Homestake surface-underground scintillators: Initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherry, M.L.; Corbato, S.; Daily, T.; Fenyves, E.J.; Kieda, D.; Lande, K.; Lee, C.K.

1986-01-01

The first 70 tons of the 140-ton Large Area Scintillation Detector (LASD) have been operating since Jan. 1985 at a depth of 4850 ft. (4200 m.w.e.) in the Homestake Gold Mine, Lead, S.D. A total of 4 x 10(4) high-energy muons (E sub mu is approx. 2.7 TeV at the surface) have been detected. The remainder of the detector is scheduled to be in operation by the Fall of 1985. In addition, a surface air shower array is under construction. The first 27 surface counters, spaced out over an area of 270' x 500', began running in June, 1985. The LASD performance, the potential of the combined shower array and underground muon experiment for detecting point sources, and the initial results of a search for periodic emission from Cygnus X-3 are discussed

The initial magnetic susceptibility of polydisperse ferrofluids: A comparison between experiment and theory over a wide range of concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solovyova, Anna Y.; Goldina, Olga A.; Ivanov, Alexey O.; Elfimova, Ekaterina A.; Lebedev, Aleksandr V.

2016-01-01

Temperature dependencies of the static initial magnetic susceptibility for ferrofluids at various concentrations are studied using experiment and statistical-mechanical theories. Magnetic susceptibility measurements are carried out for twelve samples of magnetite-based fluids stabilized with oleic acid over a wide range of temperatures (210 K ≲T ≲ 390 K); all samples have the same granulometric composition but different volume ferroparticle concentrations (0.2 ≲ φ ≲ 0.5). Experimental results are analyzed using three theories: the second-order modified mean-field theory (MMF2) [A. O. Ivanov and O. B. Kuznetsova, Phys. Rev. E 64, 41405 (2001)]; its correction for polydisperse ferrofluids arising from Mayer-type cluster expansion and taking into account the first terms of the polydisperse second virial coefficient [A. O. Ivanov and E. A. Elfimova, J. Magn. Magn. Mater 374, 327 (2015)]; and a new theory based on MMF2 combined with the first terms of the polydisperse second and third virial contributions to susceptibility. It turns out that the applicability of each theory depends on the experimental sample density. If twelve ferrofluid samples are split into three groups of strong, moderate, and low concentrated fluids, the temperature dependences of the initial magnetic susceptibility in each group are very precisely described by one of the three theories mentioned above. The determination of a universal formula predicting a ferrofluid susceptibility over a broad range of concentrations and temperatures remains as a challenge.

Do corporate environmental initiatives lead to results in SMEs?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henning; Ulhøi, John Parm

, it is relevant to study the situation between these two stages in order to identify to which extent corporate environmental initiatives actually lead to results and reductions. The research is based on data collected by surveys of industrial companies in Denmark in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. They information...... with previous research demonstrating that companies generally are re-active in their attitude when perceiving stakeholder influence on taking environmental initiative and mainly respond to influence from stakeholders representing authorities, owners or employees. However, the size of the company may have...... a negative influence in some situations. That is, it seems to be easier for smaller companies to achieve an improvement compared to medium-sized companies....

Does this range suit me? Range satisfaction of battery electric vehicle users.

Science.gov (United States)

Franke, Thomas; Günther, Madlen; Trantow, Maria; Krems, Josef F

2017-11-01

User satisfaction is a vital design criterion for sustainable systems. The present research aimed to understand factors relating to individually perceived range satisfaction of battery electric vehicle (BEV) users. Data from a large-scale BEV field trial (N = 72) were analyzed. Apart from an initial drop in range satisfaction, increasing practical experience was related to increased range satisfaction. Classical indicators of users' mobility profiles (daily travel distances) were only weakly related to lower range satisfaction (not significant), after controlling for practical experience and preferred coverage of mobility needs. The regularity/predictability of users' mobility patterns, the percentage of journeys not coverable because of range issues, and users' individual comfortable range accounted for variance in range satisfaction. Finally, range satisfaction was related to key indicators of general BEV acceptance (e.g., purchase intentions). These results underline the complex dynamics involved in individual range satisfaction, as well as its central role for BEV acceptance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial results from a charge exchange q-diagnostic on TEXT-U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valanju, P.M.; Duraiappah, L.; Bengtson, R.D.; Karzhavin, Y.; Nikitin, A.

1994-01-01

The authors present initial results from a new q-diagnostic for TEXT-Upgrade. This method is based on using a toroidal array of detectors to determine the plane in which beam-injected neutrals are emitted after two charge-exchange collisions. The potential advantages are low cost, full plasma accessibility, and good time resolution. Their initial series of experiments on TEXT-U established the feasibility of this technique

Overview of the initial NSTX experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, M.; Bell, M.; Bell, R.

2001-01-01

The main aim of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to establish the fusion physics principles of the spherical torus (ST) concept. The NSTX device began plasma operations in February 1999 and the plasma current I p was successfully brought up to the design value of 1 million amperes on December 14, 1999. The planned plasma shaping parameters, κ=1.6-2.2 and δ=0.2-0.4, were achieved in inner limited, single null and double null configurations. The CHI (Coaxial Helicity Injection) and HHFW (High Harmonic Fast Wave) experiments were also initiated. A CHI injected current of 27 kA produced up to 260 kA of toroidal current without using an ohmic solenoid. With an injection of 2.3 MW of HHFW power, using twelve antennas connected to six transmitters, electrons were heated from a central temperature of 400 eV to 900 eV at a central density of 3.5x10 13 cm -3 increasing the plasma energy to 59 kJ and the toroidal beta, β T to 10 %. Finally, the NBI system commenced operation in Sept. 2000. The initial results with two ion sources (P NBI =2.8MW) shows good heating, producing a total plasma stored energy of 90 kJ corresponding to β T ∼18% at a plasma current of 1.1 MA. (author)

Overview of the initial NSTX experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, M.; Bell, M.G.; Bell, R.E.

2001-01-01

The main aim of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to establish the fusion physics principles of the spherical torus (ST) concept. The NSTX device began plasma operations in February 1999 and the plasma current I p was successfully brought up to the design value of 1 MA on 14 December 1999. The planned plasma shaping parameters, elongation κ=1:6-2.2 and triangularity δ=0:2-0.4, were achieved in inner wall limited, and single null and double null diverted configurations. The coaxial helicity injection (CHI) and high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) experiments were also initiated. CHI current of 27 kA produced up to 260 kA toroidal current without using an ohmic solenoid. With the injection of 2.3 MW of HHFW power, using 12 antennas connected to six transmitters, electrons were heated from a central temperature of 400 eV to 900 eV at a central density of 3.5x10 13 cm 3 , increasing the plasma energy to 59 kJ and the toroidal β, β T , to 10%. The NBI system commenced operation in September 2000. The initial results with two ion sources (P NBI =2:8 MW) show good heating, producing a total plasma stored energy of 90 kJ corresponding to β T ∼18% at a plasma current of 1.1 MA. (author)

Overview of the Initial NSTX Experimental Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, M.; Bell, M.; Bell, R. E.; Bigelow, T.; Bitter, M.

2000-01-01

The main aim of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to establish the fusion physics principles of the spherical torus (ST) concept. The NSTX device began plasma operations in February 1999 and the plasma current Ip was successfully brought up to the design value of 1 million amperes on December 14, 1999. The planned plasma shaping parameters, k = 1.6 ± 2.2 and d = 0.2 ± 0.4, were achieved in inner limited, single null and double null configurations. The CHI (Coaxial Helicity Injection) and HHFW (High Harmonic Fast Wave) experiments were also initiated. A CHI injected current of 27 kA produced up to 260 kA of toroidal current without using an ohmic solenoid. With an injection of 2.3 MW of HHFW power, using twelve antennas connected to six transmitters, electrons were heated from a central temperature of 400 eV to 900 eV at a central density of 3.5 x 1013 cm-3 increasing the plasma energy to 59 kJ and the toroidal beta, bT to 10 %. Finally, the NBI system commenced operation in Sept. 2000. The initial results with two ion sources (PNBI = 2.8 MW) shows good heating, producing a total plasma stored energy of 90 kJ corresponding to bT = 18 % at a plasma current of 1.1 MA

The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: Initial Results and Catalog from the Extended Chandra Deep Field South

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mullaney, J. R.; Del-Moro, A.; Aird, J.

2015-01-01

We present the initial results and the source catalog from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) survey of the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (hereafter, ECDFS)—currently the deepest contiguous component of the NuSTAR extragalactic survey program. The survey covers the full ≈30......V fluxes) span the range L10 40 keV (0.7 300) 10 erg s» - ´ 43 1 -- ,sampling below the “knee” of the X-ray luminosity function out to z ~ 0.8-1. Finally, we identify oneNuSTAR source that has neither a Chandra nor an XMM-Newton counterpart, but that shows evidence of nuclearactivity at infrared...

Initial results from the RHEPP module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harjes, H.C.; Penn, K.J.; Reed, K.W.; McClenahan, C.R.; Laderach, G.E.; Wavrik, R.W.; Adcock, J.L.; Butler, M.E.; Mann, G.A.; Pena, G.E.

1993-01-01

Several potential applications such as medical waste treatment, chemical waste treatment, food treatment, and flue gas cleanup have been identified for high average power electron beam systems. In the RHEPP (Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power) project, the technology for such a system is being developed. The RHEPP module consists of a magnetic pulse compressor driving a linear induction voltage adder with an e-beam diode load. It has been designed to operate continuously, delivering 350 kW of average power to the diode in 60-ns FWHM, 2.5-MV, 2.9-kJ pulses. The module is presently under construction with the first phase scheduled for completion in the summer of 1992. In the first phase, four of ten adder stages are being built so that testing can begin with a 1-MV, 160-kW diode with the balance of the power from the compressor diverted to a resistive load. A description of the system and test results from the initial stages of the compressor will be presented

Site Specific Advisory Board initiative, evaluation survey results supplementary appendix: Summary of individual site results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-08-01

This Appendix presents results of the Site-Specific Advisory Board (SSAB) Initiative for each of the 11 sites that participated in the survey. These individual results are a supplement to the June 1996 Summary Report which presented overall survey results. Results are presented in 11 sections, arranged alphabetically by site. Each section includes a series of figures and tables that parallel those presented in the Summary Report. To facilitate comparison, figures are presented both for the individual site and for the overall long survey. The sequence of sections is: Fernald, Hanford, Idaho, Los Alamos, Monticello, Nevada, Pantex, Rocky Flats, St. Louis, Sandia, and Savannah River

Reciprocating magnetic refrigerator for 2--4 K operation: Initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barclay, J.A.; Moze, O.; Paterson, L.

1979-01-01

The basic theory and design of a reciprocating magnetic refrigerator to pump heat from 2.2 to 4.2 K is presented. The results of initial experiments are shown. These results include conduction losses, eddy current losses, frictional losses, and mixing losses. Two cooling cycles were attempted and a net cooling power of 52 mW was observed at 1/60 Hz. The key problems in this design are identified and discussed

Factors associated with initial incomplete ablation for benign thyroid nodules after radiofrequency ablation: First results of CEUS evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chong-Ke; Xu, Hui-Xiong; Lu, Feng; Sun, Li-Ping; He, Ya-Ping; Guo, Le-Hang; Li, Xiao-Long; Bo, Xiao-Wan; Yue, Wen-Wen

2017-01-01

To assess the factors associated with initial incomplete ablation (ICA) after radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs). 69 BTNs (mean volume 6.35±5.66 ml, range 1.00-25.04 ml) confirmed by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in fifty-four patients were treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and the local treatment efficacy was immediately assessed by intra-procedural contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). The RFA was performed with a bipolar electrode (CelonProSurge 150-T20, output power: 20 W). CEUS was performed with a second generation contrast agent under low acoustic power (i.e. coded phase inversion, CPI). Characteristics of clinical factors, findings on conventional gray-scale ultrasound, color-Doppler ultrasound, and CEUS were evaluated preoperatively. Factors associated with initial ICA and initial ICA patterns on CEUS were assessed. Volume reduction ratios (VRRs) of ICA nodules were compared with those with complete ablation (CA). The RFA procedures were accomplished with a mean ablation time and mean total energy deposition of 11.13±3.39 min (range, 5.38-22.13 min) and 12612±4466 J (range, 6310-26130 J) respectively. CEUS detected initial ICA in 21 of 69 (30.8%) BTNs and 16 (76.2%) of the 21 BTNs with initial ICA achieved CA after additional RFA, leading to a final CA rate of 92.8% (64/69). The factors associated with initial ICA were predominantly solid nodule, nodule close to danger triangle area, nodule close to carotid artery, and peripheral blood flow on color-Doppler ultrasound (all P 50% at the 6-month follow-up, among which 7 nodules (10.1%) had VRRs of >90%. There were significant differences in VRRs between ICA nodules and CA nodules at the 3- and 6-month follow-up (all P ultrasound. CEUS assists quick treatment response evaluation and facilitates subsequent additional RFA and final CA of the nodules. Nodules with CA achieve a better outcome in terms of VRR in comparison with

Design of and initial results from a Highly Instrumented Reactor for Atmospheric Chemistry (HIRAC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. R. Glowacki

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The design of a Highly Instrumented Reactor for Atmospheric Chemistry (HIRAC is described and initial results obtained from HIRAC are presented. The ability of HIRAC to perform in-situ laser-induced fluorescence detection of OH and HO₂ radicals with the Fluorescence Assay by Gas Expansion (FAGE technique establishes it as internationally unique for a chamber of its size and pressure/temperature variable capabilities. In addition to the FAGE technique, HIRAC features a suite of analytical instrumentation, including: a multipass FTIR system; a conventional gas chromatography (GC instrument and a GC instrument for formaldehyde detection; NO/NO₂, CO, O₃, and H₂O vapour analysers. Ray tracing simulations and NO₂ actinometry have been utilized to develop a detailed model of the radiation field within HIRAC. Comparisons between the analysers and the FTIR coupled to HIRAC have been performed, and HIRAC has also been used to investigate pressure dependent kinetics of the chlorine atom reaction with ethene and the reaction of O₃ and t-2-butene. The results obtained are in good agreement with literature recommendations and Master Chemical Mechanism predictions. HIRAC thereby offers a highly instrumented platform with the potential for: (1 high precision kinetics investigations over a range of atmospheric conditions; (2 detailed mechanism development, significantly enhanced according to its capability for measuring radicals; and (3 field instrument intercomparison, calibration, development, and investigations of instrument response at a range of atmospheric conditions.

Initial experimental results from the Laboratory Biosphere closed ecological system facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, M; Dempster, W F; Alling, A; Allen, J P; Rasmussen, R; Silverstone, S; Van Thillo, M

2003-01-01

An initial experiment in the Laboratory Biosphere facility, Santa Fe, New Mexico, was conducted May-August 2002 using a soil-based system with light levels (at 12 h per day) of 58-mol m-2 d-1. The crop tested was soybean, cultivar Hoyt, which produced an aboveground biomass of 2510 grams. Dynamics of a number of trace gases showed that methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen gas had initial increases that were substantially reduced in concentration by the end of the experiment. Methane was reduced from 209 ppm to 11 ppm, and nitrous oxide from 5 ppm to 1.4 ppm in the last 40 days of the closure experiment. Ethylene was at elevated levels compared to ambient during the flowering/fruiting phase of the crop. Soil respiration from the 5.37 m2 (1.46 m3) soil component was estimated at 23.4 ppm h-1 or 1.28 g CO2 h-1 or 5.7 g CO2 m-2 d-1. Phytorespiration peaked near the time of fruiting at about 160 ppm h-1. At the height of plant growth, photosynthesis CO2 draw down was as high as 3950 ppm d-1, and averaged 265 ppm h-1 (whole day averages) during lighted hours with a range of 156-390 ppm h-1. During this period, the chamber required injections of CO2 to continue plant growth. Oxygen levels rose along with the injections of carbon dioxide. Upon several occasions, CO2 was allowed to be drawn down to severely limiting levels, bottoming at around 150 ppm. A strong positive correlation (about 0.05 ppm h-1 ppm-1 with r2 about 0.9 for the range 1000-5000 ppm) was observed between atmospheric CO2 concentration and the rate of fixation up to concentrations of around 8800 ppm CO2. c2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary results from initial in-pile debris bed experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivard, J.B.

1977-01-01

An accident in a liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) in which molten core material is suddenly quenched with subcooled liquid sodium could result in extensive fragmentation and dispersal of fuel as subcritical beds of frozen particulate debris within the reactor vessel. Since this debris will continue to generate power due to decay of retained fission products, containment of the debris is threatened if the generated heat is not removed. Therefore, the initial safety question is the capacity which debris beds may have for transfer of the decay heat to overlying liquid sodium by natural processes--i.e., without the aid of forced circulation of the coolant. Up to the present time, all experiments on debris bed behavior either have used substitute materials (e.g., sand and water) or have employed actual materials, but atypical heating methods. Increased confidence in the applicability of debris bed simulations is afforded if the heat is generated within the fuel component of the appropriate fast reactor materials. The initial series of in-pile tests reported on herein constitutes the first experiments in which the internal heating mode has been produced in particulate oxide fuel immersed in liquid sodium. Fission heating of the fully-enriched UO 2 in the experiment while it is contained within Sandia Laboratories Annular Core Pulse Reactor (ACPR), operating in its steady-state mode, approximates the decay heating of debris. Preliminary results are discussed

Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars: Results from the Initial Detector Era

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aasi, J.; et al., [Unknown; Hessels, J.W.T.

2014-01-01

We present the results of searches for gravitational waves from a large selection of pulsars using data from the most recent science runs (S6, VSR2 and VSR4) of the initial generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors LIGO (Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Observatory) and

Initial Laboratory-Scale Melter Test Results for Combined Fission Product Waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riley, Brian J.; Crum, Jarrod V.; Buchmiller, William C.; Rieck, Bennett T.; Schweiger, Michael J.; Vienna, John D.

2009-10-01

This report describes the methods and results used to vitrify a baseline glass, CSLNTM-C-2.5 in support of the AFCI (Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative) using a Quartz Crucible Scale Melter at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Document number AFCI-WAST-PMO-MI-DV-2009-000184.

Initial 2-year results of CardioCel® patch implantation in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavy, Carine; Michielon, Guido; Robertus, Jan Lukas; Lacour-Gayet, François; Ghez, Olivier

2018-03-01

We present the initial 2-year results of CardioCel® patch (Admedus Regen Pty Ltd, Perth, WA, Australia) implantation in paediatric patients with congenital heart diseases. This was a single-centre retrospective study with prospectively collected data of all patients aged 18 years and under operated for congenital heart disease. The patch was introduced in 2014, with clinical practice committee approval and a special consent in case of an Ozaki procedure. Standard follow-up was performed with systematic clinical exams and echocardiograms. In case of reoperation or graft failure, the patch was removed and sent for a histological examination. Between March 2014 and April 2016, 101 patients had surgical repair using a CardioCel patch. The mean age was 22 (±36.3) months, and the mean weight was 9.7 (±10.3) kg. No infections and no intraoperative implantation difficulties were associated with the patch. The median follow-up period was 212 (range 4-726) days. The overall 30-day postoperative mortality was 3.8% (n = 4), none of which were related to graft failure. Five children were reoperated because of graft failure, 4 of whom had the patch implanted for aortic and were aged less than 10 days. The indications for patch implantation in the aortic position were aortopulmonary window, truncus arteriosus, coarctation and aortic arch hypoplasia repair. The median time between the first and the second operation for graft failure was 245 (range 5-480) days. Our experience shows that the patch is well tolerated in the septal, valvar and pulmonary artery positions. However, we experienced graft failures in infants in the aortic position. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Effect of pain-free range exercise on shoulder pain and range of motion in an amateur skier.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Won-Gyu

2016-12-01

[Purpose] This study prescribed pain-free range exercises for a female amateur skier who complained of limitations in her shoulder range of motion, and pain caused by protective spasms; the tester evaluated the effects of such exercise on pain. [Subject and Methods] A 23-year-old female who complained of pain of 3 weeks in duration in the right glenohumoral and scapulothoracic joints was enrolled. [Results] After pain-free range exercises, the visual analog pain score was 2 and the shoulder flexion and abduction angles improved compared to the initial values. [Conclusion] Thus, this study suggests muscle-strengthening exercises within the pain-free range, rather than simple pain treatments, as therapy for acute muscle injuries in skiers.

Experimental test accelerator: description and results of initial experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fessenden, T.; Birx, D.; Briggs, R.

1980-01-01

The ETA is a high current (10,000 Amp) linear induction accelerator that produces short (30 ns) pulses of electrons at 5 MeV twice per second or in bursts of 5 pulses separated by as little as one millisecond. At this time the machine has operated at 65% of its design current and 90% of the design voltage. This report contains a description of the accelerator and its diagnostics; the results of the initial year of operation; a comparison of design codes with experiments on beam transport; and a discussion of some of the special problems and their status

Implementation of a quality improvement initiative in Belgian diabetic foot clinics: feasibility and initial results.

Science.gov (United States)

Doggen, Kris; Van Acker, Kristien; Beele, Hilde; Dumont, Isabelle; Félix, Patricia; Lauwers, Patrick; Lavens, Astrid; Matricali, Giovanni A; Randon, Caren; Weber, Eric; Van Casteren, Viviane; Nobels, Frank

2014-07-01

This article aims to describe the implementation and initial results of an audit-feedback quality improvement initiative in Belgian diabetic foot clinics. Using self-developed software and questionnaires, diabetic foot clinics collected data in 2005, 2008 and 2011, covering characteristics, history and ulcer severity, management and outcome of the first 52 patients presenting with a Wagner grade ≥ 2 diabetic foot ulcer or acute neuropathic osteoarthropathy that year. Quality improvement was encouraged by meetings and by anonymous benchmarking of diabetic foot clinics. The first audit-feedback cycle was a pilot study. Subsequent audits, with a modified methodology, had increasing rates of participation and data completeness. Over 85% of diabetic foot clinics participated and 3372 unique patients were sampled between 2005 and 2011 (3312 with a diabetic foot ulcer and 111 with acute neuropathic osteoarthropathy). Median age was 70 years, median diabetes duration was 14 years and 64% were men. Of all diabetic foot ulcers, 51% were plantar and 29% were both ischaemic and deeply infected. Ulcer healing rate at 6 months significantly increased from 49% to 54% between 2008 and 2011. Management of diabetic foot ulcers varied between diabetic foot clinics: 88% of plantar mid-foot ulcers were off-loaded (P10-P90: 64-100%), and 42% of ischaemic limbs were revascularized (P10-P90: 22-69%) in 2011. A unique, nationwide quality improvement initiative was established among diabetic foot clinics, covering ulcer healing, lower limb amputation and many other aspects of diabetic foot care. Data completeness increased, thanks in part to questionnaire revision. Benchmarking remains challenging, given the many possible indicators and limited sample size. The optimized questionnaire allows future quality of care monitoring in diabetic foot clinics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

SU-C-207A-06: On-Line Beam Range Verification with Multiple Scanning Particle Beams: Initial Feasibility Study with Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Y; Sun, X; Lu, W; Jia, X; Wang, J; Shao, Y [The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Ctr., Dallas, TX (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility and requirement for intra-fraction on-line multiple scanning particle beam range verifications (BRVs) with in-situ PET imaging, which is beyond the current single-beam BRV with extra factors that will affect the BR measurement accuracy, such as beam diameter, separation between beams, and different image counts at different BRV positions. Methods: We simulated a 110-MeV proton beam with 5-mm diameter irradiating a uniform PMMA phantom by GATE simulation, which generated nuclear interaction-induced positrons. In this preliminary study, we simply duplicated these positrons and placed them next to the initial protons to approximately mimic the two spatially separated positron distributions produced by two beams parallel to each other but with different beam ranges. These positrons were then imaged by a PET (∼2-mm resolution, 10% sensitivity, 320×320×128 mm^3 FOV) with different acquisition times. We calculated the positron activity ranges (ARs) from reconstructed PET images and compared them with the corresponding ARs of original positron distributions. Results: Without further image data processing and correction, the preliminary study show the errors between the measured and original ARs varied from 0.2 mm to 2.3 mm as center-to-center separations and range differences were in the range of 8–12 mm and 2–8 mm respectively, indicating the accuracy of AR measurement strongly depends on the beam separations and range differences. In addition, it is feasible to achieve ≤ 1.0-mm accuracy for both beams with 1-min PET acquisition and 12 mm beam separation. Conclusion: This study shows that the overlap between the positron distributions from multiple scanning beams can significantly impact the accuracy of BRVs of distributed particle beams and need to be further addressed beyond the established method of single-beam BRV, but it also indicates the feasibility to achieve accurate on-line multi-beam BRV with further improved

Initial and mid-term results of a 4F compatible self-expanding low strut profile nitinol stent in the superficial femoral artery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muehlenbruch, G.; Brock, H.; Das, M.; Hohl, C.; Mahnken, A.H.; Wildberger, J.; Guenther, R.W.; Haage, P.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the initial and mid-term results of a new self-expanding low strut profile nitinol stent for treatment of atherosclerotic lesions stenoses and occlusions in the superficial femoral artery (SFA). Materials and Methods: In 8 patients (4 male, 4 female, mean age 74.8 ± 8.8 years) with SFA lesions and non-satisfying results after PTA treatment alone, 10 self-expanding nitinol Xpert stents were deployed via a 4 F sheath. Stent characteristics and handling were graded by the interventionalist. Fontaine classification, duplex flow measurements and ankle brachial index (ABI) at rest and stress were taken prior and one day after stent placement. Patients were followed 3, 6 and 12 months after the procedure obtaining the same parameters at each appointment. Results: Initial stent treatment was successful in all patients. Stent handling and positioning were rated very good and safe. All patients improved clinically by at least one Fontaine stage (range before treatment: stage IIb to IV). The mean ABI at rest (stress) improved initially from 0.68 (0.70) to 1.07 (0.99). During a mean follow-up period of 8.3 months no case of clinically relevant in-stent stenosis was observed with stable values of ABI at rest and stress. (orig.)

Multi-GNSS signal-in-space range error assessment - Methodology and results

Science.gov (United States)

Montenbruck, Oliver; Steigenberger, Peter; Hauschild, André

2018-06-01

The positioning accuracy of global and regional navigation satellite systems (GNSS/RNSS) depends on a variety of influence factors. For constellation-specific performance analyses it has become common practice to separate a geometry-related quality factor (the dilution of precision, DOP) from the measurement and modeling errors of the individual ranging measurements (known as user equivalent range error, UERE). The latter is further divided into user equipment errors and contributions related to the space and control segment. The present study reviews the fundamental concepts and underlying assumptions of signal-in-space range error (SISRE) analyses and presents a harmonized framework for multi-GNSS performance monitoring based on the comparison of broadcast and precise ephemerides. The implications of inconsistent geometric reference points, non-common time systems, and signal-specific range biases are analyzed, and strategies for coping with these issues in the definition and computation of SIS range errors are developed. The presented concepts are, furthermore, applied to current navigation satellite systems, and representative results are presented along with a discussion of constellation-specific problems in their determination. Based on data for the January to December 2017 time frame, representative global average root-mean-square (RMS) SISRE values of 0.2 m, 0.6 m, 1 m, and 2 m are obtained for Galileo, GPS, BeiDou-2, and GLONASS, respectively. Roughly two times larger values apply for the corresponding 95th-percentile values. Overall, the study contributes to a better understanding and harmonization of multi-GNSS SISRE analyses and their use as key performance indicators for the various constellations.

General Atomic reprocessing pilot plant: description and results of initial testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

In June 1976 General Atomic completed the construction of a reprocessing head-end cold pilot plant. In the year since then, each system within the head end has been used for experiments which have qualified the designs. This report describes the equipment in the plant and summarizes the results of the initial phase of reprocessing testing

Three finned press-fit cup: Does its initial fixation strength provide an adequate stability? Clinical midterm results of 685 implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocco Romeo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: One of the major causes of loosening of cementless acetabular cup implants is insufficient initial stability. A technical proposal to decrease the risk of suboptimal first stability is a circumferential finned design of the cup. This design aims to improve periacetabular bone contact and prevent rotational micromotion of the cup when optimal press-fit cannot be obtained. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a group of 712 consecutive patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty from June 2006 to June 2014. In all patients, a titanium cup, characterized by three anti-rotational circumferential fins at the superior pole, was implanted. Results: Five hundred and ninety-two patients, for a total of 685 hips, were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 58 months (range 12-96 months. At 1-year follow-up, the average score increased to 82.90 (range 100-70 and at the final follow-up (58 months, range 12-96 months, it was 80.12 (range 100-66. In 22 cases (3%, screws to obtain a secure primary stability of the cup were used. Nineteen complications (2.6% needing revision surgery were observed. Survivorship at 10 years was 98.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 98.7-99.7% with revision for aseptic cup loosening as an endpoint and 96.7% (95% CI, 98.3-95.1% with revision for all causes of revision as the second endpoint. Discussion: In our group of patients, we did not observe the cases of very early cup loosening. The only two-cup revision, do to loosening of osteolysis, was observed 26 and 32 months before surgery. Conclusion: Our very low rate of additional screws represents an indirect sign of finned cup first stability. Three-finned cup design clinically confirmed to improve initial cup stability.

The Yekaterinburg headache initiative

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lebedeva, Elena R; Olesen, Jes; Osipova, Vera V

2013-01-01

for a demonstrational interventional project in Russia, undertaken within the Global Campaign against Headache. The initiative proposes three actions: 1) raise awareness of need for improvement; 2) design and implement a three-tier model (from primary care to a single highly specialized centre with academic affiliation......) for efficient and equitable delivery of headache-related health care; 3) develop a range of educational initiatives aimed at primary-care physicians, non-specialist neurologists, pharmacists and the general public to support the second action. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We set these proposals in a context...... of a health-care needs assessment, and as a model for all Russia. We present and discuss early progress of the initiative, justify the investment of resources required for implementation and call for the political support that full implementation requires. The more that the Yekaterinburg headache initiative...

A high-resolution full-field range imaging system

Science.gov (United States)

Carnegie, D. A.; Cree, M. J.; Dorrington, A. A.

2005-08-01

There exist a number of applications where the range to all objects in a field of view needs to be obtained. Specific examples include obstacle avoidance for autonomous mobile robots, process automation in assembly factories, surface profiling for shape analysis, and surveying. Ranging systems can be typically characterized as being either laser scanning systems where a laser point is sequentially scanned over a scene or a full-field acquisition where the range to every point in the image is simultaneously obtained. The former offers advantages in terms of range resolution, while the latter tend to be faster and involve no moving parts. We present a system for determining the range to any object within a camera's field of view, at the speed of a full-field system and the range resolution of some point laser scans. Initial results obtained have a centimeter range resolution for a 10 second acquisition time. Modifications to the existing system are discussed that should provide faster results with submillimeter resolution.

Children's Literacy Growth, and Candidates' and Teachers' Professional Development Resulting from a PDS-Based Initial Certification Literacy Course

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Julie L.; Donnantuono, Marie; Lebron, Mary; Flynn, Christina

2017-01-01

This paper reports the effects on children, teacher candidates, and classroom teachers of a PDS-based initial certification course in the teaching of literacy. In this course, teacher candidates work with individual struggling readers on a range of literacy tasks, and the classroom teacher and university faculty member serve as course…

Mortality associated with delays between clinic entry and ART initiation in resource-limited-settings: results of a transition-state model

Science.gov (United States)

HOFFMANN, Christopher J; LEWIS, James J; DOWDY, David W; FIELDING, Katherine L; GRANT, Alison D; MARTINSON, Neil A; CHURCHYARD, Gavin J; CHAISSON, Richard E

2013-01-01

Objective Estimate the mortality impact of delay in antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation from the time of entry-into-care. Design A state-transition Markov process model. This technique allows for assessing mortality before and after ART initiation associated with delays in ART initiation among a general population of ART eligible patients without conducting a randomized trial. Methods We used patient-level data from three South African cohorts to determine transition probabilities for pre-ART CD4 count changes and pre-ART and on-ART mortality. For each parameter we generated probabilities and distributions for Monte Carlo simulations with one week cycles to estimate mortality 52 weeks from clinic entry. Results We estimated an increase in mortality from 11.0% to 14.7% (relative increase of 34%) with a 10 week delay in ART for patients entering care with our pre-ART cohort CD4 distribution. When we examined low CD4 ranges, the relative increase in mortality delays remained similar; however, the absolute increase in mortality rose. For example, among patients entering with CD4 count 50–99 cells/mm3, 12 month mortality increased from 13.3% with no delay compared to 17.0% with a 10 week delay and 22.9% with a 6 month delay. Conclusions Delays in ART initiation, common in routine HIV programs, can lead to important increases in mortality. Prompt ART initiation for patients entering clinical care and eligible for ART, especially those with lower CD4 counts, could be a relatively low cost approach with a potential marked impact on mortality. PMID:23392457

Factors to Consider in Selecting an Organisational Improvement Initiative: Survey Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Musli

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Organisations should select the appropriate improvement initiative that will fit with the context of organisation and provide value to the organisation. This paper presents 18 factors to be considered when selecting an organisational improvement initiative. Organisational improvement initiatives are approaches, management systems, tools and/or techniques that can be used for managing and improving organisations, such as Lean, ISO9001, Six Sigma and Improvement Team. A survey was conducted to identify the level of importance of these 18 factors as criteria for selecting an improvement initiative. Purposive sampling was used for this survey involving practitioners, managers, engineers, executives, consultants and/or academicians, who have been involved in the selection and/or implementation of organisational improvement initiatives in Malaysia. Two factors were rated as ‘very high importance’, which involve: (1 The ability to gain top management commitment and support to introduce and implement the initiative successfully, and (2 The initiative is aligned to the vision, mission and/or purpose of the organisation. All these factors can be adopted by the organisations as decision criteria to assist in the selection of the most appropriate improvement initiative based on rational decision making.

The Young Solar Analogs Project: Initial Photometric Results

Science.gov (United States)

Saken, Jon M.; Gray, R. O.; Corbally, C. J.

2013-06-01

Since 2007 we have been conducting spectroscopic monitoring of the Ca II H & K lines and G-band for a sample of 31 YSAs in order to better understand their activity cycles and variations, as well as the effects of young stars on their solar systems. The targets cover the spectral range of stars most likely to contain Earth analogs, F8-K2, and a broad enough range of ages, 0.3 Gyr - 1.5 Gyr, to investigate how activity level changes with stellar age. These studies are already showing possible evidence for activity cycles, large variations in starspot activity, and flaring events. In order to obtain a more complete picture of the nature of the stars' activity and examine the correlations between stellar brightness and chromospheric activity, we have started a complimentary campaign of photometric monitoring of these targets in Johnson B, V, and R, Stromgren v and H-alpha, with the use of a small robotic telescope dedicated to this project. This poster will present some results from the first year of photometric monitoring, focusing on the correlations between the photometric bands, and between the photometric and spectroscopic data, as well as an investigation of short-term (1-2 minutes) spectroscopic variations using data obtained earlier this year on the 1.8 m Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT).

Test results for triple-modulation radar electronics with improved range disambiguation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pollastrone, Fabio, E-mail: fabio.pollastrone@enea.it; Neri, Carlo

2015-10-15

Highlights: • A new digital radar electronic system based on triple-modulation has been developed. • The triple-modulation system uses an improved algorithm for the range-disambiguation. • The new radar electronics has been applied in the IVVS optical radar prototype for ITER. • The performances obtained with IVVS double and triple-modulation were compared. - Abstract: The In Vessel Viewing System (IVVS) is an optical radar with sub milimetrical resolution that will be used for imaging and metrology pourposes in ITER. The electronics of the system is based on a Digital Radar Electronics developed in ENEA Frascati laboratories during the past years. Until the present study, the system was based on amplitude modulation technique having double-modulation frequency. The power of the laser is sinusoidally modulated and the distance of the points scanned by the laser beam is obtained measuring the phase difference between outgoing and echo signals. Recently a triple-modulation radar electronics version and an algorithm able to solve the range disambiguation were developed. The aim of the upgrade was the increase of the robustness in the range disambiguation. The paper briefly describes the updates carried out on the Digital Radar Electronics and extensively the test results obtained by comparing the performance of the triple modulation versus the double modulation techniques.

Fractional Differential Equations in Terms of Comparison Results and Lyapunov Stability with Initial Time Difference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coşkun Yakar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The qualitative behavior of a perturbed fractional-order differential equation with Caputo's derivative that differs in initial position and initial time with respect to the unperturbed fractional-order differential equation with Caputo's derivative has been investigated. We compare the classical notion of stability to the notion of initial time difference stability for fractional-order differential equations in Caputo's sense. We present a comparison result which again gives the null solution a central role in the comparison fractional-order differential equation when establishing initial time difference stability of the perturbed fractional-order differential equation with respect to the unperturbed fractional-order differential equation.

Recent results on short-range gravity experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hata, Maki; Akiyama, Takashi; Ikeda, Yuki; Kawamura, Hirokazu; Narita, Keigo; Ninomiya, Kazufumi; Ogawa, Naruya; Sato, Toshiaki; Seitaibashi, Etsuko; Sekiguchi, Yuta; Tsutsui, Ryosuke; Yazawa, Kazumasa; Murata, Jiro

2009-01-01

According to the ADD model, deviation from Newton's inverse square law is expected at below sub-millimeter scale. Present study is an experimental investigation of the Newton's gravitational law at a short range scale. We have developed an experimental setup using torsion balance bar, and succeeded to confirm the inverse square law at a centimeter scale. In addition, composition dependence of gravitational constant G is also tested at the centimeter scale, motivated to test the weak equivalence principle.

Compact Multipurpose Mobile Laser Scanning System — Initial Tests and Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig Glennie

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We describe a prototype compact mobile laser scanning system that may be operated from a backpack or unmanned aerial vehicle. The system is small, self-contained, relatively inexpensive, and easy to deploy. A description of system components is presented, along with the initial calibration of the multi-sensor platform. The first field tests of the system, both in backpack mode and mounted on a helium balloon for real-world applications are presented. For both field tests, the acquired kinematic LiDAR data are compared with highly accurate static terrestrial laser scanning point clouds. These initial results show that the vertical accuracy of the point cloud for the prototype system is approximately 4 cm (1σ in balloon mode, and 3 cm (1σ in backpack mode while horizontal accuracy was approximately 17 cm (1σ for the balloon tests. Results from selected study areas on the Sacramento River Delta and San Andreas Fault in California demonstrate system performance, deployment agility and flexibility, and potential for operational production of high density and highly accurate point cloud data. Cost and production rate trade-offs place this system in the niche between existing airborne and tripod mounted LiDAR systems.

Hardware test program for evaluation of baseline range-range rate sensor concept

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

The baseline range/range rate sensor concept was evaluated. The Interrupted CW (ICW) mode of operation continued with emphasis on establishing the sensitivity of the video portion of the receiver was 7 dB less than the theoretical value. This departs from test results of previous implementations in which achieved sensitivity was within 1.5 to 2 dB of the theoretical value. Several potential causes of this discrepancy in performance were identified and are scheduled for further investigation. Results indicate that a cost savings in both per unit and program costs are realizable by eliminating one of the modes of operation. An acquisition (total program) cost savings of approximately 10% is projected by eliminating the CW mode of operation. The modified R/R sensor would operate in the ICW mode only and would provide coverage from initial acquisition at 12 nmi to within a few hundred feet of the OMV. If the ICW mode only were selected, then an accompanying sensor would be required to provide coverage from a few hundred feet to docking.

Virtual enterprise architecture and methodology - Initial results from the Globeman21 project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vesterager, Johan; Larsen, Lars Bjørn; Gobbi, Chiara

1999-01-01

This paper will focus on presenting the initial results from the IMS project Globeman21 regarding generic models for Extended Enterprise Management (EEM). In particular the paper outlines a proposed architecture for the creation of virtual enterprises, industrial requirements regarding the generic...... models, terminology for describing extended enterprises, and initial considerations regarding a methodology for EEM. Globeman21 see the extended enterprise as a concept covering the totality of different concepts dealing with the expansion or extension of enterprise activities. One way of realising...... the concept of extended enterprise is through the creation of virtual enterprise, based on a more or less formalised network. This approach is the basis for the development of the generic EEM model within Globeman21....

Self-initiated actions result in suppressed auditory but amplified visual evoked components in healthy participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mifsud, Nathan G; Oestreich, Lena K L; Jack, Bradley N; Ford, Judith M; Roach, Brian J; Mathalon, Daniel H; Whitford, Thomas J

2016-05-01

Self-suppression refers to the phenomenon that sensations initiated by our own movements are typically less salient, and elicit an attenuated neural response, compared to sensations resulting from changes in the external world. Evidence for self-suppression is provided by previous ERP studies in the auditory modality, which have found that healthy participants typically exhibit a reduced auditory N1 component when auditory stimuli are self-initiated as opposed to externally initiated. However, the literature investigating self-suppression in the visual modality is sparse, with mixed findings and experimental protocols. An EEG study was conducted to expand our understanding of self-suppression across different sensory modalities. Healthy participants experienced either an auditory (tone) or visual (pattern-reversal) stimulus following a willed button press (self-initiated), a random interval (externally initiated, unpredictable onset), or a visual countdown (externally initiated, predictable onset-to match the intrinsic predictability of self-initiated stimuli), while EEG was continuously recorded. Reduced N1 amplitudes for self- versus externally initiated tones indicated that self-suppression occurred in the auditory domain. In contrast, the visual N145 component was amplified for self- versus externally initiated pattern reversals. Externally initiated conditions did not differ as a function of their predictability. These findings highlight a difference in sensory processing of self-initiated stimuli across modalities, and may have implications for clinical disorders that are ostensibly associated with abnormal self-suppression. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Design of a digital beam attenuation system for computed tomography. Part II. Performance study and initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szczykutowicz, Timothy P.; Mistretta, Charles A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to present a performance study of the digital beam attenuator (DBA) for implementing fluence field modulated CT (FFMCT) using a simulation framework developed to model the incorporation of the DBA into an existing CT system. Additionally, initial results will be presented using a prototype DBA and the realization of the prototype will be described. To our knowledge, this study represents the first experimental use of a device capable of modulating x-ray fluence as a function of fan angle using a CT geometry. Methods: To realize FFMCT, the authors propose to use a wedge design in which one wedge is held stationary and another wedge is moved over the stationary wedge. Due to the wedge shape, the composite thickness of the two wedges changes as a function of the amount of overlap between the wedges. This design allows for the wedges to modulate the photon fluence incident onto a patient. Using a simulation environment, the effect of changing the number of wedges has on dose, scatter, detector dynamic range, and noise uniformity is explored. Experimental results are presented using a prototype DBA having ten Fe wedges and a c-arm CT system geometry. The experimental DBA results are compared to non-DBA scans using scatter and detector dynamic range as metrics. Both flat field and bowtie filtered CT acquisitions were simulated for comparison with the DBA. Results: Numerical results suggest that substantial gains in noise uniformity and scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) can be obtained using only seven wedges. After seven wedges, the decrease in noise ununiformity and SPR falls off at a lower rate. Simulations comparing CT acquisitions between flat field, bowtie enabled, and DBA CT acquisitions suggest DBA-FFMCT can reduce dose relative to flat field CT by ≈3 times. A bowtie filter under the same imaging conditions was shown to only allow a dose reduction of 1.65 times. Experimentally, a 10 wedge DBA prototype result showed a SPR

Arase: mission overview and initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Miyoshi, Y.; Shinohara, I.; Takashima, T.; Asamura, K.; Wang, S. Y.; Kazama, Y.; Kasahara, S.; Yokota, S.; Mitani, T.; Higashio, N.; Kasahara, Y.; Kasaba, Y.; Yagitani, S.; Matsuoka, A.; Kojima, H.; Kazuo, S.; Seki, K.; Hori, T.; Shoji, M.; Teramoto, M.; Chang, T. F.; Kurita, S.; Matsuda, S.; Keika, K.; Miyashita, Y.; Hosokawa, K.; Ogawa, Y.; Kadokura, A.; Kataoka, R.; Ono, T.

2017-12-01

Geospace Exploation Project; ERG addresses what mechanisms cause acceleration, transportation and loss of MeV electrons of the radiation belts and evolutions of space storms. Cross-energy and cross-regional couplings are key concepts for the project. In order to address questions, the project has been organized by three research teams; satellite observations, ground-based observations, and modeling/data-analysis studies, and interdisciplinary research are realized for comprehensive understanding of geospace. The Arase (ERG) satellite had been developed and 9 science instruments are developed and provided from JAXA, universities and instituted in Japan and Taiwan. The Arase satellite was successfully launched on December 20, 2016. After the initial operation including maneuvers, Arase has started normal observations since March, 2017. Until now, Arase has observed several geomagnetic storms driven by coronal hole streams and CMEs, and several interesting features are observed associated with geomagnetic disturbances. The six particle instruments; LEP-e/LEP-i/MEP-e/MEP-i/HEP/XEP have shown large enhancement as well as loss of wide energy electrons and ions and variations as well as changes of pitch angle and energy spectrum. The two field/wave instruments: PWE and MGF observed several kinds of plasma waves such as chorus, hiss, EMIC as well as large scale electric and magnetic field variations. And newly developed S-WPIA has been operated to identify micro-process of wave-particle interactions. Since conjugate observations between Arase and ground-based observations are essential for comprehensive understanding of geospace, we organized several campaign observations that include both satellite and ground-based observations. The project has collaborated with the international projects, EISCAT, SuperDARN and other ground-based observations, and various data are obtained from such international collaborations. Moreover, multi-point satellite observations by

Initial results from beam commissioning of the LHC beam dump system

CERN Document Server

Goddard, B; Carlier, E; Ducimetière, L; Gallet, E; Gyr, M; Jensen, L; Jones, R; Kain, V; Kramer, T; Lamont, M; Meddahi, M; Mertens, V; Risselada, Thys; Uythoven, J; Wenninger, J; Weterings, W

2010-01-01

Initial commissioning of the LHC beam dump system with beam took place in August and September 2008. The preparation, setting-up and the tests performed are described together with results of the extractions of beam into the dump lines. Analysis of the first detailed aperture measurements of the extraction channels and kicker performance derived from dilution sweep shapes are presented. The performance of the other equipment subsystems is summarised, in particular that of the dedicated dump system beam instrumentation.

Evaluation of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for remote wetland monitoring: design and initial results.

Science.gov (United States)

Watras, Carl J; Morrow, Michael; Morrison, Ken; Scannell, Sean; Yaziciaglu, Steve; Read, Jordan S; Hu, Yu-Hen; Hanson, Paul C; Kratz, Tim

2014-02-01

Here, we describe and evaluate two low-power wireless sensor networks (WSNs) designed to remotely monitor wetland hydrochemical dynamics over time scales ranging from minutes to decades. Each WSN (one student-built and one commercial) has multiple nodes to monitor water level, precipitation, evapotranspiration, temperature, and major solutes at user-defined time intervals. Both WSNs can be configured to report data in near real time via the internet. Based on deployments in two isolated wetlands, we report highly resolved water budgets, transient reversals of flow path, rates of transpiration from peatlands and the dynamics of chromophoric-dissolved organic matter and bulk ionic solutes (specific conductivity)-all on daily or subdaily time scales. Initial results indicate that direct precipitation and evapotranspiration dominate the hydrologic budget of both study wetlands, despite their relatively flat geomorphology and proximity to elevated uplands. Rates of transpiration from peatland sites were typically greater than evaporation from open waters but were more challenging to integrate spatially. Due to the high specific yield of peat, the hydrologic gradient between peatland and open water varied with precipitation events and intervening periods of dry out. The resultant flow path reversals implied that the flux of solutes across the riparian boundary varied over daily time scales. We conclude that WSNs can be deployed in remote wetland-dominated ecosystems at relatively low cost to assess the hydrochemical impacts of weather, climate, and other perturbations.

FFTF initial fuel loading, preanalyses, and comparison with preliminary results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothrock, R.B.; Daughtry, J.W.; Zimmerman, B.D.; Petrowicz, N.E.; Bennett, R.A.; Ombrellaro, P.A.

1980-02-01

Disadvantages of conventional loading from the center out were circumvented by loading one trisector at a time, and connecting the control rod drivelines in each sector after it was loaded so that the rods could be operated during the loading of subsequent trisectors. This sequence was interrupted once during the loading of the final sector, to achieve initial criticality at an approximately minimum critical loading and to measure absolute subcriticality by the rod drop technique. An in-core detector was preferable to the standard FTR ex-core detectors for monitoring the initial fuel loading. Consequently, special fission chambers were installed in an instrument thimble near the core center to monitor the initial fuel loading

Effect of changing from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III spirometry reference range to that of the Global Lung Initiative 2012 at Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Embling, Laura A K; Zagami, Debbie; Sriram, Krishna Bajee; Gordon, Robert J; Sivakumaran, Pathmanathan

2016-12-01

The categorisation of lung disease into obstructive ventilatory defect (OVD) and tendency to a restrictive ventilatory defect (TRVD) patterns using spirometry is used to guide both prognostication and treatment. The effectiveness of categorisation depends upon having reference ranges that accurately represent the population they describe. The Global Lung Initiative 2012 (GLI 2012) has spirometry reference ranges drawn from the largest sample size to date. This study aimed to determine whether using spirometry reference ranges from the new GLI 2012 dataset, compared to the previously used National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III (NHANES III) dataset, resulted in a change in diagnosis between OVD, TRVD and normal ventilatory pattern (NVP). Spirometry data were collected from 301 patients, aged 18-80 years, undergoing investigation at the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (GCHHS) throughout February and March 2014. OVD was defined as a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) divided by forced vital capacity (FVC) less than lower limit of normal (LLN). TRVD was defined as FEV 1 /FVC ≥ LLN, FEV 1 reference range resulted in a change in diagnosis of lung disease in 5.9% of the individuals included in this study. This variance in diagnosis when changing reference ranges should be taken into account by clinicians as it may affect patient management.

Synthetic range profiling, ISAR imaging of sea vessels and feature extraction, using a multimode radar to classify targets: initial results from field trials

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Abdul Gaffar, MY

2011-04-01

Full Text Available tanazi@kacst.edu.sa, aazamil@kacst.edu.sa Abstract?This paper describes the design and working principles of an experimental multimode radar with a stepped-frequency Synthetic Range Profiling (SRP) and Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR...

Wire Probe Antenna (WPT) and Electric Field Detector (EFD) of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) aboard the Arase satellite: specifications and initial evaluation results

Science.gov (United States)

Kasaba, Yasumasa; Ishisaka, Keigo; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Imachi, Tomohiko; Yagitani, Satoshi; Kojima, Hirotsugu; Matsuda, Shoya; Shoji, Masafumi; Kurita, Satoshi; Hori, Tomoaki; Shinbori, Atsuki; Teramoto, Mariko; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Nakagawa, Tomoko; Takahashi, Naoko; Nishimura, Yukitoshi; Matsuoka, Ayako; Kumamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Nomura, Reiko

2017-12-01

This paper summarizes the specifications and initial evaluation results of Wire Probe Antenna (WPT) and Electric Field Detector (EFD), the key components for the electric field measurement of the Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) aboard the Arase (ERG) satellite. WPT consists of two pairs of dipole antennas with 31-m tip-to-tip length. Each antenna element has a spherical probe (60 mm diameter) at each end of the wire (15 m length). They are extended orthogonally in the spin plane of the spacecraft, which is roughly perpendicular to the Sun and enables to measure the electric field in the frequency range of DC to 10 MHz. This system is almost identical to the WPT of Plasma Wave Investigation aboard the BepiColombo Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, except for the material of the spherical probe (ERG: Al alloy, MMO: Ti alloy). EFD is a part of the EWO (EFD/WFC/OFA) receiver and measures the 2-ch electric field at a sampling rate of 512 Hz (dynamic range: ± 200 mV/m) and the 4-ch spacecraft potential at a sampling rate of 128 Hz (dynamic range: ± 100 V and ± 3 V/m), with the bias control capability of WPT. The electric field waveform provides (1) fundamental information about the plasma dynamics and accelerations and (2) the characteristics of MHD and ion waves in various magnetospheric statuses with the magnetic field measured by MGF and PWE-MSC. The spacecraft potential provides information on thermal electron plasma variations and structure combined with the electron density obtained from the upper hybrid resonance frequency provided by PWE-HFA. EFD has two data modes. The continuous (medium-mode) data are provided as (1) 2-ch waveforms at 64 Hz (in apoapsis mode, L > 4) or 256 Hz (in periapsis mode, L < 4), (2) 1-ch spectrum within 1-232 Hz with 1-s resolution, and (3) 4-ch spacecraft potential at 8 Hz. The burst (high-mode) data are intermittently obtained as (4) 2-ch waveforms at 512 Hz and (5) 4-ch spacecraft potential at 128 Hz and downloaded with the WFC

How Hydroclimate Influences the Effectiveness of Particle Filter Data Assimilation of Streamflow in Initializing Short- to Medium-range Streamflow Forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, E.; Wood, A.; Nijssen, B.; Clark, M. P.

2017-12-01

Short- to medium-range (1- to 7-day) streamflow forecasts are important for flood control operations and in issuing potentially life-save flood warnings. In the U.S., the National Weather Service River Forecast Centers (RFCs) issue such forecasts in real time, depending heavily on a manual data assimilation (DA) approach. Forecasters adjust model inputs, states, parameters and outputs based on experience and consideration of a range of supporting real-time information. Achieving high-quality forecasts from new automated, centralized forecast systems will depend critically on the adequacy of automated DA approaches to make analogous corrections to the forecasting system. Such approaches would further enable systematic evaluation of real-time flood forecasting methods and strategies. Toward this goal, we have implemented a real-time Sequential Importance Resampling particle filter (SIR-PF) approach to assimilate observed streamflow into simulated initial hydrologic conditions (states) for initializing ensemble flood forecasts. Assimilating streamflow alone in SIR-PF improves simulated streamflow and soil moisture during the model spin up period prior to a forecast, with consequent benefits for forecasts. Nevertheless, it only consistently limits error in simulated snow water equivalent during the snowmelt season and in basins where precipitation falls primarily as snow. We examine how the simulated initial conditions with and without SIR-PF propagate into 1- to 7-day ensemble streamflow forecasts. Forecasts are evaluated in terms of reliability and skill over a 10-year period from 2005-2015. The focus of this analysis is on how interactions between hydroclimate and SIR-PF performance impact forecast skill. To this end, we examine forecasts for 5 hydroclimatically diverse basins in the western U.S. Some of these basins receive most of their precipitation as snow, others as rain. Some freeze throughout the mid-winter while others experience significant mid-winter melt

Initial water quantification results using neutron computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Heller, A. K.; Shi, L.; Brenizer, J. S.; Mench, M. M.

2009-06-01

Neutron computed tomography is an important imaging tool in the field of non-destructive testing and in fundamental research for many engineering applications. Contrary to X-rays, neutrons can be attenuated by some light materials, such as hydrogen, but can penetrate many heavy materials. Thus, neutron computed tomography is useful in obtaining important three-dimensional information about a sample's interior structure and material properties that other traditional methods cannot provide. The neutron computed tomography system at the Pennsylvania State University's Radiation Science and Engineering Center is being utilized to develop a water quantification technique for investigation of water distribution in fuel cells under normal conditions. A hollow aluminum cylinder test sample filled with a known volume of water was constructed for purposes of testing the quantification technique. Transmission images of the test sample at different angles were easily acquired through the synthesis of a dedicated image acquisition computer driving a rotary table controller and an in-house developed synchronization software package. After data acquisition, Octopus (version 8.2) and VGStudio Max (version 1.2) were used to perform cross-sectional and three-dimensional reconstructions of the sample, respectively. The initial reconstructions and water quantification results are presented.

Mineralogical, micromorphological and geochemical transformations in the initial steps of the weathering process of charnockite from the Caparaó Range, southeastern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Caroline Cibele Vieira; Varajão, Angélica Fortes Drummond Chicarino; Varajão, César Augusto Chicarino; Boulangé, Bruno

2014-12-01

X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and Electron Probe micro-analyser (EPMA) and Wavelength-Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS) were conducted on charnockite from the Caparaó Suite and its alteration cortex to determine the mineralogical, micromorphological and geochemical transformations resulting from the weathering process. The hydrolysis of the charnockite occurred in different stages, in accordance with the order of stability of the minerals with respect to weathering: andesine/orthopyroxene, pargasite and alkali feldspar. The rock modifications had begun with the formation of a layer of incipient alteration due to the percolation of weathering solutions first in the pressure relief fractures and then in cleavage and mineral edges. The iron exuded from ferromagnesian minerals precipitated in the intermineral and intramineral discontinuities. The layer of incipient alteration evolves into an inner cortex where the plagioclase changes into gibbsite by direct alitisation, the ferromagnesian minerals initiate the formation of goethitic boxworks with kaolinitic cores, and the alkali feldspar initiates indirect transformation into gibbsite, forming an intermediate phase of illite and kaolinite. In the outer cortex, mostly traces of alkali feldspar remain, and they are surrounded by goethite and gibbsite as alteromorphics, characterising the formation of the isalteritic horizon that occurs along the slope and explains the bauxitization process at the Caparaó Range, SE Brazil.

Initial CGE Model Results Summary Exogenous and Endogenous Variables Tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edwards, Brian Keith [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Boero, Riccardo [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Rivera, Michael Kelly [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-08-07

The following discussion presents initial results of tests of the most recent version of the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center Dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The intent of this is to test and assess the model’s behavioral properties. The test evaluated whether the predicted impacts are reasonable from a qualitative perspective. This issue is whether the predicted change, be it an increase or decrease in other model variables, is consistent with prior economic intuition and expectations about the predicted change. One of the purposes of this effort is to determine whether model changes are needed in order to improve its behavior qualitatively and quantitatively.

Initial Results from the Lost Alpha Diagnostics on Joint European Torus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darrow, Doug; Cecil, Ed; Ellis, Bob; Fullard, Keith; Hill, Ken; Horton, Alan; Kiptily, Vasily; Pedrick, Les; Reich, Matthias

2007-07-25

Two devices have been installed in the Joint European Torus (JET) vacuum vessel near the plasma boundary to investigate the loss of energetic ions and fusion products in general and alpha particles in particular during the upcoming JET experiments. These devices are (i) a set of multichannel thin foil Faraday collectors, and (ii) a well collimated scintillator which is optically connected to a charge-coupled device. Initial results, including the radial energy and poloidal dependence of lost ions from hydrogen and deuterium plasmas during the 2005–06 JET restart campaign, will be presented.

Initial Results from the Lost Alpha Diagnostics on Joint European Torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darrow, Doug; Baeumel, Stefan; Cecil, Ed; Ellis, Bob; Fullard, Keith; Hill, Ken; Horton, Alan; Kiptily, Vasily; Pedrick, Les; Reich, Matthias; Werner, Andreas

2007-01-01

Two devices have been installed in the Joint European Torus (JET) vacuum vessel near the plasma boundary to investigate the loss of energetic ions and fusion products in general and alpha particles in particular during the upcoming JET experiments. These devices are (i) a set of multichannel thin foil Faraday collectors, and (ii) a well collimated scintillator which is optically connected to a charge-coupled device. Initial results, including the radial energy and poloidal dependence of lost ions from hydrogen and deuterium plasmas during the 2005-06 JET restart campaign, will be presented.

Results of initial nuclear tests on LWBR (LWBR Development Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarber, W.K.

1979-06-01

This report presents and discusses the results of physics tests performed at beginning of life on the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR). These tests have confirmed that movable seed assembly critical positions and reactivity worths, temperature coefficients, xenon transient characteristics, core symmetry, and core shutdown are within the range of values used in the design of the LWBR and its reactor protection analysis. Measured core physics parameters were found to be in good agreement with the calculated values

Sensitivity Analysis of FEAST-Metal Fuel Performance Code: Initial Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edelmann, Paul Guy; Williams, Brian J.; Unal, Cetin; Yacout, Abdellatif

2012-01-01

This memo documents the completion of the LANL milestone, M3FT-12LA0202041, describing methodologies and initial results using FEAST-Metal. The FEAST-Metal code calculations for this work are being conducted at LANL in support of on-going activities related to sensitivity analysis of fuel performance codes. The objective is to identify important macroscopic parameters of interest to modeling and simulation of metallic fuel performance. This report summarizes our preliminary results for the sensitivity analysis using 6 calibration datasets for metallic fuel developed at ANL for EBR-II experiments. Sensitivity ranking methodology was deployed to narrow down the selected parameters for the current study. There are approximately 84 calibration parameters in the FEAST-Metal code, of which 32 were ultimately used in Phase II of this study. Preliminary results of this sensitivity analysis led to the following ranking of FEAST models for future calibration and improvements: fuel conductivity, fission gas transport/release, fuel creep, and precipitation kinetics. More validation data is needed to validate calibrated parameter distributions for future uncertainty quantification studies with FEAST-Metal. Results of this study also served to point out some code deficiencies and possible errors, and these are being investigated in order to determine root causes and to improve upon the existing code models.

Implementation of STUD Pulses at the Trident Laser and Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, R. P.; Shimada, T.; Montgomery, D. S.; Afeyan, B.; Hüller, S.

2012-10-01

Controlling and mitigating laser-plasma instabilities such as stimulated Brillouin scattering, stimulated Raman scattering, and crossed-beam energy transfer is important to achieve high-gain inertial fusion using laser drivers. Recent theory and simulations show that these instabilities can be largely controlled using laser pulses consisting of spike trains of uneven duration and delay (STUD) by modulating the laser on a picosecond time scale [1,2]. We have designed and implemented a STUD pulse generator at the LANL Trident Laser Facility using Fourier synthesis to produce a 0.5-ns envelope of psec-duration STUD pulses using a spatial light modulator. Initial results from laser propagation tests and measurements as well as initial laser-plasma characterization experiments will be presented.[4pt] [1] B. Afeyan and S. H"uller, ``Optimal Control of Laser Plasma Instabilities using STUD pulses,'' IFSA 2011, P.Mo.1, to appear in Euro. Phys. J. Web of Conf. (2012).[2] S. H"uller and B. Afeyan, ``Simulations of drastically reduced SBS with STUD pulses,'' IFSA 2011, O.Tu8-1, to appear in Euro. Phys. J. Web of Conf. (2012).

Initial Results from CASSIOPE/ePOP Satellite Overpasses above HAARP in 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Siefring, C. L.; Bernhardt, P. A.; Briczinski, S. J., Jr.; James, H. G.; Yau, A. W.; Knudsen, D. J.

2015-12-01

The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility was operated in conjunction with overpasses of the enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (ePOP) instruments on the Canadian CASSIOPE satellite. During these overpasses HAARP was operated in several different heating modes and regimes as diagnosed by the characteristics of Stimulated Electromagnetic Emissions (SEE) using ground-based receivers while simultaneously ePOP monitored in-situ HF and VLF signals, looked for ion and electron heating, and provided VHF and UHF signals for propagation effects studies. The e-POP suite of instruments and particularly the ePOP Radio Receiver Instrument (RRI) offer a unique combination diagnostics appropriate for studying the non-linear plasma effects generated high-power HF waves in the ionosphere. In this presentation, the initial results from ePOP observations from two separate 2014 measurement campaigns at HAARP (April 16 to April 29 and May 25 to June 9) will be discussed. Several innovative experiments were performed during the campaign. Experiments explored a wide range of ionospheric effects. These include: 1) Penetration of HF pump waves into the ionosphere via large and small scale irregularities, 2) effects of gyro-harmonic heating and artificial ionization layers, 3) effects of HAARP beam shape with O- and X-mode transmissions, 4) coupling of Lower Hybrid modes into Whistler waves, 5) D/E-region VLF generation in the ionosphere using VLF modulation of the HF pump 6) scattering of VHF and UHF signals and 7) scattering and non-linear modulation of a 9.5 MHz probe wave propagating through the region of the ionosphere modified by HAARP. This work supported by the Naval Research Laboratory Base Program.

Initial results from the NSTX Real-Time Velocity diagnostic

Science.gov (United States)

Podesta, M.; Bell, R. E.

2011-10-01

A new diagnostic for fast measurements of plasma rotation through active charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy (CHERS) was installed on NSTX. The diagnostic infers toroidal rotation from carbon ions undergoing charge-exchange with neutrals from a heating Neutral Beam (NB). Each of the 4 channels, distributed along the outer major radius, includes active views intercepting the NB and background views missing the beam. Estimated uncertainties in the measured velocity are system. Signals are acquired on 2 CCD detectors, each controlled by a dedicated PC. Spectra are fitted in real-time through a C++ processing code and velocities are made available to the Plasma Control System for future implementation of feedback on velocity. Results from the initial operation during the 2011 run are discussed, emphasizing the fast dynamics of toroidal rotation, e . g . during L-H mode transition and breaking caused by instabilities and by externally-imposed magnetic perturbations. Work supported by USDOE Contract No. DE-AC02-09CH11466.

NICER observations of highly magnetized neutron stars: Initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Enoto, Teruaki; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Gendreau, Keith C.; Nynka, Melania; Kaspi, Victoria; Harding, Alice; Guver, Tolga; Lewandowska, Natalia; Majid, Walid; Ho, Wynn C. G.; NICER Team

2018-01-01

The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) was launched on June 3, 2017, and attached to the International Space Station. The large effective area of NICER in soft X-rays makes it a powerful tool not only for its primary science objective (diagnostics of the nuclear equation state) but also for studying neutron stars of various classes. As one of the NICER science working groups, the Magnetars and Magnetospheres (M&M) team coordinates monitoring and target of opportunity (ToO) observations of magnetized neutron stars, including magnetars, high-B pulsars, X-ray dim isolated neutron stars, and young rotation-powered pulsars. The M&M working group has performed simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of the Crab and Vela pulsars, ToO observations of the active anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61, and a monitoring campaign for the transient magnetar SGR 0501+4516. Here we summarize the current status and initial results of the M&M group.

Initial water quantification results using neutron computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heller, A.K. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University (United States)], E-mail: axh174@psu.edu; Shi, L.; Brenizer, J.S.; Mench, M.M. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University (United States)

2009-06-21

Neutron computed tomography is an important imaging tool in the field of non-destructive testing and in fundamental research for many engineering applications. Contrary to X-rays, neutrons can be attenuated by some light materials, such as hydrogen, but can penetrate many heavy materials. Thus, neutron computed tomography is useful in obtaining important three-dimensional information about a sample's interior structure and material properties that other traditional methods cannot provide. The neutron computed tomography system at Pennsylvania State University's Radiation Science and Engineering Center is being utilized to develop a water quantification technique for investigation of water distribution in fuel cells under normal conditions. A hollow aluminum cylinder test sample filled with a known volume of water was constructed for purposes of testing the quantification technique. Transmission images of the test sample at different angles were easily acquired through the synthesis of a dedicated image acquisition computer driving a rotary table controller and an in-house developed synchronization software package. After data acquisition, Octopus (version 8.2) and VGStudio Max (version 1.2) were used to perform cross-sectional and three-dimensional reconstructions of the sample, respectively. The initial reconstructions and water quantification results are presented.

Initial Results from the Kwajalein Micrometeorite Collections

Science.gov (United States)

Wozniakiewicz, P. J.; Bradley, J. P.; Price, M. C.; Zolensky, M. E.; Ishii, H. A.; Brownlee, D. E.; Dearborn, D.; Jones, T.; Barnett, B.; Yakuma, S.;

Stereo Vision-Based High Dynamic Range Imaging Using Differently-Exposed Image Pair

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Won-Jae Park

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a high dynamic range (HDR imaging method based on the stereo vision system is presented. The proposed method uses differently exposed low dynamic range (LDR images captured from a stereo camera. The stereo LDR images are first converted to initial stereo HDR images using the inverse camera response function estimated from the LDR images. However, due to the limited dynamic range of the stereo LDR camera, the radiance values in under/over-exposed regions of the initial main-view (MV HDR image can be lost. To restore these radiance values, the proposed stereo matching and hole-filling algorithms are applied to the stereo HDR images. Specifically, the auxiliary-view (AV HDR image is warped by using the estimated disparity between initial the stereo HDR images and then effective hole-filling is applied to the warped AV HDR image. To reconstruct the final MV HDR, the warped and hole-filled AV HDR image is fused with the initial MV HDR image using the weight map. The experimental results demonstrate objectively and subjectively that the proposed stereo HDR imaging method provides better performance compared to the conventional method.

An Initiating-Event Analysis for PSA of Hanul Units 3 and 4: Results and Insights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dong-San; Park, Jin Hee

2015-01-01

As a part of the PSA, an initiating-event (IE) analysis was newly performed by considering the current state of knowledge and the requirements of the ASME/ANS probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) standard related to IE analysis. This paper describes the methods of, results and some insights from the IE analysis for the PSA of the Hanul units 3 and 4. In this study, as a part of the PSA for the Hanul units 3 and 4, an initiating-event (IE) analysis was newly performed by considering the current state of knowledge and the requirements of the ASME/ANS probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) standard. In comparison with the previous IE analysis, this study performed a more systematic and detailed analysis to identify potential initiating events, and calculated the IE frequencies by using the state-of-the-art methods and the latest data. As a result, not a few IE frequencies are quite different from the previous frequencies, which can change the major accident sequences obtained from the quantification of the PSA model

Ionizing radiations dosimetry: new results in the megagray range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balian, P.

1989-01-01

Industrial irradiation for food preservation, medical sterilization and plastic processing is in great expansion and an accurate dosimetry in the megagray range is required. It is also required for safety purposes around nuclear reactors or waste storage sites. The study of photon-matter interaction leads us to consider high-dose dosimeters among the solids in which radiolysis occurs. Organic conductors are indeed good candidates for high-dose dosimetry. These materials show original properties due to the great anisotropy of their electronic system. Radiation effects, especially on the resistivity and on the (E.S.R.) Electron Spin Resonance linewidth, are very important. We show that a simple resistance measurement allows an accurate monitoring of the absorbed dose, in the range 0.01 - 50 MGy, for X-rays, gamma-rays and electron irradiations. The E.S.R. linewidth measurements permits the use of small dosimeters between 1 and 100 MGy. Finally, some organic conductors are proposed as high-temperature dosimeters for irradiation performed up to 120 0 C. The irradiated pure silica contains a large variety of defects. Only the E' center seems helpful for dosimetry purposes, and its electron spin resonance (E.S.R.) signal is simply related to the absorbed dose in the range 0.1 - 3 MGy or even, 0.5 kGy - 5 MGy [fr

Initial Results from Lunar Electromagnetic Sounding with ARTEMIS

Science.gov (United States)

Fuqua, H.; Fatemi, S.; Poppe, A. R.; Delory, G. T.; Grimm, R. E.; De Pater, I.

2016-12-01

Electromagnetic Sounding constrains conducting layers of the lunar interior by observing variations in the Interplanetary Magnetic Field. Here, we focus our analysis on the time domain transfer function method locating transient events observed by two magnetometers near the Moon. We analyze ARTEMIS and Apollo magnetometer data. This analysis assumes the induced field responds undisturbed in a vacuum. In actuality, the dynamic plasma environment interacts with the induced field. Our models indicate distortion but not confinement occurs in the nightside wake cavity. Moreover, within the deep wake, near-vacuum region, distortion of the induced dipole fields due to the interaction with the wake is minimal depending on the magnitude of the induced field, the geometry of the upstream fields, and the upstream plasma parameters such as particle densities, solar wind velocity, and temperatures. Our results indicate the assumption of a vacuum dipolar response is reasonable within this minimally disturbed zone. We then interpret the ATEMIS magnetic field signal through a geophysical forward model capturing the induced response based on prescribed electrical conductivity models. We demonstrate our forward model passes benchmarking analyses and solves the magnetic induction response for any input signal as well as any 2 or 3 dimensional conductivity profile. We locate data windows according to the following criteria: (1) probe locations such that the wake probe is within 500km altitude within the wake cavity and minimally disturbed zone, and the second probe is in the free streaming solar wind; (2) a transient event consisting of an abrupt change in the magnetic field occurs enabling the observation of induction; (3) cross correlation analysis reveals the magnetic field signals are well correlated between the two probes and distances observed. Here we present initial ARTEMIS results providing further insight into the lunar interior structure. This method and modeling results

Long range radio tracking of sea turtles and polar bear: Instrumentation and preliminary results

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, H. A.

1972-01-01

Instrumentation developed for studies of path behavior of the green sea turtle and migration movement of polar bear is described. Preliminary results bearing on navigation ability in these species are presented. Both species operate in difficult environments, and the problems faced in the design of electronic instrumentation for these studies are not completely specified at this time. However, the critical factors yet to be understood are primarily related to the behavior of instrumented animals. The data obtained with these experimental techniques are included, first to illustrate the technique and, second to provide initial preliminary results bearing on animal navigation.

Leveraging finances for public health system improvement: results from the Turning Point initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekemeier, Betty; Riley, Catharine M; Berkowitz, Bobbie

2007-01-01

Reforming the public health infrastructure requires substantial system changes at the state level; state health agencies, however, often lack the resources and support for strategic planning and systemwide improvement. The Turning Point Initiative provided support for states to focus on large-scale system changes that resulted in increased funding for public health capacity and infrastructure development. Turning Point provides a test case for obtaining financial and institutional resources focused on systems change and infrastructure development-areas for which it has been historically difficult to obtain long-term support. The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive survey research was to enumerate the actual resources leveraged toward public health system improvement through the partnerships, planning, and implementation activities funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a part of the Turning Point Initiative.

LWR aerosol containment experiments (LACE) program and initial test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhlestein, L.D.; Hilliard, R.K.; Bloom, G.R.; McCormack, J.D.; Rahn, F.J.

1985-01-01

The LWR aerosol containment experiments (LACE) program is described. The LACE program is being performed at the Hanford Engineer Development Laboratory (operated by Westinghouse Hanford Company) and the initial tests are sponsored by EPRI. The objectives of the LACE program are: to demonstrate, at large-scale, inherent radioactive aerosol retention behavior for postulated high consequence LWR accident situations; and to provide a data base to be used for aerosol behavior . Test results from the first phase of the LACE program are presented and discussed. Three large-scale scoping tests, simulating a containment bypass accident sequence, demonstrated the extent of agglomeration and deposition of aerosols occurring in the pipe pathway and vented auxiliary building under realistic accident conditions. Parameters varied during the scoping tests were aerosol type and steam condensation

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography: initial clinical results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dromain, Clarisse; Thibault, Fabienne; Tardivon, Anne; Muller, Serge; Rimareix, Francoise; Delaloge, Suzette; Balleyguier, Corinne

2011-01-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of Dual-Energy Contrast-Enhanced Digital Mammography (CEDM) as an adjunct to mammography (MX) versus MX alone and versus mammography plus ultrasound (US). 120 women with 142 suspect findings on MX and/or US underwent CEDM. A pair of low- and high-energy images was acquired using a modified full-field digital mammography system. Exposures were taken in MLO at 2 min and in CC at 4 min after the injection of 1.5 ml/kg of an iodinated contrast agent. One reader evaluated MX, US and CEDM images during 2 sessions 1 month apart. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve were estimated. The results from pathology and follow-up identified 62 benign and 80 malignant lesions. Areas under the ROC curves were significantly superior for MX+CEDM than it was for MX alone and for MX+US using BI-RADS. Sensitivity was higher for MX+CEDM than it was for MX (93% vs. 78%; p < 0.001) with no loss in specificity. The lesion size was closer to the histological size for CEDM. All 23 multifocal lesions were correctly detected by MX+CEDM vs. 16 and 15 lesions by MX and US respectively. Initial clinical results show that CEDM has better diagnostic accuracy than mammography alone and mammography+ultrasound. (orig.)

Initial Results from the Vector Electric Field Investigation on the C/NOFS Satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Pfaff, R.; Rowland, D.; Acuna, M.; Le, G.; Farrell, W.; Holzworth, R.; Wilson, G.; Burke, W.; Freudenreich, H.; Bromund, K.;

Modifications to JLab 12 GeV Refrigerator and Wide Range Mix Mode Performance Testing Results

Science.gov (United States)

Knudsen, P.; Ganni, V.; Hasan, N.; Dixon, K.; Norton, R.; Creel, J.

2017-02-01

Analysis of data obtained during the spring 2013 commissioning of the new 4.5 K refrigeration system at Jefferson Lab (JLab) for the 12 GeV upgrade indicated a wide capacity range with good efficiency and minimal operator interaction. Testing also showed that the refrigerator required higher liquid nitrogen (LN) consumption for its pre-cooler than anticipated by the design. This does not affect the capacity of the refrigerator, but it does result in an increased LN utility cost. During the summer of 2015 the modifications were implemented by the cold box manufacturer, according to a design similar to the JLab 12 GeV cold box specification. Subsequently, JLab recommissioned the cold box and performed extensive performance testing, ranging from 20% to 100% of the design maximum capacity, and in various modes of operation, ranging from pure refrigeration, pure liquefaction, half-and-half mix mode and at selected design modes using the Floating Pressure - Ganni Cycle. The testing demonstrated that the refrigerator system has a good and fairly constant performance over a wide capacity range and different modes of operation. It also demonstrated the modifications resulted in a LN consumption that met the design for the pure refrigeration mode (which is the most demanding) and was lower than the design for the nominal and maximum capacity modes. In addition, a pulsed-load test, similar to what is expected for cryogenic systems supporting fusion experiments, was conducted to observe the response using the Floating Pressure - Ganni Cycle, which was stable and robust. This paper will discuss the results and analysis of this testing pertaining to the LN consumption, the system efficiency over a wide range of capacity and different modes and the behaviour of the system to a pulsed load.

Initial commissioning results from the APS loss monitor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, D.R.

1996-01-01

The design of the beam loss monitor system for the Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Photon Source is based on using a number of air dielectric coaxial cables as long ionization chambers. Results to date show that the loss monitor is useful in helping to determine the cause of injection losses and losses large enough to limit circulating currents in the storage ring to short lifetimes. Sensitivities ranging from 13 to 240 pC of charge collected in the injector BTS (booster-to-storage-ring) loss monitor per picocoulomb of loss have been measured, depending on the loss location. These results have been used to predict that the storage ring loss monitor leakage current limit of 10 pA per cable should allow detection of losses resulting in beam lifetimes of 100 hours or less with 100 mA stored beam. Significant DC bias levels associated with the presence of stored beam have been observed. These large bias levels are most likely caused by the loss monitor responding to hard x-ray synchrotron radiation. No such response to synchrotron radiation was observed during earlier tests at SSRL. However, the loss monitor response to average stored beam current in APS has provided a reasonable alternative to the DC current transformer (DCCT) for measuring beam lifetimes

42 CFR 476.96 - Review period and reopening of initial denial determinations and changes as a result of DRG...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... determinations and changes as a result of DRG validations. 476.96 Section 476.96 Public Health CENTERS FOR... initial denial determinations and changes as a result of DRG validations. (a) General timeframe. A QIO or... initial denial determination or a change as a result of a DRG validation. (b) Extended timeframes. (1) An...

Application of Terahertz Radiation to Soil Measurements: Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

Dworak, Volker; Augustin, Sven; Gebbers, Robin

2011-01-01

Developing soil sensors with the possibility of continuous online measurement is a major challenge in soil science. Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic radiation may provide the opportunity for the measurement of organic material density, water content and other soil parameters at different soil depths. Penetration depth and information content is important for a functional soil sensor. Therefore, we present initial research on the analysis of absorption coefficients of four different soil samples by means of THz transmission measurements. An optimized soil sample holder to determine absorption coefficients was used. This setup improves data acquisition because interface reflections can be neglected. Frequencies of 340 GHz to 360 GHz and 1.627 THz to 2.523 THz provided information about an existing frequency dependency. The results demonstrate the potential of this THz approach for both soil analysis and imaging of buried objects. Therefore, the THz approach allows different soil samples to be distinguished according to their different absorption properties so that relations among soil parameters may be established in future. PMID:22163737

Initial results from the fast imaging solar spectrograph (FISS)

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

This collection of papers describes the instrument and initial results obtained from the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS),  one of the post-focus instruments of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. The FISS primarily aims at investigating structures and dynamics of  chromospheric features. This instrument is a dual-band Echelle spectrograph optimized for the simultaneous recording of the H I 656.3 nm band and the Ca II 854.2 nm band. The imaging is done with the fast raster scan realized by the linear motion of a two-mirror scanner, and its quality is determined by the performance of the adaptive optics of the telescope.    These papers illustrate the capability of the early FISS observations in the study of chromospheric features. Since the imaging quality has been improved a lot with the advance of the adaptive optics, one can obtain much better data with the current FISS observations.        This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers working in...

Some initial results from the new SLAC [Stanford Linear Accelerator Center] permeameter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cobb, J.K.; Early, R.A.

1990-01-01

A new permeameter has been built and is now available for testing samples of steel and other ferromagnetic materials for their magnetic characteristics such as permeability, remanent induction, coercive force and saturation induction. The present range of operation for the permeameter is from 0.5 Oe to 1250 Oe. Results are presented for two samples of low-carbon steel as well as some preliminary results for Vanadium Permendur. 4 refs., 8 figs

Initial results with the Berkeley on-line mass separator-RAMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerny, J.; Moltz, D.M.; Evans, H.C.; Vieira, D.J.; Parry, R.F.; Wouters, J.M.; Gough, R.A.; Zisman, M.S.

1977-11-01

Initial performance is described for a reasonably fast and universal (having little or no chemical selectivity) on-line mass analysis system used to expand capabilities in studying nuclei far from stability. The system is termed RAMA, an acronym for Recoil Atom Mass Analyzer. Basically, this system utilizes the helium-jet method to transport activity to a Sidenius hollow-cathode ion source which is coupled to a mass spectrometer. Initial experiments and planned improvements are discussed. Transport efficiencies of between 10 and 60 percent have routinely been achieved, though the latter is much more typical when conditions are optimized

42 CFR 476.93 - Opportunity to discuss proposed initial denial determination and changes as a result of a DRG...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... determination and changes as a result of a DRG validation. 476.93 Section 476.93 Public Health CENTERS FOR... initial denial determination and changes as a result of a DRG validation. Before a QIO reaches an initial denial determination or makes a change as a result of a DRG validation, it must— (a) Promptly notify the...

A Community-Level Initiative to Prevent Obesity: Results From Kaiser Permanente's Healthy Eating Active Living Zones Initiative in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheadle, Allen; Atiedu, Akpene; Rauzon, Suzanne; Schwartz, Pamela M; Keene, Laura; Davoudi, Mehrnaz; Spring, Rebecca; Molina, Michelle; Lee, Lynda; Boyle, Kathryn; Williamson, Dana; Steimberg, Clara; Tinajero, Roberta; Ravel, Jodi; Nudelman, Jean; Azuma, Andrea Misako; Kuo, Elena S; Solomon, Loel

2018-05-01

A growing number of health systems are leading health promotion efforts in their wider communities. What impact are these efforts having on health behaviors and ultimately health status? This paper presents evaluation results from the place-based Kaiser Permanente Healthy Eating Active Living Zones obesity prevention initiative, implemented in 2011-2015 in 12 low-income communities in Kaiser Permanente's Northern and Southern California Regions. The Healthy Eating Active Living Zones design targeted places and people through policy, environmental, and programmatic strategies. Each Healthy Eating Active Living Zone is a small, low-income community of 10,000 to 20,000 residents with high obesity rates and other health disparities. Community coalitions planned and implemented strategies in each community. A population-dose approach and pre and post surveys were used to assess impact of policy, program, and environmental change strategies; the analysis was conducted in 2016. Population dose is the product of reach (number of people affected by a strategy divided by target population size) and strength (the effect size or relative change in behavior for each person exposed to the strategy). More than 230 community change strategies were implemented over 3 years, encompassing policy, environmental, and programmatic changes as well as efforts to build community capacity to sustain strategies and make changes in the future. Positive population-level results were seen for higher-dose strategies, particularly those targeting youth physical activity. Higher-dose strategies were more likely to be found in communities with the longest duration of investment. These results demonstrate that strong (high-dose), community-based obesity prevention strategies can lead to improved health behaviors, particularly among youth in school settings. This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is

Non-lethal heat treatment of cells results in reduction of tumor initiation and metastatic potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yoo-Shin; Lee, Tae Hoon; O'Neill, Brian E.

2015-01-01

Non-lethal hyperthermia is used clinically as adjuvant treatment to radiation, with mixed results. Denaturation of protein during hyperthermia treatment is expected to synergize with radiation damage to cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Alternatively, hyperthermia is known to cause tissue level changes in blood flow, increasing the oxygenation and radiosensitivity of often hypoxic tumors. In this study, we elucidate a third possibility, that hyperthermia alters cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction, with particular impact on the cancer stem cell population. We demonstrate that cell heating results in a robust but temporary loss of cancer cell aggressiveness and metastatic potential in mouse models. In vitro, this heating results in a temporary loss in cell mobility, adhesion, and proliferation. Our hypothesis is that the loss of cellular adhesion results in suppression of cancer stem cells and loss of tumor virulence and metastatic potential. Our study suggests that the metastatic potential of cancer is particularly reduced by the effects of heat on cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction. If true, this could help explain both the successes and failures of clinical hyperthermia, and suggest ways to target treatments to those who would most benefit. - Highlights: • Non-lethal hyperthermia treatment of cancer cells is shown to cause a reduction in rates of tumor initiation and metastasis. • Dynamic imaging of cells during heat treatment shows temporary changes in cell shape, cell migration, and cell proliferation. • Loss of adhesion may lead to the observed effect, which may disproportionately impact the tumor initiating cell fraction. • Loss or suppression of the tumor initiating cell fraction results in the observed loss of metastatic potential in vivo. • This result may lead to new approaches to synergizing hyperthermia with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy

Non-lethal heat treatment of cells results in reduction of tumor initiation and metastatic potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yoo-Shin; Lee, Tae Hoon; O' Neill, Brian E., E-mail: BEOneill@houstonmethodist.org

2015-08-14

Non-lethal hyperthermia is used clinically as adjuvant treatment to radiation, with mixed results. Denaturation of protein during hyperthermia treatment is expected to synergize with radiation damage to cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Alternatively, hyperthermia is known to cause tissue level changes in blood flow, increasing the oxygenation and radiosensitivity of often hypoxic tumors. In this study, we elucidate a third possibility, that hyperthermia alters cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction, with particular impact on the cancer stem cell population. We demonstrate that cell heating results in a robust but temporary loss of cancer cell aggressiveness and metastatic potential in mouse models. In vitro, this heating results in a temporary loss in cell mobility, adhesion, and proliferation. Our hypothesis is that the loss of cellular adhesion results in suppression of cancer stem cells and loss of tumor virulence and metastatic potential. Our study suggests that the metastatic potential of cancer is particularly reduced by the effects of heat on cellular adhesion and mechanotransduction. If true, this could help explain both the successes and failures of clinical hyperthermia, and suggest ways to target treatments to those who would most benefit. - Highlights: • Non-lethal hyperthermia treatment of cancer cells is shown to cause a reduction in rates of tumor initiation and metastasis. • Dynamic imaging of cells during heat treatment shows temporary changes in cell shape, cell migration, and cell proliferation. • Loss of adhesion may lead to the observed effect, which may disproportionately impact the tumor initiating cell fraction. • Loss or suppression of the tumor initiating cell fraction results in the observed loss of metastatic potential in vivo. • This result may lead to new approaches to synergizing hyperthermia with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Air Monitoring Network at Tonopah Test Range: Network Description, Capabilities, and Analytical Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartwell, William T.; Daniels, Jeffrey; Nikolich, George; Shadel, Craig; Giles, Ken; Karr, Lynn; Kluesner, Tammy

2012-01-01

During the period April to June 2008, at the behest of the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO); the Desert Research Institute (DRI) constructed and deployed two portable environmental monitoring stations at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) as part of the Environmental Restoration Project Soils Activity. DRI has operated these stations since that time. A third station was deployed in the period May to September 2011. The TTR is located within the northwest corner of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and covers an area of approximately 725.20 km2 (280 mi2). The primary objective of the monitoring stations is to evaluate whether and under what conditions there is wind transport of radiological contaminants from Soils Corrective Action Units (CAUs) associated with Operation Roller Coaster on TTR. Operation Roller Coaster was a series of tests, conducted in 1963, designed to examine the stability and dispersal of plutonium in storage and transportation accidents. These tests did not result in any nuclear explosive yield. However, the tests did result in the dispersal of plutonium and contamination of surface soils in the surrounding area.

Initial Results from Coaxial Helicity Injection Experiments in NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raman, R.; Jarboe, T.R.; Mueller, D.; Schaffer, M.J.; Maqueda, R.; Nelson, B.A.; Sabbagh, S.; Bell, M.; Ewig, R.; Fredrickson, E.; Gates, D.; Hosea, J.; Ji, H.; Kaita, R.; Kaye, S.M.; Kugel, H.; Maingi, R.; Menard, J.; Ono, M.; Orvis, D.; Paolette, F.; Paul, S.; Peng, M.; Skinner, C.H.; Wilgen, W.; Zweben, S.

2001-01-01

Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) has been investigated on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Initial experiments produced 130 kA of toroidal current without the use of the central solenoid. The corresponding injector current was 20 kA. Discharges with pulse lengths up to 130 ms have been produced

Tubular Initial Conditions and Ridge Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. S. Borysova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The 2D azimuth and rapidity structure of the two-particle correlations in relativistic A+A collisions is altered significantly by the presence of sharp inhomogeneities in superdense matter formed in such processes. The causality constraints enforce one to associate the long-range longitudinal correlations observed in a narrow angular interval, the so-called (soft ridge, with peculiarities of the initial conditions of collision process. This study's objective is to analyze whether multiform initial tubular structures, undergoing the subsequent hydrodynamic evolution and gradual decoupling, can form the soft ridges. Motivated by the flux-tube scenarios, the initial energy density distribution contains the different numbers of high density tube-like boost-invariant inclusions that form a bumpy structure in the transverse plane. The influence of various structures of such initial conditions in the most central A+A events on the collective evolution of matter, resulting spectra, angular particle correlations and vn-coefficients is studied in the framework of the hydrokinetic model (HKM.

Turbulence modeling with fractional derivatives: Derivation from first principles and initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Epps, Brenden; Cushman-Roisin, Benoit

2017-11-01

Fluid turbulence is an outstanding unsolved problem in classical physics, despite 120+ years of sustained effort. Given this history, we assert that a new mathematical framework is needed to make a transformative breakthrough. This talk offers one such framework, based upon kinetic theory tied to the statistics of turbulent transport. Starting from the Boltzmann equation and ``Lévy α-stable distributions'', we derive a turbulence model that expresses the turbulent stresses in the form of a fractional derivative, where the fractional order is tied to the transport behavior of the flow. Initial results are presented herein, for the cases of Couette-Poiseuille flow and 2D boundary layers. Among other results, our model is able to reproduce the logarithmic Law of the Wall in shear turbulence.

Interacting steps with finite-range interactions: Analytical approximation and numerical results

Science.gov (United States)

Jaramillo, Diego Felipe; Téllez, Gabriel; González, Diego Luis; Einstein, T. L.

2013-05-01

We calculate an analytical expression for the terrace-width distribution P(s) for an interacting step system with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor interactions. Our model is derived by mapping the step system onto a statistically equivalent one-dimensional system of classical particles. The validity of the model is tested with several numerical simulations and experimental results. We explore the effect of the range of interactions q on the functional form of the terrace-width distribution and pair correlation functions. For physically plausible interactions, we find modest changes when next-nearest neighbor interactions are included and generally negligible changes when more distant interactions are allowed. We discuss methods for extracting from simulated experimental data the characteristic scale-setting terms in assumed potential forms.

The IGAC activity for the development of global emissions inventories: Description and initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benkovitz, C.M.; Graedel, T.E.

1992-02-01

Modeling assessments of the atmospheric chemistry, air quality and climatic conditions of the past, present and future require as input inventories of emissions of the appropriate chemical species constructed on appropriate spatial and temporal scales. The task of the Global Emissions Inventories Activity (GEIA) of the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project (IGAC) is the production of global inventories suitable for a range of research applications. Current GEIA programs are generally based on addressing emissions by species; these include CO 2 , NH 3 /N 2 O, SO 2 /NO x , CFC, volatile organic compounds and radioisotopes. In addition a separate program to inventory emissions from biomass burning is also being structured, plus an additional program to address data management issues for all the developing inventories. Program priorities are based on current knowledge and tasks needed to produce the desired inventories. This paper will discuss the different types of global inventories to be developed by the GEIA programs, their key characteristics, and areas to be addressed in the compilation of such inventories. Results of the first GEIA task, a survey of existing inventories and auxiliary data, will be presented. The survey included status assessments for the available inventory information for nineteen different atmospheric species or groups of species on global and regional scales and over time. Of this entire body of information, the only inventory regarded as satisfactory was that for the global emissions of CFCs. An implication of the results of these assessments is that properly gridded emissions inventories are badly needed to support atmospheric modeling calculations on a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Initial studies in the development of global inventories of sulfur dioxide, currently the most advanced GEIA program, will be presented and discussed

42 CFR 476.94 - Notice of QIO initial denial determination and changes as a result of a DRG validation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... changes as a result of a DRG validation. 476.94 Section 476.94 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... changes as a result of a DRG validation. (a) Notice of initial denial determination—(1) Parties to be... retrospective review, (excluding DRG validation and post procedure review), within 3 working days of the initial...

Initial and Long-Term Results of Endovascular Therapy for Chronic Total Occlusion of the Subclavian Artery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babic, Srdjan; Sagic, Dragan; Radak, Djordje; Antonic, Zelimir; Otasevic, Petar; Kovacevic, Vladimir; Tanaskovic, Slobodan; Ruzicic, Dusan; Aleksic, Nikola; Vucurevic, Goran

2012-01-01

Purpose: To study the initial and long-term results of angioplasty and primary stenting for the treatment of chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the subclavian artery (SA). Materials and Methods: From January 1999 to February 2010, 56 patients (25 men with a mean age of 58 ± 8 years) underwent endovascular treatment for CTO of the SA. Duplex scans and arteriograms confirmed occlusion in all cases. Indications for recanalization were subclavian steal syndrome in 33 patients (58.1%), arm claudication in 13 patients (23.2%), and coronary ischemia in 7 patients (12.5%) who had a history of previous coronary artery bypass grafting that included left internal thoracic artery graft. Three patients (5.4%) were treated before the scheduled coronary artery bypass surgery, which included left internal thoracic artery graft. After successful recanalization, all arteries were stented, and all of the patients were followed-up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery and annually thereafter. Results: Successful recanalization of the SA was achieved in 46 patients (82.1%), and the complication rate was 7.1%. During follow-up (mean 40 ± 26 months; range 2 to 125), the primary patency rates after 1 and 3 years were 97.9% and 82.7%, respectively. At the end of follow-up, 76% of the arteries showed no evidence of restenosis. Univariate analysis failed to identify any variable predictive of long-term patency of successfully recanalized SA. Conclusion: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting of the complete total occlusion of the SA is a safe and effective procedure associated with low risks and good long-term results.

Initial results from the high resolution powder diffractometer HRPD at ISIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David, W.I.F.; Harrison, W.T.A.; Johnson, M.W.

1986-07-01

The paper reviews the initial commissioning of the high resolution time-of-flight neutron powder diffractometer, HRPD, on the Spallation Neutron Source, ISIS, at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Preliminary results have confirmed both intensity and resolution predictions indicating that (Δd/d) lies between 0.04% and 0.08% for all d-spacings between 0.2 and 5A. The scientific potential of this increased resolution over existing time-of-flight diffractometers has been demonstrated in the successful ab initio structure determination of an unknown inorganic material, FeAsO 4 , and the detailed study of subtle symmetry changes in NiO. The true instrumental resolution, however, has been observed in only a small number of experiments: sample broadening is often seen to play a dominant role in the determination of the peak shape, particularly at longer d-spacings. This leads to additional useful information about macroscopic properties, such as anisotropic crystallite size, strain distribution and sample homogeneity, but also results in a significant increase in complexity of peak-shape description and data-analysis strategy. (author)

Initial results from the ISEE-1 and -2 plasma wave investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurnett, D.A.; Anderson, R.R.; Smith, E.J.

1979-01-01

In this paper the authors present an initial survey of results from the plasma wave experiments on the ISEE-1 and -2 spacecraft which are in nearly identical orbits passing through the Earth's magneotsphere at radial distances out to about 22.5 Rsub(e). Essentially every crossing of the Earth's bow shock can be associated with an intense burst of electrostatic and whistler-mode turbulence at the shock, with substanial wave intensities in both the upstream and downstream regions. In the magnetosphere high resolution spectrograms of the electric field show an extremely complex distribution of plasma and radio emission, with numerous resonance and cutoff effects. High resolution spectrograms of kilometric radio emissions are also presented which show an extremely complex frequency-time structure with many closely spaced narrow-band emissions. (Auth.)

Initial Egyptian ECMO experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akram Abdelbary

2016-04-01

Results: A total of twelve patients received ECMO between January 2014 and June 2015. The mean age was 35.9 years. (range 13–65 years, 8 males, with VV ECMO in 10 patients, and VA ECMO in 2 patients. Out of ten patients of VV ECMO, one had H1N1 pneumonia, one had advanced vasculitic lung, four had bacterial pneumonia, two traumatic lung contusions and one with organophosphorus poisoning, and one undiagnosed etiology leading to severe ARDS. Lung injury score range was 3–3.8, PaO2/FiO2 (20–76 mechanical ventilation duration before ECMO 1–14 days, Femoro-jugular cannulation in 7 patients and femoro-femoral in 2 patients and femoro-subclavian in 1 patient; all patients were initially sedated and paralyzed for (2–4 days and ventilated on pressure controlled ventilation with Pmax of 25 cm H2O and PEEP of 10 cm H2O. In VA ECMO patients were cannulated percutaneously using femoro-femoral approach. One patient showed no neurologic recovery and died after 24 h, the other had CABG on ECMO however the heart didn’t recover and died after 9 days. Heparin intravenous infusion was used initially in all patients and changed to Bivalirudin in 2 patients due to possible HIT. Pump flow ranged from 2.6 to 6.5 L/min. Average support time was 12 days (range 2–24 days. Seven patients (63.3% were successfully separated from ECMO and survived to hospital discharge. Hospital length of stay ranged from 3 to 42 days, tracheostomy was done percutaneously in 5 patients and surgically in 3. Gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 6 patients, VAP in 7 patients, neurologic complications in 1 patient with complete recovery, cardiac arrhythmias in 3 patients, pneumothorax in 9 patients, and deep venous thrombosis in 2 patients.

Initial results from a multiple monoenergetic gamma radiography system for nuclear security

Science.gov (United States)

O'Day, Buckley E.; Hartwig, Zachary S.; Lanza, Richard C.; Danagoulian, Areg

2016-10-01

The detection of assembled nuclear devices and concealed special nuclear materials (SNM) such as plutonium or uranium in commercial cargo traffic is a major challenge in mitigating the threat of nuclear terrorism. Currently available radiographic and active interrogation systems use ∼1-10 MeV bremsstrahlung photon beams. Although simple to build and operate, bremsstrahlung-based systems deliver high radiation doses to the cargo and to potential stowaways. To eliminate problematic issues of high dose, we are developing a novel technique known as multiple monoenergetic gamma radiography (MMGR). MMGR uses ion-induced nuclear reactions to produce two monoenergetic gammas for dual-energy radiography. This allows us to image the areal density and effective atomic number (Zeff) of scanned cargo. We present initial results from the proof-of-concept experiment, which was conducted at the MIT Bates Research and Engineering Center. The purpose of the experiment was to assess the capabilities of MMGR to measure areal density and Zeff of container cargo mockups. The experiment used a 3.0 MeV radiofrequency quadrupole accelerator to create sources of 4.44 MeV and 15.11 MeV gammas from the 11B(d,nγ)12C reaction in a thick natural boron target; the gammas are detected by an array of NaI(Tl) detectors after transmission through cargo mockups . The measured fluxes of transmitted 4.44 MeV and 15.11 MeV gammas were used to assess the areal density and Zeff. Initial results show that MMGR is capable of discriminating the presence of high-Z materials concealed in up to 30 cm of iron shielding from low- and mid-Z materials present in the cargo mockup.

A Large-Scale Initiative Inviting Patients to Share Personal Fitness Tracker Data with Their Providers: Initial Results.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua M Pevnick

Full Text Available Personal fitness trackers (PFT have substantial potential to improve healthcare.To quantify and characterize early adopters who shared their PFT data with providers.We used bivariate statistics and logistic regression to compare patients who shared any PFT data vs. patients who did not.A patient portal was used to invite 79,953 registered portal users to share their data. Of 66,105 users included in our analysis, 499 (0.8% uploaded data during an initial 37-day study period. Bivariate and regression analysis showed that early adopters were more likely than non-adopters to be younger, male, white, health system employees, and to have higher BMIs. Neither comorbidities nor utilization predicted adoption.Our results demonstrate that patients had little intrinsic desire to share PFT data with their providers, and suggest that patients most at risk for poor health outcomes are least likely to share PFT data. Marketing, incentives, and/or cultural change may be needed to induce such data-sharing.

Hematology and serum chemistry reference ranges of free-ranging moose (Alces alces) in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Rostal, Melinda K; Evans, Alina L; Solberg, Erling J; Arnemo, Jon M

2012-07-01

Baseline reference ranges of serum chemistry and hematology data can be important indicators for the status of both individuals or populations of wild animals that are affected by emerging pathogens, toxicants, or other causes of disease. Frequently, reference ranges for these values are not available for wildlife species or subspecies. We present hematologic and serum chemistry reference ranges for moose (Alces alces) adults, yearlings, and calves in Norway sampled from 1992-2000. Additionally, we demonstrated that both induction time and chase time were correlated with initial rectal temperature, although they were not significantly correlated with cortisol, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose, or creatine kinase. Overall, the reference ranges given here are similar to those given for American moose, with a few differences that can be attributed to environment, testing methodology, or subspecies or species status. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of reference ranges for moose in Norway.

The Frontier Fields: Survey Design and Initial Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lotz, J. M.; Koekemoer, A.; Grogin, N.; Mack, J.; Anderson, J.; Avila, R.; Barker, E. A.; Borncamp, D.; Durbin, M.; Gunning, H.; Hilbert, B.; Jenkner, H.; Khandrika, H.; Levay, Z.; Lucas, R. A.; MacKenty, J.; Ogaz, S. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Coe, D.; Capak, P.; Brammer, G., E-mail: lotz@stsci.edu [European Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 Sam Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

2017-03-01

What are the faintest distant galaxies we can see with the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) now, before the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope ? This is the challenge taken up by the Frontier Fields, a Director’s discretionary time campaign with HST and the Spitzer Space Telescope to see deeper into the universe than ever before. The Frontier Fields combines the power of HST and Spitzer with the natural gravitational telescopes of massive high-magnification clusters of galaxies to produce the deepest observations of clusters and their lensed galaxies ever obtained. Six clusters—Abell 2744, MACSJ0416.1-2403, MACSJ0717.5+3745, MACSJ1149.5+2223, Abell S1063, and Abell 370—have been targeted by the HST ACS/WFC and WFC3/IR cameras with coordinated parallel fields for over 840 HST orbits. The parallel fields are the second-deepest observations thus far by HST with 5 σ point-source depths of ∼29th ABmag. Galaxies behind the clusters experience typical magnification factors of a few, with small regions magnified by factors of 10–100. Therefore, the Frontier Field cluster HST images achieve intrinsic depths of ∼30–33 mag over very small volumes. Spitzer has obtained over 1000 hr of Director’s discretionary imaging of the Frontier Field cluster and parallels in IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 μ m bands to 5 σ point-source depths of ∼26.5, 26.0 ABmag. We demonstrate the exceptional sensitivity of the HST Frontier Field images to faint high-redshift galaxies, and review the initial results related to the primary science goals.

Initial Operative Experience and Short Term Hearing Preservation Results with a Mid-Scala Cochlear Implant Electrode Array

Science.gov (United States)

Svrakic, Maja; Roland, J. Thomas; McMenomey, Sean O.; Svirsky, Mario A.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE To describe our initial operative experience and hearing preservation results with the Advanced Bionics (AB) Mid Scala Electrode (MSE) STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Sixty-three MSE implants in pediatric and adult patients were compared to age- and gender-matched 1j electrode implants from the same manufacturer. All patients were severe to profoundly deaf. INTERVENTION Cochlear implantation with either the AB 1j electrode or the AB MSE. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The MSE and 1j electrode were compared in their angular depth of insertion (aDOI) and pre- to post-operative change in hearing thresholds. Hearing preservation was analyzed as a function of aDOI. Secondary outcome measures included operative time, incidence of abnormal intraoperative impedance and telemetry values, and incidence of postsurgical complications. RESULTS Depth of insertion was similar for both electrodes, but was more consistent for the MSE array and more variable for the 1j array. Patients with MSE electrodes had better hearing preservation. Thresholds shifts at four audiometric frequencies ranging from 250 to 2,000 Hz were 10 dB, 7 dB, 2 dB and 6 dB smaller for the MSE electrode than for the 1j (p<0.05). Hearing preservation at low frequencies was worse with deeper insertion, regardless of array. Secondary outcome measures were similar for both electrodes. CONCLUSIONS The MSE electrode resulted in more consistent insertion depth and somewhat better hearing preservation than the 1j electrode. Differences in other surgical outcome measures were small or unlikely to have a meaningful effect. PMID:27755356

Ground Operations Demonstration Unit for Liquid Hydrogen Initial Test Results

Science.gov (United States)

Notardonato, W. U.; Johnson, W. L.; Swanger, A. M.; Tomsik, T.

2015-01-01

NASA operations for handling cryogens in ground support equipment have not changed substantially in 50 years, despite major technology advances in the field of cryogenics. NASA loses approximately 50% of the hydrogen purchased because of a continuous heat leak into ground and flight vessels, transient chill down of warm cryogenic equipment, liquid bleeds, and vent losses. NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) needs to develop energy-efficient cryogenic ground systems to minimize propellant losses, simplify operations, and reduce cost associated with hydrogen usage. The GODU LH2 project has designed, assembled, and started testing of a prototype storage and distribution system for liquid hydrogen that represents an advanced end-to-end cryogenic propellant system for a ground launch complex. The project has multiple objectives including zero loss storage and transfer, liquefaction of gaseous hydrogen, and densification of liquid hydrogen. The system is unique because it uses an integrated refrigeration and storage system (IRAS) to control the state of the fluid. This paper will present and discuss the results of the initial phase of testing of the GODU LH2 system.

Novel Field test design and initial result for AC and DC characterization for PV-panels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsteinsson, Sune; Riedel, Nicholas; Santamaria Lancia, Adrian Alejo

This work describes the design and initial test results of a field test for PV modules, where the PV modules the majority of the time operates to produce power at their maximum power point. Sequentially the individual modules are switched into a measurement circuitry for IV curves and impedance s...

The Range of Initial 10Be/9Be Ratios in the Early Solar System: A Re-Assessment Based on Analyses of New CAIs and Melilite Composition Glass Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Dunham, E.; Wadhwa, M.; Liu, M.-C.

2017-07-01

We report a more accurate range of initial 10Be/9Be in CAIs including FUN CAI CMS-1 from Allende (CV3) and a new CAI from NWA 5508 (CV3) using melilite composition glass standards; we suggest 10Be is largely produced by irradiation in the nebula.

Evaluating U.S. States climate change initiatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, P.

2004-01-01

This paper evaluates sub-federal efforts to mitigate climate change in the United States through a range of climate-relevant initiatives, identifying principal trends and detailing climate-relevant initiatives in several states. These strategies include renewable electricity mandates, State and regional greenhouse gas emissions inventories, mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting, State greenhouse gas emissions caps, greenhouse gas emissions reductions from motor vehicles, and greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-trade programs for electric generation in several States. Many municipalities in the United States are also pursuing a range of climate-relevant initiatives, those actions are beyond the scope of this paper, but it should be noted they also influence state and national consideration of climate-relevant initiatives in the United States. (author)

Evaluating U.S. States climate change initiatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, P

2004-07-01

This paper evaluates sub-federal efforts to mitigate climate change in the United States through a range of climate-relevant initiatives, identifying principal trends and detailing climate-relevant initiatives in several states. These strategies include renewable electricity mandates, State and regional greenhouse gas emissions inventories, mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting, State greenhouse gas emissions caps, greenhouse gas emissions reductions from motor vehicles, and greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-trade programs for electric generation in several States. Many municipalities in the United States are also pursuing a range of climate-relevant initiatives, those actions are beyond the scope of this paper, but it should be noted they also influence state and national consideration of climate-relevant initiatives in the United States. (author)

The Initial Conditions of Fractional Calculus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trigeassou, J. C.; Maamri, N.

2011-01-01

During the past fifty years , Fractional Calculus has become an original and renowned mathematical tool for the modelling of diffusion Partial Differential Equations and the design of robust control algorithms. However, in spite of these celebrated results, some theoretical problems have not yet received a satisfying solution. The mastery of initial conditions, either for Fractional Differential Equations (FDEs) or for the Caputo and Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives, remains an open research domain. The solution of this fundamental problem, also related to the long range memory property, is certainly the necessary prerequisite for a satisfying approach to modelling and control applications. The fractional integrator and its continuously frequency distributed differential model is a valuable tool for the simulation of fractional systems and the solution of initial condition problems. Indeed, the infinite dimensional state vector of fractional integrators allows the direct generalization to fractional calculus of the theoretical results of integer order systems. After a reminder of definitions and properties related to fractional derivatives and systems, this presentation is intended to show, based on the results of two recent publications [1,2], how the fractional integrator provides the solution of the initial condition problem of FDEs and of Caputo and Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives. Numerical simulation examples illustrate and validate these new theoretical concepts.

Results of Zea mays seeds β- irradiation in 0 - 5 Gy range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chicea, Dan; Racuciu, Mihaela

2008-01-01

In this study young plants, obtained from the control and beta irradiated seeds, were studied in laboratory experiments. Zea mays seeds with uniform genophond were irradiated with 90 Sr source in the 0 - 5 Gy range. Increased germination percentage was observed under the influence of different radiation doses. We found that small doses of β- radiation have a stimulating effect on the growth of the plantlets, the maximum simulation (among the doses we used) being induced by 0.615 Gy and is statistically significant. We investigated the chlorophyll a to b ratio and the average length variations with the irradiation dose and present the results. Key words: b- radiation, Zea mays, germination rate, plants growth, photoassimilatory pigments,

Optical nutation in the exciton range of spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khadzhi, P. I.; Vasiliev, V. V.

2013-01-01

Optical nutation in the exciton range of spectrum is studied in the mean field approximation taking into account exciton-photon and elastic exciton-exciton interactions. It is shown that the features of nutation development are determined by the initial exciton and photon densities, the resonance detuning, the nonlinearity parameter, and the initial phase difference. For nonzero initial exciton and photon concentrations, three regimes of temporal evolution of excitons and photons exist: periodic conversion of excitons to photons and vice versa, aperiodic conversion of photons to excitons, and the rest regime. In the rest regime, the initial exciton and photon densities are nonzero and do not change with time. The oscillation amplitudes and periods of particle densities determined by the system parameters are found. The exciton self-trapping and photon trapping appearing in the system at threshold values of the nonlinearity parameter were predicted. As this parameter increases, the oscillation amplitudes of the exciton and photon densities sharply change at the critical value of the nonlinearity parameter. These two phenomena are shown to be caused by the elastic exciton-exciton interaction, resulting in the dynamic concentration shift of the exciton level

Initial Operative Experience and Short-term Hearing Preservation Results With a Mid-scala Cochlear Implant Electrode Array.

Science.gov (United States)

Svrakic, Maja; Roland, J Thomas; McMenomey, Sean O; Svirsky, Mario A

2016-12-01

To describe our initial operative experience and hearing preservation results with the Advanced Bionics (AB) Mid Scala Electrode (MSE). Retrospective review. Tertiary referral center. Sixty-three MSE implants in pediatric and adult patients were compared with age- and sex-matched 1j electrode implants from the same manufacturer. All patients were severe to profoundly deaf. Cochlear implantation with either the AB 1j electrode or the AB MSE. The MSE and 1j electrodes were compared in their angular depth of insertion and pre to postoperative change in hearing thresholds. Hearing preservation was analyzed as a function of angular depth of insertion. Secondary outcome measures included operative time, incidence of abnormal intraoperative impedance and telemetry values, and incidence of postsurgical complications. Depth of insertion was similar for both electrodes, but was more consistent for the MSE array and more variable for the 1j array. Patients with MSE electrodes had better hearing preservation. Thresholds shifts at four audiometric frequencies ranging from 250 to 2000 Hz were 10, 7, 2, and 6 dB smaller for the MSE electrode than for the 1j (p < 0.05). Hearing preservation at low frequencies was worse with deeper insertion, regardless of array. Secondary outcome measures were similar for both electrodes. The MSE electrode resulted in more consistent insertion depth and somewhat better hearing preservation than the 1j electrode. Differences in other surgical outcome measures were small or unlikely to have a meaningful effect.

Mortality associated with delays between clinic entry and ART initiation in resource-limited settings: results of a transition-state model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Christopher J; Lewis, James J; Dowdy, David W; Fielding, Katherine L; Grant, Alison D; Martinson, Neil A; Churchyard, Gavin J; Chaisson, Richard E

2013-05-01

To estimate the mortality impact of delay in antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation from the time of entry into care. A state-transition Markov process model. This technique allows for assessing mortality before and after ART initiation associated with delays in ART initiation among a general population of ART-eligible patients without conducting a randomized trial. We used patient-level data from 3 South African cohorts to determine transition probabilities for pre-ART CD4 count changes and pre-ART and on-ART mortality. For each parameter, we generated probabilities and distributions for Monte Carlo simulations with 1-week cycles to estimate mortality 52 weeks from clinic entry. We estimated an increase in mortality from 11.0% to 14.7% (relative increase of 34%) with a 10-week delay in ART for patients entering care with our pre-ART cohort CD4 distribution. When we examined low CD4 ranges, the relative increase in mortality delays remained similar; however, the absolute increase in mortality rose. For example, among patients entering with CD4 count 50-99 cells per cubic millimeter, 12-month mortality increased from 13.3% with no delay compared with 17.0% with a 10-week delay and 22.9% with a 6-month delay. Delays in ART initiation, common in routine HIV programs, can lead to important increases in mortality. Prompt ART initiation for patients entering clinical care and eligible for ART, especially those with lower CD4 counts, could be a relatively low-cost approach with a potential marked impact on mortality.

Demonstrator study for micro-ranging-laser device

Science.gov (United States)

Henkel, Hartmut; Bernhardt, Bodo; Pereira do Carmo, J.

2017-11-01

Within ESA's Innovation Triangle Initiative (ITI) a demonstrator breadboard for a micro-ranging-laser device "MYLRAD" has been developed. Its working principle is the measurement of the round-trip delay time of a laser beam as a phase shift. The demonstrator consists of the laser diode (30 mW, square wave AM), optics, APD detector, narrowband preamplifier, limiter, and a phase digitiser based on a novel noise-shaping synchroniser (NSS) circuit; this works without ADCs and can be built from rad-hard components for space. The system timing and the digitiser algorithm are performed by an FPGA. The demonstrator has been tested at ranges from 1 m to 30 m. With a static non-cooperative target an RMS noise of 1 mm at a result rate of 60 Hz was reached. The demonstrator needs less than 2.5 W power.

Results from the University of Calgary environmental geophysics test range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duckworth, K; Lawton, D.C.; Juigalli, J; Parry, D. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics

1995-12-31

The Spy Hill Research Farm, operated by the University of Calgary as a test range site where geophysical equipment and methods related to environmental monitoring can be operated under controlled conditions, was described. The site is used by students in the geophysics courses offered at the University, but it is also intended to be available to other users for equipment tests. The site is underlain by glacial gravels and clays which reach thicknesses in excess of 30 m. Surveys of the site have been completed with the following geophysical systems: Geonics EM-31 and EM-34; Apex Max-Min; Huntec Mk4 IP with Phoenix IP-T1 transmitter; Geometrics Proton Magnetometer; McPhar vertical field Fluxgate magnetometer; Androtex TDR6 IP with Phoenix IP-T1 transmitter; Geometrics 12 channel refraction seismic system; and Pulse Echo Ground Penetrating Radar. The site has proved to be well suited to serve as a test range. The addition of yet more features to the site is being planned.

Results From the Audit of DOD’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Initial Data Quality Review Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

2009-11-03

Results From the Audit of DoD’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Initial Data Quality Review Implementation Memorandum No. D-2010-RAM...number. 1. REPORT DATE 03 NOV 2009 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2009 to 00-00-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Results From the Audit of...SUBJECT: Results From the Audit of DOD’ s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of2009 Initial Data Quality Review Implementation (Report No. D

Initial conditions of radiative shock experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuranz, C. C.; Drake, R. P.; Krauland, C. M.; Marion, D. C.; Grosskopf, M. J.; Rutter, E.; Torralva, B.; Holloway, J. P.; Bingham, D.; Goh, J.; Boehly, T. R.; Sorce, A. T.

2013-01-01

We performed experiments at the Omega Laser Facility to characterize the initial, laser-driven state of a radiative shock experiment. These experiments aimed to measure the shock breakout time from a thin, laser-irradiated Be disk. The data are then used to inform a range of valid model parameters, such as electron flux limiter and polytropic γ, used when simulating radiative shock experiments using radiation hydrodynamics codes. The characterization experiment and the radiative shock experiment use a laser irradiance of ∼7 × 10 14 W cm −2 to launch a shock in the Be disk. A velocity interferometer and a streaked optical pyrometer were used to infer the amount of time for the shock to move through the Be disk. The experimental results were compared with simulation results from the Hyades code, which can be used to model the initial conditions of a radiative shock system using the CRASH code

Initial cathode processing experiences and results for the treatment of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, B.R.; Laug, D.V.; Brunsvold, A.R.; Roach, P.D.

1996-01-01

As part of the spent fuel treatment demonstration at Argonne National Laboratory, a vacuum distillation process is being employed for the recovery of uranium following an electrorefining process. Distillation of a salt electrolyte, primarily consisting of a eutectic mixture of lithium and potassium chlorides, from uranium is achieved by a batch operation termed ''cathode processing.'' Cathode processing is performed in a retort furnace which enables the production of a stable uranium product that can be isotopically diluted and stored. To date, experiments have been performed with two distillation units; one for prototypical testing and the other for actual spent fuel treatment operations. The results and experiences from these initial experiments with both units will be discussed as well as problems encountered and their resolution

The magnetic field investigation on the ARASE (ERG) mission: Data characteristics and initial scientific results

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuoka, A.; Teramoto, M.; Nomura, R.; Nose, M.; Fujimoto, A.; Tanaka, Y.; Shinohara, M.; Nagatsuma, T.; Shiokawa, K.; Obana, Y.; Miyoshi, Y.; Takashima, T.; Shinohara, I.

2017-12-01

The ARASE (ERG) satellite was successfully launched on December 20 2016. A fluxgate magnetometer (MGF) was built for the ARASE satellite to measure DC and low-frequency magnetic field. The requirements to the magnetic field measurements by ARASE was defined as (1) accuracy of the absolute field intensity is within 5 nT (2) angular accuracy of the field direction is within 1 degree (3) measurement frequency range is from DC to 60Hz or wider. MGF measures the vector magnetic field with the original sampling frequency of 256 Hz. The dynamic range is switched between +/-8000nT and +/- 60000nT according to the background field intensity. The MGF initial checkout was carried on January 10th 2017, when the MGF normal performance and downlinked data were confirmed. The 5-m length MAST for the sensor was deployed on 17th January. The nominal operation of MGF started in March 2017. The MGF data are calibrated based on the results from the ground experiments and in-orbit data analysis. The MGF CDF files are distributed by the ARASE Science Center and available by Space Physics Environment Data Analysis Software (SPEDAS). The acceleration process of the charged particles in the inner magnetosphere is considered to be closely related to the deformation and perturbation of the magnetic field. Accurate measurement of the magnetic field is required to understand the acceleration mechanism of the charged particles, which is one of the major scientific objectives of the ARASE mission. We designed a fluxgate magnetometer which is optimized to investigate following topics; (1) accurate measurement of the background magnetic field - the deformation of the magnetic field and its relationship with the particle acceleration. (2) MHD waves - measurement of the ULF electromagnetic waves of frequencies about 1mHz (Pc4-5), and investigation of the radiation-belt electrons radially diffused by the resonance with the ULF waves. (3) EMIC waves - measurement of the electromagnetic ion

Methods for initial characterization of Campylobacter jejuni bacteriophages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Martine Camilla Holst; Gencay, Yilmaz Emre; Brøndsted, Lone

2017-01-01

Here we describe an initial characterization of Campylobacter jejuni bacteriophages by host range analysis, genome size determination by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and receptor-type identification by screening mutants for phage sensitivity.......Here we describe an initial characterization of Campylobacter jejuni bacteriophages by host range analysis, genome size determination by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and receptor-type identification by screening mutants for phage sensitivity....

The Yellowstone ‘hot spot’ track results from migrating Basin Range extension

Science.gov (United States)

Foulger, Gillian R.; Christiansen, Robert L.; Anderson, Don L.; Foulger, Gillian R.; Lustrino, Michele; King, Scott D.

2015-01-01

Whether the volcanism of the Columbia River Plateau, eastern Snake River Plain, and Yellowstone (western U.S.) is related to a mantle plume or to plate tectonic processes is a long-standing controversy. There are many geological mismatches with the basic plume model as well as logical flaws, such as citing data postulated to require a deep-mantle origin in support of an “upper-mantle plume” model. USArray has recently yielded abundant new seismological results, but despite this, seismic analyses have still not resolved the disparity of opinion. This suggests that seismology may be unable to resolve the plume question for Yellowstone, and perhaps elsewhere. USArray data have inspired many new models that relate western U.S. volcanism to shallow mantle convection associated with subduction zone processes. Many of these models assume that the principal requirement for surface volcanism is melt in the mantle and that the lithosphere is essentially passive. In this paper we propose a pure plate model in which melt is commonplace in the mantle, and its inherent buoyancy is not what causes surface eruptions. Instead, it is extension of the lithosphere that permits melt to escape to the surface and eruptions to occur—the mere presence of underlying melt is not a sufficient condition. The time-progressive chain of rhyolitic calderas in the eastern Snake River Plain–Yellowstone zone that has formed since basin-range extension began at ca. 17 Ma results from laterally migrating lithospheric extension and thinning that has permitted basaltic magma to rise from the upper mantle and melt the lower crust. We propose that this migration formed part of the systematic eastward migration of the axis of most intense basin-range extension. The bimodal rhyolite-basalt volcanism followed migration of the locus of most rapid extension, not vice versa. This model does not depend on seismology to test it but instead on surface geological observations.

Epistemology and expectations survey about experimental physics: Development and initial results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin M. Zwickl

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In response to national calls to better align physics laboratory courses with the way physicists engage in research, we have developed an epistemology and expectations survey to assess how students perceive the nature of physics experiments in the contexts of laboratory courses and the professional research laboratory. The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS evaluates students’ epistemology at the beginning and end of a semester. Students respond to paired questions about how they personally perceive doing experiments in laboratory courses and how they perceive an experimental physicist might respond regarding their research. Also, at the end of the semester, the E-CLASS assesses a third dimension of laboratory instruction, students’ reflections on their course’s expectations for earning a good grade. By basing survey statements on widely embraced learning goals and common critiques of teaching labs, the E-CLASS serves as an assessment tool for lab courses across the undergraduate curriculum and as a tool for physics education research. We present the development, evidence of validation, and initial formative assessment results from a sample that includes 45 classes at 20 institutions. We also discuss feedback from instructors and reflect on the challenges of large-scale online administration and distribution of results.

Healthy competition drives success in results-based aid: Lessons from the Salud Mesoamérica Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Palmisano, Erin B; Dansereau, Emily; Schaefer, Alexandra; Woldeab, Alexander; Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar; Salvatierra, Benito; Hernandez-Prado, Bernardo; Mokdad, Ali H

2017-01-01

The Salud Mesoamérica Initiative (SMI) is a three-operation strategy, and is a pioneer in the world of results-based aid (RBA) in terms of the success it has achieved in improving health system inputs following its initial operation. This success in meeting pre-defined targets is rare in the world of financial assistance for health. We investigated the influential aspects of SMI that could have contributed to its effectiveness in improving health systems, with the aim of providing international donors, bilateral organizations, philanthropies, and recipient countries with new perspectives that can help increase the effectiveness of future assistance for health, specifically in the arena of RBA. Qualitative methods based on the criteria of relevance and effectiveness proposed by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Our methods included document review, key informant interviews, a focus group discussion, and a partnership analysis. A purposive sample of 113 key informants, comprising donors, representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank, ministries of health, technical assistance organizations, evaluation organizations, and health care providers. During May-October 2016, we interviewed regarding the relevance and effectiveness of SMI. Themes emerged relative to the topics we investigated, and covered the design and the drivers of success of the initiative. The success is due to 1) the initiative's regional approach, which pressured recipient countries to compete toward meeting targets, 2) a robust and flexible design that incorporated the richness of input from stakeholders at all levels, 3) the design-embedded evaluation component that created a culture of accountability among recipient countries, and 4) the reflective knowledge environment that created a culture of evidence-based decision-making. A regional approach involving all appropriate stakeholders, and based on knowledge sharing and

Initial results from dissolution rate testing of N-Reactor spent fuel over a range of potential geologic repository aqueous conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, W.J.; Einziger, R.E.

1998-04-01

Hanford N-Reactor spent nuclear fuel (HSNF) may ultimately be placed in a geologic repository for permanent disposal. To determine whether the engineered barrier system that will be designed for emplacement of light-water-reactor (LWR) spent fuel will also suffice for HSNF, aqueous dissolution rate measurements were conducted on the HSNF. The purpose of these tests was to determine whether HSNF dissolves faster or slower than LWR spent fuel under some limited repository-relevant water chemistry conditions. The tests were conducted using a flowthrough method that allows the dissolution rate of the uranium matrix to be measured without interference by secondary precipitation reactions that would confuse interpretation of the results. Similar tests had been conducted earlier with LWR spent fuel, thereby allowing direct comparisons. Two distinct corrosion modes were observed during the course of these 12 tests. The first, Stage 1, involved no visible corrosion of the test specimen and produced no undissolved corrosion products. The second, Stage 2, resulted in both visible corrosion of the test specimen and left behind undissolved corrosion products. During Stage 1, the rate of dissolution could be readily determined because the dissolved uranium and associated fission products remained in solution where they could be quantitatively analyzed. The measured rates were much faster than has been observed for LWR spent fuel under all conditions tested to date when normalized to the exposed test specimen surface areas. Application of these results to repository conditions, however, requires some comparison of the physical conditions of the different fuels. The surface area of LWR fuel that could potentially be exposed to repository groundwater is estimated to be approximately 100 times greater than HSNF. Therefore, when compared on the basis of mass, which is more relevant to repository conditions, the HSNF and LWR spent fuel dissolve at similar rates

SU-E-T-287: Robustness Study of Passive-Scattering Proton Therapy in Lung: Is Range and Setup Uncertainty Calculation On the Initial CT Enough to Predict the Plan Robustness?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, X; Dormer, J; Kenton, O; Liu, H; Simone, C; Solberg, T; Lin, L [University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: Plan robustness of the passive-scattering proton therapy treatment of lung tumors has been studied previously using combined uncertainties of 3.5% in CT number and 3 mm geometric shifts. In this study, we investigate whether this method is sufficient to predict proton plan robustness by comparing to plans performed on weekly verification CT scans. Methods: Ten lung cancer patients treated with passive-scattering proton therapy were randomly selected. All plans were prescribed 6660cGy in 37 fractions. Each initial plan was calculated using +/− 3.5% range and +/− 0.3cm setup uncertainty in x, y and z directions in Eclipse TPS(Method-A). Throughout the treatment course, patients received weekly verification CT scans to assess the daily treatment variation(Method-B). After contours and imaging registrations are verified by the physician, the initial plan with the same beamline and compensator was mapped into the verification CT. Dose volume histograms (DVH) were evaluated for robustness study. Results: Differences are observed between method A and B in terms of iCTV coverage and lung dose. Method-A shows all the iCTV D95 are within +/− 1% difference, while 20% of cases fall outside +/−1% range in Method-B. In the worst case scenario(WCS), the iCTV D95 is reduced by 2.5%. All lung V5 and V20 are within +/−5% in Method-A while 15% of V5 and 10% of V20 fall outside of +/−5% in Method-B. In the WCS, Lung V5 increased by 15% and V20 increased by 9%. Method A and B show good agreement with regard to cord maximum and Esophagus mean dose. Conclusion: This study suggests that using range and setup uncertainty calculation (+/−3.5% and +/−3mm) may not be sufficient to predict the WCS. In the absence of regular verification scans, expanding the conventional uncertainty parameters(e.g., to +/−3.5% and +/−4mm) may be needed to better reflect plan actual robustness.

Spinal epidural neurostimulation for treatment of acute and chronic intractable pain: initial and long term results.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, R R; Siqueira, E B; Cerullo, L J

1979-09-01

Spinal epidural neurostimulation, which evolved from dorsal column stimulation, has been found to be effective in the treatment of acute and chronic intractable pain. Urban and Hashold have shown that it is a safe, simplified alternative to dorsal column stimulation, especially because laminectomy is not required if the electrodes are inserted percutaneously. Percutaneous epidural neurostimulation is also advantageous because there can be a diagnostic trial period before permanent internalization and implantation. This diagnostic and therapeutic modality has been used in 36 patients during the past 3 years at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Eleven of these patients had acute intractable pain, which was defined as pain of less than 1 year in duration. Initial postimplantation results from the 36 patients indicate that spinal epidural neurostimulation is most effective in treating the intractable pain of diabetes, arachnoiditis, and post-traumatic and postamputation neuroma. Long term follow-up, varying from 1 year to 3 years postimplantation in the 20 initially responding patients, indicates that the neurostimulation continues to provide significant pain relief (50% or greater) in a majority of the patients who experienced initial significant pain relief.

Initial state dependence of nonlinear kinetic equations: The classical electron gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchetti, M.C.; Cohen, E.G.D.; Dorfman, J.R.; Kirkpatrick, T.R.

1985-01-01

The method of nonequilibrium cluster expansion is used to study the decay to equilibrium of a weakly coupled inhomogeneous electron gas prepared in a local equilibrium state at the initial time, t=0. A nonlinear kinetic equation describing the long time behavior of the one-particle distribution function is obtained. For consistency, initial correlations have to be taken into account. The resulting kinetic equation-differs from that obtained when the initial state of the system is assumed to be factorized in a product of one-particle functions. The question of to what extent correlations in the initial state play an essential role in determining the form of the kinetic equation at long times is discussed. To that end, the present calculations are compared wih results obtained before for hard sphere gases and in general with strong short-range forces. A partial answer is proposed and some open questions are indicated

TU-FG-BRB-05: A 3 Dimensional Prompt Gamma Imaging System for Range Verification in Proton Radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Draeger, E; Chen, H; Polf, J [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States); Mackin, D; Beddar, S [MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); Avery, S [University of Cape Town, Rondebosch (South Africa); Peterson, S

2016-06-15

Purpose: To report on the initial developments of a clinical 3-dimensional (3D) prompt gamma (PG) imaging system for proton radiotherapy range verification. Methods: The new imaging system under development consists of a prototype Compton camera to measure PG emission during proton beam irradiation and software to reconstruct, display, and analyze 3D images of the PG emission. For initial test of the system, PGs were measured with a prototype CC during a 200 cGy dose delivery with clinical proton pencil beams (ranging from 100 MeV – 200 MeV) to a water phantom. Measurements were also carried out with the CC placed 15 cm from the phantom for a full range 150 MeV pencil beam and with its range shifted by 2 mm. Reconstructed images of the PG emission were displayed by the clinical PG imaging software and compared to the dose distributions of the proton beams calculated by a commercial treatment planning system. Results: Measurements made with the new PG imaging system showed that a 3D image could be reconstructed from PGs measured during the delivery of 200 cGy of dose, and that shifts in the Bragg peak range of as little as 2 mm could be detected. Conclusion: Initial tests of a new PG imaging system show its potential to provide 3D imaging and range verification for proton radiotherapy. Based on these results, we have begun work to improve the system with the goal that images can be produced from delivery of as little as 20 cGy so that the system could be used for in-vivo proton beam range verification on a daily basis.

A re-evaluation of the initial yield of the hydrated electron in the picosecond time range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muroya, Yusa; Lin Mingzhang; Wu, Guozhong; Iijima, Hokuto; Yoshii, Koji; Ueda, Toru; Kudo, Hisaaki; Katsumura, Yosuke

2005-01-01

The yield of the hydrated electron in the picosecond time range has been re-evaluated with an ultrafast pulse radiolysis system using a laser photocathode RF-gun in combination with a conventional one, and a value of 4.1±0.2 per 100 eV of absorbed energy at 20 ps was derived. This is consistent with recent experimental results using a time correlation method [Bartels et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 104, 1686-1691 (2000)] and with Monte-Carlo calculations [Muroya et al., Can. J. Chem. 80 1367-1374 (2002)

Tablets in Education. Results from the Initiative ETiE, for Teaching Plants to Primary School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Fokides, Emmanuel; Atsikpasi, Pinelopi

2017-01-01

The study presents the results from the first phase of the initiative Emerging Technologies in Education. At this stage, we examined the learning outcomes from the use of tablets and an application as content delivery methods for teaching plants' parts, reproduction types and organs, photosynthesis, and respiration. The project lasted for four…

Autonomous system for launch vehicle range safety

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrell, Bob; Haley, Sam

2001-02-01

The Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS) is a launch vehicle subsystem whose ultimate goal is an autonomous capability to assure range safety (people and valuable resources), flight personnel safety, flight assets safety (recovery of valuable vehicles and cargo), and global coverage with a dramatic simplification of range infrastructure. The AFSS is capable of determining current vehicle position and predicting the impact point with respect to flight restriction zones. Additionally, it is able to discern whether or not the launch vehicle is an immediate threat to public safety, and initiate the appropriate range safety response. These features provide for a dramatic cost reduction in range operations and improved reliability of mission success. .

The problem of criticality and initial-value problem in neutron transport theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyncl, J.

1984-10-01

The problem of criticality and the initial value problem are studied in the case of a linear Boltzmann equation and of both finite and infinite media. The space of functions where the problems are solved is chosen in such a way as to cover a wide range of physical situations. The asymptotic time behavior of the solution to the initial-value problem is also discussed, and main results are summarized in three basic theorems. (author)

Northern peatland initiation lagged abrupt increases in deglacial atmospheric CH4.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Alberto V; Cooke, Colin A

2011-03-22

Peatlands are a key component of the global carbon cycle. Chronologies of peatland initiation are typically based on compiled basal peat radiocarbon (14C) dates and frequency histograms of binned calibrated age ranges. However, such compilations are problematic because poor quality 14C dates are commonly included and because frequency histograms of binned age ranges introduce chronological artefacts that bias the record of peatland initiation. Using a published compilation of 274 basal 14C dates from Alaska as a case study, we show that nearly half the 14C dates are inappropriate for reconstructing peatland initiation, and that the temporal structure of peatland initiation is sensitive to sampling biases and treatment of calibrated 14C dates. We present revised chronologies of peatland initiation for Alaska and the circumpolar Arctic based on summed probability distributions of calibrated 14C dates. These revised chronologies reveal that northern peatland initiation lagged abrupt increases in atmospheric CH4 concentration at the start of the Bølling-Allerød interstadial (Termination 1A) and the end of the Younger Dryas chronozone (Termination 1B), suggesting that northern peatlands were not the primary drivers of the rapid increases in atmospheric CH4. Our results demonstrate that subtle methodological changes in the synthesis of basal 14C ages lead to substantially different interpretations of temporal trends in peatland initiation, with direct implications for the role of peatlands in the global carbon cycle.

Preliminary results of proton therapy in choroidal melanoma at the centre de proton therapy d'Orsay (C.P.O.): 464 initial cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desjardins, L.; Levy, C.; D'hermies, F.; Frau, E.; Schlienger, P.; Habrand, J.L.; Mammar, H.; Schwartz, L.; Mazal, A.; Delacroix, S.; Nauraye, C.; Ferrand, R.; Asselain, B.

1997-01-01

Retrospective analysis of the treatment of choroidal melanoma with proton-therapy at the Centre de protontherapie d'Orsay, France. Between September 1991 and September 1995, 612 patients presenting with choroidal melanoma were treated by proton-therapy in Orsay. Following initial management of the first 464 patients, results were analyzed, as were results after a 1-year follow up for 305 patients, a 2-year follow-up for 169 patients, and a 3-year follow-up for 59 patients. Univariate analysis showed that the actuarial local recurrence rate was 5 %, the 3-year survival rate 88 %, and the overall metastatic rate 5%. The initial tumor volume was the most significant predictive factor for visual results and metastases. Multivariate analysis revealed that visual results were significantly related to the initial tumor volume, initial retinal detachment, and total dose delivered to the optic nerve and macula. Proton-therapy of choroidal melanoma allows in most cases conservation of the eye without modification of survival. Visual results mainly depend on the site and size of the tumor. (author)

Results of the initial test program for the Sandia Pulsed Reactor III (SPR III)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estes, B.F.; Reuscher, J.A.

1976-08-01

This document presents a detailed discussion of the reactor including the mechanical and nuclear design characteristics. Also presented are the complete results of the Initial Approach to Critical and the Zero-and-Low Power testing programs. Reactivity worth measurements are given for such parameters as control element integral worth, Safety Block integral worth, and various materials (polyethylene, copper, lead, etc) as a function of position relative to the core. Subcritical reactivity measurements made during the approach to critical generally proved to be in reasonably good agreement with design values due to the good source-fuel-detector geometry possible with a reactor of this type. Subsequent dynamic measurements for reactivity worths are shown to be in good agreement with calculated results

Range and railgun development results at LS and PA ''Soyuz''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babakov, Y.P.; Plekhanov, A.V.; Zheleznyi, V.B.

1995-01-01

A rail electromagnetic accelerator is one of the most reliable and simple devices for accelerating macroparticles up to high velocity. These accelerators allow scientists to carry out fundamental and applied investigations to study both equation-of-state of materials at high pressure due to high velocity encounters, and creation of conditions for shock thermonuclear fusion. In the department ''Energophyzika'' LS and PA ''Soyuz'' range was created. It was equipped with an inductor with storage capacity up to 12.5 MJ energized by a solid propellant MHD generator and a capacitor bank (energy capacity up to 6 MJ). These systems deliver currents of 1 MA and 2 MA, respectively. Diagnostic, recording, and autocalculation systems allow use of as many as 120 data channels with acquisition frequency up to 10 MHz. Recent technical successes in railgun construction, using special methods to compact plasma armature and produce high velocity trailing contact, creation of hybrid armatures, and optimizing acceleration made possible to gain velocities in the range of 6.2 to 6.8 km/s (masses of 3.8 to 10 g) and velocities 2.7 to 3.8 km/s (masses of 50 to 100 g) on railguns with length 2 to 4 m

Groundwater-quality data in 12 GAMA study units: Results from the 2006–10 initial sampling period and the 2008–13 trend sampling period, California GAMA Priority Basin Project

Science.gov (United States)

Mathany, Timothy M.

2017-03-09

The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) program was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board. From 2004 through 2012, the GAMA-PBP collected samples and assessed the quality of groundwater resources that supply public drinking water in 35 study units across the State. Selected sites in each study unit were sampled again approximately 3 years after initial sampling as part of an assessment of temporal trends in water quality by the GAMA-PBP. Twelve of the study units, initially sampled during 2006–11 (initial sampling period) and sampled a second time during 2008–13 (trend sampling period) to assess temporal trends, are the subject of this report.The initial sampling was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated groundwater used for public water supplies in the 12 study units. In these study units, 550 sampling sites were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized, grid-based method to provide spatially unbiased representation of the areas assessed (grid sites, also called “status sites”). After the initial sampling period, 76 of the previously sampled status sites (approximately 10 percent in each study unit) were randomly selected for trend sampling (“trend sites”). The 12 study units sampled both during the initial sampling and during the trend sampling period were distributed among 6 hydrogeologic provinces: Coastal (Northern and Southern), Transverse Ranges and Selected Peninsular Ranges, Klamath, Modoc Plateau and Cascades, and Sierra Nevada Hydrogeologic Provinces. For the purposes of this trend report, the six hydrogeologic provinces were grouped into two hydrogeologic regions based on location: Coastal and Mountain.The groundwater samples were analyzed for a number of synthetic organic

Federating clinical data from six pediatric hospitals: process and initial results for microbiology from the PHIS+ consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Gouripeddi, Ramkiran; Warner, Phillip B; Mo, Peter; Levin, James E; Srivastava, Rajendu; Shah, Samir S; de Regt, David; Kirkendall, Eric; Bickel, Jonathan; Korgenski, E Kent; Precourt, Michelle; Stepanek, Richard L; Mitchell, Joyce A; Narus, Scott P; Keren, Ron

2012-01-01

Microbiology study results are necessary for conducting many comparative effectiveness research studies. Unlike core laboratory test results, microbiology results have a complex structure. Federating and integrating microbiology data from six disparate electronic medical record systems is challenging and requires a team of varied skills. The PHIS+ consortium which is partnership between members of the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings (PRIS) network, the Children's Hospital Association and the University of Utah, have used "FURTHeR' for federating laboratory data. We present our process and initial results for federating microbiology data from six pediatric hospitals.

What do Patients Want From Their Radiation Oncologist? Initial Results From a Prospective Trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, Ajay K.; Land, Stephanie R.; Shogan, Alyson; Rodgers, Edwin E.; Heron, Dwight E.; Flickinger, John C.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To assess patients' initial physician preferences using a newly developed instrument. Methods and Materials: A total of 182 patients with a primary diagnosis of prostate, breast, or lung cancer referred for consultation to University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Department of Radiation Oncology enrolled in our institutional review board-approved protocol. All patients completed patient preference instrument surveys before meeting their radiation oncologist. Survey responses to 10 statements were categorized into three groups (agree, neutral, or disagree), and the association of survey responses by cancer site was tested with chi-squared tests. Results: Ninety-nine percent of all patients preferred to be addressed by their first name in encounters with their radiation oncologist. There were significant associations of Item 3 (hand holding) with gender (p = 0.039) and education (p = 0.028). The responses to Item 5, a statement that patients would feel uncomfortable if the radiation oncologist offered to hug them at the end of treatment, was significantly associated with disease site (p < 0.0001). Further analysis was performed for Item 5 and revealed that the male lung cancer patients had a much higher rate of disagreement with Item 5 compared with prostate cancer patients (37% vs. 18%). Conclusions: Results of this study may afford greater insight and foster better understanding of what patients want from their radiation oncologist. For breast, lung, and prostate cancer patients, initial preferences for their radiation oncologist are generally similar, according to this tool. However, there are important difference among cancer sites (and gender) regarding physical contact at the end of treatment

Spectral long-range interaction of temporal incoherent solitons.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Gang; Garnier, Josselin; Picozzi, Antonio

2014-02-01

We study the interaction of temporal incoherent solitons sustained by a highly noninstantaneous (Raman-like) nonlinear response. The incoherent solitons exhibit a nonmutual interaction, which can be either attractive or repulsive depending on their relative initial distance. The analysis reveals that incoherent solitons exhibit a long-range interaction in frequency space, which is in contrast with the expected spectral short-range interaction described by the usual approach based on the Raman-like spectral gain curve. Both phenomena of anomalous interaction and spectral long-range behavior of incoherent solitons are described in detail by a long-range Vlasov equation.

Initial clinical results of linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy for pituitary adenomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitsumori, Michihide; Shrieve, Dennis C.; Alexander, Eben; Kaiser, Ursula B.; Richardson, Gary E.; Black, Peter McL.; Loeffler, Jay S.

1998-01-01

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the initial clinical results of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for pituitary adenomas with regard to tumor and hormonal control and adverse effects of the treatment. Subjects and Methods: Forty-eight patients with pituitary adenoma who underwent SRS or SRT between September 1989 and September 1995 were analyzed. Of these, 18 received SRS and 30 received SRT. The median tumor volumes were 1.9 cm 3 for SRS and 5.7 cm 3 for SRT. Eleven of the SRS and 18 of the SRT patients were hormonally active at the time of the initial diagnosis. Four of the SRS and none of the SRT patients had a history of prior radiation therapy. Both SRS and SRT were performed using a dedicated stereotactic 6-MV linear accelerator (LINAC). The dose and normalization used for the SRS varied from 1000 cGy at 85% of the isodose line to 1500 cGy at 65% of the isodose line. For SRT patients, a total dose of 4500 cGy at 90% or 95% of the isodose line was delivered in 25 fractions of 180 cGy daily doses. Results: Disease control--The three year tumor control rate was 91.1% (100% for SRS and 85.3% for SRT). Normalization of the hormonal abnormality was achieved in 47% of the 48 patients (33% for SRS and 54% for SRT). The average time required for normalization was 8.5 months for SRS and 18 months for SRT. Adverse effects--The 3-year rate of freedom from central nervous system adverse effects was 89.7% (72.2% for SRS and 100% for SRT). Three patients who received SRS for a tumor in the cavernous sinus developed a ring enhancement in the temporal lobe as shown by follow-up magnetic resonance imaging. Two of these cases were irreversible and were considered to be radiation necrosis. None of the 48 patients developed new neurocognitive or visual disorders attributable to the irradiation. The incidence of endocrinological adverse effects were similar in the two groups, resulting in 3-year rates of freedom from newly

A first glance at the initial ATF experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreras, B.A.; Dominguez, N.; Leboeuf, J.N.; Lynch, V.E.; Charlton, L.A.

1989-05-01

In the initial phase of ATF operation, the plasma minor radius and the edge rotational transform were reduced by field errors. This caused an effective change of the magnetic configuration: it improved the stability properties but worsened the equilibrium properties. The threshold for the second stability regime was lowered to β 0 /approximately/ 1.5%. Experimental profile data are compatible with operation in the second stability regime, and the achieved beta values, β 0 /approximately/ 3%, are well beyond the theoretically calculated threshold. Magnetic fluctuation measurements showed the effects of beta self-stabilization. They are in reasonable agreement with the predictions of the theory and support the evidence that ATF has already operated in the second stability regime. 24 refs., 20 figs., 1 tab

42 CFR 476.85 - Conclusive effect of QIO initial denial determinations and changes as a result of DRG validations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... determinations and changes as a result of DRG validations. 476.85 Section 476.85 Public Health CENTERS FOR... denial determinations and changes as a result of DRG validations. A QIO initial denial determination or change as a result of DRG validation is final and binding unless, in accordance with the procedures in...

Radiofrequency initiation and radiofrequency sustainment of laser initiated seeded high pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paller, Eric S.; Scharer, John E.; Akhtar, Kamran; Kelly, Kurt; Ding, Guowen

2001-01-01

We examine radiofrequency initiation of high pressure(1-70 Torr) inductive plasma discharges in argon, nitrogen, air and organic seed gas mixtures. Millimeter wave interferometry, optical emission and antenna wave impedance measurements for double half-turn helix and helical inductive antennas are used to interpret the rf/plasma coupling, measure the densities in the range of 10 12 cm -3 and analyze the ionization and excited states of the gas mixtures. We have also carried out 193 nm excimer laser initiation of an organic gas seed plasma which is sustained at higher pressures(150 Torr) by radiofrequency coupling at 2.8 kW power levels

Initial Results of Image-Guided Percutaneous Ablation as Second-Line Treatment for Symptomatic Vascular Anomalies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, Scott M.; Callstrom, Matthew R.; McKusick, Michael A.; Woodrum, David A.

2015-01-01

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility, safety, and early effectiveness of percutaneous image-guided ablation as second-line treatment for symptomatic soft-tissue vascular anomalies (VA).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective review was undertaken of all patients who underwent percutaneous image-guided ablation as second-line therapy for treatment of symptomatic soft-tissue VA during the period from 1/1/2008 to 5/20/2014. US/CT- or MRI-guided and monitored cryoablation or MRI-guided and monitored laser ablation was performed. Clinical follow-up began at one-month post-ablation.ResultsEight patients with nine torso or lower extremity VA were treated with US/CT (N = 4) or MRI-guided (N = 2) cryoablation or MRI-guided laser ablation (N = 5) for moderate to severe pain (N = 7) or diffuse bleeding secondary to hemangioma–thrombocytopenia syndrome (N = 1). The median maximal diameter was 9.0 cm (6.5–11.1 cm) and 2.5 cm (2.3–5.3 cm) for VA undergoing cryoablation and laser ablation, respectively. Seven VA were ablated in one session, one VA initially treated with MRI-guided cryoablation for severe pain was re-treated with MRI-guided laser ablation due to persistent moderate pain, and one VA was treated in a planned two-stage session due to large VA size. At an average follow-up of 19.8 months (range 2–62 months), 7 of 7 patients with painful VA reported symptomatic pain relief. There was no recurrence of bleeding at five-year post-ablation in the patient with hemangioma–thrombocytopenia syndrome. There were two minor complications and no major complications.ConclusionImage-guided percutaneous ablation is a feasible, safe, and effective second-line treatment option for symptomatic VA

Initial Results of Image-Guided Percutaneous Ablation as Second-Line Treatment for Symptomatic Vascular Anomalies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thompson, Scott M., E-mail: Thompson.scott@mayo.edu [Mayo Clinic, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Medical School and the Mayo Clinic Medical Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine (United States); Callstrom, Matthew R., E-mail: callstrom.matthew@mayo.edu; McKusick, Michael A., E-mail: mckusick.michael@mayo.edu; Woodrum, David A., E-mail: woodrum.david@mayo.edu [Mayo Clinic, Department of Radiology, College of Medicine (United States)

2015-10-15

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility, safety, and early effectiveness of percutaneous image-guided ablation as second-line treatment for symptomatic soft-tissue vascular anomalies (VA).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective review was undertaken of all patients who underwent percutaneous image-guided ablation as second-line therapy for treatment of symptomatic soft-tissue VA during the period from 1/1/2008 to 5/20/2014. US/CT- or MRI-guided and monitored cryoablation or MRI-guided and monitored laser ablation was performed. Clinical follow-up began at one-month post-ablation.ResultsEight patients with nine torso or lower extremity VA were treated with US/CT (N = 4) or MRI-guided (N = 2) cryoablation or MRI-guided laser ablation (N = 5) for moderate to severe pain (N = 7) or diffuse bleeding secondary to hemangioma–thrombocytopenia syndrome (N = 1). The median maximal diameter was 9.0 cm (6.5–11.1 cm) and 2.5 cm (2.3–5.3 cm) for VA undergoing cryoablation and laser ablation, respectively. Seven VA were ablated in one session, one VA initially treated with MRI-guided cryoablation for severe pain was re-treated with MRI-guided laser ablation due to persistent moderate pain, and one VA was treated in a planned two-stage session due to large VA size. At an average follow-up of 19.8 months (range 2–62 months), 7 of 7 patients with painful VA reported symptomatic pain relief. There was no recurrence of bleeding at five-year post-ablation in the patient with hemangioma–thrombocytopenia syndrome. There were two minor complications and no major complications.ConclusionImage-guided percutaneous ablation is a feasible, safe, and effective second-line treatment option for symptomatic VA.

Results of initial analyses of the salt (macro) batch 11 Tank 21H qualification samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peters, T. B. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-10-23

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed samples from Tank 21H in support of qualification of Interim Salt Disposition Project (ISDP) Salt (Macro) Batch 11 for processing through the Actinide Removal Process (ARP) and the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU). This document reports the initial results of the analyses of samples of Tank 21H. Analysis of the Tank 21H Salt (Macro) Batch 11 composite sample indicates that the material does not display any unusual characteristics or observations, such as floating solids, the presence of large amounts of solids, or unusual colors. Further sample results will be reported in a future document. This memo satisfies part of Deliverable 3 of the Technical Task Request (TTR).

Hardware test program for evaluation of baseline range/range rate sensor concept

Science.gov (United States)

Pernic, E.

1985-01-01

The test program Phase II effort provides additional design information in terms of range and range rate (R/R) sensor performance when observing and tracking a typical spacecraft target. The target used in the test program was a one-third scale model of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) available at the MSFC test site where the tests were performed. A modified Bendix millimeter wave radar served as the R/R sensor test bed for evaluation of range and range rate tracking performance, and generation of radar signature characteristics of the spacecraft target. A summary of program test results and conclusions are presented along with detailed description of the Bendix test bed radar with accompaning instrumentation. The MSFC test site and facilities are described. The test procedures used to establish background levels, and the calibration procedures used in the range accuracy tests and RCS (radar cross section) signature measurements, are presented and a condensed version of the daily log kept during the 5 September through 17 September test period is also presented. The test program results are given starting with the RCS signature measurements, then continuing with range measurement accuracy test results and finally the range and range rate tracking accuracy test results.

Initial Results from the New Stress Map of Texas Project

Science.gov (United States)

Lund Snee, J. E.; Zoback, M. D.

2015-12-01

Modern techniques for characterizing tectonic stress orientation and relative magnitude have been successfully used for more than 35 years. Nevertheless, large areas of North America lack high spatial resolution maps of stress orientation, magnitude, and faulting regime. In Texas, for example, data are foundational elements of attempts to characterize tectonic driving forces, understand hazards associated with induced seismicity, and optimize production of oil, gas, and geothermal resources. This year, we launched the Texas Stress Map project to characterize tectonic stress patterns at higher spatial resolution across Texas and nearby areas. Following a successful effort just completed in Oklahoma, we will evaluate borehole breakouts, drilling-induced tensile fractures, shear wave anisotropy, and earthquake data. The principal data source will be FMI (fullbore formation microimager), UBI (ultrasonic borehole imager), cross-dipole sonic, density, and caliper logs provided by private industry. Earthquake moment tensor solutions from the U.S. Geological Survey, Saint Louis University and other sources will also be used. Our initial focus is on the Permian Basin and Barnett Shale petroleum plays due to the availability of data, but we will expand our analysis across the state as the project progresses. In addition, we hope to eventually apply the higher spatial resolution data coverage to understanding tectonic and geodynamic characteristics of the southwestern United States and northeastern Mexico. Here we present early results from our work to constrain stress orientations and faulting regime in and near Texas, and we also provide a roadmap for the ongoing research.

Quality initiatives: improving patient flow for a bone densitometry practice: results from a Mayo Clinic radiology quality initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Aakre, Kenneth T; Valley, Timothy B; O'Connor, Michael K

2010-03-01

Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodologies have been used in manufacturing for some time. However, Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodologies also are applicable to radiology as a way to identify opportunities for improvement in patient care delivery settings. A multidisciplinary team of physicians and staff conducted a 100-day quality improvement project with the guidance of a quality advisor. By using the framework of DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control), time studies were performed for all aspects of patient and technologist involvement. From these studies, value stream maps for the current state and for the future were developed, and tests of change were implemented. Comprehensive value stream maps showed that before implementation of process changes, an average time of 20.95 minutes was required for completion of a bone densitometry study. Two process changes (ie, tests of change) were undertaken. First, the location for completion of a patient assessment form was moved from inside the imaging room to the waiting area, enabling patients to complete the form while waiting for the technologist. Second, the patient was instructed to sit in a waiting area immediately outside the imaging rooms, rather than in the main reception area, which is far removed from the imaging area. Realignment of these process steps, with reduced technologist travel distances, resulted in a 3-minute average decrease in the patient cycle time. This represented a 15% reduction in the initial patient cycle time with no change in staff or costs. Radiology process improvement projects can yield positive results despite small incremental changes.

Pulmonary Masses: Initial Results of Cone-beam CT Guidance with Needle Planning Software for Percutaneous Lung Biopsy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braak, Sicco J., E-mail: sjbraak@gmail.com [St. Antonius Hospital, Department of Radiology (Netherlands); Herder, Gerarda J. M., E-mail: j.herder@antoniusziekenhuis.nl [St. Antonius Hospital, Department of Pulmonology (Netherlands); Heesewijk, Johannes P. M. van, E-mail: j.heesewijk@antoniusziekenhuis.nl; Strijen, Marco J. L. van, E-mail: m.van.strijen@antoniusziekenhuis.nl [St. Antonius Hospital, Department of Radiology (Netherlands)

2012-12-15

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of percutaneous lung biopsy (PLB) findings using cone-beam computed tomographic (CT) guidance (CBCT guidance) and compared to conventional biopsy guidance techniques. Methods: CBCT guidance is a stereotactic technique for needle interventions, combining 3D soft-tissue cone-beam CT, needle planning software, and real-time fluoroscopy. Between March 2007 and August 2010, we performed 84 Tru-Cut PLBs, where bronchoscopy did not provide histopathologic diagnosis. Mean patient age was 64.6 (range 24-85) years; 57 patients were men, and 25 were women. Records were prospectively collected for calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy. We also registered fluoroscopy time, room time, interventional time, dose-area product (DAP), and complications. Procedures were divided into subgroups (e.g., location, size, operator). Results: Mean lesion diameter was 32.5 (range 3.0-93.0) mm, and the mean number of samples per biopsy procedure was 3.2 (range 1-7). Mean fluoroscopy time was 161 (range 104-551) s, room time was 34 (range 15-79) min, mean DAP value was 25.9 (range 3.9-80.5) Gy{center_dot}cm{sup -2}, and interventional time was 18 (range 5-65) min. Of 84 lesions, 70 were malignant (83.3%) and 14 were benign (16.7%). Seven (8.3%) of the biopsy samples were nondiagnostic. All nondiagnostic biopsied lesions proved to be malignant during surgical resection. The outcome for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy was 90% (95% confidence interval [CI] 86-96), 100% (95% CI 82-100), 100% (95% CI 96-100), 66.7% (95% CI 55-83), and 91.7% (95% CI 86-96), respectively. Sixteen patients (19%) had minor and 2 (2.4%) had major complications. Conclusion: CBCT guidance is an effective method for PLB, with results comparable to CT/CT fluoroscopy guidance.

Initial Surgical Experience with Aortic Valve Repair: Clinical and Echocardiographic Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Diniz Affonso da Costa

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Due to late complications associated with the use of conventional prosthetic heart valves, several centers have advocated aortic valve repair and/or valve sparing aortic root replacement for patients with aortic valve insufficiency, in order to enhance late survival and minimize adverse postoperative events. Methods: From March/2012 thru March 2015, 37 patients consecutively underwent conservative operations of the aortic valve and/or aortic root. Mean age was 48±16 years and 81% were males. The aortic valve was bicuspid in 54% and tricuspid in the remaining. All were operated with the aid of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. Surgical techniques consisted of replacing the aortic root with a Dacron graft whenever it was dilated or aneurysmatic, using either the remodeling or the reimplantation technique, besides correcting leaflet prolapse when present. Patients were sequentially evaluated with clinical and echocardiographic studies and mean follow-up time was 16±5 months. Results: Thirty-day mortality was 2.7%. In addition there were two late deaths, with late survival being 85% (CI 95% - 68%-95% at two years. Two patients were reoperated due to primary structural valve failure. Freedom from reoperation or from primary structural valve failure was 90% (CI 95% - 66%-97% and 91% (CI 95% - 69%-97% at 2 years, respectively. During clinical follow-up up to 3 years, there were no cases of thromboembolism, hemorrhage or endocarditis. Conclusions: Although this represents an initial series, these data demonstrates that aortic valve repair and/or valve sparing aortic root surgery can be performed with satisfactory immediate and short-term results.

Initial results in SST-1 after up-gradation

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, S.; Khan, Z.; Tanna, V. L.; Prasad, U.; Paravastu, Y.; Raval, D. C.; Masand, H.; Kumar, Aveg; Dhongde, J. R.; Jana, S.; Kakati, B.; Patel, K. B.; Bhandarkar, M. K.; Shukla, B. K.; Ghosh, D.; Patel, H. S.; Parekh, T. J.; Mansuri, I. A.; Dhanani, K. R.; Varadharajulu, A.; Khristi, Y. S.; Biswas, P.; Gupta, C. N.; George, S.; Semwal, P.; Sharma, D. K.; Gulati, H. K.; Mahajan, K.; Praghi, B. R.; Banaudha, M.; Makwana, A. R.; Chudasma, H. H.; Kumar, M.; Manchanda, R.; Joisa, Y. S.; Asudani, K.; Pandya, S. N.; Pathak, S. K.; Banerjee, S.; Patel, P. J.; Santra, P.; Pathan, F. S.; Chauhan, P. K.; Khan, M. S.; Thankey, P. L.; Prakash, A.; Panchal, P. N.; Panchal, R. N.; Patel, R. J.; Mahsuria, G. I.; Sonara, D. P.; Patel, K. M.; Jayaswal, S. P.; Sharma, M.; Patel, J. C.; Varmora, P.; Srikanth, G. L. N.; Christian, D. R.; Garg, A.; Bairagi, N.; Babu, G. R.; Panchal, A. G.; Vora, M. M.; Singh, A. K.; Sharma, R.; Nimavat, H. D.; Shah, P. R.; Purwar, G.; Raval, T. Y.; Sharma, A. L.; Ojha, A.; Kumar, S.; Ramaiya, N. K.; Siju, V.; Gopalakrishna, M. V.; Kumar, A.; Sharma, P. K.; Atrey, P. K.; Kulkarni, SV; Ambulkar, K. K.; Parmar, P. R.; Thakur, A. L.; Raval, J. V.; Purohit, S.; Mishra, P. K.; Adhiya, A. N.; Nagora, U. C.; Thomas, J.; Chaudhari, V. K.; Patel, K. G.; Dalakoti, S.; Virani, C. G.; Gupta, S.; Kumar, Ajay; Chaudhari, B.; Kaur, R.; Srinivasan, R.; Raju, D.; Kanabar, D. H.; Jha, R.; Das, A.; Bora, D.

2017-04-01

SST-1 Tokamak has recently completed the 1st phase of up-gradation with successful installation and integration of all its First Wall components. The First Wall of SST-1 comprises of ∼ 3800 high heat flux compatible graphite tiles being assembled and installed on 132 CuCrZr heat sink back plates engraved with ∼ 4 km of leak tight baking and cooling channels in five major sub groups equipped with ∼ 400 sensors and weighing ∼ 6000 kg in total in thirteen isolated galvanic and six isolated hydraulic circuits. The phase-1 up-gradation spectrum also includes addition of Supersonic Molecular Beam Injection (SMBI) both on the in-board and out-board side, installation of fast reciprocating probes, adding some edge plasma probe diagnostics in the SOL region, installation and integration of segmented and up-down symmetric radial coils aiding/controlling plasma rotations, introduction of plasma position feedback and density controls etc. Post phase-I up-gradation spanning from Nov 2014 till June 2016, initial plasma experiments in up-graded SST-1 have begun since Aug 2016 after a brief engineering validation period in SST-1. The first experiments in SST-1 have revealed interesting aspects on the ‘eddy currents in the First Wall support structures’ influencing the ‘magnetic Null evolution dynamics’ and the subsequent plasma start-up characteristics after the ECH pre-ionization, the influence of the first walls on the ‘field errors’ and the resulting locked modes observed, the magnetic index influencing the evolution of the equilibrium of the plasma column, low density supra-thermal electron induced discharges and normal ohmic discharges etc. Presently; repeatable ohmic discharges regimes in SST-1 having plasma currents in excess of 65 KA (qa ∼ 3.8, BT = 1.5 T) with a current ramp rates ∼ 1.2 MA/s over a duration of ∼ 300 ms with line averaged densities ∼ 0.8 × 1019 and temperatures ∼ 200 eV with copious MHD signatures have been experimentally

Thermomagnetic analysis of the initial permeability in magnetite samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iniquez, J.; Francisco, C. de; Munoz, J.M.; Sanchez, O.

1987-01-01

A study on the thermomagnetic analysis of the initial permeability in magnetite samples and its dependence with the sintering conditions is presented. The measurements, for temperatures ranging from liquid nitrogen to the Curie temperature, were performed with the help of a very simple system which is also described here. The experimental results allow us to consider this study as a sensitive test of the sintering conditions (author) 21 refs

REXEBTS, design and initial commissioning results

CERN Document Server

Wenander, F; Jonson, B; Liljeby, L; Nyman, G H; Rensfelt, K G; Skeppstedt, Ö; Wolf, B

2001-01-01

The REXEDIS is an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) developed particularly for charge breeding of rare and short-lived isotopes produced at ISOLDE for the REX-ISOLDE post accelerator. Bunches of singly charged radioactive ions are injected into the EBIS and charge bred to a charge-to-mass ratio of approximately 1/4 and thereafter extracted and injected into a short LINAC. This novel concept, employing a Penning trap to bunch and cool the ions from an on-line mass separator prior to charge breeding in an EBIS, results in an efficient and compact system. In this article the final REXEBIS design is presented together with results from the first tests. (19 refs).

DESTRUCTIVE LESIONS OF BONES AS A RESULT OF MYCOBACTERIAL PROCESS IN CHILDREN WITH INITIAL IMMUNODEFICIENCIES (CLINICAL, DIAGNOSTICAL AND TACTIC PECULIARITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.Yu. Mushkin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Initial immunodeficiencies are genetically conditioned defects of immune system; they are the basis for generalized infections including those induced by mycobacteria of tuberculosis complex. The lesions of skeleton in those patients are of different types depending on the kind of immunodeficiency. The article presents the results of clinical observation, conservative and surgical treatment of 12 children with mycobacterial lesions of skeleton on the ground different initial immunodeficiencies — severe combined immune deficiency, chronic granulematosis and insufficiency of interferon and interleukin 12.Key words: children, initial immunodeficiency, mycobacterial infection, bone lesions, surgical treatment.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2011; 10 (3: 60–64

Crack initiation life analysis in notched pipe under cyclic bending loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joon Seong; Kwak, Sang Log; Kim, Young Jin; Park, Youn Won

2001-01-01

In order to improve leak-before-break methodology, more precisely the crack growth evaluation, a round robin analysis was proposed by the CEA Saclay. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the crack initiation life, penetration life and shape of through wall crack under cyclic bending loads. The proposed round robin analysis is composed of three main topic; fatigue crack initiation, crack propagation and crack penetration. This paper deals with the first topic, crack initiation in a notched pipe under four point bending. Both elastic-plastic finite element analysis and Neuber's rule were used to estimate the crack initiation life and the finite element models were verified by mesh-refinement, stress distribution and global deflection. In elastic-plastic finite element analysis, crack initiation life was determined by strain amplitude at the notch tip and strain-life curve of the material. In the analytical method, Neuber's rule with the consideration of load history and mean stress effect, was used for the life estimation. The effect of notch tip radius, strain range, cyclic hardening rule were examined in this study. When these results were compared with the experimental ones, the global deformation was a good agreement but crack initiation cycle was higher than the experimental result

Looking beyond oral mucosa: Initial results of everted saphenous vein graft urethroplasty (eSVGU) in long anterior urethral strictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhtar, Arif; Khattar, Nikhil; Goel, Hemant; Rao, Swatantra; Tanwar, Raman; Sood, Rajeev

2017-09-01

To prospectively evaluate the feasibility and initial results of an everted saphenous vein graft (eSVG) as a dorsolateral onlay, in patients with long anterior urethral strictures and/or chronic tobacco users. In all, 20 patients with long anterior urethral strictures (>7 cm) and/or chronic tobacco exposed oral mucosa were included in the study. The harvested SVG was hydro-distended, detubularised, and everted. Substitution urethroplasty using an eSVG was performed using a dorsolateral onlay technique. Symptoms were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and uroflowmetry at 1, 3 and 6 months; and voiding and retrograde urethrograms, and urethroscopy were done at 3 months. Failure was defined as failure to void, need for interventions in form of direct-vision internal urethrotomy or endodilatation. Three patients were excluded because they underwent a staged urethroplasty. In all, 17 patients underwent eSVG substitution urethroplasty. The mean (SD, range) follow-up of our patients was 17.64 (5.23, 10-26) months. The mean (SD, range) length of the strictured segment was 14 (2.5, 10-18) cm and the length of the harvested SVG was 16.3 (2.7, 12-20) cm. The mean (SD) IPSS at 1, 3 and 6 months after catheter removal was 10 (2.8), 10 (3.4) and 10 (1.4) and the quality-of-life score was 1.76 (0.5), 2.05 (1.0) and 2.05 (1.0), respectively. Postoperatively, endodilatation was required in two patients. Complete failure occurred in one patient. An eSVG, as a dorsolateral onlay graft, is a promising and prudent option for long anterior urethral strictures, especially in patients with poor oral hygiene and chronic tobacco use.

Effect of initial conditions on combustion generated loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tieszen, S.R.

1993-01-01

This analytical study examines the effect of initial thermodynamic conditions on the loads generated by the combustion of homogeneous hydrogen-air-steam mixtures. The effect of initial temperature, pressure, hydrogen concentration, and steam concentration is evaluated for two cases, (1) constant volume and (2) constant initial pressure. For each case, the Adiabatic, Isochoric, Complete Combustion (AICC), Chapman-Jouguet (CJ), and normally reflected CJ pressures are calculated for a range of hydrogen and steam concentrations representative of the entire flammable regime. For detonation loads, pressure profiles and time-histories are also evaluated in one-dimensional Cartesian geometry. The results show that to a first approximation, the AICC and CJ pressures are directly proportional to the initial density. Increasing the hydrogen concentration up to stoichiometric concentrations significantly increases the AICC, CJ, and reflected CJ pressures. For the constant volume case, the AICC, CJ, and reflected CJ pressures increase with increasing hydrogen concentration on the rich side of stoichiometric concentrations. For the constant initial pressure case, the AICC, CJ, and reflected CJ pressures decrease with increasing hydrogen concentration on the rich side of stoichiometric values. The addition of steam decreases the AICC, CJ, and reflected CJ pressures for the constant initial pressure case, but increases them for the constant volume case. For detonations, the pressure time-histories can be normalized with the AICC pressure and the reverberation time for Cartesion geometry. (orig.)

Initial Results From The Micro-pulse Lidar Network (MPL-Net)

Science.gov (United States)

Welton, E. J.; Campbell, J. R.; Berkoff, T. A.; Spinhirne, J. D.; Ginoux, P.

2001-12-01

The micro-pulse lidar system (MPL) was developed in the early 1990s and was the first small, eye-safe, and autonomous lidar built for fulltime monitoring of cloud and aerosol vertical distributions. In 2000, a new project using MPL systems was started at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This new project, the Micro-pulse Lidar Network or MPL-Net, was created to provide long-term observations of aerosol and cloud vertical profiles at key sites around the world. This is accomplished using both NASA operated sites and partnerships with other organizations owning MPL systems. The MPL-Net sites are co-located with NASA AERONET sunphotometers to provide aerosol optical depth data needed for calibration of the MPL. In addition to the long-term sites, MPL-Net provides lidar support for a limited number of field experiments and ocean cruises each year. We will present an overview of the MPL-Net project and show initial results from the first two MPL-Net sites at the South Pole and at Goddard Space Flight Center. Observations of dust layers transported from the desert regions of China, across the Pacific Ocean, to the east coast of the United States will also be shown. MPL-Net affiliated instruments were in place at the desert source region in China, on a research vessel in the Sea of Japan, at ARM sites in Alaska and Oklahoma, and finally at our home site in Maryland (GSFC) during the massive dust storms that occurred in April 2001. The MPL observations of dust layers at each location are shown in comparison to dust layers predicted using the Georgia Tech/Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport model (GOCART). Finally, the MPL-Net project is the primary ground-validation program for the Geo-Science Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) satellite lidar project (launch date 2002). We will present an overview demonstrating how MPL-Net results are used to help prepare the GLAS data processing algorithms and assist in the calibration/validation of the GLAS data

Initial Results from the Micro-pulse Lidar Network (MPL-Net)

Science.gov (United States)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; Campbell, James R.; Berkoff, Timothy A.; Spinhirne, James D.; Ginoux, Paul; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The micro-pulse lidar system (MPL) was developed in the early 1990s and was the first small, eye-safe, and autonomous lidar built for full time monitoring of cloud and aerosol vertical distributions. In 2000, a new project using MPL systems was started at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This new project, the Micro-pulse Lidar Network or MPL-Net, was created to provide long-term observations of aerosol and cloud vertical profiles at key sites around the world. This is accomplished using both NASA operated sites and partnerships with other organizations owning MPL systems. The MPL-Net sites are co-located with NASA AERONET sunphotometers to provide aerosol optical depth data needed for calibration of the MPL. In addition to the long-term sites, MPL-Net provides lidar support for a limited number of field experiments and ocean cruises each year. We will present an overview of the MPL-Net project and show initial results from the first two MPL-Net sites at the South Pole and at Goddard Space Flight Center. Observations of dust layers transported from the Gobi desert, across the Pacific Ocean, to the east coast of the United States will also be shown. MPL-Net affiliated instruments were in place at the desert source region in China, on a research vessel in the Sea of Japan, at ARM sites in Alaska and Oklahoma, and finally at our home site in Maryland (GSFC) during the massive dust storms that occurred in April 2001. The MPL observations of dust layers at each location are shown in comparison to dust layers predicted using the Georgia Tech/Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport model (GOCART). Finally, the MPL-Net project is the primary ground-validation program for the Geo-Science Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) satellite lidar project (launch date 2002). We will present an overview demonstrating how MPL-Net results are used to help prepare the GLAS data processing algorithms and assist in the calibration/validation of the GLAS data products.

Plasticity of DNA replication initiation in Epstein-Barr virus episomes.

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Paolo Norio

2004-06-01

Full Text Available In mammalian cells, the activity of the sites of initiation of DNA replication appears to be influenced epigenetically, but this regulation is not fully understood. Most studies of DNA replication have focused on the activity of individual initiation sites, making it difficult to evaluate the impact of changes in initiation activity on the replication of entire genomic loci. Here, we used single molecule analysis of replicated DNA (SMARD to study the latent duplication of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV episomes in human cell lines. We found that initiation sites are present throughout the EBV genome and that their utilization is not conserved in different EBV strains. In addition, SMARD shows that modifications in the utilization of multiple initiation sites occur across large genomic regions (tens of kilobases in size. These observations indicate that individual initiation sites play a limited role in determining the replication dynamics of the EBV genome. Long-range mechanisms and the genomic context appear to play much more important roles, affecting the frequency of utilization and the order of activation of multiple initiation sites. Finally, these results confirm that initiation sites are extremely redundant elements of the EBV genome. We propose that these conclusions also apply to mammalian chromosomes.

Dependence of sports results on data of physical development, morphofunctional and special power preparedness of weight-lifters at the stage of initial preparation

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Eugene Bugaev

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: the establishment of nature of the interrelation between sports results of weight-lifters and level of their special physical and morphofunctional preparedness. Material & Methods: 48 sportsmen of group of initial preparation of the first year of training were involved to the experiment. The research was conducted on the basis of the chair of weightlifting and boxing of Kharkov state academy of physical culture and CYSS “HTZ”. Results: the correlation between indicators of morphofunctional, high-speed and power and special (competitive preparedness of weight-lifters is revealed at the stage of initial preparation. The conducted research shows that the result of competitive exercises of the sportsmen, specializing in weightlifting at the stage of initial preparation, depends on power and high-speed and power preparedness. Conclusions: it is established that the correlation between results of competitive exercises and jumps uphill from the place, in length from the place, run on 30 m can demonstrate the interrelation of power and high-speed and power preparedness of the sportsmen, specializing in weightlifting at the stage of initial preparation.

Peculiarities of austenitic state in premartensitic temperature range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarrak, V.I.; Suvorova, S.O.

1982-01-01

A review of works on the study of austenite behaviour in premartensitic temperature range carried out using the investigation methods of resistance to microplastic deformation, mechanical properties and internal friction, is presented. The investigation is carried out using carbon-free iron-nickel alloy N31, alloy 40N24 and alloy 50Kh20N10. It is established that in premartensitic temperature range at a certain temperature Msub(elast.) exceeding by approximately 35 deg C the starting temperature of martensitic transformation, austenite state changes sharply: mechanical instability as to microplastic deformation appears. It manifests itself in an anomalous decrease of resistance to microplastic deformation at the temperature approaching the beginning of martensitic transformation. Martensitic transformation develops under tension in an elastic region. At the temperature above Msub(elast.) martensitic transformation develops only under the effect of plastic deformation. Decrease of temperature of martensitic transformation start as a result of microplastic deformation and subsequent ageing is connected with blocking of possible places of martensite initiation

Peculiarities of austenitic state in premartensitic temperature range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarrak, V.I.; Suvorova, S.O.

A review of works on the study of austenite behaviour in premartensitic temperature range carried out using the investigation methods of resistance to microplastic deformation, mechanical properties and internal friction, is presented. The investigation is carried out using carbon-free iron-nickel alloy N31, alloy 40N24 and alloy 50Kh20N10. It is established that in premartensitic temperature range at a certain temperature Msub(elast.) exceeding by approximately 35 deg C the starting temperature of martensitic transformation austenite state changes sharply: mechanical instability as to microplastic deformation appears. It manifests itself in an anomalous decrease of resistance to microplastic deformation at the temperature approaching the beginning of martensitic transformation. Martensitic transformation develops under tension in an elastic region. At the temperature above Msub(elast.) martensitic transformation develops only under the effect of plastic deformation. Decrease of temperature of martensitic transformation start as a result of microplastic deformation and subsequent ageing is connected with blocking of possible places of martensite initiation.

ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION OF HOT JUPITERS: INSENSITIVITY TO INITIAL CONDITIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Beibei; Showman, Adam P.

2013-01-01

The ongoing characterization of hot Jupiters has motivated a variety of circulation models of their atmospheres. Such models must be integrated starting from an assumed initial state, which is typically taken to be a wind-free, rest state. Here, we investigate the sensitivity of hot-Jupiter atmospheric circulation to initial conditions with shallow-water models and full three-dimensional models. Those models are initialized with zonal jets, and we explore a variety of different initial jet profiles. We demonstrate that, in both classes of models, the final, equilibrated state is independent of initial condition—as long as frictional drag near the bottom of the domain and/or interaction with a specified planetary interior are included so that the atmosphere can adjust angular momentum over time relative to the interior. When such mechanisms are included, otherwise identical models initialized with vastly different initial conditions all converge to the same statistical steady state. In some cases, the models exhibit modest time variability; this variability results in random fluctuations about the statistical steady state, but we emphasize that, even in these cases, the statistical steady state itself does not depend on initial conditions. Although the outcome of hot-Jupiter circulation models depend on details of the radiative forcing and frictional drag, aspects of which remain uncertain, we conclude that the specification of initial conditions is not a source of uncertainty, at least over the parameter range explored in most current models.

The influence of CT image noise on proton range calculation in radiotherapy planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chvetsov, Alexei V; Paige, Sandra L

2010-01-01

The purpose of this note is to evaluate the relationship between the stochastic errors in CT numbers and the standard deviation of the computed proton beam range in radiotherapy planning. The stochastic voxel-to-voxel variation in CT numbers called 'noise,' may be due to signal registration, processing and numerical image reconstruction technique. Noise in CT images may cause a deviation in the computed proton range from the physical proton range, even assuming that the error due to CT number-stopping power calibration is removed. To obtain the probability density function (PDF) of the computed proton range, we have used the continuing slowing down approximation (CSDA) and the uncorrelated white Gaussian noise along the proton path. The model of white noise was accepted because for the slice-based fan-beam CT scanner; the power-spectrum properties apply only to the axial (x, y) domain and the noise is uncorrelated in the z domain. However, the possible influence of the noise power spectrum on the standard deviation of the range should be investigated in the future. A random number generator was utilized for noise simulation and this procedure was iteratively repeated to obtain convergence of range PDF, which approached a Gaussian distribution. We showed that the standard deviation of the range, σ, increases linearly with the initial proton energy, computational grid size and standard deviation of the voxel values. The 95% confidence interval width of the range PDF, which is defined as 4σ, may reach 0.6 cm for the initial proton energy of 200 MeV, computational grid 0.25 cm and 5% standard deviation of CT voxel values. Our results show that the range uncertainty due to random errors in CT numbers may be significant and comparable to the uncertainties due to calibration of CT numbers. (note)

Communications with Mars During Periods of Solar Conjunction: Initial Study Results

Science.gov (United States)

Morabito, D.; Hastrup, R.

2001-07-01

During the initial phase of the human exploration of Mars, a reliable communications link to and from Earth will be required. The direct link can easily be maintained during most of the 780-day Earth-Mars synodic period. However, during periods in which the direct Earth-Mars link encounters increased intervening charged particles during superior solar conjunctions of Mars, the resultant effects are expected to corrupt the data signals to varying degrees. The purpose of this article is to explore possible strategies, provide recommendations, and identify options for communicating over this link during periods of solar conjunctions. A significant improvement in telemetry data return can be realized by using the higher frequency 32 GHz (Ka-band), which is less susceptible to solar effects. During the era of the onset of probable human exploration of Mars, six superior conjunctions were identified from 2015 to 2026. For five of these six conjunctions, where the signal source is not occulted by the disk of the Sun, continuous communications with Mars should be achievable. Only during the superior conjunction of 2023 is the signal source at Mars expected to lie behind the disk of the Sun for about one day and within two solar radii (0. 5 deg) for about three days.

Influence of surface defects on the fatigue crack initiation in pearlitic steel

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Toribio Jesús

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Tensile fatigue tests were performed under load control, with constant stress range Δσ on pearlitic steel wires, from the hot rolled bar to the commercial prestressing steel wire (which has undergone seven cold drawing steps. Results show that fatigue cracks in pearlitic steels initiate at the wire surface starting from small defects, whose size decreases with the drawing process. Fatigue cracks created from defects (initiation phase exhibit a fractographic appearance consisting of ductile microtearing events which can be classified as tearing topography surface or TTS, and exhibit a remarkably lower spacing in the prestressing steel wire than in the hot rolled bar. In addition, some S-N tests were performed in both material forms under a stress range of about half the yield strength. In these tests, the main part of the fatigue life corresponds to the propagation stage in the hot rolled bar whereas such a main part of the life is associated with the initiation stage in the case of the prestressing steel wire.

Initial land reclamation procedures related to possible Pu-cleanup activities at the Tonopah Test Range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallace, A.; Romney, E.M.

1976-02-01

If areas of the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) are to be used for experimental tests of procedures for clean-up of 239 Pu contamination, there are experiences in the Great Basin Desert portions of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) which can serve as guides to reclamation and revegetation of such arid lands. Procedures which will encourage development of the grasses Hilaria jamesii and Oryzopsis hymenoides, as well as the perennial shrubs Eurotia lanata and Atriplex canescens would greatly improve the area as range land

Initial results of the high resolution edge Thomson scattering upgrade at DIII-D.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldon, D; Bray, B D; Deterly, T M; Liu, C; Watkins, M; Groebner, R J; Leonard, A W; Osborne, T H; Snyder, P B; Boivin, R L; Tynan, G R

2012-10-01

Validation of models of pedestal structure is an important part of predicting pedestal height and performance in future tokamaks. The Thomson scattering diagnostic at DIII-D has been upgraded in support of validating these models. Spatial and temporal resolution, as well as signal to noise ratio, have all been specifically enhanced in the pedestal region. This region is now diagnosed by 20 view-chords with a spacing of 6 mm and a scattering length of just under 5 mm sampled at a nominal rate of 250 Hz. When mapped to the outboard midplane, this corresponds to ~3 mm spacing. These measurements are being used to test critical gradient models, in which pedestal gradients increase in time until a threshold is reached. This paper will describe the specifications of the upgrade and present initial results of the system.

Initial tank calibration at NUCEF critical facility. 1. Measurement procedure and its result

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagisawa, Hiroshi; Mineo, Hideaki; Tonoike, Kotaro; Takeshita, Isao; Hoshi, Katsuya; Hagiwara, Hiroyuki.

1994-07-01

Initial tank calibrations were carried out prior to hot operation of critical facilities in NUCEF: Nuclear Fuel Cycle Safety Engineering Research Facility, for the purpose of the nuclear material accountancy and control for the facility. Raw calibration data were collected from single run per one tank by measuring differential pressure with dip-tube systems, weight of calibration liquid (demineralized water) poured into the tank, temperature in the tank and so on, without operation of tank ventilation system. Volume and level data were obtained by applying density and buoyancy corrections to the raw data. As a result, the evaluated measurement errors of volume and level were small enough, e.g. within 0.2 lit. and 1.0 mm, respectively, for Pu accountancy tanks. This paper summarizes the above-mentioned measurement procedures, collected data, data correction procedures and evaluated measurement errors. (author)

Results from the Data & Democracy initiative to enhance community-based organization data and research capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll-Scott, Amy; Toy, Peggy; Wyn, Roberta; Zane, Jazmin I; Wallace, Steven P

2012-07-01

In an era of community-based participatory research and increased expectations for evidence-based practice, we evaluated an initiative designed to increase community-based organizations' data and research capacity through a 3-day train-the-trainer course on community health assessments. We employed a mixed method pre-post course evaluation design. Various data sources collected from 171 participants captured individual and organizational characteristics and pre-post course self-efficacy on 19 core skills, as well as behavior change 1 year later among a subsample of participants. Before the course, participants reported limited previous experience with data and low self-efficacy in basic research skills. Immediately after the course, participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in data and research self-efficacy. The subsample reported application of community assessment skills to their work and increased use of data 1 year later. Results suggest that an intensive, short-term training program can achieve large immediate gains in data and research self-efficacy in community-based organization staff. In addition, they demonstrate initial evidence of longer-term behavior change related to use of data and research skills to support their community work.

Application of neutron transmutation doping method to initially p-type silicon material.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Myong-Seop; Kang, Ki-Doo; Park, Sang-Jun

2009-01-01

The neutron transmutation doping (NTD) method was applied to the initially p-type silicon in order to extend the NTD applications at HANARO. The relationship between the irradiation neutron fluence and the final resistivity of the initially p-type silicon material was investigated. The proportional constant between the neutron fluence and the resistivity was determined to be 2.3473x10(19)nOmegacm(-1). The deviation of the final resistivity from the target for almost all the irradiation results of the initially p-type silicon ingots was at a range from -5% to 2%. In addition, the burn-up effect of the boron impurities, the residual (32)P activity and the effect of the compensation characteristics for the initially p-type silicon were studied. Conclusively, the practical methodology to perform the neutron transmutation doping of the initially p-type silicon ingot was established.

Pulmonary Masses: Initial Results of Cone-beam CT Guidance with Needle Planning Software for Percutaneous Lung Biopsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braak, Sicco J.; Herder, Gerarda J. M.; Heesewijk, Johannes P. M. van; Strijen, Marco J. L. van

2012-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of percutaneous lung biopsy (PLB) findings using cone-beam computed tomographic (CT) guidance (CBCT guidance) and compared to conventional biopsy guidance techniques. Methods: CBCT guidance is a stereotactic technique for needle interventions, combining 3D soft-tissue cone-beam CT, needle planning software, and real-time fluoroscopy. Between March 2007 and August 2010, we performed 84 Tru-Cut PLBs, where bronchoscopy did not provide histopathologic diagnosis. Mean patient age was 64.6 (range 24–85) years; 57 patients were men, and 25 were women. Records were prospectively collected for calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy. We also registered fluoroscopy time, room time, interventional time, dose–area product (DAP), and complications. Procedures were divided into subgroups (e.g., location, size, operator). Results: Mean lesion diameter was 32.5 (range 3.0–93.0) mm, and the mean number of samples per biopsy procedure was 3.2 (range 1–7). Mean fluoroscopy time was 161 (range 104–551) s, room time was 34 (range 15–79) min, mean DAP value was 25.9 (range 3.9–80.5) Gy·cm −2 , and interventional time was 18 (range 5–65) min. Of 84 lesions, 70 were malignant (83.3%) and 14 were benign (16.7%). Seven (8.3%) of the biopsy samples were nondiagnostic. All nondiagnostic biopsied lesions proved to be malignant during surgical resection. The outcome for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy was 90% (95% confidence interval [CI] 86–96), 100% (95% CI 82–100), 100% (95% CI 96–100), 66.7% (95% CI 55–83), and 91.7% (95% CI 86–96), respectively. Sixteen patients (19%) had minor and 2 (2.4%) had major complications. Conclusion: CBCT guidance is an effective method for PLB, with results comparable to CT/CT fluoroscopy guidance.

Range expansion of heterogeneous populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiter, Matthias; Rulands, Steffen; Frey, Erwin

2014-04-11

Risk spreading in bacterial populations is generally regarded as a strategy to maximize survival. Here, we study its role during range expansion of a genetically diverse population where growth and motility are two alternative traits. We find that during the initial expansion phase fast-growing cells do have a selective advantage. By contrast, asymptotically, generalists balancing motility and reproduction are evolutionarily most successful. These findings are rationalized by a set of coupled Fisher equations complemented by stochastic simulations.

Initial results of local grid control using wind farms with grid support

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soerensen, Poul; Hansen, Anca D.; Iov, F.; Blaabjerg, F.

2005-09-01

This report describes initial results with simulation of local grid control using wind farms with grid support. The focus is on simulation of the behaviour of the wind farms when they are isolated from the main grid and establish a local grid together with a few other grid components. The isolated subsystems used in the work presented in this report do not intend to simulate a specific subsystem, but they are extremely simplified single bus bar systems using only a few more components than the wind farm. This approach has been applied to make it easier to understand the dynamics of the subsystem. The main observation is that the fast dynamics of the wind turbines seem to be able to contribute significantly to the grid control, which can be useful where the wind farm is isolated with a subsystem from the main grid with surplus of generation. Thus, the fast down regulation of the wind farm using automatic frequency control can keep the subsystem in operation and thereby improve the reliability of the grid. (LN)

Health professionals' attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunero, S; Smith, J; Bates, E; Fairbrother, G

2008-09-01

Preventing suicide can depend upon the ability of a range of different health professionals to make accurate suicide risk assessments and treatment plans. The attitudes that clinicians hold towards suicide prevention initiatives may influence their suicide risk assessment and management skills. This study measures a group of non-mental health professionals' attitude towards suicide prevention initiatives. Health professionals that had attended suicide prevention education showed significantly more positive attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives. The findings in this study further support the effectiveness of educating non-mental health professionals in suicide risk awareness and management.

Physics and initial data for multiple black hole spacetimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonning, Erin; Marronetti, Pedro; Neilsen, David; Matzner, Richard

2003-01-01

An orbiting black hole binary will generate strong gravitational radiation signatures, making these binaries important candidates for detection in gravitational wave observatories. The gravitational radiation is characterized by the orbital parameters, including the frequency and separation at the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). One approach to estimating these parameters relies on a sequence of initial data slices that attempt to capture the physics of the inspiral. Using calculations of the binding energy, several authors have estimated the ISCO parameters using initial data constructed with various algorithms. In this paper we examine this problem using conformally Kerr-Schild initial data. We present convergence results for our initial data solutions, and give data from numerical solutions of the constraint equations representing a range of physical configurations. In a first attempt to understand the physical content of the initial data, we find that the Newtonian binding energy is contained in the superposed Kerr-Schild background before the constraints are solved. We examine some deficiencies with the initial data approach to orbiting binaries, especially touching on the effects of prior motion and spin-orbital coupling of the angular momenta. Making rough estimates of these effects, we find that they are not insignificant compared to the binding energy, leaving some doubt of the utility of using initial data to predict ISCO parameters. In computations of specific initial-data configurations we find spin-specific effects that are consistent with analytical estimates

A compendium of results from long-range alpha detector soil surface monitoring: June 1992--May 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garner, S.E.; Bounds, J.A.; Allander, K.S.; Johnson, J.D.; MacArthur, D.W.; Caress, R.W.

1994-11-01

Soil surface monitors based on long-range alpha detector (LRAD) technology are being used to monitor alpha contamination at various sites in the Department of Energy complex. These monitors, the large soil-surface monitor (LSSM) and the small soil-surface monitor (SSSM), were used to help characterize sites at Fernald, Ohio, and active or inactive firing sites at Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Monitoring results are presented herein in chronological order

Results of an Advanced Fan Stage Operating Over a Wide Range of Speed and Bypass Ratio. Part 1; Fan Stage Design and Experimental Results

Science.gov (United States)

Suder, Kenneth L.; Prahst, Patricia S.; Thorp, Scott A.

2011-01-01

NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program is investigating turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) propulsion systems for access to space because it provides the potential for aircraft-like, space-launch operations that may significantly reduce launch costs and improve safety. To this end, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and General Electric (GE) teamed to design a Mach 4 variable cycle turbofan/ramjet engine for access to space. To enable the wide operating range of a Mach 4+ variable cycle turbofan ramjet required the development of a unique fan stage design capable of multi-point operation to accommodate variations in bypass ratio (10 ), fan speed (7 ), inlet mass flow (3.5 ), inlet pressure (8 ), and inlet temperature (3 ). In this paper, NASA has set out to characterize a TBCC engine fan stage aerodynamic performance and stability limits over a wide operating range including power-on and hypersonic-unique "windmill" operation. Herein, we will present the fan stage design, and the experimental test results of the fan stage operating from 15 to 100 percent corrected design speed. Whereas, in the companion paper, we will provide an assessment of NASA s APNASA code s ability to predict the fan stage performance and operability over a wide range of speed and bypass ratio.

Prediction of overall persistence and long-range transport potential with multimedia fate models: robustness and sensitivity of results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenner, Kathrin; Scheringer, Martin; Hungerbuehler, Konrad

2004-01-01

The hazard indicators persistence (P) and long-range transport potential (LRTP) are used in chemicals assessment to characterize chemicals with regard to the temporal and spatial extent of their environmental exposure. They are often calculated based on the results of multimedia fate models. The environmental and substance-specific input parameters of such models are subject to a range of methodological uncertainties and also influenced by natural variability. We employed probabilistic uncertainty analysis to quantify variance in P and LRTP predictions for chemicals with different partitioning and transport behavior. Variance found in the results is so large that it prevents a clear distinction between chemicals. Additionally, only small improvements are observed when evaluating the results relative to a benchmark chemical. This can be explained by the dominance of substance-specific parameters and the only small direct influence of environmental parameters on P and LRTP as model outcomes. The findings underline the importance of learning how environmental conditions cause variability in substance behavior for improved substance ranking and classification. - Environmental conditions cause variability in substance behavior which need to be considered in chemical ranking schemes

Precise Range Determination Using Laser Ranging Data of LAGEOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwang-Ryul Kim

1993-12-01

Full Text Available Satellite laser ranging observation of LAGEOS ¥± has been performed using the SLR System at Sheshan Laser Ranging Station, Shanghai Observatory. And we obtained 1,838 observational points The observed range data is corrected by means of system delay correction using ground target observation, atmospheric refraction delay correction, offset correction, general relativistic correction and tide correction including solid tide, polar tide and ocean tide. As a result, the determined range delay mean value is 19.12m and the mean internal accuracy by means of polynomial fitting and least square method is ¡¾7cm. Corrected observational points are 1,340 and noise ratio to total observational points is 27.1%

Design of a low cost miniaturized SFCW GPR with initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Duggal, Swati; Sinha, Piyush; Gupta, Manish; Patel, Anand; Vedam, V. V.; Mevada, Pratik; Chavda, Rajesh; Shah, Amita; Putrevu, Deepak

2016-05-01

This paper discusses about the design &developmental of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), various scientific and commercial applications of GPR along with the testing and results of GPR at Antarctica for Ice thickness measurement. GPR instruments are categorised as per their frequency of operation, which is inversely proportional to the depth of penetration. GPRs are also categorized as per method of operation which is time-domain or frequency-domain. Indian market is presently procuring GPRs from only foreign suppliers. Space Applications Centre (SAC) had taken up GPR as R&D Technological development with a view to benchmark the technology which may be transferred to local industry for mass production of instrument at a relatively cheaper cost (~20 times cheaper). Hence, this instrument presents a viable indigenous alternative. Also, the design and configuration was targeted for terrestrial as well as future interplanetary (Lander/Rover) missions of ISRO to map subsurface features. The developed GPR has a very large bandwidth (100%, i.e. bandwidth of 500MHz with centre-frequency of 500MHz) and high dynamic range along with the advantage of being highly portable (<10kg). The system was configured as a Stepped-Frequency-Continuous-Wave (SFCW) GPR which is a frequency domain GPR with the aim to increase the detection capabilities with respect to current systems. In order to achieve this goal, innovative electronic equipment have been designed and developed. Three prototypes were developed and two of them have been delivered for Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) in 2013 and 2014-15, respectively and promising results have been obtained. The results from the same closely compare with that from commercial GPR too.

Crack initiation life analysis in notched pipe under cyclic bending loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goak, S. R.; Kim, Y. J.; Lee, J. S.; Park, Y. W.

2000-01-01

In order to improve LBB(Leak-Before-Break) methodology, more precisely the crack growth evaluation, a benchmark problem was proposed by the CEA Saclay. The aim of this benchmark analysis was to evaluate the crack growth in a notched pipe under cyclic bending loads. The proposed benchmark analysis is composed of three main topic; fatigue crack initiation, crack propagation and crack penetration. This paper deals with the first topic, crack initiation in a notched pipe under four point bending. Both elastic-plastic finite element analysis and Neuber's rule were used to estimate the crack initiation life and the finite element models were verified by mesh-refinement, stress distribution and global deflection. In elastic-plastic finite element analysis, crack initiation life was determined by strain amplitude at the notch tip and strain-life curve of the material. In the analytical method, Neuber's rule with the consideration of load history and mean stress effect, was used for the life estimation. The effect of notch tip radius, strain range, cyclic hardening rule were examined in this study. When these results were compared with the experimental ones, the global deformation was a good agreement but the crack initiation cycle was higher than the experimental result

Initial results from an agressive roentgenological and surgical approach to acute mesenteric ischemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Boley, S J; Sprayregan, S; Siegelman, S S; Veith, F J

1977-12-01

The 70% to 80% mortality rate of patients with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) has remained unchanged over the past 40 years. We report here the initial results using an aggressive approach to this problem. This included the earlier and more liberal use of angiography in patients at risk and the intra-arterial infusion of papaverine for the relief of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) vasoconstriction in both nonocclusive and occlusive forms of AMI. Of the first 50 patients managed by this approach, 35 (70%) had AMI demonstrated by SMA angiography, Nineteen (54%) of these 35 patients survived, including nine of 15 patients with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia, seven of 16 with SMA embolus, two of three patients with SMA thrombosis, and the one patient with mesenteric venous thrombosis. Seventeen of the 19 survivors lost no bowel or had excision of less than 3 feet of small intestine.

Influencing Factors of the Initiation Point in the Parachute-Bomb Dynamic Detonation System

Science.gov (United States)

Qizhong, Li; Ye, Wang; Zhongqi, Wang; Chunhua, Bai

2017-12-01

The parachute system has been widely applied in modern armament design, especially for the fuel-air explosives. Because detonation of fuel-air explosives occurs during flight, it is necessary to investigate the influences of the initiation point to ensure successful dynamic detonation. In fact, the initiating position exist the falling area in the fuels, due to the error of influencing factors. In this paper, the major influencing factors of initiation point were explored with airdrop and the regularity between initiation point area and factors were obtained. Based on the regularity, the volume equation of initiation point area was established to predict the range of initiation point in the fuel. The analysis results showed that the initiation point appeared area, scattered on account of the error of attitude angle, secondary initiation charge velocity, and delay time. The attitude angle was the major influencing factors on a horizontal axis. On the contrary, secondary initiation charge velocity and delay time were the major influencing factors on a horizontal axis. Overall, the geometries of initiation point area were sector coupled with the errors of the attitude angle, secondary initiation charge velocity, and delay time.

Neonatal screening for four lysosomal storage diseases with a digital microfluidics platform: Initial results in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eurico Camargo Neto

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract We describe the initial results of a neonatal screening program for four lysosomal storage diseases (MPS I, Pompe, Gaucher and Fabry using the digital microfluidics methodology. The method successfully identified patients previously diagnosed with these diseases and was used to test dried blood spot samples obtained from 10,527 newborns aged 2 to 14 days. The digital microfluidic technology shows potential for a simple, rapid and high-throughput screening for these four diseases in a standard neonatal screening laboratory.

Design of an Object-Oriented Turbomachinery Analysis Code: Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Scott M.

2015-01-01

Performance prediction of turbomachines is a significant part of aircraft propulsion design. In the conceptual design stage, there is an important need to quantify compressor and turbine aerodynamic performance and develop initial geometry parameters at the 2-D level prior to more extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses. The Object-oriented Turbomachinery Analysis Code (OTAC) is being developed to perform 2-D meridional flowthrough analysis of turbomachines using an implicit formulation of the governing equations to solve for the conditions at the exit of each blade row. OTAC is designed to perform meanline or streamline calculations; for streamline analyses simple radial equilibrium is used as a governing equation to solve for spanwise property variations. While the goal for OTAC is to allow simulation of physical effects and architectural features unavailable in other existing codes, it must first prove capable of performing calculations for conventional turbomachines. OTAC is being developed using the interpreted language features available in the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) code described by Claus et al (1991). Using the NPSS framework came with several distinct advantages, including access to the pre-existing NPSS thermodynamic property packages and the NPSS Newton-Raphson solver. The remaining objects necessary for OTAC were written in the NPSS framework interpreted language. These new objects form the core of OTAC and are the BladeRow, BladeSegment, TransitionSection, Expander, Reducer, and OTACstart Elements. The BladeRow and BladeSegment consumed the initial bulk of the development effort and required determining the equations applicable to flow through turbomachinery blade rows given specific assumptions about the nature of that flow. Once these objects were completed, OTAC was tested and found to agree with existing solutions from other codes; these tests included various meanline and streamline comparisons of axial

Trabectome-Initiated Gonioscopy-Assisted Transluminal Trabeculotomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Brett L; Ellyson, Austin C; Kim, Won I

2018-03-01

To introduce a trabectome-initiated gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (TIGATT) procedure and to report preliminary results. A preliminary case series of eight patients who have undergone the newly proposed TIGATT procedure is presented. TIGATT is a new concept that modifies established techniques by replacing the initial goniotomy incision of gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) with an ab interno trabeculectomy ablation utilizing the trabectome. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon (W.I.K.) between November 2014 and October 2015 in adults with primary open-angle glaucoma. Recorded outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP), number of medications, and complications. Eight patients with an age range of 63-93 yr underwent TIGATT with at least 3 mo of follow-up. Five of the eight initial patients had follow-up to 2 yr. The mean pre-operative IOP was 25 mmHg (standard deviation [SD] 7.0) on four medications (SD 1.1). The mean post-operative IOP at 3 mo was 14 mmHg (SD 1.8) on two medications (SD 1.3). The average decrease in IOP was 9.9 mmHg (SD 7.5) with an average decrease in medications of two (SD 1.4) at 3 mo. At 2 yr, the mean post-operative IOP was 14 mmHg (SD 3.2) on one medication (SD 1.1). The average decrease in IOP was 7.8 mmHg (SD 3.1) with an average decrease in medications of two (SD 1.8). There were two treatment failures that required further glaucoma surgery and one patient was lost to follow-up. The preliminary results and safety profile for TIGATT are promising and appear at least comparable with previously published results for both GATT and trabectome. Initiating the transluminal trabeculotomy with trabectome clearly exposes Schlemm's canal and facilitates threading the microcatheter into the canal. Additionally, if the 360-degree trabeculotomy cannot be completed because of an incompletely patent Schlemm's canal, the patient will at least have a trabectome ablation that can serve as their glaucoma

Fast pyrolysis in a novel wire-mesh reactor: design and initial results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoekstra, E.; van Swaaij, Willibrordus Petrus Maria; Kersten, Sascha R.A.; Hogendoorn, Kees

2012-01-01

Pyrolysis is known to occur by decomposition processes followed by vapour phase reactions. The goal of this research is to develop a novel device to study the initial decomposition processes. For this, a novel wire-mesh reactor was constructed. A small sample (<0.1 g) was clamped between two meshes

Overview of results and perspectives from the Shoreham major common-cause initiating events study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joksimovich, V.; Orvis, D.D.; Paccione, R.J.

1986-01-01

This study represents the continuation of a large effort by LILCO to fully understand the potential hazards posed by future operation of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Stations (SNPS). The Shoreham Probabilistic Risk Assessment, a level 3 PRA without external events, provided a characterization of the accident sequences that could leave the core in a condition in which it would be vulnerable to severe damage if further mitigating actions were not taken. It estimated the frequency and magnitude of the potential radioactivity releases associated with such sequences. The study was limited to accident sequences initiated by so called internal events to the plant including a loss of offsite power. It also characterized the public risk associated with those accident sequences. The ''Major Common-Cause Initiating Events Study'' (MCCI) for the Shoreham plant was performed to obtain insights into the plant's susceptibility to, and inherent defenses against, certain MCCIs. Major common-cause initiating events are occurrences which have the potential to initiate a plant transient or LOCA and, also, damage one or more plant systems needed to mitigate the effects of a transient or LOCA. The scope of the MCCI study included detailed analyses of seismic events and fires through the severe core damage and bounding analyses of aircraft crashes, windstorms, turbine missiles and release of hazardous materials near the plant

Note: Digital laser frequency auto-locking for inter-satellite laser ranging.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yingxin; Li, Hongyin; Yeh, Hsien-Chi

2016-05-01

We present a prototype of a laser frequency auto-locking and re-locking control system designed for laser frequency stabilization in inter-satellite laser ranging system. The controller has been implemented on field programmable gate arrays and programmed with LabVIEW software. The controller allows initial frequency calibrating and lock-in of a free-running laser to a Fabry-Pérot cavity. Since it allows automatic recovery from unlocked conditions, benefit derives to automated in-orbit operations. Program design and experimental results are demonstrated.

Note: Digital laser frequency auto-locking for inter-satellite laser ranging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Yingxin; Yeh, Hsien-Chi; Li, Hongyin

2016-01-01

We present a prototype of a laser frequency auto-locking and re-locking control system designed for laser frequency stabilization in inter-satellite laser ranging system. The controller has been implemented on field programmable gate arrays and programmed with LabVIEW software. The controller allows initial frequency calibrating and lock-in of a free-running laser to a Fabry-Pérot cavity. Since it allows automatic recovery from unlocked conditions, benefit derives to automated in-orbit operations. Program design and experimental results are demonstrated.

Note: Digital laser frequency auto-locking for inter-satellite laser ranging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Yingxin; Yeh, Hsien-Chi, E-mail: yexianji@mail.hust.edu.cn [MOE Key Laboratory of Fundamental Quantities Measurement, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Li, Hongyin [MOE Key Laboratory of Fundamental Quantities Measurement, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); School of Automation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2016-05-15

We present a prototype of a laser frequency auto-locking and re-locking control system designed for laser frequency stabilization in inter-satellite laser ranging system. The controller has been implemented on field programmable gate arrays and programmed with LabVIEW software. The controller allows initial frequency calibrating and lock-in of a free-running laser to a Fabry-Pérot cavity. Since it allows automatic recovery from unlocked conditions, benefit derives to automated in-orbit operations. Program design and experimental results are demonstrated.

Radical Initiated Hydrosilylation on Silicon Nanocrystal Surfaces: An Evaluation of Functional Group Tolerance and Mechanistic Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhenyu; Gonzalez, Christina M; Purkait, Tapas K; Iqbal, Muhammad; Meldrum, Al; Veinot, Jonathan G C

2015-09-29

Hydrosilylation is among the most common methods used for modifying silicon surface chemistry. It provides a wide range of surface functionalities and effective passivation of surface sites. Herein, we report a systematic study of radical initiated hydrosilylation of silicon nanocrystal (SiNC) surfaces using two common radical initiators (i.e., 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) and benzoyl peroxide). Compared to other widely applied hydrosilylation methods (e.g., thermal, photochemical, and catalytic), the radical initiator based approach is particle size independent, requires comparatively low reaction temperatures, and yields monolayer surface passivation after short reaction times. The effects of differing functional groups (i.e., alkene, alkyne, carboxylic acid, and ester) on the radical initiated hydrosilylation are also explored. The results indicate functionalization occurs and results in the formation of monolayer passivated surfaces.

Microsoft Biology Initiative: .NET Bioinformatics Platform and Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz Acosta, B.

2011-01-01

The Microsoft Biology Initiative (MBI) is an effort in Microsoft Research to bring new technology and tools to the area of bioinformatics and biology. This initiative is comprised of two primary components, the Microsoft Biology Foundation (MBF) and the Microsoft Biology Tools (MBT). MBF is a language-neutral bioinformatics toolkit built as an extension to the Microsoft .NET Framework—initially aimed at the area of Genomics research. Currently, it implements a range of parsers for common bioinformatics file formats; a range of algorithms for manipulating DNA, RNA, and protein sequences; and a set of connectors to biological web services such as NCBI BLAST. MBF is available under an open source license, and executables, source code, demo applications, documentation and training materials are freely downloadable from http://research.microsoft.com/bio. MBT is a collection of tools that enable biology and bioinformatics researchers to be more productive in making scientific discoveries.

A range modulator to produce uniform 38K yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eilbert, R.F.; Koehler, A.M.; Sisterson, J.M.

1976-01-01

A range modulator has been designed for use with a monoenergetic proton beam to achieve uniform yield of a nuclear reaction with depth in a tissue equivalent medium. Uniform yield to +- 1.5% over a 10 cm depth for the reaction 40 Ca(p, 2pn) 38 K has been demonstrated using protons of 160 MeV initial energy. The modulator is a rotating stepped absorber made of stacked acrylic plastic sheets. The angular extent of each sheet is determined by a computer program which also calculates the resultant depth of dose curve. Peaks in the dose curve may be reduced with slight effect on the yield curve. (author)

Gains following perceptual learning are closely linked to the initial visual acuity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yehezkel, Oren; Sterkin, Anna; Lev, Maria; Levi, Dennis M; Polat, Uri

2016-04-28

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the dependence of perceptual learning gains on initial visual acuity (VA), in a large sample of subjects with a wide range of VAs. A large sample of normally sighted and presbyopic subjects (N = 119; aged 40 to 63) with a wide range of uncorrected near visual acuities (VA, -0.12 to 0.8 LogMAR), underwent perceptual learning. Training consisted of detecting briefly presented Gabor stimuli under spatial and temporal masking conditions. Consistent with previous findings, perceptual learning induced a significant improvement in near VA and reading speed under conditions of limited exposure duration. Our results show that the improvements in VA and reading speed observed following perceptual learning are closely linked to the initial VA, with only a minor fraction of the observed improvement that may be attributed to the additional sessions performed by those with the worse VA.

Integrated Initiating Event Performance Indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

S. A. Eide; Dale M. Rasmuson; Corwin L. Atwood

2005-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Industry Trends Program (ITP) collects and analyses industry-wide data, assesses the safety significance of results, and communicates results to Congress and other stakeholders. This paper outlines potential enhancements in the ITP to comprehensively cover the Initiating Events Cornerstone of Safety. Future work will address other cornerstones of safety. The proposed Tier 1 activity involves collecting data on ten categories of risk-significant initiating events, trending the results, and comparing early performance with prediction limits (allowable numbers of events, above which NRC action may occur). Tier 1 results would be used to monitor industry performance at the level of individual categories of initiating events. The proposed Tier 2 activity involves integrating the information for individual categories of initiating events into a single risk-based indicator, termed the Baseline Risk Index for Initiating Events or BRIIE. The BRIIE would be evaluated yearly and compared against a threshold. BRIIE results would be reported to Congress on a yearly basis

Transanal minimally-invasive surgery (TAMIS: Technique and results from an initial experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Ramon Silveira Mendes

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is a minimally-invasive approach for rectal lesions. Superior exposure and access to the entire rectum result in lesser risk of compromised margins and lower recurrence rates, when compared to conventional transanal excision. The aim of this study was to describe a single institution's initial experience with transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS. This was a prospective review of our database. Elev- en procedures from January 2012 to June 2013 were analyzed. Results: eleven operations were completed. Five men were evaluated. Mean age was 62.9 (40-86. Mean follow-up was 9.3 (2-17 months. Average tumor size was 3.8 (1.8-8 cm. Mean distance from anal verge was 6.3 (3-12 cm. Mean operating time was 53.73 (28-118 min. Postoperative complica- tion rate was 9.1%. There were no readmissions. Mortality was null. Operative pathology disclosed the presence of adenoma in four patients, invasive adenocarcinoma in two, neu- roendocrine carcinoma in three, and no residual lesion in one case. TAMIS is a minimally- invasive procedure with low postoperative morbidity at the initial experience. TAMIS is a curative procedure for benign lesions and for selected early cancers. It is useful after neoadjuvant therapy for strictly selected cancers, pending the results of multi-institutional trials. Resumo: Microcirurgia endoscópica transanal é uma abordagem minimamente invasiva para lesões retais. Apresenta menor risco de margem comprometida e menores taxas de recorrência em comparação com excisão transanal convencional. Objetivou-se descrever a experiência inicial, de uma única instituição, com cirurgia minimamente invasiva transanal (TAMIS. Avaliação prospectiva de nosso banco de dados. Onze procedimentos de janeiro de 2012 a junho de 2013, foram analisados. Resultados: onze operações foram concluídas. Havia cinco homens. A média de idade foi de 62,9 (40-86. O acompanhamento médio foi de ww9,3 (2-17 meses. O

Patterns and Timing of Initial Relapse in Patients Subsequently Undergoing Transplantation for Hodgkin's Lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhakal, Sughosh; Biswas, Tithi; Liesveld, Jane L.; Friedberg, Jonathan W.; Phillips, Gordon L.; Constine, Louis S.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the patterns and timing of initial recurrence in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) who subsequently underwent high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation to enhance our understanding of the natural history of this disease and its modern treatment strategies and to direct approaches to disease surveillance. Methods and Materials: The records of 69 patients with HL who had undergone high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in our center between May 1992 and June 2006 were analyzed. The initial diagnosis had been made between April 1982 and January 2005 at a median patient age of 33 years (range, 19-65). The patients were segregated according to the initial stage (Stage I-II vs. III-IV). Results: Early-stage HL patients developed a relapse at a median of 2.1 years (range, 0.5-10.3), with 91% of relapses at the initial disease site, 71% of which (65% overall) were only in previously involved sites. Advanced-stage HL patients developed a relapse at a median of 1.5 years (range, 0.6-10.5), with 97% at the initial site, 71% of which (69% overall) were only in previously involved sites. Single-site relapses occurred in 47% of early- vs. 26% of advanced-stage patients, and extranodal relapses occurred in 12% of early- vs. 31% of advanced-stage patients. Conclusions: Almost all patients with HL who develop relapse and subsequently undergo high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation initially developed recurrence in previously involved disease sites. Early-stage HL relapses often occurred in single sites, and advanced-stage disease relapses were more likely in multiple and extranodal sites. The interval to recurrence was brief, suggesting that the frequency of screening should be the greatest in the early post-therapy years.

Initial clinical results for breath-hold CT-based processing of respiratory-gated PET acquisitions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fin, Loic; Daouk, Joel; Morvan, Julie; Esper, Isabelle El; Saidi, Lazhar; Meyer, Marc-Etienne; Bailly, Pascal

2008-01-01

Respiratory motion causes uptake in positron emission tomography (PET) images of chest structures to spread out and misregister with the CT images. This misregistration can alter the attenuation correction and thus the quantisation of PET images. In this paper, we present the first clinical results for a respiratory-gated PET (RG-PET) processing method based on a single breath-hold CT (BH-CT) acquisition, which seeks to improve diagnostic accuracy via better PET-to-CT co-registration. We refer to this method as ''CT-based'' RG-PET processing. Thirteen lesions were studied. Patients underwent a standard clinical PET protocol and then the CT-based protocol, which consists of a 10-min List Mode RG-PET acquisition, followed by a shallow end-expiration BH-CT. The respective performances of the CT-based and clinical PET methods were evaluated by comparing the distances between the lesions' centroids on PET and CT images. SUV MAX and volume variations were also investigated. The CT-based method showed significantly lower (p=0.027) centroid distances (mean change relative to the clinical method =-49%; range =-100% to 0%). This led to higher SUV MAX (mean change =+33%; range =-4% to 69%). Lesion volumes were significantly lower (p=0.022) in CT-based PET volumes (mean change =-39%: range =-74% to -1%) compared with clinical ones. A CT-based RG-PET processing method can be implemented in clinical practice with a small increase in radiation exposure. It improves PET-CT co-registration of lung lesions and should lead to more accurate attenuation correction and thus SUV measurement. (orig.)

Sex Differences in Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in Pediatric HIV Infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masahiko Mori

Full Text Available The incidence and severity of infections in childhood is typically greater in males. The basis for these observed sex differences is not well understood, and potentially may facilitate novel approaches to reducing disease from a range of conditions. We here investigated sex differences in HIV-infected children in relation to antiretroviral therapy (ART initiation and post-treatment outcome. In a South African cohort of 2,101 HIV-infected children, we observed that absolute CD4+ count and CD4% were significantly higher in ART-naïve female, compared to age-matched male, HIV-infected children. Absolute CD4 count and CD4% were also significantly higher in HIV-uninfected female versus male neonates. We next showed that significantly more male than female children were initiated on ART (47% female; and children not meeting criteria to start ART by >5 yrs were more frequently female (59%; p<0.001. Among ART-treated children, immune reconstitution of CD4 T-cells was more rapid and more complete in female children, even after adjustment for pre-ART absolute CD4 count or CD4% (p=0.011, p=0.030, respectively. However, while ART was initiated as a result of meeting CD4 criteria less often in females (45%, ART initiation as a result of clinical disease in children whose CD4 counts were above treatment thresholds occurred more often in females (57%, p<0.001. The main sex difference in morbidity observed in children initiating ART above CD4 thresholds, above that of TB disease, was as a result of wasting and stunting observed in females with above-threshold CD4 counts (p=0.002. These findings suggest the possibility that optimal treatment of HIV-infected children might incorporate differential CD4 treatment thresholds for ART initiation according to sex.

Quantum transport with long-range steps on Watts-Strogatz networks

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yan; Xu, Xin-Jian

2016-07-01

We study transport dynamics of quantum systems with long-range steps on the Watts-Strogatz network (WSN) which is generated by rewiring links of the regular ring. First, we probe physical systems modeled by the discrete nonlinear schrödinger (DNLS) equation. Using the localized initial condition, we compute the time-averaged occupation probability of the initial site, which is related to the nonlinearity, the long-range steps and rewiring links. Self-trapping transitions occur at large (small) nonlinear parameters for coupling ɛ=-1 (1), as long-range interactions are intensified. The structure disorder induced by random rewiring, however, has dual effects for ɛ=-1 and inhibits the self-trapping behavior for ɛ=1. Second, we investigate continuous-time quantum walks (CTQW) on the regular ring ruled by the discrete linear schrödinger (DLS) equation. It is found that only the presence of the long-range steps does not affect the efficiency of the coherent exciton transport, while only the allowance of random rewiring enhances the partial localization. If both factors are considered simultaneously, localization is greatly strengthened, and the transport becomes worse.

Fatigue micro-crack initiation behavior and effect of irradiation damage on it in austenitic stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakai, Ryosuke; Sato, Yuki; Nogami, Shuhei; Hasegawa, Akira

2012-01-01

The effect of irradiation on slip band formation and growth and micro-crack initiation behavior under low cycle fatigue in SUS316L austenitic stainless steel was investigated using accelerator-based proton irradiation and a low cycle fatigue test at room temperature in air. The micro-crack initiation was observed at slip band, grain boundary, twin boundary, and triple junction regardless of the total strain range and the proton irradiation. In unirradiated specimens, the micro-crack initiation life dropped by 75-90% due to the increase of the plastic strain range. Under the condition the plastic strain range was 0.4%, the micro-crack initiation was observed mainly at the grain boundary. On the other hand, under the condition the plastic strain range was 1.0%, the number fractions of the micro-crack initiation in slip band and twin boundary were increased. In proton-irradiated specimens, the micro-crack initiation life decreased by 50-80% and the micro-crack initiation was observed mainly at slip band and twin boundary. (author)

Parametric Instability, Inverse Cascade, and the 1/f Range of Solar-Wind Turbulence.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandran, Benjamin D G

2018-02-01

In this paper, weak turbulence theory is used to investigate the nonlinear evolution of the parametric instability in 3D low- β plasmas at wavelengths much greater than the ion inertial length under the assumption that slow magnetosonic waves are strongly damped. It is shown analytically that the parametric instability leads to an inverse cascade of Alfvén wave quanta, and several exact solutions to the wave kinetic equations are presented. The main results of the paper concern the parametric decay of Alfvén waves that initially satisfy e + ≫ e - , where e + and e - are the frequency ( f ) spectra of Alfvén waves propagating in opposite directions along the magnetic field lines. If e + initially has a peak frequency f 0 (at which fe + is maximized) and an "infrared" scaling f p at smaller f with -1 scaling throughout a range of frequencies that spreads out in both directions from f 0 . At the same time, e - acquires an f -2 scaling within this same frequency range. If the plasma parameters and infrared e + spectrum are chosen to match conditions in the fast solar wind at a heliocentric distance of 0.3 astronomical units (AU), then the nonlinear evolution of the parametric instability leads to an e + spectrum that matches fast-wind measurements from the Helios spacecraft at 0.3 AU, including the observed f -1 scaling at f ≳ 3 × 10 -4 Hz. The results of this paper suggest that the f -1 spectrum seen by Helios in the fast solar wind at f ≳ 3 × 10 -4 Hz is produced in situ by parametric decay and that the f -1 range of e + extends over an increasingly narrow range of frequencies as r decreases below 0.3 AU. This prediction will be tested by measurements from the Parker Solar Probe .

Results of a sector-wide quality improvement initiative for substance-abuse care: an uncontrolled before-after study in Catalonia, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilarion, Pilar; Groene, Oliver; Colom, Joan; Lopez, Rosa M; Suñol, Rosa

2010-10-23

The Health Department of the Regional Government of Catalonia, Spain, issued a quality plan for substance abuse centers. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of a multidimensional quality improvement initiative in the field of substance abuse care and to discuss potentials and limitations for further quality improvement. The study uses an uncontrolled, sector-wide pre-post design. All centers providing services for persons with substance abuse issues in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia participated in this assessment. Measures of compliance were developed based on indicators reported in the literature and by broad stakeholder involvement. We compared pre-post differences in dimension-specific and overall compliance-scores using one-way ANOVA for repeated measures and the Friedman statistic. We described the spread of the data using the inter-quartile range and the Fligner-Killen statistic. Finally, we adjusted compliance scores for location and size using linear and logistic regression models. We performed a baseline and follow up assessment in 22 centers for substance abuse care and observed substantial and statistically significant improvements for overall compliance (pre: 60.9%; post: 79.1%) and for compliance in the dimensions 'care pathway' (pre: 66.5%; post: 83.5%) and 'organization and management' (pre: 50.5%; post: 77.2%). We observed improvements in the dimension 'environment and infrastructure' (pre: 81.8%; post: 95.5%) and in the dimension 'relations and user rights' (pre: 66.5%; post: 72.5%); however, these were not statistically significant. The regression analysis suggests that improvements in compliance are positively influenced by being located in the Barcelona region in case of the dimension 'relations and user rights'. The positive results of this quality improvement initiative are possibly associated with the successful involvement of stakeholders, the consciously constructed feedback reports on individual and sector

Defective replication initiation results in locus specific chromosome breakage and a ribosomal RNA deficiency in yeast.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph C Sanchez

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A form of dwarfism known as Meier-Gorlin syndrome (MGS is caused by recessive mutations in one of six different genes (ORC1, ORC4, ORC6, CDC6, CDT1, and MCM5. These genes encode components of the pre-replication complex, which assembles at origins of replication prior to S phase. Also, variants in two additional replication initiation genes have joined the list of causative mutations for MGS (Geminin and CDC45. The identity of the causative MGS genetic variants strongly suggests that some aspect of replication is amiss in MGS patients; however, little evidence has been obtained regarding what aspect of chromosome replication is faulty. Since the site of one of the missense mutations in the human ORC4 alleles is conserved between humans and yeast, we sought to determine in what way this single amino acid change affects the process of chromosome replication, by introducing the comparable mutation into yeast (orc4Y232C. We find that yeast cells with the orc4Y232C allele have a prolonged S-phase, due to compromised replication initiation at the ribosomal DNA (rDNA locus located on chromosome XII. The inability to initiate replication at the rDNA locus results in chromosome breakage and a severely reduced rDNA copy number in the survivors, presumably helping to ensure complete replication of chromosome XII. Although reducing rDNA copy number may help ensure complete chromosome replication, orc4Y232C cells struggle to meet the high demand for ribosomal RNA synthesis. This finding provides additional evidence linking two essential cellular pathways-DNA replication and ribosome biogenesis.

Defective replication initiation results in locus specific chromosome breakage and a ribosomal RNA deficiency in yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Joseph C; Kwan, Elizabeth X; Pohl, Thomas J; Amemiya, Haley M; Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, Bonita J

2017-10-01

A form of dwarfism known as Meier-Gorlin syndrome (MGS) is caused by recessive mutations in one of six different genes (ORC1, ORC4, ORC6, CDC6, CDT1, and MCM5). These genes encode components of the pre-replication complex, which assembles at origins of replication prior to S phase. Also, variants in two additional replication initiation genes have joined the list of causative mutations for MGS (Geminin and CDC45). The identity of the causative MGS genetic variants strongly suggests that some aspect of replication is amiss in MGS patients; however, little evidence has been obtained regarding what aspect of chromosome replication is faulty. Since the site of one of the missense mutations in the human ORC4 alleles is conserved between humans and yeast, we sought to determine in what way this single amino acid change affects the process of chromosome replication, by introducing the comparable mutation into yeast (orc4Y232C). We find that yeast cells with the orc4Y232C allele have a prolonged S-phase, due to compromised replication initiation at the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) locus located on chromosome XII. The inability to initiate replication at the rDNA locus results in chromosome breakage and a severely reduced rDNA copy number in the survivors, presumably helping to ensure complete replication of chromosome XII. Although reducing rDNA copy number may help ensure complete chromosome replication, orc4Y232C cells struggle to meet the high demand for ribosomal RNA synthesis. This finding provides additional evidence linking two essential cellular pathways-DNA replication and ribosome biogenesis.

Initial results of a positron tomograph for prostate imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huber, J.S.; Choong, W.S.; Moses, W.W.; Qi, J.; Hu, J.; Wang,G.C.; Wilson, D.; Oh, S.; Huesman, R.H.; Derenzo, S.E.; Budinger, T.F.

2004-11-29

We present the status and initial images of a positrontomograph for prostate imaging that centers a patient between a pair ofexternal curved detector banks (ellipse: 45 cm minor, 70 cm major axis).The distance between detector banks adjusts to allow patient access andto position the detectors as closely as possible for maximum sensitivitywith patients of various sizes. Each bank is composed of two axial rowsof 20 CTI PET Systems HR+ block detectors for a total of 80 modules inthe camera. Compared to an ECAT HR PET system operating in 3D mode, ourcamera uses about one-quarter the number of detectors and hasapproximately the same sensitivity for a central point source, becauseour detectors are close to the patient. The individual detectors areangled in the plane to point towards the prostate to minimize resolutiondegradation in that region. The detectors are read out by modified CTIdata acquisition electronics. We have completed construction of thegantry and electronics, have developed detector calibration and dataacquisition software, and are taking coincidence data. We demonstratethat we can clearly visualize a "prostate" in a simple phantom.Reconstructed images of two phantoms are shown.

Initial Results from the STEM Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, J. C.; Cooper, S. K.; Thomson, K.; Rabin, B.; Alberts, J.

2016-12-01

The Science Technology Engineering and Math Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) program was created as a response to NSF's call (through GEOPATHS) for improving undergraduate STEM education and enhancing diversity in the geosciences. It takes advantage of unused berths on UNOLS ships during transits between expeditions. During its 2016 pilot year - which consisted of three transits on three different research vessels in different parts of the country, each with a slightly different focus - the program has gained significant insights into how best to create and structure these opportunities and create impact on individual students. A call for applications resulted in nearly 900 applicants for 30 available spots. Of these applicants, 32% are from minority groups underrepresented in the geosciences (Black, Hispanic, or American Indian) and 20% attend community colleges. The program was able to sail socioeconomically diverse cohorts and include women, veterans, and students with disabilities and from two- and four-year colleges. Twenty-three are underrepresented minorities, 6 attend community colleges, 5 attend an HBCU or tribal college, and many are at HSIs or other MSIs. While longer term impact assessment will have to wait, initial results and 6-month tracking for the first cohort indicate that these kinds of relatively short but intense experiences can indeed achieve significant impacts on students' perception of the geosciences, in their understanding of STEM career opportunities, their desire to work in a geoscience lab setting, and to incorporate geosciences into non-STEM careers. Insights were also gained into the successful makeup of mentor/leader groups, factors to consider in student selection, necessary pre- and post-cruise logistics management, follow-up activities, structure of activities during daily life at sea, increasing student networks and access to mentorships, and leveraging of pre-existing resources and ship-based opportunities

Lactose binding to human galectin-7 (p53-induced gene 1) induces long-range effects through the protein resulting in increased dimer stability and evidence for positive cooperativity

Science.gov (United States)

Ermakova, Elena; Miller, Michelle C; Nesmelova, Irina V; López-Merino, Lara; Berbís, Manuel Alvaro; Nesmelov, Yuri; Tkachev, Yaroslav V; Lagartera, Laura; Daragan, Vladimir A; André, Sabine; Cañada, F Javier; Jiménez-Barbero, Jesús; Solís, Dolores; Gabius, Hans-Joachim; Mayo, Kevin H

2013-01-01

The product of p53-induced gene 1 is a member of the galectin family, i.e., galectin-7 (Gal-7). To move beyond structural data by X-ray diffraction, we initiated the study of the lectin by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism spectroscopies, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In concert, our results indicate that lactose binding to human Gal-7 induces long-range effects (minor conformational shifts and changes in structural dynamics) throughout the protein that result in stabilization of the dimer state, with evidence for positive cooperativity. Monte Carlo fits of 15N-Gal-7 HSQC titrations with lactose using a two-site model yield K1 = 0.9 ± 0.6 × 103 M−1 and K2 = 3.4 ± 0.8 × 103 M−1. Ligand binding-induced stabilization of the Gal-7 dimer was supported by several lines of evidence: MD-based calculations of interaction energies between ligand-loaded and ligand-free states, gel filtration data and hetero-FRET spectroscopy that indicate a highly reduced tendency for dimer dissociation in the presence of lactose, CD-based thermal denaturation showing that the transition temperature of the lectin is significantly increased in the presence of lactose, and saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR using a molecular probe of the monomer state whose presence is diminished in the presence of lactose. MD simulations with the half-loaded ligand-bound state also provided insight into how allosteric signaling may occur. Overall, our results reveal long-range effects on Gal-7 structure and dynamics, which factor into entropic contributions to ligand binding and allow further comparisons with other members of the galectin family. PMID:23376190

Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) of the kidney at 3 T. Initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mie, Moritz B.; Zoellner, Frank G.; Heilmann, Melanie; Schad, Lothar R.; Nissen, Johanna C.; Schoenberg, Stefan O.; Michaely, Henrik J.

2010-01-01

Susceptibility weighted imaging provides diagnostic information in strokes, hemorrhages, and cerebral tumors and has proven to be a valuable tool in imaging venous vessels in the cerebrum. The SWI principle is based on the weighting of T 2 * weighted magnitude images with a phase mask, therewith improving image contrast of veins or neighbouring structures of different susceptibility, in general. T 2 * weighted MRI is already used for assessment of kidney function. In this paper, the feasibility of SWI on kidneys was investigated. Translation of SWI from the brain to the kidneys comes along with two main challenges: (i) organ motion due to breathing and (ii) a higher oxygenation level of renal veins compared to the brain. To handle these problems, the acquisition time has been cut down to allow for breath-hold examinations, and different post-processing methods including a new phase mask were investigated to visualize renal veins. Results showed that by a new post-processing strategy SWI contrast was enhanced on average by a factor of 1.33 compared to the standard phase mask. In summary, initial experiences of SWI on the kidneys demonstrated the feasibility. However, further technical developments have to be performed to make this technology applicable in clinical abdominal MRI. (orig.)

Combined Lidar-Radar Remote Sensing: Initial Results from CRYSTAL-FACE and Implications for Future Spaceflight Missions

Science.gov (United States)

McGill, Matthew J.; Li, Li-Hua; Hart, William D.; Heymsfield, Gerald M.; Hlavka, Dennis L.; Vaughan, Mark A.; Winker, David M.

2003-01-01

In the near future NASA plans to fly satellites carrying a multi-wavelength backscatter lidar and a 94-GHz cloud profiling radar in formation to provide complete global profiling of cloud and aerosol properties. The CRYSTAL-FACE field campaign, conducted during July 2002, provided the first high-altitude colocated measurements from lidar and cloud profiling radar to simulate these spaceborne sensors. The lidar and radar provide complementary measurements with varying degrees of measurement overlap. This paper presents initial results of the combined airborne lidar-radar measurements during CRYSTAL-FACE. The overlap of instrument sensitivity is presented, within the context of particular CRYSTAL-FACE conditions. Results are presented to quantify the portion of atmospheric profiles sensed independently by each instrument and the portion sensed simultaneously by the two instruments.

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE): Initial Science Results

Science.gov (United States)

Elphic, R. C.; Hine, B.; Delory, G. T.; Salute, J. S.; Noble, S.; Colaprete, A.; Horanyi, M.; Mahaffy, P.

2014-01-01

On September 6, 2013, a near-perfect launch of the first Minotaur V rocket successfully carried NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) into a high-eccentricity geocentric orbit. LADEE arrived at the Moon on October 6, 2013, dur-ing the government shutdown. The spacecraft impact-ed the lunar surface on April 18, 2014, following a completely successful mission. LADEE's science objectives were twofold: (1) De-termine the composition and variability of the lunar atmosphere; (2) Characterize the lunar exospheric dust environment, and its variability. The LADEE science payload consisted of the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX), which sensed dust impacts in situ, for parti-cles between 100 nm and 5 micrometers; a neutral mass spectrometer (NMS), which sampled lunar exo-spheric gases in situ, over the 2-150 Dalton mass range; an ultraviolet/visible spectrometer (UVS) ac-quired spectra of atmospheric emissions and scattered light from tenuous dust, spanning a 250-800 nm wave-length range. UVS also performed dust extinction measurements via a separate solar viewer optic. The following are preliminary results for the lunar exosphere: (1) The helium exosphere of the Moon, first observed during Apollo, is clearly dominated by the delivery of solar wind He++. (2) Neon 20 is clearly seen as an important constituent of the exosphere. (3) Argon 40, also observed during Apollo and arising from interior outgassing, exhibits variations related to surface temperature-driven condensation and release, and is also enhanced over specific selenographic longi-tudes. (4) The sodium abundance varies with both lu-nar phase and with meteoroid influx, implicating both solar wind sputtering and impact vaporization process-es. (5) Potassium was also routinely monitored and exhibits some of the same properties as sodium. (6) Other candidate species were seen by both NMS and UVS, and await confirmation. Dust measurements have revealed a persistent "shroud" of small dust particles

DM2 results on e+e- annihilation into multihadrons in the 1350-2400 MeV energy range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bisello, D.; Busetto, G.; Castro, A.; Nigro, M.; Pescara, L.; Sartori, P.; Stanco, L.; Antonelli, A.; Baldini, R.; Biagini, M.E.; Calcaterra, A.; Schioppa, M.; Augustin, J.E.; Cosme, G.; Couchot, F.; Fulda, F.; Grosdidier, G.; Jean-Marie, B.; Lepeltier, V.; Szklarz, G.

1990-06-01

We present preliminary results on the study of e + e - annihilation into π + π - π + π - , π + π - π 0 π 0 , π + π - π 0 , π + π - π + π - π 0 , K + K - π + π - and K s 0 K ± π -+ in the 1350-2400 MeV energy range. Data have been collected with the DM2 detector at DCI, the Orsay colliding ring, and refer to about 2 pb -1 integrated luminosity

A physician-led initiative to improve clinical documentation results in improved health care documentation, case mix index, and increased contribution margin.

Science.gov (United States)

Aiello, Francesco A; Judelson, Dejah R; Durgin, Jonathan M; Doucet, Danielle R; Simons, Jessica P; Durocher, Dawn M; Flahive, Julie M; Schanzer, Andres

2018-05-04

Clinical documentation is the key determinant of inpatient acuity of illness and payer reimbursement. Every inpatient hospitalization is placed into a diagnosis related group with a relative value based on documented procedures, conditions, comorbidities and complications. The Case Mix Index (CMI) is an average of these diagnosis related groups and directly impacts physician profiling, medical center profiling, reimbursement, and quality reporting. We hypothesize that a focused, physician-led initiative to improve clinical documentation of vascular surgery inpatients results in increased CMI and contribution margin. A physician-led coding initiative to educate physicians on the documentation of comorbidities and conditions was initiated with concurrent chart review sessions with coding specialists for 3 months, and then as needed, after the creation of a vascular surgery documentation guide. Clinical documentation and billing for all carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and open infrainguinal procedures (OIPs) performed between January 2013 and July 2016 were stratified into precoding and postcoding initiative groups. Age, duration of stay, direct costs, actual reimbursements, contribution margin (CM), CMI, rate of complication or comorbidity, major complication or comorbidity, severity of illness, and risk of mortality assigned to each discharge were abstracted. Data were compared over time by standardizing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) values for each diagnosis related group and using a CMS base rate reimbursement. Among 458 CEA admissions, postcoding initiative CEA patients (n = 253) had a significantly higher CMI (1.36 vs 1.25; P = .03), CM ($7859 vs $6650; P = .048), and CMS base rate reimbursement ($8955 vs $8258; P = .03) than precoding initiative CEA patients (n = 205). The proportion of admissions with a documented major complication or comorbidity and complication or comorbidity was significantly higher after the coding initiative (43% vs

Initiation devices, initiation systems including initiation devices and related methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daniels, Michael A.; Condit, Reston A.; Rasmussen, Nikki; Wallace, Ronald S.

2018-04-10

Initiation devices may include at least one substrate, an initiation element positioned on a first side of the at least one substrate, and a spark gap electrically coupled to the initiation element and positioned on a second side of the at least one substrate. Initiation devices may include a plurality of substrates where at least one substrate of the plurality of substrates is electrically connected to at least one adjacent substrate of the plurality of substrates with at least one via extending through the at least one substrate. Initiation systems may include such initiation devices. Methods of igniting energetic materials include passing a current through a spark gap formed on at least one substrate of the initiation device, passing the current through at least one via formed through the at least one substrate, and passing the current through an explosive bridge wire of the initiation device.

Shakedown and stress range of torispherical heads under cyclic internal pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalnins, A.; Updike, D.P.

1996-01-01

Two effects on shakedown of torispherical heads are addressed in this paper: (1) changing geometry, and (2) initial pressurization, such as by a hydro (or proof) test. Shakedown and the cycled stress intensity range are calculated for two head geometries, having diameter-to-thickness ratios of 238 and 192. The calculations are carried out following two approaches: (1) using a nonlinear, elastic-plastic algorithm that accounts for changes in geometry, and (2) using elastic stresses in the undeformed geometry, which is the commonly used approach. The results show that, when the two geometries are subjected to the same initial and cyclic pressures, shakedown is achieved by the first approach but not by the second. Since real heads do benefit from geometry changes, and since most design codes require hydro (or proof) tests before operation, the first approach is recommended for the design of torispherical heads

Exploration of Compact Stellarators as Power Plants: Initial Results from ARIES-CS Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najmabadi, Farrokh

2005-01-01

A detailed and integrated study of compact stellarators as power plants, ARIES-CS, was initiated recently to advance our understanding of attractive compact stellarator configurations and to define key R and D areas. We have completed phase 1 of ARIES-CS study - our results are described in this paper. We have identified several promising stellarator configurations. High α particle loss of these configurations is a critical issue. It appears that devices with an overall size similar to those envisioned for tokamak power plants are possible. A novel approach was developed in ARIES-CS in which the blanket at the critical areas of minimum stand-off is replaced by a highly efficient WC-based shield. In this manner, we have been able to reduce the minimum stand-off by ∼20%-30% compared to a uniform radial build which was assumed in previous studies. Our examination of engineering options indicates that overall assembly and maintenance procedure plays a critical role in identifying acceptable engineering design and has a major impact on the optimization of a plasma/coil configuration

Validity of spherical approximations of initial charge cloud shape in silicon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Cheng; Danielsson, Mats; Bornefalk, Hans

2011-01-01

Spherical approximation has been used extensively in low-energy X-ray imaging to represent the initial charge cloud produced by photon interactions in silicon detectors, mainly because of its simplicity. However, for high-energy X-rays, where the initial charge distribution is as important as the diffusion process, the spherical approximation will not result in a realistic detector response. In this paper, we present a bubble-line model that simulates the initial charge cloud in silicon detectors for photons in the energy range of medical imaging. An initial charge cloud can be generated by sampling the center of gravity and the track size from statistical distributions derived from Monte Carlo generated tracks and by distributing a certain proportion of photon energy into a bubble (68%) and a line portion uniformly. The simulations of detector response demonstrate that the new model simulates the detector response accurately and corresponds well to Monte Carlo simulation.

Science Granting Councils Initiative: Research uptake | IDRC ...

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

The Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa aims to ... The strategy identifies a wide range of activities to collect, package, and share lessons ... Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), IDRC is ...

Driving range estimation for electric vehicles based on driving condition identification and forecast

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Chaofeng; Dai, Wei; Chen, Liao; Chen, Long; Wang, Limei

2017-10-01

With the impact of serious environmental pollution in our cities combined with the ongoing depletion of oil resources, electric vehicles are becoming highly favored as means of transport. Not only for the advantage of low noise, but for their high energy efficiency and zero pollution. The Power battery is used as the energy source of electric vehicles. However, it does currently still have a few shortcomings, noticeably the low energy density, with high costs and short cycle life results in limited mileage compared with conventional passenger vehicles. There is great difference in vehicle energy consumption rate under different environment and driving conditions. Estimation error of current driving range is relatively large due to without considering the effects of environmental temperature and driving conditions. The development of a driving range estimation method will have a great impact on the electric vehicles. A new driving range estimation model based on the combination of driving cycle identification and prediction is proposed and investigated. This model can effectively eliminate mileage errors and has good convergence with added robustness. Initially the identification of the driving cycle is based on Kernel Principal Component feature parameters and fuzzy C referring to clustering algorithm. Secondly, a fuzzy rule between the characteristic parameters and energy consumption is established under MATLAB/Simulink environment. Furthermore the Markov algorithm and BP(Back Propagation) neural network method is utilized to predict the future driving conditions to improve the accuracy of the remaining range estimation. Finally, driving range estimation method is carried out under the ECE 15 condition by using the rotary drum test bench, and the experimental results are compared with the estimation results. Results now show that the proposed driving range estimation method can not only estimate the remaining mileage, but also eliminate the fluctuation of the

Energy Technology Initiatives 2013. Implementation through Multilateral Co-operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-07-01

Ensuring energy security and addressing climate change cost-effectively are key global challenges. Tackling these issues will require efforts from stakeholders worldwide. To find solutions, the public and private sectors must work together, sharing burdens and resources, while at the same time multiplying results and outcomes. Through its broad range of multilateral technology initiatives (Implementing Agreements), the IEA enables member and non-member countries, businesses, industries, international organisations and non-governmental organisations to share research on breakthrough technologies, to fill existing research gaps, to build pilot plants and to carry out deployment or demonstration programmes across the energy sector. This publication highlights the most significant recent achievements of the IEA Implementing Agreements. At the core of the IEA energy technology network, these initiatives are a fundamental building block for facilitating the entry of new and improved energy technologies into the marketplace.

Self-initialization of the RELAP4 code momentum equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kern, R.C.; Hsu, M.T.

1978-01-01

One difficulty in using the RELAP4 code is that, owing to the overspecification of the volume and junction input data for the initial conditions, a residual friction term must be defined to establish steady-state conditions. If the corresponding residual friction coefficient is out of allowable range, the calculation is terminated at the initial data checking phase. An allowable residual friction coefficient is added to the form loss coefficient and is used throughout the transient calculation. This might affect the results if the residual friction coefficient is large. However, to model a system represented by a large number of volumes and junctions, manual adjustment of the input data, such as the pressure distribution, to reduce the effect of residual terms can take a significant amount of engineering time. A procedure that allows the code to do the adjustment internally is described

Blast experiments for the derivation of initial cloud dimensions after a ''Dirty Bomb'' event

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thielen, H.; Schroedl, E.

2004-01-01

Basis for the assessment of potential consequences of a ''dirty bomb'' event is the calculation of the atmospheric dispersion of airborne particles. The empirical derivation of parameters for the estimation of the initial pollutant cloud dimensions was the principal purpose for blast experiments performed in the training area Munster in summer 2003 with the participation of several highly engaged German organisations and institutions. The experiments were performed under variation of parameters like mass and kind of explosive, subsurface characteristics or meteorological conditions and were documented by digital video recording. The blasting experiments supplied significant results under reproducible conditions. The initial cloud dimension was primarily influenced by the explosive mass. The influence of other parameters was relatively small and within the range of the experimental uncertainties. Based on these experimental results a new correlation was determined for the empirical estimation of the initial cloud dimensions as a function of explosive mass. The observed initial cloud volumes were more than an order of magnitude smaller than those calculated with other widely-used formulas (e.g. HOTSPOT). As a smaller volume of the initial cloud leads to higher near-ground concentration maxima, our results support an appropriate adjustment of currently employed calculation methods. (orig.)

Early Results of Medicare's Bundled Payment Initiative for a 90-Day Total Joint Arthroplasty Episode of Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Iorio, Richard; Clair, Andrew J; Inneh, Ifeoma A; Slover, James D; Bosco, Joseph A; Zuckerman, Joseph D

2016-02-01

In 2011 Medicare initiated a Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) program with the goal of introducing a payment model that would "lead to higher quality, more coordinated care at a lower cost to Medicare." A Model 2 bundled payment initiative for Total Joint Replacement (TJR) was implemented at a large, tertiary, urban academic medical center. The episode of care includes all costs through 90 days following discharge. After one year, data on 721 Medicare primary TJR patients were available for analysis. Average length of stay (LOS) was decreased from 4.27 days to 3.58 days (Median LOS 3 days). Discharges to inpatient facilities decreased from 71% to 44%. Readmissions occurred in 80 patients (11%), which is slightly lower than before implementation. The hospital has seen cost reduction in the inpatient component over baseline. Early results from the implementation of a Medicare BPCI Model 2 primary TJR program at this medical center demonstrate cost-savings. IV economic and decision analyses-developing an economic or decision model. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Unilateral initiatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

This paper reports on arms control which is generally thought of in terms of formal negotiations with an opponent, with the resulting agreements embodied in a treaty. This is not surprising, since arms control discussions between opponents are both important and politically visible. There are, however, strong reasons for countries to consider and frequently take unilateral initiatives. To do so is entirely consistent with the established major precepts of arms control which state that arms control is designed to reduce the risk of war, the costs of preparing for war, and the death and destruction if war should come. Unilateral initiatives on what weapons are purchased, which ones are eliminated and how forces are deployed can all relate to these objectives. There are two main categories of motives for unilateral initiatives in arms control. In one category, internal national objectives are the dominant, often sole, driving force; the initiative is undertaken for our own good

The μ-opioid receptor gene and smoking initiation and nicotine dependence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kendler Kenneth S

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract The gene encoding the mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1 is reported to be associated with a range of substance dependence. Experiments in knockout mice indicate that the mu-opioid receptor may mediate reinforcing effects of nicotine. In humans, opioid antagonist naltrexone may reduce the reinforcing effects of tobacco smoking. Additionally, the OPRM1 gene is located in a region showing linkage to nicotine dependence. The OPRM1 is thus a plausible candidate gene for smoking behavior. To investigate whether OPRM1 contributes to the susceptibility of smoking initiation and nicotine dependence, we genotyped 11 SNPs in the gene for 688 Caucasian subjects of lifetime smokers and nonsmokers. Three SNPs showed nominal significance for smoking initiation and one reached significance for nicotine dependence. The global test for three-marker (rs9479757-rs2075572-rs10485057 haplotypes was significant for smoking initiation (p = 0.0022. The same three-marker haplotype test was marginal (p = 0.0514 for nicotine dependence. These results suggest that OPRM1 may be involved in smoking initiation and nicotine dependence.

Initial test results of an ionization chamber shower detector for a LHC luminosity monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datte, P.; Beche, J.-F.; Haguenauer, M.; Manfredi, P.F.; Manghisoni, M.; Millaud, J.; Placidi, M.; Ratti, L.; Riot, V.; Schmickler, H.; Speziali, V.; Turner, W.

2002-01-01

A novel, segmented, multi-gap, pressurized gas ionization chamber is being developed for optimization of the luminosity of the LHC. The ionization chambers are to be installed in the front quadrupole and zero degree neutral particle absorbers in the high luminosity IRs and sample the energy deposited near the maxima of the hadronic/electromagnetic showers in these absorbers. The ionization chambers are instrumented with low noise, fast, pulse shaping electronics to be capable of resolving individual bunch crossings at 40 MHz. In this paper we report the initial results of our second test of this instrumentation in an SPS external proton beam. Single 300 GeV protons are used to simulate the hadronic/electromagnetic shower produced by the forward collision products from the interaction regions of the LHC. The capability of instrumentations to measure the luminosity of individual bunches in a 40 MHz bunch train is demonstrated

Initial results of NEXT-DEMO, a large-scale prototype of the NEXT-100 experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Álvarez, V; Cárcel, S; Cervera, A; Díaz, J; Ferrario, P; Gil, A; Borges, F I G; Conde, C A N; Dias, T H V T; Fernandes, L M P; Freitas, E D C; Castel, J; Cebrián, S; Dafni, T; Egorov, M; Gehman, V M; Goldschmidt, A; Esteve, R; Evtoukhovitch, P; Ferreira, A L

2013-01-01

NEXT-DEMO is a large-scale prototype of the NEXT-100 detector, an electroluminescent time projection chamber that will search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of XE using 100–150 kg of enriched xenon gas. NEXT-DEMO was built to prove the expected performance of NEXT-100, namely, energy resolution better than 1% FWHM at 2.5 MeV and event topological reconstruction. In this paper we describe the prototype and its initial results. A resolution of 1.75% FWHM at 511 keV (which extrapolates to 0.8% FWHM at 2.5 MeV) was obtained at 10 bar pressure using a gamma-ray calibration source. Also, a basic study of the event topology along the longitudinal coordinate is presented, proving that it is possible to identify the distinct dE/dx of electron tracks in high-pressure xenon using an electroluminescence TPC.

Low-cost autonomous orbit control about Mars: Initial simulation results

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, S. D.; Early, L. W.; Potterveld, C. W.; Königsmann, H. J.

1999-11-01

Interest in studying the possibility of extraterrestrial life has led to the re-emergence of the Red Planet as a major target of planetary exploration. Currently proposed missions in the post-2000 period are routinely calling for rendezvous with ascent craft, long-term orbiting of, and sample-return from Mars. Such missions would benefit greatly from autonomous orbit control as a means to reduce operations costs and enable contact with Mars ground stations out of view of the Earth. This paper present results from initial simulations of autonomously controlled orbits around Mars, and points out possible uses of the technology and areas of routine Mars operations where such cost-conscious and robust autonomy could prove most effective. These simulations have validated the approach and control philosophies used in the development of this autonomous orbit controller. Future work will refine the controller, accounting for systematic and random errors in the navigation of the spacecraft from the sensor suite, and will produce prototype flight code for inclusion on future missions. A modified version of Microcosm's commercially available High Precision Orbit Propagator (HPOP) was used in the preparation of these results due to its high accuracy and speed of operation. Control laws were developed to allow an autonomously controlled spacecraft to continuously control to a pre-defined orbit about Mars with near-optimal propellant usage. The control laws were implemented as an adjunct to HPOP. The GSFC-produced 50 × 50 field model of the Martian gravitational potential was used in all simulations. The Martian atmospheric drag was modeled using an exponentially decaying atmosphere based on data from the Mars-GRAM NASA Ames model. It is hoped that the simple atmosphere model that was implemented can be significantly improved in the future so as to approach the fidelity of the Mars-GRAM model in its predictions of atmospheric density at orbital altitudes. Such additional work

Low larval densities in northern populations reinforce range expansion by a Mediterranean damselfly

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Therry, Lieven; Swaegers, Janne; Dinh, Khuong Van

2016-01-01

indicated higher food availability at low conspecific densities. Interestingly, the initial density treatment had stronger effect than densities experienced at the time of quantification on survival during the pre-freezing winter period and body condition estimates at the end of the experiment, indicating...... also delayed effects of the initial density treatment. Survival throughout a freezing period indicated extreme winter conditions are not likely a limiting factor in the range expansion of this Mediterranean species. 4. The increased survival and individual growth rates (through causing shifts......1. Contemporary climate change triggers a poleward range shift in many species. A growing number of studies document evolutionary changes in traits accelerating range expansion (such as growth rate and dispersal-related traits). In contrast, the direct impact of decreasing conspecific densities...

Analysis and solution of spike current of intermediate range for nuclear instrumentation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xingqiang; Xiao Yu; Xue Bin; Wang Yinli

2015-01-01

During the initial start-up of HYH NPP unit 1, spike currents occurred in intermediate range channel of RPN system and reactor trip was triggered. After analyzing the operation principle of intermediate range channel and site inspection, and doing simulating test, the root cause was fixed on the bug of range switching of intermediate range channel. Then a solution based on parameters optimizing was made and executed on site. (authors)

Performance of the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator Facility and initial experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gai, W.; Conde, M.; Cox, G.; Konecny, R.; Power, J.; Schoessow, P.; Simpson, J.; Barov, N.

1996-01-01

The Argonne Wakefield Accelerator facility has begun its experimental program. It is designed to address advanced acceleration research requiring very short, intense electron bunches. It incorporates two photocathode based electron sources. One produces up to 100 nC, multi-kiloamp 'drive' bunches which are used to excite wakefields in dielectric loaded structures and in plasma. The second source produces much lower intensity 'witness' pulses which are used to probe the fields produced by the drive. The drive and witness pulses can be precisely timed as well as laterally positioned with respect to each other. This paper discusses commissioning, initial experiments, and outline plans for a proposed 1 GeV demonstration accelerator

Effect of initial perturbation amplitude on Richtmyer-Meshkov flows induced by strong shocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dell, Z.; Abarzhi, S. I., E-mail: snezhana.abarzhi@gmail.com, E-mail: sabarji@andrew.cmu.edu [Mellon College of Science and Carnegie Mellon University – Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15231 (United States); Stellingwerf, R. F. [Stellingwerf Consulting, Huntsville, Alabama 35803 (United States)

2015-09-15

We systematically study the effect of the initial perturbation on Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) flows induced by strong shocks in fluids with contrasting densities. Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics simulations are employed. A broad range of shock strengths and density ratios is considered. The amplitude of the initial single mode sinusoidal perturbation of the interface varies from 0% to 100% of its wavelength. The simulations results are compared, wherever possible, with four rigorous theories, and with other experiments and simulations, achieving good quantitative and qualitative agreement. Our study is focused on early time dynamics of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI). We analyze the initial growth-rate of RMI immediately after the shock passage, when the perturbation amplitude increases linearly with time. For the first time, to the authors' knowledge, we find that the initial growth-rate of RMI is a non-monotone function of the initial perturbation amplitude, thus restraining the amount of energy that can be deposited by the shock at the interface. The maximum value of the initial growth-rate depends on the shock strength and the density ratio, whereas the corresponding value of the initial perturbation amplitude depends only slightly on the shock strength and density ratio.

Vegetation response to the 2016-2017 extreme Sierra Nevada snowfall event using multitemporal terrestrial laser scanning: initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, J. A.; Hou, Z.; Ramirez, C.; Hart, R.; Marchi, N.; Parra, A. S.; Gutierrez, B.; Tompkins, R.; Harpold, A.; Sullivan, B. W.; Weisberg, P.

2017-12-01

The Sierra Nevada Mountains experienced record-breaking snowfall during the 2016-2017 winter after a prolonged period of drought. We hypothesized that at lower elevations, the increased snowmelt would result in a significant increase in biomass across vegetation strata, but at higher elevations, the snowpack would result in a diminished growing season, and yield a suppression of growth rates particularly in the understory vegetation. To test these hypotheses, we sampled sites across the Plumas National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin using a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) in the early growing season, and then rescanned these sites in the late growing season. Herein, we present initial, early results from this analysis, focusing on the biomass and height changes in trees.

Physical and biological factors determining the effective proton range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grün, Rebecca; Friedrich, Thomas; Krämer, Michael; Scholz, Michael; Zink, Klemens; Durante, Marco; Engenhart-Cabillic, Rita

2013-01-01

Purpose: Proton radiotherapy is rapidly becoming a standard treatment option for cancer. However, even though experimental data show an increase of the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) with depth, particularly at the distal end of the treatment field, a generic RBE of 1.1 is currently used in proton radiotherapy. This discrepancy might affect the effective penetration depth of the proton beam and thus the dose to the surrounding tissue and organs at risk. The purpose of this study was thus to analyze the impact of a tissue and dose dependent RBE of protons on the effective range of the proton beam in comparison to the range based on a generic RBE of 1.1.Methods: Factors influencing the biologically effective proton range were systematically analyzed by means of treatment planning studies using the Local Effect Model (LEM IV) and the treatment planning software TRiP98. Special emphasis was put on the comparison of passive and active range modulation techniques.Results: Beam energy, tissue type, and dose level significantly affected the biological extension of the treatment field at the distal edge. Up to 4 mm increased penetration depth as compared to the depth based on a constant RBE of 1.1. The extension of the biologically effective range strongly depends on the initial proton energy used for the most distal layer of the field and correlates with the width of the distal penumbra. Thus, the range extension, in general, was more pronounced for passive as compared to active range modulation systems, whereas the maximum RBE was higher for active systems.Conclusions: The analysis showed that the physical characteristics of the proton beam in terms of the width of the distal penumbra have a great impact on the RBE gradient and thus also the biologically effective penetration depth of the beam

Civilians in World War II and DSM-IV mental disorders: Results from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Frounfelker, Rochelle; Gilman, Stephen E.; Betancourt, Theresa S.; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Gluzman, Semyon; Gureje, Oye; Karam, Elie G.; Lee, Sing; Lépine, Jean-Pierre; Ono, Yutaka; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Popovici, Daniela G.; Have, Margreet ten; Kessler, Ronald C.

2018-01-01

Purpose Understanding the effects of war on mental disorders is important for developing effective post-conflict recovery policies and programs. The current study uses cross-sectional, retrospectively reported data collected as part of the World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative to examine the associations of being a civilian in a war zone/region of terror in World War II with a range of DSM-IV mental disorders. Methods Adults (n= 3,370)who lived in countries directly involved in World War II in Europe and Japan were administered structured diagnostic interviews of lifetime DSM-IV mental disorders. The associations of war-related traumas with subsequent disorder onset-persistence were assessed with discrete-time survival analysis (lifetime prevalence) and conditional logistic regression (12-month prevalence). Results Respondents who were civilians in a war zone/region of terror had higher lifetime risks than other respondents of major depressive disorder (MDD; OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 1.9) and anxiety disorder (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 2.0). The association of war exposure with MDD was strongest in the early years after the war, whereas the association with anxiety disorders increased over time. Among lifetime cases, war exposure was associated with lower past year risk of anxiety disorders. (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2, 0.7). Conclusions Exposure to war in World War II was associated with higher lifetime risk of some mental disorders. Whether comparable patterns will be found among civilians living through more recent wars remains to be seen, but should be recognized as a possibility by those projecting future needs for treatment of mental disorders. PMID:29119266

Mediator facilitates transcriptional activation and dynamic long-range contacts at the IgH locus during class switch recombination.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas-Claudepierre, Anne-Sophie; Robert, Isabelle; Rocha, Pedro P; Raviram, Ramya; Schiavo, Ebe; Heyer, Vincent; Bonneau, Richard; Luo, Vincent M; Reddy, Janardan K; Borggrefe, Tilman; Skok, Jane A; Reina-San-Martin, Bernardo

2016-03-07

Immunoglobulin (Ig) class switch recombination (CSR) is initiated by the transcription-coupled recruitment of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) to Ig switch regions (S regions). During CSR, the IgH locus undergoes dynamic three-dimensional structural changes in which promoters, enhancers, and S regions are brought to close proximity. Nevertheless, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we show that Med1 and Med12, two subunits of the mediator complex implicated in transcription initiation and long-range enhancer/promoter loop formation, are dynamically recruited to the IgH locus enhancers and the acceptor regions during CSR and that their knockdown in CH12 cells results in impaired CSR. Furthermore, we show that conditional inactivation of Med1 in B cells results in defective CSR and reduced acceptor S region transcription. Finally, we show that in B cells undergoing CSR, the dynamic long-range contacts between the IgH enhancers and the acceptor regions correlate with Med1 and Med12 binding and that they happen at a reduced frequency in Med1-deficient B cells. Our results implicate the mediator complex in the mechanism of CSR and are consistent with a model in which mediator facilitates the long-range contacts between S regions and the IgH locus enhancers during CSR and their transcriptional activation. © 2016 Thomas-Claudepierre et al.

Smoking initiation among youth: the role of cigarette excise taxes and prices by race/ethnicity and gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Nonnemaker, James M; Farrelly, Matthew C

2011-05-01

Existing evidence for the role of cigarette excise taxes and prices as significant determinants of youth smoking initiation is mixed. A few studies have considered the possibility that the impact of cigarette taxes and prices might differ by gender or race/ethnicity. In this paper, we address the role of cigarette taxes and prices on youth smoking initiation using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort and discrete-time survival methods. We present results overall and by gender, race/ethnicity, and gender by race/ethnicity. We examine initiation over the age range during which youth are most at risk of initiation and over a period in which substantial changes have occurred in tax and price. The result for cigarette excise taxes is small and mixed across alternative specifications, with the effect strongest for black youth. Cigarette prices are more consistently a significant determinant of youth smoking initiation, especially for black youth. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Front Range Forest Health Partnership Phase 1 feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Volkin, P

1998-09-01

The Front Range Forest Health Partnership is an alliance of individuals, citizen groups, federal, state, private, and nonprofit organizations that formed to promote forest health restoration and reduce fire risks on Colorado's Front Range. The partnership promotes selective thinning to restore forest health and supports economically feasible end uses for wood waste materials. The Phase I study was initiated to determine the environmental and economic feasibility of using wood wastes from forested and urban areas for the production of fuel-grade ethanol.

Initial Results With Image-guided Cochlear Implant Programming in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Jack H; Hedley-Williams, Andrea J; Sunderhaus, Linsey; Dawant, Benoit M; Labadie, Robert F; Camarata, Stephen M; Gifford, René H

2016-02-01

Image-guided cochlear implant (CI) programming can improve hearing outcomes for pediatric CI recipients. CIs have been highly successful for children with severe-to-profound hearing loss, offering potential for mainstreamed education and auditory-oral communication. Despite this, a significant number of recipients still experience poor speech understanding, language delay, and, even among the best performers, restoration to normal auditory fidelity is rare. Although significant research efforts have been devoted to improving stimulation strategies, few developments have led to significant hearing improvement over the past two decades. Recently introduced techniques for image-guided CI programming (IGCIP) permit creating patient-customized CI programs by making it possible, for the first time, to estimate the position of implanted CI electrodes relative to the nerves they stimulate using CT images. This approach permits identification of electrodes with high levels of stimulation overlap and to deactivate them from a patient's map. Previous studies have shown that IGCIP can significantly improve hearing outcomes for adults with CIs. The IGCIP technique was tested for 21 ears of 18 pediatric CI recipients. Participants had long-term experience with their CI (5 mo to 13 yr) and ranged in age from 5 to 17 years old. Speech understanding was assessed after approximately 4 weeks of experience with the IGCIP map. Using a two-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test, statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) was observed for word and sentence recognition in quiet and noise, as well as pediatric self-reported quality-of-life (QOL) measures. Our results indicate that image guidance significantly improves hearing and QOL outcomes for pediatric CI recipients.

Early Substance Use Initiation and Suicide Ideation and Attempts among School-Aged Adolescents in Four Pacific Island Countries in Oceania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl Peltzer

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the correlations between early initiation (<12 years of smoking cigarettes, alcohol use, and drug use (cannabis with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in school-aged adolescents in four Pacific Island countries in Oceania. The sample included 6540 adolescents (≤13 to ≥16 years old from Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the association between pre-adolescent substance use initiation and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Results indicate a prevalence of 25.8% suicidal ideation in the past 12 months (ranging from 17.2% in Vanuatu to 34.7% in Kiribati and 34.9% suicide attempts in the past 12 months (ranging from 23.5% in Vanuatu to 62.0% in Samoa. The prevalence of early cigarette smoking initiation was 15.7%, early alcohol initiation 13.8%, and early drug use initiation was 12.9%. Students who reported pre-adolescent substance use initiation, compared with non-substance users, were more likely reporting suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. The concurrent initiation of cigarette smoking, alcohol, and drug use should be targeted in early prevention programmes in order to prevent possible subsequent suicidal behaviours.

Assessing personal initiative among vocational training students: development and validation of a new measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Balluerka, Nekane; Gorostiaga, Arantxa; Ulacia, Imanol

2014-11-14

Personal initiative characterizes people who are proactive, persistent and self-starting when facing the difficulties that arise in achieving goals. Despite its importance in the educational field there is a scarcity of measures to assess students' personal initiative. Thus, the aim of the present study was to develop a questionnaire to assess this variable in the academic environment and to validate it for adolescents and young adults. The sample comprised 244 vocational training students. The questionnaire showed a factor structure including three factors (Proactivity-Prosocial behavior, Persistence and Self-Starting) with acceptable indices of internal consistency (ranging between α = .57 and α =.73) and good convergent validity with respect to the Self-Reported Initiative scale. Evidence of external validity was also obtained based on the relationships between personal initiative and variables such as self-efficacy, enterprising attitude, responsibility and control aspirations, conscientiousness, and academic achievement. The results indicate that this new measure is very useful for assessing personal initiative among vocational training students.

A Simple General Solution for Maximal Horizontal Range of Projectile Motion

OpenAIRE

Busic, Boris

2005-01-01

A convenient change of variables in the problem of maximizing the horizontal range of the projectile motion, with an arbitrary initial vertical position of the projectile, provides a simple, straightforward solution.

Turbulent flow field structure of initially asymmetric jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Hoon; Kim, Bong Whan; Kim, Suk Woo

2000-01-01

The near field structure of round turbulent jets with initially asymmetric velocity distributions is investigated experimentally. Experiments are carried out using a constant temperature hot-wire anemomentry system to measure streamwise velocity in the jets. The measurements are undertaken across the jet at various streamwise stations in a range starting from the jet exit plane and up to a downstream location of twelve diameters. The experimental results include the distributions of mean and instantaneous velocities, vorticity field, turbulence intensity, and the Reynolds shear stresses. The asymmetry of the jet exit plane was obtained by using circular cross-section pipes with a bend upstream of the exit. Three pipes used here include a straight pipe, and 90 and 160 degree-bend pipes. Therefore, at the upstream of the pipe exit, secondary flow through the bend and mean streamwise velocity distribution could be controlled by changing the curvature of pipes. The jets into the atmosphere have two levels of initial velocity skewness in addition to an axisymmetric jet from a straight pipe. In case of the curved pipe, a six diameterlong straight pipe section follows the bend upstream of the exit. The Reynolds number based on the exit bulk velocity is 13,400. The results indicate that the near field structure is considerably modified by the skewness of an initial mean velocity distribution. As the skewness increases, the decay rate of mean velocity at the centerline also increases

Exploiting orbital effects for short-range extravehicular transfers

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Trevor; Baughman, David

The problem studied in this paper is that of using Simplified Aid for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Rescue (SAFER) to carry out efficient short-range transfers from the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter to the vicinity of the underside of the vehicle, for instance for inspection and repair of thermal tiles or umbilical doors. Trajectories are shown to exist, for the shuttle flying noise forward and belly down, that take the astronaut to the vicinity of the underside with no thrusting after the initial push-off. However, these trajectories are too slow to be of practical interest, as they take roughly an hour to execute. Additionally, they are quite sensitive to errors in the initial push-off rates. To overcome both of these difficulties, trajectories are then studied which include a single in-flight impulse of small magnitude ( in the range 0.1 - 0.4 fps). For operational simplicity, this impulse is applied towards the Orbiter at the moment when the line-of -sight of the EVA crewmember is tangential to the underside of the vehicle. These trajectories are considerably faster than the non-impulsive ones: transit times of less than 10 minutes are achievable. Furthermore, the man-in-the-loop feedback scheme used for impulse timing greatly reduces the sensitivity to initial velocity errors. Finally, similar one-impulse trajectories are also shown to exist for the Orbiter in a gravity-gradient attitiude.

Energetic neutral atom imaging with the Polar CEPPAD/IPS instrument: Initial forward modeling results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henderson, M.G.; Reeves, G.D.; Moore, K.R.; Spence, H.E.; Jorgensen, A.M.; Roelof, E.C.

1997-01-01

Although the primary function of the CEP-PAD/IPS instrument on Polar is the measurement of energetic ions in-situ, it has also proven to be a very capable Energetic neutral Atom (ENA) imager. Raw ENA images are currently being constructed on a routine basis with a temporal resolution of minutes during both active and quiet times. However, while analyses of these images by themselves provide much information on the spatial distribution and dynamics of the energetic ion population in the ring current, detailed modeling is required to extract the actual ion distributions. In this paper, the authors present the initial results of forward modeling an IPS ENA image obtained during a small geo-magnetic storm on June 9, 1997. The equatorial ion distribution inferred with this technique reproduces the expected large noon/midnight and dawn/dusk asymmetries. The limitations of the model are discussed and a number of modifications to the basic forward modeling technique are proposed which should significantly improve its performance in future studies

Performance of the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator facility and initial experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gai, W.; Conde, M.; Cox, G.; Konecny, R.; Power, J.; Schoessow, P.; Simpson, J.; Barov, N.

1996-01-01

The Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) facility has begun its experimental program. This unique facility is designed to address advanced acceleration research which requires very short, intense electron bunches. The facility incorporates two photo-cathode based electron sources. One produces up to 100 nC, multi-kiloamp 'drive' bunches which are used to excite wakefields in dielectric loaded structures and in plasma. The second source produces much lower intensity 'witness' pulses which are used to probe the fields produced by the drive. The drive and witness pulses can be precisely timed as well as laterally positioned with respect to each other. We discuss commissioning, initial experiments, and outline plans for a proposed 1 GeV demonstration accelerator. (author)

Error sensitivity analysis in 10-30-day extended range forecasting by using a nonlinear cross-prediction error model

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Zhiye; Xu, Lisheng; Chen, Hongbin; Wang, Yongqian; Liu, Jinbao; Feng, Wenlan

2017-06-01

Extended range forecasting of 10-30 days, which lies between medium-term and climate prediction in terms of timescale, plays a significant role in decision-making processes for the prevention and mitigation of disastrous meteorological events. The sensitivity of initial error, model parameter error, and random error in a nonlinear crossprediction error (NCPE) model, and their stability in the prediction validity period in 10-30-day extended range forecasting, are analyzed quantitatively. The associated sensitivity of precipitable water, temperature, and geopotential height during cases of heavy rain and hurricane is also discussed. The results are summarized as follows. First, the initial error and random error interact. When the ratio of random error to initial error is small (10-6-10-2), minor variation in random error cannot significantly change the dynamic features of a chaotic system, and therefore random error has minimal effect on the prediction. When the ratio is in the range of 10-1-2 (i.e., random error dominates), attention should be paid to the random error instead of only the initial error. When the ratio is around 10-2-10-1, both influences must be considered. Their mutual effects may bring considerable uncertainty to extended range forecasting, and de-noising is therefore necessary. Second, in terms of model parameter error, the embedding dimension m should be determined by the factual nonlinear time series. The dynamic features of a chaotic system cannot be depicted because of the incomplete structure of the attractor when m is small. When m is large, prediction indicators can vanish because of the scarcity of phase points in phase space. A method for overcoming the cut-off effect ( m > 4) is proposed. Third, for heavy rains, precipitable water is more sensitive to the prediction validity period than temperature or geopotential height; however, for hurricanes, geopotential height is most sensitive, followed by precipitable water.

Quantification of pancreatic exocrine function with secretin-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: normal values and short-term effects of pancreatic duct drainage procedures in chronic pancreatitis. Initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bali, M.A.; Sztantics, A.; Metens, T.; Matos, C.; Arvanitakis, M.; Delhaye, M.; Deviere, J.

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to quantify pancreatic exocrine function in normal subjects and in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) before and after pancreatic duct drainage procedures (PDDP) with dynamic secretin-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiopancreatography (S-MRCP). Pancreatic exocrine secretions [quantified by pancreatic flow output (PFO) and total excreted volume (TEV)] were quantified twice in ten healthy volunteers and before and after treatment in 20 CP patients (18 classified as severe, one as moderate, and one as mild according to the Cambridge classification). PFO and TEV were derived from a linear regression between MR-calculated volumes and time. In all subjects, pancreatic exocrine fluid volume initially increased linearly with time during secretin stimulation. In controls, the mean PFO and TEV were 6.8 ml/min and 97 ml; intra-individual deviations were 0.8 ml/min and 16 ml. In 10/20 patients with impaired exocrine secretions before treatment, a significant increase of PFO and TEV was observed after treatment (P<0.05); 3/20 patients presented post-procedural acute pancreatitis and a reduced PFO. The S-MRCP quantification method used in the present study is reproducible and provides normal values for PFO and TEV in the range of those obtained from previous published intubation studies. The initial results in CP patients have demonstrated non-invasively a significant short-term improvement of PFO and TEV after PDDP. (orig.)

Out-of-range international normalized ratio values and healthcare cost among new warfarin patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Winnie W; Wang, Li; Baser, Onur; Damaraju, C V; Schein, Jeffrey R

2015-05-01

Patients with out-of-range international normalized ratio (INR) values 3.0 have been associated with increased risk of thromboembolic and bleeding events. INR monitoring is costly, because of associated physician and nurse time, laboratory resource use, and dose adjustments. This study assessed the healthcare cost burden associated with out-of-range INR among warfarin initiator patients diagnosed with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) population. Adult NVAF patients (≥18 years) initiating warfarin were selected from the VHA dataset for the study period October 1, 2007-September 30, 2012. Only valid INR measurements (0.5 ≤ INR ≤ 20) were examined for the follow-up period, from the index date (warfarin initiation date) until the end of warfarin exposure or death. All-cause healthcare costs within 30 days were measured starting from the second month (31 days post-index date) to the end of the study period. Costs for inpatient stays, emergency room, outpatient facility, physician office visits, and other services were computed separately. Multiple regression was performed using the generalized linear model for overall cost analysis. In total, 29,463 patients were included in the study sample. Mean costs for out-of-range INR ranged from $3419 to $5126. Inpatient, outpatient, outpatient pharmacy, and total costs were significantly higher after patients experienced out-of-range results (INR  3), compared with in-range INR (2 ≤ INR ≤ 3). When exposed to out-of-range INR, patients also incurred higher mean total costs within 2-6 months ($3840-$5820) than after the first 6 months ($2789-$3503) of warfarin therapy. In the VHA population, INR measures outside of the 2-3 range were associated with significantly higher healthcare costs. Increased costs were especially apparent when INR values were below 2, although INR measures above 3 were also associated with higher costs relative to in-range

Penn State geoPebble system: Design,Implementation, and Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

Urbina, J. V.; Anandakrishnan, S.; Bilen, S. G.; Fleishman, A.; Burkett, P.

2014-12-01

The Penn State geoPebble system is a new network of wirelessly interconnected seismic and GPS sensor nodes with flexible architecture. This network will be used for studies of ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, as well as to investigate mountain glaciers. The network will consist of ˜150 geoPebbles that can be deployed in a user-defined spatial geometry. We present our design methodology, which has enabled us to develop these state-of- the art sensors using commercial-off-the-shelf hardware combined with custom-designed hardware and software. Each geoPebble is a self- contained, wirelessly connected sensor for collecting seismic measurements and position information. Key elements of each node encompasses a three-component seismic recorder, which includes an amplifier, filter, and 24- bit analog-to-digital converter that can sample up to 10 kHz. Each unit also includes a microphone channel to record the ground-coupled airwave. The timing for each node is available from GPS measurements and a local precision oscillator that is conditioned by the GPS timing pulses. In addition, we record the carrier-phase measurement of the L1 GPS signal in order to determine location at sub-decimeter accuracy (relative to other geoPebbles within a few kilometers radius). Each geoPebble includes 16 GB of solid-state storage, wireless communications capability to a central supervisory unit, and auxiliary measurements capability (including tilt from accelerometers, absolute orientation from magnetometers and temperature). A novel aspect of the geoPebble is a wireless charging system for the internal battery (using inductive coupling techniques). The geoPebbles include all the sensors (geophones, GPS, microphone), communications (WiFi), and power (battery and charging) internally, so the geoPebble system can operate without any cabling connections (though we do provide an external connector so that different geophones can be used). We report initial field-deployment results and

Reduction of initial shock in decadal predictions using a new initialization strategy

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yujun; Wang, Bin; Liu, Mimi; Liu, Li; Yu, Yongqiang; Liu, Juanjuan; Li, Ruizhe; Zhang, Cheng; Xu, Shiming; Huang, Wenyu; Liu, Qun; Wang, Yong; Li, Feifei

2017-08-01

A novel full-field initialization strategy based on the dimension-reduced projection four-dimensional variational data assimilation (DRP-4DVar) is proposed to alleviate the well-known initial shock occurring in the early years of decadal predictions. It generates consistent initial conditions, which best fit the monthly mean oceanic analysis data along the coupled model trajectory in 1 month windows. Three indices to measure the initial shock intensity are also proposed. Results indicate that this method does reduce the initial shock in decadal predictions by Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model, Grid-point version 2 (FGOALS-g2) compared with the three-dimensional variational data assimilation-based nudging full-field initialization for the same model and is comparable to or even better than the different initialization strategies for other fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models. Better hindcasts of global mean surface air temperature anomalies can be obtained than in other FGOALS-g2 experiments. Due to the good model response to external forcing and the reduction of initial shock, higher decadal prediction skill is achieved than in other CMIP5 models.

Implications of stress range for inelastic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karabin, M.E.; Dhalla, A.K.

1981-01-01

The elastic stress range over a complete load cycle is routinely used to formulate simplified rules regarding the inelastic behavior of structures operating at elevated temperature. For example, a 300 series stainless steel structure operating at elevated temperature, in all probability, would satisfy the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code criteria if the linearized elastic stress range is less than three times the material yield strength. However, at higher elastic stress ranges it is difficult to judge, a priori, that a structural component would comply with inelastic Code criteria after a detailed inelastic analysis. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that it is not the elastic stress range but the stress intensities at specific times during a thermal transient which provide a better insight into the inelastic response of the structure. The specific example of the CRBRP flued head design demonstrates that the temperature differential between various parts of the structure can be changed by modifying the insulation pattern and heat flow path in the structure, without significantly altering the elastic stress range over a complete load cycle. However, the modified design did reduce the stress intensity during steady state elevated temperature operation. This modified design satisfied the inelastic Code criteria whereas the initial design failed to comply with the strain accumulation criterion

INITIAL PLANETESIMAL SIZES AND THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL KUIPER BELT OBJECTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlichting, Hilke E.; Fuentes, Cesar I.; Trilling, David E.

2013-01-01

The Kuiper Belt is a remnant from the early solar system and its size distribution contains many important constraints that can be used to test models of planet formation and collisional evolution. We show, by comparing observations with theoretical models, that the observed Kuiper Belt size distribution is well matched by coagulation models, which start with an initial planetesimal population with radii of about 1 km, and subsequent collisional evolution. We find that the observed size distribution above R ∼ 30 km is primordial, i.e., it has not been modified by collisional evolution over the age of the solar system, and that the size distribution below R ∼ 30 km has been modified by collisions and that its slope is well matched by collisional evolution models that use published strength laws. We investigate in detail the resulting size distribution of bodies ranging from 0.01 km to 30 km and find that its slope changes several times as a function of radius before approaching the expected value for an equilibrium collisional cascade of material strength dominated bodies for R ∼< 0.1 km. Compared to a single power-law size distribution that would span the whole range from 0.01 km to 30 km, we find in general a strong deficit of bodies around R ∼ 10 km and a strong excess of bodies around 2 km in radius. This deficit and excess of bodies are caused by the planetesimal size distribution left over from the runaway growth phase, which left most of the initial mass in small planetesimals while only a small fraction of the total mass is converted into large protoplanets. This excess mass in small planetesimals leaves a permanent signature in the size distribution of small bodies that is not erased after 4.5 Gyr of collisional evolution. Observations of the small Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) size distribution can therefore test if large KBOs grew as a result of runaway growth and constrained the initial planetesimal sizes. We find that results from recent KBO

Evolution of density-dependent movement during experimental range expansions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fronhofer, E A; Gut, S; Altermatt, F

2017-12-01

Range expansions and biological invasions are prime examples of transient processes that are likely impacted by rapid evolutionary changes. As a spatial process, range expansions are driven by dispersal and movement behaviour. Although it is widely accepted that dispersal and movement may be context-dependent, for instance density-dependent, and best represented by reaction norms, the evolution of density-dependent movement during range expansions has received little experimental attention. We therefore tested current theory predicting the evolution of increased movement at low densities at range margins using highly replicated and controlled range expansion experiments across multiple genotypes of the protist model system Tetrahymena thermophila. Although rare, we found evolutionary changes during range expansions even in the absence of initial standing genetic variation. Range expansions led to the evolution of negatively density-dependent movement at range margins. In addition, we report the evolution of increased intrastrain competitive ability and concurrently decreased population growth rates in range cores. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding movement and dispersal as evolving reaction norms and plastic life-history traits of central relevance for range expansions, biological invasions and the dynamics of spatially structured systems in general. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

UNLV Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hechanova, Anthony E.; Johnson, Allen; O' Toole, Brendan; Trabia, Mohamed; Peterson, Per

2012-10-25

Evaluation of the Crack growth rate (CGR) of Alloy 617 and Alloy 276 under constant K at ambient temperature has been completed. Creep deformation of Alloy 230 at different temperature range and load level has been completed and heat to heat variation has been noticed. Creep deformation study of Alloy 276 has been completed under an applied initial stress level of 10% of yield stress at 950ºC. The grain size evaluation of the tested creep specimens of Alloy 276 has been completed.

Cost-effectiveness of early initiation of first-line combination antiretroviral therapy in Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sempa Joseph

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ugandan national guidelines recommend initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART at CD4+ T cell (CD4 count below 350 cell/μl, but the implementation of this is limited due to availability of medication. However, cART initiation at higher CD4 count increases survival, albeit at higher lifetime treatment cost. This analysis evaluates the cost-effectiveness of initiating cART at a CD4 count between 250–350 cell/μl (early versus Methods Life expectancy of cART-treated patients, conditional on baseline CD4 count, was modeled based on published literature. First-line cART costs $192 annually, with an additional $113 for patient monitoring. Delaying initiation of cART until the CD4 count falls below 250 cells/μl would incur the cost of the bi-annual CD4 count tests and routine maintenance care at $85 annually. We compared lifetime treatment costs and disability adjusted life-expectancy between early vs. delayed cART for ten baseline CD4 count ranges from 250-350 cell/μl. All costs and benefits were discounted at 3% annually. Results Treatment delay varied from 6–18 months. Early cART initiation increased life expectancy from 1.5-3.5 years and averted 1.33–3.10 disability adjusted life years (DALY’s per patient. Lifetime treatment costs were $4,300–$5,248 for early initiation and $3,940–$4,435 for delayed initiation. The cost/DALY averted of the early versus delayed start ranged from $260–$270. Conclusions In HIV-positive patients presenting with CD4 count between 250-350 cells/μl, immediate initiation of cART is a highly cost-effective strategy using the recommended one-time per capita GDP threshold of $490 reported for Uganda. This would constitute an efficient use of scarce health care funds.

Measurement of long-range angular correlations and azimuthal anisotropies in high-multiplicity p +Au collisions at √{sNN}=200 GeV

Science.gov (United States)

Aidala, C.; Akiba, Y.; Alfred, M.; Andrieux, V.; Aoki, K.; Apadula, N.; Asano, H.; Ayuso, C.; Azmoun, B.; Babintsev, V.; Bandara, N. S.; Barish, K. N.; Bathe, S.; Bazilevsky, A.; Beaumier, M.; Belmont, R.; Berdnikov, A.; Berdnikov, Y.; Blau, D. S.; Boer, M.; Bok, J. S.; Brooks, M. L.; Bryslawskyj, J.; Bumazhnov, V.; Butler, C.; Campbell, S.; Canoa Roman, V.; Cervantes, R.; Chi, C. Y.; Chiu, M.; Choi, I. J.; Choi, J. B.; Citron, Z.; Connors, M.; Cronin, N.; Csanád, M.; Csörgő, T.; Danley, T. W.; Daugherity, M. S.; David, G.; Deblasio, K.; Dehmelt, K.; Denisov, A.; Deshpande, A.; Desmond, E. J.; Dion, A.; Dixit, D.; Do, J. H.; Drees, A.; Drees, K. A.; Dumancic, M.; Durham, J. M.; Durum, A.; Elder, T.; Enokizono, A.; En'yo, H.; Esumi, S.; Fadem, B.; Fan, W.; Feege, N.; Fields, D. E.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Fokin, S. L.; Frantz, J. E.; Franz, A.; Frawley, A. D.; Fukuda, Y.; Gal, C.; Gallus, P.; Garg, P.; Ge, H.; Giordano, F.; Goto, Y.; Grau, N.; Greene, S. V.; Grosse Perdekamp, M.; Gunji, T.; Guragain, H.; Hachiya, T.; Haggerty, J. S.; Hahn, K. I.; Hamagaki, H.; Hamilton, H. F.; Han, S. Y.; Hanks, J.; Hasegawa, S.; Haseler, T. O. S.; He, X.; Hemmick, T. K.; Hill, J. C.; Hill, K.; Hollis, R. S.; Homma, K.; Hong, B.; Hoshino, T.; Hotvedt, N.; Huang, J.; Huang, S.; Imai, K.; Imrek, J.; Inaba, M.; Iordanova, A.; Isenhower, D.; Ito, Y.; Ivanishchev, D.; Jacak, B. V.; Jezghani, M.; Ji, Z.; Jiang, X.; Johnson, B. M.; Jorjadze, V.; Jouan, D.; Jumper, D. S.; Kang, J. H.; Kapukchyan, D.; Karthas, S.; Kawall, D.; Kazantsev, A. V.; Khachatryan, V.; Khanzadeev, A.; Kim, C.; Kim, D. J.; Kim, E.-J.; Kim, M. H.; Kim, M.; Kincses, D.; Kistenev, E.; Klatsky, J.; Kline, P.; Koblesky, T.; Kotov, D.; Kudo, S.; Kurita, K.; Kwon, Y.; Lajoie, J. G.; Lallow, E. O.; Lebedev, A.; Lee, S.; Leitch, M. J.; Leung, Y. H.; Lewis, N. A.; Li, X.; Lim, S. H.; Liu, L. D.; Liu, M. X.; Loggins, V.-R.; Loggins, V.-R.; Lovasz, K.; Lynch, D.; Majoros, T.; Makdisi, Y. I.; Makek, M.; Malaev, M.; Manko, V. I.; Mannel, E.; Masuda, H.; McCumber, M.; McGaughey, P. L.; McGlinchey, D.; McKinney, C.; Mendoza, M.; Mignerey, A. C.; Mihalik, D. E.; Milov, A.; Mishra, D. K.; Mitchell, J. T.; Mitsuka, G.; Miyasaka, S.; Mizuno, S.; Montuenga, P.; Moon, T.; Morrison, D. P.; Morrow, S. I. M.; Murakami, T.; Murata, J.; Nagai, K.; Nagashima, K.; Nagashima, T.; Nagle, J. L.; Nagy, M. I.; Nakagawa, I.; Nakagomi, H.; Nakano, K.; Nattrass, C.; Niida, T.; Nouicer, R.; Novák, T.; Novitzky, N.; Novotny, R.; Nyanin, A. S.; O'Brien, E.; Ogilvie, C. A.; Orjuela Koop, J. D.; Osborn, J. D.; Oskarsson, A.; Ottino, G. J.; Ozawa, K.; Pantuev, V.; Papavassiliou, V.; Park, J. S.; Park, S.; Pate, S. F.; Patel, M.; Peng, W.; Perepelitsa, D. V.; Perera, G. D. N.; Peressounko, D. Yu.; Perezlara, C. E.; Perry, J.; Petti, R.; Phipps, M.; Pinkenburg, C.; Pisani, R. P.; Pun, A.; Purschke, M. L.; Read, K. F.; Reynolds, D.; Riabov, V.; Riabov, Y.; Richford, D.; Rinn, T.; Rolnick, S. D.; Rosati, M.; Rowan, Z.; Runchey, J.; Safonov, A. S.; Sakaguchi, T.; Sako, H.; Samsonov, V.; Sarsour, M.; Sato, K.; Sato, S.; Schaefer, B.; Schmoll, B. K.; Sedgwick, K.; Seidl, R.; Sen, A.; Seto, R.; Sexton, A.; Sharma, D.; Shein, I.; Shibata, T.-A.; Shigaki, K.; Shimomura, M.; Shioya, T.; Shukla, P.; Sickles, A.; Silva, C. L.; Silvermyr, D.; Singh, B. K.; Singh, C. P.; Singh, V.; Slunečka, M.; Smith, K. L.; Snowball, M.; Soltz, R. A.; Sondheim, W. E.; Sorensen, S. P.; Sourikova, I. V.; Stankus, P. W.; Stoll, S. P.; Sugitate, T.; Sukhanov, A.; Sumita, T.; Sun, J.; Syed, S.; Sziklai, J.; Takeda, A.; Tanida, K.; Tannenbaum, M. J.; Tarafdar, S.; Tarnai, G.; Tieulent, R.; Timilsina, A.; Todoroki, T.; Tomášek, M.; Towell, C. L.; Towell, R. S.; Tserruya, I.; Ueda, Y.; Ujvari, B.; van Hecke, H. W.; Vazquez-Carson, S.; Velkovska, J.; Virius, M.; Vrba, V.; Vukman, N.; Wang, X. R.; Wang, Z.; Watanabe, Y.; Watanabe, Y. S.; Wong, C. P.; Woody, C. L.; Xu, C.; Xu, Q.; Xue, L.; Yalcin, S.; Yamaguchi, Y. L.; Yamamoto, H.; Yanovich, A.; Yin, P.; Yoo, J. H.; Yoon, I.; Yu, H.; Yushmanov, I. E.; Zajc, W. A.; Zelenski, A.; Zharko, S.; Zou, L.; Phenix Collaboration

2017-03-01

We present measurements of long-range angular correlations and the transverse momentum dependence of elliptic flow v2 in high-multiplicity p +Au collisions at √{s NN}=200 GeV. A comparison of these results to previous measurements in high-multiplicity d +Au and 3He+Au collisions demonstrates a relation between v2 and the initial collision eccentricity ɛ2, suggesting that the observed momentum-space azimuthal anisotropies in these small systems have a collective origin and reflect the initial geometry. Good agreement is observed between the measured v2 and hydrodynamic calculations for all systems, and an argument disfavoring theoretical explanations based on initial momentum-space domain correlations is presented. The set of measurements presented here allows us to leverage the distinct intrinsic geometry of each of these systems to distinguish between different theoretical descriptions of the long-range correlations observed in small collision systems.

IOTA interferometer project - Plans, engineering, and laboratory results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reasenberg, R.D.

1990-01-01

The Infrared-Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) is being developed by a consortium comprising Harvard University, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and the University of Wyoming. The instrument is intended to generate high-resolution images of astronomical objects by bringing together beams from widely separated telescopes and combining them at a central location. The initial configuration will consist of two 0.45 m telescopes thay may range along an L-shaped track that will permit spacings in the 5 to 38 m range, at the Smithsonian's Fred L. Whipple Observatory on Mt. Hopkins. Initial tests of this configuration are expected to be conducted during the summer of 1991 and to yield both valuable engineering data and the first scientific results including diameters of stars and artificial earth satellites and a measure of the extent of some circumstellar shells. The engineering data will be applied to the refinement of IOTA, particularly to the second IOTA configuration, in which a third telescope will be added, making it possible to obtain phase closure information. 7 refs

Relation between initial and minimum final white dwarf mass for Population I stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazzitelli, I.; Dantona, F.

1986-12-01

The evolutionary paths for Population I stars having initial masses 1, 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 solar masses were computed from the homogeneous main sequence to the onset of the first major thermal pulse to evaluate the minimum mass and the chemical stratification of the remnant white dwarf (WD) associated with each parent mass. The helium flash phase was followed in detail for a 2.5 solar masses star, whereas for the 1 solar mass star the flash was bypassed, and the models at the beginning of the steady central helium burning phase were obtained by means of a scaling procedure upon the properly computed total and core masses. The results show that for a parent ranging between 1-3 solar masses the core mass at the first thermal pulse ranges only from 0.64-0.69 solar mass. If some very fast mass-loss mechanism is triggered in connection with the early stages of the thermal pulse phase, as suggested by the observed deficiency of asymptotic giant branch stars, the relation between final and initial mass is almost flat at least up to an initial mass of 3 solar masses, and the mass spectrum of the WDs is narrow and heavily peaked around 0.65 solar mass. 53 references.

Relation between initial and minimum final white dwarf mass for Population I stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzitelli, I.; Dantona, F.; CNR, Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale, Frascati; Roma, Osservatorio Astronomico, Rome, Italy)

1986-01-01

The evolutionary paths for Population I stars having initial masses 1, 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 solar masses were computed from the homogeneous main sequence to the onset of the first major thermal pulse to evaluate the minimum mass and the chemical stratification of the remnant white dwarf (WD) associated with each parent mass. The helium flash phase was followed in detail for a 2.5 solar masses star, whereas for the 1 solar mass star the flash was bypassed, and the models at the beginning of the steady central helium burning phase were obtained by means of a scaling procedure upon the properly computed total and core masses. The results show that for a parent ranging between 1-3 solar masses the core mass at the first thermal pulse ranges only from 0.64-0.69 solar mass. If some very fast mass-loss mechanism is triggered in connection with the early stages of the thermal pulse phase, as suggested by the observed deficiency of asymptotic giant branch stars, the relation between final and initial mass is almost flat at least up to an initial mass of 3 solar masses, and the mass spectrum of the WDs is narrow and heavily peaked around 0.65 solar mass. 53 references

The Overture Initiative Integrating Tools for VDM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Peter Gorm; Battle, Nick; Ferreira, Miguel

2010-01-01

Overture is a community-based initiative that aims to develop a common open-source platform integrating a range of tools for constructing and analysing formal models of systems using VDM. The mission is to both provide an industrial-strength tool set for VDM and also to provide an environment...

The effect of initial density and parasitoid intergenerational survival rate on classical biological control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Yanni; Tang Sanyi

2008-01-01

Models of biological control have a long history of theoretical development that have focused on the interaction of a parasitoid and its host. The host-parasitoid systems have identified several important and general factors affecting the long-term dynamics of interacting populations. However, much less is known about how the initial densities of host-parasitoid populations affect the biological control as well as the stability of host-parasitoid systems. To do this, the classical Nicholson-Bailey model with host self-regulation and parasitoid intergenerational survival rate is used to uncover the effect of initial densities on the successful biological control. The results indicate that the simplest Nicholson-Bailey model has various coexistence with a wide range of parameters, including boundary attractors where the parasitoid population is absent and interior attractors where host-parasitoid coexists. The final stable states of host-parasitoid populations depend on their initial densities as well as their ratios, and those results are confirmed by basins of attraction of initial densities. The results also indicate that the parasitoid intergenerational survival rate increases the stability of the host-parasitoid systems. Therefore, the present research can help us to further understand the dynamical behavior of host-parasitoid interactions, to improve the classical biological control and to make management decisions

Initial results of tests of depth markers as a surface diagnostic for fusion devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.A. Kesler

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Accelerator-Based In Situ Materials Surveillance (AIMS diagnostic was developed to perform in situ ion beam analysis (IBA on Alcator C-Mod in August 2012 to study divertor surfaces between shots. These results were limited to studying low-Z surface properties, because the Coulomb barrier precludes nuclear reactions between high-Z elements and the ∼1 MeV AIMS deuteron beam. In order to measure the high-Z erosion, a technique using deuteron-induced gamma emission and a low-Z depth marker is being developed. To determine the depth of the marker while eliminating some uncertainty due to beam and detector parameters, the energy dependence of the ratio of two gamma yields produced from the same depth marker will be used to determine the ion beam energy loss in the surface, and thus the thickness of the high-Z surface. This paper presents the results of initial trials of using an implanted depth marker layer with a deuteron beam and the method of ratios. First tests of a lithium depth marker proved unsuccessful due to the production of conflicting gamma peaks, among other issues. However, successful trials with a boron depth marker show that it is possible to measure the depth of the marker layer with the method of gamma yield ratios.

Recording and Modelling of MONUMENTS' Interior Space Using Range and Optical Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiadis, Charalampos; Patias, Petros; Tsioukas, Vasilios

2016-06-01

Three dimensional modelling of artefacts and building interiors is a highly active research field in our days. Several techniques are being utilized to perform such a task, spanning from traditional surveying techniques and photogrammetry to structured light scanners, laser scanners and so on. New technological advancements in both hardware and software create new recording techniques, tools and approaches. In this paper we present a new recording and modelling approach based on the SwissRanger SR4000 range camera coupled with a Canon 400D dSLR camera. The hardware component of our approach consists of a fixed base, which encloses the range and SLR cameras. The two sensors are fully calibrated and registered to each other thus we were able to produce colorized point clouds acquired from the range camera. In this paper we present the initial design and calibration of the system along with experimental data regarding the accuracy of the proposed approach. We are also providing results regarding the modelling of interior spaces and artefacts accompanied with accuracy tests from other modelling approaches based on photogrammetry and laser scanning.

Initiation of DNA replication: functional and evolutionary aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, John A.; Aves, Stephen J.

2011-01-01

Background The initiation of DNA replication is a very important and highly regulated step in the cell division cycle. It is of interest to compare different groups of eukaryotic organisms (a) to identify the essential molecular events that occur in all eukaryotes, (b) to start to identify higher-level regulatory mechanisms that are specific to particular groups and (c) to gain insights into the evolution of initiation mechanisms. Scope This review features a wide-ranging literature survey covering replication origins, origin recognition and usage, modification of origin usage (especially in response to plant hormones), assembly of the pre-replication complex, loading of the replisome, genomics, and the likely origin of these mechanisms and proteins in Archaea. Conclusions In all eukaryotes, chromatin is organized for DNA replication as multiple replicons. In each replicon, replication is initiated at an origin. With the exception of those in budding yeast, replication origins, including the only one to be isolated so far from a plant, do not appear to embody a specific sequence; rather, they are AT-rich, with short tracts of locally bent DNA. The proteins involved in initiation are remarkably similar across the range of eukaryotes. Nevertheless, their activity may be modified by plant-specific mechanisms, including regulation by plant hormones. The molecular features of initiation are seen in a much simpler form in the Archaea. In particular, where eukaryotes possess a number of closely related proteins that form ‘hetero-complexes’ (such as the origin recognition complex and the MCM complex), archaeans typically possess one type of protein (e.g. one MCM) that forms a homo-complex. This suggests that several eukaryotic initiation proteins have evolved from archaeal ancestors by gene duplication and divergence. PMID:21508040

[Evaluation of initial results of treatment of lead poisoning with EDTA].

Science.gov (United States)

Petkova, V; Adjarov, D; Pavlova, S; Naydenova, E; Kerimova, M; Kuneva, T

1994-01-01

The results of EDTA therapy were studied in 37 workers of a battery factory consisting of males with varying degrees of occupational lead poisoning (low exposure: 10 subjects, blood lead levels (PbB) lower than 400 micrograms/l with slight alterations in heme biosynthesis; beyond limit of effect: 5 subjects, PbB > 400 micrograms/l; slight intoxication: 19 subjects, with marked alterations in heme synthesis and preclinical signs of intoxication; average degree of intoxication: 3 subjects with clinical signs of intoxication. Clinical symptoms and the following parameters were investigated: blood lead (PbB), delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in erythrocytes (ALA-D), zinc protoporphyrin (PP) in erythrocytes and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in 24-hour urine before and after EDTA chelating therapy. Simultaneous measurement of ALA-D and PP showed high diagnostic sensitivity in detecting lead poisoning in occupationally exposed subjects. In view of the high interindividual variability of the results, these indices did not, however, permit a useful differentiation to be made of the different degrees of intoxication at individual level, even though a good correlation was observed between PbB and porphyrin metabolism indices. From the alterations observed in ALA-D and PP values it was not possible to establish an association between degree of alteration and types of clinical symptoms in the different intoxication studies. At the end of EDTA treatment, a clinical improvement was observed in all cases studied but only in 5 cases was a reduction in PbB observed, to levels below 1.20 mol/l, which is accepted as a permissible limit for the general population; in 17 cases PbB remained at levels above the critical value for occupational lead poisoning (400 micrograms/l), although there was a decrease after treatment. The improvement observed in the indices of porphyrin metabolism at the end of treatment was only slight: significant variations were measured only for PbB. After

The importance of community consultation and social support in adhering to an obesity reduction program: results from the Healthy Weights Initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemstra M

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Mark Lemstra,1 Marla R Rogers2 1Alliance Wellness and Rehabilitation, Moose Jaw, 2College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada Background: Few community-based obesity reduction programs have been evaluated. After 153 community consultations, the City of Moose Jaw, SK, Canada, decided to initiate a free comprehensive program. The initiative included 71 letters of support from the Mayor, every family physician, cardiologist, and internist in the city, and every relevant community group including the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.Objective: To promote strong adherence while positively influencing a wide range of physical and mental health variables measured through objective assessment or validated surveys.Methods: The only inclusion criterion was that the individuals must be obese adults (body mass index >30 kg/m2. Participants were requested to sign up with a “buddy” who was also obese and identify three family members or friends to sign a social support contract. During the initial 12 weeks, each individual received 60 group exercise sessions, 12 group cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, and 12 group dietary sessions with licensed professionals. During the second 12-week period, maintenance therapy included 12 group exercise sessions (24 weeks in total.Results: To date, 243 people have been referred with 229 starting. Among those who started, 183 completed the program (79.9%, while 15 quit for medical reasons and 31 quit for personal reasons. Mean objective reductions included the following: 31.0 lbs of body fat, 3.9% body fat, 2.9 in from the waist, 2.3 in from the hip, blood cholesterol by 0.5 mmol/L, systolic blood pressure by 5.9 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure by 3.2 mmHg (all P<0.000. There were no changes in blood sugar levels. There was also statistically significant differences in aerobic fitness, self-report health, quality of

Laparoendoscopic single-site extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: initial experience in 10 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Minh; Liatsikos, Evangelos; Beatty, John; Haefner, Tim; Dunn, Ian; Kallidonis, Panagiotis; Stolzenburg, Jens-Uwe

2011-06-01

Recent technical advances and a trend toward laparoscopic single incision surgery have led us to explore the feasibility of laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) hernia repair. We present our technique and initial experience with LESS extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair in 10 consecutive men with unilateral inguinal hernias. Age range was 43.7 (28-64) years. Mean body mass index was 28 (range 24-30). Six were left inguinal hernias. There were six indirect and four direct hernias. Three patients had undergone previous open appendectomy. Incarcerated or bilateral hernias were excluded from our initial series. All cases were performed by three surgeons who were experienced in conventional totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic hernia repair as well as experienced in LESS. A literature review of current single-port inguinal hernia repair data is also presented. The mean operative time was 53 minutes (range 45-65  min). The average length of skin incision was 2.8  cm (range 2.3-3.2  cm). No drain was necessary in any of the patients, while no recordable bleeding was observed. There were no intraoperative or immediate postoperative complications. Hospitalization period was 2 days for all patients. After a limited follow-up of 1 month, there have been no recurrences and no complaints of testicular pain. The results of the current series compare favorably with those found in a literature review. LESS extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair is both feasible and safe, although more technically demanding than its conventional laparoscopic counterpart. Although the cosmetic result with the former approach may prove superior, there are standing questions regarding the complications and long-term outcome. Randomized and if possible blinded trials that compare conventional and single-incision laparoscopic hernia repair may help to distinguish the most advantageous technique.

Crack initiation and growth in welded structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assire, A.

2000-01-01

This work concerns the remaining life assessment of a structure containing initial defects of manufacturing. High temperature crack initiation and growth are studied for austenitic stainless steels, and defect assessment methods are improved in order to take into account welded structures. For these one, the probability to have a defect is significant. Two kinds of approaches are commonly used for defect assessment analysis. Fracture mechanics global approach with an energetic criterion, and local approach with a model taking into account the physical damage mechanism. For both approaches mechanical fields (stress and strain) have to be computed everywhere within the structure. Then, Finite Element computation is needed. The first part of the thesis concerns the identification of non linear kinematic and isotropic constitutive models. A pseudo-analytical method is proposed for a 'Two Inelastic Strain' model. This method provides a strategy of identification with a mechanical meaning, and this enables to associate each parameter to a physical phenomenon. Existing identifications are improved for cyclic plasticity and creep on a large range of stress levels. The second part concerns high temperature crack initiation and growth in welded structures. Finite Element analysis on plate and tube experimental configuration enable to understand the phenomenons of interaction between base metal and weld metal under mechanical and thermal loading. Concerning global approach, criteria based on C* parameter (Rice integral for visco-plasticity) are used. Finite Element computations underline the fact that for a defect located in the weld metal, C* values strongly depend on the base metal creep strain rate, because widespread visco-plasticity is located in both metals. A simplified method, based on the reference stress approach, is proposed and validated with Finite Element results. Creep crack growth simplified assessment is a quite good validation of the experimental results

Initial Results of Optical Vortex Laser Absorption Spectroscopy in the HYPER-I Device

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimura, Shinji; Asai, Shoma; Aramaki, Mitsutoshi; Terasaka, Kenichiro; Ozawa, Naoya; Tanaka, Masayoshi; Morisaki, Tomohiro

2015-11-01

Optical vortex beams have a potential to make a new Doppler measurement, because not only parallel but perpendicular movement of atoms against the beam axis causes the Doppler shift of their resonant absorption frequency. As the first step of a proof-of-principle experiment, we have performed the optical vortex laser absorption spectroscopy for metastable argon neutrals in an ECR plasma produced in the HYPER-I device at the National Institute for Fusion Science, Japan. An external cavity diode laser (TOPTICA, DL100) of which center wavelength was 696.735 nm in vacuum was used for the light source. The Hermite-Gaussian (HG) beam was converted into the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beam (optical vortex) by a computer-generated hologram displayed on the spatial light modulator (Hamamatsu, LCOS-SLM X10468-07). In order to make fast neutral flow across the LG beam, a high speed solenoid valve system was installed on the HYPER-I device. Initial results including the comparison of absorption spectra for HG and LG beams will be presented. This study was supported by NINS young scientists collaboration program for cross-disciplinary study, NIFS collaboration research program (NIFS13KOAP026), and JSPS KAKENHI grant number 15K05365.

Initial Results of the SSPX Transient Internal Probe System for Measuring Toroidal Field Profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Holcomb, C. T.; Jarboe, T. R.; Mattick, A. T.; Hill, D. N.; McLean, H. S.; Wood, R. D.; Cellamare, V.

2000-10-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA. The Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment (SSPX) is using a field profile diagnostic called the Transient Internal Probe (TIP). TIP consists of a verdet-glass bullet that is used to measure the magnetic field by Faraday rotation. This probe is shot through the spheromak by a light gas gun at speeds near 2 km/s. An argon laser is aligned along the path of the probe. The light passes through the probe and is retro-reflected to an ellipsometer that measures the change in polarization angle. The measurement is spatially resolved down to the probes’ 1 cm length to within 15 Gauss. Initial testing results are given. This and future data will be used to determine the field profile for equilibrium reconstruction. TIP can also be used in conjunction with wall probes to map out toroidal mode amplitudes and phases internally. This work was performed under the auspices of US DOE by the University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48.

Underground storage at Saint-Illiers-la-Ville. Initial results of filling. Reservoir control problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vernet, D

1968-01-01

The underground storage at Saint-Illiers-la-Ville (Yvelines in the Paris area) was discussed by Toche at the time when it was filled with gas in 1965. Now, 2-1/2 yr after the initial input, the volume of storage has reached 500 million cu m, and the first industrial withdrawals took place during the winter of 1967-1968. The results obtained in the operation of this underground storage are extremely satisfactory. In spite of differences in the composition of the sand layer, the gas bubble developed in a very regular way, horizontally and vertically, and the full penetration well equipment made a high output rate easy to obtain. Reservoir control was handled efficiently and the movements of the bubble contour were shown for every fluctuation of the injection and withdrawal volumes. Tests for production capacity showed the low extent to which the wells were affected by the phenomenon of water- coning and indicated measures to be taken to prevent the formation of hydrates. The measures effected and the conclusions which can be derived are discussed.

Impact of initial biodegradability on sludge anaerobic digestion enhancement by thermal pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrère, Hélène; Bougrier, Claire; Castets, Delphine; Delgenès, Jean Philippe

2008-11-01

Thermal treatments with temperature ranging from 60 to 210 degrees C were applied to 6 waste-activated sludge samples originating from high or medium load, extended aeration wastewater treatment processes that treated different wastewaters (urban, urban and industrial or slaughterhouse). COD sludge solubilisation was linearly correlated with the treatment temperature on the whole temperature range and independently of the sludge samples. Sludge batch mesophilic biodegradability increased with treatment temperature up to 190 degrees C. In this temperature range, biodegradability enhancement or methane production increase by thermal hydrolysis was shown to be a function of sludge COD solubilisation but also of sludge initial biodegradability. The lower the initial biodegradability means the higher efficiency of thermal treatment.

The INTERBALL-Tail ELECTRON experiment: initial results on the low-latitude boundary layer of the dawn magnetosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-A. Sauvaud

Full Text Available The Toulouse electron spectrometer flown on the Russian project INTERBALL-Tail performs electron measurements from 10 to 26 000 eV over a 4 solid angle in a satellite rotation period. The INTERBALL-Tail probe was launched on 3 August 1995 together with a subsatellite into a 65° inclination orbit with an apogee of about 30 R_E. The INTERBALL mission also includes a polar spacecraft launched in August 1996 for correlated studies of the outer magnetosphere and of the auroral regions. We present new observations concerning the low-latitude boundary layers (LLBL of the magnetosphere obtained near the dawn magnetic meridian. LLBL are encountered at the interface between two plasma regimes, the magnetosheath and the dayside extension of the plasma sheet. Unexpectedly, the radial extent of the region where LLBL electrons can be sporadically detected as plasma clouds can reach up to 5 R_E inside the magnetopause. The LLBL core electrons have an average energy of the order of 100 eV and are systematically field-aligned and counterstreaming. As a trend, the temperature of the LLBL electrons increases with decreasing distance to Earth. Along the satellite orbit, the apparent time of occurrence of LLBL electrons can vary from about 5 to 20 min from one pass to another. An initial first comparison between electron- and magnetic-field measurements indicates that the LLBL clouds coincide with a strong increase in the magnetic field (by up to a factor of 2. The resulting strong magnetic field gradient can explain why the plasma-sheet electron flux in the keV range is strongly depressed in LLBL occurrence regions (up to a factor of sim10. We also show that LLBL electron encounters are related to field-aligned current structures and that wide LLBL correspond to northward interplanetary magnetic field. Evidence for LLBL/plasma-sheet electron leakage into the magnetosheath during southward IMF is also presented.

Artificial neural network model to predict slag viscosity over a broad range of temperatures and slag compositions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duchesne, Marc A. [Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, Ont. (Canada); CanmetENERGY, 1 Haanel Drive, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada); Macchi, Arturo [Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, Ont. (Canada); Lu, Dennis Y.; Hughes, Robin W.; McCalden, David; Anthony, Edward J. [CanmetENERGY, 1 Haanel Drive, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

2010-08-15

Threshold slag viscosity heuristics are often used for the initial assessment of coal gasification projects. Slag viscosity predictions are also required for advanced combustion and gasification models. Due to unsatisfactory performance of theoretical equations, an artificial neural network model was developed to predict slag viscosity over a broad range of temperatures and slag compositions. This model outperforms other slag viscosity models, resulting in an average error factor of 5.05 which is lower than the best obtained with other available models. Genesee coal ash viscosity predictions were made to investigate the effect of adding Canadian limestone and dolomite. The results indicate that magnesium in the fluxing agent provides a greater viscosity reduction than calcium for the threshold slag tapping temperature range. (author)

FPGA based, DSP integrated, 8-channel SIMCON, ver. 3.0. Initial results for 8-channel algorithm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giergusiewicz, W.; Koprek, W.; Jalmuzna, W.; Pozniak, K.T.; Romaniuk, R.S. [Warsaw Univ. of Technology (Poland). Inst. of Electronic Systems

2005-07-01

The paper describes design, construction and initial measurements of an eight channel electronic LLRF device predicted for building of the control system for the VUV-FEL accelerator at DESY (Hamburg). The device, referred in the paper to as the SIMCON 3.0 (from the SC cavity simulator and controller) consists of a 16 layer, VME size, PCB, a large FPGA chip (VirtexII-4000 by Xilinx), eight fast ADCs and four DACs (by Analog Devices). To our knowledge, the proposed device is the first of this kind for the accelerator technology in which there was achieved (the FPGA based) DSP latency below 200 ns. With the optimized data transmission system, the overall LLRF system latency can be as low as 500 ns. The SIMCON 3.0 sub-system was applied for initial tests with the ACC1 module of the VUV FEL accelerator (eight channels) and with the CHECHIA test stand (single channel), both at the DESY. The promising results with the SIMCON 3.0. encouraged us to enter the design of SIMCON 3.1. possessing 10 measurement and control channels and some additional features to be reported in the next technical note. SIMCON 3.0. is a modular solution, while SIMCON 3.1. will be an integrated board of the all-in-one type. Two design approaches - modular and all-in-one, after branching off in this version of the Simcon, will be continued. (orig.)

The Far Ultraviolet M-dwarf Evolution Survey (FUMES): Overview and Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

Pineda, J. Sebastian; France, Kevin; Youngblood, Allison

2018-01-01

M-dwarf stars are prime targets for exoplanet searches because of their close proximity and favorable properties for both planet detection and characterization, with current searches around these targets having already discovered several Earth-sized planets within their star’s habitable zones. However, the atmospheric characterization and potential habitability of these exoplanetary systems depends critically on the high-energy stellar radiation environment from X-rays to NUV. Strong radiation at these energies can lead to atmospheric mass loss and is a strong driver of photochemistry in planetary atmospheres. Recently, the MUSCLES Treasury Survey provided the first comprehensive assessment of the high-energy radiation field around old, planet hosting M-dwarfs. However, the habitability and potential for such exoplanetary atmospheres to develop life also depends on the evolution of the atmosphere and hence the evolution of the incident radiation field. The strong high-energy spectrum of young M-dwarfs can have devastating consequences for the potential habitability of a given system. We, thus, introduce the Far Ultraviolet M-dwarf Evolution Survey (FUMES), a new HST-STIS observing campaign targeting 10 early-mid M dwarfs with known rotation periods, including 6 targets with known ages, to assess the evolution of the FUV radiation, including Lyα, of M-dwarf stars with stellar rotation period. We present the initial results of our survey characterizing the FUV emission features of our targets and the implications of our measurements for the evolution of the entire high-energy radiation environment around M-dwarfs from youth to old age.

Hearing preservation after low dose linac radiosurgery for acoustic neuroma depends on initial hearing and time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roos, Daniel E.; Potter, Andrew E.; Zacest, Andrew C.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To assess long term outcomes and factors determining hearing preservation after low dose linac stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for acoustic neuroma (AN) at the Royal Adelaide Hospital using prospectively collected data. Material and methods: Between 1994 and 2010, 102 patients had SRS for AN. Five patients had neurofibromatosis type 2, six sporadic cases had relapsed after surgery, and the remaining 91 sporadic cases had primary SRS. Dose was 12 or 14 Gy. Sustained changes ⩾ 2 mm in any diameter were deemed significant, and useful hearing was defined as inter-aural pure tone average (PTA) ⩽ 50 dB. Possible prognostic factors for hearing retention were tested by dividing the patients at pre-specified cutpoints: age (60 years), maximum tumour diameter (20 mm), initial PTA (20 dB) and dose (12 vs 14 Gy). Results: Eighty-four of the 91 sporadic primary SRS cases were evaluable for tumour control with at least one post-treatment MRI. Their median follow-up was 65 mo (range 10–184 mo). Eighty-two (97.6%) were controlled, the remaining two requiring salvage surgery for progression at 5.75 and 9.75 years. Also, one of the post-operative cases required surgery at 2.1 years after SRS. For the 50 sporadic primary SRS patients with initially useful hearing, median age was 56 (range 21–76), median initial PTA 16 dB (range −11 to +45 dB) and median tumour diameter 21 mm (range 10–33 mm). Four received 14 Gy, the rest 12 Gy. After SRS, 19 patients (38%) retained useful hearing. The Kaplan–Meier estimated preservation rate at 5 years was 50% (95% CI 36–64%) but by 10 years, this had fallen to 23% (95% CI 12–41%). On univariate analysis, the only significant factor was initial PTA (P < 0.0001). The estimated risk of hearing loss after SRS for patients with initial PTA ⩾ 20 dB was 5.0 (95% CI 2.2–11.2) times that with PTA < 20 dB. Conclusions: Tumour control was excellent (99/102 = 97% freedom from surgical salvage). Hearing preservation was strongly

Open science initiatives: challenges for public health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Holzmeyer, Cheryl

2018-03-07

While academic open access, open data and open science initiatives have proliferated in recent years, facilitating new research resources for health promotion, open initiatives are not one-size-fits-all. Health research particularly illustrates how open initiatives may serve various interests and ends. Open initiatives not only foster new pathways of research access; they also discipline research in new ways, especially when associated with new regimes of research use and peer review, while participating in innovation ecosystems that often perpetuate existing systemic biases toward commercial biomedicine. Currently, many open initiatives are more oriented toward biomedical research paradigms than paradigms associated with public health promotion, such as social determinants of health research. Moreover, open initiatives too often dovetail with, rather than challenge, neoliberal policy paradigms. Such initiatives are unlikely to transform existing health research landscapes and redress health inequities. In this context, attunement to social determinants of health research and community-based local knowledge is vital to orient open initiatives toward public health promotion and health equity. Such an approach calls for discourses, norms and innovation ecosystems that contest neoliberal policy frameworks and foster upstream interventions to promote health, beyond biomedical paradigms. This analysis highlights challenges and possibilities for leveraging open initiatives on behalf of a wider range of health research stakeholders, while emphasizing public health promotion, health equity and social justice as benchmarks of transformation.

Evolution of the Orszag-Tang vortex system in a compressible medium. I - Initial average subsonic flow

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlburg, R. B.; Picone, J. M.

1989-01-01

The results of fully compressible, Fourier collocation, numerical simulations of the Orszag-Tang vortex system are presented. The initial conditions for this system consist of a nonrandom, periodic field in which the magnetic and velocity field contain X points but differ in modal structure along one spatial direction. The velocity field is initially solenoidal, with the total initial pressure field consisting of the superposition of the appropriate incompressible pressure distribution upon a flat pressure field corresponding to the initial, average Mach number of the flow. In these numerical simulations, this initial Mach number is varied from 0.2-0.6. These values correspond to average plasma beta values ranging from 30.0 to 3.3, respectively. It is found that compressible effects develop within one or two Alfven transit times, as manifested in the spectra of compressible quantities such as the mass density and the nonsolenoidal flow field. These effects include (1) a retardation of growth of correlation between the magnetic field and the velocity field, (2) the emergence of compressible small-scale structure such as massive jets, and (3) bifurcation of eddies in the compressible flow field. Differences between the incompressible and compressible results tend to increase with increasing initial average Mach number.

Quantitative MR imaging in fracture dating--Initial results.

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Katharina; Neumayer, Bernhard; Widek, Thomas; Schick, Fritz; Scheicher, Sylvia; Hassler, Eva; Scheurer, Eva

2016-04-01

For exact age determinations of bone fractures in a forensic context (e.g. in cases of child abuse) improved knowledge of the time course of the healing process and use of non-invasive modern imaging technology is of high importance. To date, fracture dating is based on radiographic methods by determining the callus status and thereby relying on an expert's experience. As a novel approach, this study aims to investigate the applicability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for bone fracture dating by systematically investigating time-resolved changes in quantitative MR characteristics after a fracture event. Prior to investigating fracture healing in children, adults were examined for this study in order to test the methodology for this application. Altogether, 31 MR examinations in 17 subjects (♀: 11 ♂: 6; median age 34 ± 15 y, scanned 1-5 times over a period of up to 200 days after the fracture event) were performed on a clinical 3T MR scanner (TimTrio, Siemens AG, Germany). All subjects were treated conservatively for a fracture in either a long bone or in the collar bone. Both, qualitative and quantitative MR measurements were performed in all subjects. MR sequences for a quantitative measurement of relaxation times T1 and T2 in the fracture gap and musculature were applied. Maps of quantitative MR parameters T1, T2, and magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) were calculated and evaluated by investigating changes over time in the fractured area by defined ROIs. Additionally, muscle areas were examined as reference regions to validate this approach. Quantitative evaluation of 23 MR data sets (12 test subjects, ♀: 7 ♂: 5) showed an initial peak in T1 values in the fractured area (T1=1895 ± 607 ms), which decreased over time to a value of 1094 ± 182 ms (200 days after the fracture event). T2 values also peaked for early-stage fractures (T2=115 ± 80 ms) and decreased to 73 ± 33 ms within 21 days after the fracture event. After that time point, no

Mapping of initiatives to increase membership in mutual health organizations in Benin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turcotte-Tremblay Anne-Marie

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Mutual health organizations (MHO have been implemented across Africa to increase access to healthcare and improve financial protection. Despite efforts to develop MHOs, low levels of both initial enrolment and membership renewals continue to threaten their financial viability. The purpose of this study was to map initiatives implemented to increase the pool of MHO members in Benin. Methods A multiple case study was conducted to assess MHOs supported by five major promoters in Benin. Three months of fieldwork resulted in 23 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups with MHO promoters, technicians, elected members, and health professionals affiliated with the MHOs. Fifteen non-structured interviews provided additional information and a valuable source of triangulation. Results MHOs have adopted a wide range of initiatives targeting different entry points and involving a variety of stakeholders. Initiatives have included new types of collective health insurance packages and efforts to raise awareness by going door-to-door and organizing health education workshops. Different types of partnerships have been established to strengthen relationships with healthcare professionals and political leaders. However, the selection and implementation of these initiatives have been limited by insufficient financial and human resources. Conclusions The study highlights the importance of prioritizing sustainable strategies to increase MHO membership. No single MHO initiative has been able to resolve the issue of low membership on its own. If combined, existing initiatives could provide a comprehensive and inclusive approach that would target all entry points and include key stakeholders such as household decision-makers, MHO elected members, healthcare professionals, community leaders, governmental authorities, medical advisors, and promoters. There is a need to evaluate empirically the implementation of these interventions. Mechanisms

Modeling fluid flow and heat transfer at Basin and Range faults: preliminary results for Leach hot springs, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

López, Dina L.; Smith, Leslie; Storey, Michael L.; Nielson, Dennis L.

1994-01-01

The hydrothermal systems of the Basin and Range Province are often located at or near major range bounding normal faults. The flow of fluid and energy at these faults is affected by the advective transfer of heat and fluid from an to the adjacent mountain ranges and valleys, This paper addresses the effect of the exchange of fluid and energy between the country rock, the valley fill sediments, and the fault zone, on the fluid and heat flow regimes at the fault plane. For comparative purposes, the conditions simulated are patterned on Leach Hot Springs in southern Grass Valley, Nevada. Our simulations indicated that convection can exist at the fault plane even when the fault is exchanging significant heat and fluid with the surrounding country rock and valley fill sediments. The temperature at the base of the fault decreased with increasing permeability of the country rock. Higher groundwater discharge from the fault and lower temperatures at the base of the fault are favored by high country rock permabilities and fault transmissivities. Preliminary results suggest that basal temperatures and flow rates for Leach Hot Springs can not be simulated with a fault 3 km deep and an average regional heat flow of 150 mW/m2 because the basal temperature and mass discharge rates are too low. A fault permeable to greater depths or a higher regional heat flow may be indicated for these springs.

Unsynchronized scanning with a low-cost laser range finder for real-time range imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Hatipoglu, Isa; Nakhmani, Arie

2017-06-01

Range imaging plays an essential role in many fields: 3D modeling, robotics, heritage, agriculture, forestry, reverse engineering. One of the most popular range-measuring technologies is laser scanner due to its several advantages: long range, high precision, real-time measurement capabilities, and no dependence on lighting conditions. However, laser scanners are very costly. Their high cost prevents widespread use in applications. Due to the latest developments in technology, now, low-cost, reliable, faster, and light-weight 1D laser range finders (LRFs) are available. A low-cost 1D LRF with a scanning mechanism, providing the ability of laser beam steering for additional dimensions, enables to capture a depth map. In this work, we present an unsynchronized scanning with a low-cost LRF to decrease scanning period and reduce vibrations caused by stop-scan in synchronized scanning. Moreover, we developed an algorithm for alignment of unsynchronized raw data and proposed range image post-processing framework. The proposed technique enables to have a range imaging system for a fraction of the price of its counterparts. The results prove that the proposed method can fulfill the need for a low-cost laser scanning for range imaging for static environments because the most significant limitation of the method is the scanning period which is about 2 minutes for 55,000 range points (resolution of 250x220 image). In contrast, scanning the same image takes around 4 minutes in synchronized scanning. Once faster, longer range, and narrow beam LRFs are available, the methods proposed in this work can produce better results.

Awake craniotomy for glioma resection: Technical aspects and initial results in a single institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Trimble, Gillian; McStravick, Clodagh; Farling, Peter; Megaw, Katie; McKinstry, Steven; Smyth, Graham; Law, Gillian; Courtney, Heather; Quigley, Gavin; Flannery, Thomas

2015-01-01

Although variations in the technique of awake craniotomy (AC) have been widely reported, a key member of this interdisciplinary procedure is the healthcare professional performing assessments of neurological function during resection. The expertise of the latter will depend on the neurological function to be tested and on available resources of the institution. This report details our initial experience of an AC service utilizing the expertise of a speech and language therapist (SLT) and an experienced neuro-physiotherapist (NP) to monitor patient function during glioma resection. Forty-five patients underwent 50 AC procedures for eloquently located gliomas over a 3-year period. Patients with a glioma involving speech or sensorimotor areas were assessed preoperatively by the SLT/NP respectively. The same therapist monitored the patient's neurological function intraoperatively and executed a rehabilitation program tailored to the needs of the patient in the postoperative period. Three patients underwent biopsy only, due to intraoperative seizures precluding intraoperative mapping (2 cases) or speech arrest on stimulation of a small recurrent tumor. The remaining 47 cases were suitable for repetitive neurological assessment "awake" during tumor debulking. One patient with a large sensorimotor tumor developed intraoperative hemiparesis due to outward brain herniation (which recovered postoperatively). Ten patients developed a new or worsened neurological deficit in the initial postoperative period (6 were detected intraoperatively), of which 5 eventually had resolution and returned to baseline function within 2 weeks. In our initial experience based anecdotally on a previous similar "non-awake" caseload, we have found AC with the input of the SLT/NP to be a key component in ensuring optimal functional outcomes for patients with gliomas in eloquently located areas.

Chest pain control with kinesiology taping after lobectomy for lung cancer: initial results of a randomized placebo-controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Imperatori, Andrea; Grande, Annamaria; Castiglioni, Massimo; Gasperini, Laura; Faini, Agnese; Spampatti, Sebastiano; Nardecchia, Elisa; Terzaghi, Lorena; Dominioni, Lorenzo; Rotolo, Nicola

2016-08-01

Kinesiology taping (KT) is a rehabilitative technique performed by the cutaneous application of a special elastic tape. We tested the safety and efficacy of KT in reducing postoperative chest pain after lung lobectomy. One-hundred and seventeen consecutive patients, both genders, age 18-85, undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer between January 2013 and July 2015 were initially considered. Lobectomies were performed by the same surgical team, with thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) access. Exclusion criteria (n = 25 patients) were: previous KT exposure, recent trauma, pre-existing chest pain, lack of informed consent, >24-h postoperative intensive care unit treatment. After surgery, the 92 eligible patients were randomized to KT experimental group (n = 46) or placebo control group (n = 46). Standard postoperative analgesia was administered in both groups (paracetamol/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, epidural analgesia including opioids), with supplemental analgesia boluses at patient request. On postoperative day 1 in addition, in experimental group patients a specialized physiotherapist applied KT, with standardized tape length, tension and shape, over three defined skin areas: at the chest access site pain trigger point; over the ipsilateral deltoid/trapezius; lower anterior chest. In control group, usual dressing tape mimicking KT was applied over the same areas, as placebo. Thoracic pain severity score [visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging 0-10] was self-assessed by all patients on postoperative days 1, 2, 5, 8, 9 and 30. The KT group and the control group had similar demographics, lung cancer clinico-pathological features and thoracotomy/VATS ratio. Postoperatively, the two groups also resulted similar in supplemental analgesia, complication rate, mean duration of chest drainage and length of stay. There were no adverse events with KT application. After tape application, KT patients reported overall less thoracic pain than the

Initial Experiences of Simultaneous Laparoscopic Resection of Colorectal Cancer and Liver Metastases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. T. Hoekstra

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Simultaneous resection of primary colorectal carcinoma (CRC and synchronous liver metastases (SLMs is subject of debate with respect to morbidity in comparison to staged resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate our initial experience with this approach. Methods. Five patients with primary CRC and a clinical diagnosis of SLM underwent combined laparoscopic colorectal and liver surgery. Patient and tumor characteristics, operative variables, and postoperative outcomes were evaluated retrospectively. Results. The primary tumor was located in the colon in two patients and in the rectum in three patients. The SLM was solitary in four patients and multiple in the remaining patient. Surgical approach was total laparoscopic (2 patients or hand-assisted laparoscopic (3 patients. The midline umbilical or transverse suprapubic incision created for the hand port and/or extraction of the specimen varied between 5 and 10 cm. Median operation time was 303 (range 151–384 minutes with a total blood loss of 700 (range 200–850 mL. Postoperative hospital stay was 5, 5, 9, 14, and 30 days. An R0 resection was achieved in all patients. Conclusions. From this initial single-center experience, simultaneous laparoscopic colorectal and liver resection appears to be feasible in selected patients with CRC and SLM, with satisfying short-term results.

Initial results of high resolution L-H transition studies on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, G; Rhodes, T L; Doyle, E J; Peebles, W A; Zeng, L; Burrell, K H; McKee, G R; Groebner, R J; Evans, T E

2004-01-01

Understanding the L-H transition in tokamaks has been an important area of research for more than two decades. High time resolution diagnostics on DIII-D allow detailed characterization of the L-H transition and, therefore, testing and benchmarking of theoretical models. An experiment was performed in DIII-D utilizing a novel, high temporal and spatial resolution reflectometer density profile system to measure densities from the SOL to the inside separatrix. Initial data analysis indicates different density profile evolution during L-H transitions in upper single-null and lower single-null divertor configuration plasmas. A detailed comparison of the density gradient and fluctuation changes is presented for these two cases

Initial results of high resolution L-H transition studies on DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, G [Department of Electrical Engineering and PSTI, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Rhodes, T L [Department of Electrical Engineering and PSTI, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Doyle, E J [Department of Electrical Engineering and PSTI, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Peebles, W A [Department of Electrical Engineering and PSTI, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Zeng, L [Department of Electrical Engineering and PSTI, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Burrell, K H [General Atomics, PO Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186 (United States); McKee, G R [University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Groebner, R J [General Atomics, PO Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186 (United States); Evans, T E [General Atomics, PO Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186 (United States)

2004-05-01

Understanding the L-H transition in tokamaks has been an important area of research for more than two decades. High time resolution diagnostics on DIII-D allow detailed characterization of the L-H transition and, therefore, testing and benchmarking of theoretical models. An experiment was performed in DIII-D utilizing a novel, high temporal and spatial resolution reflectometer density profile system to measure densities from the SOL to the inside separatrix. Initial data analysis indicates different density profile evolution during L-H transitions in upper single-null and lower single-null divertor configuration plasmas. A detailed comparison of the density gradient and fluctuation changes is presented for these two cases.

Automation and robotics for the Space Exploration Initiative: Results from Project Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzales, D.; Criswell, D.; Heer, E.

1991-01-01

A total of 52 submissions were received in the Automation and Robotics (A&R) area during Project Outreach. About half of the submissions (24) contained concepts that were judged to have high utility for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) and were analyzed further by the robotics panel. These 24 submissions are analyzed here. Three types of robots were proposed in the high scoring submissions: structured task robots (STRs), teleoperated robots (TORs), and surface exploration robots. Several advanced TOR control interface technologies were proposed in the submissions. Many A&R concepts or potential standards were presented or alluded to by the submitters, but few specific technologies or systems were suggested.

Initial results from the Auto/Oil Air Quality Improvement Research Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, L.J.

1993-01-01

The Auto/Air Quality Improvement Research Program (AQIRP), a cooperative effort by the three major US auto companies and fourteen oil companies, is the most comprehensive research effort ever undertaken to develop data on the air quality effects of the use of various motor fuels in various automotive systems and the relative cost-effectiveness of various fuel/vehicle combinations. Phase 1 of the Program, at a cost of about $15 million, is examining emissions and air quality impacts from current and older vehicles using reformulated gasolines with widely different values of aromatics content, olefin content, oxygenate content and type, sulfur content, vapor pressure (RVP) and 90% distillation temperature. Emissions from Flexible and Variable Fuel vehicles using methanol/gasoline mixtures are also being examined. A second phase with a $25 million budget over three years has also been approved. Initial findings for the Phase 1 study and Phase 2 plans are presented

Evaluation of a draft standard on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation. Initial results for radiological tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinth, K.L.; Kenoyer, J.L.; Mileham, A.P.; Kathren, R.L.; Selby, J.M.

1983-06-01

The draft ANSI standard N42.17D2 on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation is currently being evaluated by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The primary objective of the project is the evaluation of the applicability and practicality of the proposed standard through testing of a cross-section of currently available commercial instruments to determine how well they conform to the standard. The standard is being tested against instruments such as ionization chambers, G.M. detectors, alpha survey meters, and neutron dose equivalent survey meters. This paper presents results of the preliminary radiological performance tests on ionization chambers and G.M. detectors. This includes both the data generated during the tests and a discussion of procedures developed to perform the testing. Results are reported for response time, accuracy, precision, radiation overloads, and angular dependence. In addition, results are reported for parameters that affect instrument performance including battery lifetime, geotropism and stability. Initial test indicates that some of the instruments will not meet the criteria specified in ANSI N42.17D2. Results cover approximately 40 instruments that have been obtained by direct purchase, by loan from instrument vendors or by loan from others including DOE licensees

A methodology for analyzing precursors to earthquake-initiated and fire-initiated accident sequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budnitz, R.J.; Lambert, H.E.; Apostolakis, G.

1998-04-01

This report covers work to develop a methodology for analyzing precursors to both earthquake-initiated and fire-initiated accidents at commercial nuclear power plants. Currently, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission sponsors a large ongoing project, the Accident Sequence Precursor project, to analyze the safety significance of other types of accident precursors, such as those arising from internally-initiated transients and pipe breaks, but earthquakes and fires are not within the current scope. The results of this project are that: (1) an overall step-by-step methodology has been developed for precursors to both fire-initiated and seismic-initiated potential accidents; (2) some stylized case-study examples are provided to demonstrate how the fully-developed methodology works in practice, and (3) a generic seismic-fragility date base for equipment is provided for use in seismic-precursors analyses. 44 refs., 23 figs., 16 tabs

A serial 4DCT study to quantify range variations in charged particle radiotherapy of thoracic cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Shinichiro; Dong, Lei; Starkschall, George; Mohan, Radhe; Chen, George T.Y.

2014-01-01

Weekly serial 4DCT scans were acquired under free breathing conditions to assess water-equivalent path length (WEL) variations due to both intrafractional and interfractional changes in tissue thickness and density and to calculate proton dose distributions resulting from anatomical variations observed in serial 4DCT. A template of region of interests (ROIs) was defined on the anterior-posterior (AP) beam's eye view, and WEL measurements were made over these ROIs to quantify chest wall thickness variations. Interfractional proton dose distributions were calculated to assess changes in the expected dose distributions caused by range variations. Mean intrafractional chest wall WEL changes during respiration varied by: -4.1 mm (<-10.2 mm), -3.6 mm (<-7.1 mm), -3.2 mm (<-5.6 mm) and -2.5 mm (<-5.1 mm) during respiration in the ITV, upper, middle and lower lung regions, respectively. The mean interfractional chest wall WEL variation at Week 6 decreased by -4.0 mm (<-8.6 mm), -9.1 mm (<-17.9 mm), -9.4 mm (<-25.3 mm) and -4.5 mm (<-15.6 mm) in the ITV, upper, middle and lower lung regions, respectively. The variations were decomposed into anterior and posterior chest wall thickness changes. Dose overshoot beyond the target was observed when the initial boli was applied throughout the treatment course. This overshoot is due to chest wall thickness variations and target positional variations. The radiological path length can vary significantly during respiration as well as over the course of several weeks of charged particle therapy. Intrafractional/interfractional chest wall thickness changes can be a significant source of range variation in treatment of lung tumors with charged particle beams, resulting in dose distribution perturbations from the initial plan. Consideration of these range variations should be made in choosing the therapeutic charged particle beam range. (author)

Self-initiated expatriates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selmer, Jan; Lauring, Jakob

2014-01-01

Purpose – As it has been suggested that adult third-culture kids may be more culturally adaptable than others, they have been labelled “the ideal” expatriates. In this article, we explore the adjustment of self-initiated expatriate academics in Hong Kong, comparing adult third-culture kids...... with adult mono-culture kids. Design/methodology/approach – We use survey results from 267 self-initiated expatriate academics in Hong Kong. Findings – Exploratory results show that adult third-culture kids had a higher extent of general adjustment. No significant results were found in relation...... to interaction adjustment and job adjustment. We also found that recent expatriate experiences generally had a positive association with the adjustment of adult mono-culture kids, but this association only existed in terms of general adjustment for adult third-culture kids. Originality/value – Once corroborated...

Initial results of Pakistan's first road traffic injury surveillance project.

Science.gov (United States)

Shamim, Shahzad; Razzak, Junaid A; Jooma, Rashid; Khan, Uzma

2011-09-01

Our aim is to report the findings of the initial three years of road traffic injuries (RTI) surveillance at Karachi and to compare it with previously published RTI-related data from Pakistan and other low-and middle-income countries. Data were collected through the RTI surveillance programme at Karachi (RTIRP) from the five biggest emergency departments of the city, which receive almost all the major emergencies of the city for the period September 2006 till September 2009. A total of 99,272 victims were enlisted by the RTIRP during the study period. Annual incidence of RTI is calculated to be 184.3 per 100,000 populations and mortality is 5.7 per 100,000 populations. Eighty nine per cent of victims are male and 73% are between 15 and 44 years of age. Commonest road user to be affected is riders of two wheelers (45%). Only 7% of affected motorcyclists were found to be wearing helmets at the time of the accident. Trends of injuries remained uniform over the years. Most frequent injuries were external wounds, followed by orthopaedic injuries. On the basis of our surveillance system, we have presented the largest RTI-related data from a metropolitan city of Pakistan to date.

Prostate Health Index (Phi) and Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3) significantly improve prostate cancer detection at initial biopsy in a total PSA range of 2-10 ng/ml.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferro, Matteo; Bruzzese, Dario; Perdonà, Sisto; Marino, Ada; Mazzarella, Claudia; Perruolo, Giuseppe; D'Esposito, Vittoria; Cosimato, Vincenzo; Buonerba, Carlo; Di Lorenzo, Giuseppe; Musi, Gennaro; De Cobelli, Ottavio; Chun, Felix K; Terracciano, Daniela

2013-01-01

Many efforts to reduce prostate specific antigen (PSA) overdiagnosis and overtreatment have been made. To this aim, Prostate Health Index (Phi) and Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3) have been proposed as new more specific biomarkers. We evaluated the ability of phi and PCA3 to identify prostate cancer (PCa) at initial prostate biopsy in men with total PSA range of 2-10 ng/ml. The performance of phi and PCA3 were evaluated in 300 patients undergoing first prostate biopsy. ROC curve analyses tested the accuracy (AUC) of phi and PCA3 in predicting PCa. Decision curve analyses (DCA) were used to compare the clinical benefit of the two biomarkers. We found that the AUC value of phi (0.77) was comparable to those of %p2PSA (0.76) and PCA3 (0.73) with no significant differences in pairwise comparison (%p2PSA vs phi p = 0.673, %p2PSA vs. PCA3 p = 0.417 and phi vs. PCA3 p = 0.247). These three biomarkers significantly outperformed fPSA (AUC = 0.60), % fPSA (AUC = 0.62) and p2PSA (AUC = 0.63). At DCA, phi and PCA3 exhibited a very close net benefit profile until the threshold probability of 25%, then phi index showed higher net benefit than PCA3. Multivariable analysis showed that the addition of phi and PCA3 to the base multivariable model (age, PSA, %fPSA, DRE, prostate volume) increased predictive accuracy, whereas no model improved single biomarker performance. Finally we showed that subjects with active surveillance (AS) compatible cancer had significantly lower phi and PCA3 values (pphi and PCA3 comparably increase the accuracy in predicting the presence of PCa in total PSA range 2-10 ng/ml at initial biopsy, outperforming currently used %fPSA.

Initial results of the quality control in 11 computed tomography scanners at Curitiba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodlulovich, S; Oliveira, L.; Jakubiak, R.R.; Miquelin, C.A.

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality of 11 scanners installed in public and private centers of Curitiba, Brazil. This sample represents 30% of the CT scanners in the city so far. The ACR CT accreditation phantom was used to verify the accomplishment of the scanners performance to the international quality requirements. The results indicate that efforts should be concentrated in the maintenance of the equipments and specific training of the technicians. Most of the scanners have showed some non-conformity. In 27,5% of the sample the positioning requirement wasn't accomplished. The CT number accuracy evaluation showed that in 72,3 % of the scanners the CT numbers were out of the tolerance range, reaching values 35% greater than the limit. The low contrast resolution criteria weren't accomplished in 9% of the scanners. The main concern is that there isn't a specific program to evaluate the image quality of the CT scanners neither to estimate the CT doses in the procedures. (author)

TRACnet Internet and Short Message Service Technology Improves Time to Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation Among HIV-infected Infants in Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

Kayumba, Kizito; Nsanzimana, Sabin; Binagwaho, Agnes; Mugwaneza, Placidie; Rusine, John; Remera, Eric; Koama, Jean Baptiste; Ndahindwa, Vedaste; Johnson, Pamela; Riedel, David J; Condo, Jeanine

2016-07-01

Delays in testing HIV-exposed infants and obtaining results in resource-limited settings contribute to delays for initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in infants. To overcome this challenge, Rwanda expanded its national mobile and Internet-based HIV/AIDS informatics system, called TRACnet, to include HIV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results in 2010. This study was performed to evaluate the impact of TRACnet technology on the time to delivery of test results and the subsequent initiation of ART in HIV-infected infants. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 380 infants who initiated ART in 190 health facilities in Rwanda from March 2010 to June 2013. Program data collected by the TRACnet system were extracted and analyzed. Since the introduction of TRACnet for processing PCR results, the time to receive results has significantly decreased from a median of 144 days [interquartile range (IQR): 121-197 days] to 23 days (IQR: 17-43 days). The number of days between PCR sampling and health facility receipt of results decreased substantially from a median of 90 days (IQR: 83-158 days) to 5 days (IQR: 2-8 days). After receiving PCR results at a health facility, it takes a median of 44 days (IQR: 32-77 days) before ART initiation. Result turnaround time was significantly associated with time to initiating ART (P technology for communication of HIV PCR results, coupled with well-trained and skilled personnel, can reduce delays in communicating results to providers. Such reductions may improve timely ART initiation in resource-limited settings.

Research Initiatives and Preliminary Results In Automation Design In Airspace Management in Free Flight

Science.gov (United States)

Corker, Kevin; Lebacqz, J. Victor (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

The NASA and the FAA have entered into a joint venture to explore, define, design and implement a new airspace management operating concept. The fundamental premise of that concept is that technologies and procedures need to be developed for flight deck and ground operations to improve the efficiency, the predictability, the flexibility and the safety of airspace management and operations. To that end NASA Ames has undertaken an initial development and exploration of "key concepts" in the free flight airspace management technology development. Human Factors issues in automation aiding design, coupled aiding systems between air and ground, communication protocols in distributed decision making, and analytic techniques for definition of concepts of airspace density and operator cognitive load have been undertaken. This paper reports the progress of these efforts, which are not intended to definitively solve the many evolving issues of design for future ATM systems, but to provide preliminary results to chart the parameters of performance and the topology of the analytic effort required. The preliminary research in provision of cockpit display of traffic information, dynamic density definition, distributed decision making, situation awareness models and human performance models is discussed as they focus on the theme of "design requirements".

Piezoelectrically Initiated Pyrotechnic Igniter

Science.gov (United States)

Quince, Asia; Dutton, Maureen; Hicks, Robert; Burnham, Karen

2013-01-01

This innovation consists of a pyrotechnic initiator and piezoelectric initiation system. The device will be capable of being initiated mechanically; resisting initiation by EMF, RF, and EMI (electromagnetic field, radio frequency, and electromagnetic interference, respectively); and initiating in water environments and space environments. Current devices of this nature are initiated by the mechanical action of a firing pin against a primer. Primers historically are prone to failure. These failures are commonly known as misfires or hang-fires. In many cases, the primer shows the dent where the firing pin struck the primer, but the primer failed to fire. In devices such as "T" handles, which are commonly used to initiate the blowout of canopies, loss of function of the device may result in loss of crew. In devices such as flares or smoke generators, failure can result in failure to spot a downed pilot. The piezoelectrically initiated ignition system consists of a pyrotechnic device that plugs into a mechanical system (activator), which on activation, generates a high-voltage spark. The activator, when released, will strike a stack of electrically linked piezo crystals, generating a high-voltage, low-amperage current that is then conducted to the pyro-initiator. Within the initiator, an electrode releases a spark that passes through a pyrotechnic first-fire mixture, causing it to combust. The combustion of the first-fire initiates a primary pyrotechnic or explosive powder. If used in a "T" handle, the primary would ramp the speed of burn up to the speed of sound, generating a shock wave that would cause a high explosive to go "high order." In a flare or smoke generator, the secondary would produce the heat necessary to ignite the pyrotechnic mixture. The piezo activator subsystem is redundant in that a second stack of crystals would be struck at the same time with the same activation force, doubling the probability of a first strike spark generation. If the first

CT enteroclysis in the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, T.P.; Gulati, M.S.; Makharia, G.K.; Bandhu, S.; Garg, P.K.

2007-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) enteroclysis in patients with obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Materials and methods: In a prospective study, CT enteroclysis was performed in 21 patients (median age 50 years; range 13-71 years) with obscure GI bleeding in which the source of the bleeding could not be detected despite the patient having undergone both upper GI endoscopic and colonoscopic examinations. The entire abdomen and pelvis was examined in the arterial and venous phases using multisection CT after distending the small intestine with 2 l of 0.5% methylcellulose as a neutral enteral contrast medium and the administration of 150 ml intravenous contrast medium. Results: Adequate distension of the small intestine was achieved in 20 of the 21 (95.2%) patients. Potential causes of GI bleeding were identified in 10 of the 21 (47.6%) patients using CT enteroclysis. The cause of the bleeding could be detected nine of 14 (64.3%) patients with overt, obscure GI bleeding. However, for patients with occult, obscure GI bleeding, the cause of the bleeding was identified in only one of the seven (14.3%) patients. The lesions identified by CT enteroclysis included small bowel tumours (n = 2), small bowel intussusceptions (n = 2), intestinal tuberculosis (n = 2), and vascular lesions (n = 3). All vascular lesions were seen equally well in both the arterial and venous phases. Conclusions: The success rate in detection of the cause of bleeding using CT enteroclysis was 47.6% in patients with obscure GI bleeding. The diagnostic yield was higher in patients with overt, obscure GI bleeding than in those with occult obscure GI bleeding

CT enteroclysis in the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: initial results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jain, T.P. [Department ofRadiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (India); Gulati, M.S. [Department of Imaging, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom); Makharia, G.K. [Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (India)]. E-mail: govindmakharia@aiims.ac.in; Bandhu, S. [Department ofRadiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (India); Garg, P.K. [Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (India)

2007-07-15

Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) enteroclysis in patients with obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Materials and methods: In a prospective study, CT enteroclysis was performed in 21 patients (median age 50 years; range 13-71 years) with obscure GI bleeding in which the source of the bleeding could not be detected despite the patient having undergone both upper GI endoscopic and colonoscopic examinations. The entire abdomen and pelvis was examined in the arterial and venous phases using multisection CT after distending the small intestine with 2 l of 0.5% methylcellulose as a neutral enteral contrast medium and the administration of 150 ml intravenous contrast medium. Results: Adequate distension of the small intestine was achieved in 20 of the 21 (95.2%) patients. Potential causes of GI bleeding were identified in 10 of the 21 (47.6%) patients using CT enteroclysis. The cause of the bleeding could be detected nine of 14 (64.3%) patients with overt, obscure GI bleeding. However, for patients with occult, obscure GI bleeding, the cause of the bleeding was identified in only one of the seven (14.3%) patients. The lesions identified by CT enteroclysis included small bowel tumours (n = 2), small bowel intussusceptions (n = 2), intestinal tuberculosis (n = 2), and vascular lesions (n = 3). All vascular lesions were seen equally well in both the arterial and venous phases. Conclusions: The success rate in detection of the cause of bleeding using CT enteroclysis was 47.6% in patients with obscure GI bleeding. The diagnostic yield was higher in patients with overt, obscure GI bleeding than in those with occult obscure GI bleeding.

Smoking initiation among young adults in the United States and Canada, 1998-2010: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Freedman, Kit S; Nelson, Nanette M; Feldman, Laura L

2012-01-01

Young adults have the highest smoking rate of any age group in the United States and Canada, and recent data indicate that they often initiate smoking as young adults. The objective of this study was to systematically review peer-reviewed articles on cigarette smoking initiation and effective prevention efforts among young adults. We searched 5 databases for research articles published in English between 1998 and 2010 on smoking initiation among young adults (aged 18-25) living in the United States or Canada. We extracted the following data from each study selected: the measure of initiation used, age range of initiation, age range of study population, data source, target population, sampling method, and sample size. We summarized the primary findings of each study according to 3 research questions and categories of data (eg, sociodemographic) that emerged during the data extraction process. Of 1,072 identified studies, we found 27 articles that met our search criteria, but several included a larger age range of initiation (eg, 18-30, 18-36) than we initially intended to include. Disparities in young adult smoking initiation existed according to sex, race, and educational attainment. The use of alcohol and illegal drugs was associated with smoking initiation. The risk of smoking initiation among young adults increased under the following circumstances: exposure to smoking, boredom or stress while serving in the military, attending tobacco-sponsored social events while in college, and exposure to social norms and perceptions that encourage smoking. Effective prevention efforts include exposure to counter-marketing, denormalization campaigns, taxation, and the presence of smoke-free policies. Much remains to be learned about young adult smoking initiation, particularly among young adults in the straight-to-work population. Dissimilar measures of smoking initiation limit our knowledge about smoking initiation among young adults. We recommend developing a standardized

ERNIE performance with TSA portals Initial Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Labov, S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2018-01-05

This project extends the “Enhanced Radiological Nuclear Inspection and Evaluation” (ERNIE) system developed with CBP and DNDO to improve performance of PVT-based Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs). ERNIE was designed to be used with any RPM system. The first implementation was with the SAIC (Leidos) RPM-8 systems. In this project, we are demonstrating how effective the ERNIE approach can be when applied to the VM250 TSA portals used in NSDD programs. Part of the challenge in adapting ERNIE to handle VM250 portals is the lack of gamma spectral information. We report here on the first results showing how the ERNIE analysis can improve analysis of measurements with the VM250 RPMs.

Initial occupational exposure to lead

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forni, A.; Cambiaghi, G.; Secchi, G.C.

1976-01-01

Serial chromosome and biochemical studies were carried out in 11 subjects before and during initial occupational exposure to moderate quantities of lead fumes in a storage battery plant. The rate of abnormal metaphases, mostly with chromatid and one-break chromosome aberrations, was approximately doubled after one month of work; it further increased after two months of work; remained in this range up to seven months of exposure; and then tended to decrease somewhat. Blood lead levels increased progressively in the first few months, then reached a steady state. Urinary lead and coproporphyrin levels increased sharply after one month of work, while urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) levels increased moderately. The ALA dehydratase (ALAD) activity of red blood cells (RBCs) was reduced to almost 50 percent of the initial values after one month, decreased further in subsequent months, and remained decreased through the remainder of the study.

Axisymmetric capillary-gravity waves at the interface of two viscous, immiscible fluids - Initial value problem

Science.gov (United States)

Farsoiya, Palas Kumar; Dasgupta, Ratul

2017-11-01

When the interface between two radially unbounded, viscous fluids lying vertically in a stable configuration (denser fluid below) at rest, is perturbed, radially propagating capillary-gravity waves are formed which damp out with time. We study this process analytically using a recently developed linearised theory. For small amplitude initial perturbations, the analytical solution to the initial value problem, represented as a linear superposition of Bessel modes at time t = 0 , is found to agree very well with results obtained from direct numerical simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations, for a range of initial conditions. Our study extends the earlier work by John W. Miles who studied this initial value problem analytically, taking into account, a single viscous fluid only. Implications of this study for the mechanistic understanding of droplet impact into a deep pool, will be discussed. Some preliminary, qualitative comparison with experiments will also be presented. We thank SERB Dept. Science & Technology, Govt. of India, Grant No. EMR/2016/000830 for financial support.

An overview of therapeutic initiatives when working with persons suffering from dementia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ridder, Hanne Mette Ochsner

2005-01-01

In this chapter I will describe how music is used in a wide range of initiatives with persons suffering from dementia. There are various ways of implementing music: in groups or individually, by singing songs, listening to music, dancing, or improvising on instruments. I hope to give an introduct......In this chapter I will describe how music is used in a wide range of initiatives with persons suffering from dementia. There are various ways of implementing music: in groups or individually, by singing songs, listening to music, dancing, or improvising on instruments. I hope to give...

The initial masses of the red supergiant progenitors to Type II supernovae

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Ben; Beasor, Emma R.

2018-02-01

There are a growing number of nearby supernovae (SNe) for which the progenitor star is detected in archival pre-explosion imaging. From these images it is possible to measure the progenitor's brightness a few years before explosion, and ultimately estimate its initial mass. Previous work has shown that II-P and II-L SNe have red supergiant (RSG) progenitors, and that the range of initial masses for these progenitors seems to be limited to ≲ 17 M⊙. This is in contrast with the cut-off of 25-30 M⊙ predicted by evolutionary models, a result that is termed the `red supergiant problem'. Here we investigate one particular source of systematic error present in converting pre-explosion photometry into an initial mass, which of the bolometric correction (BC) used to convert a single-band flux into a bolometric luminosity. We show, using star clusters, that RSGs evolve to later spectral types as they approach SN, which in turn causes the BC to become larger. Failure to account for this results in a systematic underestimate of a star's luminosity, and hence its initial mass. Using our empirically motivated BCs we reappraise the II-P and II-L SNe that have their progenitors detected in pre-explosion imaging. Fitting an initial mass function to these updated masses results in an increased upper mass cut-off of Mhi = 19.0^{+2.5}_{-1.3} M⊙, with a 95 per cent upper confidence limit of <27 M⊙. Accounting for finite sample size effects and systematic uncertainties in the mass-luminosity relationship raises the cut-off to Mhi = 25 M⊙ (<33 M⊙, 95 per cent confidence). We therefore conclude that there is currently no strong evidence for `missing' high-mass progenitors to core-collapse SNe.

Setting global research priorities for integrated community case management (iCCM: Results from a CHNRI (Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative exercise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerri Wazny

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Aims: to systematically identify global research gaps and resource priorities for integrated community case management (iCCM. Methods: an iCCM Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI Advisory Group, in collaboration with the Community Case Management Operational Research Group (CCM ORG identified experts to participate in a CHNRI research priority setting exercise. These experts generated and systematically ranked research questions for iCCM. Research questions were ranked using a “Research Priority Score” (RPS and the “Average Expert Agreement” (AEA was calculated for every question. Our groups of experts were comprised of both individuals working in Ministries of Health or Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs in low– and middle–income countries (LMICs and individuals working in high–income countries (HICs in academia or NGO headquarters. A Spearman's Rho was calculated to determine the correlation between the two groups' research questions' ranks. Results: The overall RPS ranged from 64.58 to 89.31, with a median score of 81.43. AEA scores ranged from 0.54 to 0.86. Research questions involving increasing the uptake of iCCM services, research questions concerning the motivation, retention, training and supervision of Community Health Workers (CHWs and concerning adding additional responsibilities including counselling for infant and young child feeding (IYCF and treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM ranked highly. There was weak to moderate, statistically significant, correlation between scores by representatives of high–income countries and those working in–country or regionally (Spearman's ρ = 0.35034, P < 0.01. Conclusions: Operational research to determine optimal training, supervision and modes of motivation and retention for the CHW is vital for improving iCCM, globally, as is research to motivate caregivers to take advantage of iCCM services. Experts working in–country or regionally in

Biaxial direct tensile tests in a large range of strain rates. Results on a ferritic nuclear steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albertini, C.; Labibes, K.; Montagnani, M.; Pizzinato, E.V.; Solomos, G.; Viaccoz, B. [Commission of the European Communities, Ispra (Italy). Joint Research Centre

2000-09-01

Constitutive equations are usually calibrated only trough the experimental results obtained by means of unixial tests because of the lack of adequate biaxial experimental data especially at high strain rate conditions. These data are however important for the validation of analytical models and also for the predictions of mechanical behaviour of real structures subjected to multiaxial loading by numerical simulations. In this paper some developments are shown concerning biaxial cruciform specimens and different experimental machines allowing biaxial tests in a large range of strain rates. This experimental campaign has also allowed study of the influence of changing the strain paths. Diagrams of equivalent stress versus straining direction and also equivalent plastic fracture strain versus straining direction are shown. (orig.)

Arterial spin labelling perfusion MRI of breast cancer using FAIR TrueFISP: Initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchbender, S.; Obenauer, S.; Mohrmann, S.; Martirosian, P.; Buchbender, C.; Miese, F.R.; Wittsack, H.J.; Miekley, M.; Antoch, G.; Lanzman, R.S.

2013-01-01

Aim: To assess the feasibility of an unenhanced, flow-sensitive, alternating inversion recovery-balanced steady-state free precession (FAIR TrueFISP) arterial spin labelling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for quantification of breast cancer perfusion. Materials and methods: Eighteen untreated breast tumour patients (mean age 53 ± 17 years, range 30–68 years) and four healthy controls (mean age 51 ± 14 years, range 33–68 years) were enrolled in this study and were imaged using a clinical 1.5 T MRI machine. Perfusion measurements were performed using a coronal single-section ASL FAIR TrueFISP technique in addition to a routine breast MRI examination. T1 relaxation time of normal breast parenchyma was determined in four healthy volunteers using the variable flip angle approach. The definitive diagnosis was obtained at histology after biopsy or surgery and was available for all patients. Results: ASL perfusion was successfully acquired in 13 of 18 tumour patients and in all healthy controls. The mean ASL perfusion of invasive ductal carcinoma tissue was significantly higher (88.2 ± 39.5 ml/100 g/min) compared to ASL perfusion of normal breast parenchyma (24.9 ± 12.7 ml/100 g/min; p < 0.05) and invasive lobular carcinoma (30.5 ± 4.3 ml/100 g/min; p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the mean ASL perfusion of normal breast parenchyma and invasive lobular carcinoma tissue (p = 0.97). Conclusion: ASL MRI enables quantification of breast cancer perfusion without the use of contrast material. However, its impact on diagnosis and therapy management of breast tumours has to be evaluated in larger patient studies

Macroradical initiated polymerisation of acrylic and methacrylic monomers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mijangos, Irene; Guerreiro, António; Piletska, Elena; Whitcombe, Michael J; Karim, Kal; Chianella, Iva; Piletsky, Sergey

2009-10-01

An approach has been developed for the grafting of monomers onto poly(trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate) (polyTRIM) particles using 2,2-diethyl dithiocarbamic acid benzyl ester (DDCABE) as an initiator. A set of polymers was prepared with this technique over different lengths of time and the kinetics of the reaction studied experimentally. It was found that the grafting of initiator to the polymeric support followed a second order reaction, while the subsequent addition of monomers from solution into the polyTRIM macroradicals followed a first order reaction. The living nature of the iniferter modified macroradicals permits easy consecutive grafting of multiple polymeric layers, allowing straightforward functionalisation of particles. However, the effectiveness of the grafted initiator decreased with each cycle of polymerisation. This technique can be used for a wide range of applications in analytical and biochemistry.

Teachers’ perceptions of their own initiative: Collective initiative vs. personal initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Džinović Vladimir

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Current trends in education demand from teachers to exhibit proactive behaviour and assume responsibility for the implementation of changes in school practice. In that sense, it is important to study how teachers perceive their own initiative and to gain insight into the activities where such initiative is demonstrated. This study has been conceived as a mixed-methods research. The qualitative study implied forming four focus groups with subject teachers and class teachers (N=38, while the quantitative study entailed surveying 1441 teachers in forty primary schools in Serbia using the questionnaire constructed based on qualitative data. Data from focus groups were processed by qualitative thematic analysis, while the questionnaire data were processed by principal component analysis and univariate analysis of variance. The findings of the study have shown that teachers mostly demonstrate initiative through co­operative activities that include planning of joint teaching as well as conducting joint projects within school and with the local community actors. Teachers are least ready to demonstrate personal initiative and the initiative aimed at accomplishing considerable changes in school work. The concluding part includes the recommendations for encouraging teachers’ personal initiative and building organizational culture that would support such initiative. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. br. 47008: Unapređivanje kvaliteta i dostupnosti obrazovanja u procesima modernizacije Srbije i br. 179034: Od podsticanja inicijative, saradnje i stvaralaštva u obrazovanju do novih uloga i identiteta u društvu

Initiation of Gaseous Detonation by Conical Projectiles

Science.gov (United States)

Verreault, Jimmy

Initiation and stabilization of detonation by hypersonic conical projectiles launched into combustible gas mixtures is investigated. This phenomenon must be understood for the design and optimization of specific hypersonic propulsion devices, such as the oblique detonation wave engine and the ram accelerator. The criteria for detonation initiation by a projectile is also related to fundamental aspects of detonation research, such as the requirement for direct initiation of a detonation by a blast wave. Experimental results of this problem also offer useful references for validation of numerical and theoretical modeling. Projectiles with cone half angles varying from 15° to 60° were launched into stoichiometric mixtures of hydrogen/oxygen with 70% argon dilution at initial pressures between 10 and 200 kPa. The projectiles were launched from a combustion-driven gas gun at velocities up to 2.2 km/s (corresponding to 133% of the Chapman Jouguet velocity). Pictures of the flowfields generated by the projectiles were taken via Schlieren photography. Five combustion regimes were observed about the projectile ranging from prompt and delayed oblique detonation wave formation, combustion instabilities, a wave splitting, and an inert shock wave. Two types of transition from the prompt oblique detonation wave regime to the inert shock regime were observed. The first (the delayed oblique detonation wave regime) showed an inert shock attached to the tip of the projectile followed by a sharp kink at the onset of an oblique detonation wave; this regime occurred by decreasing the cone angle at high mixture pressures. The second (the combustion instabilities regime) exhibited large density gradients due to combustion ignition and quenching phenomena; this regime occurred by decreasing the mixture pressure at large cone angles. A number of theoretical models were considered to predict critical conditions for the initiation of oblique detonations. The Lee-Vasiljev model agreed

Powering the Space Exploration Initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, G.L.

1991-01-01

The Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) establishes the long-term goal of returning to the Moon and then exploring Mars. One of the prerequisites of SEI is the Exploration Technology Program which includes program elements on space nuclear power and surface solar power. These program elements in turn build upon the ongoing NASA research and technology base program in space energy conversion. There is a wide range of missions in NASA's strategic planning and most would benefit from power sources with improved efficiency, lighter weight and reduced cost

Initialization-free generalized Deutsche-Jazz's algorithm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chi, Dong Pyo [School of Mathematical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)]. E-mail: dpchi@math.snu.ac.kr; Kim, Jinsoo [School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea)]. E-mail: jkim@ee.snu.ac.kr; Lee, Soojoon [School of Mathematical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea)]. E-mail: level@math.snu.ac.kr

2001-06-29

We generalize the Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm by exploiting summations of the roots of unity. The generalized algorithm distinguishes a wider class of functions promised to be either constant or many to one and onto an evenly spaced range. As previously, the generalized quantum algorithm solves this problem using a single functional evaluation. We also consider the problem of distinguishing constant and evenly balanced functions and present a quantum algorithm for this problem that does not require any initialization of an auxiliary register involved in the process of functional evaluation and after solving the problem recovers the initial state of an auxiliary register. (author)

Temperature-dependent shock initiation of LX-17 explosive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, R.S.; Chau, H.H.; Druce, R.L.; Moua, K.

1995-02-01

LX-17 samples, heated to temperatures up to 250 C, were impacted by 3 to 10-mm-wide, 50.8-mm-long strips of 0.13-mm-thick Kapton polyimide film at velocities up to 7.7 km/s. The Kapton strips were laminated onto a thin aluminum bridge foil and were launched to the desired velocity by discharging a capacitor bank through the foil, causing the foil to explode. The LX-17 samples were confined in a steel holder and heated in an oven to the desired temperature. After the capacitor bank was charged, the LX-17 sample in its steel holder was remotely drawn out of the oven on rails and positioned over the bridge-foil/Kapton-strip laminate. When the sample was in position, the bank was discharged, launching the Kapton strip against the LX-17 surface. The shock initiation threshold was measured for 3, 7, and 10-mm-wide strips at room temperature, 200 C and 250 C. The authors found a significant reduction in the velocity threshold and in the critical area for initiation when the samples were heated. The authors compare the results with the earlier data of Bloom, who measured the initiation threshold of LX-17 over the density range 1.8--1.91 g/cm{sup 3} at room temperature and {minus}54 C. LX-17 has a large coefficient of thermal expansion, as reported by Urtiew, et al., which reduces its density significantly t elevated temperatures. They find that the change of shock initiation threshold with temperature is consistent with the change in sample density, using the relation between threshold and density reported by Bloom.

Activities of NASA's Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) in the Assessment of Subsonic Aircraft Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriquez, J. M.; Logan, J. A.; Rotman, D. A.; Bergmann, D. J.; Baughcum, S. L.; Friedl, R. R.; Anderson, D. E.

2004-01-01

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated a peak increase in ozone ranging from 7-12 ppbv (zonal and annual average, and relative to a baseline with no aircraft), due to the subsonic aircraft in the year 2015, corresponding to aircraft emissions of 1.3 TgN/year. This range of values presumably reflects differences in model input (e.g., chemical mechanism, ground emission fluxes, and meteorological fields), and algorithms. The model implemented by the Global Modeling Initiative allows testing the impact of individual model components on the assessment calculations. We present results of the impact of doubling the 1995 aircraft emissions of NOx, corresponding to an extra 0.56 TgN/year, utilizing meteorological data from NASA's Data Assimilation Office (DAO), the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), and the Middle Atmosphere Community Climate Model, version 3 (MACCM3). Comparison of results to observations can be used to assess the model performance. Peak ozone perturbations ranging from 1.7 to 2.2 ppbv of ozone are calculated using the different fields. These correspond to increases in total tropospheric ozone ranging from 3.3 to 4.1 Tg/Os. These perturbations are consistent with the IPCC results, due to the difference in aircraft emissions. However, the range of values calculated is much smaller than in IPCC.

Single and multiple transverse fracture initiation from horizontal wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crosby, D.G.; Rahman, M.M.; Rahman, M.K.; Rahman, S.S. [School of Petroleum Engineering, The University of New South Wales, 2052 Sydney (Australia)

2002-08-01

The results of an analytical and experimental study of the initiation of transverse fractures from horizontal wells are presented. Analytical criteria for the initiation of single hydraulic fracture are reviewed, and criterion for initiation of multiple hydraulic fractures was developed by modification of the existing Drucker and Prager criterion for single hydraulic fracture initiation. The developed criterion for multiple fracture initiation was validated by comparisons with actual hydraulic fracture initiation pressures, which were obtained from scaled laboratory experiments and numerical results from boundary element analysis. Other criteria are assessed against the experimental results. Experimentally obtained transverse fracture initiation pressures were found close to longitudinal fracture initiation pressures estimated from maximum tensile stress criterion and Hoek and Brown criterion. One possible explanation of this finding is presented. Results from Drucker and Prager criteria for single and multiple fracture initiation were, however, found closer to experimental values. Therefore, these criteria could be useful to engineers involved with hydraulic fracturing for predicting transverse fracture initiation pressures from horizontal wells drilled parallel to the minimum horizontal in-situ stress.

Measurement of positron range in matter in strong magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammer, B.E.; Christensen, N.L.

1995-01-01

Positron range is one factor that places a limitation on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) resolution. The distance a positron travels through matter before it annihilates with an electron is a function of its initial energy and the electron density of the medium. A strong magnetic field limits positron range when momentum components are transverse to the field. Measurement of positron range was determined by deconvolving the effects of detector response and radioactive distribution from the measured annihilation spread function. The annihilation spread function for a 0.5 mm bead of 68 Ga was measured with 0.2 and 1.0 mm wide slit collimators. Based on the annihilation spread function FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum) for a 1.0 mm wide slit the median positron range in tissue equivalent material is 0.87, 0.50, 0.22 mm at 0, 5.0 and 9.4 T, respectively

AUG is the only initiation codon in eukaryotes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sherman, F; McKnight, G; Stewart, J W

1980-01-01

An analysis of mutants of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae indicates that AUG is the sole codon capable of initiating translation of iso-1-cytochrome c. This result with yeast and the sequence results of numerous eukaryotic genes indicate that AUG is the only initiation codon in eukaryotes; in contrast, results with Escherichia colia and bacteriophages indicate that both AUG and GUG are initiation codons in prokaryotes. The difference can be explained by the lack of the t/sup 6/ A hypermodified nucleoside (N-(9-(..beta..-D-ribofuranosyl)purin-6-ylcarbamoyl)threonine) in prokaryotic initiator tRNA and its presence in eukaryotic initiator tRNA.

Project CONVERGE: Initial Results From the Mapping of Surface Currents in Palmer Deep

Science.gov (United States)

Statscewich, H.; Kohut, J. T.; Winsor, P.; Oliver, M. J.; Bernard, K. S.; Cimino, M. A.; Fraser, W.

2016-02-01

The Palmer Deep submarine canyon on the Western Antarctic Peninsula provides a conduit for upwelling of relatively warm, nutrient rich waters which enhance local primary production and support a food web productive enough to sustain a large top predator biomass. In an analysis of ten years of satellite-tagged penguins, Oliver et al. (2013) showed that circulation features associated with tidal flows may be a key driver of nearshore predator distributions. During diurnal tides, the penguins feed close to their breeding colonies and during semi-diurnal tides, the penguins make foraging trips to the more distant regions of Palmer Deep. It is hypothesized that convergent features act to concentrate primary producers and aggregate schools of krill that influence the behavior of predator species. The initial results from a six month deployment of a High Frequency Radar network in Palmer Deep are presented in an attempt to characterize and quantify convergent features. During a three month period from January through March 2015, we conducted in situ sampling consisting of multiple underwater glider deployments, small boat acoustic surveys of Antarctic krill, and penguin ARGOS-linked satellite telemetry and time-depth recorders (TDRs). The combination of real-time surface current maps with adaptive in situ sampling introduces High Frequency Radar to the Antarctic in a way that allows us to rigorously and efficiently test the influence of local tidal processes on top predator foraging ecology.

Hemorrhagic Tamponade as Initial Manifestation of Systemic Lupus with Subsequent Refractory and Progressive Lupus Myocarditis Resulting in Cardiomyopathy and Mitral Regurgitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Marijanovich

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical and serological manifestations. Cardiac disease among patients with SLE is common and can involve the pericardium, myocardium, valves, conduction system, and coronary arteries. We are reporting a case of SLE in a young woman that is unique is unique in that initial symptoms consisted of pericarditis and hemorrhagic tamponade which remained progressive and resistant to aggressive immunosuppressive treatment and led to severe cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction of 25% and severe (+4 mitral regurgitation. Her immunosuppressive treatment included hydroxychloroquine, high-dose steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil. Her disease progression was felt to be due to underlying uncontrolled SLE because the complement levels remained persistently low throughout the entire course and PET Myocardial Perfusion and Viability study showed stable persistent active inflammation. Eventually, she was treated with cyclophosphamide which led to improvement in ejection fraction to 55% with only mild mitral regurgitation.

Tangible Results and Progress in Flood Risks Management with the PACTES Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Costes, Murielle; Abadie, Jean-Paul; Ducuing, Jean-Louis; Denier, Jean-Paul; Stéphane

The PACTES project (Prévention et Anticipation des Crues au moyen des Techniques Spatiales), initiated by CNES and the French Ministry of Research, aims at improving flood risk management, over the following three main phases : - Prevention : support and facilitate the analysis of flood risks and socio-economic impacts (risk - Forecasting and alert : improve the capability to predict and anticipate the flooding event - Crisis management : allow better situation awareness, communication and sharing of In order to achieve its ambitious objectives, PACTES: - integrates state-of-the-art techniques and systems (integration of the overall processing chains, - takes advantage of integrating recent model developments in wheather forecasting, rainfall, In this approach, space technology is thus used in three main ways : - radar and optical earth observation data are used to produce Digital Elevation Maps, land use - earth observation data are also an input to wheather forecasting, together with ground sensors; - satellite-based telecommunication and mobile positioning. Started in December 2000, the approach taken in PACTES is to work closely with users such as civil security and civil protection organisms, fire fighter brigades and city councils for requirements gathering and during the validation phase. It has lead to the development and experimentation of an integrated pre-operational demonstrator, delivered to different types of operational users. Experimentation has taken place in three watersheds representative of different types of floods (flash and plain floods). After a breaf reminder of what the PACTES project organization and aims are, the PACTES integrated pre-operational demonstrator is presented. The main scientific inputs to flood risk management are summarized. Validation studies for the three watersheds covered by PACTES (Moselle, Hérault and Thoré) are detailed. Feedback on the PACTES tangible results on flood risk management from an user point of view

Fibrosis of the pancreas: the initial tissue damage and the resulting pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Klöppel, Günter; Detlefsen, Sönke; Feyerabend, Bernd

2004-07-01

Fibrosis in the pancreas is caused by such processes as necrosis/apoptosis, inflammation or duct obstruction. The initial event that induces fibrogenesis in the pancreas is an injury that may involve the interstitial mesenchymal cells, the duct cells and/or the acinar cells. Damage to any one of these tissue compartments of the pancreas is associated with cytokine-triggered transformation of resident fibroblasts/pancreatic stellate cells into myofibroblasts and the subsequent production and deposition of extracellular matrix. Depending on the site of injury in the pancreas and the involved tissue compartment, predominantly inter(peri)lobular fibrosis (as in alcoholic chronic pancreatitis), periductal fibrosis (as in hereditary pancreatitis), periductal and interlobular fibrosis (as in autoimmune pancreatitis) or diffuse inter- and intralobular fibrosis (as in obstructive chronic pancreatitis) develops.

Buoyant Unstable Behavior of Initially Spherical Lean Hydrogen-Air Premixed Flames

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuo-Yu Sun

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Buoyant unstable behavior in initially spherical lean hydrogen-air premixed flames within a center-ignited combustion vessel have been studied experimentally under a wide range of pressures (including reduced, normal, and elevated pressures. The experimental observations show that the flame front of lean hydrogen-air premixed flames will not give rise to the phenomenon of cellular instability when the equivalence ratio has been reduced to a certain value, which is totally different from the traditional understanding of the instability characteristics of lean hydrogen premixed flames. Accompanied by the smoothened flame front, the propagation mode of lean hydrogen premixed flames transitions from initially spherical outwardly towards upwardly when the flames expand to certain sizes. To quantitatively investigate such buoyant instability behaviors, two parameters, “float rate (ψ” and “critical flame radius (Rcr”, have been proposed in the present article. The quantitative results demonstrate that the influences of initial pressure (Pint on buoyant unstable behaviors are different. Based on the effects of variation of density difference and stretch rate on the flame front, the mechanism of such buoyant unstable behaviors has been explained by the competition between the stretch force and the results of gravity and buoyancy, and lean hydrogen premixed flames will display buoyant unstable behavior when the stretch effects on the flame front are weaker than the effects of gravity and buoyancy.

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography versus MRI: Initial results in the detection of breast cancer and assessment of tumour size.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallenberg, E M; Dromain, C; Diekmann, F; Engelken, F; Krohn, M; Singh, J M; Ingold-Heppner, B; Winzer, K J; Bick, U; Renz, D M

2014-01-01

To compare mammography (MG), contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection and size estimation of histologically proven breast cancers using postoperative histology as the gold standard. After ethical approval, 80 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer underwent MG, CESM, and MRI examinations. CESM was reviewed by an independent experienced radiologist, and the maximum dimension of suspicious lesions was measured. For MG and MRI, routine clinical reports of breast specialists, with judgment based on the BI-RADS lexicon, were used. Results of each imaging technique were correlated to define the index cancer. Fifty-nine cases could be compared to postoperative histology for size estimation. Breast cancer was visible in 66/80 MG, 80/80 CESM, and 77/79 MRI examinations. Average lesion largest dimension was 27.31 mm (SD 22.18) in MG, 31.62 mm (SD 24.41) in CESM, and 27.72 mm (SD 21.51) in MRI versus 32.51 mm (SD 29.03) in postoperative histology. No significant difference was found between lesion size measurement on MRI and CESM compared with histopathology. Our initial results show a better sensitivity of CESM and MRI in breast cancer detection than MG and a good correlation with postoperative histology in size assessment. • Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is slowly being introduced into clinical practice. • Access to breast MRI is limited by availability and lack of reimbursement. • Initial results show a better sensitivity of CESM and MRI than conventional mammography. • CESM showed a good correlation with postoperative histology in size assessment. • Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography offers promise, seemingly providing information comparable to MRI.

Substring Range Reporting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Philip; Gørtz, Inge Li

2014-01-01

We revisit various string indexing problems with range reporting features, namely, position-restricted substring searching, indexing substrings with gaps, and indexing substrings with intervals. We obtain the following main results. We give efficient reductions for each of the above problems...

Substring Range Reporting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Philip; Gørtz, Inge Li

2011-01-01

We revisit various string indexing problems with range reporting features, namely, position-restricted substring searching, indexing substrings with gaps, and indexing substrings with intervals. We obtain the following main results. – We give efficient reductions for each of the above problems...

Ranging behavior relates to welfare indicators pre- and post-range access in commercial free-range broilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Peta S; Hemsworth, Paul H; Groves, Peter J; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G; Rault, Jean-Loup

2018-06-01

Little is known about the effect of accessing an outdoor range on chicken welfare. We tracked individual ranging behavior of 538 mixed-sex Ross 308 chickens on a commercial farm across 4 flocks in winter and summer. Before range access, at 17 to 19 d of age, and post-range access, at 30 to 33 and 42 to 46 d of age in winter and summer flocks respectively, welfare indicators were measured on chickens (pre-range: winter N = 292; summer N = 280; post-range: winter N = 131; summer N = 140), including weight, gait score, dermatitis and plumage condition. Post-ranging autopsies were performed (winter: N = 170; summer: N = 60) to assess breast burn, leg health, and ascites. Fewer chickens accessed the range in winter flocks (32.5%) than summer flocks (82.1%). Few relationships between welfare and ranging were identified in winter, likely due to minimal ranging and the earlier age of post-ranging data collection compared to summer flocks. In summer flocks prior to range access, chickens that accessed the range weighed 4.9% less (P = 0.03) than chickens that did not access the range. Pre-ranging weight, gait score, and overall plumage cover predicted the amount of range use by ranging chickens in summer flocks (P ranging behavior. In summer flocks post-range access, ranging chickens weighed 12.8% less than non-ranging chickens (P range visits were associated with lower weight (P range was associated with lower weight (P range in summer is partly related to changes in broiler chicken welfare. Further investigations are required to determine causation.

Are fish outside their usual ranges early indicators of climate-driven range shifts?

Science.gov (United States)

Fogarty, Hannah E; Burrows, Michael T; Pecl, Gretta T; Robinson, Lucy M; Poloczanska, Elvira S

2017-05-01

Shifts in species ranges are a global phenomenon, well known to occur in response to a changing climate. New species arriving in an area may become pest species, modify ecosystem structure, or represent challenges or opportunities for fisheries and recreation. Early detection of range shifts and prompt implementation of any appropriate management strategies is therefore crucial. This study investigates whether 'first sightings' of marine species outside their normal ranges could provide an early warning of impending climate-driven range shifts. We examine the relationships between first sightings and marine regions defined by patterns of local climate velocities (calculated on a 50-year timescale), while also considering the distribution of observational effort (i.e. number of sampling days recorded with biological observations in global databases). The marine trajectory regions include climate 'source' regions (areas lacking connections to warmer areas), 'corridor' regions (areas where moving isotherms converge), and 'sink' regions (areas where isotherms locally disappear). Additionally, we investigate the latitudinal band in which first sightings were recorded, and species' thermal affiliations. We found that first sightings are more likely to occur in climate sink and 'divergent' regions (areas where many rapid and diverging climate trajectories pass through) indicating a role of temperature in driving changes in marine species distributions. The majority of our fish first sightings appear to be tropical and subtropical species moving towards high latitudes, as would be expected in climate warming. Our results indicate that first sightings are likely related to longer-term climatic processes, and therefore have potential use to indicate likely climate-driven range shifts. The development of an approach to detect impending range shifts at an early stage will allow resource managers and researchers to better manage opportunities resulting from range

Community Rates of Breastfeeding Initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Grubesic, Tony H; Durbin, Kelly M

2016-11-01

Breastfeeding initiation rates vary considerably across racial and ethnic groups, maternal age, and education level, yet there are limited data concerning the influence of geography on community rates of breastfeeding initiation. This study aimed to describe how community rates of breastfeeding initiation vary in geographic space, highlighting "hot spots" and "cool spots" of initiation and exploring the potential connections between race, socioeconomic status, and urbanization levels on these patterns. Birth certificate data from the Kentucky Department of Health for 2004-2010 were combined with county-level geographic base files, Census 2010 demographic and socioeconomic data, and Rural-Urban Continuum Codes to conduct a spatial statistical analysis of community rates of breastfeeding initiation. Between 2004 and 2010, the average rate of breastfeeding initiation for Kentucky increased from 43.84% to 49.22%. Simultaneously, the number of counties identified as breastfeeding initiation hot spots also increased, displaying a systematic geographic pattern in doing so. Cool spots of breastfeeding initiation persisted in rural, Appalachian Kentucky. Spatial regression results suggested that unemployment, income, race, education, location, and the availability of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants are connected to breastfeeding initiation. Not only do spatial analytics facilitate the identification of breastfeeding initiation hot spots and cool spots, but they can be used to better understand the landscape of breastfeeding initiation and help target breastfeeding education and/or support efforts.

Local initiative extrapolated to nation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wittchen, Kim Bjarne; Kragh, Jesper; Brøgger, Morten

In the municipality of Sønderborg, in the southern part of Jutland, there is a shining example initiated in 2007, ProjectZero, of a local initiative that have resulted in extensive energy savings in residential buildings and at the same time created local workplaces. The intension with the pilot...

Interim results from UO2 fuel oxidation tests in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, T.K.; Gilbert, E.R.; Thornhill, C.K.; White, G.D.; Piepel, G.F.; Griffin, C.W.j.

1987-08-01

An experimental program is being conducted at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to extend the characterization of spent fuel oxidation in air. To characterize oxidation behavior of irradiated UO 2 , fuel oxidation tests were performed on declad light-water reactor spent fuel and nonirradited UO 2 pellets in the temperature range of 135 to 250 0 C. These tests were designed to determine the important independent variables that might affect spent fuel oxidation behavior. The data from this program, when combined with the test results from other programs, will be used to develop recommended spent fuel dry-storage temperature limits in air. This report describes interim test results. The initial PNL investigations of nonirradiated and spent fuels identified the important testing variables as temperature, fuel burnup, radiolysis of the air, fuel microstructure, and moisture in the air. Based on these initial results, a more extensive statistically designed test matrix was developed to study the effects of temperature, burnup, and moisture on the oxidation behavior of spent fuel. Oxidation tests were initiated using both boiling-water reactor and pressurized-water reactor fuels from several different reactors with burnups from 8 to 34 GWd/MTU. A 10 5 R/h gamma field was applied to the test ovens to simulate dry storage cask conditions. Nonirradiated fuel was included as a control. This report describes experimental results from the initial tests on both the spent and nonirradiated fuels and results to date on the tests in a 10 5 R/h gamma field. 33 refs., 51 figs., 6 tabs

Porting Initiation and Failure into Linked CHEETAH

Science.gov (United States)

Souers, Clark; Vitello, Peter

2007-06-01

Linked CHEETAH is a thermo-chemical code coupled to a 2-D hydrocode. Initially, a quadratic-pressure dependent kinetic rate was used, which worked well in modeling prompt detonation of explosives of large size, but does not work on other aspects of explosive behavior. The variable-pressure Tarantula reactive flow rate model was developed with JWL++ in order to also describe failure and initiation, and we have moved this model into Linked CHEETAH. The model works by turning on only above a pressure threshold, where a slow turn-on creates initiation. At a higher pressure, the rate suddenly leaps to a large value over a small pressure range. A slowly failing cylinder will see a rapidly declining rate, which pushes it quickly into failure. At a high pressure, the detonation rate is constant. A sequential validation procedure is used, which includes metal-confined cylinders, rate-sticks, corner-turning, initiation and threshold, gap tests and air gaps. The size (diameter) effect is central to the calibration. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.

Enabling parents who smoke to prevent their children from initiating smoking: results from a 3-year intervention evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Christine; Dickinson, Denise

2006-01-01

To evaluate effects of a home-based antismoking socialization program on the initiation of smoking among children whose parents smoke. Three-year randomized controlled trial. Parents who were current smokers and had a child in the third grade who had not tried smoking were eligible; 873 parents-offspring pairs met these criteria, completed baseline interviews, and were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition; 776 children (89%) completed an interview 3 years after baseline and were included in the study. During 3 months, the intervention group (n = 371) received 5 printed activity guides, parenting tip sheets, child newsletters, and incentives; this group also received a booster activity guide 1 year later. The control group (n = 405) received fact sheets about smoking. Initiation of smoking (first instance of puffing on a cigarette) was reported by 12% vs 19% of children in the intervention vs control groups. Logistic regression analysis indicated that children in the control condition had twice the odds of reporting initiation of smoking as children in the intervention condition (adjusted odds ratio, 2.16; Pparent sex, parent race, parent educational achievement, child's best friends' smoking, parent smoking rate at baseline, and parent cessation status. Children in the pre-initiation phase of smoking who receive antismoking socialization from their parents are less likely to initiate smoking, even if their parents smoke.

Factors associated with psychoactive drug initiation in a sample of workers in France: results of the VISAT cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Boeuf-Cazou, O; Niezborala, M; Marquie, J C; Lapeyre-Mestre, M

2010-03-01

To identify which psychosocial factors at work are associated with the initiation of psychoactive drug use in a cohort of healthy French workers. This study used data collected from the VISAT ('Vieillissement, Santé, Travail') cohort which included workers aged 32, 42, 52 and 62 years in 1996 with follow-ups conducted over the following 5 years. Data were collected through interviews and five standardized questionnaires in annual occupational medical examinations in 1996, 1999 and 2001. We defined new consumers of psychoactive drugs according to their answers during the follow-ups and compared their psychosocial and working characteristics to non-consumers. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors related to a psychoactive drug initiation. Among 1533 subjects, 5.4% began consuming psychoactive drugs during the follow-up with a twofold rate for women than for men. Factors related to psychoactive drug initiation were different according to gender. In men, initiation was mainly found in participants who were separated, showed high emotional reaction scores and were members of the white-collar working class. We did not find any other occupational factors associated to psychoactive drug initiation in men. By contrast, among women, drug initiation was more frequent in participants who were 52 years old and over, and whose job control-reward level was lower. Psychoactive drug initiation concerned 5.4% of workers within the 5-year interval in this study. The pressure of psychosocial environment was more important in men, whereas age and work-related psychosocial factors were the main factors associated with new consumption among women.

Echocardiographic reference ranges for normal left atrial function parameters: results from the EACVI NORRE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimoto, Tadafumi; Robinet, Sébastien; Dulgheru, Raluca; Bernard, Anne; Ilardi, Federica; Contu, Laura; Addetia, Karima; Caballero, Luis; Kacharava, George; Athanassopoulos, George D; Barone, Daniele; Baroni, Monica; Cardim, Nuno; Hagendorff, Andreas; Hristova, Krasimira; Lopez, Teresa; de la Morena, Gonzalo; Popescu, Bogdan A; Penicka, Martin; Ozyigit, Tolga; Rodrigo Carbonero, Jose David; van de Veire, Nico; Von Bardeleben, Ralph Stephan; Vinereanu, Dragos; Zamorano, Jose Luis; Go, Yun Yun; Marchetta, Stella; Nchimi, Alain; Rosca, Monica; Calin, Andreea; Moonen, Marie; Cimino, Sara; Magne, Julien; Cosyns, Bernard; Galli, Elena; Donal, Erwan; Habib, Gilbert; Esposito, Roberta; Galderisi, Maurizio; Badano, Luigi P; Lang, Roberto M; Lancellotti, Patrizio

2018-02-23

To obtain the normal ranges for echocardiographic measurements of left atrial (LA) function from a large group of healthy volunteers accounting for age and gender. A total of 371 (median age 45 years) healthy subjects were enrolled at 22 collaborating institutions collaborating in the Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI). Left atrial data sets were analysed with a vendor-independent software (VIS) package allowing homogeneous measurements irrespective of the echocardiographic equipment used to acquire data sets. The lowest expected values of LA function were 26.1%, 48.7%, and 41.4% for left atrial strain (LAS), 2D left atrial emptying fraction (LAEF), and 3D LAEF (reservoir function); 7.7%, 24.2%, and -0.53/s for LAS-active, LAEF-active, and LA strain rate during LA contraction (SRa) (pump function) and 12.0% and 21.6% for LAS-passive and LAEF-passive (conduit function). Left atrial reservoir and conduit function were decreased with age while pump function was increased. All indices of reservoir function and all LA strains had no difference in both gender and vendor. However, inter-vendor differences were observed in LA SRa despite the use of VIS. The NORRE study provides contemporary, applicable echocardiographic reference ranges for LA function. Our data highlight the importance of age-specific reference values for LA functions.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter K-Band (26 GHz) Signal Analysis: Initial Study Results

Science.gov (United States)

Morabito, D. D.; Heckman, D.

2017-11-01

Lower frequency telemetry bands are becoming more limited in bandwidth due to increased competition between flight projects and other entities. Higher frequency bands offer significantly more bandwidth and hence the prospect of much higher data rates. Future or prospective flight projects considering higher frequency bands such as Ka-band (32 GHz) for deep-space and K-band (26 GHz) for near-Earth telemetry links are interested in past flight experience with available received data at these frequencies. Given that there is increased degradation due to the atmosphere at these higher frequencies, there is an effort to retrieve flight data of received signal strength to analyze performance under a variety of factors. Such factors include elevation angle, season, and atmospheric conditions. This article reports on the analysis findings of over 10 million observations of received signal strength of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft collected between 2014 and 2017. We analyzed these data to characterize link performance over a wide range of weather conditions, season, and as a function of elevation angle. Based on this analysis, we have confirmed the safety of using a 3-dB margin for preflight planning purposes. These results suggest that a 3-dB margin with respect to adverse conditions will ensure a 98 to 99 percent data return under 95 percent weather conditions at 26 GHz (K-band), thus confirming expectations from link budget predictions. The results suggest that this margin should be applicable for all elevation angles above 10 deg. Thus, missions that have sufficient power for their desired data rates may opt to use 10 deg as their minimum elevation angle. Limitations of this study include climate variability and the fact that the observations require removal of hotbody noise in order to perform an adequate cumulative distribution function (CDF) analysis, which is planned for a future comprehensive study. Flight projects may use other link margins

HEVC for high dynamic range services

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung-Hwan; Zhao, Jie; Misra, Kiran; Segall, Andrew

2015-09-01

Displays capable of showing a greater range of luminance values can render content containing high dynamic range information in a way such that the viewers have a more immersive experience. This paper introduces the design aspects of a high dynamic range (HDR) system, and examines the performance of the HDR processing chain in terms of compression efficiency. Specifically it examines the relation between recently introduced Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) ST 2084 transfer function and the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. SMPTE ST 2084 is designed to cover the full range of an HDR signal from 0 to 10,000 nits, however in many situations the valid signal range of actual video might be smaller than SMPTE ST 2084 supported range. The above restricted signal range results in restricted range of code values for input video data and adversely impacts compression efficiency. In this paper, we propose a code value remapping method that extends the restricted range code values into the full range code values so that the existing standards such as HEVC may better compress the video content. The paper also identifies related non-normative encoder-only changes that are required for remapping method for a fair comparison with anchor. Results are presented comparing the efficiency of the current approach versus the proposed remapping method for HM-16.2.

Long-Range WindScanner System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vasiljevic, Nikola; Lea, Guillaume; Courtney, Michael

2016-01-01

The technical aspects of a multi-Doppler LiDAR instrument, the long-range WindScanner system, are presented accompanied by an overview of the results from several field campaigns. The long-range WindScanner system consists of three spatially-separated, scanning coherent Doppler LiDARs and a remote......-rangeWindScanner system measures the wind field by emitting and directing three laser beams to intersect, and then scanning the beam intersection over a region of interest. The long-range WindScanner system was developed to tackle the need for high-quality observations of wind fields on scales of modern wind turbine...

Initial conditions and entanglement sudden death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, Xiao-Feng; Eberly, J.H.

2012-01-01

We report results bearing on the behavior of non-local decoherence and its potential for being managed or even controlled. The decoherence process known as entanglement sudden death (ESD) can drive prepared entanglement to zero at the same time that local coherences and fidelity remain non-zero. For a generic ESD-susceptible Bell superposition state, we provide rules restricting the occurrence and timing of ESD, amounting to management tools over a continuous variation of initial conditions. These depend on only three parameters: initial purity, entanglement and excitation. Knowledge or control of initial phases is not needed. -- Highlights: ► We study the possibility of managing disentanglement through initial conditions. ► The initial parameters are the amount of entanglement, excitation, and purity. ► Entanglement sudden death (ESD) free and ESD susceptible phases are identified. ► ESD onset time is also presented in the ESD susceptible phase. ► Our results may guide experiments to prepare ESD free or delayed ESD states.

Effect of Heterogeneity in Initial Geographic Distribution on Opinions’ Competitiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander S. Balankin

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Spin dynamics on networks allows us to understand how a global consensus emerges out of individual opinions. Here, we are interested in the effect of heterogeneity in the initial geographic distribution of a competing opinion on the competitiveness of its own opinion. Accordingly, in this work, we studied the effect of spatial heterogeneity on the majority rule dynamics using a three-state spin model, in which one state is neutral. Monte Carlo simulations were performed on square lattices divided into square blocks (cells. Accordingly, one competing opinion was distributed uniformly among cells, whereas the spatial distribution of the rival opinion was varied from the uniform to heterogeneous, with the median-to-mean ratio in the range from 1 to 0. When the size of discussion group is odd, the uncommitted agents disappear completely after  3.30 ± 0.05 update cycles, and then the system evolves in a two-state regime with complementary spatial distributions of two competing opinions. Even so, the initial heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of one of the competing opinions causes a decrease of this opinion competitiveness. That is, the opinion with initially heterogeneous spatial distribution has less probability to win, than the opinion with the initially uniform spatial distribution, even when the initial concentrations of both opinions are equal. We found that although the time to consensus , the opinion’s recession rate is determined during the first 3.3 update cycles. On the other hand, we found that the initial heterogeneity of the opinion spatial distribution assists the formation of quasi-stable regions, in which this opinion is dominant. The results of Monte Carlo simulations are discussed with regard to the electoral competition of political parties.

Deformability of 12MKh steel within the temperature range of polymorphous transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surovtsev, A.P.; Sukhanov, V.E.

1987-01-01

Deformability and the structure of 12 MKh steel under tension, upsetting and torsion within the temperature range of polymorphous transformations have been investigated. Tests for tension showed the presence of two plasticity maxima, which correspond to the temperatures of P-A and F-A structural transformation beginning. Loss of strength during deformation is connected with dynamic polygonization and the initial stage of dynamic recrystallization as well as the state preceding ferrite transformation. Loss of plasticity is observed at the temperature accompanying the end of F-A transformation; it is explained by the formation of more strength martensite and by increase of material porosity as a result of the transformation with volume decrease

Deformability of 12MKh steel within the temperature range of polymorphous transformations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surovtsev, A P; Sukhanov, V E

1987-01-01

Deformability and the structure of 12 MKh steel under tension, upsetting and torsion within the temperature range of polymorphous transformations have been investigated. Tests for tension showed the presence of two plasticity maxima, which correspond to the temperatures of P-A and F-A structural transformation beginning. Loss of strength during deformation is connected with dynamic polygonization and the initial stage of dynamic recrystallization as well as the state preceding ferrite transformation. Loss of plasticity is observed at the temperature accompanying the end of F-A transformation; it is explained by the formation of more strength martensite and by increase of material porosity as a result of the transformation with volume decrease.

The service range offered by InfE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bluhm, F.

1995-01-01

Information Erdgas (InfE) in Essen was founded 25 years ago. This was at a time when some initiative was needed to firmly establish the still rather young energy source of natural gas in the German thermal energy market. As a supraregional marketing institution, InfE had a twofold task: Firstly, to start a variety of advertising and information activities to arouse a general interest in natural gas among various consumer groups and create an attractive product image; and secondly, to promote marketing activities locally and support regional and local gas supply companies with a wide range of services. This dual task of InfE, subsidiary to Ruhrgas AG, Germany's largest long-distance gas supply company, has remained the same until today. Of course its spectrum of activities has been rearranged from time to time and adapted to the changed environment. In 1993, VNG in Leipzig was set up as a partner of InfE, offering the same range of services. (orig.) [de

THE INITIAL-FINAL MASS RELATION AMONG WHITE DWARFS IN WIDE BINARIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, J. K.; Oswalt, T. D.; Willson, L. A.; Wang, Q.; Zhao, G.

2012-01-01

We present the initial-final mass relation derived from 10 white dwarfs in wide binaries that consist of a main-sequence star and a white dwarf. The temperature and gravity of each white dwarf were measured by fitting theoretical model atmospheres to the observed spectrum using a χ 2 fitting algorithm. The cooling time and mass were obtained using theoretical cooling tracks. The total age of each binary was estimated from the chromospheric activity of its main-sequence component to an uncertainty of about 0.17 dex in log t. The difference between the total age and white dwarf cooling time is taken as the main-sequence lifetime of each white dwarf. The initial mass of each white dwarf was then determined using stellar evolution tracks with a corresponding metallicity derived from spectra of their main-sequence companions, thus yielding the initial-final mass relation. Most of the initial masses of the white dwarf components are between 1 and 2 M ☉ . Our results suggest a correlation between the metallicity of a white dwarf's progenitor and the amount of post-main-sequence mass loss it experiences—at least among progenitors with masses in the range of 1-2 M ☉ . A comparison of our observations to theoretical models suggests that low-mass stars preferentially lose mass on the red giant branch.

Field testing and applications of the Ultrasonic Ranging and Data (USRAD) System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickerson, K.S.; Pickering, D.A.; Blair, M.S.; Espegren, M.L.; Nyquist, J.E.

1989-01-01

The Ultrasonic Ranging and Data (USRAD) System is a patented, computerized data acquisition system developed to relate the radiological surveyor's precise physical location to instantaneous radiation data taken during walk-on surveys. The USRAD System incorporates three technologies: radio frequency communications, ultrasonics, and microcomputers. Initial field testing of the USRAD System has resulted in several improvements to walk-on radiological surveys including real-time position data, reproducible survey results, on-site verification of survey coverage, on-site data reduction and graphics, and permanent data storage on magnetic media. Although the USRAD System was developed specifically for use with a gamma-ray detector, it is adaptable to other instruments. Applications of the USRAD System may include verification of remediated and uncontaminated areas, emergency response in mapping pollutant locations after accidents, and characterization of hazardous waste areas. 2 refs., 8 figs

Initial results of the oesophageal and gastric cancer registry from the Comunidad Valenciana.

Science.gov (United States)

Escrig, Javier; Mingol, Fernando; Martí, Roberto; Puche, José; Trullenque, Ramón; Barreras, José Antonio; Asencio, Francisco; Aguiló, Javier; Navarro, José Manuel; Alberich, Carmen; Salas, Dolores; Lacueva, Francisco Javier

2017-10-01

To evaluate the initial results of the oesophagogastric cancer registry developed for the Sociedad Valenciana de Cirugía and the Health Department of the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain). Fourteen of the 24 public hospitals belonging to the Comunidad Valenciana participated. All patients with diagnosis of oesophageal or gastric carcinomas operated from January 2013 to December 2014 were evaluated. Demographic, clinical and pathological data were analysed. Four hundred and thirty-four patients (120 oesophageal carcinomas and 314 gastric carcinomas) were included. Only two hospitals operated more than 10 patients with oesophageal cancer per year. Transthoracic oesophaguectomy was the most frequent approach (84.2%) in tumours localized within the oesophagus. A total gastrectomy was performed in 50.9% patients with gastroesophageal junction (GOJ) carcinomas. Postoperative 30-day and 90-day mortality were 8% and 11.6% in oesophageal carcinoma and 5.9 and 8.6% in gastric carcinoma. Before surgery, middle oesophagus carcinomas were treated mostly (76,5%) with chemoradiotherapy. On the contrary, lower oesophagus and GOJ carcinomas were treated preferably with chemotherapy alone (45.5 and 53.4%). Any neoadjuvant treatment was administered to 73.6% of gastric cancer patients. Half patients with oesophageal carcinoma or gastric carcinoma received no adjuvant treatment. This registry revealed that half patients with oesophageal cancer were operated in hospitals with less than 10 cases per year at the Comunidad Valenciana. Also, it detected capacity improvement for some clinical outcomes of oesophageal and gastric carcinomas. Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The influence of initial temperature on flame acceleration and deflagration-to-detonation transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciccarelli, G.; Boccio, J.L.; Ginsberg, T.

1996-01-01

The influence of initial mixture temperature on deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) has been investigated experimentally. The experiments were carried out in a 27-cm-inner diameter, 21.3-meter-long heated detonation tube, which was equipped with periodic orifice plates to promote flame acceleration. Hydrogen-air-steam mixtures were tested at a range of temperatures up to 650K and at an initial pressure of 0.1 MPa. In most cases, the limiting hydrogen mole fraction which resulted in transition to detonation corresponded to the mixture whose detonation cell size, λ, was approximately equal to the inner diameter of the orifice plate, d (e.g., d/λ∼1). The only exception was in dry hydrogen-air mixtures at 650K where the DDT limit was observed to be 11 percent hydrogen, corresponding to a value of d/λ equal to 5.5. For a 10.5 percent hydrogen mixture at 650K, the flame accelerated to a maximum velocity of about 120 m/s and then decelerated to below 2 m/s. This observation indicates that the d/λ = 1 DDT limit criterion provides a necessary condition but not a sufficient one for the onset of DDT in obstacle-laden ducts. In this particular case, the mixture initial condition (i.e., temperature) resulted in the inability of the mixture to sustain flame acceleration to the point where DDT could occur. It was also observed that the distance required for the flame to accelerate to the onset of detonation was a function of both the hydrogen mole fraction and the mixture initial temperature. For example, decreasing the hydrogen mole fraction or increasing the initial mixture temperature resulted in longer transition distances

Evolvement simulation of the probability of neutron-initiating persistent fission chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhe; Hong Zhenying

2014-01-01

Background: Probability of neutron-initiating persistent fission chain, which has to be calculated in analysis of critical safety, start-up of reactor, burst waiting time on pulse reactor, bursting time on pulse reactor, etc., is an inherent parameter in a multiplying assembly. Purpose: We aim to derive time-dependent integro-differential equation for such probability in relative velocity space according to the probability conservation, and develop the deterministic code Dynamic Segment Number Probability (DSNP) based on the multi-group S N method. Methods: The reliable convergence of dynamic calculation was analyzed and numerical simulation of the evolvement process of dynamic probability for varying concentration was performed under different initial conditions. Results: On Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Bare Spheres, when the time is long enough, the results of dynamic calculation approach to those of static calculation. The most difference of such results between DSNP and Partisn code is less than 2%. On Baker model, over the range of about 1 μs after the first criticality, the most difference between the dynamic and static calculation is about 300%. As for a super critical system, the finite fission chains decrease and the persistent fission chains increase as the reactivity aggrandizes, the dynamic evolvement curve of initiation probability is close to the static curve within the difference of 5% when the K eff is more than 1.2. The cumulative probability curve also indicates that the difference of integral results between the dynamic calculation and the static calculation decreases from 35% to 5% as the K eff increases. This demonstrated that the ability of initiating a self-sustaining fission chain reaction approaches stabilization, while the former difference (35%) showed the important difference of the dynamic results near the first criticality with the static ones. The DSNP code agrees well with Partisn code. Conclusions: There are large numbers of

The SPIRIT Telescope Initiative: six years on

Science.gov (United States)

Luckas, Paul

2017-06-01

Now in its sixth year of operation, the SPIRIT initiative remains unique in Australia, as a robust web-enabled robotic telescope initiative funded for education and outreach. With multiple modes of operation catering for a variety of usage scenarios and a fully supported education program, SPIRIT provides free access to contemporary astronomical tools for students and educators in Western Australia and beyond. The technical solution itself provides an excellent model for low cost robotic telescope installations, and the education program has evolved over time to include a broad range of student experiences-from engagement activities to authentic science. This paper details the robotic telescope solution, student interface and educational philosophy, summarises achievements and lessons learned and examines the possibilities for future enhancement including spectroscopy.

[Implementation of a regional system for the emergency care of acute ischemic stroke: Initial results].

Science.gov (United States)

Soares-Oliveira, Miguel; Araújo, Fernando

2014-06-01

Implementing integrated systems for emergency care of patients with acute ischemic stroke helps reduce morbidity and mortality. We describe the process of organizing and implementing a regional system to cover around 3.7 million people and its main initial results. We performed a descriptive analysis of the implementation process and a retrospective analysis of the following parameters: number of patients prenotified by the pre-hospital system; number of times thrombolysis was performed; door-to-needle time; and functional assessment three months after stroke. The implementation process started in November 2005 and ended in December 2009, and included 11 health centers. There were 3574 prenotifications from the prehospital system. Thrombolysis was performed in 1142 patients. The percentage of patients receiving thrombolysis rose during the study period, with a maximum of 16%. Median door-to-needle time was 62 min in 2009. Functional recovery three months after stroke was total or near total in 50% of patients. The regional system implemented for emergency care of patients with acute ischemic stroke has led to health gains, with progressive improvements in patients' access to thrombolysis, and to greater equity in the health care system, thus helping to reduce mortality from cerebrovascular disease in Portugal. Our results, which are comparable with those of international studies, support the strategy adopted for implementation of this system. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Testing of Signal Transduction Deregulation During Breast Cancer Initiation

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-01

Std. Z39.18 Victoria Seewaldt, M.D. Dynamic Testing of Signal Transduction Deregulation During Breast Cancer Initiation Duke University Durham...attomole- zeptomole range. Internal dilution curves insure a high-dynamic calibration range. DU -26 8L DU -26 6L DU -29 5R DU -22 9.2 L DU...3: Nanobiosensor technology is translated to test for pathway deregulation in RPFNA cytology obtained from 10 high-risk women with cytological

Personality Traits and Training Initiation Process: Intention, Planning, and Action Initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Laguna, Mariola; Purc, Ewelina

2016-01-01

The article aims at investigating the role of personality traits in relation to training initiation. Training initiation is conceptualized as a goal realization process, and explained using goal theories. There are three stages of the process analyzed: intention to undertake training, plan formulation, and actual training undertaking. Two studies tested the relationships between five personality traits, defined according to the five factor model, and the stages of the goal realization process. In Study 1, which explains training intention and training plans' formulation, 155 employees participated. In Study 2, which was time-lagged with two measurement points, and which explains intention, plans, and training actions undertaken, the data from 176 employees was collected at 3 month intervals. The results of these studies show that personality traits, mainly openness to experience, predict the training initiation process to some degree: intention, plans, and actual action initiation. The findings allow us to provide recommendations for practitioners responsible for human resource development. The assessment of openness to experience in employees helps predict their motivation to participate in training activities. To increase training motivation it is vital to strengthen intentions to undertake training, and to encourage training action planning.

Initial results of H-mode edge pedestal turbulence evolution with quadrature reflectometer measurements on DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, G. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)]. E-mail: wangg@fusion.gat.com; Peebles, W.A. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Doyle, E.J. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Rhodes, T.L. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Zeng, L. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Nguyen, X. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Osborne, T.H. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Snyder, P.B. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Kramer, G.J. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Nazikian, R. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Groebner, R.J. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Burrell, K.H. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Leonard, A.W. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Fenstermacher, M.E. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Strait, E.J. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States)

2007-06-15

High-resolution quadrature reflectometer measurements of density fluctuation levels have been obtained on DIII-D for H-mode edge pedestal studies. Initial results are presented from the L-H transition to the first ELM for two cases: (i) a low pedestal beta discharge, in which density turbulence in the pedestal has little change during the ELM-free phase, and (ii) a high pedestal beta discharge in which both density and magnetic turbulence are observed to increase before the first ELM. These high beta data are consistent with the existence of electromagnetic turbulence suggested by some transport models. During Type-I ELM cycles, when little magnetic turbulence can be observed, pedestal turbulence increases just after an ELM crash and then decreases before next ELM strikes, in contrast to a drop after ELM crash and then it re-grows when strong magnetic turbulence shows similar behavior. Clear ELM precursors are observed on {<=}20% of Type-I ELMs observed to date.

Prostate Health Index (Phi and Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3 significantly improve prostate cancer detection at initial biopsy in a total PSA range of 2-10 ng/ml.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Ferro

Full Text Available Many efforts to reduce prostate specific antigen (PSA overdiagnosis and overtreatment have been made. To this aim, Prostate Health Index (Phi and Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3 have been proposed as new more specific biomarkers. We evaluated the ability of phi and PCA3 to identify prostate cancer (PCa at initial prostate biopsy in men with total PSA range of 2-10 ng/ml. The performance of phi and PCA3 were evaluated in 300 patients undergoing first prostate biopsy. ROC curve analyses tested the accuracy (AUC of phi and PCA3 in predicting PCa. Decision curve analyses (DCA were used to compare the clinical benefit of the two biomarkers. We found that the AUC value of phi (0.77 was comparable to those of %p2PSA (0.76 and PCA3 (0.73 with no significant differences in pairwise comparison (%p2PSA vs phi p = 0.673, %p2PSA vs. PCA3 p = 0.417 and phi vs. PCA3 p = 0.247. These three biomarkers significantly outperformed fPSA (AUC = 0.60, % fPSA (AUC = 0.62 and p2PSA (AUC = 0.63. At DCA, phi and PCA3 exhibited a very close net benefit profile until the threshold probability of 25%, then phi index showed higher net benefit than PCA3. Multivariable analysis showed that the addition of phi and PCA3 to the base multivariable model (age, PSA, %fPSA, DRE, prostate volume increased predictive accuracy, whereas no model improved single biomarker performance. Finally we showed that subjects with active surveillance (AS compatible cancer had significantly lower phi and PCA3 values (p<0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively. In conclusion, both phi and PCA3 comparably increase the accuracy in predicting the presence of PCa in total PSA range 2-10 ng/ml at initial biopsy, outperforming currently used %fPSA.

Climate driven range divergence among host species affects range-wide patterns of parasitism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard E. Feldman

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Species interactions like parasitism influence the outcome of climate-driven shifts in species ranges. For some host species, parasitism can only occur in that part of its range that overlaps with a second host species. Thus, predicting future parasitism may depend on how the ranges of the two hosts change in relation to each other. In this study, we tested whether the climate driven species range shift of Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer accounts for predicted changes in parasitism of two other species from the family Cervidae, Alces alces (moose and Rangifer tarandus (caribou, in North America. We used MaxEnt models to predict the recent (2000 and future (2050 ranges (probabilities of occurrence of the cervids and a parasite Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (brainworm taking into account range shifts of the parasite’s intermediate gastropod hosts. Our models predicted that range overlap between A. alces/R. tarandus and P. tenuis will decrease between 2000 and 2050, an outcome that reflects decreased overlap between A. alces/R. tarandus and O. virginianus and not the parasites, themselves. Geographically, our models predicted increasing potential occurrence of P. tenuis where A. alces/R. tarandus are likely to decline, but minimal spatial overlap where A. alces/R. tarandus are likely to increase. Thus, parasitism may exacerbate climate-mediated southern contraction of A. alces and R. tarandus ranges but will have limited influence on northward range expansion. Our results suggest that the spatial dynamics of one host species may be the driving force behind future rates of parasitism for another host species.

Range of validity of transport equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berges, Juergen; Borsanyi, Szabolcs

2006-01-01

Transport equations can be derived from quantum field theory assuming a loss of information about the details of the initial state and a gradient expansion. While the latter can be systematically improved, the assumption about a memory loss is not known to be controlled by a small expansion parameter. We determine the range of validity of transport equations for the example of a scalar g 2 Φ 4 theory. We solve the nonequilibrium time evolution using the three-loop 2PI effective action. The approximation includes off-shell and memory effects and assumes no gradient expansion. This is compared to transport equations to lowest order (LO) and beyond (NLO). We find that the earliest time for the validity of transport equations is set by the characteristic relaxation time scale t damp =-2ω/Σ ρ (eq) , where -Σ ρ (eq) /2 denotes the on-shell imaginary-part of the self-energy. This time scale agrees with the characteristic time for partial memory loss, but is much shorter than thermal equilibration times. For times larger than about t damp the gradient expansion to NLO is found to describe the full results rather well for g 2 (less-or-similar sign)1

Learning from the Ilulissat Initiative

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rahbek-Clemmensen, Jon; Thomasen, Gry

In May 2018, ten years will have passed since the representatives from the five Arctic coastal states (Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia) and the Home Rule government of Greenland met in Ilulissat. Learning from the Ilulissat Initiative examines how the initiative came about, and how it has affected...... strong economic interests in maintaining peaceful Arctic relations. Northern forums therefore give policymakers a rare opportunity to meet, communicate, and influence a key region. The Ilulissat meeting was the result of a joint Danish‒Greenlandic initiative and is often hailed as one of the most...

Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens.

Science.gov (United States)

Chielo, Leonard Ikenna; Pike, Tom; Cooper, Jonathan

2016-04-26

In this study, the range use and behaviour of laying hens in commercial free-range flocks was explored. Six flocks were each visited on four separate days and data collected from their outdoor area (divided into zones based on distance from shed and available resources). These were: apron (0-10 m from shed normally without cover or other enrichments); enriched belt (10-50 m from shed where resources such as manmade cover, saplings and dust baths were provided); and outer range (beyond 50 m from shed with no cover and mainly grass pasture). Data collection consisted of counting the number of hens in each zone and recording behaviour, feather condition and nearest neighbour distance (NND) of 20 birds per zone on each visit day. In addition, we used techniques derived from ecological surveys to establish four transects perpendicular to the shed, running through the apron, enriched belt and outer range. Number of hens in each 10 m × 10 m quadrat was recorded four times per day as was the temperature and relative humidity of the outer range. On average, 12.5% of hens were found outside. Of these, 5.4% were found in the apron; 4.3% in the enriched zone; and 2.8% were in the outer range. This pattern was supported by data from quadrats, where the density of hens sharply dropped with increasing distance from shed. Consequently, NND was greatest in the outer range, least in the apron and intermediate in the enriched belt. Hens sampled in outer range and enriched belts had better feather condition than those from the apron. Standing, ground pecking, walking and foraging were the most commonly recorded activities with standing and pecking most likely to occur in the apron, and walking and foraging more common in the outer range. Use of the outer range declined with lower temperatures and increasing relative humidity, though use of apron and enriched belt was not affected by variation in these measures. These data support previous findings that outer range areas tend to be

Complex magnetic susceptibility setup for spectroscopy in the extremely low-frequency range

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuipers, B.W.M.; Bakelaar, I.A.; Klokkenburg, M.; Erne, B.H.

2008-01-01

A sensitive balanced differential transformer was built to measure complex initial parallel magnetic susceptibility spectra in the 0.01–1000 Hz range. The alternating magnetic field can be chosen sufficiently weak that the magnetic structure of the samples is only slightly perturbed and the low

Economic gains stimulate negative evaluations of corporate sustainability initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

Makov, Tamar; Newman, George E.

2016-09-01

In recent years, many organizations have sought to align their financial goals with environmental ones by identifying strategies that maximize profits while minimizing environmental impacts. Examples of this `win-win' approach can be found across a wide range of industries, from encouraging the reuse of hotel towels, to the construction of energy efficient buildings, to the large-scale initiatives of multi-national corporations. Although win-win strategies are generally thought to reflect positively on the organizations that employ them, here we find that people tend to respond negatively to the notion of profiting from environmental initiatives. In fact, observers may evaluate environmental win-wins less favourably than profit-seeking strategies that have no environmental benefits. The present studies suggest that how those initiatives are communicated to the general public may be of central importance. Therefore, organizations would benefit from carefully crafting the discourse around their win-win initiatives to ensure that they avoid this type of backlash.

Theoretical photoionization spectra in the UV photon energy range for a Mg-like Al+ ion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dae-Soung; Kim, Young Soon

2008-01-01

In the present work, we report the photoionization cross sections of the Al + ion calculated for the photon energy range 20-26 eV and 30-50 eV. We have expanded our previous calculation (2007 J. Phys. Soc. Japan 76 014302) with an optimized admixture of the initial ground state 3s 21 S and exited states 3s3p 1,3 P, 3s3d 1,3 D and 3s4s 1,3 S, and obtained significantly improved predictions for the main background and autoionizing resonance structures of the reported experimental spectra. The absolute measurements of the photoionization cross sections of the Al + ion in these energy ranges have been performed by West et al (2001 Phys. Rev. A 63 052719), and they reported that the prominent peaks around 21 eV were attributed to the effects of the significant influence of the small fraction of the fourth-order radiation with energies around 84 eV from the synchrotron source. In our previous work, the main shape for these cross sections was calculated assuming an admixture of initial 3s 21 S and 3s3p 3 P states, only with a rough overall estimate for the experimental spectra in the photon energy range 20-26 eV, and without these peaks around 21 eV. The report of the experimental assignment attributes these peaks to the excitation of a 2p electron from the core. However, our present results with the new admixture reveal similar peaks without considering the possibility of the core excitation

Species Entropies in the Kinetic Range of Collisionless Plasma Turbulence: Particle-in-cell Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Gary, S. Peter; Zhao, Yinjian; Hughes, R. Scott; Wang, Joseph; Parashar, Tulasi N.

2018-06-01

Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of the forward cascade of decaying turbulence in the relatively short-wavelength kinetic range have been carried out as initial-value problems on collisionless, homogeneous, magnetized electron-ion plasma models. The simulations have addressed both whistler turbulence at β i = β e = 0.25 and kinetic Alfvén turbulence at β i = β e = 0.50, computing the species energy dissipation rates as well as the increase of the Boltzmann entropies for both ions and electrons as functions of the initial dimensionless fluctuating magnetic field energy density ε o in the range 0 ≤ ε o ≤ 0.50. This study shows that electron and ion entropies display similar rates of increase and that all four entropy rates increase approximately as ε o , consistent with the assumption that the quasilinear premise is valid for the initial conditions assumed for these simulations. The simulations further predict that the time rates of ion entropy increase should be substantially greater for kinetic Alfvén turbulence than for whistler turbulence.

The influences of working memory representations on long-range regression in text reading: An eye-tracking study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teppei eTanaka

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present study investigated the relationship between verbal and visuospatial working memory capacity and long-range regression (i.e., word relocation processes in reading. We analyzed eye movements during a whodunit task, in which readers were asked to answer a content question while original text was being presented. The eye movements were more efficient in relocating a target word when the target was at recency positions within the text than when it was at primacy positions. Furthermore, both verbal and visuospatial working memory capacity partly predicted the efficiency of the initial long-range regression. The results indicate that working memory representations have a strong influence at the first stage of long-range regression by driving the first saccade movement toward the correct target position, suggesting that there is a dynamic interaction between internal working memory representations and external actions during text reading.

Mobile Health Initiatives in Vietnam: Scoping Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Jeffrey A; Dang, Linh Thuy; Phan, Ngoc Tran; Trinh, Hue Thi; Vu, Nguyen Cong; Nguyen, Cuong Kieu

2018-04-24

Mobile health (mHealth) offers a promising solution to the multitude of challenges the Vietnamese health system faces, but there is a scarcity of published information on mHealth in Vietnam. The objectives of this scoping study were (1) to summarize the extent, range, and nature of mHealth initiatives in Vietnam and (2) to examine the opportunities and threats of mHealth utilization in the Vietnamese context. This scoping study systematically identified and extracted relevant information from 20 past and current mHealth initiatives in Vietnam. The study includes multimodal information sources, including published literature, gray literature (ie, government reports and unpublished literature), conference presentations, Web-based documents, and key informant interviews. We extracted information from 27 records from the electronic search and conducted 14 key informant interviews, allowing us to identify 20 mHealth initiatives in Vietnam. Most of the initiatives were primarily funded by external donors (n=15), while other initiatives were government funded (n=1) or self-funded (n=4). A majority of the initiatives targeted vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations (n=11), aimed to prevent the occurrence of disease (n=12), and used text messaging (short message service, SMS) as part of their intervention (n=14). The study revealed that Vietnamese mHealth implementation has been challenged by factors including features unique to the Vietnamese language (n=4) and sociocultural factors (n=3). The largest threats to the popularity of mHealth initiatives are the absence of government policy, lack of government interest, heavy dependence on foreign funding, and lack of technological infrastructure. Finally, while current mHealth initiatives have already demonstrated promising opportunities for alternative models of funding, such as social entrepreneurship or private business models, sustainable mHealth initiatives outside of those funded by external donors have not yet been

Incidence and timing of cancer in HIV-infected individuals following initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanik, Elizabeth L; Napravnik, Sonia; Cole, Stephen R; Achenbach, Chad J; Gopal, Satish; Olshan, Andrew; Dittmer, Dirk P; Kitahata, Mari M; Mugavero, Michael J; Saag, Michael; Moore, Richard D; Mayer, Kenneth; Mathews, W Christopher; Hunt, Peter W; Rodriguez, Benigno; Eron, Joseph J

2013-09-01

Cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but patterns of cancer incidence after combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation remain poorly characterized. We evaluated the incidence and timing of cancer diagnoses among patients initiating ART between 1996 and 2011 in a collaboration of 8 US clinical HIV cohorts. Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rates. Cox regression was used to identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with cancer incidence after ART initiation. At initiation of first combination ART among 11 485 patients, median year was 2004 (interquartile range [IQR], 2000-2007) and median CD4 count was 202 cells/mm(3) (IQR, 61-338). Incidence rates for Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and lymphomas were highest in the first 6 months after ART initiation (P cancers combined increased from 416 to 615 cases per 100 000 person-years from 1 to 10 years after ART initiation (average 7% increase per year; 95% confidence interval, 2%-13%). Lower CD4 count at ART initiation was associated with greater risk of KS, lymphoma, and human papillomavirus-related cancer. Calendar year of ART initiation was not associated with cancer incidence. KS and lymphoma rates were highest immediately following ART initiation, particularly among patients with low CD4 cell counts, whereas other cancers increased with time on ART, likely reflecting increased cancer risk with aging. Our results underscore recommendations for earlier HIV diagnosis followed by prompt ART initiation along with ongoing aggressive cancer screening and prevention efforts throughout the course of HIV care.

Breast tomosynthesis in clinical practice: initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teertstra, Hendrik J.; Loo, Claudette E.; Bosch, Maurice A.A.J. van den; Muller, Sara H.; Gilhuijs, Kenneth G.A.; Tinteren, Harm van; Rutgers, Emiel J.T.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential value of tomosynthesis in women with an abnormal screening mammogram or with clinical symptoms. Mammography and tomosynthesis investigations of 513 woman with an abnormal screening mammogram or with clinical symptoms were prospectively classified according to the ACR BI-RADS criteria. Sensitivity and specificity of both techniques for the detection of cancer were calculated. In 112 newly detected cancers, tomosynthesis and mammography were each false-negative in 8 cases (7%). In the false-negative mammography cases, the tumor was detected with ultrasound (n=4), MRI (n=2), by recall after breast tomosynthesis interpretation (n=1), and after prophylactic mastectomy (n=1). Combining the results of mammography and tomosynthesis detected 109 cancers. Therefore in three patients, both mammography and tomosynthesis missed the carcinoma. The sensitivity of both techniques for the detection of breast cancer was 92.9%, and the specificity of mammography and tomosynthesis was 86.1 and 84.4%, respectively. Tomosynthesis can be used as an additional technique to mammography in patients referred with an abnormal screening mammogram or with clinical symptoms. Additional lesions detected by tomosynthesis, however, are also likely to be detected by other techniques used in the clinical work-up of these patients. (orig.)

Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonard Ikenna Chielo

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, the range use and behaviour of laying hens in commercial free-range flocks was explored. Six flocks were each visited on four separate days and data collected from their outdoor area (divided into zones based on distance from shed and available resources. These were: apron (0–10 m from shed normally without cover or other enrichments; enriched belt (10–50 m from shed where resources such as manmade cover, saplings and dust baths were provided; and outer range (beyond 50 m from shed with no cover and mainly grass pasture. Data collection consisted of counting the number of hens in each zone and recording behaviour, feather condition and nearest neighbour distance (NND of 20 birds per zone on each visit day. In addition, we used techniques derived from ecological surveys to establish four transects perpendicular to the shed, running through the apron, enriched belt and outer range. Number of hens in each 10 m × 10 m quadrat was recorded four times per day as was the temperature and relative humidity of the outer range. On average, 12.5% of hens were found outside. Of these, 5.4% were found in the apron; 4.3% in the enriched zone; and 2.8% were in the outer range. This pattern was supported by data from quadrats, where the density of hens sharply dropped with increasing distance from shed. Consequently, NND was greatest in the outer range, least in the apron and intermediate in the enriched belt. Hens sampled in outer range and enriched belts had better feather condition than those from the apron. Standing, ground pecking, walking and foraging were the most commonly recorded activities with standing and pecking most likely to occur in the apron, and walking and foraging more common in the outer range. Use of the outer range declined with lower temperatures and increasing relative humidity, though use of apron and enriched belt was not affected by variation in these measures. These data support previous findings that outer range

New results of novel long-range correlations in high-multiplicity pp collisions at 7 and 13 TeV from CMS

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2015-01-01

In 2010, CMS reported the observation of a novel long-range two-particle angular correlation in high-multiplicity pp collisions at 7 TeV, where an enhanced correlation for particles emitted at similar azimuthal angle (phi) over a wide range in pseudorapidity (known as the ``ridge'') is observed. This ridge correlation phenomenon was not seen in pp collisions before but reminiscent of similar effect first seen in high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions, which is attributed to collective flow of a strongly interacting, expanding quark-gluon medium. Later on, similar ridge correlations were also observed in high-multiplicity pPb collisions and studied in great detail by all LHC experiments. The start of the LHC run 2 brought new opportunities of exploring novel QCD emergent phenomena in pp collisions at the highest energy ever achieved. First CMS results on QCD physics in pp collisions at 13 TeV are presented and compared to the 7 TeV data. This includes the measurement of charged particle multipl...

Inhomogeneous initial data and small-field inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, M. C. David; Barrow, John D.; Ganguly, Chandrima

2018-05-01

We consider the robustness of small-field inflation in the presence of scalar field inhomogeneities. Previous numerical work has shown that if the scalar potential is flat only over a narrow interval, such as in commonly considered inflection-point models, even small-amplitude inhomogeneities present at the would-be onset of inflation at τ = τi can disrupt the accelerated expansion. In this paper, we parametrise and evolve the inhomogeneities from an earlier time τIC at which the initial data were imprinted, and show that for a broad range of inflationary and pre-inflationary models, inflection-point inflation withstands initial inhomogeneities. We consider three classes of perturbative pre-inflationary solutions (corresponding to energetic domination by the scalar field kinetic term, a relativistic fluid, and isotropic negative curvature), and two classes of exact solutions to Einstein's equations with large inhomogeneities (corresponding to a stiff fluid with cylindrical symmetry, and anisotropic negative curvature). We derive a stability condition that depends on the Hubble scales H(τi) and H(τIC), and a few properties of the pre-inflationary cosmology. For initial data imprinted at the Planck scale, the absence of an inhomogeneous initial data problem for inflection-point inflation leads to a novel, lower limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio.

Results of TGE Study in 0.03-10 MeV Energy Range in Ground Experiments near Moscow and Aragats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogomolov, V.; Kovalenko, A.; Panasyuk, M.; Saleev, K.; Svertilov, S.; Maximov, I.; Garipov, G.; Iyudin, A.; Chilingarian, A.; Hovsepyan, G.; Karapetyan, T.; Mntasakanyan, E.

2017-01-01

Ground-based experiments with scintillator gamma-spectrometers were conducted to study the spectral, temporal and spatial characteristics of TGES as well, as to search the fast hard X-ray and gamma-ray flashes possibly appearing at the moment of lightning. The time of each gamma-quantum interaction was recorded with ∼15 us accuracy together with detailed spectral data. The measurements are similar to ones reported at TEPA-2015 but some important improvement of the instruments was done for 2016 season. First, GPS module was used to synchronize the instrument time with UTC. The accuracy of such synchronization allows one to look at the gamma-ray data at the moment of lightning fixed by radio-wave detector or any other instrument. Second, the energy range of gamma-spectrometers was shifted to higher energies where the radiation of natural isotopes is absent. In this case one can see background changes connected with particles accelerated in thundercloud together with the background increases during the rain caused by Rn-222 daughters. Long-term measurements with two instruments placed in different points of Moscow region were done in 2016 season. First one based on CsI (Tl) 80x80 mm has energy range 0.03-6 MeV. The range of the second one based on CsI (Tl) 100x100 mm is 0.05-10 MeV. A dozen of thunderstorms with increase of Rn-222 radiation were detected but no significant increase of gamma-ray flux above 3.2 MeV was observed at these periods. A lot of data was obtained from the experiment with small gamma-ray spectrometer (40x40 mm NaI (T1) at mountain altitude in Armenia at Aragats station. The analysis of readings during the TGE periods indicates on the presence of Rn-222 radiation in low-energy range (E< l MeV). The detector was improved during TEPA-2016. New 50x50 mm NaI (Tl) crystal was used and the energy range was prolonged up to 5 MeV. Exact timing with GPS-sensor was added and fast recording of the output signal at the moments of triggers from UV flash

DNA replication initiator Cdc6 also regulates ribosomal DNA transcription initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shijiao; Xu, Xiaowei; Wang, Guopeng; Lu, Guoliang; Xie, Wenbing; Tao, Wei; Zhang, Hongyin; Jiang, Qing; Zhang, Chuanmao

2016-04-01

RNA-polymerase-I-dependent ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription is fundamental to rRNA processing, ribosome assembly and protein synthesis. However, how this process is initiated during the cell cycle is not fully understood. By performing a proteomic analysis of transcription factors that bind RNA polymerase I during rDNA transcription initiation, we identified that the DNA replication initiator Cdc6 interacts with RNA polymerase I and its co-factors, and promotes rDNA transcription in G1 phase in an ATPase-activity-dependent manner. We further showed that Cdc6 is targeted to the nucleolus during late mitosis and G1 phase in a manner that is dependent on B23 (also known as nucleophosmin, NPM1), and preferentially binds to the rDNA promoter through its ATP-binding domain. Overexpression of Cdc6 increases rDNA transcription, whereas knockdown of Cdc6 results in a decreased association of both RNA polymerase I and the RNA polymerase I transcription factor RRN3 with rDNA, and a reduction of rDNA transcription. Furthermore, depletion of Cdc6 impairs the interaction between RRN3 and RNA polymerase I. Taken together, our data demonstrate that Cdc6 also serves as a regulator of rDNA transcription initiation, and indicate a mechanism by which initiation of rDNA transcription and DNA replication can be coordinated in cells. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Recovery methods of the dragonfly from irregular initial conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Melfi, James; Leonardo, Anthony; Wang, Jane

We release dragonflies from a magnetic tether in a wide range of initial orientations, which results in them utilizing multiple methods to regain their typical flight orientation. Special focus is placed on dropping them while upside down, as the recovery method used is a purely rolling motion. Filming this stereotypical motion with a trio of high speed cameras at 4000 fps, we capture detailed body and wing kinematics data to determine how the dragonfly generates this motion. By replaying the flights within a computer simulation, we can isolate the significant changes to wing kinematics, and find that it is an asymmetry in the wing pitch which generates the roll. Further investigation demonstrates that this choice is highly dependent upon the state of the dragonfly, and as such our results indicate the dragonfly both tracks its current state, and changes its mid-flight control mechanisms accordingly.

Estudios sobre Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920: VIII. Respuesta a las reinfecciones en dos mamíferos Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920: VIII. Responses to reinfections in 2 mammals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Añez

1985-06-01

Full Text Available Bajo condiciones experimentales se estudia el curso de la infección primaria y la respuesta a las reinfecciones por Trypanosoma rangeli en ratones albinos y Didelphis marsupialis. Durante el curso de la infección primaria en ratones, se observa una parasitemia relativamente baja y de corta duración. Los mismos muestran durante la primera reinfección una parasitemia escasa de cuatro días de duración, siendo resistentes a las sucesivas reinfecciones con T. rangeli. Los ejemplares de D. marsupialis exhiben una parasitemia de más larga duración, pero con un nivel de parásitos sanguícolas mucho menor que el detectado en el modelo ratón, siendo la respuesta a las reinfecciones similar a la observada en ratones. Se detectan anticuerpos hemaglutinantes en los sueros inmunes de ratones y Didelphis marsupialis, sometidos a la reinfección por T. rangeli. Se especula sobre la posible acción sinérgica de una respuesta inmune en el sitio de deposición en contra de las formas metacíclicas de T. rangeli y la acción de anticuerpos circulantes en contra de las formas sanguícolas, para explicar la resistencia de ambos modelos a las reinfecciones por T. rangeli.Under experimental conditions, the course of the infection and the response to the reinfection by Trypanosoma rangeli in mice and Didelphis marsupialis, are studied. During the initial infection the mice show a relatively low parasitaemia and a short patent period. A scanty parasitaemia level of four days length, was observed following the first reinfection, being the mice resistant to new reinfections by T. rangeli. In opossums a lower parasitaemia and a longer patent period than that detected in mice, were observed during the initial infection. The response to reinfections in this mammal, was similar to that observed in mice. After reinfection with T. rangeli, haemagglutinant antibodies in immune-sera of both mice and opossums, were detected. The possible immune-response at the site of

Range and energetics of charge hopping in organic semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Abdalla, Hassan; Zuo, Guangzheng; Kemerink, Martijn

2017-12-01

The recent upswing in attention for the thermoelectric properties of organic semiconductors (OSCs) adds urgency to the need for a quantitative description of the range and energetics of hopping transport in organic semiconductors under relevant circumstances, i.e., around room temperature (RT). In particular, the degree to which hops beyond the nearest neighbor must be accounted for at RT is still largely unknown. Here, measurements of charge and energy transport in doped OSCs are combined with analytical modeling to reach the univocal conclusion that variable-range hopping is the proper description in a large class of disordered OSC at RT. To obtain quantitative agreement with experiment, one needs to account for the modification of the density of states by ionized dopants. These Coulomb interactions give rise to a deep tail of trap states that is independent of the material's initial energetic disorder. Insertion of this effect into a classical Mott-type variable-range hopping model allows one to give a quantitative description of temperature-dependent conductivity and thermopower measurements on a wide range of disordered OSCs. In particular, the model explains the commonly observed quasiuniversal power-law relation between the Seebeck coefficient and the conductivity.

National implementation of the UNECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (effects). Pt. 1. Deposition loads: methods, modelling and mapping results, trends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauger, Thomas [Federal Agricultural Research Centre, Braunschweig (DE). Inst. of Agroecology (FAL-AOE); Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Navigation; Haenel, Hans-Dieter; Roesemann, Claus [Federal Agricultural Research Centre, Braunschweig (DE). Inst. of Agroecology (FAL-AOE)

2008-09-15

The report on the implementation of the UNECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution Pt.1, deposition loads (methods, modeling and mapping results, trends) includes the following chapters: Introduction, deposition on air pollutants used for the input for critical loads in exceeding calculations, methods applied for mapping total deposition loads, mapping wet deposition, wet deposition mapping results, mapping dry deposition, dry deposition mapping results, cloud and fog mapping results, total deposition mapping results, modeling the air concentration of acidifying components and heavy metals, agricultural emissions of acidifying and eutrophying species.

On catalysis of the initial period of methylcyclohexane oxidation by salts of nontransition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, P.A.; Syroezhko, A.M.; Potekhin, V.M.

1976-01-01

The purpose of the present work was to study the influence of salts formed by alkali and alkaline-earth metals with aliphatic acids on chain initiation during the initial period of methylcyclohexane oxidation by air. The oxidation was carried out in an autoclave under 10 kg/cm 2 pressure in the temperature range 120-150 0 C, at catalyst concentrations in the range 0.0-2.36.10 -2 M. The inhibitor concentration was varied in the range 0.0-9.5.10 -4 M. Sodium, cesium, barium lithium and calcium stearates and sodium pelargonate (Pe) were used as catalysts. It was found that salts formed by nontransition metals with aliphatic acids having acid radicals with 9-16 carbon atoms are active catalysts of chain initiation. The catalytic activity of the salts increases with the ionic radius of the cation in the series LiSt 2 2 < CsSt. Radical formation is a first-order process with respect to the catalyst and is due to the polar group of the salt

Initial assessment of CryoSat-2 Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Wingham, D.; Galin, N.; Ridout, A.; Cullen, R.; Giles, K. A.; Laxon, S. W.

2011-12-01

Following the launch of CryoSat-2 in April 2010, we have examined the performance of the CryoSat-2 SAR Interferometer over the continental ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland, the Artic Ocean, and, for the purposes of calibration, over the oceans. Our aim has been to provide confirmation of the engineering performance of the radar interferometer, and to provide an initial geophysical validation of the resulting elevation measurements. We have confirmed the engineering performance at system level of the interferometer through performing a sequence of satellite rolls over the oceans, which provide a surface of known behavior and surface gradient. The activity has identified some errors in the SARIN L1b data products presently issued by ESA. Once corrected, the ocean calibration has demonstrated that the interferometer measures across-track surface slopes with a precision of 25 micro-radians and an accuracy of 10 micro-radians, which may be compared with a pre-launch estimation of 100 micro-radians; in short, the engineering performance greatly its the specification. The elevation measurement over the ice sheets combines the interferometer measurement of across track slope with the range measurement deduced from the SAR echoes. We have examined the performance of the range estimation, and determined the range precision to be 19 cm RMS at 20 Hz. We have examined the retrieval of the phase information over the ice sheets, and found the phase estimates to be robust and little affected by the uncertain ice sheet topography. Based on the calibration of the interferometer, the contribution of the across track slope error is, at 0.4 mm, negligible. While the quantity of data available to us that contains the corrections identified by the interferometer is limited, we have been able to confirm the range precision values from a limited cross-over analysis. Over marine sea ice, we have verified the discrimination of sea ice and ocean lead returns using contemporaneous SAR

On inertial range scaling laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowman, J.C.

1994-12-01

Inertial-range scaling laws for two- and three-dimensional turbulence are re-examined within a unified framework. A new correction to Kolmogorov's k -5/3 scaling is derived for the energy inertial range. A related modification is found to Kraichnan's logarithmically corrected two-dimensional enstrophy cascade law that removes its unexpected divergence at the injection wavenumber. The significance of these corrections is illustrated with steady-state energy spectra from recent high-resolution closure computations. The results also underscore the asymptotic nature of inertial-range scaling laws. Implications for conventional numerical simulations are discussed

Super-ranging. A new ranging strategy in European badgers.

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Aoibheann Gaughran

Full Text Available We monitored the ranging of a wild European badger (Meles meles population over 7 years using GPS tracking collars. Badger range sizes varied seasonally and reached their maximum in June, July and August. We analysed the summer ranging behaviour, using 83 home range estimates from 48 individuals over 6974 collar-nights. We found that while most adult badgers (males and females remained within their own traditional social group boundaries, several male badgers (on average 22% regularly ranged beyond these traditional boundaries. These adult males frequently ranged throughout two (or more social group's traditional territories and had extremely large home ranges. We therefore refer to them as super-rangers. While ranging across traditional boundaries has been recorded over short periods of time for extraterritorial mating and foraging forays, or for pre-dispersal exploration, the animals in this study maintained their super-ranges from 2 to 36 months. This study represents the first time such long-term extra-territorial ranging has been described for European badgers. Holding a super-range may confer an advantage in access to breeding females, but could also affect local interaction networks. In Ireland & the UK, badgers act as a wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (TB. Super-ranging may facilitate the spread of disease by increasing both direct interactions between conspecifics, particularly across social groups, and indirect interactions with cattle in their shared environment. Understanding super-ranging behaviour may both improve our understanding of tuberculosis epidemiology and inform future control strategies.

Crystallographic investigation of grain selection during initial solidification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esaka, H; Shinozuka, K; Kataoka, Y

2016-01-01

Normally, macroscopic solidified structure consists of chill, columnar and equiaxed zones. In a chill zone, many fine grains nucleate on the mold surface and grow their own preferred growth direction. Only a few of them continue to grow because of grain selection. In order to understand the grain selection process, crystallographic investigation has been carried out in the zone of initial solidification in this study. 10 g of Al-6 wt%Si alloy was melted at 850 °C and poured on the thick copper plate. Longitudinal cross section of the solidified shell was observed by a SEM and analyzed by EBSD. The result of EBSD mapping reveals that crystallographic orientation was random in the range of initial solidification. Further, some grains are elongated along their <100> direction. Columnar grains, whose growth directions are almost parallel to the heat flow direction, develop via grain selection. Here, a dendrite whose growth direction is close to the heat flow direction overgrows the other dendrite whose growth direction is far from the heat flow direction. However, sometimes we observed that dendrite, whose zenith angle is large, overgrew the other dendrite. It can be deduced that the time of nucleation on the mold surface is not constant. (paper)

Results of recent KROTOS FCI tests. Alumina vs. corium melts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huhtiniemi, I.; Magallon, D.; Hohmann, H. [Commission of the European Communities, Ispra (Italy). Joint Research Center

1998-01-01

Recent results from KROTOS fuel-coolant interaction experiments are discussed. Five tests with alumina were performed under highly subcooled conditions, all of these tests resulted in spontaneous steam explosions. Additionally, four tests were performed at low subcooling to confirm, on one hand, the suppression of spontaneous steam explosions under such conditions and, on the other hand, that such a system is still triggerable using an external initiator. The other test parameters in these alumina tests included the melt superheat and the initial pressure. All the tests in the investigated superheat range (150 K - 750 K) produced a steam explosion and no evidence of the explosion suppression by the elevated initial pressure (in the limited range of 0.1 - 0.375 MPa) was observed in the alumina tests. The corium test series include a test with 3 kg of melt under both subcooled and near saturated conditions at ambient pressure. Two additional tests were performed with subcooled water; one test was performed at an elevated pressure of 0.2 MPa with 2.4 kg of melt and another test with 5.1 kg of melt at ambient pressure. None of these tests with corium produced a propagating energetic steam explosion. However, propagating low energy (about twice the energy of the trigger pulse) events were observed. All corium tests produced significantly higher water level swells during the mixing phase than the corresponding alumina tests. Present experimental evidence suggests that the water depletion in the mixing zone suppresses energetic steam explosions with corium melts at ambient pressure and in the present pour geometry. Processes that could produce such a difference in void generation are discussed. (author)

Funding Initiatives | Women in Science | Initiatives | Indian Academy ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Initiatives; Women in Science; Funding Initiatives ... The Fellowship Scheme for Women Scientists for societal programmes is initiative of the ... at a young age of 52, after a valiant battle with cancer, today on 29th March 2016 in Delhi.

Characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene compared to those initiating bisphosphonates

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Wang Sara

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Both raloxifene and bisphosphonates are indicated for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, however these medications have different efficacy and safety profiles. It is plausible that physicians would prescribe these agents to optimize the benefit/risk profile for individual patients. The objective of this study was to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene with those of patients initiating bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Methods This study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. Female beneficiaries (45 years and older with at least one claim for raloxifene or a bisphosphonate in 2003 through 2005 and continuous enrollment in the previous 12 months and subsequent 6 months were identified using a collection of large national commercial, Medicare supplemental, and Medicaid administrative claims databases (MarketScan®. Patients were divided into two cohorts, a combined commercial/Medicare cohort and a Medicaid cohort. Within each cohort, characteristics (demographic, clinical, and resource utilization of patients initiating raloxifene were compared to those of patients initiating bisphosphonate therapy. Group comparisons were made using chi-square tests for proportions of categorical measures and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to simultaneously examine factors independently associated with initiation of raloxifene versus a bisphosphonate. Results Within both the commercial/Medicare and Medicaid cohorts, raloxifene patients were younger, had fewer comorbid conditions, and fewer pre-existing fractures than bisphosphonate patients. Raloxifene patients in both cohorts were less likely to have had a bone mineral density (BMD screening in the previous year than were bisphosphonate patients, and were also more likely to have used estrogen or estrogen/progestin therapy in the

Evaluation of energy requirements for all-electric range of plug-in hybrid electric two-wheeler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amjad, Shaik; Rudramoorthy, R.; Neelakrishnan, S.; Sri Raja Varman, K.; Arjunan, T.V.

2011-01-01

Recently plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are emerging as one of the promising alternative to improve the sustainability of transportation energy and air quality especially in urban areas. The all-electric range in PHEV design plays a significant role in sizing of battery pack and cost. This paper presents the evaluation of battery energy and power requirements for a plug-in hybrid electric two-wheeler for different all-electric ranges. An analytical vehicle model and MATLAB simulation analysis has been discussed. The MATLAB simulation results estimate the impact of driving cycle and all-electric range on energy capacity, additional mass and initial cost of lead-acid, nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries. This paper also focuses on influence of cycle life on annual cost of battery pack and recommended suitable battery pack for implementing in plug-in hybrid electric two-wheelers. -- Research highlights: → Evaluates the battery energy and power requirements for a plug-in hybrid electric two-wheeler. → Simulation results reveal that the IDC demand more energy and cost of battery compared to ECE R40. → If cycle life is considered, the annual cost of Ni-MH battery pack is lower than lead-acid and Li-ion.

Patterning of gold substrates by surface-initiated polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dyer, D.J. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-4409 (United States)

2003-09-01

The design and synthesis of durable and functional organic coatings is an important topic in contemporary polymer science. The well-defined patterning of inorganic substrates is highlighted with an emphasis on planar gold. New advances in contact printing and surface initiated polymerization promise unprecedented control of the polymer architecture in the micrometer and nanometer range. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Effect of Initial Moisture on the Adsorption and Desorption Equilibrium Moisture Contents of Polished Rice

OpenAIRE

Murata, Satoshi; Amaratunga, K.S.P.; Tanaka, Fumihiko; Hori, Yoshiaki; 村田, 敏; 田中, 史彦; 堀, 善昭

1993-01-01

The moisture adsorption and desorption properties for polished rice have been measured using a dynamic ventilatory method. Air temperatures of 10,20,30 and 40℃, relative humidities of 50,60,70,80 and 90%, and five levels of initial moisture contents ranging approximately from 8% to 19% d.b. were used to obtain moisture content data. The value of equilibrium moisture content for each initial moisture content at the range of air condition was determined by a method of nonlinear least squares. R...

Site characterization at the Rabbit Valley Geophysical Performance Evaluation Range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koppenjan, S.; Martinez, M.

1994-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (US DOE) is developing a Geophysical Performance Evaluation Range (GPER) at Rabbit Valley located 30 miles west of Grand Junction, Colorado. The purpose of the range is to provide a test area for geophysical instruments and survey procedures. Assessment of equipment accuracy and resolution is accomplished through the use of static and dynamic physical models. These models include targets with fixed configurations and targets that can be re-configured to simulate specific specifications. Initial testing (1991) combined with the current tests at the Rabbit Valley GPER will establish baseline data and will provide performance criteria for the development of geophysical technologies and techniques. The US DOE's Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) staff has conducted a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey of the site with its stepped FM-CW GPR. Additionally, STL contracted several other geophysical tests. These include an airborne GPR survey incorporating a ''chirped'' FM-CW GPR system and a magnetic survey with a surfaced-towed magnetometer array unit Ground-based and aerial video and still frame pictures were also acquired. STL compiled and analyzed all of the geophysical maps and created a site characterization database. This paper discusses the results of the multi-sensor geophysical studies performed at Rabbit Valley and the future plans for the site

INITIAL TRAINING OF RESEARCHERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karina Alejandra Cruz-Pallares

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The document presents results of a research that used as strategy a complementary training project with thirty-three students of a Bachelors Degree in Primary School 1997(DPS,1997 of an Education Faculty for the initial training of investigators, applied by four teachers members of the academic research group in Mexico; that develops through process of action research methodology. Highlighted in results is the strengthening of the competition of reading, understanding and writing scientific texts, which is analogous to the first feature of the graduate profile called intellectual skills. Among the conclusions it is emphasized that the initial training of teachers in a task that is quite interesting, challenging and complex, as is the educational complex phenomenon.

Arc-continent collision of the Coastal Range in Taiwan: Geochronological constraints from U-Pb ages of zircons

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Wei; Zhang, Xun-Hua; Huang, Long

2018-04-01

The oblique arc-continent collision between the Luzon arc and the southeastern margin of the Eurasian continent caused the uplift of Taiwan. The Coastal Range in eastern Taiwan is the northern section of the Luzon arc in the collision zone and thus records important information about the arc-continent collision. In this paper, we determine and analyze the U-Pb ages of magmatic zircons from the volcanic arc and clastic zircons from the fore-arc basin in the Coastal Range. For the volcanic arc in the Coastal Range, the eruption ages range from 16.8-5 Ma. Given that the initial subduction of the South China Sea oceanic crust (17 Ma) occurred before the Luzon arc formed, we conclude that the volcanic activity of the Coastal Range began at 16.8 ± 1.3 Ma; it was most active from 14 to 8 Ma and continued until approximately 5 Ma. The U-Pb chronology also indicates that the initial stage of arc-continent collision of the Coastal Range started at approximately 5 Ma, when the northern section of the Luzon arc moved away from the magmatic chamber because of the kinematics of the Philippine Sea Plate.

Initial Results of Peripheral-Blood Stem-Cell Mobilization, Collection, Cryopreservation, and Engraftment After Autologous Transplantation Confirm That the Capacity-Building Approach Offers Good Chances of Success in Critical Contexts: A Kurdish-Italian Cooperative Project at the Hiwa Cancer Hospital, Sulaymaniyah

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignazio Majolino

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: At Hiwa Cancer Hospital (Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan after the center was started by a cooperative project in June 2016, autologous transplantation was developed. Patients and Methods: To develop the project, the capacity-building approach was adopted, with on-site training and coaching of personnel, educational meetings, lectures, on-the-job training, and the implementation of quality management planning. Results: Here, we report initial results of peripheral-blood stem-cell mobilization and collection of the first 27 patients (age 12 to 61 years; 19 males and 8 females; multiple myeloma, n = 10; plasma cell leukemia, n = 1; Hodgkin lymphoma, n = 12; non-Hodgkin lymphoma, n = 3; and acute myeloid leukemia, n = 1. Only three (11.5% of 26 patients experienced a failure of mobilization. A median of 6.1 × 106/kg CD34-positive cells per patient were collected (range, 2.4 to 20.8, with two apheretic runs. Twenty-four patients underwent autologous transplantation. All but one transplantation engrafted fully and steadily, with 0.5 and 1.0 × 109/L polymorphonucleates on day 10.5 (range, 8 to 12 and day 11 (range, 9 to 15, respectively, and with 20 and 50 × 109/L platelets on day 13 (range, 10 to 17 and day 17 (range, 2 to 44, respectively. More than 95% of patients are projected to survive 1 year after autograft. Conclusion: These data are the result of an Italian effort to establish in Iraqi Kurdistan a leading center for hemopoietic stem-cell transplantation. The capacity building approach was used, with on-site training and coaching as instruments for the development of provider ability and problem solving. With future limitations for immigration, this method will be helpful, especially in the field of high-technology medicine.

Initial results of shoulder MRI in external rotation after primary shoulder dislocation and after immobilization in external rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennekamp, W.; Nicolas, V.; Gekle, C.; Seybold, D.

2006-01-01

Purpose: A change in the strategy for treating primary anterior traumatic dislocation of the shoulder has occurred. To date, brief fixation of internal rotation via a Gilchrist bandage has been used. Depending on the patient's age, a redislocation is seen in up to 90% of cases. This is due to healing of the internally rotated labrum-ligament tear in an incorrect position. In the case of external rotation of the humerus, better repositioning of the labrum ligament complex is achieved. Using MRI of the shoulder in external rotation, the extent of the improved labrum-ligament adjustment can be documented, and the indication of immobilization of the shoulder in external rotation can be derived. The aim of this investigation is to describe the degree of position changing of the labrum-ligament tear in internal and external rotation. Materials and Methods: 10 patients (9 male, 1 female, mean age 30.4 years, range 15-43 years) with a primary anterior dislocation of the shoulder without hyper laxity of the contra lateral side and labrum-ligament lesion substantiated by MRI were investigated using a standard shoulder MRI protocol (PD-TSE axial fs, PD-TSE coronar fs, T2-TSE sagittal, T1-TSE coronar) by an axial PD-TSE sequence in internal and external rotation. The dislocation and separation of the anterior labrum-ligament complex were measured. The shoulders were immobilized in 10 external rotation for 3 weeks. After 6 weeks a shoulder MRI in internal rotation was performed. Results: In all patients there was a significantly better position of the labrum-ligament complex of the inferior rim in external rotation, because of the tension of the ventral capsule and the subscapular muscle. In the initial investigation, the separation of the labrum-ligament complex in internal rotation was 0.44±0.27 mm and the dislocation was 0.45±0.33 mm. In external rotation the separation was 0.01±0.19 mm and the dislocation was -0.08±0.28 mm. After 6 weeks of immobilization in 10 external

The clinical usefulness of initial serum procalcitonin as an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The serum levels of WBC counts and C‑reactive protein in the aggravation group were elevated. However, the median value (interquartile range) of procalcitonin was relatively increased at 2.28 (0.41–7.84 ng/ml), demonstrating a significant difference. Conclusions: In conclusion, initial serum levels of procalcitonin might be ...

Distribution and Fate of Energetics on DoD Test and Training Ranges: Interim Report 3

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pennington, Judith

2003-01-01

.... The objective of this project, initiated in FYOO and planned for completion in FYO5, was to determine the potential for environmental contamination from residues of energetic materials on ranges...

On specification of initial conditions in turbulence models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rollin, Bertrand [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Andrews, Malcolm J [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-12-01

Recent research has shown that initial conditions have a significant influence on the evolution of a flow towards turbulence. This important finding offers a unique opportunity for turbulence control, but also raises the question of how to properly specify initial conditions in turbulence models. We study this problem in the context of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is an interfacial fluid instability that leads to turbulence and turbulent mixing. It occurs when a light fluid is accelerated in to a heavy fluid because of misalignment between density and pressure gradients. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability plays a key role in a wide variety of natural and man-made flows ranging from supernovae to the implosion phase of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). Our approach consists of providing the turbulence models with a predicted profile of its key variables at the appropriate time in accordance to the initial conditions of the problem.

Sampling Number Effects in 2D and Range Imaging of Range-gated Acquisition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Seong-Ouk; Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Cho, Jai-Wan; Jeong, Kyung-Min

2015-01-01

In this paper, we analyzed the number effects of sampling images for making a 2D image and a range image from acquired RGI images. We analyzed the number effects of RGI images for making a 2D image and a range image using a RGI vision system. As the results, 2D image quality was not much depended on the number of sampling images but on how much well extract efficient RGI images. But, the number of RGI images was important for making a range image because range image quality was proportional to the number of RGI images. Image acquiring in a monitoring area of nuclear industry is an important function for safety inspection and preparing appropriate control plans. To overcome the non-visualization problem caused by airborne obstacle particles, vision systems should have extra-functions, such as active illumination lightening through disturbance airborne particles. One of these powerful active vision systems is a range-gated imaging system. The vision system based on the range-gated imaging system can acquire image data from raining or smoking environments. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and 3D images is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra-short exposure time to only get the illumination light. Here, the illuminant illuminates objects by flashing strong light through airborne disturbance particles. Thus, in contrast to passive conventional vision systems, the RGI active vision technology robust for low-visibility environments

Sampling Number Effects in 2D and Range Imaging of Range-gated Acquisition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Seong-Ouk; Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Cho, Jai-Wan; Jeong, Kyung-Min [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In this paper, we analyzed the number effects of sampling images for making a 2D image and a range image from acquired RGI images. We analyzed the number effects of RGI images for making a 2D image and a range image using a RGI vision system. As the results, 2D image quality was not much depended on the number of sampling images but on how much well extract efficient RGI images. But, the number of RGI images was important for making a range image because range image quality was proportional to the number of RGI images. Image acquiring in a monitoring area of nuclear industry is an important function for safety inspection and preparing appropriate control plans. To overcome the non-visualization problem caused by airborne obstacle particles, vision systems should have extra-functions, such as active illumination lightening through disturbance airborne particles. One of these powerful active vision systems is a range-gated imaging system. The vision system based on the range-gated imaging system can acquire image data from raining or smoking environments. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and 3D images is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra-short exposure time to only get the illumination light. Here, the illuminant illuminates objects by flashing strong light through airborne disturbance particles. Thus, in contrast to passive conventional vision systems, the RGI active vision technology robust for low-visibility environments.

CDK9-dependent RNA polymerase II pausing controls transcription initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gressel, Saskia; Schwalb, Björn; Decker, Tim Michael; Qin, Weihua; Leonhardt, Heinrich; Eick, Dirk; Cramer, Patrick

2017-10-10

Gene transcription can be activated by decreasing the duration of RNA polymerase II pausing in the promoter-proximal region, but how this is achieved remains unclear. Here we use a 'multi-omics' approach to demonstrate that the duration of polymerase pausing generally limits the productive frequency of transcription initiation in human cells ('pause-initiation limit'). We further engineer a human cell line to allow for specific and rapid inhibition of the P-TEFb kinase CDK9, which is implicated in polymerase pause release. CDK9 activity decreases the pause duration but also increases the productive initiation frequency. This shows that CDK9 stimulates release of paused polymerase and activates transcription by increasing the number of transcribing polymerases and thus the amount of mRNA synthesized per time. CDK9 activity is also associated with long-range chromatin interactions, suggesting that enhancers can influence the pause-initiation limit to regulate transcription.

Is goniometry suitable for measuring ankle range of motion in female ballet dancers? An initial comparison with radiographic measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Jeffrey A; Shave, Ruth M; Kruse, David W; Nevill, Alan M; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2011-06-01

Female ballet dancers require extreme ankle motion to attain the demi-plié (weight-bearing full dorsiflexion [DF]) and en pointe (weight-bearing full plantar flexion [PF]) positions of ballet. However, techniques for assessing this amount of motion have not yet received sufficient scientific scrutiny. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine possible differences between weight-bearing goniometric and radiographic ankle range of motion measurements in female ballet dancers. Ankle range of motion in 8 experienced female ballet dancers was assessed by goniometry and 2 radiographic measurement methods. The latter were performed on 3 mediolateral x-rays, in demi-plié, neutral, and en pointe positions; one of them used the same landmarks as goniometry. DF values were not significantly different among the methods, but PF values were (P ballet dancers and suggest that goniometry may not be ideal for assessing ankle range of motion in these individuals. Therefore, further research is needed to standardize how DF and PF are measured in ballet dancers. Diagnostic, Level I.

Initial assessment of hearing loss using a mobile application for audiological evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Derin, S; Cam, O H; Beydilli, H; Acar, E; Elicora, S S; Sahan, M

2016-03-01

This study aimed to compare an Apple iOS mobile operating system application for audiological evaluation with conventional audiometry, and to determine its accuracy and reliability in the initial evaluation of hearing loss. The study comprised 32 patients (16 females) diagnosed with hearing loss. The patients were first evaluated with conventional audiometry and the degree of hearing loss was recorded. Then they underwent a smartphone-based hearing test and the data were compared using Cohen's kappa analysis. Patients' mean age was 53.59 ± 18.01 years (range, 19-85 years). The mobile phone audiometry results for 39 of the 64 ears were fully compatible with the conventional audiometry results. There was a statistically significant concordant relationship between the two sets of audiometry results (p Apple iPhone 5 that can measure hearing loss with reliable results.

Prostate Health Index (Phi) and Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3) Significantly Improve Prostate Cancer Detection at Initial Biopsy in a Total PSA Range of 2–10 ng/ml

Science.gov (United States)

Perdonà, Sisto; Marino, Ada; Mazzarella, Claudia; Perruolo, Giuseppe; D’Esposito, Vittoria; Cosimato, Vincenzo; Buonerba, Carlo; Di Lorenzo, Giuseppe; Musi, Gennaro; De Cobelli, Ottavio; Chun, Felix K.; Terracciano, Daniela

2013-01-01

Many efforts to reduce prostate specific antigen (PSA) overdiagnosis and overtreatment have been made. To this aim, Prostate Health Index (Phi) and Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3) have been proposed as new more specific biomarkers. We evaluated the ability of phi and PCA3 to identify prostate cancer (PCa) at initial prostate biopsy in men with total PSA range of 2–10 ng/ml. The performance of phi and PCA3 were evaluated in 300 patients undergoing first prostate biopsy. ROC curve analyses tested the accuracy (AUC) of phi and PCA3 in predicting PCa. Decision curve analyses (DCA) were used to compare the clinical benefit of the two biomarkers. We found that the AUC value of phi (0.77) was comparable to those of %p2PSA (0.76) and PCA3 (0.73) with no significant differences in pairwise comparison (%p2PSA vs phi p = 0.673, %p2PSA vs. PCA3 p = 0.417 and phi vs. PCA3 p = 0.247). These three biomarkers significantly outperformed fPSA (AUC = 0.60), % fPSA (AUC = 0.62) and p2PSA (AUC = 0.63). At DCA, phi and PCA3 exhibited a very close net benefit profile until the threshold probability of 25%, then phi index showed higher net benefit than PCA3. Multivariable analysis showed that the addition of phi and PCA3 to the base multivariable model (age, PSA, %fPSA, DRE, prostate volume) increased predictive accuracy, whereas no model improved single biomarker performance. Finally we showed that subjects with active surveillance (AS) compatible cancer had significantly lower phi and PCA3 values (p<0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, both phi and PCA3 comparably increase the accuracy in predicting the presence of PCa in total PSA range 2–10 ng/ml at initial biopsy, outperforming currently used %fPSA. PMID:23861782

First results of Herschel-PACS observations of Neptune

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lellouch, E.; Hartogh, P.; Feuchtgruber, H.; Vandenbussche, B.; de Graauw, Th.; Moreno, R.; Jarchow, C.; Cavalie, T.; Orton, G.; Banaszkiewicz, M.; Blecka, M. I.; Bockelee-Morvan, D.; Crovisier, J.; Encrenaz, T.; Fulton, T.; Kueppers, M.; Lara, L. M.; Lis, D. C.; Medvedev, A. S.; Rengel, M.; Sagawa, H.; Swinyard, B.; Szutowicz, S.; Bensch, F.; Bergin, E.; Billebaud, F.; Biver, N.; Blake, G. A.; Blommaert, J. A. D. L.; Cernicharo, J.; Courtin, R.; Davis, G. R.; Decin, L.; Encrenaz, P.; Gonzalez, A.; Jehin, E.; Kidger, M.; Naylor, D.; Portyankina, G.; Schieder, R.; Sidher, S.; Thomas, N.; de Val-Borro, M.; Verdugo, E.; Waelkens, C.; Aarts, H.; Comito, C.; Kawamura, J. H.; Maestrini, A.; Peacocke, T.; Teipen, R.; Tils, T.; Wildeman, K.; Walker, H.; Blake, G.A.

2010-01-01

We report on the initial analysis of a Herschel-PACS full range spectrum of Neptune, covering the 51-220 mu m range with a mean resolving power of similar to 3000, and complemented by a dedicated observation of CH(4) at 120 mu m. Numerous spectral features due to HD (R(0) and R(1)), H(2)O, CH(4),

Automatic initialization and quality control of large-scale cardiac MRI segmentations.

Science.gov (United States)

Albà, Xènia; Lekadir, Karim; Pereañez, Marco; Medrano-Gracia, Pau; Young, Alistair A; Frangi, Alejandro F

2018-01-01

Continuous advances in imaging technologies enable ever more comprehensive phenotyping of human anatomy and physiology. Concomitant reduction of imaging costs has resulted in widespread use of imaging in large clinical trials and population imaging studies. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), in particular, offers one-stop-shop multidimensional biomarkers of cardiovascular physiology and pathology. A wide range of analysis methods offer sophisticated cardiac image assessment and quantification for clinical and research studies. However, most methods have only been evaluated on relatively small databases often not accessible for open and fair benchmarking. Consequently, published performance indices are not directly comparable across studies and their translation and scalability to large clinical trials or population imaging cohorts is uncertain. Most existing techniques still rely on considerable manual intervention for the initialization and quality control of the segmentation process, becoming prohibitive when dealing with thousands of images. The contributions of this paper are three-fold. First, we propose a fully automatic method for initializing cardiac MRI segmentation, by using image features and random forests regression to predict an initial position of the heart and key anatomical landmarks in an MRI volume. In processing a full imaging database, the technique predicts the optimal corrective displacements and positions in relation to the initial rough intersections of the long and short axis images. Second, we introduce for the first time a quality control measure capable of identifying incorrect cardiac segmentations with no visual assessment. The method uses statistical, pattern and fractal descriptors in a random forest classifier to detect failures to be corrected or removed from subsequent statistical analysis. Finally, we validate these new techniques within a full pipeline for cardiac segmentation applicable to large-scale cardiac MRI databases. The

Free Range Hens Use the Range More When the Outdoor Environment Is Enriched

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. A. D. Nagle

2012-04-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the role of using forage, shade and shelterbelts in attracting birds into the range, three trials were undertaken with free range layers both on a research facility and on commercial farms. Each of the trials on the free range research facility in South Australia used a total of 120 laying hens (Hyline Brown. Birds were housed in an eco-shelter which had 6 internal pens of equal size with a free range area adjoining the shelter. The on-farm trials were undertaken on commercial free range layer farms in the Darling Downs in Southeast Queensland with bird numbers on farms ranging from 2,000–6,800 hens. The first research trial examined the role of shaded areas in the range; the second trial examined the role of forage and the third trial examined the influence of shelterbelts in the range. These treatments were compared to a free range area with no enrichment. Aggressive feather pecking was only observed on a few occasions in all of the trials due to the low bird numbers housed. Enriching the free range environment attracted more birds into the range. Shaded areas were used by 18% of the hens with a tendency (p = 0.07 for more hens to be in the paddock. When forage was provided in paddocks more control birds (55% were observed in the range in morning than in the afternoon (30% while for the forage treatments 45% of the birds were in the range both during the morning and afternoon. When shelterbelts were provided there was a significantly (p<0.05 higher % of birds in the range (43% vs. 24% and greater numbers of birds were observed in areas further away from the poultry house. The results from the on-farm trials mirrored the research trials. Overall 3 times more hens used the shaded areas than the non shaded areas, with slightly more using the shade in the morning than in the afternoon. As the environmental temperature increased the number of birds using the outdoor shade also increased. Overall 17 times more hens used the shelterbelt

Clinical Response to Gefitinib Retreatment of Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients Who Benefited from An Initial Gefitinib Therapy: A Retrospective Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junling LI

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background and objective Gefitinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI that has been widely used for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. It is most effective in women, as well as in patients who have never smoked, have pulmonary adenocarcinomas, or are of Asian origin. Several treatment options are available for NSCLC patients who responded to initial gefitinib therapy but demonstrated tumor progression, of which gefitinib readministration is the chosen therapeutic option. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gefitinib readministration. Methods The clinical data of 18 patients with NSCLC who had shown partial response (PR or achieved a stable disease (SD status after gefitinib administration and were retreated with gefitinib due to failure of the initial therapy were reviewed and retrospectively analyzed. Results Of the 18 patients studied, 1 (6% showed partial remission (PR, 11 (61% achieved SD, and 6 (33% experienced disease progression. The disease control rate was 67%, and the median progression-free survival was 5.16 months (range, 1 to 24.8 months. The median overall survival from the start of the gefitinib therapy was 39.4 months (range, 15.38 to 52.44 months. Moreover, the median overall survival from the beginning of the 2nd therapy was 12.41 months (range, 3.98 to 38.24 months. Mild toxicity was observed with the 2nd gefitinib therapy. Conclusion The results of the present study indicate that patients with NSCLC may still be expected to achieve prolonged survival through gefitinib readministration if they initially responded to gefitinib and underwent various subsequent treatments.

Student initiative: A conceptual analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polovina Nada

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the description and scientific consideration of the attitude of children and youth towards their education and development, the concept of student initiative has been gaining ground lately, and it is hence the subject of analysis in this paper. The analysis is important because of the discrepancy between the increased efforts of the key educational policy holders to promote the idea about the importance of the development of student initiative and rare acceptance of this idea among theoreticians, researchers and practitioners dealing with the education and development of children and youth. By concretising the features of initiative student behaviour, our aim was, on the one hand, to observe the structural determinants and scientific status of the very concept of an initiative student, and, on the other, to contribute to the understanding of the initiative behaviour in practice. In the first part of the paper we deal with different notions and concretisations of the features of initiative behaviour of children and youth, which includes the consideration of: basic student initiative, academic student initiative, individual student initiative, the capacity for initiative and personal development initiative. In the second part of the paper, we discuss the relations of the concept of student initiative with the similar general concepts (activity/passivity, proactivity, agency and the concepts immediately related to school environment (student involvement, student participation. The results of our analysis indicate that the concept of student initiative has: particular features that differentiate it from similar concepts; the potential to reach the status of a scientific concept, bearing in mind the initial empirical specifications and general empirical verifiability of the yet unverified determinants of the concept. In the concluding part of the paper, we discuss the implications of the conceptual analysis for further research, as well as for

First Pb-Pb dating results from carbonado diamonds from Chapada Diamantina (BA) and Jequitinhonha River (MG), Espinhaco Range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaves, Mario Luiz de Sa Carneiro; Sano, Yuji; Chambel, Luis

2005-01-01

Most carbonados found in Brazil occur along the Espinhaco Range, associated to conglomeratic rocks of the Espinhaco Supergroup. This paper presents Pb-Pb radiometric ages on mineral inclusions (quartz, rutile and clay) and matrix of carbonados from the Andarai and Jequitinhonha River areas. Even with a large experimental error, the results obtained of 3,8±1,8Ga and 3,3±0,7 Ga respectively, are of regional geologic interest. The minimum carbonado formation age (ca.2,5 Ga) is older than the Espinhaco Supergroup deposition age (≅ 1,7 Ga). Other evidences suggest that this minimum age corresponds to the seed aggregation phase; the crustal inclusions being aggregated in an environment rich in high-energy radioactive particles. (author)

Electromagnetic emission from terrestrial lightning in the 0.1-30 MHz frequency range

Science.gov (United States)

Karashtin, A. N.; Gurevich, A. V.

Results of measurements carried out at SURA facility of Radiophisical Research Institute and at Tien-Shan Mountain Scientific Station of Lebedev Physical Institute using specially designed installations for short electromagnetic pulse observation in the frequency range from 0.1 to 30 MHz are presented. Specific attention is paid to initial stage of the lightning discharge. It is shown that lightning can be initiated by extensive atmospheric showers caused by high energy cosmic ray particles. Analysis of emission of few thousand lightning discharges showed that • Short wave radio emission of lightning consists of a series of short pulses with duration from less than 100 nanoseconds to several microseconds separated well longer gaps. • Background noise between lightning discharges is not differ from one observed without thunderstorm activity (at given sensitivity). Usually it is the same between lightning pulses at least at the initial stage. • Each lightning discharge radio emission starts with a number of very short (less than 100 nanoseconds at 0.7 level) bi-polar pulses. Gaps between initial pulses vary from several microseconds to few hundreds of microseconds. No radio emission was observed before the first pulse during at least 500 milliseconds. Both positive and negative polarity of the first pulses occur in approximately equal proportion in different lightning discharges while the polarity was the same in any individual lightning. • First pulse amplitude, width and waveform are consistent with predicted by the theory of combined action of runaway breakdown and extensive atmospheric shower caused by cosmic ray particle of 1016 eV energy. Lightning discharges at other planets can be initiated by cosmic ray particles as well. This work was partly supported by ISTC grant # 2236p. The work of one of the authors (A. N. Karashtin) was also partly supported by INTAS grant # 03-51-5727.

Treatment and conditioning of low-level radioactive waste in Belgium: initial operating results of the Cilva facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monsch, O.; Renard, C.; Deckers, J.; Luycx, P.

1995-01-01

The Belgian National Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Material Agency (ONDRAF), which is responsible for the management of all radioactive waste in Belgium, recently decided to commission the CILVA facility. Operation of this facility, which comprises a number of units for the treatment of low-level radwaste, has been contracted to ONDRAF's Belgoprocess subsidiary based at the Dessel site. A consortium comprising SGN and Fabricom was in charge of building the CILVA facility's waste preparation and conditioning (concrete solidification) units. The concrete solidification processes, which were devised and developed by SGN, have been qualified to secure ONDRAF certification of the process and the facility. This enabled active commissioning of the waste conditioning unit in mid-August 1994. Active commissioning of the waste preparation unit was carried out in several stages up to the beginning of 1995 in accordance with operating requirements. Initial operating results of the two units are presented. (author)

Automotive FMCW Radar-Enhanced Range Estimation via a Local Resampling Fourier Transform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cailing Wang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In complex traffic scenarios, more accurate measurement and discrimination for an automotive frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW radar is required for intelligent robots, driverless cars and driver-assistant systems. A more accurate range estimation method based on a local resampling Fourier transform (LRFT for a FMCW radar is developed in this paper. Radar signal correlation in the phase space sees a higher signal-noise-ratio (SNR to achieve more accurate ranging, and the LRFT - which acts on a local neighbour as a refinement step - can achieve a more accurate target range. The rough range is estimated through conditional pulse compression (PC and then, around the initial rough estimation, a refined estimation through the LRFT in the local region achieves greater precision. Furthermore, the LRFT algorithm is tested in numerous simulations and physical system experiments, which show that the LRFT algorithm achieves a more precise range estimation than traditional FFT-based algorithms, especially for lower bandwidth signals.

Beacon communities' public health initiatives: a case study analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Massoudi, Barbara L; Marcial, Laura H; Haque, Saira; Bailey, Robert; Chester, Kelley; Cunningham, Shellery; Riley, Amanda; Soper, Paula

2014-01-01

The Beacon Communities for Public Health (BCPH) project was launched in 2011 to gain a better understanding of the range of activities currently being conducted in population- and public health by the Beacon Communities. The project highlighted the successes and challenges of these efforts with the aim of sharing this information broadly among the public health community. The Beacon Community Program, designed to showcase technology-enabled, community-based initiatives to improve outcomes, focused on: building and strengthening health information technology (IT) infrastructure and exchange capabilities; translating investments in health IT to measureable improvements in cost, quality, and population health; and, developing innovative approaches to performance measurement, technology, and care delivery. Four multimethod case studies were conducted based on a modified sociotechnical framework to learn more about public health initiative implementation and use in the Beacon Communities. Our methodological approach included using document review and semistructured key informant interviews. NACCHO Model Practice Program criteria were used to select the public health initiatives included in the case studies. Despite differences among the case studies, common barriers and facilitators were found to be present in all areas of the sociotechnical framework application including structure, people, technology, tasks, overarching considerations, and sustainability. Overall, there were many more facilitators (range = 7-14) present for each Beacon compared to barriers (range = 4-6). Four influential promising practices were identified through the work: forging strong and sustainable partnerships; ensuring a good task-technology fit and a flexible and iterative design; fostering technology acceptance; and, providing education and demonstrating value. A common weakness was the lack of a framework or model for the Beacon Communities evaluation work. Sharing a framework or approach

Beacon Communities’ Public Health Initiatives: A Case Study Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Massoudi, Barbara L.; Marcial, Laura H.; Haque, Saira; Bailey, Robert; Chester, Kelley; Cunningham, Shellery; Riley, Amanda; Soper, Paula

2014-01-01

Introduction: The Beacon Communities for Public Health (BCPH) project was launched in 2011 to gain a better understanding of the range of activities currently being conducted in population- and public health by the Beacon Communities. The project highlighted the successes and challenges of these efforts with the aim of sharing this information broadly among the public health community. Background: The Beacon Community Program, designed to showcase technology-enabled, community-based initiatives to improve outcomes, focused on: building and strengthening health information technology (IT) infrastructure and exchange capabilities; translating investments in health IT to measureable improvements in cost, quality, and population health; and, developing innovative approaches to performance measurement, technology, and care delivery. Methods: Four multimethod case studies were conducted based on a modified sociotechnical framework to learn more about public health initiative implementation and use in the Beacon Communities. Our methodological approach included using document review and semistructured key informant interviews. NACCHO Model Practice Program criteria were used to select the public health initiatives included in the case studies. Findings: Despite differences among the case studies, common barriers and facilitators were found to be present in all areas of the sociotechnical framework application including structure, people, technology, tasks, overarching considerations, and sustainability. Overall, there were many more facilitators (range = 7–14) present for each Beacon compared to barriers (range = 4–6). Discussion: Four influential promising practices were identified through the work: forging strong and sustainable partnerships; ensuring a good task-technology fit and a flexible and iterative design; fostering technology acceptance; and, providing education and demonstrating value. Conclusions: A common weakness was the lack of a framework or model for

Status of fisher in the northern Idaho panhandle and adjacent mountain ranges

Science.gov (United States)

Michael Lucid; L. Robinson; S. Cushman; L. Allen; M. Schwartz; K. Pilgrim

2013-01-01

The Multi-species Baseline Initiative (MBI) is a collaborative of organizations which is conducting a comprehensive inventory for fisher (Martes pennanti) and other wildlife species across the Idaho Panhandle and adjacent mountain ranges. From 2010-2012, MBI partners established 112 forest carnivore bait stations to collect photographs and DNA from 22 wildlife species...

Genital Herpes - Initial Visits to Physicians' Offices, United States, 1966-2012

Science.gov (United States)

... Archive Data & Statistics Sexually Transmitted Diseases Figure 48. Genital Herpes — Initial Visits to Physicians’ Offices, United States, 1966 – ... Statistics page . NOTE : The relative standard errors for genital herpes estimates of more than 100,000 range from ...

Upper cervical injuries: Clinical results using a new treatment algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei F Joaquim

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Upper cervical injuries (UCI have a wide range of radiological and clinical presentation due to the unique complex bony, ligamentous and vascular anatomy. We recently proposed a rational approach in an attempt to unify prior classification system and guide treatment. In this paper, we evaluate the clinical results of our algorithm for UCI treatment. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort series of patients with UCI was performed. The primary outcome was the AIS. Surgical treatment was proposed based on our protocol: Ligamentous injuries (abnormal misalignment, facet perched or locked, increase atlanto-dens interval were treated surgically. Bone fractures without ligamentous injuries were treated with a rigid cervical orthosis, with exception of fractures in the dens base with risk factors for non-union. Results: Twenty-three patients treated initially conservatively had some follow-up (mean of 171 days, range from 60 to 436 days. All of them were neurologically intact. None of the patients developed a new neurological deficit. Fifteen patients were initially surgically treated (mean of 140 days of follow-up, ranging from 60 to 270 days. In the surgical group, preoperatively, 11 (73.3% patients were AIS E, 2 (13.3% AIS C and 2 (13.3% AIS D. At the final follow-up, the American Spine Injury Association (ASIA score was: 13 (86.6% AIS E and 2 (13.3% AIS D. None of the patients had neurological worsening during the follow-up. Conclusions: This prospective cohort suggested that our UCI treatment algorithm can be safely used. Further prospective studies with longer follow-up are necessary to further establish its clinical validity and safety.

Influence of long-range Coulomb interaction in velocity map imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Barillot, T; Brédy, R; Celep, G; Cohen, S; Compagnon, I; Concina, B; Constant, E; Danakas, S; Kalaitzis, P; Karras, G; Lépine, F; Loriot, V; Marciniak, A; Predelus-Renois, G; Schindler, B; Bordas, C

2017-07-07

The standard velocity-map imaging (VMI) analysis relies on the simple approximation that the residual Coulomb field experienced by the photoelectron ejected from a neutral or ion system may be neglected. Under this almost universal approximation, the photoelectrons follow ballistic (parabolic) trajectories in the externally applied electric field, and the recorded image may be considered as a 2D projection of the initial photoelectron velocity distribution. There are, however, several circumstances where this approximation is not justified and the influence of long-range forces must absolutely be taken into account for the interpretation and analysis of the recorded images. The aim of this paper is to illustrate this influence by discussing two different situations involving isolated atoms or molecules where the analysis of experimental images cannot be performed without considering long-range Coulomb interactions. The first situation occurs when slow (meV) photoelectrons are photoionized from a neutral system and strongly interact with the attractive Coulomb potential of the residual ion. The result of this interaction is the formation of a more complex structure in the image, as well as the appearance of an intense glory at the center of the image. The second situation, observed also at low energy, occurs in the photodetachment from a multiply charged anion and it is characterized by the presence of a long-range repulsive potential. Then, while the standard VMI approximation is still valid, the very specific features exhibited by the recorded images can be explained only by taking into consideration tunnel detachment through the repulsive Coulomb barrier.

Properties of short-range and long-range correlation energy density functionals from electron-electron coalescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gori-Giorgi, Paola; Savin, Andreas

2006-01-01

The combination of density-functional theory with other approaches to the many-electron problem through the separation of the electron-electron interaction into a short-range and a long-range contribution is a promising method, which is raising more and more interest in recent years. In this work some properties of the corresponding correlation energy functionals are derived by studying the electron-electron coalescence condition for a modified (long-range-only) interaction. A general relation for the on-top (zero electron-electron distance) pair density is derived, and its usefulness is discussed with some examples. For the special case of the uniform electron gas, a simple parametrization of the on-top pair density for a long-range only interaction is presented and supported by calculations within the ''extended Overhauser model.'' The results of this work can be used to build self-interaction corrected short-range correlation energy functionals

Using Mixed Methods to Assess Initiatives with Broad-Based Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Inkelas, Karen Kurotsuchi

2017-01-01

This chapter describes a process for assessing programmatic initiatives with broad-ranging goals with the use of a mixed-methods design. Using an example of a day-long teaching development conference, this chapter provides practitioners step-by-step guidance on how to implement this assessment process.

Cosmic noise absorption and ionospheric currents at the South Pole and Frobisher Bay: Initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenberg, T.J.; Wolfe, A.; Lanzerotti, L.J.

1987-01-01

Studies of the conjugacy of auroral and ionospheric phenomena at very high latitudes are an important aspect of magnetospheric physics research. The extent to which auroral phenomena in opposite hemispheres are similar in occurrence and in the details of their temporal, spatial, and spectral characteristics can be used to infer the commonality of the source(s) of the disturbances. At one extreme in this consideration is the questions of whether sources lie on open or closed magnetic field lines. The University of Maryland and AT ampersand T Bell Laboratories have operated riometers and fluxgate magnetometers, respectively, at South Pole since 1982. Corresponding measurements at Frobisher Bay were begun in mid-1985. Riometers record the absorption of cosmic radio noise in the ionosphere produced by the enhances precipitation of energetic charged particles. The studies of the riometer data relate mainly to the effects of the influx of magnetospheric electrons, which give rise to auroral absorption of the cosmic signals. Intense currents (electrojets) that often flow in the ionosphere in association with auroral absorption events produce magnetic field changes that can be recorded on the ground by appropriately sited magnetometers. This report presents some initial results of the comparison of the two data sets

Integrated landscape initiatives in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

García-Martín, María; Bieling, Claudia; Hart, Abigail

2016-01-01

Landscapes are linked to human well-being in a multitude of ways, some of which are challenged by global market forces and traditional management approaches. In response to this situation there has been a rise in local initiatives to sustain the values of landscape. The aim of this paper is to pr......Landscapes are linked to human well-being in a multitude of ways, some of which are challenged by global market forces and traditional management approaches. In response to this situation there has been a rise in local initiatives to sustain the values of landscape. The aim of this paper...... searches and canvassing of European umbrella organisations; followed by an online survey of representatives from the identified initiatives (n??=??71). Our results show that the most relevant characteristics of integrated landscape initiatives in Europe are: a holistic approach to landscape management...

Free range hens use the range more when the outdoor environment is enriched.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagle, T A D; Glatz, P C

2012-04-01

To evaluate the role of using forage, shade and shelterbelts in attracting birds into the range, three trials were undertaken with free range layers both on a research facility and on commercial farms. Each of the trials on the free range research facility in South Australia used a total of 120 laying hens (Hyline Brown). Birds were housed in an eco-shelter which had 6 internal pens of equal size with a free range area adjoining the shelter. The on-farm trials were undertaken on commercial free range layer farms in the Darling Downs in Southeast Queensland with bird numbers on farms ranging from 2,000-6,800 hens. The first research trial examined the role of shaded areas in the range; the second trial examined the role of forage and the third trial examined the influence of shelterbelts in the range. These treatments were compared to a free range area with no enrichment. Aggressive feather pecking was only observed on a few occasions in all of the trials due to the low bird numbers housed. Enriching the free range environment attracted more birds into the range. Shaded areas were used by 18% of the hens with a tendency (p = 0.07) for more hens to be in the paddock. When forage was provided in paddocks more control birds (55%) were observed in the range in morning than in the afternoon (30%) while for the forage treatments 45% of the birds were in the range both during the morning and afternoon. When shelterbelts were provided there was a significantly (prange (43% vs. 24%) and greater numbers of birds were observed in areas further away from the poultry house. The results from the on-farm trials mirrored the research trials. Overall 3 times more hens used the shaded areas than the non shaded areas, with slightly more using the shade in the morning than in the afternoon. As the environmental temperature increased the number of birds using the outdoor shade also increased. Overall 17 times more hens used the shelterbelt areas than the control areas, with slightly

A Prototype Recombinant-Protein Based Chlamydia pecorum Vaccine Results in Reduced Chlamydial Burden and Less Clinical Disease in Free-Ranging Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Courtney Waugh

Full Text Available Diseases associated with Chlamydia pecorum infection are a major cause of decline in koala populations in Australia. While koalas in care can generally be treated, a vaccine is considered the only option to effectively reduce the threat of infection and disease at the population level. In the current study, we vaccinated 30 free-ranging koalas with a prototype Chlamydia pecorum vaccine consisting of a recombinant chlamydial MOMP adjuvanted with an immune stimulating complex. An additional cohort of 30 animals did not receive any vaccine and acted as comparison controls. Animals accepted into this study were either uninfected (Chlamydia PCR negative at time of initial vaccination, or infected (C. pecorum positive at either urogenital (UGT and/or ocular sites (Oc, but with no clinical signs of chlamydial disease. All koalas were vaccinated/sampled and then re-released into their natural habitat before re-capturing and re-sampling at 6 and 12 months. All vaccinated koalas produced a strong immune response to the vaccine, as indicated by high titres of specific plasma antibodies. The incidence of new infections in vaccinated koalas over the 12-month period post-vaccination was slightly less than koalas in the control group, however, this was not statistically significant. Importantly though, the vaccine was able to significantly reduce the infectious load in animals that were Chlamydia positive at the time of vaccination. This effect was evident at both the Oc and UGT sites and was stronger at 6 months than at 12 months post-vaccination. Finally, the vaccine was also able to reduce the number of animals that progressed to disease during the 12-month period. While the sample sizes were small (statistically speaking, results were nonetheless striking. This study highlights the potential for successful development of a Chlamydia vaccine for koalas in a wild setting.

A Prototype Recombinant-Protein Based Chlamydia pecorum Vaccine Results in Reduced Chlamydial Burden and Less Clinical Disease in Free-Ranging Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus).

Science.gov (United States)

Waugh, Courtney; Khan, Shahneaz Ali; Carver, Scott; Hanger, Jonathan; Loader, Joanne; Polkinghorne, Adam; Beagley, Kenneth; Timms, Peter

2016-01-01

Diseases associated with Chlamydia pecorum infection are a major cause of decline in koala populations in Australia. While koalas in care can generally be treated, a vaccine is considered the only option to effectively reduce the threat of infection and disease at the population level. In the current study, we vaccinated 30 free-ranging koalas with a prototype Chlamydia pecorum vaccine consisting of a recombinant chlamydial MOMP adjuvanted with an immune stimulating complex. An additional cohort of 30 animals did not receive any vaccine and acted as comparison controls. Animals accepted into this study were either uninfected (Chlamydia PCR negative) at time of initial vaccination, or infected (C. pecorum positive) at either urogenital (UGT) and/or ocular sites (Oc), but with no clinical signs of chlamydial disease. All koalas were vaccinated/sampled and then re-released into their natural habitat before re-capturing and re-sampling at 6 and 12 months. All vaccinated koalas produced a strong immune response to the vaccine, as indicated by high titres of specific plasma antibodies. The incidence of new infections in vaccinated koalas over the 12-month period post-vaccination was slightly less than koalas in the control group, however, this was not statistically significant. Importantly though, the vaccine was able to significantly reduce the infectious load in animals that were Chlamydia positive at the time of vaccination. This effect was evident at both the Oc and UGT sites and was stronger at 6 months than at 12 months post-vaccination. Finally, the vaccine was also able to reduce the number of animals that progressed to disease during the 12-month period. While the sample sizes were small (statistically speaking), results were nonetheless striking. This study highlights the potential for successful development of a Chlamydia vaccine for koalas in a wild setting.

Initial quality performance results using a phantom to simulate chest computed radiography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhogora Wilbroad

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to develop a homemade phantom for quantitative quality control in chest computed radiography (CR. The phantom was constructed from copper, aluminium, and polymenthylmethacrylate (PMMA plates as well as Styrofoam materials. Depending on combinations, the literature suggests that these materials can simulate the attenuation and scattering characteristics of lung, heart, and mediastinum. The lung, heart, and mediastinum regions were simulated by 10 mm x 10 mm x 0.5 mm, 10 mm x 10 mm x 0.5 mm and 10 mm x 10 mm x 1 mm copper plates, respectively. A test object of 100 mm x 100 mm and 0.2 mm thick copper was positioned to each region for CNR measurements. The phantom was exposed to x-rays generated by different tube potentials that covered settings in clinical use: 110-120 kVp (HVL=4.26-4.66 mm Al at a source image distance (SID of 180 cm. An approach similar to the recommended method in digital mammography was applied to determine the CNR values of phantom images produced by a Kodak CR 850A system with post-processing turned off. Subjective contrast-detail studies were also carried out by using images of Leeds TOR CDR test object acquired under similar exposure conditions as during CNR measurements. For clinical kVp conditions relevant to chest radiography, the CNR was highest over 90-100 kVp range. The CNR data correlated with the results of contrast detail observations. The values of clinical tube potentials at which CNR is the highest are regarded to be optimal kVp settings. The simplicity in phantom construction can offer easy implementation of related quality control program.

Exploratory X-ray monitoring of luminous radio-quiet quasars at high redshift: Initial results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shemmer, Ohad; Stein, Matthew S. [Department of Physics, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203 (United States); Brandt, W. N.; Schneider, Donald P. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Paolillo, Maurizio [Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Università Federico II di Napoli, via Cinthia 6, I-80126 Napoli (Italy); Kaspi, Shai [School of Physics and Astronomy and the Wise Observatory, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel); Vignali, Cristian [Dipartimento di Astronomia, Università degli studi di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Lira, Paulina [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidad de Chile, Camino del Observatorio 1515, Santiago (Chile); Gibson, Robert R., E-mail: ohad@unt.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)

2014-03-10

We present initial results from an exploratory X-ray monitoring project of two groups of comparably luminous radio-quiet quasars (RQQs). The first consists of four sources at 4.10 ≤ z ≤ 4.35, monitored by Chandra, and the second is a comparison sample of three sources at 1.33 ≤ z ≤ 2.74, monitored by Swift. Together with archival X-ray data, the total rest-frame temporal baseline spans ∼2-4 yr and ∼5-13 yr for the first and second group, respectively. Six of these sources show significant X-ray variability over rest-frame timescales of ∼10{sup 2}-10{sup 3} days; three of these also show significant X-ray variability on rest-frame timescales of ∼1-10 days. The X-ray variability properties of our variable sources are similar to those exhibited by nearby and far less luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs). While we do not directly detect a trend of increasing X-ray variability with redshift, we do confirm previous reports of luminous AGNs exhibiting X-ray variability above that expected from their luminosities, based on simplistic extrapolation from lower luminosity sources. This result may be attributed to luminous sources at the highest redshifts having relatively high accretion rates. Complementary UV-optical monitoring of our sources shows that variations in their optical-X-ray spectral energy distribution are dominated by the X-ray variations. We confirm previous reports of X-ray spectral variations in one of our sources, HS 1700+6416, but do not detect such variations in any of our other sources in spite of X-ray flux variations of up to a factor of ∼4. This project is designed to provide a basic assessment of the X-ray variability properties of RQQs at the highest accessible redshifts that will serve as a benchmark for more systematic monitoring of such sources with future X-ray missions.

The SPIRIT Telescope Initiative: Six Years On (Abstract)

Science.gov (United States)

Luckas, P.

2017-12-01

(Abstract only) Now in its sixth year of operation, the SPIRIT initiative remains unique in Australia, as a robust web-enabled robotic telescope initiative funded for education and outreach. With multiple modes of operation catering for a variety of usage scenarios and a fully supported education program, SPIRIT provides free access to contemporary astronomical tools for students and educators in Western Australia and beyond. The technical solution itself provides an excellent model for low cost robotic telescope installations, and the education program has evolved over time to include a broad range of student experiences - from engagement activities to authentic science. This paper details the robotic telescope solution, student interface, and educational philosophy, summarizes achievements and lessons learned, and examines the possibilities for future enhancement including spectroscopy.

Exceptional Responders Initial Feasibility Results

Science.gov (United States)

A pilot study evaluating identification of cancer patients who respond to treatment that is ineffective in at least 90 percent of patients found that it was indeed able to confirm a majority of proposed patients as exceptional responders based on clinical

Initial clinical results of linac stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for pituitary adenomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitsumori, Michihide; Shrieve, Dennis C.; Alexander, Eben; Kaiser, Ursula B.; Richardson, Gary E.; McL Black, Peter; Loeffler, Jay S.

1997-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the initial clinical results of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for pituitary adenomas with regard to tumor control and toxicity of the treatment, thus evaluate the feasibility of these technique for the treatment of pituitary adenomas. Subjects and Methods: 48 patients with either inoperable, recurrent or residual pituitary adenoma who underwent either SRS or SRT at the Brigham and Women's Hospital between 9/89 and 9/95 were analyzed. Of these, 18 received treatment with SRS, and 30 received SRT. SRS was contraindicated for the patients in whom the minimal distance of the target and optic chiasm or optic nerve was less than 5 mm. Patient characteristics were similar in the two groups, with the exception of tumor volume and previous irradiation. Median tumor volumes were 1.8 cm 3 and 7.7 cm 3 for SRS and SRT, respectively. Three of the SRS and none of the SRT patients had a history of previous external radiation therapy. Both SRS and SRT were performed by the use of dedicated stereotactic 6-MV linear accelerator with a treatment plan designed using a dedicated software. Doses were prescribed to the isodose distribution that covered the identified target. Dose and normalization used for SRS varied from 1000 cGy at 85 % isodose line to 1800 cGy at 80 % isodose line. For SRT patients, total dose of 4500 cGy was normalized at 90 or 95 % isodose line and this was delivered in 25 fractions of 180 cGy daily dose. Results: Local control: There was 1 case of local failure in each of SRS and SRT series (median follow up 42.5 months and 22 month, respectively). CNS adverse effects: There were 3 SRS cases in whom a ring enhancement in the temporal lobe was observed in follow-up MRI. (median follow up 32 months). Of these, one resolved spontaneously, whereas the other 2 lesion persisted and considered to be radiation necrosis. None of them required surgical intervention to date. These were observed in the

New results on initial state & quarkonia with ATLAS

CERN Document Server

Tapia Araya, Sebastian; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Weak bosons do not interact strongly with the dense and hot medium formed in the nuclear collisions, thus should be sensitive to the nuclear modification of parton distribution functions (nPDFs). The in-medium modification of heavy quarkonium states plays an important role in studying the hot and dense medium formed in the larger collision systems. The ATLAS detector, optimized for searching new physics in proton-proton collisions, is especially well equipped to measure Z, W bosons and quakonium in the high occupancy environment produced in heavy-ion collisions. We will present recent results on the Z boson and quarkonia yields as a function of centrality, transverse momentum and rapidity, from the ATLAS experiment.

Online purchases of an expanded range of condom sizes in comparison to current dimensional requirements allowable by US national standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Cecil, Michael; Warner, Lee; Siegler, Aaron J

2013-11-01

Across studies, 35-50% of men describe condoms as fitting poorly. Rates of condom use may be inhibited in part due to the inaccessibility of appropriately sized condoms. As regulated medical devices, condom sizes conform to national standards such as those developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or international standards such as those developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). We describe the initial online sales experience of an expanded range of condom sizes and assess uptake in relation to the current required standard dimensions of condoms. Data regarding the initial 1000 sales of an expanded range of condom sizes in the United Kingdom were collected from late 2011 through to early 2012. Ninety-five condom sizes, comprising 14 lengths (83-238mm) and 12 widths (41-69mm), were available. For the first 1000 condom six-pack units that were sold, a total of 83 of the 95 unique sizes were purchased, including all 14 lengths and 12 widths, and both the smallest and largest condoms. Initial condom purchases were made by 572 individuals from 26 countries. Only 13.4% of consumer sales were in the ASTM's allowable range of sizes. These initial sales data suggest consumer interest in an expanded choice of condom sizes that fall outside the range currently allowable by national and international standards organisations.

Initial alignment method for free space optics laser beam

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Yuta; Tashiro, Yuki; Izumi, Kiyotaka; Yoshida, Koichi; Tsujimura, Takeshi

2016-08-01

The authors have newly proposed and constructed an active free space optics transmission system. It is equipped with a motor driven laser emitting mechanism and positioning photodiodes, and it transmits a collimated thin laser beam and accurately steers the laser beam direction. It is necessary to introduce the laser beam within sensible range of the receiver in advance of laser beam tracking control. This paper studies an estimation method of laser reaching point for initial laser beam alignment. Distributed photodiodes detect laser luminescence at respective position, and the optical axis of laser beam is analytically presumed based on the Gaussian beam optics. Computer simulation evaluates the accuracy of the proposed estimation methods, and results disclose that the methods help us to guide the laser beam to a distant receiver.

Investigation of the stable combustion of initiating explosives at high pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fogelzang, A.E.; Egorshev, V.IU.; Pimenov, A.IU.; Sinditskii, V.P.; Saklantii, A.R.

1985-01-01

The combustion of typical initiating explosives - tetrazene, tricycloacetone peroxide, diazodinitrophenol, hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, and cyanur triazide - was studied experimentally in the 0.1-40 MPa pressure range. The dependence of combustion rate on pressure was studied for these explosives. 8 references.

Initial response of a rock penetrator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)