the $10^{10}$ fractional level. Satisfying this "extinction" requirement is very challenging. The formation of the bunches is expected to result in an extinction on the order of $10^5$. The remaining extinction will be accomplished by a system of resonant magnets and collimators, configured such that only in-time beam is delivered to the experiment. Our simulations show that the total extinction achievable by the system is on the order of $10^{12}$, with an efficiency for transmitting in-time beam of 99.6%.

Methanol Droplet Extinction in Carbon-Dioxide-Enriched Environments in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Michael C.; Nayagam, Vedha; Williams, Forman A.

2010-01-01

Diffusive extinction of methanol droplets with initial diameters between 1.25 mm and 1.72 mm, burning in a quiescent microgravity environment at one atmosphere pressure, was obtained experimentally for varying levels of ambient carbon-dioxide concentrations with a fixed oxygen concentration of 21% and a balance of nitrogen. These experiments serve as precursors to those which are beginning to be performed on the International Space Station and are motivated by the need to understand the effectiveness of carbon-dioxide as a fire suppressant in low-gravity environments. In these experiments, the flame standoff distance, droplet diameter, and flame radiation are measured as functions of time. The results show that the droplet extinction diameter depends on both the initial droplet diameter and the ambient concentration of carbon dioxide. Increasing the initial droplet diameter leads to an increased extinction diameter, while increasing the carbon-dioxide concentration leads to a slight decrease in the extinction diameter. These results are interpreted using a critical Damk hler number for extinction as predicted by an earlier theory, which is extended here to be applicable in the presence of effects of heat conduction along the droplet support fibers and of the volume occupied by the support beads

Modeling galactic extinction

OpenAIRE

Cecchi-Pestellini, C.; Mulas, G.; Casu, S.; Iatì, M. A.; Saija, R.; Cacciola, A.; Borghese, F.; Denti, P.

2011-01-01

We present a model for interstellar extinction dust, in which we assume a bimodal distribution of extinction carriers, a dispersion of core-mantle grains, supplemented by a collection of PAHs in free molecular form. We use state-of-the-art methods to calculate the extinction due to macroscopic dust particles, and the absorption cross-sections of PAHs in four different charge states. While successfull for most of observed Galactic extinction curves, in few cases the model cannot provide reliab...

Study on the application of sensitizing and protective agent in the process of radiation chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamal, Z.

1976-01-01

The role of sensitizing agent and protective agent in the process of radiation chemistry is studied. Direct and indirect radiation effects on bio molecules, molecular and sensitizing agent mechanism, electron activities as the basis for sensitizing agent mechanism, protective agent mechanism on irradiated macro molecules, and kinds of protective and sensitizing agents, are discussed. (RUW)

Significance of genetic predisposition and genomic instability for individual sensitivity to radiation. Implications for radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, H.

2001-01-01

At its closed-door meeting on 20/21 January 2000 the Radiation Protection Committee dedicated much of its attention to the significance of genetic predisposition and genetic instability for individual radiation sensitivity and to the implication of this for radiation protection. The statements and contributions to the closing plenary discussion touched on many aspects of ethics, personal rights, occupational medicine and insurance issues relating to this subject, all of which extend far beyond the purely technical issues of radiation protection. The present volume contains the lecture manuscripts of the meeting as well as a summarising assessment by the Radiation Protection Committee [de

Extragalactic interstellar extinction curves: Indicators of local physical conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cecchi-Pestellini, Cesare [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, P.zza Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy); Viti, Serena; Williams, David A., E-mail: cecchi-pestellini@astropa.unipa.it, E-mail: sv@star.ucl.ac.uk, E-mail: daw@star.ucl.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

2014-06-20

Normalized interstellar extinction curves (ISECs) in the Milky Way and other galaxies show a variety of shapes. This variety is attributed to differences along different sight lines in the abundances of the several dust and gas components contributing to extinction. In this paper we propose that these abundance differences are not arbitrary but are a specific consequence of the physical conditions on those sight lines. If this proposal is correct, then it implies that ISECs contain information about physical conditions in the regions generating extinction. This may be particularly important for high redshift galaxies where information on the conditions may be difficult to obtain. We adopt a model of extinction carriers in which the solid and gaseous components are not immutable but respond time-dependently to the local physics. We validate this model by fitting extinction curves measured on sight lines in the Magellanic Clouds and obtained for the gamma-ray burst afterglow GRB 080605. We present results for this model as follows: (1) we show that computed ISECs are controlled by a small number of physical parameters, (2) we demonstrate the sensitivity of computed ISECs to these parameters, (3) we compute as examples ISECs for particular galaxy types, and (4) we note that different galaxy types have different shapes of ISEC.

Sensitivity of hyperthermia-treated human cells to killing by ultraviolet or gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchel, R.E.; Smith, B.P.; Wheatly, N.; Chan, A.; Child, S.; Paterson, M.C.

1985-01-01

Human xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) or Fanconi anemia (FA) fibroblasts displayed shouldered 45 0 C heat survival curves not significantly different from normal fibroblasts, a result similar to that previously found for ataxia telangiectasia (AT) cells, indicating heat resistance is not linked to either uv or low-LET ionizing radiation resistance. Hyperthermia (45 0 C) sensitized normal and XP fibroblasts to killing by gamma radiation but failed to sensitize the cells to the lethal effects of 254 nm uv radiation. Thermal inhibition of repair of ionizing radiation lesions but not uv-induced lesions appears to contribute synergistically to cell death. The thermal enhancement ratio (TER) for the synergistic interaction of hyperthermia (45 0 C, 30 min) and gamma radiation was significantly lower in one FA and two strains (TER = 1.7-1.8) than that reported previously for three normal strains (TER = 2.5-3.0). These XP and FA strains may be more gamma sensitive than normal human fibroblasts. Since hyperthermia treatment only slightly increases the gamma-radiation sensitivity of ataxia telangiectasia (AT) fibroblasts compared to normal strains, it is possible that the degree of thermal enhancement attainable reflects the genetically inherent ionizing radiation repair capacity of the cells. The data indicate that both repair inhibition and particular lesion types are required for lethal synergism between heat and radiation. We therefore postulate that the transient thermal inhibition of repair results in the conversion of gamma-induced lesions to irrepairable lethal damage, while uv-type damage can remain unaltered during this period

A new explanation of the extinction paradox

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, M.J.; Sorensen, C.M.; Chakrabarti, A.

2011-01-01

This work presents a new explanation for the extinction paradox and shows that the canonical explanations are incorrect. This paradox refers to the large size limit of a particle's extinction cross section. It is called a paradox because the geometrical optics approximation, which should be valid in this limit, predicts a cross section that is half of the true value. The new explanation is achieved by formulating the scattered wave in terms of an integral over the particle's surface where the seemingly unrelated Ewald-Oseen theorem appears in the formulation. By expressing the cross section in terms of this surface integral, the Ewald-Oseen theorem is analytically connected to the cross section. Several illustrations are used to reveal the significance of this connection: The paradox is seen to be a consequence of the requirement that the incident wave be canceled within the particle by secondary radiation from its own internal field. Following this, the canonical explanations are examined to reveal serious problems. In the process, the same asymptotic extinction behavior is shown to occur for small highly refractive dielectric particles, and thus is not just a large particle size or small wavelength effect as is often stated. The traditional explanations cannot account for this behavior while the new one actually predicts it. All in all, this work constitutes a fundamental reworking of 60 years of accepted understanding for the cause of the asymptotic behavior of the extinction cross section.

Fear extinction deficits following acute stress associate with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Maroun, Mouna; Ioannides, Pericles J; Bergman, Krista L; Kavushansky, Alexandra; Holmes, Andrew; Wellman, Cara L

2013-08-01

Stress-sensitive psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder are characterized by deficits in fear extinction and dysfunction of corticolimbic circuits mediating extinction. Chronic stress facilitates fear conditioning, impairs extinction, and produces dendritic proliferation in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a critical site of plasticity for extinction. Acute stress impairs extinction, alters plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex-to-BLA circuit, and causes dendritic retraction in the medial prefrontal cortex. Here, we examined extinction learning and basolateral amygdala pyramidal neuron morphology in adult male rats following a single elevated platform stress. Acute stress impaired extinction acquisition and memory, and produced dendritic retraction and increased mushroom spine density in basolateral amygdala neurons in the right hemisphere. Unexpectedly, irrespective of stress, rats that underwent fear and extinction testing showed basolateral amygdala dendritic retraction and altered spine density relative to non-conditioned rats, particularly in the left hemisphere. Thus, extinction deficits produced by acute stress are associated with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, the finding that conditioning and extinction as such was sufficient to alter basolateral amygdala morphology and spine density illustrates the sensitivity of basolateral amygdala morphology to behavioral manipulation. These findings may have implications for elucidating the role of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Local extinction of a coral reef fish explained by inflexible prey choice

Science.gov (United States)

Brooker, R. M.; Munday, P. L.; Brandl, S. J.; Jones, G. P.

2014-12-01

While global extinctions of marine species are infrequent, local extinctions are becoming common. However, the role of habitat degradation and resource specialisation in explaining local extinction is unknown. On coral reefs, coral bleaching is an increasingly frequent cause of coral mortality that can result in dramatic changes to coral community composition. Coral-associated fishes are often specialised on a limited suite of coral species and are therefore sensitive to these changes. This study documents the local extinction of a corallivorous reef fish, Oxymonacanthus longirostris, following a mass bleaching event that altered the species composition of associated coral communities. Local extinction only occurred on reefs that also completely lost a key prey species, Acropora millepora, even though coral cover remained high. In an experimental test, fish continued to select bleached A. millepora over the healthy, but less-preferred prey species that resisted bleaching. These results suggest that behavioural inflexibility may limit the ability of specialists to cope with even subtle changes to resource availability.

Sexual selection affects local extinction and turnover in bird communities

Science.gov (United States)

Doherty, P.F.; Sorci, G.; Royle, J. Andrew; Hines, J.E.; Nichols, J.D.; Boulinier, T.

2003-01-01

Predicting extinction risks has become a central goal for conservation and evolutionary biologists interested in population and community dynamics. Several factors have been put forward to explain risks of extinction, including ecological and life history characteristics of individuals. For instance, factors that affect the balance between natality and mortality can have profound effects on population persistence. Sexual selection has been identified as one such factor. Populations under strong sexual selection experience a number of costs ranging from increased predation and parasitism to enhanced sensitivity to environmental and demographic stochasticity. These findings have led to the prediction that local extinction rates should be higher for species/populations with intense sexual selection. We tested this prediction by analyzing the dynamics of natural bird communities at a continental scale over a period of 21 years (1975-1996), using relevant statistical tools. In agreement with the theoretical prediction, we found that sexual selection increased risks of local extinction (dichromatic birds had on average a 23% higher local extinction rate than monochromatic species). However, despite higher local extinction probabilities, the number of dichromatic species did not decrease over the period considered in this study. This pattern was caused by higher local turnover rates of dichromatic species, resulting in relatively stable communities for both groups of species. Our results suggest that these communities function as metacommunities, with frequent local extinctions followed by colonization. Anthropogenic factors impeding dispersal might therefore have a significant impact on the global persistence of sexually selected species.

Could a nearby supernova explosion have caused a mass extinction?

CERN Document Server

Ellis, Jonathan Richard

1995-01-01

We examine the possibility that a nearby supernova explosion could have caused one or more of the mass extinctions identified by palaeontologists. We discuss the likely rate of such events in the light of the recent identification of Geminga as a supernova remnant less than 100 pc away and the discovery of a millisecond pulsar about 150 pc away, and observations of SN 1987A. The fluxes of $\\gamma$ radiation and charged cosmic rays on the Earth are estimated, and their effects on the Earth's ozone layer discussed. A supernova explosion of the order of 10 pc away could be expected every few hundred million years, and could destroy the ozone layer for hundreds of years, letting in potentially lethal solar ultraviolet radiation. In addition to effects on land ecology, this could entail mass destruction of plankton and reef communities, with disastrous consequences for marine life as well. A supernova extinction should be distinguishable from a meteorite impact such as the one that presumably killed the dinosaurs.

DNA-nuclear matrix interactions and ionizing radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, J.L.; Vaughan, A.T.M.

1993-01-01

The association between inherent ionizing radiation sensitivity and DNA supercoil unwinding in mammalian cells suggests that the organization of the DNA in chromosomes plays an important role in radiation responses. In this paper, a model is proposed which suggests that these DNA unwinding alterations reflect differences in the attachment of DNA to the nuclear matrix. In radioresistant cells, the MAR structure might exist in a more stable, open configuration, limiting DNA unwinding following strand break induction and influencing the rate and nature of DNA double-strand break rejoining

Study on intraoperative radiotherapy applying hyperthermia together with radiation sensitizers for progressive local carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, M; Takahashi, M; Ono, K; Hiraoka, M [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine

1980-08-01

Intraoperative radiotherapy for gastric cancer, colonic cancer, pancreatic cancer, cancer of the biliary tract, prostatic carcinoma, cerebral tumor, tumor of soft tissues, and osteosarcoma and its clinical results were described. Basic and clinical studies on effects of both hyperthermia and radiation sensitizers to elevate radiation sensitivity were also described, because effects of intraoperative radiotherapy were raised by applying hyperthermia and hypoxic cell sensitizers.

Radiation polymerized hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastor, S.D.; Skoultchi, M.M.

1977-01-01

Hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive compositions formed by copolymerizing at least one 3-(chlorinated aryloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl ester of an alpha, beta unsaturated carboxylic acid with acrylate based copolymerizable monomers, are described. The resultant ethylenically saturated prepolymer is heated to a temperature sufficient to render it fluid and flowable. This composition is coated onto a substrate and exposed to ultraviolet radiation

Long-term maintenance of immediate or delayed extinction is determined by the extinction-test interval

OpenAIRE

Johnson, Justin S.; Escobar, Martha; Kimble, Whitney L.

2010-01-01

Short acquisition-extinction intervals (immediate extinction) can lead to either more or less spontaneous recovery than long acquisition-extinction intervals (delayed extinction). Using rat subjects, we observed less spontaneous recovery following immediate than delayed extinction (Experiment 1). However, this was the case only if a relatively long extinction-test interval was used; a relatively short extinction-test interval yielded the opposite result (Experiment 2). Previous data appear co...

Selecting for extinction: nonrandom disease-associated extinction homogenizes amphibian biotas.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kevin G; Lips, Karen R; Chase, Jonathan M

2009-10-01

Studying the patterns in which local extinctions occur is critical to understanding how extinctions affect biodiversity at local, regional and global spatial scales. To understand the importance of patterns of extinction at a regional spatial scale, we use data from extirpations associated with a widespread pathogenic agent of amphibian decline, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) as a model system. We apply novel null model analyses to these data to determine whether recent extirpations associated with Bd have resulted in selective extinction and homogenization of diverse tropical American amphibian biotas. We find that Bd-associated extinctions in this region were nonrandom and disproportionately, but not exclusively, affected low-occupancy and endemic species, resulting in homogenization of the remnant amphibian fauna. The pattern of extirpations also resulted in phylogenetic homogenization at the family level and ecological homogenization of reproductive mode and habitat association. Additionally, many more species were extirpated from the region than would be expected if extirpations occurred randomly. Our results indicate that amphibian declines in this region are an extinction filter, reducing regional amphibian biodiversity to highly similar relict assemblages and ultimately causing amplified biodiversity loss at regional and global scales.

Sensitivity of radiation methods of diagnosis of electric potentials in dielectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sapozhkov, Yu.I.; Smekalin, L.F.; Yagushkin, N.I.

1985-01-01

On the base of the albedo method the characteristics of radiation methods of diagnosis of electric potentials inside dielectrics, such as sensitivity and resolution are considered. Investigations are carried out for electron energies of tens keV. It is shown that with energy growth the sensitivity to electric field in the dielectrics volume drops. The target atomic number growth reduces the sensitivity approximately 1/lnz. The albedo method resolution in the investigated energy range is constant. The results obtained testify to the usability radiation methods of the diagnosis for control of electric fields of dielectric structural materials in the course of their operation

Advances in radiation biology: Relative radiation sensitivities of human organ systems. Volume 12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lett, J.T.; Altman, K.I.; Ehmann, U.K.; Cox, A.B.

1987-01-01

This volume is a thematically focused issue of Advances in Radiation Biology. The topic surveyed is relative radiosensitivity of human organ systems. Topics considered include relative radiosensitivities of the thymus, spleen, and lymphohemopoietic systems; relative radiosensitivities of the small and large intestine; relative rediosensitivities of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus; relative radiation sensitivity of the integumentary system; dose response of the epidermal; microvascular, and dermal populations; relative radiosensitivity of the human lung; relative radiosensitivity of fetal tissues; and tolerance of the central and peripheral nervous system to therapeutic irradiation

Advances in radiation biology: Relative radiation sensitivities of human organ systems. Volume 12

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lett, J.T.; Altman, K.I.; Ehmann, U.K.; Cox, A.B.

1987-01-01

This volume is a thematically focused issue of Advances in Radiation Biology. The topic surveyed is relative radiosensitivity of human organ systems. Topics considered include relative radiosensitivities of the thymus, spleen, and lymphohemopoietic systems; relative radiosensitivities of the small and large intestine; relative rediosensitivities of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus; relative radiation sensitivity of the integumentary system; dose response of the epidermal; microvascular, and dermal populations; relative radiosensitivity of the human lung; relative radiosensitivity of fetal tissues; and tolerance of the central and peripheral nervous system to therapeutic irradiation.

Detecting fragmentation extinction thresholds for forest understory plant species in peninsular Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Rueda, Marta; Moreno Saiz, Juan Carlos; Morales-Castilla, Ignacio; Albuquerque, Fabio S; Ferrero, Mila; Rodríguez, Miguel Á

2015-01-01

Ecological theory predicts that fragmentation aggravates the effects of habitat loss, yet empirical results show mixed evidences, which fail to support the theory instead reinforcing the primary importance of habitat loss. Fragmentation hypotheses have received much attention due to their potential implications for biodiversity conservation, however, animal studies have traditionally been their main focus. Here we assess variation in species sensitivity to forest amount and fragmentation and evaluate if fragmentation is related to extinction thresholds in forest understory herbs and ferns. Our expectation was that forest herbs would be more sensitive to fragmentation than ferns due to their lower dispersal capabilities. Using forest cover percentage and the proportion of this percentage occurring in the largest patch within UTM cells of 10-km resolution covering Peninsular Spain, we partitioned the effects of forest amount versus fragmentation and applied logistic regression to model occurrences of 16 species. For nine models showing robustness according to a set of quality criteria we subsequently defined two empirical fragmentation scenarios, minimum and maximum, and quantified species' sensitivity to forest contraction with no fragmentation, and to fragmentation under constant forest cover. We finally assessed how the extinction threshold of each species (the habitat amount below which it cannot persist) varies under no and maximum fragmentation. Consistent with their preference for forest habitats probability occurrences of all species decreased as forest cover contracted. On average, herbs did not show significant sensitivity to fragmentation whereas ferns were favored. In line with theory, fragmentation yielded higher extinction thresholds for two species. For the remaining species, fragmentation had either positive or non-significant effects. We interpret these differences as reflecting species-specific traits and conclude that although forest amount is of

Detecting fragmentation extinction thresholds for forest understory plant species in peninsular Spain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Rueda

Full Text Available Ecological theory predicts that fragmentation aggravates the effects of habitat loss, yet empirical results show mixed evidences, which fail to support the theory instead reinforcing the primary importance of habitat loss. Fragmentation hypotheses have received much attention due to their potential implications for biodiversity conservation, however, animal studies have traditionally been their main focus. Here we assess variation in species sensitivity to forest amount and fragmentation and evaluate if fragmentation is related to extinction thresholds in forest understory herbs and ferns. Our expectation was that forest herbs would be more sensitive to fragmentation than ferns due to their lower dispersal capabilities. Using forest cover percentage and the proportion of this percentage occurring in the largest patch within UTM cells of 10-km resolution covering Peninsular Spain, we partitioned the effects of forest amount versus fragmentation and applied logistic regression to model occurrences of 16 species. For nine models showing robustness according to a set of quality criteria we subsequently defined two empirical fragmentation scenarios, minimum and maximum, and quantified species' sensitivity to forest contraction with no fragmentation, and to fragmentation under constant forest cover. We finally assessed how the extinction threshold of each species (the habitat amount below which it cannot persist varies under no and maximum fragmentation. Consistent with their preference for forest habitats probability occurrences of all species decreased as forest cover contracted. On average, herbs did not show significant sensitivity to fragmentation whereas ferns were favored. In line with theory, fragmentation yielded higher extinction thresholds for two species. For the remaining species, fragmentation had either positive or non-significant effects. We interpret these differences as reflecting species-specific traits and conclude that although

Retrieval method of aerosol extinction coefficient profile by an integral lidar system and case study

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Huihui; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Junjian; Wang, Shenhao; Ma, Xiaomin; Zhang, Lianqing; Liu, Dong; Xie, Chenbo; Tao, Zongming

2018-02-01

Aerosol extinction coefficient profile is an essential parameter for atmospheric radiation model. But it is difficult to get the full aerosol extinction profile from the ground to the tropopause especially in near ground precisely using backscattering lidar. A combined measurement of side-scattering, backscattering and Raman-scattering lidar is proposed to retrieve the aerosol extinction coefficient profile from the surface to the tropopause which covered a dynamic range of 5 orders. The side-scattering technique solves the dead zone and the overlap problem caused by the traditional lidar in the near range. Using the Raman-scattering the aerosol lidar ratio (extinction to backscatter ratio) can be obtained. The cases studies in this paper show the proposed method is reasonable and feasible.

Radiation sensitivity of different citric pectins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inamura, Patricia Y.; Mastro, Nelida L. del [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mails: patyoko@yahoo.com; nlmastro@ipen.br

2007-07-01

Pectic substances are important soluble polysaccharides of plant origin of considerable interest for food industry as gelling agent and stabilizer in jams, fruit jellies, yogurt drinks and lactic acid beverages. Polysaccharides can be degraded by ionizing radiation due to the free radical induced scission of the glycosidic bonds. Viscosity methods had been used to determine the efficiency of hydroxyl radical induced chain breaks generation in macromolecules. In the present work samples of pectin with different degree of methoxylation were employed in order to study their radiation sensitivity by means of viscosity measurements. Samples of citric pectin 1% solutions were irradiated with gamma rays at different doses, ranging from 0 to 15 kGy, using a {sup 60}Co Gammacell 220 (AECL), dose rate about 2 kGy/h. After irradiation the viscosity was measured on the viscometer Brookfield model LV-DVIII at 50, 60 and 70 deg C within a period of 48h. Pectin viscosity with high degree of methoxylation decreased sharply with the radiation dose remaining almost constant from 10 kGy. Pectin with low degree of methoxylation presented initially higher values of viscosity and the radiation induced decrease was also pronounced. Viscosity measurements decreased with the increase of the temperature applied for both kind of samples. The effect of radiation induced chain breaks generation in pectin molecules was evident through the viscosity reduction of irradiated pectin solutions although the viscosity presented diverse values depending of the degree of methoxylation of carboxyl groups in the backbone of polysaccharide macromolecules. (author)

Radiation sensitivity of different citric pectins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inamura, Patricia Y.; Mastro, Nelida L. del

2007-01-01

Pectic substances are important soluble polysaccharides of plant origin of considerable interest for food industry as gelling agent and stabilizer in jams, fruit jellies, yogurt drinks and lactic acid beverages. Polysaccharides can be degraded by ionizing radiation due to the free radical induced scission of the glycosidic bonds. Viscosity methods had been used to determine the efficiency of hydroxyl radical induced chain breaks generation in macromolecules. In the present work samples of pectin with different degree of methoxylation were employed in order to study their radiation sensitivity by means of viscosity measurements. Samples of citric pectin 1% solutions were irradiated with gamma rays at different doses, ranging from 0 to 15 kGy, using a 60 Co Gammacell 220 (AECL), dose rate about 2 kGy/h. After irradiation the viscosity was measured on the viscometer Brookfield model LV-DVIII at 50, 60 and 70 deg C within a period of 48h. Pectin viscosity with high degree of methoxylation decreased sharply with the radiation dose remaining almost constant from 10 kGy. Pectin with low degree of methoxylation presented initially higher values of viscosity and the radiation induced decrease was also pronounced. Viscosity measurements decreased with the increase of the temperature applied for both kind of samples. The effect of radiation induced chain breaks generation in pectin molecules was evident through the viscosity reduction of irradiated pectin solutions although the viscosity presented diverse values depending of the degree of methoxylation of carboxyl groups in the backbone of polysaccharide macromolecules. (author)

Retrieval method of aerosol extinction coefficient profile based on backscattering, side-scattering and Raman-scattering lidar

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Huihui; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Junjian; Tao, Zongming; Wang, Shenhao; Ma, Xiaomin; Zhou, Pucheng; Yao, Ling; Liu, Dong; Xie, Chenbo; Wang, Yingjian

2018-03-01

Aerosol extinction coefficient profile is an essential parameter for atmospheric radiation model. It is difficult to get higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) of backscattering lidar from the ground to the tropopause especially in near range. Higher SNR problem can be solved by combining side-scattering and backscattering lidar. Using Raman-scattering lidar, aerosol extinction to backscatter ratio (lidar ratio) can be got. Based on side-scattering, backscattering and Raman-scattering lidar system, aerosol extinction coefficient is retrieved precisely from the earth's surface to the tropopause. Case studies show this method is reasonable and feasible.

Interstellar extinction correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, A.P.; Williams, D.A.; Duley, W.W.

1987-01-01

A recently proposed model for interstellar grains in which the extinction arises from small silicate cores with mantles of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (HAC or α-C:H), and large, but thinly coated, silicate grains can successfully explain many of the observed properties of interstellar dust. The small silicate cores give rise to the 2200 A extinction feature. The extinction in the visual is produced by the large silicates and the HAC mantles on the small cores, whilst the far UV extinction arises in the HAC mantles with a small contribution form the silicate grains. The grain model requires that the silicate material is the more resilient component and that variations in the observed extinction from region to region are due to the nature and depletion of the carbon in the HAC mantles. (author)

How far is cancer cured by radiation sensitization?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ando, Koichi; Sasaki, Takehito; Ikeda, Hiroshi

1990-01-01

Some types of cancer are not cured by radiation alone in view of histology, location, and size. In facing so-called radioresistant cancer, antineoplastic agents, hypoxic cell sensitizers, biological response modifiers, or hyperthermia are used in combination with radiation, with the aim of cancer cure. First of all, this chapter discusses the subject of 'what is tumor cure by radiation therapy'. Current conditions of the aforementioned combined modalities and the future perspectives are presented. The following subjects are covered: (1) tumor control - significance of the number of stem cells; (2) biological evaluation of chemo-radiotherapy with cisplatin; (3) clinical results and experience with combination of radiotherapy and radiosensitizers; (4) radiosensitization with hypoxic cell radiosensitizers - present status (5) hypoxic cell radiosensitizers - present status and problems from the viewpoint of clinical radiotherapy; (6) thermal radiosensitization in vitro and its implications for radiotherapy; (7) clinical assessment of thermoradiotherapy for breast cancer and cancer of the urinary bladder; (8) interactions of radiation and biological response modifiers in the treatment of malignant tumor; (9) improvement in the effects of radiation therapy with biological response modifiers. (N.K.)

Radiation-sensitive compounds and methods of using same

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeMajistre, R.

1977-01-01

Novel diacrylates are prepared by reacting a monohydroxylated acrylic monomer with a polyisocyanate. The reaction product may be polymerized by subjecting to ionizing irradiation, actinic light or to free radical catalysis to form a useful coating material. The diacrylates may also be copolymerized with other radiation sensitive materials

DustEM: Dust extinction and emission modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Compiègne, M.; Verstraete, L.; Jones, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Boulanger, F.; Flagey, N.; Le Bourlot, J.; Paradis, D.; Ysard, N.

2013-07-01

DustEM computes the extinction and the emission of interstellar dust grains heated by photons. It is written in Fortran 95 and is jointly developed by IAS and CESR. The dust emission is calculated in the optically thin limit (no radiative transfer) and the default spectral range is 40 to 108 nm. The code is designed so dust properties can easily be changed and mixed and to allow for the inclusion of new grain physics.

Examining the extinction of the Barbary lion and its implications for felid conservation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon A Black

Full Text Available Estimations of species extinction dates are rarely definitive, yet declarations of extinction or extirpation are important as they define when conservation efforts may cease. Erroneous declarations of extinctions not only destabilize conservation efforts but also corrode local community support. Mismatches in perceptions by the scientific and local communities risk undermining sensitive, but important partnerships. We examine observations relating to the decline and extinction of Barbary lions in North Africa. Whilst the extinction predates the era of the scientific conservation movement, the decline is relatively well documented in historical records. Recently unearthed accounts suggest Barbary lions survived later than previously assumed. We use probabilistic methods to estimate a more recent extinction date for the subspecies. The evidence presented for a much later persistence of lions in North Africa, including generations when sightings were nil, suggests caution when considering felid populations as extinct in the wild. The case raises the possibility that captive animals descended from the Moroccan royal collection are closer contemporaries to wild Barbary lions. Furthermore, our results highlight the vulnerability of very small lion populations and the significance of continued conservation of remnant lion populations in Central and West Africa.

Examining the extinction of the Barbary lion and its implications for felid conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Simon A; Fellous, Amina; Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki; Roberts, David L

2013-01-01

Estimations of species extinction dates are rarely definitive, yet declarations of extinction or extirpation are important as they define when conservation efforts may cease. Erroneous declarations of extinctions not only destabilize conservation efforts but also corrode local community support. Mismatches in perceptions by the scientific and local communities risk undermining sensitive, but important partnerships. We examine observations relating to the decline and extinction of Barbary lions in North Africa. Whilst the extinction predates the era of the scientific conservation movement, the decline is relatively well documented in historical records. Recently unearthed accounts suggest Barbary lions survived later than previously assumed. We use probabilistic methods to estimate a more recent extinction date for the subspecies. The evidence presented for a much later persistence of lions in North Africa, including generations when sightings were nil, suggests caution when considering felid populations as extinct in the wild. The case raises the possibility that captive animals descended from the Moroccan royal collection are closer contemporaries to wild Barbary lions. Furthermore, our results highlight the vulnerability of very small lion populations and the significance of continued conservation of remnant lion populations in Central and West Africa.

Gamma radiation induced sensitization and photo-transfer in Mg2SiO4:Tb TLD phosphor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakshmanan, A.R.; Vohra, K.G.

1979-01-01

Mg 2 SiO 4 :Tb TLD phosphor was found to show enhanced TL sensitivity to both gamma and UV radiations after high pre-gamma exposures (>100 R) and a post-annealing treatment at 300 0 C for 1 h. Maximum sensitization factors of 2.8 and 55 were obtained at the pre-expsoure levels of 5.2x10 1 C/kg and 1.3x10 3 C/kg for gamma and UV test radiations respectively. The near constancy of the intensity of the residual TL (RTL) peak at 500 0 C for the sensitized sample with increasing test-gamma exposures has ruled out the re-trapping model proposed earlier for the gamma radiation induced sensitization in this phosphor. The Tsub(max) for the sensitized phosphor was found to occur at a higher temperature compared to that for the virgin phosphor. The dependence of sensitization on RTL was explained qualitatively on the basis of competition between sensitization traps (having higher energy than the dosimetry traps) and RTL traps while capturing the charge carriers generated during the test-gamma exposure. The sensitization observed in this phosphor to UV test radiation was found to be a consequence of the photo-transfer of charge carriers from deep (RTL) traps to the shallow (dosimetry) traps. The reduction in RTL peak (500 0 C) intensity of the sensitized sample with increasing test-UV exposure has demonstrated the photo-transfer mechanism in this phosphor. The TL response of the virgin Mg 2 SiO 4 :Tb phosphor was found to be supralinear to both gamma and UV radiations. The TL response of the sensitized phosphor was found to be linear to gamma radiation and sublinear to UV radiation. (Auth.)

DNA-nuclear matrix interactions and ionizing radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, J.L.; Chicago Univ., IL; Vaughan, A.T.M.

1993-01-01

The association between inherent ionizing radiation sensitivity and DNA supercoil unwinding in mammalian cells suggests that the DNA-nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR) plays an important role in radiation response. In radioresistant cells, the MAR structure may exist in a more stable, open configuration, limiting DNA unwinding following strand break induction and maintaining DNA ends in close proximity for more rapid and accurate rejoining. In addition, the open configuration at these matrix attachment sites may serve to facilitate rapid DNA processing of breaks by providing (1) sites for repair proteins to collect and (2) energy to drive enzymatic reactions

An exact solution of the extinction problem in supercritical multiplying systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, M.M.R.

1979-01-01

Using the point model approximation and one-speed theory with no delayed neutrons a probability balance equation for neutrons by the backward method has been constructed. This probability gives the distribution of neutrons in a multiplying medium at a given time and also the distribution that a chain will have generated a specified number of neutrons before extinction. We consider the limit of this probability for super and subcritical systems for long times after the initial triggering neutron. This leads to the extinction probability and to the individual probabilities of neutron population. To obtain specific results we have used a variety of models for the neutron multiplicity in the fission process, ie Poisson, birth and death, geometric and binomial. Exact solutions for the extinction probability have been obtained and its sensitivity to various parameters examined. Finally, we use the 'quadratic approximation' and assess its accuracy; it is found to overestimate the extinction probability and to be useful only for multiplication factors near unity. (author)

Facilitation of extinction and re-extinction of operant behavior in mice by chlordiazepoxide and D-cycloserine.

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, Julian C; Norwood, Kelly

2013-05-01

The aim was to compare operant extinction with re-extinction following re-acquisition and to investigate neuropharmacological mechanisms through administration of drugs potentiating GABAergic or glutamatergic systems. Groups of C57Bl/6 mice were trained to lever press for food on a fixed ratio schedule, then extinguished with or without pre-session chlordiazepoxide or post-session d-cycloserine administration (15mg/kg in each case), then retrained to lever press for food, then re-extinguished with or without pre-session chlordiazepoxide or post-session d-cycloserine. Under vehicle injections, extinction and re-extinction curves were indistinguishable, but drug treatments showed that there was less resistance to extinction in the re-extinction phase. Chlordiazepoxide facilitated extinction and re-extinction, with an earlier effect during re-extinction. d-Cycloserine also facilitated extinction and re-extinction, with some evidence of an earlier effect during re-extinction. These results replicate and extend earlier findings with operant extinction, but differ from some previous reports of d-cycloserine on re-extinction of Pavlovian conditioned fear. Implications for accounts of the similarities and differences between neural mechanisms of extinction following either Pavlovian or operant conditioning, and applications of these findings, are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The primary extinction and static Debye-Waller factor in the characterization of textured nickel by X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryshtab, T.; Palacios G, J.; Cadena A, A.; Kryvko, A.

2015-01-01

The texture analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) implies measurement of pole figures (Pf) from the diffracted intensities considering the model of kinematical dispersion. The extinction phenomenon results in a decrease of diffracted intensity and that in turn in a decrease of pole densities (Pds). The phenomenon appears in the kinematical theory of XRD as the primary extinction and the secondary extinction to characterize the loss of intensity of kinematical dispersion. In turn, the static Debye-Waller factor is an integral characteristic of defects in crystals that is introduced in the kinematical theory of XRD and also is used in dynamical theory of XRD. In this work the correlation between the primary extinction coefficient and the static Debye-Waller factor in the case of textured nickel was determined. The value of static Debye-Waller factor was determined from the value of the calculated primary extinction coefficient. For the evaluation there were used Pds in the maxima of Pf obtained for 111 and 200 reflections with Mo Kα radiation, and the Pds in the maxima of Pf obtained for the first and second orders of these reflections with Cu Kα and Co Kα radiations. There were calculated the dislocation densities in grains using values of static Debye-Waller factor and the extinction coefficients. The dislocation densities calculated from these two characteristics are practically equal. (Author)

Long-Term Maintenance of Immediate or Delayed Extinction Is Determined by the Extinction-Test Interval

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Justin S.; Escobar, Martha; Kimble, Whitney L.

2010-01-01

Short acquisition-extinction intervals (immediate extinction) can lead to either more or less spontaneous recovery than long acquisition-extinction intervals (delayed extinction). Using rat subjects, we observed less spontaneous recovery following immediate than delayed extinction (Experiment 1). However, this was the case only if a relatively…

Extinction properties of metallic nanowires: Quantum diffraction and retardation effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moradi, Afshin, E-mail: a.moradi@kut.ac.ir [Department of Engineering Physics, Kermanshah University of Technology, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Nano Sciences, Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (IPM), Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-10-09

The standard Mie theory for the extinction of electromagnetic radiation by a metal cylinder that is irradiated by a normally incident plane wave is extended to the case of a metallic nanowire, where two quantum longitudinal waves are excited. The modification of the Mie theory due to quantum diffraction effects is included by employing the quantum hydrodynamic approximation and applying the appropriate quantum additional boundary conditions. The extinction properties of the system and their differences with previous treatments based on the standard local and nonlocal models are shown. Also, as an example the validity of the nonretarded approximation in the quantum nonlocal optical response of a sodium nanowire is discussed. - Highlights: • Extinction properties of metallic nanowires in the presence of quantum diffraction and retardation effects are studied. • The differences of new results with previous findings based on the standard local and nonlocal models are shown. • The validity of the nonretarded approximation in the quantum nonlocal optical response of a sodium nanowire is discussed.

Mechanisms of UVB-resistance in rice: Cultivar differences in the sensitivity to UVB radiation in rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hidema, J.

2001-01-01

In a study on the sensitivity to UVB radiation of rice cultivars of 5 Asian rice ecotypes, results showed that the rice cultivars widely varied in UVB sensitivity; among the Japanese rice cultivars, Sasanishiki was more resistant to UVB, while Norin 1 was less resistant; UV-sensitive Norin 1 was deficient in photorepair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (UV-induced DNA damage), and the sensitivity to UVB radiation significantly correlated with deficient CPD photorepair; and that this deficiency in Norin 1 resulted from a functionally altered photolyase. The results suggest that photorepair capacity is a principal factor in determining UVB sensitivity in rice. The effects of supplemental UVB radiation on the growth and yield of Japanese rice cultivars under field conditions were also studied in Japan since 1993. The results indicate that supplemental UVB radiation had inhibitory effects on the growth and yield of rice. Furthermore, grain size was smaller with supplemental UVB radiation

Improvements to a neutral radiation detection and position sensitive process and devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charpak, Georges; Nguyen, N.H.; Policarpo, Armando.

1977-01-01

This invention aims to provide a neutral radiation position sensitive process and device providing a spatial radiation satisfactory for most medical applications and an energy radiation that cannot be reached by gas detectors based on proportional counters or by scintillation counters. Only solid state detectors can compete with respect to energy resolution. The detector described enables large areas to be covered which cannot be reached at accessible costs by solid state detectors. With this aim in view, the invention suggests an incident neutral radiation and position sensitive process, particularly soft gamma and X radiations, whereby photoelectrons are made to form by incident radiation action on gas atoms contained in an enclosure. By means of an electric field, the electrons are diverted towards a space undergoing an electric field high enough in value to create photons by exciting gas atoms and returning them to the de-excited state. The photons are collected, through a transparent window, on a layer of a material for converting such photons into scintillations in the near or visible UV spectrum and the barycentre of the scintillations is positioned on the layer, for instance by photomultipliers or ionization detectors. According to another aspect of the invention, it suggests a detection and position sensitive device comprising (generally downstream of a collimator with a grid of inlet holes) a leak tight containment fitted with an inlet window transparent to incident radiations, filled with a gas producing electrons by interaction with the incident radiation, and fitted with electrodes for generating an electric field to divert the electrons to a space for creating secondary photons [fr

Extinction and the fossil record

Science.gov (United States)

Sepkoski, J. J. Jr; Sepkoski JJ, ,. J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1994-01-01

The author examines evidence of mass extinctions in the fossil record and searches for reasons for such large extinctions. Five major mass extinctions eliminated at least 40 percent of animal genera in the oceans and from 65 to 95 percent of ocean species. Questions include the occurrence of gradual or catastrophic extinctions, causes, environment, the capacity of a perturbation to cause extinctions each time it happens, and the possibility and identification of complex events leading to a mass extinction.

Extinctions. Paleontological baselines for evaluating extinction risk in the modern oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Finnegan, Seth; Anderson, Sean C; Harnik, Paul G; Simpson, Carl; Tittensor, Derek P; Byrnes, Jarrett E; Finkel, Zoe V; Lindberg, David R; Liow, Lee Hsiang; Lockwood, Rowan; Lotze, Heike K; McClain, Craig R; McGuire, Jenny L; O'Dea, Aaron; Pandolfi, John M

2015-05-01

Marine taxa are threatened by anthropogenic impacts, but knowledge of their extinction vulnerabilities is limited. The fossil record provides rich information on past extinctions that can help predict biotic responses. We show that over 23 million years, taxonomic membership and geographic range size consistently explain a large proportion of extinction risk variation in six major taxonomic groups. We assess intrinsic risk-extinction risk predicted by paleontologically calibrated models-for modern genera in these groups. Mapping the geographic distribution of these genera identifies coastal biogeographic provinces where fauna with high intrinsic risk are strongly affected by human activity or climate change. Such regions are disproportionately in the tropics, raising the possibility that these ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable to future extinctions. Intrinsic risk provides a prehuman baseline for considering current threats to marine biodiversity. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone), a polyamine analogue, sensitized γ-radiation-induced cell death in HL-60 leukemia cells Sensitizing effect of MGBG on γ-radiation-induced cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jin Sik; Lee, Jin; Chung, Hai Won; Choi, Han; Paik, Sang Gi; Kim, In Gyu

2006-09-01

Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), a polyamine analogue, has been known to inhibit the biosynthesis of polyamines, which are important in cell proliferation. We showed that MGBG treatment significantly affected γ-radiation-induced cell cycle transition (G(1)/G(0)→S→G(2)/M) and thus γ-radiation-induced cell death. As determined by micronuclei and comet assay, we showed that it sensitized the cytotoxic effect induced by γ-radiation. One of the reasons is that polyamine depletion by MGBG treatment did not effectively protect against the chemical (OH) or physical damage to DNA caused by γ-radiation. Through in vitro experiment, we confirmed that DNA strand breaks induced by γ-radiation was prevented more effectively in the presence of polyamines (spermine and spermidine) than in the absence of polyamines. MGBG also blocks the cell cycle transition caused by γ-radiation (G(2) arrest), which helps protect cells by allowing time for DNA repair before entry into mitosis or apoptosis, via the down regulation of cyclin D1, which mediates the transition from G(1) to S phase of cell cycle, and ataxia telangiectasia mutated, which is involved in the DNA sensing, repair and cell cycle check point. Therefore, the abrogation of G(2) arrest sensitizes cells to the effect of γ-radiation. As a result, γ-radiation-induced cell death increased by about 2.5-3.0-fold in cells treated with MGBG. However, exogenous spermidine supplement partially relieved this γ-radiation-induced cytotoxicity and cell death. These findings suggest a potentially therapeutic strategy for increasing the cytotoxic efficacy of γ-radiation.

Information Retrieval from SAGE II and MFRSR Multi-Spectral Extinction Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Lacis, Andrew A.; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Direct beam spectral extinction measurements of solar radiation contain important information on atmospheric composition in a form that is essentially free from multiple scattering contributions that otherwise tend to complicate the data analysis and information retrieval. Such direct beam extinction measurements are available from the solar occultation satellite-based measurements made by the Stratospheric and Aerosol Gas Experiment (SAGE II) instrument and by ground-based Multi-Filter Shadowband Radiometers (MFRSRs). The SAGE II data provide cross-sectional slices of the atmosphere twice per orbit at seven wavelengths between 385 and 1020 nm with approximately 1 km vertical resolution, while the MFRSR data provide atmospheric column measurements at six wavelengths between 415 and 940 nm but at one minute time intervals. We apply the same retrieval technique of simultaneous least-squares fit to the observed spectral extinctions to retrieve aerosol optical depth, effective radius and variance, and ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and water vapor amounts from the SAGE II and MFRSR measurements. The retrieval technique utilizes a physical model approach based on laboratory measurements of ozone and nitrogen dioxide extinction, line-by-line and numerical k-distribution calculations for water vapor absorption, and Mie scattering constraints on aerosol spectral extinction properties. The SAGE II measurements have the advantage of being self-calibrating in that deep space provides an effective zero point for the relative spectral extinctions. The MFRSR measurements require periodic clear-day Langley regression calibration events to maintain accurate knowledge of instrument calibration.

Open-path, closed-path and reconstructed aerosol extinction at a rural site.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Timothy D; Prenni, Anthony J; Renfro, James R; McClure, Ethan; Hicks, Bill; Onasch, Timothy B; Freedman, Andrew; McMeeking, Gavin R; Chen, Ping

2018-04-09

The Handix Scientific Open-Path Cavity Ringdown Spectrometer (OPCRDS) was deployed during summer 2016 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). Extinction coefficients from the relatively new OPCRDS and from a more well-established extinction instrument agreed to within 7%. Aerosol hygroscopic growth (f(RH)) was calculated from the ratio of ambient extinction measured by the OPCRDS to dry extinction measured by a closed-path extinction monitor (Aerodyne's Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift Particulate Matter Extinction Monitor, CAPS PMex). Derived hygroscopicity (RH 1995 at the same site and time of year, which is noteworthy given the decreasing trend for organics and sulfate in the eastern U.S. However, maximum f(RH) values in 1995 were less than half as large as those recorded in 2016-possibly due to nephelometer truncation losses in 1995. Two hygroscopicity parameterizations were investigated using high time resolution OPCRDS+CAPS PMex data, and the K ext model was more accurate than the γ model. Data from the two ambient optical instruments, the OPCRDS and the open-path nephelometer, generally agreed; however, significant discrepancies between ambient scattering and extinction were observed, apparently driven by a combination of hygroscopic growth effects, which tend to increase nephelometer truncation losses and decrease sensitivity to the wavelength difference between the two instruments as a function of particle size. There was not a statistically significant difference in the mean reconstructed extinction values obtained from the original and the revised IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) equations. On average IMPROVE reconstructed extinction was ~25% lower than extinction measured by the OPCRDS, which suggests that the IMPROVE equations and 24-hr aerosol data are moderately successful in estimating current haze levels at GRSM. However, this conclusion is limited by the coarse temporal resolution and the low dynamic range of

Biological extinction in earth history

Science.gov (United States)

Raup, D. M.

1986-01-01

Virtually all plant and animal species that have ever lived on the earth are extinct. For this reason alone, extinction must play an important role in the evolution of life. The five largest mass extinctions of the past 600 million years are of greatest interest, but there is also a spectrum of smaller events, many of which indicate biological systems in profound stress. Extinction may be episodic at all scales, with relatively long periods of stability alternating with short-lived extinction events. Most extinction episodes are biologically selective, and further analysis of the victims and survivors offers the greatest chance of deducing the proximal causes of extinction. A drop in sea level and climatic change are most frequently invoked to explain mass extinctions, but new theories of collisions with extraterrestrial bodies are gaining favor. Extinction may be constructive in a Darwinian sense or it may only perturb the system by eliminating those organisms that happen to be susceptible to geologically rare stresses.

Biological Extinction in Earth History

Science.gov (United States)

Raup, David M.

1986-03-01

Virtually all plant and animal species that have ever lived on the earth are extinct. For this reason alone, extinction must play an important role in the evolution of life. The five largest mass extinctions of the past 600 million years are of greatest interest, but there is also a spectrum of smaller events, many of which indicate biological systems in profound stress. Extinction may be episodic at all scales, with relatively long periods of stability alternating with short-lived extinction events. Most extinction episodes are biologically selective, and further analysis of the victims and survivors offers the greatest chance of deducing the proximal causes of extinction. A drop in sea level and climatic change are most frequently invoked to explain mass extinctions, but new theories of collisions with extraterrestrial bodies are gaining favor. Extinction may be constructive in a Darwinian sense or it may only perturb the system by eliminating those organisms that happen to be susceptible to geologically rare stresses.

Metapopulation extinction risk: dispersal's duplicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Kevin

2009-09-01

Metapopulation extinction risk is the probability that all local populations are simultaneously extinct during a fixed time frame. Dispersal may reduce a metapopulation's extinction risk by raising its average per-capita growth rate. By contrast, dispersal may raise a metapopulation's extinction risk by reducing its average population density. Which effect prevails is controlled by habitat fragmentation. Dispersal in mildly fragmented habitat reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk by raising its average per-capita growth rate without causing any appreciable drop in its average population density. By contrast, dispersal in severely fragmented habitat raises a metapopulation's extinction risk because the rise in its average per-capita growth rate is more than offset by the decline in its average population density. The metapopulation model used here shows several other interesting phenomena. Dispersal in sufficiently fragmented habitat reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk to that of a constant environment. Dispersal between habitat fragments reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk insofar as local environments are asynchronous. Grouped dispersal raises the effective habitat fragmentation level. Dispersal search barriers raise metapopulation extinction risk. Nonuniform dispersal may reduce the effective fraction of suitable habitat fragments below the extinction threshold. Nonuniform dispersal may make demographic stochasticity a more potent metapopulation extinction force than environmental stochasticity.

The Extinction and Return of Fear of Public Speaking.

Science.gov (United States)

Laborda, Mario A; Schofield, Casey A; Johnson, Emily M; Schubert, Jessica R; George-Denn, Daniel; Coles, Meredith E; Miller, Ralph R

2016-11-01

Prior studies indicate extinguished fear often partially returns when participants are later tested outside the extinction context. Cues carried from the extinction context to the test context sometimes reduce return of fear, but it is unclear whether such extinction cues (ECs) reduce return of fear of public speaking. Here we assessed return of fear of public speaking, and whether either of two types of ECs can attenuate it. Participants gave speeches of increasing difficulty during an exposure practice session and were tested 2 days later in a different context. Testing occurred in the presence of physical ECs, after mentally rehearsing the exposure session, or without either reminder. Practice reduced fear of public speaking, but fear partially returned at test. Neither physical nor mental ECs reduced partial return of fear of public speaking. The return of extinguished fear of public speaking, although small, was reliable, but not appreciably sensitive to presence of ECs. © The Author(s) 2016.

Beyond the Mean: Sensitivities of the Variance of Population Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotter, Meredith V; Krishna-Kumar, Siddharth; Tuljapurkar, Shripad

2013-03-01

Populations in variable environments are described by both a mean growth rate and a variance of stochastic population growth. Increasing variance will increase the width of confidence bounds around estimates of population size, growth, probability of and time to quasi-extinction. However, traditional sensitivity analyses of stochastic matrix models only consider the sensitivity of the mean growth rate. We derive an exact method for calculating the sensitivity of the variance in population growth to changes in demographic parameters. Sensitivities of the variance also allow a new sensitivity calculation for the cumulative probability of quasi-extinction. We apply this new analysis tool to an empirical dataset on at-risk polar bears to demonstrate its utility in conservation biology We find that in many cases a change in life history parameters will increase both the mean and variance of population growth of polar bears. This counterintuitive behaviour of the variance complicates predictions about overall population impacts of management interventions. Sensitivity calculations for cumulative extinction risk factor in changes to both mean and variance, providing a highly useful quantitative tool for conservation management. The mean stochastic growth rate and its sensitivities do not fully describe the dynamics of population growth. The use of variance sensitivities gives a more complete understanding of population dynamics and facilitates the calculation of new sensitivities for extinction processes.

Stress before extinction learning enhances and generalizes extinction memory in a predictive learning task.

Science.gov (United States)

Meir Drexler, Shira; Hamacher-Dang, Tanja C; Wolf, Oliver T

2017-05-01

In extinction learning, the individual learns that a previously acquired association (e.g. between a threat and its predictor) is no longer valid. This learning is the principle underlying many cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic treatments, e.g. 'exposure therapy'. However, extinction is often highly-context dependent, leading to renewal (relapse of extinguished conditioned response following context change). We have previously shown that post-extinction stress leads to a more context-dependent extinction memory in a predictive learning task. Yet as stress prior to learning can impair the integration of contextual cues, here we aim to create a more generalized extinction memory by inducing stress prior to extinction. Forty-nine men and women learned the associations between stimuli and outcomes in a predictive learning task (day 1), extinguished them shortly after an exposure to a stress/control condition (day 2), and were tested for renewal (day 3). No group differences were seen in acquisition and extinction learning, and a renewal effect was present in both groups. However, the groups differed in the strength and context-dependency of the extinction memory. Compared to the control group, the stress group showed an overall reduced recovery of responding to the extinguished stimuli, in particular in the acquisition context. These results, together with our previous findings, demonstrate that the effects of stress exposure on extinction memory depend on its timing. While post-extinction stress makes the memory more context-bound, pre-extinction stress strengthens its consolidation for the acquisition context as well, making it potentially more resistant to relapse. These results have implications for the use of glucocorticoids as extinction-enhancers in exposure therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of peroxide and catalase on near ultraviolet radiation sensitivity in Escherichia coli strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coombs, A.M.L.; Moss, S.H.

1987-01-01

The role of peroxide and catalase on NUV radiation sensitivity was examined in two repair competent E. coli strains, AB1157 and B/r. Exponential phase B/r is considerably more sensitive to NUV radiation than exponential phase AB1157. However, resistance to 5 mmol dm -3 H 2 O 2 was induced in both AB1157 and B/r by pretreating growing cells with 30 μmol dm -3 H 2 O 2 . Pretreatment also induced resistance to broad-band NUV radiation in these strains. The addition of catalase to the post-irradiation plating medium increased survival to the same extent as that provided by pretreatment with 30 μmol dm -3 H 2 O 2 , in both strains. The NUV radiation sensitivity seen in B/r does not appear to be due to a deficiency in enzymes that scavenge H 2 O 2 , as a catalase deficient mutant, E. coli UM1, is more resistant to NUV radiation than B/r. Also, assays for H 2 O 2 scavenging ability show little difference between AB1157 and B/r in this respect. Two hypotheses are put forward to account for the sensitivity of exponential phase B/r. Whilst it is apparent that peroxides and catalase do have a role in NUV radiation damage, it is clear that other factors also influence survival under certain conditions. (author)

Extinction antagonizes olfactory memory at the subcellular level.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwaerzel, Martin; Heisenberg, Martin; Zars, Troy

2002-08-29

Memory loss occurs by diverse mechanisms, as different time constants of performance decrement and sensitivities to experimental manipulations suggest. While the phenomena of memory decay, interference, and extinction are well established behaviorally, little is known about them at the circuit or molecular level. In Drosophila, odorant memories lasting up to 3 hr can be localized to mushroom body Kenyon cells, a single neuronal level in the olfactory pathway. The plasticity underlying this memory trace can be induced without Kenyon cell synaptic output. Experimental extinction, i.e., presentation of the conditioned stimulus without the reinforcer, reduces memory performance and does so at the same circuit level as memory formation. Thus, unreinforced presentation of learned odorants antagonizes intracellularly the signaling cascade underlying memory formation.

High sensitive radiation detector for radiology dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valente, M.; Malano, F. [Instituto de Fisica Enrique Gaviola, Oficina 102 FaMAF - UNC, Av. Luis Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina); Molina, W.; Vedelago, J., E-mail: valente@famac.unc.edu.ar [Laboratorio de Investigaciones e Instrumentacion en Fisica Aplicada a la Medicina e Imagenes por Rayos X, Laboratorio 448 FaMAF - UNC, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina)

2014-08-15

Fricke solution has a wide range of applications as radiation detector and dosimetry. It is particularly appreciated in terms of relevant comparative advantages, like tissue equivalence when prepared in aqueous media like gel matrix, continuous mapping capability, dose rate recorded and incident direction independence as well as linear dose response. This work presents the development and characterization of a novel Fricke gel system, based on modified chemical compositions making possible its application in clinical radiology. Properties of standard Fricke gel dosimeter for high dose levels are used as starting point and suitable chemical modifications are introduced and carefully investigated in order to attain high resolution for low dose ranges, like those corresponding to radiology interventions. The developed Fricke gel radiation dosimeter system achieves the expected typical dose dependency, actually showing linear response in the dose range from 20 up to 4000 mGy. Systematic investigations including several chemical compositions are carried out in order to obtain a good enough dosimeter response for low dose levels. A suitable composition among those studied is selected as a good candidate for low dose level radiation dosimetry consisting on a modified Fricke solution fixed to a gel matrix containing benzoic acid along with sulfuric acid, ferrous sulfate, xylenol orange and ultra-pure reactive grade water. Dosimeter samples are prepared in standard vials for its in phantom irradiation and further characterization by spectrophotometry measuring visible light transmission and absorbance before and after irradiation. Samples are irradiated by typical kV X-ray tubes and calibrated Farmer type ionization chamber is used as reference to measure dose rates inside phantoms in at vials locations. Once sensitive material composition is already optimized, dose-response curves show significant improvement regarding overall sensitivity for low dose levels. According to

High sensitive radiation detector for radiology dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valente, M.; Malano, F.; Molina, W.; Vedelago, J.

2014-08-01

Fricke solution has a wide range of applications as radiation detector and dosimetry. It is particularly appreciated in terms of relevant comparative advantages, like tissue equivalence when prepared in aqueous media like gel matrix, continuous mapping capability, dose rate recorded and incident direction independence as well as linear dose response. This work presents the development and characterization of a novel Fricke gel system, based on modified chemical compositions making possible its application in clinical radiology. Properties of standard Fricke gel dosimeter for high dose levels are used as starting point and suitable chemical modifications are introduced and carefully investigated in order to attain high resolution for low dose ranges, like those corresponding to radiology interventions. The developed Fricke gel radiation dosimeter system achieves the expected typical dose dependency, actually showing linear response in the dose range from 20 up to 4000 mGy. Systematic investigations including several chemical compositions are carried out in order to obtain a good enough dosimeter response for low dose levels. A suitable composition among those studied is selected as a good candidate for low dose level radiation dosimetry consisting on a modified Fricke solution fixed to a gel matrix containing benzoic acid along with sulfuric acid, ferrous sulfate, xylenol orange and ultra-pure reactive grade water. Dosimeter samples are prepared in standard vials for its in phantom irradiation and further characterization by spectrophotometry measuring visible light transmission and absorbance before and after irradiation. Samples are irradiated by typical kV X-ray tubes and calibrated Farmer type ionization chamber is used as reference to measure dose rates inside phantoms in at vials locations. Once sensitive material composition is already optimized, dose-response curves show significant improvement regarding overall sensitivity for low dose levels. According to

Temporal factors in the extinction of fear in inbred mouse strains differing in extinction efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

MacPherson, Kathryn; Whittle, Nigel; Camp, Marguerite; Gunduz-Cinar, Ozge; Singewald, Nicolas; Holmes, Andrew

2013-07-05

Various neuropsychiatric conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are characterized by deficient fear extinction, but individuals differ greatly in risk for these. While there is growing evidence that fear extinction is influenced by certain procedural variables, it is unclear how these influences might vary across individuals and subpopulations. To model individual differences in fear extinction, prior studies identified a strain of inbred mouse, 129S1/SvImJ (S1), which exhibits a profound deficit in fear extinction, as compared to other inbred strains, such as C57BL/6J (B6). Here, we assessed the effects of procedural variables on the impaired extinction phenotype of the S1 strain and, by comparison, the extinction-intact B6 strain. The variables studied were 1) the interval between conditioning and extinction, 2) the interval between cues during extinction training, 3) single-cue exposure before extinction training, and 4) extinction of a second-order conditioned cue. Conducting extinction training soon after ('immediately') conditioning attenuated fear retrieval in S1 mice and impaired extinction in B6 mice. Spacing cue presentations with long inter-trial intervals during extinction training augmented fear in S1 and B6 mice. The effect of spacing was lost with one-trial fear conditioning in B6, but not S1 mice. A single exposure to a conditioned cue before extinction training did not alter extinction retrieval, either in B6 or S1 mice. Both the S1 and B6 strains exhibited robust second-order fear conditioning, in which a cue associated with footshock was sufficient to serve as a conditioned exciter to condition a fear association to a second cue. B6 mice extinguished the fear response to the second-order conditioned cue, but S1 mice failed to do so. These data provide further evidence that fear extinction is strongly influenced by multiple procedural variables and is so in a highly strain-dependent manner. This suggests that the efficacy of

Assessing fear following retrieval+extinction through suppression of baseline reward seeking vs. freezing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason eShumake

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Freezing has become the predominant measure used in rodent studies of conditioned fear, but conditioned suppression of reward-seeking behavior may provide a measure that is more relevant to human anxiety disorders; that is, a measure of how fear interferes with the enjoyment of pleasurable activities. Previous work has found that an isolated presentation of a fear conditioned stimulus prior to extinction training (retrieval + extinction results in a more robust and longer-lasting reduction in fear. The objective of this study was to assess whether the retrieval + extinction effect is evident using conditioned suppression of reward seeking, operationalized as a reduction in baseline licking (without prior water deprivation for a 10% sucrose solution. We found that, compared to freezing, conditioned suppression of reward seeking was much more sensitive to fear conditioning and far less responsive to extinction training. As in previous work, we found that retrieval + extinction reduced post-extinction fear reinstatement when measured as freezing, but it did not reduce fear reinstatement when measured as conditioned suppression. This suggests that there is still residual fear following retrieval + extinction, or that this procedure only modifies memory traces in neural circuits relevant to the expression of freezing, but not to the suppression of reward seeking.

Activation of orexin/hypocretin neurons is associated with individual differences in cued fear extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharko, Amanda C; Fadel, Jim R; Kaigler, Kris F; Wilson, Marlene A

2017-09-01

Identifying the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie differential sensitivity to stress is critical for understanding the development and expression of stress-induced disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Preclinical studies have suggested that rodents display different phenotypes associated with extinction of Pavlovian conditioned fear responses, with some rodent populations being resistant to extinction. An emerging literature also suggests a role for orexins in the consolidation processes associated with fear learning and extinction. To examine the possibility that the orexin system might be involved in individual differences in fear extinction, we used a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm in outbred Long-Evans rats. Rats showed significant variability in the extinction of cue-conditioned freezing and extinction recall, and animals were divided into groups based on their extinction profiles based on a median split of percent freezing behavior during repeated exposure to the conditioned cue. Animals resistant to extinction (high freezers) showed more freezing during repeated cue presentations during the within trial and between trial extinction sessions compared with the group showing significant extinction (low freezers), although there were no differences between these groups in freezing upon return to the conditioned context or during the conditioning session. Following the extinction recall session, activation of orexin neurons was determined using dual label immunohistochemistry for cFos in orexin positive neurons in the hypothalamus. Individual differences in the extinction of cue conditioned fear were associated with differential activation of hypothalamic orexin neurons. Animals showing poor extinction of cue-induced freezing (high freezers) had significantly greater percentage of orexin neurons with Fos in the medial hypothalamus than animals displaying significant extinction and good extinction recall (low freezers). Further, the

Extinction produces context inhibition and multiple-context extinction reduces response recovery in human predictive learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Glautier, Steven; Elgueta, Tito; Nelson, James Byron

2013-12-01

Two experiments with human participants were used to investigate recovery of an extinguished learned response after a context change using ABC designs. In an ABC design, the context changes over the three successive stages of acquisition (context A), extinction (context B), and test (context C). In both experiments, we found reduced recovery in groups that had extinction in multiple contexts, and that the extinction contexts acquired inhibitory strength. These results confirm those of previous investigations, that multiple-context extinction can produce less response recovery than single-context extinction, and they also provide new evidence for the involvement of contextual inhibitory processes in extinction in humans. The foregoing results are broadly in line with a protection-from-extinction account of response recovery. Yet, despite the fact that we detected contextual inhibition, predictions based on protection-from-extinction were not fully reliable for the single- and multiple-context group differences that we observed in (1) rates of extinction and (2) the strength of context inhibition. Thus, although evidence was obtained for a protection-from-extinction account of response recovery, this account can not explain all of the data.

Two-Column Aerosol Project: Aerosol Light Extinction Measurements Field Campaign Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubey, Manvendra [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Aiken, Allison [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Berg, Larry K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Freedman, Andrew [Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, MA (United States); Gorkowski, Kyle [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-09-01

We deployed Aerodyne Research Inc.’s first Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift extinction (CAPS PMex) monitor (built by Aerodyne) that measures light extinction by using a visible-light-emitting diode (LED) as a light source, a sample cell incorporating two high-reflectivity mirrors centered at the wavelength of the LED, and a vacuum photodiode detector in Cape Cod in 2012/13 for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP). The efficacy of this instrument is based on the fact that aerosols are broadband scatterers and absorbers of light. The input LED is square-wave modulated and passed through the sample cell that distorts it due to exponential decay by aerosol light absorption and scattering; this is measured at the detector. The amount of phase shift of the light at the detector is used to determine the light extinction. This extinction measurement provides an absolute value, requiring no calibration. The goal was to compare the CAPS performance with direct measurements of absorption with ARM’s baseline photoacoustic soot spectrometer (PASS-3) and nephelometer instruments to evaluate its performance.

Modern examples of extinctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lövei, Gabor L

2013-01-01

No species lives forever, and extinction is the ultimate fate of all living species. The fossil record indicates that a recent extinction wave affecting terrestrial vertebrates was parallel with the arrival of modern humans to areas formerly uninhabited by them. These modern instances of extinction...

Effect of Long Term Low-Level Gamma Radiation on Thermal Sensitivity of RDX/HMX Mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

1976-11-01

1.1x10 R. It was concluded that the slight exothermic reaction before the 3^6 HMX polymorphic transition could be caused by a radiation-induced...Radiation on Thermal Sensitivity of RDX / HMX Mixtures 5. TYPE OF REPORT 4 PERIOD COVERED Final Report 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7...and Identity by block number) Gamma radiation Weight loss HMX Impact sensitivity test RDX Vacuum stability test DTA Infrared spectrometry TGA

Use of Debye's series to determine the optimal edge-effect terms for computing the extinction efficiencies of spheroids.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Wushao; Bi, Lei; Liu, Dong; Zhang, Kejun

2017-08-21

The extinction efficiencies of atmospheric particles are essential to determining radiation attenuation and thus are fundamentally related to atmospheric radiative transfer. The extinction efficiencies can also be used to retrieve particle sizes or refractive indices through particle characterization techniques. This study first uses the Debye series to improve the accuracy of high-frequency extinction formulae for spheroids in the context of Complex angular momentum theory by determining an optimal number of edge-effect terms. We show that the optimal edge-effect terms can be accurately obtained by comparing the results from the approximate formula with their counterparts computed from the invariant imbedding Debye series and T-matrix methods. An invariant imbedding T-matrix method is employed for particles with strong absorption, in which case the extinction efficiency is equivalent to two plus the edge-effect efficiency. For weakly absorptive or non-absorptive particles, the T-matrix results contain the interference between the diffraction and higher-order transmitted rays. Therefore, the Debye series was used to compute the edge-effect efficiency by separating the interference from the transmission on the extinction efficiency. We found that the optimal number strongly depends on the refractive index and is relatively insensitive to the particle geometry and size parameter. By building a table of optimal numbers of edge-effect terms, we developed an efficient and accurate extinction simulator that has been fully tested for randomly oriented spheroids with various aspect ratios and a wide range of refractive indices.

Sensitivity of glaciation in the arid subtropical Andes to changes in temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Vargo, L. J.; Galewsky, J.; Rupper, S.; Ward, D. J.

2018-04-01

The subtropical Andes (18.5-27 °S) have been glaciated in the past, but are presently glacier-free. We use idealized model experiments to quantify glacier sensitivity to changes in climate in order to investigate the climatic drivers of past glaciations. We quantify the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) sensitivity (the change in ELA per change in climate) to temperature, precipitation, and shortwave radiation for three distinct climatic regions in the subtropical Andes. We find that in the western cordillera, where conditions are hyper-arid with the highest solar radiation on Earth, ELA sensitivity is as high as 34 m per % increase in precipitation, and 70 m per % decrease in shortwave radiation. This is compared with the eastern cordillera, where precipitation is the highest of the three regions, and ELA sensitivity is only 10 m per % increase in precipitation, and 25 m per % decrease in shortwave radiation. The high ELA sensitivity to shortwave radiation highlights the influence of radiation on mass balance of high elevation and low-latitude glaciers. We also consider these quantified ELA sensitivities in context of previously dated glacial deposits from the regions. Our results suggest that glaciation of the humid eastern cordillera was driven primarily by lower temperatures, while glaciations of the arid Altiplano and western cordillera were also influenced by increases in precipitation and decreases in shortwave radiation. Using paleoclimate records from the timing of glaciation, we find that glaciation of the hyper-arid western cordillera can be explained by precipitation increases of 90-160% (1.9-2.6× higher than modern), in conjunction with associated decreases in shortwave radiation of 7-12% and in temperature of 3.5 °C.

Genetic and epigenetic features in radiation sensitivity. Part II: implications for clinical practice and radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourguignon, Michel H.; Gisone, Pablo A.; Perez, Maria R.; Michelin, Severino; Dubner, Diana; Giorgio, Marina di; Carosella, Edgardo D.

2005-01-01

Recent progress especially in the field of gene identification and expression has attracted greater attention to the genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to cancer, possibly enhanced by ionising radiation. This issue is especially important for radiation therapists since hypersensitive patients may suffer from adverse effects in normal tissues following standard radiation therapy, while normally sensitive patients could receive higher doses of radiation, offering a better likelihood of cure for malignant tumours. Although only a small percentage of individuals are ''hypersensitive'' to radiation effects, all medical specialists using ionising radiation should be aware of the aforementioned progress in medical knowledge. The present paper, the second of two parts, reviews human disorders known or strongly suspected to be associated with hypersensitivity to ionising radiation. The main tests capable of detecting such pathologies in advance are analysed, and ethical issues regarding genetic testing are considered. The implications for radiation protection of possible hypersensitivity to radiation in a part of the population are discussed, and some guidelines for nuclear medicine professionals are proposed. (orig.)

The role of cooperation and parasites in non-linear replicator delayed extinctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sardanyes, Josep; Sole, Ricard V.

2007-01-01

In the present work we study the role of cooperation and parasites on extinction delayed transitions for self-replicating species with catalytic activity. We first use a one-dimensional continuous equation to study the dynamics of both single autocatalytic replicator and symmetric two-member hypercycles, where two well-defined phases involving survival and extinction of replicators are shown to exist. Extinction dynamics is analyzed numerically and analytically and under both deterministic and stochastic scenarios. A ghost is also found for the single autocatalytic replicator and for the asymmetric hypercycle, with an extinction time delay following the square-root scaling law near bifurcation threshold. We find that the extinction delay is longer for the two-member hypercycle than for the single autocatalytic species, indicating that cooperation among replicators might involve to spend a longer time in the bottle-neck region of the ghost. The asymmetry of the network is shown to prolong the extinction time. We also show that an attached parasite decreases the time spent in the bottle-neck region of the ghost, thus accelerating extinction in these systems of replicators. Nevertheless the effect of the parasite is not so important when replicators catalytically cooperate, being the two-member hypercycle less sensitive to the parasite than the autocatalytic species. Here the hypercycle asymmetry can also significantly increase the delaying capacity. These features make the hypercycle to undergo a longer extinction delay, thus increasing the memory effect of the ghost. We finally explore the role of the ghost in fluctuating media, where the extinction delayed transition is shown to increase the survival probability of cooperating catalytic species

Sensitivity to plant modelling uncertainties in optimal feedback control of sound radiation from a panel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørkholt, Jakob

1997-01-01

Optimal feedback control of broadband sound radiation from a rectangular baffled panel has been investigated through computer simulations. Special emphasis has been put on the sensitivity of the optimal feedback control to uncertainties in the modelling of the system under control.A model...... in terms of a set of radiation filters modelling the radiation dynamics.Linear quadratic feedback control applied to the panel in order to minimise the radiated sound power has then been simulated. The sensitivity of the model based controller to modelling uncertainties when using feedback from actual...

A phantom extinction? New insights into extinction dynamics of the Don-hare Lepus tanaiticus.

Science.gov (United States)

Prost, S; Knapp, M; Flemmig, J; Hufthammer, A K; Kosintsev, P; Stiller, M; Hofreiter, M

2010-09-01

The Pleistocene to Holocene transition was accompanied by a worldwide extinction event affecting numerous mammalian species. Several species such as the woolly mammoth and the giant deer survived this extinction wave, only to go extinct a few thousand years later during the Holocene. Another example for such a Holocene extinction is the Don-hare, Lepus tanaiticus, which inhabited the Russian plains during the late glacial. After being slowly replaced by the extant mountain hare (Lepus timidus), it eventually went extinct during the middle Holocene. Here, we report the phylogenetic relationship of L. tanaiticus and L. timidus based on a 339-basepair (bp) fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop. Phylogenetic tree- and network reconstructions do not support L. tanaiticus and L. timidus being different species. Rather, we suggest that the two taxa represent different morphotypes of a single species and the extinction of 'L. tanaiticus' represents the disappearance of a local morphotype rather than the extinction of a species.

Effects of peroxide and catalase on near ultraviolet radiation sensitivity in Escherichia coli strains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coombs, A.M.L.; Moss, S.H.

1987-03-01

The role of peroxide and catalase on NUV radiation sensitivity was examined in two repair competent E. coli strains, AB1157 and B/r. Exponential phase B/r is considerably more sensitive to NUV radiation than exponential phase AB1157. However, resistance to 5 mmol dm/sup -3/ H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ was induced in both AB1157 and B/r by pretreating growing cells with 30 ..mu..mol dm/sup -3/ H/sub 2/O/sub 2/. Pretreatment also induced resistance to broad-band NUV radiation in these strains. The addition of catalase to the post-irradiation plating medium increased survival to the same extent as that provided by pretreatment with 30 ..mu..mol dm/sup -3/ H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, in both strains. The NUV radiation sensitivity seen in B/r does not appear to be due to a deficiency in enzymes that scavenge H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, as a catalase deficient mutant, E. coli UM1, is more resistant to NUV radiation than B/r. Also, assays for H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ scavenging ability show little difference between AB1157 and B/r in this respect. Two hypotheses are put forward to account for the sensitivity of exponential phase B/r. Whilst it is apparent that peroxides and catalase do have a role in NUV radiation damage, it is clear that other factors also influence survival under certain conditions.

Global warming and extinctions of endemic species from biodiversity hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Malcolm, Jay R; Liu, Canran; Neilson, Ronald P; Hansen, Lara; Hannah, Lee

2006-04-01

Global warming is a key threat to biodiversity, but few researchers have assessed the magnitude of this threat at the global scale. We used major vegetation types (biomes) as proxies for natural habitats and, based on projected future biome distributions under doubled-CO2 climates, calculated changes in habitat areas and associated extinctions of endemic plant and vertebrate species in biodiversity hotspots. Because of numerous uncertainties in this approach, we undertook a sensitivity analysis of multiple factors that included (1) two global vegetation models, (2) different numbers of biome classes in our biome classification schemes, (3) different assumptions about whether species distributions were biome specific or not, and (4) different migration capabilities. Extinctions were calculated using both species-area and endemic-area relationships. In addition, average required migration rates were calculated for each hotspot assuming a doubled-CO2 climate in 100 years. Projected percent extinctions ranged from hotspots were the Cape Floristic Region, Caribbean, Indo-Burma, Mediterranean Basin, Southwest Australia, and Tropical Andes, where plant extinctions per hotspot sometimes exceeded 2000 species. Under the assumption that projected habitat changes were attained in 100 years, estimated global-warming-induced rates of species extinctions in tropical hotspots in some cases exceeded those due to deforestation, supporting suggestions that global warming is one of the most serious threats to the planet's biodiversity.

Instrument for long-path spectral extinction measurements in air: application to sizing of airborne particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paganini, Enrico; Trespidi, Franco; Ferri, Fabio

2001-01-01

A novel instrument that is capable of taking spectral extinction measurements over long optical paths (approximately 1-100 m) in the UV, visible, and IR ranges is described. The instrument is fully automated, and the extinction spectrum is acquired in almost real time (approximately 5-10 s) with a resolution of ∼3 nm. Its sensitivity and accuracy were estimated by tests carried out in a clean room that showed that, for optical paths between 50 and 100 m, the extinction coefficient can be detected at levels of ∼10 -5 m -1 . Tests carried out on calibrated latex particles showed that, when it was combined with an appropriate inversion method, the technique could be profitably applied to characterize airborne particulate distributions. By carrying out measurements over optical paths of ∼100 m, the instrument is also capable of detecting extinction coefficients that are due to aerosol concentrations well below the limits imposed by the European Economic Community for atmospheric pollution (150 μg/m3). Scaled over optical paths of ∼10 m, the limit imposed for particle emissions from industrial plants (10 mg/m3) can also be detected sensitively

Enhanced sensitivity of the RET proto-oncogene to ionizing radiation in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Volpato, Claudia Béu; Martínez-Alfaro, Minerva; Corvi, Raffaella; Gabus, Coralie; Sauvaigo, Sylvie; Ferrari, Pietro; Bonora, Elena; De Grandi, Alessandro; Romeo, Giovanni

2008-11-01

Exposure to ionizing radiation is a well-known risk factor for a number of human cancers, including leukemia and thyroid cancer. It has been known for a long time that exposure of cells to radiation results in extensive DNA damage; however, a small number of studies have tried to explain the mechanisms of radiation-induced carcinogenesis. The high prevalence of RET/PTC rearrangements in patients who have received external radiation, and the evidence of in vitro induction of RET rearrangements in human cells, suggest an enhanced sensitivity of the RET genomic region to damage by ionizing radiation. To assess whether RET is indeed more sensitive to radiations than other genomic regions, we used a COMET assay coupled with fluorescence in situ hybridization, which allows the measurement of DNA fragmentation in defined genomic regions of single cells. We compared the initial DNA damage of the genomic regions of RET, CXCL12/SDF1, ABL, MYC, PLA2G2A, p53, and JAK2 induced by ionizing radiation in both a lymphoblastoid and a fetal thyroid cell line. In both cell lines, RET fragmentation was significantly higher than in other genomic regions. Moreover, a differential distribution of signals within the COMET was associated with a higher percentage of RET fragments in the tail. RET was more susceptible to fragmentation in the thyroid-derived cells than in lymphoblasts. This enhanced susceptibility of RET to ionizing radiation suggests the possibility of using it as a radiation exposure marker.

Charge-coupled devices as positron sensitive detectors of x-radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, G.S.; Zazhivikhin, V.V.; Zajtsev, V.I.; Mishevskij, V.O.

1996-01-01

Results of theoretical and experimental studies on the sensitivity and spatial resolution of devices with a charge link (CLD) within the X-radiation energy range are described. The areas of the device application are considered

Tumor necrosis factor alpha selectively sensitizes human immunodeficiency virus-infected cells to heat and radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, G.H.; McHugh, T.; Weber, R.; Goeddel, D.V.

1991-01-01

We report here that infection of the human T-cell line HUT-78 with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increases its sensitivity to heat and radiation toxicity. A possible explanation for this result may be the reduced expression of manganous superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in HIV-infected cells compared to uninfected cells. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) further sensitizes HIV-infected cells but not uninfected cells to heat and radiation. This is consistent with the ability of TNF-alpha to induce the expression of MnSOD in uninfected but not in HIV-infected cells. HIV-infected HUT-78 cell lines engineered to overexpress MnSOD are more resistant to heat and radiation than HIV-infected cells that do not overexpress MnSOD. However, treatment with TNF-alpha still sensitizes these cells to heat and radiation

Light extinction in the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laulainen, N.

1992-06-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles originating from natural sources, such as volcanos and sulfur-bearing gas emissions from the oceans, and from human sources, such as sulfur emissions from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning, strongly affect visual air quality and are suspected to significantly affect radiative climate forcing of the planet. During the daytime, aerosols obscure scenic vistas, while at night they diminish our ability to observe stellar objects. Scattering of light is the main means by which aerosols attenuate and redistribute light in the atmosphere and by which aerosols can alter and reduce visibility and potentially modify the energy balance of the planet. Trends and seasonal variability of atmospheric aerosol loading, such as column-integrated light extinction or optical depth, and how they may affect potential climate change have been difficult to quantify because there have been few observations made of important aerosol optical parameters, such as optical depth, over the globe and over time and often these are of uneven quality. To address questions related to possible climate change, there is a pressing need to acquire more high-quality aerosol optical depth data. Extensive deployment of improved solar radiometers over the next few years will provide higher-quality extinction data over a wider variety of locations worldwide. An often overlooked source of turbidity data, however, is available from astronomical observations, particularly stellar photoelectric photometry observations. With the exception of the Project ASTRA articles published almost 20 years ago, few of these data ever appear in the published literature. This paper will review the current status of atmospheric extinction observations, as highlighted by the ASTRA work and augmented by more recent solar radiometry measurements

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

Relationship of radiation sensitivity and aberrant DNA synthesis in repair deficient CHO cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newman, C.N.; Hagler, H.; Miller, J.H.

1986-11-01

Comparison of alkaline sucrose gradient profiles of pulse-labeled DNA from a normal CHO cell line and its radiation-sensitive mutant, xrs-5, reveals significant differences in the replicon elongation/maturation process in these two cells. During a one hr period of growth subsequent to labeling, the molecular weight of pulse-labeled DNA from the mutant cell increases considerably more rapidly than that of the parent cell. For xrs-5, the presence of 2 mM deoxycytidine (CdR) in the culture medium reduces the replication rate to one approaching that of the parent cell growing in the standard medium. Corresponding uv resistance of the mutant likewise increases to nearly that of the parent cell line. These results suggest that the locus conferring radiation sensitivity to xrs-5 affects the DNA replisome complex and that replicative activity and radiation sensitivity are jointly modulated by CdR. 19 refs., 4 figs

Sensitivity of an autoradiographic film to ionizing radiation of different types and energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kras, A.B.; Lutzke-Birk, A.; Kalicki, A.

1984-01-01

The ORWO-AF3 autoradiographic film has been studied with regard to its sensitivity to beta radiation (E/sub max/ = 0.155 and 0.306 MeV, resp.), gamma radiation of more than 1 MeV and K/sub α/ and K/sub β/ radiation of about 5.9 KeV. The obtained data can be used for the correction of depth distribution profiles if elements are labelled with radioisotopes emitting mixed radiation, e.g., beta and gamma radiation

Modelling interstellar extinction: Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, A.P.

1988-01-01

Several methods of calculating the extinction of porous silicate grains are discussed, these include effective medium theories and hollow spherical shells. Porous silicate grains are shown to produce enhanced infrared, ultraviolet and far-ultraviolet extinction and this effect can be used to reduce the abundance of carbon required to match the average interstellar extinction, however, matching the visual extinction is rather more problematical. We have shown that the enhanced extinction at long and short wavelengths have different origins, and have explained why the visual extinction is little affected by porosity. The implications of porous grains in the interstellar medium are discussed with particular reference to surface chemistry, the polarization of starlight, and their dynamical evolution. (author)

UV- and gamma-radiation sensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, C.Z.; Yen, C.N.; Cronin, K.; Mitchell, D.; Britt, A.B.

1997-01-01

Arabidopsis seedlings repair UV-induced DNA damage via light-dependent and -independent pathways. The mechanism of the ''dark repair'' pathway is still unknown. To determine the number of genes required for dark repair and to investigate the substrate-specificity of this process we isolated mutants with enhanced sensitivity to UV radiation in the absence of photoreactivating light. Seven independently derived UV sensitive mutants were isolated from an EMS-mutagenized population. These fell into six complementation groups, two of which (UVR1 and UVH1) have previously been defined. Four of these mutants are defective in the dark repair of UV-induced pyrimidine [6-4] pyrimidinone dimers. These four mutant lines are sensitive to the growth-inhibitory effects of gamma radiation, suggesting that this repair pathway is also involved in the repair of some type of gamma-induced DNA damage product. The requirement for the coordinate action of several different gene products for effective repair of pyrimidine dimers, as well as the nonspecific nature of the repair activity, is consistent with nucleotide excision repair mechanisms previously described in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and nonplant higher eukaryotes and inconsistent with substrate-specific base excision repair mechanisms found in some bacteria, bacteriophage, and fungi. (author)

Radiation sensitive area detection device and method

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Daniel C. (Inventor); Hecht, Diana L. (Inventor); Witherow, William K. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A radiation sensitive area detection device for use in conjunction with an X ray, ultraviolet or other radiation source is provided which comprises a phosphor containing film which releases a stored diffraction pattern image in response to incoming light or other electromagnetic wave. A light source such as a helium-neon laser, an optical fiber capable of directing light from the laser source onto the phosphor film and also capable of channelling the fluoresced light from the phosphor film to an integrating sphere which directs the light to a signal processing means including a light receiving means such as a photomultiplier tube. The signal processing means allows translation of the fluoresced light in order to detect the original pattern caused by the diffraction of the radiation by the original sample. The optical fiber is retained directly in front of the phosphor screen by a thin metal holder which moves up and down across the phosphor screen and which features a replaceable pinhole which allows easy adjustment of the resolution of the light projected onto the phosphor film. The device produces near real time images with high spatial resolution and without the distortion that accompanies prior art devices employing photomultiplier tubes. A method is also provided for carrying out radiation area detection using the device of the invention.

Radiation sensitive polymers of oxygen-substituted maleimides and elements containing same

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, J.C.

1977-01-01

Radiation sensitive polymers comprising from about 1 to 100 mole % of a polymerized maleimide monomer consisting of a hydrocarbon group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably a bridged hydrocarbon group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms and from 0 to about 99 mole % of at least one additional polymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer are described. The polymers are soluble in organic solvents, possess desirably high glass transition temperatures and are capable of undergoing a photochemical reaction to yield polymers having isocyanate and oxy-substituted cyclopropane moieties which are capable of crosslinking in the presence of active hydrogen-containing compounds. The polymers are useful in radiation sensitive compositions and elements containing same

Extinction Events Can Accelerate Evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lehman, Joel; Miikkulainen, Risto

2015-01-01

Extinction events impact the trajectory of biological evolution significantly. They are often viewed as upheavals to the evolutionary process. In contrast, this paper supports the hypothesis that although they are unpredictably destructive, extinction events may in the long term accelerate...... evolution by increasing evolvability. In particular, if extinction events extinguish indiscriminately many ways of life, indirectly they may select for the ability to expand rapidly through vacated niches. Lineages with such an ability are more likely to persist through multiple extinctions. Lending...... computational support for this hypothesis, this paper shows how increased evolvability will result from simulated extinction events in two computational models of evolved behavior. The conclusion is that although they are destructive in the short term, extinction events may make evolution more prolific...

A new sensitive technique for study of radiation effects in amino acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thwaites, D.I.; Buchan, G.; Ettinger, K.V.; Mallard, J.R.; Takavar, A.

1976-01-01

A new technique for the study of radiation induced free radicals in amino acids based on their reactions when untrapped by dissolution in water is reported. The light emission or lyoluminescence response of various amino acids to gamma radiation ( 60 Co) measured 4 hr after irradiation are shown. The sensitivities vary over three orders of magnitude, but there is little or no correlation between the lyoluminescent response and the structural type of amino acid. Dose-reponse curves indicate that the useful range extends from a few krad to a few hundred krad. Methods of extending the lower limits are discussed. Storage of irradiated material over a period of 4 months at 20 0 C showed changes of the order of 10%. Exposure to daylight has no effect on the light yield of amino acids. It is stated that the lyoluminescence technique is more sensitive than ESR in detecting radiation effects in amino acids. Lyoluminescence of irradiated proteins, RNA and DNA, has been observed. It appears that the new method may be particularly useful in providing information on the nature and magnitude of direct radiation damage in biologically important compounds and find applications in radiation dosimetry. (U.K.)

Timing of extinction relative to acquisition: A parametric analysis of fear extinction in humans

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Norrholm, S.D.; Vervliet, B.; Jovanovic, T.; Boshoven, W.; Myers, K.M.; Davis, M.; Rothbaum, B.O.; Duncan, E.J.

2008-01-01

Fear extinction is a reduction in conditioned fear following repeated exposure to the feared cue in the absence of any aversive event. Extinguished fear often reappears after extinction through spontaneous recovery. Animal studies suggest that spontaneous recovery can be abolished if extinction

EMPIRICALLY ESTIMATED FAR-UV EXTINCTION CURVES FOR CLASSICAL T TAURI STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McJunkin, Matthew; France, Kevin [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, 600 UCB, Boulder, CO 80303-7814 (United States); Schindhelm, Eric [Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302 (United States); Herczeg, Gregory [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Lu 5, Haidian Qu, 100871 Beijing (China); Schneider, P. Christian [ESA/ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk (Netherlands); Brown, Alex, E-mail: matthew.mcjunkin@colorado.edu [Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado, 593 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0593 (United States)

2016-09-10

Measurements of extinction curves toward young stars are essential for calculating the intrinsic stellar spectrophotometric radiation. This flux determines the chemical properties and evolution of the circumstellar region, including the environment in which planets form. We develop a new technique using H{sub 2} emission lines pumped by stellar Ly α photons to characterize the extinction curve by comparing the measured far-ultraviolet H{sub 2} line fluxes with model H{sub 2} line fluxes. The difference between model and observed fluxes can be attributed to the dust attenuation along the line of sight through both the interstellar and circumstellar material. The extinction curves are fit by a Cardelli et al. (1989) model and the A {sub V} (H{sub 2}) for the 10 targets studied with good extinction fits range from 0.5 to 1.5 mag, with R {sub V} values ranging from 2.0 to 4.7. A {sub V} and R {sub V} are found to be highly degenerate, suggesting that one or the other needs to be calculated independently. Column densities and temperatures for the fluorescent H{sub 2} populations are also determined, with averages of log{sub 10}( N (H{sub 2})) = 19.0 and T = 1500 K. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of the newly developed extinction curve technique in order to assess the reliability of the results and improve the method in the future.

Research on Paramecium aurelia sensitivity factors to natural ionizing radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croute, F.; Soleilhavoup, J.P.; Gros, N.; Planel, H.

1976-01-01

Previous results have demonstrated that the proliferative activity of Paramecium aurelia is linked to the level of natural ionizing radiations since this activity is decreased under radiation protection (lead cell) and increased under chronic exposure to very low dose of 60 Co gamma rays. The results of this investigation indicate that cell sensitivity in spite of variations in natural irradiation levels can be isolated; they are called 'radioresistant' in opposition to 'radiosensitive' cells which present the other response. These characters are being retained for 9 months after the strains have been isolated. On the other hand, in the case of radiosensitive strains, it has been demonstrated that autogamy affected the cell response to background irradiation; no response at all occured on the very day when autogamy took place, but it reached a maximum level 8 days approximately after autogamy. Moreover, it has been proved that the catalase activity of Paramecium aurelia is higher than those already studied in other cell varieties. This great amount of catalase, which seems to vary with the age of cultures after autogamy, could act on Paramecium sensitivity to very low radiation doses [fr

The sensitivity of active and inactive chromatin to ionizing radiation-induced DNA strand breakage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, S.-M.; Oleinick, N.L.

1982-01-01

The sensitivity of DNA in actively transcribing and inactive states has been compared with regard to γ-radiation-induced single-strand break (SSB) induction. The results indicate that chromatin organization is important in the determination of the sensitivity of cellular DNA toward γ-radiation: Not only the yield but also the rate of repair of SSB is greater in the actively transcribing genes than in the total nuclear DNA. (author)

EXTINCTION LAWS TOWARD STELLAR SOURCES WITHIN A DUSTY CIRCUMSTELLAR MEDIUM AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagao, Takashi; Maeda, Keiichi [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Nozawa, Takaya, E-mail: nagao@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1, Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

2016-06-01

Many astronomical objects are surrounded by dusty environments. In such dusty objects, multiple scattering processes of photons by circumstellar (CS) dust grains can effectively alter extinction properties. In this paper, we systematically investigate the effects of multiple scattering on extinction laws for steady-emission sources surrounded by the dusty CS medium using a radiation transfer simulation based on the Monte Carlo technique. In particular, we focus on whether and how the extinction properties are affected by properties of CS dust grains by adopting various dust grain models. We confirm that behaviors of the (effective) extinction laws are highly dependent on the properties of CS grains, especially the total-to-selective extinction ratio R{sub V}, which characterizes the extinction law and can be either increased or decreased and compared with the case without multiple scattering. We find that the criterion for this behavior is given by a ratio of albedos in the B and V bands. We also find that either small silicate grains or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are necessary for realizing a low value of R{sub V} as often measured toward SNe Ia if the multiple scattering by CS dust is responsible for their non-standard extinction laws. Using the derived relations between the properties of dust grains and the resulting effective extinction laws, we propose that the extinction laws toward dusty objects could be used to constrain the properties of dust grains in CS environments.

EXTINCTION LAWS TOWARD STELLAR SOURCES WITHIN A DUSTY CIRCUMSTELLAR MEDIUM AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagao, Takashi; Maeda, Keiichi; Nozawa, Takaya

2016-01-01

Many astronomical objects are surrounded by dusty environments. In such dusty objects, multiple scattering processes of photons by circumstellar (CS) dust grains can effectively alter extinction properties. In this paper, we systematically investigate the effects of multiple scattering on extinction laws for steady-emission sources surrounded by the dusty CS medium using a radiation transfer simulation based on the Monte Carlo technique. In particular, we focus on whether and how the extinction properties are affected by properties of CS dust grains by adopting various dust grain models. We confirm that behaviors of the (effective) extinction laws are highly dependent on the properties of CS grains, especially the total-to-selective extinction ratio R V , which characterizes the extinction law and can be either increased or decreased and compared with the case without multiple scattering. We find that the criterion for this behavior is given by a ratio of albedos in the B and V bands. We also find that either small silicate grains or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are necessary for realizing a low value of R V as often measured toward SNe Ia if the multiple scattering by CS dust is responsible for their non-standard extinction laws. Using the derived relations between the properties of dust grains and the resulting effective extinction laws, we propose that the extinction laws toward dusty objects could be used to constrain the properties of dust grains in CS environments.

complexes as sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Compared to N719, H112 sensitizer showed enhanced molar extinction coefficient and relatively better monochromatic incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) across the spectral range of 400 to 800 nm with solar energy-to-electrical conversion efficiency () of 2.43% [open circuit photovoltage (VOC) ...

MicroRNA-203 Modulates the Radiation Sensitivity of Human Malignant Glioma Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Ji Hyun; Hwang, Yeo Hyun; Lee, David J.; Kim, Dan Hyo; Park, Ji Min; Wu, Hong-Gyun; Kim, In Ah

2016-01-01

Purpose: We investigated whether miR-203 could modulate the radiation sensitivity of glioblastoma (GBM) cells and which target gene(s) could be involved. Methods and Materials: Three human malignant glioma (MG) cell lines and normal human astrocytes were transfected with control microRNA, pre-miR-203, or antisense miR-203. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR), clonogenic assays, immunofluorescence, and invasion/migration assays were performed. To predict the target(s), bioinformatics analyses using microRNA target databases were performed. Results: Overexpression of miR-203 increased the radiation sensitivity of all 3 human MG cell lines and prolonged radiation-induced γ-H2AX foci formation. Bioinformatics analyses suggested that miR-203 could be involved in post-transcriptional control of DNA repair, PI3K/AKT, SRC, and JAK/STAT3 and the vascular signaling pathway. Western blot analysis validated the fact that miR-203 downregulated ATM, RAD51, SRC, PLD2, PI3K-AKT, JAK-STAT3, VEGF, HIF-1α, and MMP2. Overexpression of miR-203 inhibited invasion and migration potentials, downregulated SLUG and Vimentin, and upregulated Claudin-1 and ZO1. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that miR-203 potentially controls DNA damage repair via the PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT3 pathways and may collectively contribute to the modulation of radiation sensitivity in MG cells by inhibiting DNA damage repair, prosurvival signaling, and epithelium-mesenchyme transition. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that miR-203 could be a target for overcoming the radiation resistance of GBM.

MicroRNA-203 Modulates the Radiation Sensitivity of Human Malignant Glioma Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Ji Hyun [Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Yeo Hyun; Lee, David J.; Kim, Dan Hyo; Park, Ji Min [Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Kyeonggido (Korea, Republic of); Wu, Hong-Gyun [Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, In Ah, E-mail: inah228@snu.ac.kr [Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Kyeonggido (Korea, Republic of); Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-02-01

Purpose: We investigated whether miR-203 could modulate the radiation sensitivity of glioblastoma (GBM) cells and which target gene(s) could be involved. Methods and Materials: Three human malignant glioma (MG) cell lines and normal human astrocytes were transfected with control microRNA, pre-miR-203, or antisense miR-203. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR), clonogenic assays, immunofluorescence, and invasion/migration assays were performed. To predict the target(s), bioinformatics analyses using microRNA target databases were performed. Results: Overexpression of miR-203 increased the radiation sensitivity of all 3 human MG cell lines and prolonged radiation-induced γ-H2AX foci formation. Bioinformatics analyses suggested that miR-203 could be involved in post-transcriptional control of DNA repair, PI3K/AKT, SRC, and JAK/STAT3 and the vascular signaling pathway. Western blot analysis validated the fact that miR-203 downregulated ATM, RAD51, SRC, PLD2, PI3K-AKT, JAK-STAT3, VEGF, HIF-1α, and MMP2. Overexpression of miR-203 inhibited invasion and migration potentials, downregulated SLUG and Vimentin, and upregulated Claudin-1 and ZO1. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that miR-203 potentially controls DNA damage repair via the PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT3 pathways and may collectively contribute to the modulation of radiation sensitivity in MG cells by inhibiting DNA damage repair, prosurvival signaling, and epithelium-mesenchyme transition. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that miR-203 could be a target for overcoming the radiation resistance of GBM.

Inhibition of autophagy induced by TSA sensitizes colon cancer cell to radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Gang; Wang, Yan; Pang, Xueli; Zhang, Bo

2014-02-01

Radiotherapy is one of the main treatments for clinical cancer therapy. However, its application was limited due to lack of radiosensitivity in some cancers. Trichostatin A (TSA) is a classic histone deacetylases inhibitor (HDACi) that specifically inhibits the biochemical functions of HDAC and is demonstrated to be an active anticancer drug. However, whether it could sensitize colon cancer to radiation is not clear. Our results showed that TSA enhanced the radiosensitivity of colon cancer cells as determined by CCK-8 and clonogenic survival assay. Moreover, apoptotic cell death induced by radiation was enhanced by TSA treatment. Additionally, TSA also induced autophagic response in colon cancer cells, while autophagy inhibition led to cell apoptosis and enhanced the radiosensitivity of colon cancer cells. Our data suggested that inhibition of cytoprotective autophagy sensitizes cancer cell to radiation, which might be further investigated for clinical cancer radiotherapy.

Rescaling of temporal expectations during extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, Michael R.; Walsh, Carolyn; Balsam, Peter D

2016-01-01

Previous research suggests that extinction learning is temporally specific. Changing the CS duration between training and extinction can facilitate the loss of the CR within the extinction session but impairs long-term retention of extinction. In two experiments using conditioned magazine approach with rats, we examined the relation between temporal specificity of extinction and CR timing. In Experiment 1 rats were trained on a 12-s, fixed CS-US interval and then extinguished with CS presentations that were 6, 12, or 24 s in duration. The design of Experiment 2 was the same except rats were trained using partial rather than continuous reinforcement. In both experiments, extending the CS duration in extinction facilitated the diminution of CRs during the extinction session, but shortening the CS duration failed to slow extinction. In addition, extending (but not shortening) the CS duration caused temporal rescaling of the CR, in that the peak CR rate migrated later into the trial over the course of extinction training. This migration partially accounted for the faster loss of the CR when the CS duration was extended. Results are incompatible with the hypothesis that extinction is driven by cumulative CS exposure and suggest that temporally extended nonreinforced CS exposure reduces conditioned responding via temporal displacement rather than through extinction per se. PMID:28045291

End Ordovician extinctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harper, David A. T.; Hammarlund, Emma; Rasmussen, Christian M. Ø.

2014-01-01

-global anoxia associated with a marked transgression during the Late Hirnantian. Most recently, however, new drivers for the extinctions have been proposed, including widespread euxinia together with habitat destruction caused by plate tectonic movements, suggesting that the end Ordovician mass extinctions were...

Could a nearby supernova explosion have caused a mass extinction?

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, J; Schramm, D N

1995-01-03

We examine the possibility that a nearby supernova explosion could have caused one or more of the mass extinctions identified by paleontologists. We discuss the possible rate of such events in the light of the recent suggested identification of Geminga as a supernova remnant less than 100 parsec (pc) away and the discovery of a millisecond pulsar about 150 pc away and observations of SN 1987A. The fluxes of gamma-radiation and charged cosmic rays on the Earth are estimated, and their effects on the Earth's ozone layer are discussed. A supernova explosion of the order of 10 pc away could be expected as often as every few hundred million years and could destroy the ozone layer for hundreds of years, letting in potentially lethal solar ultraviolet radiation. In addition to effects on land ecology, this could entail mass destruction of plankton and reef communities, with disastrous consequences for marine life as well. A supernova extinction should be distinguishable from a meteorite impact such as the one that presumably killed the dinosaurs at the "KT boundary." The recent argument that the KT event was exceedingly large and thus quite rare supports the need for other catastrophic events.

Inferring about the extinction of a species using certain and uncertain sightings.

Science.gov (United States)

Kodikara, Saritha; Demirhan, Haydar; Stone, Lewi

2018-04-07

The sighting record of threatened species is often used to infer the possibility of extinction. Most of these sightings have uncertain validity. Solow and Beet(2014) developed two models using a Bayesian approach which allowed for uncertainty in the sighting record by formally incorporating both certain and uncertain sightings, but in different ways. Interestingly, the two methods give completely different conclusions concerning the extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. We further examined these two methods to provide a mathematical explanation, and to explore in more depth, as to why the results differed from one another. It was found that the first model was more sensitive to the last uncertain sighting, while the second was more sensitive to the last certain sighting. The difficulties in choosing the appropriate model are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rethinking Trade-Driven Extinction Risk in Marine and Terrestrial Megafauna.

Science.gov (United States)

McClenachan, Loren; Cooper, Andrew B; Dulvy, Nicholas K

2016-06-20

Large animals hunted for the high value of their parts (e.g., elephant ivory and shark fins) are at risk of extinction due to both intensive international trade pressure and intrinsic biological sensitivity. However, the relative role of trade, particularly in non-perishable products, and biological factors in driving extinction risk is not well understood [1-4]. Here we identify a taxonomically diverse group of >100 marine and terrestrial megafauna targeted for international luxury markets; estimate their value across three points of sale; test relationships among extinction risk, high value, and body size; and quantify the effects of two mitigating factors: poaching fines and geographic range size. We find that body size is the principal driver of risk for lower value species, but that this biological pattern is eliminated above a value threshold, meaning that the most valuable species face a high extinction risk regardless of size. For example, once mean product values exceed US$12,557 kg(-1), body size no longer drives risk. Total value scales with size for marine animals more strongly than for terrestrial animals, incentivizing the hunting of large marine individuals and species. Poaching fines currently have little effect on extinction risk; fines would need to be increased 10- to 100-fold to be effective. Large geographic ranges reduce risk for terrestrial, but not marine, species, whose ranges are ten times greater. Our results underscore both the evolutionary and ecosystem consequences of targeting large marine animals and the need to geographically scale up and prioritize conservation of high-value marine species to avoid extinction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modification of radiation sensitivity by edaravone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasano, Nakashi; Enomoto, Atsushi; Miyagawa, Kiyoshi; Hosoi, Yoshio; Nakagawa, Keiichi

2009-01-01

Studied was the effect of edaravone (E), a clinical therapeutic drug for brain infarction possessing properties of free radical scavenger, on apoptosis in vitro. Human T-cell leukemic MOLT-4 cells and p53-knockdown MOLT-4 cells which overexpressing short hairpin type p53 by siRNA treatment were X-irradiated by Shimadzu Pantak HF 350 machine at 135-140 cGy/min for 2-5 Gy in total, in the presence of E. Cell death was estimated by dye-exclusion, apoptosis by EPICS flow cytometry, cellular reactive oxygen species by chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluoresein diacetate (CM-H 2 -DCFDA) fluorometry, and p53-related protein expression by Western blotting. E was found to have a radio-protective effect on cells at high concentrations (e.g., 2.7 and 3 mg/mL, 2Gy) and radio-sensitizing action at low concentrations (e.g., 0.15-1.5 mg/mL). Clinical plasma levels of E have been reportedly far lower than the concentrations in this experiment: ideally, E can sensitize tumor cells to radiation and protect normal cells from. (K.T.)

Radiation induced variations in photoperiod-sensitivity, thermo-sensitivity and the number of days to heading in rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsieh, S.C.

1975-01-01

Radiation induced semi-dwarf mutants derived from five japonica type varieties of rice were studied with regard to their photoperiod-sensitivity, thermo-sensitivity and the number of days to heading. The experiment was carried out under the natural conditions at Taipei. The coefficient of photoperiod-sensitivity and thermo-sensitivity as developed by Oka (1954) were estimated for the mutants in comparison with their original varieties. It was observed that these various physiological characters could be altered easily by mutations. Mutants showed wider ranges in both positive and negative directions than their original varieties in all physiological characters studied. Even though heading date depends on both photoperiod-sensitivity and thermo-sensitivity, it was estimated which of the two contributed more to the induced earliness in each mutant. This offers a basis for selecting early maturing lines of rice

Extinction with multiple excitors

OpenAIRE

McConnell, Bridget L.; Miguez, Gonzalo; Miller, Ralph R.

2013-01-01

Four conditioned suppression experiments with rats, using an ABC renewal design, investigated the effects of compounding the target conditioned excitor with additional, nontarget conditioned excitors during extinction. Experiment 1 showed stronger extinction, as evidenced by less renewal, when the target excitor was extinguished in compound with a second excitor, relative to when it was extinguished with associatively neutral stimuli. Critically, this deepened extinction effect was attenuated...

Effect of oxygen pressure on sensitivity of CR-39 used for astronauts radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murai, T.; Yabe, S.; Nagamatsu, A.; Tawara, H.; Kumagai, H.; Miyazawa, Y.; Kitajo, K.; Kodaira, S.; Yasuda, N.

2006-01-01

The personal radiation dosimeters for astronauts are exposed to low-pressure oxygen gas (0.29 atmospheres) during extra-vehicle activities. CR-39 plastic track detectors are one of the typical passive dosimeters for space radiation monitoring. We investigated change in track formation sensitivity of the antioxidant-doped CR-39 plastic with which oxygen gas comes in contact at different pressures up to 2 atmospheres for 1h to 10 days. The oxygen effect on sensitivity was measured for the C, Si and Fe ions (10-200 keV/μm) from the HIMAC heavy ion accelerator. The sensitivity is obviously sensitive to oxygen pressure at heavy-ion exposures, but not sensitive to the experience of oxygen atmosphere before and after the ion exposures. The maximum sensitivity is obtained at 0.29 atmospheres. The present experimental data suggested that the effect depends on LET of incident particles. (author)

Radiation sensitive polymer gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lepage, M.; Back, S.A.J.; Baldock, C.; Whittaker, A.K.; Rintoul, L.

2000-01-01

Full text: Radiation sensitive gels are studied for their potential to retain a permanent 3D dose distribution for applications in radiotherapy. Co-monomers dissolved in a tissue-equivalent hydrogel undergo a polymerization reaction upon absorption of ionizing radiation. The polymer formed influences the local spin-spin relaxation time (T 2 ) of the dosimeter that can be determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The relationship between T2 and the absorbed dose was studied for different initial chemical compositions. The aim was to find a model linking the changes in T 2 with absorbed dose to the initial composition of the dosimeter. It is believed this will help designing new gel dosimeters having desired properties to minimize the uncertainty in the determination of the dose distribution. 1 H, 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and FT-Raman spectroscopy were used to quantify the amount of monomers still remaining after the absorption of a given dose of radiation. This data is used to model the changes of T2 as a function of the absorbed dose. A model of fast exchange of magnetization between three proton pools was used, where the fraction of protons (f x H ) in the x th pool is obtained from the chemical composition of the dosimeter and the apparent T2 of each pool is determined for a given composition. Initially, the protons are contained in two pools; a mobile (mob), which contains the water protons and the monomers protons, and a gelatin (gela) proton pool. The mobile pool is partially depleted as polymer is formed, the protons are transferred into the polymer (pol) pool. In the figure, the experimental data along with the calculated values are plotted for three different monomer concentrations, with the gelatin concentration fixed. The model is seen to provide a good fit to the experimental data

Is IR going extinct?

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Audra

2016-01-01

A global extinction crisis may threaten the survival of most existing life forms. Influential discourses of ‘existential risk’ suggest that human extinction is a real possibility, while several decades of evidence from conservation biology suggests that the Earth may be entering a ‘sixth mass extinction event’. These conditions threaten the possibilities of survival and security that are central to most branches of International Relations. However, this discipline lacks a framework for addressing (mass) extinction. From notions of ‘nuclear winter’ and ‘omnicide’ to contemporary discourses on catastrophe, International Relations thinking has treated extinction as a superlative of death. This is a profound category mistake: extinction needs to be understood not in the ontic terms of life and death, but rather in the ontological context of be(com)ing and negation. Drawing on the work of theorists of the ‘inhuman’ such as Quentin Meillassoux, Claire Colebrook, Ray Brassier, Jean-Francois Lyotard and Nigel Clark, this article provides a pathway for thinking beyond existing horizons of survival and imagines a profound transformation of International Relations. Specifically, it outlines a mode of cosmopolitics that responds to the element of the inhuman and the forces of extinction. Rather than capitulating to narratives of tragedy, this cosmopolitics would make it possible to think beyond the restrictions of existing norms of ‘humanity’ to embrace an ethics of gratitude and to welcome the possibility of new worlds, even in the face of finitude.

Radiation sensitivity and gene expression in Enchytraeus japonensis, a species of earth worm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubota, Yoshihisa

2011-01-01

The importance of radiological protection of the environment based on scientific principles is gaining international recognition as environment issues garner more attention. Earthworm (annelids) is a ubiquitous soil invertebrate known to play an important role in the maintenance of the soil ecosystem and thus selected as one of 12 kinds of reference animals and plants by the ICRP. In the present study, radiation sensitivity and gene expression in a recently described terrestrial oligochaete, Enchytraeus japonensis (E. japonensis) were studied. E. japonensis worms were acutely irradiated at increasing doses of gamma radiation, and the number of worms after 30 days of radiation was examined. The dose effectively inhibiting 50% of proliferation was approximately 22 Gy, which was comparable to the dose required to elicit growth inhibition in other earthworm species. In order to seek other biological endpoints for more sensitive and/or quicker assessment of radiation effects, gene expression profiling in E. japonensis was also performed, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase I (PARP I) was identified as a radiation-responsive gene. PARP I transcript level increased dose-dependently. (author)

Periodicity in extinction and the problem of catastrophism in the history of life

Science.gov (United States)

Sepkoski, J. J. Jr; Sepkoski JJ, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1989-01-01

The hypothesis that extinction events have recurred periodically over the last quarter billion years is greatly strengthened by new data on the stratigraphic ranges of marine animal genera. In the interval from the Permian to Recent, these data encompass some 13,000 generic extinctions, providing a more sensitive indicator of species-level extinctions than previously used familial data. Extinction time series computed from the generic data display nine strong peaks that are nearly uniformly spaced at 26 Ma intervals over the last 270 Ma. Most of these peaks correspond to extinction events recognized in more detailed, if limited, biostratigraphic studies. These new data weaken or negate most arguments against periodicity, which have involved criticisms of the taxonomic data base, sampling intervals, chronometric time scales, and statistical methods used in previous analyses. The criticisms are reviewed in some detail and various new calculations and simulations, including one assessing the effects of paraphyletic taxa, are presented. Although the new data strengthen the case for periodicity, they offer little new insight into the deriving mechanism behind the pattern. However, they do suggest that many of the periodic events may not have been catastrophic, occurring instead over several stratigraphic stages or substages.

The currency and tempo of extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Regan, H M; Lupia, R; Drinnan, A N; Burgman, M A

2001-01-01

This study examines estimates of extinction rates for the current purported biotic crisis and from the fossil record. Studies that compare current and geological extinctions sometimes use metrics that confound different sources of error and reflect different features of extinction processes. The per taxon extinction rate is a standard measure in paleontology that avoids some of the pitfalls of alternative approaches. Extinction rates reported in the conservation literature are rarely accompanied by measures of uncertainty, despite many elements of the calculations being subject to considerable error. We quantify some of the most important sources of uncertainty and carry them through the arithmetic of extinction rate calculations using fuzzy numbers. The results emphasize that estimates of current and future rates rely heavily on assumptions about the tempo of extinction and on extrapolations among taxa. Available data are unlikely to be useful in measuring magnitudes or trends in current extinction rates.

Immediate extinction causes a less durable loss of performance than delayed extinction following either fear or appetitive conditioning

OpenAIRE

Woods, Amanda M.; Bouton, Mark E.

2008-01-01

Five experiments with rat subjects compared the effects of immediate and delayed extinction on the durability of extinction learning. Three experiments examined extinction of fear conditioning (using the conditioned emotional response method), and two experiments examined extinction of appetitive conditioning (using the food-cup entry method). In all experiments, conditioning and extinction were accomplished in single sessions, and retention testing took place 24 h after extinction. In both f...

Evaluation of the radiation-sensitizer/protector and/or antioxidant efficiencies using Fricke and PAG dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meesat, Ridthee; Jay-Gerin, Jean-Paul; Khalil, Abdelouahed; Lepage, Martin

2009-01-01

In this study, our aim is to assess the potential of Fricke and polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimeters to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of potential radiation sensitizers/protectors and antioxidants. These compounds are of importance in radiotherapy as well as in disease prevention and promotion of health. The basic principle of the Fricke dosimeter is the radiation-induced oxidation of Fe 2+ to Fe 3+ in an aerated aqueous 0.4 M H 2 SO 4 . The production of ferric ions is most sensitive to the radical species produced in the radiolysis of water. Using this method, we observed that cystamine (one of the best of the known radioprotectors) can prevent oxydation of Fe 2+ from reactive radiolysis species. However, one obvious disadvantage of the Fricke dosimeter is that it operates under highly acidic conditions (pH 0.46), which may degrade biological compounds. In contrast, the pH of the polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimeter is almost neutral, such that degradation of compounds is less probable. A change in R 2 -dose sensitivity was observed in the presence of radiosensitizers/radioprotectors and antioxidants. The protective effect of Trolox (a well-known antioxidant) and thiourea (a radioprotector) was readily observed using the PAG dosimeter. Incorporation of iodinated radiation sensitizers such as NaI and an iodine contrast agent led to a quantifiable sensitizer enhancement ratio. These studies suggest that the Fricke and the PAG dosimeters have the potential to evaluate the efficiency of radiation sensitizers/protectors and antioxidants.

A ΔdinB mutation that sensitizes Escherichia coli to the lethal effects of UV- and X-radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Mei-Chong W.; Franco, Magdalena; Vargas, Doris M. [Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192 (United States); Hudman, Deborah A. [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, MO 63501 (United States); White, Steven J. [Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192 (United States); Fowler, Robert G., E-mail: rfowler@sjsu.edu [Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192 (United States); Sargentini, Neil J. [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, MO 63501 (United States)

2014-05-15

Highlights: • We describe Δ(dinB-yafN)883(::kan), a novel dinB allele, referred to as ΔdinB883, a deletion that sensitizes E. coli cells to UV irradiation. • This UV radiation sensitivity is most acute in the early logarithmic phase of culture growth. • This UV radiation sensitivity is completely dependent upon a functional umuDC operon. • Sequencing reveals ΔdinB883 retains the proximal 161 nucleotides, i.e., 54 amino acids, of the wild-type sequence. • The ΔdinB883 mutant is hypothesized to produce a peptide of 83 amino acids, DinB883, that compromises UmuDC function. - Abstract: The DinB (PolIV) protein of Escherichia coli participates in several cellular functions. We investigated a dinB mutation, Δ(dinB-yafN)883(::kan) [referred to as ΔdinB883], which strongly sensitized E. coli cells to both UV- and X-radiation killing. Earlier reports indicated dinB mutations had no obvious effect on UV radiation sensitivity which we confirmed by showing that normal UV radiation sensitivity is conferred by the ΔdinB749 allele. Compared to a wild-type strain, the ΔdinB883 mutant was most sensitive (160-fold) in early to mid-logarithmic growth phase and much less sensitive (twofold) in late log or stationary phases, thus showing a growth phase-dependence for UV radiation sensitivity. This sensitizing effect of ΔdinB883 is assumed to be completely dependent upon the presence of UmuDC protein; since the ΔdinB883 mutation did not sensitize the ΔumuDC strain to UV radiation killing throughout log phase and early stationary phase growth. The DNA damage checkpoint activity of UmuDC was clearly affected by ΔdinB883 as shown by testing a umuC104 ΔdinB883 double-mutant. The sensitivities of the ΔumuDC strain and the ΔdinB883 ΔumuDC double-mutant strain were significantly greater than for the ΔdinB883 strain, suggesting that the ΔdinB883 allele only partially suppresses UmuDC activity. The ΔdinB883 mutation partially sensitized (fivefold) uvrA and uvr

Extinction risk escalates in the tropics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana C Vamosi

Full Text Available The latitudinal biodiversity gradient remains one of the most widely recognized yet puzzling patterns in nature. Presently, the high level of extinction of tropical species, referred to as the "tropical biodiversity crisis", has the potential to erode this pattern. While the connection between species richness, extinction, and speciation has long intrigued biologists, these interactions have experienced increased poignancy due to their relevancy to where we should concentrate our conservation efforts. Natural extinction is a phenomenon thought to have its own latitudinal gradient, with lower extinction rates in the tropics being reported in beetles, birds, mammals, and bivalves. Processes that have buffered ecosystems from high extinction rates in the past may also buffer ecosystems against disturbance of anthropogenic origin. While potential parallels between historical and present-day extinction patterns have been acknowledged, they remain only superficially explored and plant extinction patterns have been particularly neglected. Studies on the disappearances of animal species have reached conflicting conclusions, with the rate of extinction appearing either higher or lower in species richness hotspots. Our global study of extinction risk in vascular plants finds disproportionately higher extinction risk in tropical countries, even when indicators of human pressure (GDP, population density, forest cover change are taken into account. Our results are at odds with the notion that the tropics represent a museum of plant biodiversity (places of historically lowered extinction and we discuss mechanisms that may reconcile this apparent contradiction.

Extinction risk escalates in the tropics.

Science.gov (United States)

Vamosi, Jana C; Vamosi, Steven M

2008-01-01

The latitudinal biodiversity gradient remains one of the most widely recognized yet puzzling patterns in nature. Presently, the high level of extinction of tropical species, referred to as the "tropical biodiversity crisis", has the potential to erode this pattern. While the connection between species richness, extinction, and speciation has long intrigued biologists, these interactions have experienced increased poignancy due to their relevancy to where we should concentrate our conservation efforts. Natural extinction is a phenomenon thought to have its own latitudinal gradient, with lower extinction rates in the tropics being reported in beetles, birds, mammals, and bivalves. Processes that have buffered ecosystems from high extinction rates in the past may also buffer ecosystems against disturbance of anthropogenic origin. While potential parallels between historical and present-day extinction patterns have been acknowledged, they remain only superficially explored and plant extinction patterns have been particularly neglected. Studies on the disappearances of animal species have reached conflicting conclusions, with the rate of extinction appearing either higher or lower in species richness hotspots. Our global study of extinction risk in vascular plants finds disproportionately higher extinction risk in tropical countries, even when indicators of human pressure (GDP, population density, forest cover change) are taken into account. Our results are at odds with the notion that the tropics represent a museum of plant biodiversity (places of historically lowered extinction) and we discuss mechanisms that may reconcile this apparent contradiction.

Press/Pulse: Explaining selective terrestrial extinctions at the Cretaceous/Palaeogene boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Arens, Nan Crystal

2010-05-01

Single-cause mass extinction scenarios require extreme conditions to generate sufficiently strong kill mechanisms. Such dire effects are commonly at odds with the taxonomic selectivity that characterizes most extinction events. In response, some researchers have proposed that the interaction of a variety of factors typify episodes of elevated extinction. Previous work (Arens & West 2008 Paleobiology 34:456-471) has shown that a combination of press and pulse disturbances increases the probability of elevated extinction. The press/pulse contrast is borrowed from community ecology, where researchers have long recognized that the ecological response to long-term stress differs from that of an instantaneous catastrophe. Scaled to the macroevolutionary level, press disturbances alter community composition by placing multigenerational stress on populations. Press disturbances do not necessarily cause mortality, but reduce population size by a variety of mechanisms such as curtailed reproduction. Pulse disturbances are sudden catastrophic events that cause extensive mortality. Either press or pulse disturbances of sufficient magnitude can cause extinction, however elevated extinction occurs more commonly during the coincidence of lower-magnitude press and pulse events. The Cretaceous/Palaeogene (K/P) extinction is one of the best examples of a press/pulse extinction. Deccan Trap volcanism, which straddled the K/P boundary, altered atmospheric composition and climate. This episodic volcanism likely contributed to the climate instability observed in terrestrial ecosystems and exerted press stress. Pulse disturbance was produced by bolide impact, which punctuated the end of the Cretaceous. The press/pulse mechanism also more effectively explains selectivity in terrestrial vertebrate and plant extinctions at the K/P boundary than do single-mechanisms scenarios. For example, why do environmentally sensitive vertebrates such as amphibians experience no extinction? And why do

Effects of postretrieval-extinction learning on return of contextually controlled cued fear.

Science.gov (United States)

Meir Drexler, Shira; Merz, Christian J; Hamacher-Dang, Tanja C; Marquardt, Veronica; Fritsch, Nathalie; Otto, Tobias; Wolf, Oliver T

2014-08-01

Reactivation of an already consolidated memory makes it labile for a period of several hrs, which are required for its reconsolidation. Evidence suggests that the return of conditioned fear through spontaneous recovery, reinstatement, or renewal can be prevented by blockading this reconsolidation process using pharmacological or behavioral interventions. Postretrieval-extinction learning has been shown to prevent the return of cued fear in humans using fear-irrelevant stimuli, as well as cued and contextual fear in rodents. The effects of postretrieval extinction on human contextually controlled cued fear to fear-relevant stimuli remain unknown, and are the focus of the present study. The experimental design was based on 3 consecutive days: acquisition, reactivation and extinction, and re-extinction. For the fear conditioning, 2 zoo frames served as different contexts, 5 fear-relevant stimuli (aversive animal pictures) served as conditioned stimuli (CS), electric shocks served as unconditioned stimuli (UCS). Expectancy ratings and skin-conductance response (SCR) were used as measures of fear responses; spontaneous recovery and renewal were used as indicators of the return of fear. The expectancy ratings and SCR results indicated spontaneous recovery on the third day, regardless of retrieval prior to extinction. No robust renewal effect was seen. It is suggested that the use of fear-relevant stimuli, the context salience, or reactivation context may explain the lack of reconsolidation effect. Our study indicates that the beneficial effects of postretrieval-extinction learning are sensitive to subtle methodological changes.

A trial of ACNU and radiation therapy with sensitizing agents for malignant gliomas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawano, Hirokazu; Hayashi, Minoru; Satoh, Kazufumi; Ishii, Hisamasa; Nakatsugawa, Shigekazu; Ishii, Yasushi (Fukui Medical School, Yoshida, Fukui (Japan))

1989-11-01

Twelve cases of malignant gliomas (anaplastic astrocytoma 4, glioblatoma 8, recurrent 3, primary 9) were treated with ACNU and radiation with sensitizing agents after the surgical removal of the tumor. BUdR, Vidarabine (Ara-A), Aciclovir (ACV) were applied for sensitizing agents. BUdR was administrated intraarterially prior to radiation (380 rad, two times a week), and Ara-A and ACV intravenously during and after the radiation. Total dosage of the radiation was 50-60 Grey for each case. All recurrent and eight primary patients died. The mean survival time of the recurrent patients was 17.7 months, while that of the primary patients was 13.4 months. One of the primary patients was glioblastoma and is still surviving more than 24 months by now. The complete response (CR) rate of the primary tumor patients observed by computerized tomography (CT) scan was 5/9. We can expect the availability of this trial for malignant gliomas because of high CR rate in primary tumor cases. (author).

The extinct animal show: the paleoimagery tradition and computer generated imagery in factual television programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Vincent

2009-03-01

Extinct animals have always been popular subjects for the media, in both fiction, and factual output. In recent years, a distinctive new type of factual television program has emerged in which computer generated imagery is used extensively to bring extinct animals back to life. Such has been the commercial audience success of these programs that they have generated some public and academic debates about their relative status as science, documentary, and entertainment, as well as about their reflection of trends in factual television production, and the aesthetic tensions in the application of new media technologies. Such discussions ignore a crucial contextual feature of computer generated extinct animal programs, namely the established tradition of paleoimagery. This paper examines a selection of extinct animal shows in terms of the dominant frames of the paleoimagery genre. The paper suggests that such an examination has two consequences. First, it allows for a more context-sensitive evaluation of extinct animal programs, acknowledging rather than ignoring relevant representational traditions. Second, it allows for an appraisal and evaluation of public and critical reception of extinct animal programs above and beyond the traditional debates about tensions between science, documentary, entertainment, and public understanding.

Effect of ethanol of the radiation sensitivity of human hemoglobin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szweda-Lewandowska, Z.; Puchala, M.

1981-01-01

Radiation sensitivity of oxy-, deoxy-, and methemoglobin (HbOs, Hbbj, and MetHb) in water solutions containing 0.2 M ethanol and in ethanol-free solutions was compared. Radiation sensitivity was estimated on the basis of changes in absorbance at the Soret band (a = 430 nm for deoxyhemoglobin), changes in the absorbance ration Avqv/Avwt determined after conversion of irradiated preparations to methemoglobin, and changes in the value of parameters describing the reaction of hemoglobin oxygenation. The protection coefficient p of hemoglobin by ethanol (ratio of a change in the absence of ethanol to that in its presence) calculated from changes in absorbance at the Soret band equaled about 1.5 at a 4-Mrad dose in all bases except MetHb irradiated in air for which p was much higher (about 3.2). The protection coefficient p' calculated from Dtx values for changes in Avchemically bondv/Avwt equaled 2.2 for HbOs, and 2.8 for MetHb for preparations irradiated in air; p' = 1.7 for Hbbj and 1.8 for MetHb for preparations irradiated under argon. On the basis of these results, the role of /sup ./OH radicals and oxygen in the radiation damage of hemoglobin is discussed

Rescuing Ecosystems from Extinction Cascades

Science.gov (United States)

Sahasrabudhe, Sagar; Motter, Adilson

2010-03-01

Food web perturbations stemming from climate change, overexploitation, invasive species, and natural disasters often cause an initial loss of species that results in a cascade of secondary extinctions. Using a predictive modeling framework, here we will present a systematic network-based approach to reduce the number of secondary extinctions. We will show that the extinction of one species can often be compensated by the concurrent removal of a second specific species, which is a counter-intuitive effect not previously tested in complex food webs. These compensatory perturbations frequently involve long-range interactions that are not a priori evident from local predator-prey relationships. Strikingly, in numerous cases even the early removal of a species that would eventually be extinct by the cascade is found to significantly reduce the number of cascading extinctions. Other nondestructive interventions based on partial removals and growth suppression and/or mortality increase are shown to sometimes prevent all secondary extinctions.

Production and characterization of radiation-sensitive meiotic mutants of Coprinus cinereus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zolan, M.E.; Tremel, C.J.; Pukkila, P.J.

1988-01-01

We have isolated four gamma-sensitive mutants of the basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus. When homozygous, two of these (rad 3-1 and rad 9-1) produce fruiting bodies with very few viable basidiospores, the products of meiosis in this organism. A less radiation-sensitive allele of RAD 3, rad 3-2, causes no apparent meiotic defect in homozygous strains. Quantitative measurements of oidial survival of rad 3-1;rad 9-1 double mutants compared to the single mutants indicated that rad 3-1 and rad 9-1 mutants are defective in the same DNA repair pathway. In the pew viable basidiospores that are produced by these two strains, essentially normal levels of meiotic recombination can be detected. None of the mutants exhibits increased sensitivity to UV radiation. Cytological examination of meiotic chromosomes from mutant and wild-type fruiting bodies showed that rad 3-1 homozygous strains fail to condense and pair homologous chromosomes during prophase I. Although rad 9-1 strains are successful at chromosome pairing, meiosis is usually not completed in these mutants

DFT-INDO/S modeling of new high molar extinction coefficient charge-transfer sensitizers for solar cell applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazeeruddin, Mohammad K; Wang, Qing; Cevey, Le; Aranyos, Viviane; Liska, Paul; Figgemeier, Egbert; Klein, Cedric; Hirata, Narukuni; Koops, Sara; Haque, Saif A; Durrant, James R; Hagfeldt, Anders; Lever, A B P; Grätzel, Michael

2006-01-23

A new ruthenium(II) complex, tetrabutylammonium [ruthenium (4-carboxylic acid-4'-carboxylate-2,2'-bipyridine)(4,4'-di(2-(3,6-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl)-2,2'-bipyridine)(NCS)(2)] (N945H), was synthesized and characterized by analytical, spectroscopic, and electrochemical techniques. The absorption spectrum of the N945H sensitizer is dominated by metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transitions in the visible region, with the lowest allowed MLCT bands appearing at 25 380 and 18 180 cm(-1). The molar extinction coefficients of these bands are 34 500 and 18 900 M(-1) cm(-1), respectively, and are significantly higher when compared to than those of the standard sensitizer cis-dithiocyanatobis(4,4'-dicarboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). An INDO/S and density functional theory study of the electronic and optical properties of N945H and of N945 adsorbed on TiO(2) was performed. The calculations point out that the top three frontier-filled orbitals have essentially ruthenium 4d (t(2g) in the octahedral group) character with sizable contribution coming from the NCS ligand orbitals. Most critically the calculations reveal that, in the TiO(2)-bound N945 sensitizer, excitation directs charge into the carboxylbipyridine ligand bound to the TiO(2) surface. The photovoltaic data of the N945 sensitizer using an electrolyte containing 0.60 M butylmethylimidazolium iodide, 0.03 M I(2), 0.10 M guanidinium thiocyanate, and 0.50 M tert-butylpyridine in a mixture of acetonitrile and valeronitrile (volume ratio = 85:15) exhibited a short-circuit photocurrent density of 16.50 +/- 0.2 mA cm(-2), an open-circuit voltage of 790 +/- 30 mV, and a fill factor of 0.72 +/- 0.03, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 9.6% under standard AM (air mass) 1.5 sunlight, and demonstrated a stable performance under light and heat soaking at 80 degrees C.

Experimental Demonstration of Phase Sensitive Parametric Processes in a Nano-Engineered Silicon Waveguide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kang, Ning; Fadil, Ahmed; Pu, Minhao

2013-01-01

We demonstrate experimentally phase-sensitive processes in nano-engineered silicon waveguides for the first time. Furthermore, we highlight paths towards the optimization of the phase-sensitive extinction ratio under the impact of two-photon and free-carrier absorption.......We demonstrate experimentally phase-sensitive processes in nano-engineered silicon waveguides for the first time. Furthermore, we highlight paths towards the optimization of the phase-sensitive extinction ratio under the impact of two-photon and free-carrier absorption....

A general theory of impacts and mass extinctions, and the consequences of large-body impact on the Earth

Science.gov (United States)

Rampino, M. R.

1994-01-01

The theory that large-body impacts are the primary cause of mass extinctions of life on the Earth now has a sound theoretical and observational foundation. A convergence of evidence suggests that the biosphere may be a sensitive detector of large impact events, which result in the recorded global mass extinction pulses. The astronomically observed flux of asteroids and comets in the neighborhood of the Earth, and the threshold impact size calculated to produce a global environment catastrophe, can be used to predict a time history of large impact events and related mass extinctions of life that agrees well with the record of approx. 24 extinction events in the last 540 m.y.

Stress and Fear Extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Maren, Stephen; Holmes, Andrew

2016-01-01

Stress has a critical role in the development and expression of many psychiatric disorders, and is a defining feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stress also limits the efficacy of behavioral therapies aimed at limiting pathological fear, such as exposure therapy. Here we examine emerging evidence that stress impairs recovery from trauma by impairing fear extinction, a form of learning thought to underlie the suppression of trauma-related fear memories. We describe the major structural and functional abnormalities in brain regions that are particularly vulnerable to stress, including the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus, which may underlie stress-induced impairments in extinction. We also discuss some of the stress-induced neurochemical and molecular alterations in these brain regions that are associated with extinction deficits, and the potential for targeting these changes to prevent or reverse impaired extinction. A better understanding of the neurobiological basis of stress effects on extinction promises to yield novel approaches to improving therapeutic outcomes for PTSD and other anxiety and trauma-related disorders. PMID:26105142

Methylation of the ATM promoter in glioma cells alters ionizing radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Kanaklata; Wang, Lilin; Makrigiorgos, G. Mike; Price, Brendan D.

2006-01-01

Glioblastomas are among the malignancies most resistant to radiation therapy. In contrast, cells lacking the ATM protein are highly sensitive to ionizing radiation. The relationship between ATM protein expression and radiosensitivity in 3 glioma cell lines was examined. T98G cells exhibited normal levels of ATM protein, whereas U118 and U87 cells had significantly lower levels of ATM and increased (>2-fold) sensitivity to ionizing radiation compared to T98G cells. The ATM promoter was methylated in U87 cells. Demethylation by azacytidine treatment increased ATM protein levels in the U87 cells and decreased their radiosensitivity. In contrast, the ATM promoter in U118 cells was not methylated. Further, expression of exogenous ATM did not significantly alter the radiosensitivity of U118 cells. ATM expression is therefore heterogeneous in the glioma cells examined. In conclusion, methylation of the ATM promoter may account for the variable radiosensitivity and heterogeneous ATM expression in a fraction of glioma cells

Minimizing species extinctions through strategic planning for conservation fencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ringma, Jeremy L; Wintle, Brendan; Fuller, Richard A; Fisher, Diana; Bode, Michael

2017-10-01

Conservation fences are an increasingly common management action, particularly for species threatened by invasive predators. However, unlike many conservation actions, fence networks are expanding in an unsystematic manner, generally as a reaction to local funding opportunities or threats. We conducted a gap analysis of Australia's large predator-exclusion fence network by examining translocation of Australian mammals relative to their extinction risk. To address gaps identified in species representation, we devised a systematic prioritization method for expanding the conservation fence network that explicitly incorporated population viability analysis and minimized expected species' extinctions. The approach was applied to New South Wales, Australia, where the state government intends to expand the existing conservation fence network. Existing protection of species in fenced areas was highly uneven; 67% of predator-sensitive species were unrepresented in the fence network. Our systematic prioritization yielded substantial efficiencies in that it reduced expected number of species extinctions up to 17 times more effectively than ad hoc approaches. The outcome illustrates the importance of governance in coordinating management action when multiple projects have similar objectives and rely on systematic methods rather than expanding networks opportunistically. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Hydroxyurea as a radiation sensitizer in malignancies of the head and neck

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanta, P.K.; Singhal, R.M.; Jindel, R.; Sharma, R.L.; Julka, P.K.

1992-01-01

A prospective randomized trail was undertaken to assess the efficacy of hydroxyurea as a radiation sensitizer. Disease control rates achieved significance (p<0.01) values only at 2 and 3 months post-radiation. At the end of 2 years of follow-up there was no significant difference in the disease control rate between the control and the experimental group. The toxicity in the experimental group was acceptable. One patient had severe vomiting; 13% showed severe mucositis, 4.5% had erythema of the treatment area and 40% showed dry desquamation. There seems to be no added advantage of hydroxyurea and radiation over radiation alone. (author). 12 refs., 2 tabs

Temporal specificity of extinction in autoshaping.

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, Michael R; Yang, Cynthia; Ohyama, Tatsuya; Balsam, Peter D

2004-07-01

Three experiments investigated the effects of varying the conditioned stimulus (CS) duration between training and extinction. Ring doves (Streptopelia risoria) were autoshaped on a fixed CS-unconditioned stimulus (US) interval and extinguished with CS presentations that were longer, shorter, or the same as the training duration. During a subsequent test session, the training CS duration was reintroduced. Results suggest that the cessation of responding during an extinction session is controlled by generalization of excitation between the training and extinction CSs and by the number of nonreinforced CS presentations. Transfer of extinction to the training CS is controlled by the similarity between the extinction and training CSs. Extinction learning is temporally specific. (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved

Mass Extinctions of Pangea (Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal Lecture)

Science.gov (United States)

Wignall, Paul B.

2017-04-01

-water dwellers that succumbed to expanding deep-water anoxia. The contemporary plant losses show a similar duration for extinction losses ( 60 kyr) but the ultimate cause of these extinctions is less clear. It is unlikely to have been directly attributable to greenhouse gases because warm and wet conditions on land are a good thing. A greenhouse is a good place for plants after all. Ozone destruction by halogen emissions followed by intense UV-B radiation is a more promising extinction agent. A key factor in the extinction vulnerability of Pangean life may lie in the subdued nature of carbon cycling in a supercontinent configuration. Feedback mechanisms such as enhanced silicate weathering in warmer, more humid conditions would be less effective because of the vast arid interiors. The burial of carbon in shelf seas would also be minimal because the area of shallow waters around the periphery of the supercontinent was at a Phanerozoic minimum. Once initiated, warmer temperatures would have led to increased rate of organic remineralisation. This may have been responsible the absence of terrestrial organic carbon burial during the most severe crises, further decreasing the ability to drawdown atmospheric carbon. This combination of causes would have produced a planet that was only weakly responsive to sudden influxes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It was a bad time to endure LIP eruptions.

Modification of radiation sensitivity by edaravone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasano, Nakashi; Enomoto, Atsushi; Miyagawa, Kiyoshi [Tokyo Univ., Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Hosoi, Yoshio [Niigata Univ., School of Health Sciences, Niigata, Niigata (Japan); Nakagawa, Keiichi [Tokyo Univ., Hospital, Tokyo (Japan)

2009-03-15

Studied was the effect of edaravone (E), a clinical therapeutic drug for brain infarction possessing properties of free radical scavenger, on apoptosis in vitro. Human T-cell leukemic MOLT-4 cells and p53-knockdown MOLT-4 cells which overexpressing short hairpin type p53 by siRNA treatment were X-irradiated by Shimadzu Pantak HF 350 machine at 135-140 cGy/min for 2-5 Gy in total, in the presence of E. Cell death was estimated by dye-exclusion, apoptosis by EPICS flow cytometry, cellular reactive oxygen species by chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluoresein diacetate (CM-H{sub 2}-DCFDA) fluorometry, and p53-related protein expression by Western blotting. E was found to have a radio-protective effect on cells at high concentrations (e.g., 2.7 and 3 mg/mL, 2Gy) and radio-sensitizing action at low concentrations (e.g., 0.15-1.5 mg/mL). Clinical plasma levels of E have been reportedly far lower than the concentrations in this experiment: ideally, E can sensitize tumor cells to radiation and protect normal cells from. (K.T.)

Thermal Transgressions and Phanerozoic Extinctions

Science.gov (United States)

Worsley, T. R.; Kidder, D. L.

2007-12-01

A number of significant Phanerozoic extinctions are associated with marine transgressions that were probably driven by rapid ocean warming. The conditions associated with what we call thermal transgressions are extremely stressful to life on Earth. The Earth system setting associated with end-Permian extinction exemplifies an end-member case of our model. The conditions favoring extreme warmth and sea-level increases driven by thermal expansion are also conducive to changes in ocean circulation that foster widespread anoxia and sulfidic subsurface ocean waters. Equable climates are characterized by reduced wind shear and weak surface ocean circulation. Late Permian and Early Triassic thermohaline circulation differs considerably from today's world, with minimal polar sinking and intensified mid-latitude sinking that delivers sulfate from shallow evaporative areas to deeper water where it is reduced to sulfide. Reduced nutrient input to oceans from land at many of the extinction intervals results from diminished silicate weathering and weakened delivery of iron via eolian dust. The falloff in iron-bearing dust leads to minimal nitrate production, weakening food webs and rendering faunas and floras more susceptible to extinction when stressed. Factors such as heat, anoxia, ocean acidification, hypercapnia, and hydrogen sulfide poisoning would significantly affect these biotas. Intervals of tectonic quiescence set up preconditions favoring extinctions. Reductions in chemical silicate weathering lead to carbon dioxide buildup, oxygen drawdown, nutrient depletion, wind and ocean current abatement, long-term global warming, and ocean acidification. The effects of extinction triggers such as large igneous provinces, bolide impacts, and episodes of sudden methane release are more potent against the backdrop of our proposed preconditions. Extinctions that have characteristics we call for in the thermal transgressions include the Early Cambrian Sinsk event, as well as

Investigation of some parameters influencing the sensitivity of human tooth enamel to gamma radiation using electron paramagnetic resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Faramawy, N.

2008-01-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has been successfully used as a physical technique for gamma radiation dose reconstruction using calcified tissues. To minimize potential discrepancies between EPR readings in future studies, the effects of cavity response factor, tooth position and donor gender on the estimated gamma radiation dose were studied. It was found that the EPR response per sample mass used for assessment of doses in teeth outside of the 70-100 mg range should be corrected by a factor which is a function of the sample mass. In the EPR measurements, the difference in sensitivity of different tooth positions to γ-radiation was taken into consideration. It was determined that among all the premolars and molars tooth positions, the relative standard deviation of sensitivity was 6.5%, with the wisdom teeth and the first molars having the highest and lowest sensitivity to γ-radiation, respectively. The current results reveal no effect of the donor gender on the sensitivity to γ-radiation. (author)

Sensitivity to low-dose radiation in radiosensitive ''wasted'' mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paunesku, T.; Protic, M.; Woloschak, G. E.

1999-01-01

Mice homozygous for the autosomal recessive wasted mutation (wst/wst) have abnormalities in T-lymphocytes and in the anterior motor neuron cells of the spinal cord, leading to sensitivity to low doses of ionizing radiation, hind limb paralysis, and immunodeficiency. This defect results in a failure to gain weight by 20 days and death at 28 days of age. The wasted mutation (previously mapped to mouse chromosome 2) is shown to be a 3-bp deletion in a T-cell-specific (and perhaps motor-neuron-specific) regulatory region (promoter) of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) gene on mouse chromosome 2. A regulatory element is also shown to be important in PCNA expression in T-lymphocytes and motor neuron cells afflicted by the 3-bp deletion in the PCNA promoter. The model is as follows: Absence of PCNA expression in the thymuses (and motor neurons) of wasted mice causes cellular apoptosis; this absence of expression is mediated by a positive transactor that can bind to the wild-type but not the wasted mutant PCNA promoter; the bound protein induces late expression of PCNA in T-lymphocytes and prevents onset of radiation sensitivity in the cells

Trajectories of Late Permian – Jurassic radiolarian extinction rates: no evidence for an end-Triassic mass extinction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Kiessling

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The hypothesis that ocean acidification was a proximate trigger of the marine end-Triassic mass extinction rests on the assumption that taxa that strongly invest in the secretion of calcium-carbonate skeletons were significantly more affected by the crisis than other taxa. An argument against this hypothesis is the great extinction toll of radiolarians that has been reported from work on local sections. Radiolarians have siliceous tests and thus should be less affected by ocean acidification. We compiled taxonomically vetted occurrences of late Permian and Mesozoic radiolarians and analyzed extinction dynamics of radiolarian genera. Although extinction rates were high at the end of the Triassic, there is no evidence for a mass extinction in radiolarians but rather significantly higher background extinction in the Triassic than in the Jurassic. Although the causes for this decline in background extinction levels remain unclear, the lack of a major evolutionary response to the end-Triassic event, gives support for the hypothesis that ocean acidification was involved in the dramatic extinctions of many calcifying taxa. doi:10.1002/mmng.201000017

Could a nearby supernova explosion have caused a mass extinction?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, J.; Schramm, D.N.

1995-01-01

We examine the possibility that a nearby supernova explosion could have caused one or more of the mass extinctions identified by paleontologists. We discuss the possible rate of such events in the light of the recent suggested identification of Geminga as a supernova remnant less than 100 parsec (pc) away and the discovery of a millisecond pulsar about 150 pc away and observations of SN 1987A. The fluxes of γ-radiation and charged cosmic rays on the Earth are estimated, and their effects on the Earth's ozone layer are discussed. A supernova explosion of the order of 10 pc away could be expected as often as every few hundred million years and could destroy the ozone layer for hundreds of years, letting in potentially lethal solar ultraviolet radiation. In addition to effects on land ecology, this could entail mass destruction of plankton and reef communities, with disastrous consequences for marine life as well. A supernova extinction should be distinguishable from a meteorite impact such as the one that presumably killed the dinosaurs at the open-quotes KT boundary.close quotes The recent argument that the KT event was exceedingly large and thus quite rare supports the need for other catastrophic events. 24 refs

Extinction after retrieval: effects on the associative and nonassociative components of remote contextual fear memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Costanzi, Marco; Cannas, Sara; Saraulli, Daniele; Rossi-Arnaud, Clelia; Cestari, Vincenzo

2011-01-01

Long-lasting memories of adverse experiences are essential for individuals' survival but are also involved, in the form of recurrent recollections of the traumatic experience, in the aetiology of anxiety diseases (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]). Extinction-based erasure of fear memories has long been pursued as a behavioral way to treat anxiety disorders; yet, such a procedure turns out to be transient, context-dependent, and ineffective unless it is applied immediately after trauma. Recent evidence indicates that, in both rats and humans, extinction training can prevent the return of fear if administered within the reconsolidation window, when memories become temporarily labile and susceptible of being updated. Here, we show that the reconsolidation-extinction procedure fails to prevent the spontaneous recovery of a remote contextual fear memory in a mouse model of PTSD, as well as the long-lasting behavioral abnormalities induced by traumatic experience on anxiety and in both social and cognitive domains (i.e., social withdrawal and spatial learning deficits). Such a failure appears to be related to the ineffectiveness of the reconsolidation-extinction procedure in targeting the pathogenic process of fear sensitization, a nonassociative component of traumatic memory that causes animals to react aberrantly to harmless stimuli. This indicates fear sensitization as a major target for treatments aimed at mitigating anxiety and the behavioral outcomes of traumatic experiences.

Anatomical physiology of spatial extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciçek, Metehan; Gitelman, Darren; Hurley, Robert S E; Nobre, Anna; Mesulam, Marsel

2007-12-01

Neurologically intact volunteers participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment that simulated the unilateral (focal) and bilateral (global) stimulations used to elicit extinction in patients with hemispatial neglect. In peristriate areas, attentional modulations were selectively sensitive to contralaterally directed attention. A higher level of mapping was observed in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). In these areas, there was no distinction between contralateral and ipsilateral focal attention, and the need to distribute attention globally led to greater activity than either focal condition. These physiological characteristics were symmetrically distributed in the IPS and IFG, suggesting that the effects of unilateral lesions in these 2 areas can be compensated by the contralateral hemisphere. In the IPL, the greater activation by the bilateral attentional mode was seen only in the right hemisphere. Its contralateral counterpart displayed equivalent activations when attention was distributed to the right, to the left, or bilaterally. Within the context of this experiment, the IPL of the right hemisphere emerged as the one area where unilateral lesions can cause the most uncompensated and selective impairment of global attention (without interfering with unilateral attention to either side), giving rise to the phenomenon of extinction.

Constraints on Enhanced Extinction Resulting from Extinction Treatment in the Presence of an Added Excitor

Science.gov (United States)

Urcelay, Gonzalo P.; Lipatova, Olga; Miller, Ralph R.

2009-01-01

Three Pavlovian fear conditioning experiments with rats as subjects explored the effect of extinction in the presence of a concurrent excitor. Our aim was to explore this particular treatment, documented in previous studies to deepen extinction, with novel control groups to shed light on the processes involved in extinction. Relative to subjects…

Specificity and sensitivity of NMR based urinary metabolic biomarker for radiation injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyagi, Ritu; Watve, Apurva; Khushu, Subash; Rana, Poonam

2016-01-01

Increasing burden of natural background radiation and terrestrial radionuclides is a big threat of radiation exposure to the population at large. It is necessary to develop biomarker of ionizing radiation exposure that can be used for mass screening in the event of a radiological mass casualty incident. Metabolomics has already been proven as an excellent developing prospect for capturing diseases specific metabolic signatures as possible biomarkers. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the urinary metabolites after whole body radiation exposure which can further be used as early predictive marker. The PLS-DA based ROC curve depicted taurine as a biomarker of early radiation injury. This study along with other 'omics' technique will be useful to help design strategies for non-invasive radiation biodosimetry through metabolomics in human populations

Sensitivity of APSIM/ORYZA model due to estimation errors in solar radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Bryan Heinemann

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Crop models are ideally suited to quantify existing climatic risks. However, they require historic climate data as input. While daily temperature and rainfall data are often available, the lack of observed solar radiation (Rs data severely limits site-specific crop modelling. The objective of this study was to estimate Rs based on air temperature solar radiation models and to quantify the propagation of errors in simulated radiation on several APSIM/ORYZA crop model seasonal outputs, yield, biomass, leaf area (LAI and total accumulated solar radiation (SRA during the crop cycle. The accuracy of the 5 models for estimated daily solar radiation was similar, and it was not substantially different among sites. For water limited environments (no irrigation, crop model outputs yield, biomass and LAI was not sensitive for the uncertainties in radiation models studied here.

Near-ultraviolet radiation-induced damage using an actinic reticuloid strain as a possible sensitive model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kralli, A.

1987-01-01

The introduction to this thesis consists of a review of current concepts regarding the effects of ultraviolet radiation on living cells. Actinic reticuloid, a disease condition for which a near-ultraviolet radiation cellular sensitivity has been proposed as an underlying cause, is described. The experimental work, the broad aim of which is to expand existing knowledge of the effects of near-ultraviolet radiation that may lead to cell lethality, has centred upon the irradiation of a normal human skin fibroblast strain, GM730, and a strain derived from an actinic reticuloid patient, AR6LO. Parts 1 and 2 examine the effects of the irradiation on both normal and actinic fibroblast sensitivities to a range of ultraviolet wavelengths. The next two sections include observations on the protective effect of Trolox-C, a vitamin E analogue and the sensitization resulting from the replacement of the irradiation medium by a deuterated one, using both normal and actinic reticuloid fibroblasts. The final part examines broad-band near- and far-ultraviolet radiation induced membrane damage by the use of radioactively labelled rubidium as a potassium analogue. (author)

Extinction of H II regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Israel, F.P.; Kennicutt, R.C.

1980-01-01

Visual extinction of H II regions in nine nearby galaxies as derived from the ratio of the radio continuum emission to H-alpha emission is systematically larger than visual extinction deduced from the Balmer lines alone, if one assumes a value Av/E(B-V) 3. An optically-limited sample of about 30 extragalactic H II regions has a mean extinction of 1.7 m in the visual while about 1.2 m is not seen in the reddening of the Balmer lines. Both reddening and extinction decreases with increasing galactic radius, at least for M33 and M101

A reconciliation of extinction theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabine, T.M.

1988-01-01

The differences between previous theoretical treatments of extinction based on the Darwin intensity equations arise because of the different functional form chosen for the coupling constant σ. When the same function is used these theories make closely similar predictions. It is shown that a limiting condition on integrated intensity as the crystal size increases puts restrictions on the functions which may be used. A Lorentzian or Fresnellian function can be used for primary extinction while secondary extinction requires a Gaussian, rectangular or triangular function. An analytical expression is given for the variation in the value of the extinction factor with scattering angle. (orig.)

The ethics of reviving long extinct species.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandler, Ronald

2014-04-01

There now appears to be a plausible pathway for reviving species that have been extinct for several decades, centuries, or even millennia. I conducted an ethical analysis of de-extinction of long extinct species. I assessed several possible ethical considerations in favor of pursuing de-extinction: that it is a matter of justice; that it would reestablish lost value; that it would create new value; and that society needs it as a conservation last resort. I also assessed several possible ethical arguments against pursuing de-extinction: that it is unnatural; that it could cause animal suffering; that it could be ecologically problematic or detrimental to human health; and that it is hubristic. There are reasons in favor of reviving long extinct species, and it can be ethically acceptable to do so. However, the reasons in favor of pursuing de-extinction do not have to do with its usefulness in species conservation; rather, they concern the status of revived species as scientific and technological achievements, and it would be ethically problematic to promote de-extinction as a significant conservation strategy, because it does not prevent species extinctions, does not address the causes of extinction, and could be detrimental to some species conservation efforts. Moreover, humanity does not have a responsibility or obligation to pursue de-extinction of long extinct species, and reviving them does not address any urgent problem. Therefore, legitimate ecological, political, animal welfare, legal, or human health concerns associated with a de-extinction (and reintroduction) must be thoroughly addressed for it to be ethically acceptable. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Immediate Extinction Causes a Less Durable Loss of Performance than Delayed Extinction following Either Fear or Appetitive Conditioning

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, Amanda M.; Bouton, Mark E.

2008-01-01

Five experiments with rat subjects compared the effects of immediate and delayed extinction on the durability of extinction learning. Three experiments examined extinction of fear conditioning (using the conditioned emotional response method), and two experiments examined extinction of appetitive conditioning (using the food-cup entry method). In…

Sensitivity of the photodissociation of NO2, NO3, HNO3 and H2O2 to the solar radiation diffused by the ground and by atmospheric particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mugnai, A.; Petroncelli, P.; Fiocco, G.

1979-01-01

The diffusion of solar radiation by atmospheric molecules and aerosols and by ground albedo affects the photodissociation rates of atmospheric species relevant to the ozone chemistry. In this paper, a previous investigation on the photodissociation of O 3 is extended to NO 2 , NO 3 , HNO 3 , H 2 O 2 . Because of the different character of the absorption spectra of these species, the behaviour of photodissociation profiles with height and their sensitivity to such factors as ground albedo, aerosol loads, solar zenith angle are somewhat different. The results show that the presence of the aerosols usually enhances the photodissociation in the upper troposphere and in the stratosphere, because of scattering, but tends to reduce it at low heights because of the increased extinction. Enhancements in the photodissociation coefficients are as high as 20 to 40% for low values of the albedo and large aerosol loads such as those obtained after a volcanic eruption. On the other hand, at large values of the albedo, the effect of aerosols is mainly in attenuating the radiation going into and coming from the ground and their presence can lead to reduced photolysis even in the stratosphere. (author)

Targeting Nucleophosmin 1 Represents a Rational Strategy for Radiation Sensitization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekhar, Konjeti R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee (United States); Benamar, Mouadh [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia (United States); Venkateswaran, Amudhan; Sasi, Soumya [Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee (United States); Penthala, Narsimha R.; Crooks, Peter A. [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (United States); Hann, Stephen R. [Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee (United States); Geng, Ling [Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee (United States); Balusu, Ramesh [Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas (United States); Abbas, Tarek [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia (United States); Freeman, Michael L., E-mail: michael.freeman@vanderbilt.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee (United States)

2014-08-01

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that small molecule targeting of nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) represents a rational approach for radiosensitization. Methods and Materials: Wilde-type and NPM1-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) were used to determine whether radiosensitization produced by the small molecule YTR107 was NPM1 dependent. The stress response to ionizing radiation was assessed by quantifying pNPM1, γH2AX, and Rad51 foci, neutral comet tail moment, and colony formation. NPM1 levels in a human-derived non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue microarray (TMA) were determined by immunohistochemistry. YTR107-mediated radiosensitization was assessed in NSCLC cell lines and xenografts. Results: Use of NPM1-null MEFs demonstrated that NPM1 is critical for DNA double- strand break (DSB) repair, that loss of NPM1 increases radiation sensitivity, and that YTR107-mediated radiosensitization is NPM1 dependent. YTR107 was shown to inhibit NPM1 oligomerization and impair formation of pNPM1 irradiation-induced foci that colocalized with γH2AX foci. Analysis of the TMA demonstrated that NPM1 is overexpressed in subsets of NSCLC. YTR107 inhibited DNA DSB repair and radiosensitized NSCLC lines and xenografts. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that YTR107-mediated targeting of NPM1 impairs DNA DSB repair, an event that increases radiation sensitivity.

Targeting Nucleophosmin 1 Represents a Rational Strategy for Radiation Sensitization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekhar, Konjeti R.; Benamar, Mouadh; Venkateswaran, Amudhan; Sasi, Soumya; Penthala, Narsimha R.; Crooks, Peter A.; Hann, Stephen R.; Geng, Ling; Balusu, Ramesh; Abbas, Tarek; Freeman, Michael L.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that small molecule targeting of nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) represents a rational approach for radiosensitization. Methods and Materials: Wilde-type and NPM1-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) were used to determine whether radiosensitization produced by the small molecule YTR107 was NPM1 dependent. The stress response to ionizing radiation was assessed by quantifying pNPM1, γH2AX, and Rad51 foci, neutral comet tail moment, and colony formation. NPM1 levels in a human-derived non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue microarray (TMA) were determined by immunohistochemistry. YTR107-mediated radiosensitization was assessed in NSCLC cell lines and xenografts. Results: Use of NPM1-null MEFs demonstrated that NPM1 is critical for DNA double- strand break (DSB) repair, that loss of NPM1 increases radiation sensitivity, and that YTR107-mediated radiosensitization is NPM1 dependent. YTR107 was shown to inhibit NPM1 oligomerization and impair formation of pNPM1 irradiation-induced foci that colocalized with γH2AX foci. Analysis of the TMA demonstrated that NPM1 is overexpressed in subsets of NSCLC. YTR107 inhibited DNA DSB repair and radiosensitized NSCLC lines and xenografts. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that YTR107-mediated targeting of NPM1 impairs DNA DSB repair, an event that increases radiation sensitivity

[Fitness of workers with particular sensitivity to non-ionizing radiation].

Science.gov (United States)

Moccaldi, R; Grandi, C

2011-01-01

Chapter IV and V of Title VIII of D.Lgs 81/2008, implementing the Directives 2004/40/EC respectively (protection of workers exposed to electromagnetic fields) and 2006/25/EC (protection of workers exposed to artificial optical radiation), make frequent reference to the workers as "at particular risk" namely those workers who, by their biological or pathological characteristics, lifestyles, multiple exposure to other risk factors, may be more susceptible to the effects of electromagnetic fields or optical radiation. The identification of workers with particular sensitivity is essential for health surveillance, in particular regarding the determination of fitness. The operational guidance on Title VIII of D.Lgs 81/2008 drafted by the Italian Technical Coordination for Safety in the workplace of Regions and Autonomous Provinces (Document No. 1-2009), in collaboration with ISPESL and ISS, includes a preliminary identification of the categories of workers considered most susceptible to the risk from exposure to electromagnetic fields and optical radiation. On the basis of this information the authors identified more focused and structured classes of workers to be considered as "particularly sensitive to risk", it is not only related to a specific wavelength, but based on a comprehensive risk assessment in individual exposure situation, with regard to the exposure levels, any multiple exposures, the possibility of adequate personal protection.

Incoming longwave radiation to melting snow: observations, sensitivity and estimation in Northern environments

Science.gov (United States)

Sicart, J. E.; Pomeroy, J. W.; Essery, R. L. H.; Bewley, D.

2006-11-01

At high latitudes, longwave radiation can provide similar, or higher, amounts of energy to snow than shortwave radiation due to the low solar elevation (cosine effect and increased scattering due to long atmospheric path lengths). This effect is magnified in mountains due to shading and longwave emissions from the complex topography. This study examines longwave irradiance at the snow surface in the Wolf Creek Research Basin, Yukon Territory, Canada (60° 36N, 134° 57W) during the springs of 2002 and 2004. Incoming longwave radiation was estimated from standard meteorological measurements by segregating radiation sources into clear sky, clouds and surrounding terrain. A sensitivity study was conducted to detect the atmospheric and topographic conditions under which emission from adjacent terrain significantly increases the longwave irradiance. The total incoming longwave radiation is more sensitive to sky view factor than to the temperature of the emitting terrain surfaces. Brutsaert's equation correctly simulates the clear-sky irradiance for hourly time steps using temperature and humidity. Longwave emissions from clouds, which raised longwave radiation above that from clear skies by 16% on average, were best estimated using daily atmospheric shortwave transmissivity and hourly relative humidity. An independent test of the estimation procedure for a prairie site near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, indicated that the calculations are robust in late winter and spring conditions. Copyright

Phase-sensitive optical processing in silicon waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petermann, Klaus; Gajda, A.; Dziallas, Claudia

2015-01-01

Parametric optical signal processing is reviewed for silicon nano-rib-waveguides with a reverse-biased pin-junction. Phase-sensitive parametric amplification with a phase-sensitive extinction of more than 20 dB has been utilized for the regeneration of DPSK signals...

Modulation of DNA methylation levels sensitizes doxorubicin-resistant breast adenocarcinoma cells to radiation-induced apoptosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luzhna, Lidia [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada T1K 3M4 (Canada); Kovalchuk, Olga, E-mail: olga.kovalchuk@uleth.ca [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada T1K 3M4 (Canada)

2010-02-05

Chemoresistant tumors often fail to respond to other cytotoxic treatments such as radiation therapy. The mechanisms of chemo- and radiotherapy cross resistance are not fully understood and are believed to be epigenetic in nature. We hypothesize that MCF-7 cells and their doxorubicin-resistant variant MCF-7/DOX cells may exhibit different responses to ionizing radiation due to their dissimilar epigenetic status. Similar to previous studies, we found that MCF-7/DOX cells harbor much lower levels of global DNA methylation than MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, we found that MCF-7/DOX cells had lower background apoptosis levels and were less responsive to radiation than MCF-7 cells. Decreased radiation responsiveness correlated to significant global DNA hypomethylation in MCF-7/DOX cells. Here, for the first time, we show that the radiation resistance of MCF-7/DOX cells can be reversed by an epigenetic treatment - the application of methyl-donor SAM. SAM-mediated reversal of DNA methylation led to elevated radiation sensitivity in MCF-7/DOX cells. Contrarily, application of SAM on the radiation sensitive and higher methylated MCF-7 cells resulted in a decrease in their radiation responsiveness. This data suggests that a fine balance of DNA methylation is needed to insure proper radiation and drug responsiveness.

Comparison of two different techniques on the human lymphocytes morphology and sensitivity to gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kol, R.

1985-02-01

The lymphocytes in the peripheral blood are divided into two main subclasses: T cells and B cells. These differ from each other in function and in their sensitivity to radiation. The effort to study which group is more sensitive to radiation has resulted in many contradictory results. In the present study we examined whether the methods that are used to separate the lymphocytes from the whole blood, before their separation into subclasses, have an effect on the cells and whether this might contribute to the contradictory results. Blood samples were taken from several normal donors and each sample was devided into two fractions. Lymphocytes in each fraction were separated by one of the two following methods: a) sedimentation of erythrocytes by gravitation; b) separation on Ficoll-Paque density gradient. For cells obtained by these two methods, the ultrastructure was examined by electron microscopy and their ability to incorporate radioactive thymidine was measured. Samples separated on Ficoll-Paque showed a subpopulation with morphological changes similar to those occuring in lymphocytes undergoing stimulation. Unstimulated cells separated on Ficoll-Paque showed greater sensitivity to radiation. The effect of gamma radiation on the capability of lymphocytes to undergo transformation in response to three mitogens; PHA, PWM and Con A was examined. Different mitogens stimulate different lymphocytes subpopulations. There was no difference between the two separation methods regarding the sensitivity to gamma radiation of stimulation by PAH and PWM. The transformation by Con A of lymphocytes separated on Ficoll-Paque was more radiosensitive. This could indicate that the separation by Ficoll-Paque density gradient causes a selective depletion of T lymphocytes that react with Con A and are considered more radioresistant. The use of different methods for separating lymphocytes from whole blood- each has a different influence on the cells- can contribute to contradictory

Decline and local extinction of Fucales in French Riviera: the harbinger of future extinctions?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. THIBAUT

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The French Riviera is one of the Mediterranean areas that has been longest and most thoroughly impacted by human activities. Fucales are long-lived, large-sized brown algae that constitute a good model for studying human impact on species diversity. We gathered all historical data (literature and herbarium vouchers, since the early 19th century, to reconstruct their distribution. The current distribution was established from a 7-year (2007-2013 survey of the 212-km shoreline (1/2 500 map, by means of boating, snorkelling and scuba diving. Overall, 18 taxa of Cystoseira and Sargassum have been reported. Upon comparison with historical data, 5 taxa were no longer observed (C. elegans, C. foeniculacea f. latiramosa, C. squarrosa, C. spinosa var. spinosa and S. hornschuchii while C. jabukae, previously unrecorded, was observed. In addition to these  taxa, probably extinct at a local scale, some taxa had suffered a dramatic decline (C. barbata f. barbata, C. crinita, C. spinosa var. compressa and S. acinarium or become nearly extinct (C. foeniculacea f. tenuiramosa. Three of them, which played in the past significant functional roles in coastal communities, can be considered as functionally extinct. Possible causes of decline and local extinction are discussed. A similar situation has already been reported, although at a much more local scale, in a variety of Mediterranean localities. The question therefore arises about the status of Fucales species in the Mediterranean: are some species on the brink of extinction? Is their extinction at the scale of the French Riviera the harbinger of their extinction Mediterranean–wide?

Behavioral tagging of extinction learning.

Science.gov (United States)

de Carvalho Myskiw, Jociane; Benetti, Fernando; Izquierdo, Iván

2013-01-15

Extinction of contextual fear in rats is enhanced by exposure to a novel environment at 1-2 h before or 1 h after extinction training. This effect is antagonized by administration of protein synthesis inhibitors anisomycin and rapamycin into the hippocampus, but not into the amygdala, immediately after either novelty or extinction training, as well as by the gene expression blocker 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole administered after novelty training, but not after extinction training. Thus, this effect can be attributed to a mechanism similar to synaptic tagging, through which long-term potentiation can be enhanced by other long-term potentiations or by exposure to a novel environment in a protein synthesis-dependent fashion. Extinction learning produces a tag at the appropriate synapses, whereas novelty learning causes the synthesis of plasticity-related proteins that are captured by the tag, strengthening the synapses that generated this tag.

Extinction of Harrington's mountain goat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mead, J.I.; Martin, P.S.; Euler, R.C.; Long, A.; Jull, A.J.T.; Toolin, L.J.; Donahue, D.J.; Linick, T.W.

1986-01-01

Keratinous horn sheaths of the extinct Harrington's mountain goat, Oreamnos harringtoni, were recovered at or near the surface of dry caves of the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Twenty-three separate specimens from two caves were dated nondestructively by the tandem accelerator mass spectrometer (TAMS). Both the TAMS and the conventional dates indicate that Harrington's mountain goat occupied the Grand Canyon for at least 19,000 years prior to becoming extinct by 11,160 +/- 125 radiocarbon years before present. The youngest average radiocarbon dates on Shasta ground sloths, Nothrotheriops shastensis, from the region are not significantly younger than those on extinct mountain goats. Rather than sequential extinction with Harrington's mountain goat disappearing from the Grand Canyon before the ground sloths, as one might predict in view of evidence of climatic warming at the time, the losses were concurrent. Both extinctions coincide with the regional arrival of Clovis hunters

Open-field exposure facilitates consummatory extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Justel, Nadia; Psyrdellis, Mariana; Pautassi, Ricardo M

2016-12-07

During extinction, the organism learns that a conditioned stimulus or a conditioned response is no longer associated with an unconditioned stimulus, and as a consequence, a decrement in the response is presented. The exposure to novel situations (e.g. exploration of a novel open field) has been used widely to modulate (i.e. either enhance or deteriorate) learning and memory. The aim of the present study was to test whether open-field exposure could modulate consummatory extinction. The results indicated that open-field exposure accelerated the extinction response (i.e. experimental animals provided novelty exposure had lower consummatory behavior than control animals) when applied before - but not after - the first extinction trial, or when applied before the second extinction trial. The results suggest that environmental treatments such as novelty exposure provide a valuable, nonpharmacological alternative to potentially modulate extinction processes.

Differential sensitivity of Chironomus and human hemoglobin to gamma radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaikwad, Pallavi S. [Stress Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule University, Pune, 411007 (India); Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085 (India); Panicker, Lata [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085 (India); Mohole, Madhura; Sawant, Sangeeta [Bioinformatics Center, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007 (India); Mukhopadhyaya, Rita [Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085 (India); Nath, Bimalendu B., E-mail: bbnath@gmail.com [Stress Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule University, Pune, 411007 (India)

2016-08-05

Chironomus ramosus is known to tolerate high doses of gamma radiation exposure. Larvae of this insect possess more than 95% of hemoglobin (Hb) in its circulatory hemolymph. This is a comparative study to see effect of gamma radiation on Hb of Chironomus and humans, two evolutionarily diverse organisms one having extracellular and the other intracellular Hb respectively. Stability and integrity of Chironomus and human Hb to gamma radiation was compared using biophysical techniques like Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrometry and CD spectroscopy after exposure of whole larvae, larval hemolymph, human peripheral blood, purified Chironomus and human Hb. Sequence- and structure-based bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the sequence and structural similarities or differences in the heme pockets of respective Hbs. Resistivity of Chironomus Hb to gamma radiation is remarkably higher than human Hb. Human Hb exhibited loss of heme iron at a relatively low dose of gamma radiation exposure as compared to Chironomus Hb. Unlike human Hb, the heme pocket of Chironomus Hb is rich in aromatic amino acids. Higher hydophobicity around heme pocket confers stability of Chironomus Hb compared to human Hb. Previously reported gamma radiation tolerance of Chironomus can be largely attributed to its evolutionarily ancient form of extracellular Hb as evident from the present study. -- Highlights: •Comparison of radiation tolerant Chironomus Hb and radiation sensitive Human Hb. •Amino acid composition of midge and human heme confer differential hydrophobicity. •Heme pocket of evolutionarily ancient midge Hb provide gamma radiation resistivity.

Differential sensitivity of Chironomus and human hemoglobin to gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaikwad, Pallavi S.; Panicker, Lata; Mohole, Madhura; Sawant, Sangeeta; Mukhopadhyaya, Rita; Nath, Bimalendu B.

2016-01-01

Chironomus ramosus is known to tolerate high doses of gamma radiation exposure. Larvae of this insect possess more than 95% of hemoglobin (Hb) in its circulatory hemolymph. This is a comparative study to see effect of gamma radiation on Hb of Chironomus and humans, two evolutionarily diverse organisms one having extracellular and the other intracellular Hb respectively. Stability and integrity of Chironomus and human Hb to gamma radiation was compared using biophysical techniques like Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrometry and CD spectroscopy after exposure of whole larvae, larval hemolymph, human peripheral blood, purified Chironomus and human Hb. Sequence- and structure-based bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the sequence and structural similarities or differences in the heme pockets of respective Hbs. Resistivity of Chironomus Hb to gamma radiation is remarkably higher than human Hb. Human Hb exhibited loss of heme iron at a relatively low dose of gamma radiation exposure as compared to Chironomus Hb. Unlike human Hb, the heme pocket of Chironomus Hb is rich in aromatic amino acids. Higher hydophobicity around heme pocket confers stability of Chironomus Hb compared to human Hb. Previously reported gamma radiation tolerance of Chironomus can be largely attributed to its evolutionarily ancient form of extracellular Hb as evident from the present study. -- Highlights: •Comparison of radiation tolerant Chironomus Hb and radiation sensitive Human Hb. •Amino acid composition of midge and human heme confer differential hydrophobicity. •Heme pocket of evolutionarily ancient midge Hb provide gamma radiation resistivity.

Age dependent radiation sensitivity of eggs of Dysdercus koenigii Fabricius

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harwalkar, M.R.

1992-01-01

Eggs of Dysdercus koenigii Fabricius aged 0 to 2, 24, 48 and 72 hr were irradiated with X-ray doses ranging between 3 to 15 Gy to determine radiation sensitivity. It was observed that age of the eggs greatly influenced their response to radiation treatment. A dose of 6 Gy was required to prevent hatching of 0 to 2 hr old eggs but older eggs (24 and 48 hr) required 9 and 15 Gy, respectively, to bring about the same effect. At all the doses hatchability of 72 hr old irradiated eggs was much higher than those irradiated at younger age. Survival of nymphs emerging from 72 hr irradiated eggs at different dose levels was found to be dose dependent. Percentage of nymphs metamorphosing into adults decreased with increasing radiation dose received at the embryonic stage. (author). 21 refs., 2 figs

Amount of fear extinction changes its underlying mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Bobae; Kim, Jihye; Park, Kyungjoon; Lee, Sukwon; Song, Sukwoon; Choi, Sukwoo

2017-07-03

There has been a longstanding debate on whether original fear memory is inhibited or erased after extinction. One possibility that reconciles this uncertainty is that the inhibition and erasure mechanisms are engaged in different phases (early or late) of extinction. In this study, using single-session extinction training and its repetition (multiple-session extinction training), we investigated the inhibition and erasure mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala of rats, where neural circuits underlying extinction reside. The inhibition mechanism was prevalent with single-session extinction training but faded when single-session extinction training was repeated. In contrast, the erasure mechanism became prevalent when single-session extinction training was repeated. Moreover, ablating the intercalated neurons of amygdala, which are responsible for maintaining extinction-induced inhibition, was no longer effective in multiple-session extinction training. We propose that the inhibition mechanism operates primarily in the early phase of extinction training, and the erasure mechanism takes over after that.

Metal-containing radiation-sensitive polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, A.Y.

1986-01-01

The copolymers of methyl methacrylate with alkali metal salts (Na, K, and Cs) of methacrylic acid have been prepared by saponification K, and Cs) of methylacrylic acid have been prepared by saponification of the homopolymer poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA. Low degrees of hydrolysis have been achieved by a heterogeneous system, and from the infrared spectra it has been confirmed that the ester groups of the methyl methacrylates are directly converted to the metal salts of methacrylic acid. These ionomers exhibit pseudo high molecular weights in gel permeation chromatogram, but no appreciable increase in intrinsic viscosities is observed in comparison to PMMA. The coordinated inorganic polymers poly[(dithio-2,2'-diacetato)bis(dimethylsulfoxide)dioxouranium(VI)] and poly[{methylenebis(thio)-2,2'-bis(acetato)}bis(dimethylsulfoxide)dioxouranium(VI)]have been synthesized in dimethyl sulfoxide solution with about 90% yield. The degree of polymerization and the number of average molecular weights of these polymers have been assessed by high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance, with which the acetato end group to the bridging ligand group ratios have been determined. The polymers bridging ligand group ratios have been determined. The polymers have been characterized by employing various techniques: infrared spectra, thermal gravimetric analysis, 13 C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, and gel permeation chromatography. The prepared polymer samples have been subjected to various doses of 137 Cs gamma radiation under which the polymers predominantly undergo chain scission. The radiation sensitivities of the polymers are assessed by G values which are obtained from gel permeation chromatograms. These uranyl polymers exhibit unusually high G values

Propagation and diffusion-limited extinction of nonadiabatic heterogeneous flame in the SHS process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Atsushi

1994-01-01

Nonadiabatic heterogeneous flame propagation and extinction in self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) are analyzed based on a premixed mode of propagation for the bulk flame supported by the nonpremixed reaction of dispersed nonmetals in the liquid metal. The formulation allows for volumetric heat loss throughout the bulk flame, finite-rate Arrhenius reaction at the particle surface, and temperature-sensitive Arrhenius mass diffusion in the liquid. Results show that, subsequent to melting of the metal, the flame structure consists of a relatively thin diffusion-consumption/convection zone followed by a relatively thick convection-loss zone, that the flame propagation rate decreases with increasing heat loss, that at a critical heat-loss rate the flame extinguishes as indicated by the characteristic turning-point behavior, that the surface reaction is diffusion limited such that the nonlinear, temperature-sensitive nature of the system is actually a consequence of the Arrhenius mass diffusion, and that extinction is sensitively affected by the mixture ratio, the degree of dilution, the initial temperature of the compact, and the size of the nonmetal particles. An explicit expression is derived for the normalized mass burning rate, which exhibits the characteristic turning point and shows that extinction occurs when this value is reduced to e -1/2 , which is the same as that for the nonadiabatic gaseous premixed flame. It is further shown that the theoretical results agree well with available experimental data, indicating that the present formulation captures the essential features of the nonadiabatic heterogeneous SHS processes and its potential for extension to describe other SHS phenomena

Sensitivity of Escherichia coli acrA Mutants to Psoralen plus Near-Ultraviolet Radiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, M. Trier

1982-01-01

The sensitivity to psoralen plus near-ultraviolet radiation (PUVA) was compared in a pair of E. coli strains differing at the acrA locus. Survival was determined for both bacteria and phage λ. AcrA mutant cells were 40 times more sensitive than wild type to the lethal effect of PUVA. Free λ phage...

Evaluating differences in Pavlovian fear acquisition and extinction as predictors of outcome from cognitive behavioural therapy for anxious children.

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Allison M; Pine, Daniel S

2016-07-01

Extinction is a key theoretical model of exposure-based treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This study examined whether individual differences in physiological responses and subjective stimulus evaluations as indices of fear extinction predicted response to CBT. Thirty-two nonanxious comparisons and 44 anxious, 7-to-13-year-old children completed a Pavlovian conditioning and extinction task. Anxious children then completed group-based CBT. Skin conductance responses (SCRs) as well as subjective arousal and valence evaluations were measured in response to a conditioned stimulus paired with an aversive tone (CS+) and another conditioned stimulus presented alone (CS-). Both stimuli were presented alone during extinction. Diagnostic and symptom measures were completed before and after treatment. Like nonanxious comparisons, treatment responders did not acquire conditioned negative stimulus evaluations and displayed elevated SCRs that declined significantly across extinction trials. Nonresponders, by contrast, showed elevated negative stimulus evaluations of both CSs that were sensitive to extinction trials but showed no change in SCRs during extinction. Change in physiological but not evaluative indices of fear extinction predicted better treatment outcomes. Individual differences in evaluative and physiological indices of fear extinction might moderate response to CBT. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Extinction of Chained Instrumental Behaviors: Effects of Procurement Extinction on Consumption Responding

Science.gov (United States)

Thrailkill, Eric A.; Bouton, Mark E.

2015-01-01

Instrumental behavior often consists of sequences or chains of responses that minimally include procurement behaviors that enable subsequent consumption behaviors. In such chains, behavioral units are linked by access to one another and eventually to a primary reinforcer, such as food or a drug. The present experiments examined the effects of extinguishing procurement responding on consumption responding after training of a discriminated heterogeneous instrumental chain. Rats learned to make a procurement response (e.g., pressing a lever) in the presence of a distinctive discriminative stimulus; making that response led to the presentation of a second discriminative stimulus that set the occasion for a consumption response (e.g., pulling a chain), which then produced a food-pellet reinforcer. Experiment 1 showed that extinction of either the full procurement-consumption chain or procurement alone weakened the consumption response tested in isolation. Experiment 2 replicated the procurement extinction effect and further demonstrated that the opportunity to make the procurement response, as opposed to simple exposure to the procurement stimulus alone, was required. In Experiment 3, rats learned 2 distinct discriminated heterogeneous chains; extinction of 1 procurement response specifically weakened the consumption response that had been associated with it. The results suggest that learning to inhibit the procurement response may produce extinction of consumption responding through mediated extinction. The experiments suggest the importance of an associative analysis of instrumental behavior chains. PMID:25915751

Biological correlates of extinction risk in bats.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Kate E; Purvis, Andy; Gittleman, John L

2003-04-01

We investigated patterns and processes of extinction and threat in bats using a multivariate phylogenetic comparative approach. Of nearly 1,000 species worldwide, 239 are considered threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and 12 are extinct. Small geographic ranges and low wing aspect ratios are independently found to predict extinction risk in bats, which explains 48% of the total variance in IUCN assessments of threat. The pattern and correlates of extinction risk in the two bat suborders are significantly different. A higher proportion (4%) of megachiropteran species have gone extinct in the last 500 years than microchiropteran bats (0.3%), and a higher proportion is currently at risk of extinction (Megachiroptera: 34%; Microchiroptera: 22%). While correlates of microchiropteran extinction risk are the same as in the order as a whole, megachiropteran extinction is correlated more with reproductive rate and less with wing morphology. Bat extinction risk is not randomly distributed phylogenetically: closely related species have more similar levels of threat than would be expected if extinction risk were random. Given the unbalanced nature of the evolutionary diversification of bats, it is probable that the amount of phylogenetic diversity lost if currently threatened taxa disappear may be greater than in other clades with numerically more threatened species.

The potential sensitivity of tropical plants to increased ultraviolet-B radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziska, L.H.

1996-01-01

Little is known concerning the impact of stratospheric ozone depletion and increasing ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation on the phenology and growth of tropical plants. This is because, ostensibly, tropical plants are already exposed to relatively high levels of UV-B radiation (relative to a temperate environment) and should, therefore, possess a greater degree of tolerance to increased UV-B radiation. In this brief review I hope to show that, potentially, direct and indirect effects on photosynthesis, assimilate partitioning, phenology and biomass could occur in both tropical crops (e.g. cassava, rice) and native species (e.g. Cecropia obtusifolia (Bertol. Fl)., Tetramolopium humile (Gray), Nana sandwicensis L.). However, it should be noted that differences in sensitivity to UV-B radiation can be related to experimental conditions, and care should be taken to ensure that the quantity and quality of background solar radiation remains at near ambient conditions. Nevertheless, by integrating current and past studies on the impact of UV-B radiation on tropical species, I hope to be able to demonstrate that photosynthesis, morphology and growth in tropical plants could be directly affected by UV-B radiation and that UV-B radiation may be a factor in species and community dynamics in natural plant populations in the tropics

Ultraviolet extinction in M-supergiant circumstellar envelopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buss, R.H. Jr.; Snow, T.P. Jr.

1986-01-01

Using International Ultraviolet (IUS) archival low-dispersion spectra, ultraviolet spectral extinctions were derived for the circumstellar envelopes of two M supergiants: HD 60414 and HD 213310. The observed stellar systems belong to a class of widely-separated spectroscopic binaries that are called VV Cephei stars. The total extinction was calculated by dividing the reddened fluxes with unreddened comparison fluxes of similar stars (g B2.5 for HD 213310 and a normalized s+B3 for HD 60414) from the reference atlas. After substracting the interstellar extinctions, which were estimated from the E(B-V) reddening of nearby stars, the resultant circumstellar extinctions were normalized at about 3.5 inverse microns. Not only is the 2175 A extinction bump absent in the circumstellar extinctions, but the far-ultraviolet extinction rise is also absent. The rather flat, ultraviolet extinction curves were interpreted as signatures of a population of noncarbonaceous, oxygen-rich grains with diameters larger than the longest observed wavelength

Mass extinctions: Ecological selectivity and primary production

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Melissa Clark; Thayer, Charles W.

1991-09-01

If mass extinctions were caused by reduced primary productivity, then extinctions should be concentrated among animals with starvation-susceptible feeding modes, active lifestyles, and high-energy budgets. The stratigraphic ranges (by stage) of 424 genera of bivalves and 309 genera of articulate brachiopods suggest that there was an unusual reduction of primary productivity at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary extinction. For bivalves at the K/T, there were (1) selective extinction of suspension feeders and other susceptible trophic categories relative to deposit feeders and other resistant categories, and (2) among suspension feed-ers, selective extinction of bivalves with active locomotion. During the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) extinction and Jurassic background time, extinction rates among suspension feeders were greater for articulate brachiopods than for bivalves. But during the K/T event, extinction rates of articulates and suspension-feeding bivalves equalized, possibly because the low-energy budgets of articulates gave them an advantage when food was scarce.

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine facilitates fear extinction learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, M B; Andero, R; Ressler, K J; Howell, L L

2015-09-15

Acutely administered 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') has been proposed to have long-term positive effects on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms when combined with psychotherapy. No preclinical data support a mechanistic basis for these claims. Given the persistent nature of psychotherapeutic gains facilitated by MDMA, we hypothesized that MDMA improves fear extinction learning, a key process in exposure-based therapies for PTSD. In these experiments, mice were first exposed to cued fear conditioning and treated with drug vehicle or MDMA before extinction training 2 days later. MDMA was administered systemically and also directly targeted to brain structures known to contribute to extinction. In addition to behavioral measures of extinction, changes in mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and Fos were measured after MDMA treatment and extinction. MDMA (7.8 mg kg(-1)) persistently and robustly enhanced long-term extinction when administered before extinction training. MDMA increased the expression of Fos in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas increases in Bdnf expression were observed only in the amygdala after extinction training. Extinction enhancements were recapitulated when MDMA (1 μg) was infused directly into the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), and enhancement was abolished when BDNF signaling was inhibited before extinction. These findings suggest that MDMA enhances fear memory extinction through a BDNF-dependent mechanism, and that MDMA may be a useful adjunct to exposure-based therapies for PTSD and other anxiety disorders characterized by altered fear learning.

X-ray survival characteristics and genetic analysis for nine saccharomyces deletion mutants that show altered radiation sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Game, John C.; Williamson, Marsha S.; Baccari, Clelia

2004-01-07

The availability of a genome-wide set of Saccharomyces deletion mutants provides a chance to identify all the yeast genes involved in DNA repair. Using X-rays, we are screening these mutants to identify additional genes that show increased sensitivity to the lethal effects of ionizing radiation. For each mutant identified as sensitive, we are confirming that the sensitivity phenotype co-segregates with the deletion allele and are obtaining multipoint survival-versus-dose assays in at least two haploid and one homozygous diploid strains. We present data for deletion mutants involving the genes DOT1, MDM20, NAT3, SPT7, SPT20, GCN5, HFI1, DCC1 and VID21/EAF1, and discuss their potential roles in repair. Eight of these genes have a clear radiation-sensitive phenotype when deleted, but the ninth, GCN5, has at most a borderline phenotype. None of the deletions confer substantial sensitivity to ultra-violet radiation, although one or two may confer marginal sensitivity. The DOT1 gene is of interest because its only known function is to methylate one lysine residue in the core of the histone H3 protein. We find that histone H3 mutants (supplied by K. Struhl) in which this residue is replaced by other amino-acids are also X-ray sensitive, seeming to confirm that methylation of the lysine-79 residue is required for effective repair of radiation damage.

Elucidating the mechanisms of fear extinction in developing animals: a special case of NMDA receptor-independent extinction in adolescent rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Bisby, Madelyne A; Baker, Kathryn D; Richardson, Rick

2018-04-01

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are considered critical for the consolidation of extinction but recent work challenges this assumption. Namely, NMDARs are not required for extinction retention in infant rats as well as when extinction training occurs for a second time (i.e., reextinction) in adult rats. In this study, a possible third instance of NMDAR-independent extinction was tested. Although adolescents typically exhibit impaired extinction retention, rats that are conditioned as juveniles and then given extinction training as adolescents (JuvCond-AdolesExt) have good extinction retention. Unexpectedly, this good extinction retention is not associated with an up-regulation of a synaptic plasticity marker in the medial prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in extinction consolidation. In the current study, rats received either the noncompetitive NMDAR antagonist MK801 (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) or saline before extinction training. In several experiments, rats conditioned and extinguished as juveniles, adolescents, or adults exhibited impaired extinction retention after MK801 compared to saline, but this effect was not observed in JuvCond-AdolesExt rats. Further experiments ruled out several alternative explanations for why NMDAR antagonism did not affect extinction retention in adolescents extinguishing fear learned as a juvenile. These results illustrate yet another circumstance in which NMDARs are not required for successful extinction retention and highlight the complexity of fear inhibition across development. © 2018 Bisby et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

An investigation of the interstellar extinction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, P.F.; Aitken, D.K.; Melbourne Univ., Point Cook

1984-01-01

The 10 μm extinction towards six WC8 or WC9 Wolf-Rayet stars is investigated. All objects show smooth dust emission suffering silicate absorption with depths well correlated with the extinction in the visible. The de-reddened spectra are well represented by emission from featureless grain components, possibly from iron or carbon grains. The extinction to the stars is found to be dominantly interstellar in origin with little extinction from the circumstellar shell. (author)

AN ANALYSIS OF THE SHAPES OF INTERSTELLAR EXTINCTION CURVES. VI. THE NEAR-IR EXTINCTION LAW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzpatrick, E. L.; Massa, D.

2009-01-01

We combine new observations from the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera of Survey with existing data to investigate the wavelength dependence of near-IR (NIR) extinction. Previous studies suggest a power law form for NIR extinction, with a 'universal' value of the exponent, although some recent observations indicate that significant sight line-to-sight line variability may exist. We show that a power-law model for the NIR extinction provides an excellent fit to most extinction curves, but that the value of the power, β, varies significantly from sight line to sight line. Therefore, it seems that a 'universal NIR extinction law' is not possible. Instead, we find that as β decreases, R(V) ≡ A(V)/E(B - V) tends to increase, suggesting that NIR extinction curves which have been considered 'peculiar' may, in fact, be typical for different R(V) values. We show that the power-law parameters can depend on the wavelength interval used to derive them, with the β increasing as longer wavelengths are included. This result implies that extrapolating power-law fits to determine R(V) is unreliable. To avoid this problem, we adopt a different functional form for NIR extinction. This new form mimics a power law whose exponent increases with wavelength, has only two free parameters, can fit all of our curves over a longer wavelength baseline and to higher precision, and produces R(V) values which are consistent with independent estimates and commonly used methods for estimating R(V). Furthermore, unlike the power-law model, it gives R(V)s that are independent of the wavelength interval used to derive them. It also suggests that the relation R(V) = -1.36 E(K-V)/(E(B-V)) - 0.79 can estimate R(V) to ±0.12. Finally, we use model extinction curves to show that our extinction curves are in accord with theoretical expectations, and demonstrate how large samples of observational quantities can provide useful constraints on the grain properties.

Comparative studies on the effect of radiation-sensitizing agents used in radiating VX2 Carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migita, Hidenobu

1975-01-01

The effects of 5-Fu and BUdR as radiation-sensitizing agents macroscopically were investigated in 122 VX2 Carcinomas transplanted into the calves of the hind legs of rabbits. Experimental groups and contrast groups are divided into six as follows: A: No treatment, B: 5-Fu infusion, C: BUdR+Antimetabolite infusion, D: Radiation, E: 5-Fu infusion and radiation, and F: BUdR+Antimetabolite infusion and radiation. The amount of agent given to each was 5 mg/kg/day of 5-Fu and 50 mg/kg/day of BUdR, and the amount of radiation was 300 rad/day. 5-Fu was used as the Antimetabolite, and its amount was one-tenth of that in the 5-Fu Infusion Group. The agent and the radiation were given for five days. 1. In the 300 rad/day Group, the radiation was not enough to result in a complete cure. 2. In the two Agent Infusion Group, 5-Fu and BUdR+Antimetabolite proved to be anti-cancer, but neither of them resulted in effective treatment. 3. The 5-Fu Infusion and Radiation Group, showed a strong degenerative change in the tumor cell and a radiosensitive effect from 5-Fu, but the tumor was not lessened. 4. In the BUdR-Antimetabolite Infusion and Radiation Group, the tumor began to reduce on the third day. On the seventh and fourteenth days, necrosis of the greater part of tumor was seen, and the rest of the tumor cells were found to be in degenerative change. On the twenty first day, no live tumor cell was found, only dead remains of tumor cells. The results were confirmed both macroscopically and histopathologically. 5. BUdR can be expected to be effective in clinical application to oral malignant tumors. (Evans, J.)

Applications of Sunphotometry to Aerosol Extinction and Surface Anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsay, S.

2002-09-30

Support cost-sharing of a newly developed sunphotometer in field deployment for aerosol studies. This is a cost-sharing research to deploy a newly developed sun-sky-surface photometer for studying aerosol extinction and surface anisotropy at the ARM SGP, TWP, and NSA-AAO CART sites and in many field campaigns. Atmospheric aerosols affect the radiative energy balance of the Earth, both directly by perturbing the incoming/outgoing radiation fields and indirectly by influencing the properties/processes of clouds and reactive greenhouse gases. The surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) also plays a crucial role in the radiative energy balance, since the BRDF is required to determine (i) the spectral and spectrally-averaged surface albedo, and (ii) the top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) angular distribution of radiance field. Therefore, the CART sites provide an excellent, albeit unique, opportunity to collect long-term climatic data in characterizing aerosol properties and various types of surface anisotropy.

In vivo sensitivity of the embryonic and adult neural stem cell compartments to low-dose radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Barazzuol, Lara; Jeggo, Penny A

2016-08-01

The embryonic brain is radiation-sensitive, with cognitive deficits being observed after exposure to low radiation doses. Exposure of neonates to radiation can cause intracranial carcinogenesis. To gain insight into the basis underlying these outcomes, we examined the response of the embryonic, neonatal and adult brain to low-dose radiation, focusing on the neural stem cell compartments. This review summarizes our recent findings. At E13.5-14.5 the embryonic neocortex encompasses rapidly proliferating stem and progenitor cells. Exploiting mice with a hypomorphic mutation in DNA ligase IV (Lig4(Y288C) ), we found a high level of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at E14.5, which we attribute to the rapid proliferation. We observed endogenous apoptosis in Lig4(Y288C) embryos and in WT embryos following exposure to low radiation doses. An examination of DSB levels and apoptosis in adult neural stem cell compartments, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) revealed low DSB levels in Lig4(Y288C) mice, comparable with the levels in differentiated neuronal tissues. We conclude that the adult SVZ does not incur high levels of DNA breakage, but sensitively activates apoptosis; apoptosis was less sensitively activated in the SGZ, and differentiated neuronal tissues did not activate apoptosis. P5/P15 mice showed intermediate DSB levels, suggesting that DSBs generated in the embryo can be transmitted to neonates and undergo slow repair. Interestingly, this analysis revealed a stage of high endogenous apoptosis in the neonatal SVZ. Collectively, these studies reveal that the adult neural stem cell compartment, like the embryonic counterpart, can sensitively activate apoptosis. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Estimations of climate sensitivity based on top-of-atmosphere radiation imbalance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Lin

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Large climate feedback uncertainties limit the accuracy in predicting the response of the Earth's climate to the increase of CO₂ concentration within the atmosphere. This study explores a potential to reduce uncertainties in climate sensitivity estimations using energy balance analysis, especially top-of-atmosphere (TOA radiation imbalance. The time-scales studied generally cover from decade to century, that is, middle-range climate sensitivity is considered, which is directly related to the climate issue caused by atmospheric CO₂ change. The significant difference between current analysis and previous energy balance models is that the current study targets at the boundary condition problem instead of solving the initial condition problem. Additionally, climate system memory and deep ocean heat transport are considered. The climate feedbacks are obtained based on the constraints of the TOA radiation imbalance and surface temperature measurements of the present climate. In this study, the TOA imbalance value of 0.85 W/m² is used. Note that this imbalance value has large uncertainties. Based on this value, a positive climate feedback with a feedback coefficient ranging from −1.3 to −1.0 W/m²/K is found. The range of feedback coefficient is determined by climate system memory. The longer the memory, the stronger the positive feedback. The estimated time constant of the climate is large (70~120 years mainly owing to the deep ocean heat transport, implying that the system may be not in an equilibrium state under the external forcing during the industrial era. For the doubled-CO₂ climate (or 3.7 W/m² forcing, the estimated global warming would be 3.1 K if the current estimate of 0.85 W/m² TOA net radiative heating could be confirmed. With accurate long-term measurements of TOA radiation, the analysis method suggested by this study provides a great potential in the

Extinction debt: a challenge for biodiversity conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuussaari, Mikko; Bommarco, Riccardo; Heikkinen, Risto K; Helm, Aveliina; Krauss, Jochen; Lindborg, Regina; Ockinger, Erik; Pärtel, Meelis; Pino, Joan; Rodà, Ferran; Stefanescu, Constantí; Teder, Tiit; Zobel, Martin; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2009-10-01

Local extinction of species can occur with a substantial delay following habitat loss or degradation. Accumulating evidence suggests that such extinction debts pose a significant but often unrecognized challenge for biodiversity conservation across a wide range of taxa and ecosystems. Species with long generation times and populations near their extinction threshold are most likely to have an extinction debt. However, as long as a species that is predicted to become extinct still persists, there is time for conservation measures such as habitat restoration and landscape management. Standardized long-term monitoring, more high-quality empirical studies on different taxa and ecosystems and further development of analytical methods will help to better quantify extinction debt and protect biodiversity.

High Molar Extinction Coefficient Ru(II-Mixed Ligand Polypyridyl Complexes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malapaka Chandrasekharam

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Two new ruthenium(II mixed ligand terpyridine complexes, “Ru(Htcterpy(NCS(L1 (N(C4H94, mLBD1” and Ru(Htcterpy(NCS(L2(N(C4H94, mLBD2 were synthesized and fully characterized by UV-Vis, emission, cyclic voltammogram, and other spectroscopic means, and the structures of the compounds are confirmed by 1H-NMR, ESI-MASS, and FT-IR spectroscopes. The influence of the substitution of L1 and L2 on solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency (η of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs was evaluated relative to reference black dye. The dyes showed molar extinction coefficients of 17600 M−1 cm−1 for mLBD1 and 21300 M−1 cm−1 for mLBD2 both at λ maximum of 512 nm, while black dye has shown 8660 M−1 cm−1 at λ maximum of 615 nm. The monochromatic incident photon-to-collected electron conversion efficiencies of 60.71% and 75.89% were obtained for mLBD1 and mLBD2 dyes, respectively. The energy conversion efficiencies of mLBD1 and mLBD2 dyes are 3.15% (SC=11.86 mA/cm2, OC=613 mV, ff=0.4337 and 3.36% (SC=12.71 mA/cm2, OC=655 mV, ff=0.4042, respectively, measured at the AM1.5G conditions, the reference black dye-sensitized solar cell, fabricated and evaluated under identical conditions exhibited η-value of 2.69% (SC=10.95 mA/cm2, OC=655 mV, ff=0.3750.

The extinction of the dinosaurs.

Science.gov (United States)

Brusatte, Stephen L; Butler, Richard J; Barrett, Paul M; Carrano, Matthew T; Evans, David C; Lloyd, Graeme T; Mannion, Philip D; Norell, Mark A; Peppe, Daniel J; Upchurch, Paul; Williamson, Thomas E

2015-05-01

Non-avian dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago, geologically coincident with the impact of a large bolide (comet or asteroid) during an interval of massive volcanic eruptions and changes in temperature and sea level. There has long been fervent debate about how these events affected dinosaurs. We review a wealth of new data accumulated over the past two decades, provide updated and novel analyses of long-term dinosaur diversity trends during the latest Cretaceous, and discuss an emerging consensus on the extinction's tempo and causes. Little support exists for a global, long-term decline across non-avian dinosaur diversity prior to their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous. However, restructuring of latest Cretaceous dinosaur faunas in North America led to reduced diversity of large-bodied herbivores, perhaps making communities more susceptible to cascading extinctions. The abruptness of the dinosaur extinction suggests a key role for the bolide impact, although the coarseness of the fossil record makes testing the effects of Deccan volcanism difficult. © 2014 The Authors. Biological Reviews © 2014 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Noradrenergic stimulation modulates activation of extinction-related brain regions and enhances contextual extinction learning without affecting renewal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silke eLissek

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Renewal in extinction learning describes the recovery of an extinguished response if the extinction context differs from the context present during acquisition and recall. Attention may have a role in contextual modulation of behavior and contribute to the renewal effect, while noradrenaline is involved in attentional processing. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI study we investigated the role of the noradrenergic system for behavioral and brain activation correlates of contextual extinction and renewal, with a particular focus upon hippocampus and ventromedial PFC, which have crucial roles in processing of renewal. Healthy human volunteers received a single dose of the NA reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine prior to extinction learning. During extinction of previously acquired cue-outcome associations, cues were presented in a novel context (ABA or in the acquisition context (AAA. In recall, all cues were again presented in the acquisition context. Atomoxetine participants (ATO showed significantly faster extinction compared to placebo (PLAC. However, atomoxetine did not affect renewal. Hippocampal activation was higher in ATO during extinction and recall, as was ventromedial PFC activation, except for ABA recall. Moreover, ATO showed stronger recruitment of insula, anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral/orbitofrontal PFC. Across groups, cingulate, hippocampus and vmPFC activity during ABA extinction correlated with recall performance, suggesting high relevance of these regions for processing the renewal effect. In summary, the noradrenergic system appears to be involved in the modification of established associations during extinction learning and thus has a role in behavioral flexibility. The assignment of an association to a context and the subsequent decision on an adequate response, however, presumably operate largely independently of noradrenergic mechanisms.

AESoP: Astronomical Extinction Spectrophotometer

Science.gov (United States)

Linford, Justin; McGraw, J.; Zimmer, P.; Ackermann, M.; Fitch, J.

2009-01-01

The Earth's atmosphere is a major obstruction to the precision and accuracy of ground-based photometry. The atmosphere removes light from astronomical objects both by absorption and scattering by constituent molecules, aerosols and clouds. These effects can change significantly over short time periods and over modest angles on the sky. To further understand these effects, the UNM Measurement Astrophysics Group has designed, built and recently deployed the Astronomical Extinction Spectrophotometer (AESoP), a 100mm objective grating spectrometer. By monitoring bright stars in sensibly the same direction as a larger photometric telescope is observing, AESoP will measure the wavelength-dependent extinction due to the Earth's atmosphere from 450nm to 900nm on time scales of approximately one minute. The collocated Astronomical LIDAR for Extinction (ALE) provides a high-precision monochromatic extinction measurement at 527nm. Knowing the extinction at a single wavelength allows us to pin the relative spectra generated by AESoP. These extinction spectra can then be integrated over the bandpass of the photometric telescope system to create real time corrections of observations. We present the design and construction of AESoP along with the preliminary results of our first combined observing campaign. This effort is our first step toward breaking the 1% photometry barrier. This project is funded by AFRL Grant FA9451-04-2-0355

Assessing Extinction Risk: Integrating Genetic Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason Dunham

1999-06-01

Full Text Available Risks of population extinction have been estimated using a variety of methods incorporating information from different spatial and temporal scales. We briefly consider how several broad classes of extinction risk assessments, including population viability analysis, incidence functions, and ranking methods integrate information on different temporal and spatial scales. In many circumstances, data from surveys of neutral genetic variability within, and among, populations can provide information useful for assessing extinction risk. Patterns of genetic variability resulting from past and present ecological and demographic events, can indicate risks of extinction that are otherwise difficult to infer from ecological and demographic analyses alone. We provide examples of how patterns of neutral genetic variability, both within, and among populations, can be used to corroborate and complement extinction risk assessments.

On Inferring Extinction Laws in Z -approximately 6 Quasars as Signatures of Supernova Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Hjorth, Jens; Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gall, Christa; Watson, Darach

2013-01-01

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 °A Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broad-band optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A1450 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (restframe) 2175 °A or 3000 °A features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044-0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 µm. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 °A kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 °A feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshift show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

ON INFERRING EXTINCTION LAWS IN z ∼ 6 QUASARS AS SIGNATURES OF SUPERNOVA DUST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hjorth, Jens; Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gall, Christa; Watson, Darach

2013-01-01

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 Å Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z ∼ 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broadband optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A 1450 ∼ 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (rest frame) 2175 Å or 3000 Å features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044–0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 μm. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 Å kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 Å feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshifts show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

ON INFERRING EXTINCTION LAWS IN z {approx} 6 QUASARS AS SIGNATURES OF SUPERNOVA DUST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hjorth, Jens; Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gall, Christa; Watson, Darach, E-mail: jens@dark-cosmology.dk, E-mail: paul.vreeswijk@weizmann.ac.il, E-mail: christa.gall@nasa.gov, E-mail: darach@dark-cosmology.dk [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen O (Denmark)

2013-05-10

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 A Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z {approx} 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broadband optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A{sub 1450} {approx} 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (rest frame) 2175 A or 3000 A features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044-0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 {mu}m. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 A kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 A feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshifts show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

Experimental Verification of a New Model Describing the Influence of Incomplete Signal Extinction Ratio on the Sensitivity Degradation due to Multiple Interferometric Crosstalk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Fenghai; Rasmussen, Christian Jørgen; Pedersen, Rune Johan Skullerud

1999-01-01

Larger optical penalties than predicted by a Gaussian crosstalk model are found both in our experiments and in the literature when investigating signals including multiple interferometric crosstalk contributions. We attribute this to an imperfect signal extinction ratio. In this letter, simple...... analytical relations for crosstalk induced power penalties are derived taking the signal extinction ratio into account and excellent agreement with 10-Gb/s experiments is obtained. Both theory and experiment show the importance of the signal extinction ratio in connection with interferometric crosstalk....

Active electromagnetic invisibility cloaking and radiation force cancellation

Science.gov (United States)

Mitri, F. G.

2018-03-01

This investigation shows that an active emitting electromagnetic (EM) Dirichlet source (i.e., with axial polarization of the electric field) in a homogeneous non-dissipative/non-absorptive medium placed near a perfectly conducting boundary can render total invisibility (i.e. zero extinction cross-section or efficiency) in addition to a radiation force cancellation on its surface. Based upon the Poynting theorem, the mathematical expression for the extinction, radiation and amplification cross-sections (or efficiencies) are derived using the partial-wave series expansion method in cylindrical coordinates. Moreover, the analysis is extended to compute the self-induced EM radiation force on the active source, resulting from the waves reflected by the boundary. The numerical results predict the generation of a zero extinction efficiency, achieving total invisibility, in addition to a radiation force cancellation which depend on the source size, the distance from the boundary and the associated EM mode order of the active source. Furthermore, an attractive EM pushing force on the active source directed toward the boundary or a repulsive pulling one pointing away from it can arise accordingly. The numerical predictions and computational results find potential applications in the design and development of EM cloaking devices, invisibility and stealth technologies.

Effect of gamma radiation dose and sensitizer on the physical properties of irradiated natural rubber latex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komgrit, R.; Thawat, C.; B, Tripob; Wirach, T.

2009-07-01

Full text: The vulcanization of natural rubber latex can be induced by gamma radiation, which enhances cross-linking within the rubber matrix. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of gamma radiation dose and sensitizers on the physical properties of irradiated natural rubber. Three sensitizers n-butyl acrylate (n-B A), tetrachloroethylene (C 2 Cl 4 ) and trichloromethane (CHCl 3 ) were mixed with natural rubber latex before irradiation with gamma ray dose varied from 14 to 22 kGy. Results showed that the mixture of three sensitizers with specific ratios effectively induced the cross-linking of natural rubber latex. The cross-linking ratio and improved physical properties increased with increasing gamma dose. Therefore, the mixture ratios of n-B A, C 2 Cl 4 and CHCl 3 have shown to be a critical parameter in the vulcanization of natural rubber latex by gamma radiation

Trophic redundancy reduces vulnerability to extinction cascades.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Dirk; Thébault, Elisa; Kehoe, Rachel; Frank van Veen, F J

2018-03-06

Current species extinction rates are at unprecedentedly high levels. While human activities can be the direct cause of some extinctions, it is becoming increasingly clear that species extinctions themselves can be the cause of further extinctions, since species affect each other through the network of ecological interactions among them. There is concern that the simplification of ecosystems, due to the loss of species and ecological interactions, increases their vulnerability to such secondary extinctions. It is predicted that more complex food webs will be less vulnerable to secondary extinctions due to greater trophic redundancy that can buffer against the effects of species loss. Here, we demonstrate in a field experiment with replicated plant-insect communities, that the probability of secondary extinctions is indeed smaller in food webs that include trophic redundancy. Harvesting one species of parasitoid wasp led to secondary extinctions of other, indirectly linked, species at the same trophic level. This effect was markedly stronger in simple communities than for the same species within a more complex food web. We show that this is due to functional redundancy in the more complex food webs and confirm this mechanism with a food web simulation model by highlighting the importance of the presence and strength of trophic links providing redundancy to those links that were lost. Our results demonstrate that biodiversity loss, leading to a reduction in redundant interactions, can increase the vulnerability of ecosystems to secondary extinctions, which, when they occur, can then lead to further simplification and run-away extinction cascades. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Predicting extinction rates in stochastic epidemic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, Ira B; Billings, Lora; Dykman, Mark; Landsman, Alexandra

2009-01-01

We investigate the stochastic extinction processes in a class of epidemic models. Motivated by the process of natural disease extinction in epidemics, we examine the rate of extinction as a function of disease spread. We show that the effective entropic barrier for extinction in a susceptible–infected–susceptible epidemic model displays scaling with the distance to the bifurcation point, with an unusual critical exponent. We make a direct comparison between predictions and numerical simulations. We also consider the effect of non-Gaussian vaccine schedules, and show numerically how the extinction process may be enhanced when the vaccine schedules are Poisson distributed

MicroRNA-Mediated Rescue of Fear Extinction Memory by miR-144-3p in Extinction-Impaired Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Conor P; Li, Xiang; Maurer, Verena; Oberhauser, Michael; Gstir, Ronald; Wearick-Silva, Luis Eduardo; Viola, Thiago Wendt; Schafferer, Simon; Grassi-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Whittle, Nigel; Hüttenhofer, Alexander; Bredy, Timothy W; Singewald, Nicolas

2017-06-15

MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated control of gene expression suggests that miRNAs are interesting targets and/or biomarkers in the treatment of anxiety- and trauma-related disorders, where often memory-associated gene expression is adversely affected. The role of miRNAs in the rescue of impaired fear extinction was assessed using the 129S1/SvlmJ (S1) mouse model of impaired fear extinction. miRNA microarray analysis, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, fluorescent in situ hybridization, lentiviral overexpression, and Luciferase reporter assays were used to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying miRNA-mediated normalization of deficient fear extinction. Rescuing impaired fear extinction via dietary zinc restriction was associated with differential expression of miRNAs in the amygdala. One candidate, miR-144-3p, robustly expressed in the basolateral amygdala, showed specific extinction-induced, but not fear-induced, increased expression in both extinction-rescued S1 mice and extinction-intact C57BL/6 (BL6) mice. miR-144-3p upregulation and effects on subsequent behavioral adaption was assessed in S1 and BL6 mice. miR-144-3p overexpression in the basolateral amygdala rescued impaired fear extinction in S1 mice, led to enhanced fear extinction acquisition in BL6 mice, and furthermore protected against fear renewal in BL6 mice. miR-144-3p targets a number of genes implicated in the control of plasticity-associated signaling cascades, including Pten, Spred1, and Notch1. In functional interaction studies, we revealed that the miR-144-3p target, PTEN, colocalized with miR-144-3p in the basolateral amygdala and showed functional downregulation following successful fear extinction in S1 mice. These findings identify a fundamental role of miR-144-3p in the rescue of impaired fear extinction and suggest this miRNA as a viable target in developing novel treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder and related disorders. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological

Intergalactic extinction and the deceleration parameter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meinel, R.

1981-01-01

The deceleration parameter q 0 is calculated from the relation between apparent magnitudes m of the brightest galaxies in clusters and their redshifts z considering an intergalactic extinction. The calculation is valid for a Friedman universe, homogeneously filled with dust grains, assuming the extinction to be 0.5 mag at z = 1 and aΛ -1 -law of extinction (according to Oleak and Schmidt 1976). Using the m,z-values of Kristian, Sandage, and Westphal (1978) a formal value of q 0 approximately 2.1 is obtained instead of q 0 approximately 1.6 without consideration of intergalactic extinction. (author)

Resveratrol sensitization of DU145 prostate cancer cells to ionizing radiation is associated to ceramide increase.

Science.gov (United States)

Scarlatti, Francesca; Sala, Giusy; Ricci, Clara; Maioli, Claudio; Milani, Franco; Minella, Marco; Botturi, Marco; Ghidoni, Riccardo

2007-08-08

Radiotherapy is an established therapeutic modality for prostate cancer. Since it is well known that radiotherapy is limited due to its severe toxicity towards normal cells at high dose and minimal effect at low dose, the search for biological compounds that increase the sensitivity of tumors cells to radiation may improve the efficacy of therapy. Resveratrol, a natural antioxidant, was shown to inhibit carcinogenesis in animal models, and to block the process of tumor initiation and progression. The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not resveratrol can sensitize DU145, an androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell line, to ionizing radiation. We report here that DU145 cells are resistant to ionizing radiation-induced cell death, but pretreatment with resveratrol significantly enhances cell death. Resveratrol acts synergistically with ionizing radiation to inhibit cell survival in vitro. Resveratrol also potentiates ionizing radiation-induced ceramide accumulation, by promoting its de novo biosynthesis. This confirms ceramide as an effective mediator of the anticancer potential induced by resveratrol.

Preliminary Study of Position-Sensitive Large-Area Radiation Portal Monitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Chang Hwy; Kim, Hyunok; Moon, Myung Kook [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jongyul [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jong Won; Lim, Yong Kon [Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

An RPM, which is a passive inspection method, is a system for monitoring the movement of radioactive materials at an airport, seaport, border, etc. To detect a γ-ray, an RPM using the plastic scintillator is generally used. The method of γ-ray detection using an RPM with a plastic scintillator is to measure lights generated by an incident γ-ray in the scintillator. Generally, a large-area RPM uses one or two photomultiplier tubes (PMT) for light collection. However, in this study, we developed a 4-ch RPM that can measure the radiation signal using 4 PMTs. The reason for using 4 PMTs is to calculate the position of the radiation source. In addition, we developed an electric device for acquisition of a 4-ch output signal at the same time. To estimate the performance of the developed RPM, we performed an RPM test using a {sup 60}Co γ-ray check source. In this study, we performed the development of a 4-ch RPM. The major function of the typical RPM is to measure the radiation. However, we developed a position-sensitive 4-ch RPM, which can be used to measure the location of the radiation source, as well as the radiation measurement, at the same time. In the future, we plan to develop an algorithm for a position detection of the radiation. In addition, an algorithm will be applied to an RPM.

Climate predictors of late quaternary extinctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nogués-Bravo, David; Ohlemüller, Ralf; Batra, Persaram

2010-01-01

Between 50,000 and 3,000 years before present (BP) 65% of mammal genera weighing over 44 kg went extinct, together with a lower proportion of small mammals. Why species went extinct in such large numbers is hotly debated. One of the arguments proposes that climate changes underlie Late Quaternary...... extinctions, but global quantitative evidence for this hypothesis is still lacking. We test the potential role of global climate change on the extinction of mammals during the Late Quaternary. Our results suggest that continents with the highest climate footprint values, in other words, with climate changes...... of greater magnitudes during the Late Quaternary, witnessed more extinctions than continents with lower climate footprint values, with the exception of South America. Our results are consistent across species with different body masses, reinforcing the view that past climate changes contributed to global...

Methods and tools for the evaluation of the sensitivity to natural radiations of advanced integrated circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peronnard, P.

2009-10-01

Atmospheric neutrons, whose fluxes and energies dependent on the altitude, the sun activity and the geographic coordinates, have been identified as being capable to provoke SEE (Single Event Effects), by indirect ionisation, in integrated devices issued from advanced manufacturing processes (nano-metric devices). This concerns not only avionics but also applications operating at ground level. The evaluation of the sensitivity to SEE provoked by natural radiation becomes thus a mandatory step during the selection of devices devoted to be included in applications requiring high reliability. The sensitivity to SEE can be mitigated by different approaches at different levels from manufacturing level (use of particular process technologies such as SOI - Silicon On Isolator -) to the system level (hardware/software redundancy). Independently of the adopted hardening approach, the so-called radiation ground testing are mandatory to evaluate the error rates of a device or a system. During such tests, the DUT (Device Under Test) is exposed to a flux of particles while it performs a given activity. For SEU (Single Event Upsets) radiation ground testing, two main strategies exist: static test: the circuit areas which are supposed to be sensitive to SEUs (registers, memories,...) are initialized with a reference pattern. The content of the sensitive area is periodically compared to the reference pattern to identify potential SEU. Dynamic test: the DUT performs an activity representative of the one it will execute during the final application. Static test: strategies are frequently adopted as they provide the intrinsic sensitivity, in terms of the average number of particles needed to provoke an SEU, of different sensitive areas of the device. From such a strategy can thus be obtained a 'worst case estimation' of the device sensitivity. This thesis aims at giving a description and validating the methodologies required to estimate the sensitivity to radiations of two types of

Biogeographic and bathymetric determinants of brachiopod extinction and survival during the Late Ordovician mass extinction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finnegan, Seth; Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian; Harper, David A. T.

2016-01-01

–Early Silurian genus extinctions and evaluate which extinction drivers are best supported by the data. The first (latest Katian) pulse of the LOME preferentially affected genera restricted to deeper waters or to relatively narrow (less than 35°) palaeolatitudinal ranges. This pattern is only observed...... in the latest Katian, suggesting that it reflects drivers unique to this interval. Extinction of exclusively deeper-water genera implies that changes in water mass properties such as dissolved oxygen content played an important role. Extinction of genera with narrow latitudinal ranges suggests that interactions...... between shifting climate zones and palaeobiogeography may also have been important. We test the latter hypothesis by estimating whether each genus would have been able to track habitats within its thermal tolerance range during the greenhouse–icehouse climate transition. Models including these estimates...

Synthesis and mechanistic studies of phosphoraziridines as radiation sensitizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perlman, M.E.

1982-01-01

Ethyl bis(2,2-dimethyl-1-aziridinyl)phosphinyl carbamate (AB-132) and ethyl bis(2,2-dimethyl-1-aziridinyl)phosphinate (AB-163) are potent antitumor agents which have also been demonstrated to be radiation sensitizers in experimental and clinical studies. Monophenyl aziridines and various isomers of diphenylaziridines were utilized. Optically active 2-phenyl aziridine was also employed in order to prepare diastereomerically homogeneous compounds. Para-substituted phenylaziridines were prepared as well and converted to the corresponding phosphoraziridines in order to probe electronic effects of such substituents on biological activity and chemical reactivity. The hydrolysis of 2,2-dimethylaziridine-type compounds including AB-132 and AB-163 was studied by NMR in order to gain further insight into the hydrolytic intermediates which may be responsible for the known cholinesterase inhibition and the suspected phosphorylation of radiation-damaged DNA. Comparative reactivities of the compounds prepared in this study with p-nitrobenzylpyridine were investigated so as to provide some indication of potential alkylating activity, in the hope of obtaining a correlation with biological activity. Electron spin resonance was utilized to study the effects of radiation on phosphoraziridine crystals

Seasonal differences in extinction and colonization drive occupancy dynamics of an imperilled amphibian.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lea A Randall

Full Text Available A detailed understanding of the population dynamics of many amphibian species is lacking despite concerns about declining amphibian biodiversity and abundance. This paper explores temporal patterns of occupancy and underlying extinction and colonization dynamics in a regionally imperiled amphibian species, the Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens in Alberta. Our study contributes to elucidating regional occupancy dynamics at northern latitudes, where climate extremes likely have a profound effect on seasonal occupancy. The primary advantage of our study is its wide geographic scale (60,000 km2 and the use of repeat visual surveys each spring and summer from 2009-2013. We find that occupancy varied more dramatically between seasons than years, with low spring and higher summer occupancy. Between spring and summer, colonization was high and extinction low; inversely, colonization was low and extinction high over the winter. The dynamics of extinction and colonization are complex, making conservation management challenging. Our results reveal that Northern leopard frog occupancy was constant over the last five years and thus there is no evidence of decline or recovery within our study area. Changes to equilibrium occupancy are most sensitive to increasing colonization in the spring or declining extinction in the summer. Therefore, conservation and management efforts should target actions that are likely to increase spring colonization; this could be achieved through translocations or improving the quality or access to breeding habitat. Because summer occupancy is already high, it may be difficult to improve further. Nevertheless, summer extinction could be reduced by predator control, increasing water quality or hydroperiod of wetlands, or increasing the quality or quantity of summer habitat.

Seasonal differences in extinction and colonization drive occupancy dynamics of an imperilled amphibian.

Science.gov (United States)

Randall, Lea A; Smith, Des H V; Jones, Breana L; Prescott, David R C; Moehrenschlager, Axel

2015-01-01

A detailed understanding of the population dynamics of many amphibian species is lacking despite concerns about declining amphibian biodiversity and abundance. This paper explores temporal patterns of occupancy and underlying extinction and colonization dynamics in a regionally imperiled amphibian species, the Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) in Alberta. Our study contributes to elucidating regional occupancy dynamics at northern latitudes, where climate extremes likely have a profound effect on seasonal occupancy. The primary advantage of our study is its wide geographic scale (60,000 km2) and the use of repeat visual surveys each spring and summer from 2009-2013. We find that occupancy varied more dramatically between seasons than years, with low spring and higher summer occupancy. Between spring and summer, colonization was high and extinction low; inversely, colonization was low and extinction high over the winter. The dynamics of extinction and colonization are complex, making conservation management challenging. Our results reveal that Northern leopard frog occupancy was constant over the last five years and thus there is no evidence of decline or recovery within our study area. Changes to equilibrium occupancy are most sensitive to increasing colonization in the spring or declining extinction in the summer. Therefore, conservation and management efforts should target actions that are likely to increase spring colonization; this could be achieved through translocations or improving the quality or access to breeding habitat. Because summer occupancy is already high, it may be difficult to improve further. Nevertheless, summer extinction could be reduced by predator control, increasing water quality or hydroperiod of wetlands, or increasing the quality or quantity of summer habitat.

Thermal radiosensitization in heat- and radiation-sensitive mutants of CHO cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kampinga, H.H.; Kanon, B.; Konings, A.W.T.; Stackhouse, M.A.; Bedford, J.S.

1993-01-01

In the current study, the extent of hyperthermic radiosensitization in a new γ-radiation-sensitive cell line, irs-20, recently isolated by Stackhouse and Bedford (1991) and a heat-sensitive mutant hs-36 (Harvey and Bedford 1988) was compared with the radiosensitization of their mutual parent CHO 10B12 cell line. The irs-20 and CHO 10B12 cells have comparable heat (43.5 o C) sensitivities, whereas hs-36 and CHO 10B12 show a similar sensitivity to γ- and X-rays. Radiosensitization due to pre-exposure to 43.5 o C heating of plateau phase cultures was found for all three cell lines, even after relatively mild heat treatment killing <20% of cells. Experiments using CHEF electrophoresis confirmed the dsb repair deficiency of the irs-20 cells (Stackhouse and Bedford 1992) and showed that heat inhibited dsb repair in all three cell lines. (Author)

Precision Photometric Extinction Corrections from Direct Atmospheric Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, John T.; Zimmer, P.; Linford, J.; Simon, T.; Measurement Astrophysics Research Group

2009-01-01

For decades astronomical extinction corrections have been accomplished using nightly mean extinction coefficients derived from Langley plots measured with the same telescope used for photometry. Because this technique results in lost time on program fields, observers only grudgingly made sporadic extinction measurements. Occasionally extinction corrections are not measured nightly but are made using tabulated mean monthly or even quarterly extinction coefficients. Any observer of the sky knows that Earth's atmosphere is an ever-changing fluid in which is embedded extinction sources ranging from Rayleigh (molecular) scattering to aerosol, smoke and dust scattering and absorption, to "just plain cloudy.” Our eyes also tell us that the type, direction and degree of extinction changes on time scales of minutes or less - typically shorter than many astronomical observations. Thus, we should expect that atmospheric extinction can change significantly during a single observation. Mean extinction coefficients might be well-defined nightly means, but those means have high variance because they do not accurately record the wavelength-, time-, and angle-dependent extinction actually affecting each observation. Our research group is implementing lidar measurements made in the direction of observation with one minute cadence, from which the absolute monochromatic extinction can be measured. Simultaneous spectrophotometry of nearby bright standard stars allows derivation and MODTRAN modeling atmospheric transmission as a function of wavelength for the atmosphere through which an observation is made. Application of this technique is demonstrated. Accurate real-time extinction measurements are an enabling factor for sub-1% photometry. This research is supported by NSF Grant 0421087 and AFRL Grant #FA9451-04-2-0355.

Interstellar extinction in the Large Magellanic Cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nandy, K.; Morgan, D.H.; Willis, A.J.; Wilson, R.; Gondhalekar, P.M.

1981-01-01

A systematic investigation of interstellar extinction in the ultraviolet as a function of position in the Large Magellanic Cloud has been made from an enlarged sample of reddened and comparison stars distributed throughout the cloud. Except for one star SK-69-108, the most reddened star of our sample, the shape of the extinction curves for the LMC stars do not show significant variations. All curves show an increase in extinction towards 2200 A, but some have maxima near 2200 A, some near 1900 A. It has been shown that the feature of the extinction curve near 1900 A is caused by the mismatch of the stellar F III 1920 A feature. The strength of this 1920 A feature as a function of luminosity and spectral type has been determined. The extinction curves have been corrected for the mismatch of the 1920 feature and a single mean extinction curve for the LMC normalized to Asub(V) = 0 and Esub(B-V) = 1 is presented. For the same value of Esub(B-V) the LMC stars show the 2200 A feature weaker by a factor 2 as compared with the galactic stars. Higher extinction shortward of 2000 A in the LMC extinction curves than that in our Galaxy, as reported in earlier papers, is confirmed. (author)

Immediate extinction promotes the return of fear.

Science.gov (United States)

Merz, Christian J; Hamacher-Dang, Tanja C; Wolf, Oliver T

2016-05-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that immediate extinction is less effective than delayed extinction in attenuating the return of fear. This line of fear conditioning research impacts the proposed onset of psychological interventions after threatening situations. In the present study, forty healthy men were investigated in a differential fear conditioning paradigm with fear acquisition in context A, extinction in context B, followed by retrieval testing in both contexts 24h later to test fear renewal. Differently coloured lights served as conditioned stimuli (CS): two CS (CS+) were paired with an electrical stimulation that served as unconditioned stimulus, the third CS was never paired (CS-). Extinction took place immediately after fear acquisition or 24h later. One CS+ was extinguished whereas the second CS+ remained unextinguished to control for different time intervals between fear acquisition and retrieval testing. Immediate extinction led to larger skin conductance responses during fear retrieval to both the extinguished and unextinguished CS relative to the CS-, indicating a stronger return of fear compared to delayed extinction. Taken together, immediate extinction is less potent than delayed extinction and is associated with a stronger renewal effect. Thus, the time-point of psychological interventions relative to the offset of threatening situations needs to be carefully considered to prevent relapses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimising Extinction of Conditioned Disgust

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosman, Renske C.; Borg, Charmaine; de Jong, Peter J.

2016-01-01

Maladaptive disgust responses are tenacious and resistant to exposure-based interventions. In a similar vein, laboratory studies have shown that conditioned disgust is relatively insensitive to Conditioned Stimulus (CS)-only extinction procedures. The relatively strong resistance to extinction might

Interstellar dust and extinction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathis, J.S.

1990-01-01

It is noted that the term interstellar dust refers to materials with rather different properties, and that the mean extinction law of Seaton (1979) or Savage and Mathis (1979) should be replaced by the expression given by Cardelli et al. (1989), using the appropriate value of total-to-selective extinction. The older laws were appropriate for the diffuse ISM but dust in clouds differs dramatically in its extinction law. Dust is heavily processed while in the ISM by being included within clouds and cycled back into the diffuse ISM many times during its lifetime. Hence, grains probably reflect only a trace of their origin, although meteoritic inclusions with isotopic anomalies demonstrate that some tiny particles survive intact from a supernova origin to the present. 186 refs

Research on bimodal particle extinction coefficient during Brownian coagulation and condensation for the entire particle size regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Hong; Lin Jianzhong

2011-01-01

The extinction coefficient of atmospheric aerosol particles influences the earth’s radiation balance directly or indirectly, and it can be determined by the scattering and absorption characteristics of aerosol particles. The problem of estimating the change of extinction coefficient due to time evolution of bimodal particle size distribution is studied, and two improved methods for calculating the Brownian coagulation coefficient and the condensation growth rate are proposed, respectively. Through the improved method based on Otto kernel, the Brownian coagulation coefficient can be expressed simply in powers of particle volume for the entire particle size regime based on the fitted polynomials of the mean enhancement function. Meanwhile, the improved method based on Fuchs–Sutugin kernel is developed to obtain the condensation growth rate for the entire particle size regime. And then, the change of the overall extinction coefficient of bimodal distributions undergoing Brownian coagulation and condensation can be estimated comprehensively for the entire particle size regime. Simulation experiments indicate that the extinction coefficients obtained with the improved methods coincide fairly well with the true values, which provide a simple, reliable, and general method to estimate the change of extinction coefficient for the entire particle size regime during the bimodal particle dynamic processes.

Mass extinction in poorly known taxa.

Science.gov (United States)

Régnier, Claire; Achaz, Guillaume; Lambert, Amaury; Cowie, Robert H; Bouchet, Philippe; Fontaine, Benoît

2015-06-23

Since the 1980s, many have suggested we are in the midst of a massive extinction crisis, yet only 799 (0.04%) of the 1.9 million known recent species are recorded as extinct, questioning the reality of the crisis. This low figure is due to the fact that the status of very few invertebrates, which represent the bulk of biodiversity, have been evaluated. Here we show, based on extrapolation from a random sample of land snail species via two independent approaches, that we may already have lost 7% (130,000 extinctions) of the species on Earth. However, this loss is masked by the emphasis on terrestrial vertebrates, the target of most conservation actions. Projections of species extinction rates are controversial because invertebrates are essentially excluded from these scenarios. Invertebrates can and must be assessed if we are to obtain a more realistic picture of the sixth extinction crisis.

Compound Stimulus Extinction Reduces Spontaneous Recovery in Humans

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho, Cesar A. O.; Dunsmoor, Joseph E.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

Fear-related behaviors are prone to relapse following extinction. We tested in humans a compound extinction design ("deepened extinction") shown in animal studies to reduce post-extinction fear recovery. Adult subjects underwent fear conditioning to a visual and an auditory conditioned stimulus (CSA and CSB, respectively) separately…

Micronuclei: sensitivity for the detection of radiation induced damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Giorgio, M.; Nasazzi, N.B.; Taja, M.R.

1998-01-01

The in vitro cytokinesis-block (CB) micronucleus (MN) assay for human peripheral blood has been used extensively for the assessment of chromosomal damage induced by ionizing radiation and chemicals and considered a suitable biological dosimeter for estimating in vivo whole body exposures, particularly in the case of large scale radiation accidents. One of the major drawbacks of the MN assay is its reduced sensitivity for the detection of damage induced by low doses of low LET radiation, due to the high variability among the spontaneous MN frequencies. It is suggested that age, smoking habit and sex are the main confounding factors that contribute to the observed variability. Previous work in our laboratory, shows a significant positive correlation of the spontaneous and radiation induced MN frequencies with age and smoking habit, the latter being the strongest confounder. These findings led to in vitro studies of the dose-response relationships for smoking and non smoking donors evaluated separately, using 60 Co γ rays. The objectives of the present work are: 1-To increase the amount of data of the dose-response relationships, using γ rays from a 60 Co source, for smoking and non smoking donors, in order to find, if applicable, a correction factor for the calibration curve that takes into account the smoking habit of the individual in the case of accidental overexposure dose assessment, particularly in the low dose range. 2-To establish general conclusions on the current state of the technique. The sample for smoking and non smoking calibration curves was enlarged in the range of 0Gy to 2Gy. The fitting of both curves, performed up to the 2Gy dose, resulted in a linear quadratic model. MN distribution among bi nucleated cells was found to be over dispersed with respect to Poisson distribution, the average ratio of variance to mean being 1.13 for non smokers and 1.17 for smokers. Each fitted calibration curve, for smoking and non smoking donors, fell within the 95

Development of an efficient process for radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex using hydroperoxide with sensitizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siri-upathum, C.; Sonsuk, M.

1996-01-01

An attempt was made to reduce irradiation dose for radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex. A promising method was to partially crosslink the latex by radiation vulcanization using n-butyl acrylate (n-BA) as sensitizer and t-butyl hydroperoxide (BHPO) as a co-sensitizer followed by redox vulcanization using residual BHPO as an oxidant and either fructose or tetra ethylene penta mine as reducing agents. It was found that the irradiation dose was reduced to 4 kGy with 5 phr n-BA as sensitizer and 0.1 phr BHPO as co-sensitizer. Successive crosslinking to full vulcanization was done by redox vulcanization using either 4 phr fructose at 60 degree C for 3 hours of 0.4 phr tetra-ethylene penta mine at room temperature for 1 hour. The rubber films obtained had tensile strength of about 25 MPa, modulus 300% of 0.9 MPa and crosslink density of about 1.5 x 10 19 crosslink/cm 3 . It was noted that the rubber film from the co-vulcanization was the average value of the values obtained by radiation vulcanization and redox vulcanization

Radiation sensitivity of poliovirus, a model for norovirus, inoculated in oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and culture broth under different conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Pil-Mun [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jae Seok [Korea Food and Drug Administration, Seoul 122-704 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin-Gyu; Park, Jae-Nam; Han, In-Jun; Song, Beom-Seok; Choi, Jong-il; Kim, Jae-Hun; Byun, Myung-Woo [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Baek, Min [Atomic Energy Policy Division, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Gwacheon 427-715 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Young-Jin [Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ju-Woon [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: sjwlee@kaeri.re.kr

2009-07-15

Poliovirus is a recognized surrogate for norovirus, pathogen in water and food, due to the structural and genetic similarity. Although radiation sensitivity of poliovirus in water or media had been reported, there has been no research in food model such as shellfish. In this study, oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was incubated in artificial seawater contaminated with poliovirus, and thus radiation sensitivity of poliovirus was determined in inoculated oyster. The effects of ionizing radiation on the sensitivity of poliovirus were also evaluated under different conditions such as pH (4-7) and salt concentration (1-15%) in culture broth, and temperature during irradiation. The D{sub 10} value of poliovirus in PBS buffer, virus culture broth and oyster was determined to 0.46, 2.84 and 2.94 kGy, respectively. The initial plaque forming unit (PFU) of poliovirus in culture broth was slightly decreased as the decrease of pH and the increase of salt concentration, but radiation sensitivity was not affected by pH and salt contents. However, radiation resistance of poliovirus was increased at frozen state. These results provide the basic information for the inactivation of pathogenic virus in foods by using irradiation.

Radiation sensitivity of poliovirus, a model for norovirus, inoculated in oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and culture broth under different conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Pil-Mun; Park, Jae Seok; Park, Jin-Gyu; Park, Jae-Nam; Han, In-Jun; Song, Beom-Seok; Choi, Jong-il; Kim, Jae-Hun; Byun, Myung-Woo; Baek, Min; Chung, Young-Jin; Lee, Ju-Woon

2009-01-01

Poliovirus is a recognized surrogate for norovirus, pathogen in water and food, due to the structural and genetic similarity. Although radiation sensitivity of poliovirus in water or media had been reported, there has been no research in food model such as shellfish. In this study, oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was incubated in artificial seawater contaminated with poliovirus, and thus radiation sensitivity of poliovirus was determined in inoculated oyster. The effects of ionizing radiation on the sensitivity of poliovirus were also evaluated under different conditions such as pH (4-7) and salt concentration (1-15%) in culture broth, and temperature during irradiation. The D 10 value of poliovirus in PBS buffer, virus culture broth and oyster was determined to 0.46, 2.84 and 2.94 kGy, respectively. The initial plaque forming unit (PFU) of poliovirus in culture broth was slightly decreased as the decrease of pH and the increase of salt concentration, but radiation sensitivity was not affected by pH and salt contents. However, radiation resistance of poliovirus was increased at frozen state. These results provide the basic information for the inactivation of pathogenic virus in foods by using irradiation.

Radiation sensitivity of poliovirus, a model for norovirus, inoculated in oyster ( Crassostrea gigas) and culture broth under different conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Pil-Mun; Park, Jae Seok; Park, Jin-Gyu; Park, Jae-Nam; Han, In-Jun; Song, Beom-Seok; Choi, Jong-il; Kim, Jae-Hun; Byun, Myung-Woo; Baek, Min; Chung, Young-Jin; Lee, Ju-Woon

2009-07-01

Poliovirus is a recognized surrogate for norovirus, pathogen in water and food, due to the structural and genetic similarity. Although radiation sensitivity of poliovirus in water or media had been reported, there has been no research in food model such as shellfish. In this study, oyster ( Crassostrea gigas) was incubated in artificial seawater contaminated with poliovirus, and thus radiation sensitivity of poliovirus was determined in inoculated oyster. The effects of ionizing radiation on the sensitivity of poliovirus were also evaluated under different conditions such as pH (4-7) and salt concentration (1-15%) in culture broth, and temperature during irradiation. The D10 value of poliovirus in PBS buffer, virus culture broth and oyster was determined to 0.46, 2.84 and 2.94 kGy, respectively. The initial plaque forming unit (PFU) of poliovirus in culture broth was slightly decreased as the decrease of pH and the increase of salt concentration, but radiation sensitivity was not affected by pH and salt contents. However, radiation resistance of poliovirus was increased at frozen state. These results provide the basic information for the inactivation of pathogenic virus in foods by using irradiation.

Gene targeting associated with the radiation sensitivity in squamous cell carcinoma by using microarray analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nimura, Yoshinori; Kumagai, Ken; Kouzu, Yoshinao; Higo, Morihiro; Kato, Yoshikuni; Seki, Naohiko; Yamada, Shigeru

2005-01-01

In order to identify a set of genes related to radiation sensitivity of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and establish a predictive method, we compared expression profiles of radio-sensitive/radio-resistant SCC cell lines, using the in-house cDNA microarray consisting of 2,201 human genes derived from full-length enriched SCC cDNA libraries and the Human oligo chip 30 K (Hitachi Software Engineering). Surviving fractions (SF) after irradiation of heavy iron were calculated by colony formation assay. Three pairs (TE2-TE13, YES5-YES6, and HSC3-HSC2), sensitive (SF1 0.6), were selected for the microarray analysis. The results of cDNA microarray analysis showed that 20 genes in resistant cell lines and 5 genes in sensitive cell lines were up regulated more than 1.5-fold compared with sensitive and resistant cell lines respectively. Fourteen out of 25 genes were confirmed the gene expression profiles by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-seven genes identified by Human oligo chip 30 K are candidate for the markers to distinguish radio-sensitive from radio-resistant. These results suggest that the isolated 27 genes are the candidates that might be used as specific molecular markers to predict radiation sensitivity. (author)

Sensitivity and Acclimation of Three Canopy-Forming Seaweeds to UVB Radiation and Warming

KAUST Repository

Xiao, Xi; de Bettignies, Thibaut; Olsen, Ylva S.; Agusti, Susana; Duarte, Carlos M.; Wernberg, Thomas

2015-01-01

Canopy-forming seaweeds, as primary producers and foundation species, provide key ecological services. Their responses to multiple stressors associated with climate change could therefore have important knock-on effects on the functioning of coastal ecosystems. We examined interactive effects of UVB radiation and warming on juveniles of three habitat-forming subtidal seaweeds from Western Australia–Ecklonia radiata, Scytothalia dorycarpa and Sargassum sp. Fronds were incubated for 14 days at 16–30°C with or without UVB radiation and growth, health status, photosynthetic performance, and light absorbance measured. Furthermore, we used empirical models from the metabolic theory of ecology to evaluate the sensitivity of these important seaweeds to ocean warming. Results indicated that responses to UVB and warming were species specific, with Sargassum showing highest tolerance to a broad range of temperatures. Scytothalia was most sensitive to elevated temperature based on the reduced maximum quantum yields of PSII; however, Ecklonia was most sensitive, according to the comparison of activation energy calculated from Arrhenius’ model. UVB radiation caused reduction in the growth, physiological responses and thallus health in all three species. Our findings indicate that Scytothalia was capable of acclimating in response to UVB and increasing its light absorption efficiency in the UV bands, probably by up-regulating synthesis of photoprotective compounds. The other two species did not acclimate over the two weeks of exposure to UVB. Overall, UVB and warming would severely inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of these canopy-forming seaweeds and decrease their coverage. Differences in the sensitivity and acclimation of major seaweed species to temperature and UVB may alter the balance between species in future seaweed communities under climate change.

Sensitivity and Acclimation of Three Canopy-Forming Seaweeds to UVB Radiation and Warming

KAUST Repository

Xiao, Xi

2015-12-02

Canopy-forming seaweeds, as primary producers and foundation species, provide key ecological services. Their responses to multiple stressors associated with climate change could therefore have important knock-on effects on the functioning of coastal ecosystems. We examined interactive effects of UVB radiation and warming on juveniles of three habitat-forming subtidal seaweeds from Western Australia–Ecklonia radiata, Scytothalia dorycarpa and Sargassum sp. Fronds were incubated for 14 days at 16–30°C with or without UVB radiation and growth, health status, photosynthetic performance, and light absorbance measured. Furthermore, we used empirical models from the metabolic theory of ecology to evaluate the sensitivity of these important seaweeds to ocean warming. Results indicated that responses to UVB and warming were species specific, with Sargassum showing highest tolerance to a broad range of temperatures. Scytothalia was most sensitive to elevated temperature based on the reduced maximum quantum yields of PSII; however, Ecklonia was most sensitive, according to the comparison of activation energy calculated from Arrhenius’ model. UVB radiation caused reduction in the growth, physiological responses and thallus health in all three species. Our findings indicate that Scytothalia was capable of acclimating in response to UVB and increasing its light absorption efficiency in the UV bands, probably by up-regulating synthesis of photoprotective compounds. The other two species did not acclimate over the two weeks of exposure to UVB. Overall, UVB and warming would severely inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of these canopy-forming seaweeds and decrease their coverage. Differences in the sensitivity and acclimation of major seaweed species to temperature and UVB may alter the balance between species in future seaweed communities under climate change.

On the trap of extinction and its elimination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitanov, Nikolay K.; Dimitrova, Zlatinka I.; Kantz, Holger

2006-01-01

We investigate the dynamics of a system of three interacting populations in presence of extinction and substitution: each population whose number of individuals drops under some threshold value becomes extinct, and it is substituted by another population with different fitness and different coefficients of interaction with the other populations. We study the influence of extinction on the system states, which in the absence of extinction can be fixed points, limit cycles or chaotic attractors of Shilnikov kind. The extinction can destabilize each of these states. We observe two possible kinds of evolution in the destabilized system: (i) it can remain forever in the trap of extinction, i.e., the extinctions and substitutions of populations continue for indefinitely long time or (ii) it can avoid the trap of extinction by means of the substitution, i.e., the fitness and the coefficients of the interactions between the species move the system attractor away from the zone of the threshold values, the extinction stops, and the system settles on a new attractor. The obtained results are discussed from the point of view of products competing for the preference of buyers that can change their opinion

EARTH SCIENCE: Did Volcanoes Drive Ancient Extinctions?

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, R A

2000-08-18

With the publication in recent weeks of two papers on a mass extinction 183 million years ago, researchers can add five suggestive cases to the list of extinctions with known causes. These extinctions coincide with massive outpourings of lava, accompanied by signs that global warming threw the ocean-atmosphere system out of whack. Although no one can yet pin any of these mass extinctions with certainty on the volcanic eruptions, scientists say it's unlikely that they're all coincidences.

Extinction rates in North American freshwater fishes, 1900-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Burkhead, Noel M.

2012-01-01

Widespread evidence shows that the modern rates of extinction in many plants and animals exceed background rates in the fossil record. In the present article, I investigate this issue with regard to North American freshwater fishes. From 1898 to 2006, 57 taxa became extinct, and three distinct populations were extirpated from the continent. Since 1989, the numbers of extinct North American fishes have increased by 25%. From the end of the nineteenth century to the present, modern extinctions varied by decade but significantly increased after 1950 (post-1950s mean = 7.5 extinct taxa per decade). In the twentieth century, freshwater fishes had the highest extinction rate worldwide among vertebrates. The modern extinction rate for North American freshwater fishes is conservatively estimated to be 877 times greater than the background extinction rate for freshwater fishes (one extinction every 3 million years). Reasonable estimates project that future increases in extinctions will range from 53 to 86 species by 2050.

Temporal correlations between sensitivity to radiation-induced mitotic delay and the S phase of the sea urchin egg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rustad, R.C.; Viswanathan, G.; Antonellis, B.C.

1979-01-01

Separate samples of eggs from the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata were gamma irradiated (4kR) at different times after fertilisation and division delay measured. The results demonstrated a characteristic post-fertilisation pattern of a rise in sensitivity to radiation-induced mitotic delay, followed by a biphasic decrease in sensitivity to a refractory period. Measurements of the cumulative incorporation of 3 H-TdR showed that the first period of decreasing radiation sensitivity was closely associated with the bulk synthesis of DNA (S phase). (U.K.)

Reintroducing resurrected species: selecting DeExtinction candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

Seddon, Philip J; Moehrenschlager, Axel; Ewen, John

2014-03-01

Technological advances have raised the controversial prospect of resurrecting extinct species. Species DeExtinction should involve more than the production of biological orphans to be scrutinized in the laboratory or zoo. If DeExtinction is to realize its stated goals of deep ecological enrichment, then resurrected animals must be translocated (i.e., released within suitable habitat). Therefore, DeExtinction is a conservation translocation issue and the selection of potential DeExtinction candidates must consider the feasibility and risks associated with reintroduction. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Guidelines on Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations provide a framework for DeExtinction candidate selection. We translate these Guidelines into ten questions to be addressed early on in the selection process to eliminate unsuitable reintroduction candidates. We apply these questions to the thylacine, Yangtze River Dolphin, and Xerces blue butterfly. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution: Postponing Extinction by Polyandry

OpenAIRE

Wade, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Sex-ratio meiotic drive occurs when males produce a predominance of X-chromosome bearing sperm and an inordinate number of daughters. A driving X causes highly female-biased sex ratios and the risk of extinction. Polyandry can rescue a population from extinction.

An Escherichia coli strain deficient for both exonuclease 5 and deoxycytidine triphosphate deaminase shows enhanced sensitivity to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estevenon, A.M.; Kooistra, J.; Sicard, N.

1995-01-01

An Escherichia coli mutant lacking deoxycytidine triphosphate deaminase (Dcd) activity and an unknown function encoded by a gene designated ior exhibits sensitivity to ionizing radiation whereas dcd mutants themselves are not sensitive. A DNA fragment from an E. coli genomic library that restores the wild type level of UV and gamma ray resistance to this mutant has been cloned in the multicopy vector pBR322. Comparison of its restriction map with the physical map of the E. coli chromosome revealed complete identity to the recBD genes. ior affects ATP-dependent exonuclease activity, suggesting that it is an allele of recB. This mutation alone does not confer sensitivity to UV and gamma radiation, indicating that lack of Dcd activity is also required for expression of radiation sensitivity

Radiation Sensitivity of some Food Borne Bacterial Pathogens in Animal Foods and Minced Meat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammed, W.S.; Ali, A.R.; Alexan, A.F.

2010-01-01

Bacteriological examination of 100 samples of animal food stuffs (fish meal and bone and meat meal; as models of dry food materials) and 50 samples of minced meat (as a model of moist food materials) revealed the isolation of different bacterial pathogens; Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus spp., Staph. aureus and Salmonella species, in a decreasing order of occurrence. In the experiment; the dry food stuffs were sterilized in autoclave and the minced meat was sterilized by gamma irradiation at 10 kGy. The efficacy of gamma irradiation against the inoculated bacterial isolates (E coli 0157: H7, Salmonella enteritidis and Staph. aureus) in animal food stuffs and minced meat was investigated. Irradiated samples were stored at room temperature (25 degree C) for 2 weeks. The food borne pathogens used in this study showed a difference in radiation sensitivity. E. coli 0157: H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis were eradicated at 1, 2 and 3 kGy, respectively. Also, inoculated pathogens in minced meat were more sensitive to ionizing radiation than dry animal food stuffs. It could be concluded that low doses of gamma irradiation are effective means of inactivating pathogenic bacteria. This radiation sensitivity is related to the bacterial isolates and the evaluated growth

Radiation-induced increases in sensitivity of cataleptic behavior to haloperidol: possible involvement of prostaglandins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joseph, J.A.; Kandasamy, S.B.; Hunt, W.A.; Dalton, T.K.; Stevens, S.

1988-01-01

The effects of radiation exposure on haloperidol-induced catalepsy were examined in order to determine whether elevated prostaglandins, through an action on dopaminergic autoreceptors, could be involved in the radiation-induced increase in the potency of this neuroleptic. Cataleptic behavior was examined in animals irradiated with various doses of gamma photons (1-150 Gy) and pretreated with a subthreshold dose of haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg). This approach was chosen to maximize any synergistic effects of radiation and haloperidol. After irradiation with doses less than or equal to 30 Gy, the combined treatment of haloperidol and radiation produced catalepsy, whereas neither treatment alone had an effect. This observed catalepsy could be blocked with prior administration of indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor. Animals exposed to doses of radiation less than or equal to 50 Gy and no haloperidol, however, displayed apparent catalepsy. This effect was also antagonized by indomethacin. Prostaglandins can induce catalepsy and when administered in subthreshold doses along with subthreshold doses of haloperidol, catalepsy was observed. In order to assess a possible action of prostaglandins and radiation on dopaminergic activity, the functioning of striatal dopaminergic autoreceptors was examined by determining the effects of varying concentrations of haloperidol on the K+-evoked release of dopamine from striatal slices obtained from parallel groups of animals treated as above. Results indicated that sensitivity to haloperidol increased (higher K+-evoked dopamine release) in slices from irradiated or prostaglandin-treated animals and that this increase in sensitivity was blocked by indomethacin

In vivo sensitivity of the embryonic and adult neural stem cell compartments to low-dose radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barazzuol, Lara; Jeggo, Penny A.

2016-01-01

The embryonic brain is radiation-sensitive, with cognitive deficits being observed after exposure to low radiation doses. Exposure of neonates to radiation can cause intracranial carcinogenesis. To gain insight into the basis underlying these outcomes, we examined the response of the embryonic, neonatal and adult brain to low-dose radiation, focusing on the neural stem cell compartments. This review summarizes our recent findings. At E13.5–14.5 the embryonic neocortex encompasses rapidly proliferating stem and progenitor cells. Exploiting mice with a hypomorphic mutation in DNA ligase IV (Lig4 Y288C ), we found a high level of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at E14.5, which we attribute to the rapid proliferation. We observed endogenous apoptosis in Lig4 Y288C embryos and in WT embryos following exposure to low radiation doses. An examination of DSB levels and apoptosis in adult neural stem cell compartments, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) revealed low DSB levels in Lig4 Y288C mice, comparable with the levels in differentiated neuronal tissues. We conclude that the adult SVZ does not incur high levels of DNA breakage, but sensitively activates apoptosis; apoptosis was less sensitively activated in the SGZ, and differentiated neuronal tissues did not activate apoptosis. P5/P15 mice showed intermediate DSB levels, suggesting that DSBs generated in the embryo can be transmitted to neonates and undergo slow repair. Interestingly, this analysis revealed a stage of high endogenous apoptosis in the neonatal SVZ. Collectively, these studies reveal that the adult neural stem cell compartment, like the embryonic counterpart, can sensitively activate apoptosis

Can we avoid the Sixth Mass Extinction? Setting today's extinction crisis in the context of the Big Five

Science.gov (United States)

Barnosky, A. D.

2012-12-01

While the ultimate extinction driver now—Homo sapiens—is unique with respect to the drivers of past extinctions, comparison of parallel neontological and paleontological information helps calibrate how far the so-called Sixth Mass Extinction has progressed and whether it is inevitable. Such comparisons document that rates of extinction today are approaching or exceeding those that characterized the Big Five Mass Extinctions. Continuation of present extinction rates for vertebrates, for example, would result in 75% species loss—the minimum benchmark exhibited in the Big Five extinctions—within 3 to 22 centuries, assuming constant rates of loss and no threshold effects. Preceding and during each of the Big Five, the global ecosystem experienced major changes in climate, atmospheric chemisty, and ocean chemistry—not unlike what is being observed presently. Nevertheless, only 1-2% of well-assessed modern species have been lost over the past five centuries, still far below what characterized past mass extinctions in the strict paleontological sense. For mammals, adding in the end-Pleistocene species that died out would increase the species-loss percentage by some 5%. If threatened vertebrate species were to actually go extinct, losses would rise to between 14 and 40%, depending on the group. Such observations highlight that, although many species have already had their populations drastically reduced to near-critical levels, the Sixth Mass Extinction has not yet progressed to the point where it is unavoidable. Put another way, the vast majority of species that have occupied the world in concert with Homo sapiens are still alive and are possible to save. That task, however, will require slowing the abnormally high extinction rates that are now in progress, which in turn requires unified efforts to cap human population growth, decrease the average human footprint, reduce fossil fuel use while simultaneously increasing clean energy technologies, integrate

Studies on the repair of double strand break of DNA and cellular carcinogenesis, and consideration on the concept of extinction of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teraoka, Hirobumi

2013-01-01

This paper describes the relationship between the repair of double strand break (DSB) of DNA and cellular carcinogenesis mainly on author's investigations, and his recent thought aiming at the extinction of nuclear power. The molecular repairing system is explained about DNA DSB induced by radiation and chemicals. When DSB occurs, nucleosome consisting from 4 core-histones participates to link the broken ends and then repair mechanisms of homologous recombination (HRR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) begin to work. The latter is dominant in mammalians. Thus the genetic defect in these systems of DSB response and repair is a course of disorders such as ataxia telangiectasia (AT) (DSB sensor defect), genetic breast cancer (HRR defect), and radiosensitive-severe combined immunodeficiency (RS-SCID) (NHEJ defect), all of which result in cancer formation. NHEJ repair is known to be error-prone. Against multi-step carcinogenesis where accumulated gene mutations lead to the cancer formation, the author thinks chromosomal instability is one of important carcinogenic causes: the instability can be a trigger of producing cancer stem cells because the cells can be yielded from mouse embryonic stem cells where DSB is shown to participate in the process. Low dose radiation produces a small amount of DSB, to which the repair response is less sensitive at G2/M checkpoint, ultimately leading to genomic instability. Considering effects of the low dose radiation exposure above, and of the internal exposure to 3 H-thymidine beta ray in cells, of indoor Rn participating 16% of lung cancer incidence (Canadian epidemiological data) and so on, together with moral and social responsibility of scientist and technologist, the author says to have attained to the concept of the ''Extinction of Nuclear Power''. (T.T)

Current extinction rates of reptiles and amphibians.

Science.gov (United States)

Alroy, John

2015-10-20

There is broad concern that a mass extinction of amphibians and reptiles is now underway. Here I apply an extremely conservative Bayesian method to estimate the number of recent amphibian and squamate extinctions in nine important tropical and subtropical regions. The data stem from a combination of museum collection databases and published site surveys. The method computes an extinction probability for each species by considering its sighting frequency and last sighting date. It infers hardly any extinction when collection dates are randomized and it provides underestimates when artificial extinction events are imposed. The method also appears to be insensitive to trends in sampling; therefore, the counts it provides are absolute minimums. Extinctions or severe population crashes have accumulated steadily since the 1970s and 1980s, and at least 3.1% of frog species have already disappeared. Based on these data and this conservative method, the best estimate of the global grand total is roughly 200 extinctions. Consistent with previous results, frog losses are heavy in Latin America, which has been greatly affected by the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Extinction rates are now four orders-of-magnitude higher than background, and at least another 6.9% of all frog species may be lost within the next century, even if there is no acceleration in the growth of environmental threats.

Extinction of laminar partially premixed flames

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aggarwal, Suresh K. [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W. Taylor Street, Room 2039, MC-251, Chicago, IL 60607-7022 (United States)

2009-12-15

Flame extinction represents one of the classical phenomena in combustion science. It is important to a variety of combustion systems in transportation and power generation applications. Flame extinguishment studies are also motivated from the consideration of fire safety and suppression. Such studies have generally considered non-premixed and premixed flames, although fires can often originate in a partially premixed mode, i.e., fuel and oxidizer are partially premixed as they are transported to the reaction zone. Several recent investigations have considered this scenario and focused on the extinction of partially premixed flames (PPFs). Such flames have been described as hybrid flames possessing characteristics of both premixed and non-premixed flames. This paper provides a review of studies dealing with the extinction of PPFs, which represent a broad family of flames, including double, triple (tribrachial), and edge flames. Theoretical, numerical and experimental studies dealing with the extinction of such flames in coflow and counterflow configurations are discussed. Since these flames contain both premixed and non-premixed burning zones, a brief review of the dilution-induced extinction of premixed and non-premixed flames is also provided. For the coflow configuration, processes associated with flame liftoff and blowout are described. Since lifted non-premixed jet flames often contain a partially premixed or an edge-flame structure prior to blowout, the review also considers such flames. While the perspective of this review is broad focusing on the fundamental aspects of flame extinction and blowout, results mostly consider flame extinction caused by the addition of a flame suppressant, with relevance to fire suppression on earth and in space environment. With respect to the latter, the effect of gravity on the extinction of PPFs is discussed. Future research needs are identified. (author)

Parasites reduce food web robustness because they are sensitive to secondary extinction as illustrated by an invasive estuarine snail

Science.gov (United States)

Lafferty, Kevin D.; Kuris, Armand M.

2009-01-01

A robust food web is one in which few secondary extinctions occur after removing species. We investigated how parasites affected the robustness of the Carpinteria Salt Marsh food web by conducting random species removals and a hypothetical, but plausible, species invasion. Parasites were much more likely than free-living species to suffer secondary extinctions following the removal of a free-living species from the food web. For this reason, the food web was less robust with the inclusion of parasites. Removal of the horn snail, Cerithidea californica, resulted in a disproportionate number of secondary parasite extinctions. The exotic Japanese mud snail, Batillaria attramentaria, is the ecological analogue of the native California horn snail and can completely replace it following invasion. Owing to the similarities between the two snail species, the invasion had no effect on predator–prey interactions. However, because the native snail is host for 17 host-specific parasites, and the invader is host to only one, comparison of a food web that includes parasites showed significant effects of invasion on the native community. The hypothetical invasion also significantly reduced the connectance of the web because the loss of 17 native trematode species eliminated many links.

Genetic sex determination and extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hedrick, Philip W; Gadau, Jürgen; Page, Robert E

2006-02-01

Genetic factors can affect the probability of extinction either by increasing the effect of detrimental variants or by decreasing the potential for future adaptive responses. In a recent paper, Zayed and Packer demonstrate that low variation at a specific locus, the complementary sex determination (csd) locus in Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps), can result in a sharply increased probability of extinction. Their findings illustrate situations in which there is a feedback process between decreased genetic variation at the csd locus owing to genetic drift and decreased population growth, resulting in an extreme type of extinction vortex for these ecologically important organisms.

Variation in radiation sensitivity and repair kinetics in different parts of the spinal cord

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamus-Gorka, Magdalena; Brahme, Anders; Mavroidis, Panayiotis; Lind, Bengt K.

2008-01-01

Background. The spinal cord, known for its strongly serial character and high sensitivity to radiation even when a small segment is irradiated, is one of the most critical organs at risk to be spared during radiation therapy. To compare the sensitivity of different parts of the spinal cord, data for radiation myelopathy have been used. Material and methods. In the present study, the relative seriality model was fitted to two different datasets of clinical radiation myelitis concerning cervical spinal cord after treating 248 patients for head and neck cancer and thoracic spinal cord after treating 43 patients with lung carcinoma. The maximum likelihood method was applied to fit the clinical data. The model parameters and their 68% confidence intervals were calculated for each dataset. The α/β ratio for the thoracic cord was also was also found to be 0.9 (0-3.0) Gy. Results. The dose-response curve for the more sensitive cervical myelopathy is well described by the parameters D 50 =55.9 (54.8-57.1) Gy, γ=6.9 (5.0-9.2), s=0.13 (0.07-0.24), whereas the thoracic myelopathy is described by the parameters D 50 =75.5 (70.5-80.8) Gy, γ=1.1 (0.6-1.6), s=36 (3.3-8). Discussion and conclusions. Large differences in radiation response between the cervical and thoracic region of spinal cord are thus observed: cervical myelopathy seems to be characterized by medium seriality, while thoracic spinal cord is characterized by a highly serial dose-response. The much steeper dose-response curve for cervical spinal cord myelopathy can be interpreted as a higher number of functional subunits consistent with a higher amount of white matter close to the brain

Are marine and nonmarine extinctions correlated?

Science.gov (United States)

Rampino, Michael R.

Recent papers in Eos have debated the possible relationships between marine mass extinctions, comet showers, and volcanism [Alvarez, 1986; Officer and Grieve, 1986], and ail three might be linked [Rampino, 1987]. Moreover, as Officer and Grieve [ 1986] point out, various other causes have been suggested for given extinction events, including changes in climate, ocean circulation, and sea level fluctuations, possibly related to plate tectonics and continental positions. Also under debate is the issue of whether mass extinctions were gradual, stepped, or geologically sudden events (see, for example, Hut et al. [1987]). A missing ingredient thus far in these debates has been the record of faunal diversity of nonmarine animals. Does this show any agreement with the marine extinction record?

A High Molar Extinction Coefficient Mono-Anthracenyl Bipyridyl Heteroleptic Ruthenium(II Complex: Synthesis, Photophysical and Electrochemical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter A. Ajibade

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In our quest to develop good materials as photosensitizers for photovoltaic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs, cis-dithiocyanato-4-(2,3-dimethylacrylic acid-2,2'-bipyridyl-4-(9-anthracenyl-(2,3-dimethylacrylic-2,2'-bipyridyl ruthenium(II complex, a high molar extinction coefficient charge transfer sensitizer, was designed, synthesized and characterized by spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. Earlier studies on heteroleptic ruthenium(II complex analogues containing functionalized oligo-anthracenyl phenanthroline ligands have been reported and documented. Based on a general linear correlation between increase in the length of π-conjugation bond and the molar extinction coefficients, herein, we report the photophysical and electrochemical properties of a Ru(II bipyridyl complex analogue with a single functionalized anthracenyl unit. Interestingly, the complex shows better broad and intense metal-to ligand charge transfer (MLCT band absorption with higher molar extinction coefficient (λmax = 518 nm, e = 44900 M−1cm−1, and appreciable photoluminescence spanning the visible region than those containing higher anthracenyl units. It was shown that molar absorption coefficient of the complexes may not be solely depended on the extended π-conjugation but are reduced by molecular aggregation in the molecules.

Delay-Line Three-Dimensional Position Sensitive Radiation Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Manhee

High-resistivity silicon(Si) in large volumes and with good charge carrier transport properties has been produced and achieved success as a radiation detector material over the past few years due to its relatively low cost as well as the availability of well-established processing technologies. One application of that technology is in the fabrication of various position-sensing topologies from which the incident radiation's direction can be determined. We have succeeded in developing the modeling tools for investigating different position-sensing schemes and used those tools to examine both amplitude-based and time-based methods, an assessment that indicates that fine position-sensing can be achieved with simpler readout designs than are conventionally deployed. This realization can make ubiquitous and inexpensive deployment of special nuclear materials (SNM) detecting technology becomes more feasible because if one can deploy position-sensitive semiconductor detectors with only one or two contacts per side. For this purpose, we have described the delay-line radiation detector and its optimized fabrication. The semiconductor physics were simulated, the results from which guided the fabrication of the guard ring structure and the detector electrode, both of which included metal-field-plates. The measured improvement in the leakage current was confirmed with the fabricated devices, and the structures successfully suppressed soft-breakdown. We also demonstrated that fabricating an asymmetric strip-line structure successfully minimizing the pulse shaping and increases the distance through which one can propagate the information of the deposited charge distribution. With fabricated delay-line detectors we can acquire alpha spectra (Am-241) and gamma spectra (Ba-133, Co-57 and Cd-109). The delay-line detectors can therefore be used to extract the charge information from both ion and gamma-ray interactions. Furthermore, standard charge-sensitive circuits yield high SNR

How does climate change cause extinction?

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Abigail E; Aiello-Lammens, Matthew E; Fisher-Reid, M Caitlin; Hua, Xia; Karanewsky, Caitlin J; Ryu, Hae Yeong; Sbeglia, Gena C; Spagnolo, Fabrizio; Waldron, John B; Warsi, Omar; Wiens, John J

2013-01-07

Anthropogenic climate change is predicted to be a major cause of species extinctions in the next 100 years. But what will actually cause these extinctions? For example, will it be limited physiological tolerance to high temperatures, changing biotic interactions or other factors? Here, we systematically review the proximate causes of climate-change related extinctions and their empirical support. We find 136 case studies of climatic impacts that are potentially relevant to this topic. However, only seven identified proximate causes of demonstrated local extinctions due to anthropogenic climate change. Among these seven studies, the proximate causes vary widely. Surprisingly, none show a straightforward relationship between local extinction and limited tolerances to high temperature. Instead, many studies implicate species interactions as an important proximate cause, especially decreases in food availability. We find very similar patterns in studies showing decreases in abundance associated with climate change, and in those studies showing impacts of climatic oscillations. Collectively, these results highlight our disturbingly limited knowledge of this crucial issue but also support the idea that changing species interactions are an important cause of documented population declines and extinctions related to climate change. Finally, we briefly outline general research strategies for identifying these proximate causes in future studies.

Visible and ultraviolet (800--130 nm) extinction of vapor-condensed silicate, carbon, and silicon carbide smokes and the interstellar extinction curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephens, J.R.

1980-01-01

The extinction curves from 800 to 130 nm (1.25--7.7 μm -1 ) of amorphous silicate smokes nominally of olivine and pyroxene composition, carbon smokes, and crystalline SiC smokes are presented. The SiC smoke occurred in the low-temperature (β) cubic structural form. The mean grain radius ranged from 5 to 13 nm. The extinction profiles of the amorphous olivine smokes were similar in the ultraviolet to the measured extinction curves of crystalline olivine of nearly the same grain size. The SiC smoke showed an absorption edge which occurred at significantly longer wavelengths than the calculated extinction profile of the hexagonal SiC form previously used to calculate the interstellar extinction profile. Neither SiC nor amorphous silicates show an extinction band similar to the observed 6.6 μm -1 astronomical extinction band

Global extinction in spiral galaxies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tully, RB; Pierce, MJ; Saunders, W; Verheijen, MAW; Witchalls, PL

Magnitude-limited samples of spiral galaxies drawn from the Ursa Major and Pisces Clusters are used to determine their extinction properties as a function of inclination. Imaging photometry is available for 87 spirals in the B, R, I, and K' bands. Extinction causes systematic scatter in

Differences in sensitivity to the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis among amphibian populations

Science.gov (United States)

Paul W. Bradley; Stephanie S. Gervasi; Jessica Hua; Rickey D. Cothran; Rick A. Relyea; Deanna H. Olson; Andrew R. Blaustein

2015-01-01

Contributing to the worldwide biodiversity crisis are emerging infectious diseases, which can lead to extirpations and extinctions of hosts. For example, the infectious fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is associated with worldwide amphibian population declines and extinctions. Sensitivity to Bd varies with species, season, and life stage. However,...

Structure of Herbig-Haro object 43 and Orion dark cloud extinction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, R.D.; Dopita, M.A.; Cohen, M.; Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, Canberra, Australia; NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field; California Univ., Berkeley)

1985-01-01

New ultraviolet and optical observations of Herbig-Haro object No. 43 are reported. Continuum and emission-line fluxes in the wavelength range 1250 to 7350 A have been measured. The continuum fluxes are best matched by an enhanced H exp 0 two-photon component added to H free-bound emission, assuming a Theta Ori extinction curve with E(B - V) = 0.2, R = 5. The structure and dynamics of three components within the object are discussed. The object has a radiative output of not less than 0.23 solar luminosities in ultraviolet and optical radiation combined. The energy requirements are discussed in terms of the production of shock waves by a collimated, supersonic mass outflow from a nearby infrared source. 16 references

Investigation of the modifying effects of vitamin A and hypoxic cell sensitizers in radiation carcinogenesis in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mian, T.A.

1982-01-01

The effect of vitamin A (retinyl acetate) and three hypoxic cell sensitizers (metronidazole, misonidazole and desmethylmisonidazole) on lung tumor development in strain A mice exposed to radiation was assessed. In experiments involving vitamin A, two groups of mice were fed a low vitamin A diet (< 100 IU/100g diet) while the two other groups were fed a high vitamin A diet (800 IU/100 g diet). After two weeks one group maintained on the high vitamin A diet and one group maintained on the low vitamin A diet were given an acute dose of 500 rad of gamma radiation to the thoracic region. Mice were killed, their lungs were removed and the number of surface adenomas were counted. There was a significant increase in the number of mice bearing lung tumors and the mean number of lung tumors per mouse in the irradiated group maintained on the high vitamin A diet at 40 weeks post irradiation as compared to the irradiated group maintained on a low vitamin A diet. In the other experiment two dose levels of the hypoxic cell sensitizers, 0.2 mg/g and 0.6 mg/g, were used either alone or in combination with 900 rad of gamma radiation in a fractionated dose schedule of twice a week for three weeks. In the groups of mice which received hypoxic cell sensitizers only, the prevalence and the mean number of lung tumors per mouse were somewhat increased in the higher dose group (0.6 mg/g) of misonidazole but was not significantly different from the control animals in the other two sensitizer groups. The combination of hypoxic cell sensitizer and radiation did not show any significant enhancement of lung tumor response when compared with the group which received radiation only. The dose of radiation used in this study significantly enhanced lung tumor formation in mice when compared with the control group

Methylphenidate enhances extinction of contextual fear

OpenAIRE

Abraham, Antony D.; Cunningham, Christopher L.; Lattal, K. Matthew

2012-01-01

Methylphenidate (MPH, Ritalin) is a norepinephrine and dopamine transporter blocker that is widely used in humans for treatment of attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy. Although there is some evidence that targeted microinjections of MPH may enhance fear acquisition, little is known about the effect of MPH on fear extinction. Here, we show that MPH, administered before or immediately following extinction of contextual fear, will enhance extinction retention in C57BL/6 mice. Animals that ...

Small-scale Scheimpflug lidar for aerosol extinction coefficient and vertical atmospheric transmittance detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Guodong; Qin, Laian; Hou, Zaihong; Jing, Xu; He, Feng; Tan, Fengfu; Zhang, Silong

2018-03-19

In this paper, a new prototypical Scheimpflug lidar capable of detecting the aerosol extinction coefficient and vertical atmospheric transmittance at 1 km above the ground is described. The lidar system operates at 532 nm and can be used to detect aerosol extinction coefficients throughout an entire day. Then, the vertical atmospheric transmittance can be determined from the extinction coefficients with the equation of numerical integration in this area. CCD flat fielding of the image data is used to mitigate the effects of pixel sensitivity variation. An efficient method of two-dimensional wavelet transform according to a local threshold value has been proposed to reduce the Gaussian white noise in the lidar signal. Furthermore, a new iteration method of backscattering ratio based on genetic algorithm is presented to calculate the aerosol extinction coefficient and vertical atmospheric transmittance. Some simulations are performed to reduce the different levels of noise in the simulated signal in order to test the precision of the de-noising method and inversion algorithm. The simulation result shows that the root-mean-square errors of extinction coefficients are all less than 0.02 km -1 , and that the relative errors of the atmospheric transmittance between the model and inversion data are below 0.56% for all cases. The feasibility of the instrument and the inversion algorithm have also been verified by an optical experiment. The average relative errors of aerosol extinction coefficients between the Scheimpflug lidar and the conventional backscattering elastic lidar are 3.54% and 2.79% in the full overlap heights of two time points, respectively. This work opens up new possibilities of using a small-scale Scheimpflug lidar system for the remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols.

One extinct turtle species less: Pelusios seychellensis is not extinct, it never existed.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heiko Stuckas

Full Text Available Pelusios seychellensis is thought to be a freshwater turtle species endemic to the island of Mahé, Seychelles. There are only three museum specimens from the late 19(th century known. The species has been never found again, despite intensive searches on Mahé. Therefore, P. seychellensis has been declared as "Extinct" by the IUCN and is the sole putatively extinct freshwater turtle species. Using DNA sequences of three mitochondrial genes of the historical type specimen and phylogenetic analyses including all other species of the genus, we provide evidence that the description of P. seychellensis was erroneously based on a widely distributed West African species, P. castaneus. Consequently, we synonymize the two species and delete P. seychellensis from the list of extinct chelonian species and from the faunal list of the Seychelles.

Study of radiation sensitization of artesunate on human HeLa cells of cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Rong; Cao Jianping; Chen Xialin; Zhu Wei; Jiang Qing; Pan Chunyan; Zhou Yuanyuan; Feng Yang; Peng Xiaomei; Liu Yang; Fan Saijun

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the radiosensitizing effects of artesunate on human HeLa cells of cervical cancer in vitro. Methods: Hela cells irradiated with 60 Co γ-rays. The dose rate was 0.635 Gy/min and the radiation dose was 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 Gy, respectively. The anti-proliferation activities of artesunate on HeLa cells were evaluated with MTT assay, to determine the most appropriate drug concentration. The effect of radiosensitivity was observed by using clonogenic assay. The single-hit multi-target model was used to plot the HeLa cell's dose-survival curve, to calculate mean lethal dose, quasi-threshold dose and sensitization enhancement rate, and to evaluate its radiosensitization effect. The apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM) to further test the radiation sensitization of artesunate on HeLa cells. Results: The inhibition of artesunate on HeLa cells increased with concentration. In radiation group, the cell cloning efficiency were 91.67%, 82.02%, 58.06%, 25.01%, respectively, and in artesunate (2.0 μmol/L) + radiation group, the cell cloning efficiency were 74.93%, 60.53%, 22.38%, 5.05%. In radiation group and artesunate (2.0 μmol/L) + radiation group, the mean lethal dose (D 0 ) was 2.95 and 2.07 Gy, respectively, while the qusai-threshold dose (D q ) were 2.01 and 1.24 Gy, respectively, and SER was 1.43. Compared with 2 and 6 Gy radiation group, the apoptosis rate of drug + radiation group increased from 12.26%, 40.08% to 22.71%, 59.92. Conclusions: The inhibiting effect of artesunate on HeLa cells is concentration-dependent. Artesunate has radiosensitizing effect on HeLa cells in vitro. (authors)

Pollinator declines. Extinctions of aculeate pollinators in Britain and the role of large-scale agricultural changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ollerton, Jeff; Erenler, Hilary; Edwards, Mike; Crockett, Robin

2014-12-12

Pollinators are fundamental to maintaining both biodiversity and agricultural productivity, but habitat destruction, loss of flower resources, and increased use of pesticides are causing declines in their abundance and diversity. Using historical records, we assessed the rate of extinction of bee and flower-visiting wasp species in Britain from the mid-19th century to the present. The most rapid phase of extinction appears to be related to changes in agricultural policy and practice beginning in the 1920s, before the agricultural intensification prompted by the Second World War, often cited as the most important driver of biodiversity loss in Britain. Slowing of the extinction rate from the 1960s onward may be due to prior loss of the most sensitive species and/or effective conservation programs. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Radiation sensitivity and DNA repair in Caenorhabditis elegans strains with different mean life spans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartman, P S; Simpson, V J; Johnson, T; Mitchell, D

1988-06-01

The sensitivities to three DNA damaging agents (UV and ..gamma..-radiation, methyl methanesulfonate) were measured in four recombinant inbred (RI) strains of Caenorhabditis elegans with mean life spans ranging from 13 to 30.9 days, as well as in the wild-type strains used to derive these RI's. Sensitivities at several stages in the developmental cycle were tested. There were no significant correlations between mean life span and the lethal effects of these 3 agents. Excision of two UV-radiation-induced DNA photoproducts was also measured. Long-lived strains were no more repair competent than shorter-lived strains. These data indicate that DNA repair plays at best a minor role in the aging process of C. elegans. 33 refs.; 4 figs.

Age and radiation sensitivity of rat mammary clonogenic cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Yoshiya; Yasukawa-Barnes, J.; Kim, R.Y.; Gould, M.N.; Clifton, K.H.

1994-01-01

The relative risk of breast cancer is very high among women who were exposed to ionizing radiation during or before puberty. In the current studies, the surviving fractions of clonogenic mammary cells of groups of virgin rats were estimated after single exposures to 137 Cs γ rays at intervals from 1 to 12 weeks after birth. The radiosensitivity of clonogens from prepubertal rats was high and changed with the onset of puberty at between 4 and 6 weeks of age. By this time, the increase in the size of the clonogenic cell subpopulation was slowing and differentiation of terminal mammary end buds and alveolar structures was occurring. Analysis of the relationship of clonogen survival and radiation dose according to the α/β model showed that the exponential αD term predominated at the second and fourth weeks of age. By the eighth week of age, the βD 2 term had come to predominate and the survival curve had a pronounced initial convex shoulder. Further experiments are required to determine whether there is an association between the high sensitivity of the prepubertal and pubertal mammary clonogens to radiation killing and a high susceptibility to radiogenic initiation of cancer. 24 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Pre- versus post-mass extinction divergence of Mesozoic marine reptiles dictated by time-scale dependence of evolutionary rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Motani, Ryosuke; Jiang, Da-Yong; Tintori, Andrea; Ji, Cheng; Huang, Jian-Dong

2017-05-17

The fossil record of a major clade often starts after a mass extinction even though evolutionary rates, molecular or morphological, suggest its pre-extinction emergence (e.g. squamates, placentals and teleosts). The discrepancy is larger for older clades, and the presence of a time-scale-dependent methodological bias has been suggested, yet it has been difficult to avoid the bias using Bayesian phylogenetic methods. This paradox raises the question of whether ecological vacancies, such as those after mass extinctions, prompt the radiations. We addressed this problem by using a unique temporal characteristic of the morphological data and a high-resolution stratigraphic record, for the oldest clade of Mesozoic marine reptiles, Ichthyosauromorpha. The evolutionary rate was fastest during the first few million years of ichthyosauromorph evolution and became progressively slower over time, eventually becoming six times slower. Using the later slower rates, estimates of divergence time become excessively older. The fast, initial rate suggests the emergence of ichthyosauromorphs after the end-Permian mass extinction, matching an independent result from high-resolution stratigraphic confidence intervals. These reptiles probably invaded the sea as a new ecosystem was formed after the end-Permian mass extinction. Lack of information on early evolution biased Bayesian clock rates. © 2017 The Author(s).

Positive allosteric modulation of mGluR5 accelerates extinction learning but not relearning following methamphetamine self-administration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter R Kufahl

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have implicated glutamate neurotransmission as an important substrate for the extinction of conditioned behaviors, including responding for drug reinforcement. Positive allosteric modulation of the type-5 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR5 in particular has emerged as a treatment strategy for the enhancement of extinction of drug-motivated behaviors. Here, we investigated the effects of the mGluR5 positive allosteric modulator CDPPB, a compound known for its cognitive enhancing effects in rodents, on extinction learning in rats with different histories of methamphetamine (METH training. Rats were trained to self-administer METH under two conditions: 16 daily sessions of short access (90 min/day, ShA, or 8 daily sessions of short access followed by 8 sessions of long access (6 hr/day, LgA. Control rats self-administered sucrose pellets in daily 30 min sessions. Next, rats were administered vehicle or 30 mg/kg CDPPB prior to 7 consecutive daily extinction sessions, subjected to additional extinction sessions to re-establish a post-treatment baseline, and then tested for reinstatement of behavior in the presence of METH- or sucrose-paired cues. Rats were then subjected to a second series of extinction sessions, preceded by vehicle or 30 mg/kg CDPPB, and an additional test for cue-triggered reinstatement. CDPPB treatment resulted in a more rapid extinction of responding on the active lever, especially in the early sessions of the first extinction sequence. However, treatment effects were minimal during subsequent cue reinstatement tests and nonexistent during the second series of extinction sessions. Rats with histories of ShA, LgA and sucrose training expressed similar behavioral sensitivities to CDPPB, with LgA rats demonstrating a modestly higher treatment effect. Positive allosteric modulation of mGluR5 may therefore have some beneficial effects on efforts to facilitate extinction learning and reduce methamphetamine seeking.

Interstellar extinction in the Large Magellanic Cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nandy, K.; Morgan, D.H.; Willis, A.J.; Wilson, R.; Gondhalekar, P.M.; Houziaux, L.

1980-01-01

Recent UV observations together with complementary visible data of several reddened and comparison stars of similar spectral types in the Large Magellanic Cloud have been used to study the interstellar extinction in that galaxy. Most of the reddened stars studied here are located within 2 0 of 30 Doradus and show remarkably high extinction in the far UV, suggesting a large abundance of small particles. From the optical wavelength to 2,600 A the normalised extinction curves of the LMC stars are similar to the mean galactic extinction law. (author)

Mass extinctions vs. uniformitarianism in biological evolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bak, P.; Paczuski, M.

1995-12-31

It is usually believed that Darwin`s theory leads to a smooth gradual evolution, so that mass extinctions must be caused by external shocks. However, it has recently been argued that mass extinctions arise from the intrinsic dynamics of Darwinian evolution. Species become extinct when swept by intermittent avalanches propagating through the global ecology. These ideas are made concrete through studies of simple mathematical models of co-evolving species. The models exhibit self-organized criticality and describe some general features of the extinction pattern in the fossil record.

Studies on the Mechanism of Radiation Resistance in Micrococcus Radiodurans and its Sensitization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kitayama, S.; Matsuyama, A. [Radiobiology Laboratory, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Wako-shi, Saitama-ken (Japan)

1978-06-15