WorldWideScience

Sample records for sample quantal response

  1. Quantal bookkeeping of samples and locality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groenewold, H.J.

    1983-01-01

    The skeptical pruned ensemble interpretation of quantal measurements is described in the conventional representation and in an equivalent hedge-hog representation. (A symmetric hedge-hog is displayed by a spiny array of Hilbert projectors.) A fundamental problem of any individual interpretation is the distinction in the formalism of individual samples and their mutual independence. In the formal hedge-hog bookkeeping an auxiliary hedge-hog hypothesis is proposed, which associates separate real samples of quantal ensembles with separate fictions hedge-hogs. In accordance with its private unobservable hedge-hog each sample has so to speak to every potential observable question its own definite potential answer in store. The statistical distribution of the answers of the various samples to all questions is represented by the ensemble operator, which can only be attributed to the entire ensemble as a whole. Observable answers can be obtained from an individual real sample only one at a time. In this fictitous finer grained model the hedge-hogs metaphorically represent a kind of individual memory of the corresponding samples. The principle of mutual kinematical and dynamical independence of samples as well as the principle of locality in retarded correlation is satisfied. This has to be paid for by indefinite statistics of the hedge-hog distribution in the ensemble. Even if the hedge-hog model is afterwards thrown away as an untestable fake, the logical compatibility of these two fundamental principles (whatever their significance may be) with standard quantum mechanics holds firm. The physical compatibility remains an open question. (orig.)

  2. Stability of Mixed-Strategy-Based Iterative Logit Quantal Response Dynamics in Game Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Qian; Di, Zengru; Wu, Jinshan

    2014-01-01

    Using the Logit quantal response form as the response function in each step, the original definition of static quantal response equilibrium (QRE) is extended into an iterative evolution process. QREs remain as the fixed points of the dynamic process. However, depending on whether such fixed points are the long-term solutions of the dynamic process, they can be classified into stable (SQREs) and unstable (USQREs) equilibriums. This extension resembles the extension from static Nash equilibriums (NEs) to evolutionary stable solutions in the framework of evolutionary game theory. The relation between SQREs and other solution concepts of games, including NEs and QREs, is discussed. Using experimental data from other published papers, we perform a preliminary comparison between SQREs, NEs, QREs and the observed behavioral outcomes of those experiments. For certain games, we determine that SQREs have better predictive power than QREs and NEs. PMID:25157502

  3. Direct analysis of quantal radiation response data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thames, H.D. Jr.; Rozell, M.E.; Tucker, S.L.; Ang, K.K.; Travis, E.L.; Fisher, D.R.

    1986-01-01

    A direct analysis is proposed for quantal (all-or-nothing) responses to fractionated radiation and endpoint-dilution assays of cell survival. As opposed to two-step methods such as the reciprocal-dose technique, in which ED 50 values are first estimated for different fractionation schemes and then fit (as reciprocals) against dose per fraction, all raw data are included in a single maximum-likelihood treatment. The method accommodates variations such as short-interval fractionation regimens designed to determine tissue repair kinetics, tissue response to continuous exposures, and data obtained using endpoint-dilution assays of cell survival after fractionated doses. Monte-Carlo techniques were used to compare the direct and reciprocal-dose methods for analysis of small-scale and large-scale studies of response to fractionated doses. Both methods tended toward biased estimates in the analysis of small-scale (3 fraction numbers) studies. The α/β ratios showed less scatter when estimated by the direct method. The 95% confidence intervals determined by the direct method were more appropriate than those determined by reciprocal-dose analysis, for which 18% (small-scale study) or 8% (large-scale study) of the confidence intervals did not include the 'true' value of α/β. (author)

  4. Quantal density functional theory

    CERN Document Server

    Sahni, Viraht

    2016-01-01

    This book deals with quantal density functional theory (QDFT) which is a time-dependent local effective potential theory of the electronic structure of matter. The treated time-independent QDFT constitutes a special case. In the 2nd edition, the theory is extended to include the presence of external magnetostatic fields. The theory is a description of matter based on the ‘quantal Newtonian’ first and second laws which is in terms of “classical” fields that pervade all space, and their quantal sources. The fields, which are explicitly defined, are separately representative of electron correlations due to the Pauli exclusion principle, Coulomb repulsion, correlation-kinetic, correlation-current-density, and correlation-magnetic effects. The book further describes Schrödinger theory from the new physical perspective of fields and quantal sources. It also describes traditional Hohenberg-Kohn-Sham DFT, and explains via QDFT the physics underlying the various energy functionals and functional derivatives o...

  5. Non-local quantal Noether identities and their applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ziping

    2002-01-01

    Based on the phase-space generating functional for a system with a singular high-order Lagrangian, the quantal canonical Noether identities under the local and non-local transformation in phase space for such system have been derived. For a gauge-invariant system with a higher-order Lagrangian, the quantal Noether identities under the local and non-local transformation in configuration space have also been derived. it has been pointed out that in certain cases the quantal Noether identities may be converted to the conservation laws at the quantum level. This algorithm to derive the quantal conservation laws is significantly different from the first quantal Noether theorem. The applications to the non-Abelian CS theories with higher-order derivatives are given. The conserved quantities at the quantum level for some local and non-local transformation are found respectively

  6. Generalized quantal equation of motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morsy, M.W.; Embaby, M.

    1986-07-01

    In the present paper, an attempt is made for establishing a generalized equation of motion for quantal objects, in which intrinsic self adjointness is naturally built in, independently of any prescribed representation. This is accomplished by adopting Hamilton's principle of least action, after incorporating, properly, the quantal features and employing the generalized calculus of variations, without being restricted to fixed end points representation. It turns out that our proposed equation of motion is an intrinsically self-adjoint Euler-Lagrange's differential equation that ensures extremization of the quantal action as required by Hamilton's principle. Time dependence is introduced and the corresponding equation of motion is derived, in which intrinsic self adjointness is also achieved. Reducibility of the proposed equation of motion to the conventional Schroedinger equation is examined. The corresponding continuity equation is established, and both of the probability density and the probability current density are identified. (author)

  7. Quantal density functional theory. 2. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahni, Viraht

    2016-01-01

    This book is on quantal density functional theory (QDFT) which is a time-dependent local effective potential theory of the electronic structure of matter. The time-independent QDFT constitutes a special case. The 2 nd edition describes the further development of the theory, and extends it to include the presence of an external magnetostatic field. The theory is based on the 'quantal Newtonian' second and first laws for the individual electron. These laws are in terms of 'classical' fields that pervade all space, and their quantal sources. The fields are separately representative of the electron correlations that must be accounted for in local potential theory. Recent developments show that irrespective of the type of external field the electrons are subject to, the only correlations beyond those due to the Pauli exclusion principle and Coulomb repulsion that need be considered are solely of the correlation-kinetic effects. Foundational to QDFT, the book describes Schroedinger theory from the new perspective of the single electron in terms of the 'quantal Newtonian' laws. Hohenberg-Kohn density functional theory (DFT), new understandings of the theory and its extension to the presence of an external uniform magnetostatic field are described. The physical interpretation via QDFT, in terms of electron correlations, of Kohn-Sham DFT, approximations to it and Slater theory are provided.

  8. Quantal density functional theory. 2. ed.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sahni, Viraht

    2016-07-01

    This book is on quantal density functional theory (QDFT) which is a time-dependent local effective potential theory of the electronic structure of matter. The time-independent QDFT constitutes a special case. The 2{sup nd} edition describes the further development of the theory, and extends it to include the presence of an external magnetostatic field. The theory is based on the 'quantal Newtonian' second and first laws for the individual electron. These laws are in terms of 'classical' fields that pervade all space, and their quantal sources. The fields are separately representative of the electron correlations that must be accounted for in local potential theory. Recent developments show that irrespective of the type of external field the electrons are subject to, the only correlations beyond those due to the Pauli exclusion principle and Coulomb repulsion that need be considered are solely of the correlation-kinetic effects. Foundational to QDFT, the book describes Schroedinger theory from the new perspective of the single electron in terms of the 'quantal Newtonian' laws. Hohenberg-Kohn density functional theory (DFT), new understandings of the theory and its extension to the presence of an external uniform magnetostatic field are described. The physical interpretation via QDFT, in terms of electron correlations, of Kohn-Sham DFT, approximations to it and Slater theory are provided.

  9. The quantal theory of how the immune system discriminates between "self and non-self"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Kendall A

    2004-12-17

    "Quantal Theory" accounts fully for the development of T cells in the thymus, and such fundamental cellular fates as both "positive" and "negative" selection, as well as the decision to differentiate into a "Regulatory T cell" (T-Reg). In the periphery, the "Quantal Theory" accounts for the decision to proliferate or not in response to the presence of an antigen, either non-self or self, or to differentiate into a T-Reg. Since the immune system discriminates between self and non-self antigens by the accumulated number of triggered TCRs and IL2Rs, therapeutic manipulation of the determinants of these quantal decisions should permit new approaches to either enhance or dampen antigen-specific immune responses.

  10. Calcium dependence of uni-quantal release latencies and quantal content at mouse neuromuscular junction

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Samigullin, D.; Bukharaeva, E. A.; Vyskočil, František; Nikolsky, E. E.

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 54, č. 1 (2005), s. 129-132 ISSN 0862-8408 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA5011411; GA ČR(CZ) GA305/02/1333 Grant - others:RFBR(RU) 05-04-49723; Russian Science Support Foundation(RU) 1063.2003.4; GA-(RU) MK-2153.2003.04 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : quantal release * synaptic latency * calcium Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 1.806, year: 2005

  11. Global quantal canonical symmetry properties for a system with a singular Lagrangian

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ziping

    1996-01-01

    Starting from the quantization formalism of the phase-space path integral for a system with a singular Lagrangian, the generalized canonical Ward identities and conserved charged at quantum level are deduced under the global transformation in extended phase space. In general, the quantal conserved charges are different from classical ones. We give a preliminary application to Yang-Mills theory, the new quantal conserved charges are found

  12. A Bayesian approach to the analysis of quantal bioassay studies using nonparametric mixture models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronczyk, Kassandra; Kottas, Athanasios

    2014-03-01

    We develop a Bayesian nonparametric mixture modeling framework for quantal bioassay settings. The approach is built upon modeling dose-dependent response distributions. We adopt a structured nonparametric prior mixture model, which induces a monotonicity restriction for the dose-response curve. Particular emphasis is placed on the key risk assessment goal of calibration for the dose level that corresponds to a specified response. The proposed methodology yields flexible inference for the dose-response relationship as well as for other inferential objectives, as illustrated with two data sets from the literature. © 2013, The International Biometric Society.

  13. Quantal foundation of the nucleon exchange transport theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Randrup, J.

    1985-07-01

    The central elements of the nucleon exchange transport theory are discussed within a fully quantal framework in order to elucidate the principal characteristics, validity and limitations of the theory. Special consideration is given to the mean rate of energy dissipation and the penetrability coefficient. (orig.)

  14. Classical-quantal coupling in the capture of muons by hydrogen atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwong, N.H.; Garcia, J.D.

    1989-01-01

    We describe a self-consistent semiclassical approach to the problem of muon capture by hydrogen atoms. The dynamics of the heavier muon and proton are treated classically, and the electron quantally, with the potentials for both being self-consistently determined. Our numerical results are compared to classical-trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) and adiabatic ionisation (AI) results. Our capture cross sections are larger at low energy but fall more rapidly to zero. Our results provide the corrections to the dynamics beyond the adiabatic picture, which were missing in other approaches; interesting questions concerning the quantal nature of the events are discussed. (author)

  15. Vacancies in quantal Wigner crystals near melting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barraza, N.; Colletti, L.; Tosi, M.P.

    1999-04-01

    We estimate the formation energy of lattice vacancies in quantal Wigner crystals of charged particles near their melting point at zero temperature, in terms of the crystalline Lindemann parameter and of the static dielectric function of the fluid phase near freezing. For both 3D and 2D crystals of electrons our results suggest the presence of vacancies in the ground state at the melting density. (author)

  16. Geometry of quantal adiabatic evolution driven by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Zhaoyan; Yu Ting; Zhou Hongwei

    1994-01-01

    It is shown by using a counter example, which is exactly solvable, that the quantal adiabatic theorem does not generally hold for a non-Hermitian driving Hamiltonian, even if it varies extremely slowly. The condition for the quantal adiabatic theorem to hold for non-Hermitian driving Hamiltonians is given. The adiabatic evolutions driven by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian provide examples of a new geometric structure, that is the vector bundle in which the inner product of two parallelly transported vectors generally changes. A new geometric concept, the attenuation tensor, is naturally introduced to describe the decay or flourish of the open quantum system. It is constructed in terms of the spectral projector of the Hamiltonian. (orig.)

  17. Early postdenervation depolarization develops faster at endplates of hibernating golden hamsters where spontaneous quantal and non-quantal acetylcholine release is very small

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Moravec, J.; Vyskočil, František

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 51, č. 1 (2005), s. 25-29 ISSN 0168-0102 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA5011411; GA ČR GA305/02/1333 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : motor nerve ending * non-quantal * acetylcholine Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.184, year: 2005

  18. Quantal release of ATP from clusters of PC12 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabbro, Alessandra; Skorinkin, Andrei; Grandolfo, Micaela; Nistri, Andrea; Giniatullin, Rashid

    2004-10-15

    Although ATP is important for intercellular communication, little is known about the mechanism of endogenous ATP release due to a dearth of suitable models. Using PC12 cells known to express the P2X2 subtype of ATP receptors and to store ATP with catecholamines inside dense-core vesicles, we found that clusters of PC12 cells cultured for 3-7 days generated small transient inward currents (STICs) after an inward current elicited by exogenous ATP. The amplitude of STICs in individual cells correlated with the peak amplitude of ATP-induced currents. STICs appeared as asynchronous responses (approximately 20 pA average amplitude) for 1-20 s and were investigated with a combination of patch clamping, Ca2+ imaging, biochemistry and electron microscopy. Comparable STICs were produced by focal KCl pulses and were dependent on extracellular Ca2+. STICs were abolished by the P2X antagonist PPADS and potentiated by Zn2+, suggesting they were mediated by P2X2 receptor activation. The highest probability of observing STICs was after the peak of intracellular Ca2+ increase caused by KCl. Biochemical measurements indicated that KCl application induced a significant release of ATP from PC12 cells. Electron microscopy studies showed narrow clefts without 'synaptic-like' densities between clustered cells. Our data suggest that STICs were caused by quantal release of endogenous ATP by depolarized PC12 cells in close juxtaposition to the recorded cell. Thus, STICs may be a new experimental model to characterize the physiology of vesicular release of ATP and to study the kinetics and pharmacology of P2X2 receptor-mediated quantal currents.

  19. Some recent results in Classical and quantal chaos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jarzynski, Ch.

    1993-01-01

    The results concerning one-body dissipation in dynamic nuclear process are discussed. The problem of one-body dissipation is reviewed within the context of the Independent Particle Model of nuclear dynamics. A brief discussion of the Wall Formula for one-body dissipation is presented. An alternate approach to this problem is discussed and some applications are given. The preliminary results on the quantal version of one-body dissipation are presented. 3 refs, 4 figs

  20. The excitation of an independent-particle gas - classical or quantal - by a time-dependent potential well

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blocki, J.; Skalski, J.; Swiatecki, W.J.

    1995-01-01

    A systematic numerical investigation of the excitation of a classical or quantal gas of non-interacting particles in a time-dependent potential well is described. The excitation energy was followed in time for one oscillation around the sphere for six types of deformation: spheroidal shapes and Legendre polynomial ripples P 2 , P 3 , P 4 , P 5 , P 6 , with relative rms amplitudes of 0.2. Ten different speeds of deformation and eleven different values of the diffuseness of the potential well were studied, making altogether 660 quantal and 660 classical time-dependent calculations. In the upper range of deformation speeds the quantal results for the non-integrable shapes P 3 -P 6 agree approximately with the wall formula for dissipation, the deviations being largely accounted for by the wave-mechanical suppression factor of Koonin et al. For low deformation speeds the dissipation becomes dominated by one or two avoided level crossings. (orig.)

  1. Modified method of perturbed stationary states. II. Semiclassical and low-velocity quantal approximations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, T.A.

    1978-10-01

    For one-electron heteropolar systems, the wave-theoretic Lagrangian of Paper I 2 is simplified in two distinct approximations. The first is semiclassical; the second is quantal, for velocities below those for which the semiclassical treatment is reliable. For each approximation, unitarity and detailed balancing are discussed. Then, the variational method as described by Demkov is used to determine the coupled equations for the radial functions and the Euler-Lagrange equations for the translational factors which are part of the theory. Specific semiclassical formulae for the translational factors are given in a many-state approximation. Low-velocity quantal formulae are obtained in a one-state approximation. The one-state results of both approximations agree with an earlier determination by Riley. 14 references

  2. Quantal Brownian Motion from RPA dynamics: The master and Fokker-Planck equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yannouleas, C.

    1984-05-01

    From the purely quantal RPA description of the damped harmonic oscillator and of the corresponding Brownian Motion within the full space (phonon subspace plus reservoir), a master equation (as well as a Fokker-Planck equation) for the reduced density matrix (for the reduced Wigner function, respectively) within the phonon subspace is extracted. The RPA master equation agrees with the master equation derived by the time-dependent perturbative approaches which utilize Tamm-Dancoff Hilbert spaces and invoke the rotating wave approximation. Since the RPA yields a full, as well as a contracted description, it can account for both the kinetic and the unperturbed oscillator momenta. The RPA description of the quantal Brownian Motion contrasts with the descriptions provided by the time perturbative approaches whether they invoke or not the rotating wave approximation. The RPA description also contrasts with the phenomenological phase space quantization. (orig.)

  3. Partial dynamical symmetries in quantal many-body systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Isacker, P.

    2001-01-01

    Partial dynamical symmetries are associated with Hamiltonians that are partially solvable. The determination of the properties of a quantal system of N interacting particles moving in an external potential requires the solution of the eigenvalue equation associated with a second-quantised Hamiltonian. In many situations of interest the Hamiltonian commutes with transformations that constitute a symmetry algebra G sym . This characteristic opens a way to find all analytically solvable Hamiltonians. The author gives a brief review of some recent developments

  4. Comparative study of quantal and semiclassical treatments of charge transfer between O+ and He

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, L. B.; Joseph, D. C.; Saha, B. C.; Liebermann, H. P.; Funke, P.; Buenker, R. J.

    2009-03-01

    A comparative study for the electron capture process O+(S40,D20,P20)+He→O(P3)+He+ is reported. The cross sections are calculated using fully quantal and semiclassical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) approaches in the adiabatic representation. Detailed comparison of transition probabilities and cross sections is made from both MOCC approaches and displays close agreement above ˜125eV/u . The remarkable discrepancies between the earlier semiclassical and quantal MOCC approaches may be attributed to the insufficient step-size resolution in their semiclassical calculation [M. Kimura , Phys. Rev. A 50, 4854 (1994)]. Our results have also been compared with experiment and found to be in good agreement.

  5. Cholinergic regulation of the evoked quantal release at frog neuromuscular junction

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nikolsky, E. E.; Vyskočil, František; Bukharaeva, E. A.; Samigullin, D.; Magazanik, L. G.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 560, č. 1 (2004), s. 77-88 ISSN 0022-3751 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA5011411; GA ČR GA305/02/1333 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : acetylcholine * quantal * synapse Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 4.346, year: 2004

  6. A new potential energy surface for vibration-vibration coupling in HF-HF collisions. Formulation and quantal scattering calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwenke, David W.; Truhlar, Donald G.

    1988-04-01

    We present new ab initio calculations of the HF-HF interaction potential for the case where both molecules are simultaneously displaced from their equilibrium internuclear distance. These and previous ab initio calculations are then fit to a new analytic representation which is designed to be efficient to evaluate and to provide an especially faithful account of the forces along the vibrational coordinates. We use the new potential for two sets of quantal scattering calculations for collisions in three dimensions with total angular momentum zero. First we test that the angular harmonic representation of the anisotropy is adequate by comparing quantal rigid rotator calculations to those carried out for potentials involving higher angular harmonics and for which the expansion in angular harmonics is systematically increased to convergence. Then we carry out large-scale quantal calculations of vibration-vibration energy transfer including the coupling of both sets of vibrational and rotational coordinates. These calculations indicate that significant rotational energy transfer accompanies the vibration-to-vibration energy transfer process.

  7. Quantal health effects of three toxic agents combined

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seiler, F.A.

    1988-01-01

    Quantal health effects such as cancer, correlated with the combined action of three toxic agents, are considered. Data on the combined effects of two agents are scarce and no such data exist for three toxicants, yet concerns have arisen about simultaneous exposure of radiation workers to three different agents. Using models developed from the analysis of health effects involving two toxicants, equations for the combined effects of three agents are derived from a more general formalism. An application of practical interest is the incidence of cancer of the esophagus and its correlation with concurrent exposures to alcohol, tobacco, and either low- or high-LET radiation. (author)

  8. Quantal Response: Nonparametric Modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    capture the behavior of observed phenomena. Higher-order polynomial and finite-dimensional spline basis models allow for more complicated responses as the...flexibility as these are nonparametric (not constrained to any particular functional form). These should be useful in identifying nonstandard behavior via... deviance ∆ = −2 log(Lreduced/Lfull) is defined in terms of the likelihood function L. For normal error, Lfull = 1, and based on Eq. A-2, we have log

  9. Quantal health effects for a combination of several toxic agents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seiler, F A

    1988-12-01

    Quantal health effects caused by the combined action of a number of toxic agents are modeled using the information available for each toxicant acting in isolation. Two basic models are used; one assumes no interaction, the other postulates a separable kind of interaction in which each agent contributes an enhancement factor independent of all other agents. These two models provide yardsticks by which to measure synergisms and antagonisms in the interaction between the effects of toxic agents. Equations are given in approximations for small and large values of the risk. (author)

  10. Quantal health effects for a combination of several toxic agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seiler, F.A.

    1988-01-01

    Quantal health effects caused by the combined action of a number of toxic agents are modeled using the information available for each toxicant acting in isolation. Two basic models are used; one assumes no interaction, the other postulates a separable kind of interaction in which each agent contributes an enhancement factor independent of all other agents. These two models provide yardsticks by which to measure synergisms and antagonisms in the interaction between the effects of toxic agents. Equations are given in approximations for small and large values of the risk. (author)

  11. A Quantal Response Statistical Equilibrium Model of Induced Technical Change in an Interactive Factor Market: Firm-Level Evidence in the EU Economies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jangho Yang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies the pattern of technical change at the firm level by applying and extending the Quantal Response Statistical Equilibrium model (QRSE. The model assumes that a large number of cost minimizing firms decide whether to adopt a new technology based on the potential rate of cost reduction. The firm in the model is assumed to have a limited capacity to process market signals so there is a positive degree of uncertainty in adopting a new technology. The adoption decision by the firm, in turn, makes an impact on the whole market through changes in the factor-price ratio. The equilibrium distribution of the model is a unimodal probability distribution with four parameters, which is qualitatively different from the Walrasian notion of equilibrium in so far as the state of equilibrium is not a single state but a probability distribution of multiple states. This paper applies Bayesian inference to estimate the unknown parameters of the model using the firm-level data of seven advanced OECD countries over eight years and shows that the mentioned equilibrium distribution from the model can satisfactorily recover the observed pattern of technical change.

  12. Quantal and dissipative aspects in nuclear structure and dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lacroix, Denis

    1999-01-01

    This work is devoted to the description of both quantal and statistical aspects in a coherent theoretical framework that goes beyond a mean-field approximation. It is shown that among the possible methods, the Extended mean-field theory (ETDHF) is able to describe relaxation by including correlation effects. This theory is first applied to cold and hot giant resonances. After having developed a extended version of the linear response theory the effect of collisions on the response of 40 Ca is studied. It is shown that collisions contribute to the spreading width of giant resonances and become a dominant decay channel at high temperature. The generalization of these methods through the modelization of the Hamiltonian as a series of couplings in cascade has enabled to go beyond ETDHF. Thus, phenomena as multi-scale Ericson fluctuations and interferences in the nuclear response are predicted. The study of larger amplitudes requires the introduction of transport theories for the nuclear dynamics. Thus the deexcitation of hot and compressed nuclei has been studied with mean-field theories. This analysis has clarified the link between the equation of state and the dynamical expansion in finite Systems. A comparison with semi-classical has further shown the importance of quantum effects and has demonstrated the necessity to take into account nucleon collisions in a quantum framework. The possibility to apply ETDHF to nuclear dynamics in the general case is then discussed. A rapid and reliable method, tested on a schematic model is proposed to solve the extended mean-field. The application of ETDHF to the monopolar expansion of 16 O has finally demonstrated the interesting perspectives of this theory for describing dissipative aspects in quantum dynamics. Finally, the introduction of quantum stochastic approaches is discussed. (author) [fr

  13. A Microscopic Quantal Model for Nuclear Collective Rotation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulshani, P.

    2007-01-01

    A microscopic, quantal model to describe nuclear collective rotation in two dimensions is derived from the many-nucleon Schrodinger equation. The Schrodinger equation is transformed to a body-fixed frame to decompose the Hamiltonian into a sum of intrinsic and rotational components plus a Coriolis-centrifugal coupling term. This Hamiltonian (H) is expressed in terms of space-fixed-frame particle coordinates and momenta by using commutator of H with a rotation angle. A unified-rotational-model type wavefunction is used to obtain an intrinsic Schrodinger equation in terms of angular momentum quantum number and two-body operators. A Hartree-Fock mean-field representation of this equation is then obtained and, by means of a unitary transformation, is reduced to a form resembling that of the conventional semi-classical cranking model when exchange terms and intrinsic spurious collective excitation are ignored

  14. Quantal and thermal zero point motion formulae of barrier transmission probability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takigawa, N.; Alhassid, Y.; Balantekin, A.B.

    1992-01-01

    A Green's function method is developed to derive quantal zero point motion formulae for the barrier transmission probability in heavy ion fusion reactions corresponding to various nuclear intrinsic degrees of freedom. In order to apply to the decay of a hot nucleus, the formulae are then generalized to the case where the intrinsic degrees of freedom are in thermal equilibrium with a heat bath. A thermal zero point motion formula for vibrational coupling previously obtained through the use of influence functional methods naturally follows, and the effects of rotational coupling are found to be independent of temperature if the deformation is rigid

  15. Fully automated microchip system for the detection of quantal exocytosis from single and small ensembles of cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spégel, Christer; Heiskanen, Arto; Pedersen, Simon

    2008-01-01

    A lab-on-a-chip device that enables positioning of single or small ensembles of cells on an aperture in close proximity to a mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) modified sensing electrode has been developed and characterized. The microchip was used for the detection of Ca2+-dependent quantal catecholamine...

  16. Quantal density functional theory II. Approximation methods and applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahni, Viraht

    2010-01-01

    This book is on approximation methods and applications of Quantal Density Functional Theory (QDFT), a new local effective-potential-energy theory of electronic structure. What distinguishes the theory from traditional density functional theory is that the electron correlations due to the Pauli exclusion principle, Coulomb repulsion, and the correlation contribution to the kinetic energy -- the Correlation-Kinetic effects -- are separately and explicitly defined. As such it is possible to study each property of interest as a function of the different electron correlations. Approximations methods based on the incorporation of different electron correlations, as well as a many-body perturbation theory within the context of QDFT, are developed. The applications are to the few-electron inhomogeneous electron gas systems in atoms and molecules, as well as to the many-electron inhomogeneity at metallic surfaces. (orig.)

  17. Dissipation Effects in Schrödinger and Quantal Density Functional Theories of Electrons in an Electromagnetic Field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Yin Pan

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Dissipative effects arise in an electronic system when it interacts with a time-dependent environment. Here, the Schrödinger theory of electrons in an electromagnetic field including dissipative effects is described from a new perspective. Dissipation is accounted for via the effective Hamiltonian approach in which the electron mass is time-dependent. The perspective is that of the individual electron: the corresponding equation of motion for the electron or time-dependent differential virial theorem—the ‘Quantal Newtonian’ second law—is derived. According to the law, each electron experiences an external field comprised of a binding electric field, the Lorentz field, and the electromagnetic field. In addition, there is an internal field whose components are representative of electron correlations due to the Pauli exclusion principle and Coulomb repulsion, kinetic effects, and density. There is also an internal contribution due to the magnetic field. The response of the electron is governed by the current density field in which a damping coefficient appears. The law leads to further insights into Schrödinger theory, and in particular the intrinsic self-consistent nature of the Schrödinger equation. It is proved that in the presence of dissipative effects, the basic variables (gauge-invariant properties, knowledge of which determines the Hamiltonian are the density and physical current density. Finally, a local effective potential theory of dissipative systems—quantal density functional theory (QDFT—is developed. This constitutes the mapping from the interacting dissipative electronic system to one of noninteracting fermions possessing the same dissipation and basic variables. Attributes of QDFT are the separation of the electron correlations due to the Pauli exclusion principle and Coulomb repulsion, and the determination of the correlation contributions to the kinetic energy. Hence, Schrödinger theory in conjunction with QDFT

  18. Quantal inversion of cross-section for the elastic scattering of 200 MeV protons from 12C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, L.J.; Amos, K.; Dortmans, P.J.

    1994-01-01

    Fixed energy quantal inverse scattering theory has been used to analyse the differential cross-section from the elastic scattering of 200 MeV protons from 12 C. Ambiguities in obtaining the scattering function from the differential cross-section are discussed and by means of example it is illustrated that not all scattering functions lead to physically reasonable potentials. 8 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

  19. Ciguatoxin enhances quantal transmitter release from frog motor nerve terminals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molgó, J.; Comella, J. X.; Legrand, A. M.

    1990-01-01

    1. Ciguatoxin (CTX), a marine toxin produced by the benthic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus, is responsible for a complex endemic disease in man known as ciguatera fish poisoning. In the present study we have investigated the effects of purified CTX extracted for Gymnothorax javanicus moray-eel liver on frog isolated neuromuscular preparations with conventional electrophysiological techniques. 2. CTX (1-2.5 nM) applied to cutaneous pectoris nerve-muscle preparations induced, after a short delay, spontaneous fibrillations of the muscle fibres that could be suppressed with 1 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX) or by formamide to uncouple excitation-contraction. 3. In preparations treated with formamide, CTX (1-2.5 nM) caused either spontaneous or repetitive muscle action potentials (up to frequencies of 60-100 Hz) in response to a single nerve stimulus. Recordings performed at extrajunctional regions of the muscle membrane revealed that during the repetitive firing a prolongation of the repolarizing phase of the action potential occurred. At junctional sites the repetitive action potentials were triggered by repetitive endplate potentials (e.p.ps). 4. CTX (2.5 nM) caused a TTX-sensitive depolarization of the muscle membrane. 5. In junctions equilibrated in solutions containing high Mg2+ + low Ca2+, addition of CTX (1.5 nM) first induced an average increase of 239 +/- 36% in the mean quantal content of e.p.ps. Subsequently CTX reduced and finally blocked nerve-evoked transmitter release irreversibly. 6. CTX (1.5-2.5 nM) increased the frequency of miniature endplate potentials (m.e.p.ps) in junctions bathed either in normal Ringer, low Ca2(+)-high Mg2+ medium or in a nominally Ca2(+)-free solution containing EGTA.2+ Extensive washing with toxin-free solutions did not reverse the effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1972891

  20. Stark broadening of the Hα line of hydrogen at low densities: quantal and semiclassical results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stehle, C.; Feautrier, N.

    1984-01-01

    Stark profiles of the Hα lines of hydrogen are computed at low densities in the 'impact' theory. By a comparison with quantal results, it is shown that a simple semiclassical perturbational approach with appropriate cutoffs is sufficient to give accurate profiles in the line centre. Neglecting the natural broadening and the fine-structure effects, the authors prove that the electronic broadening is negligible and that the profile has a Lorentzian shape. An analytical expression of the half width is given. (author)

  1. Magnetron sputtered diamond-like carbon microelectrodes for on-chip measurement of quantal catecholamine release from cells

    OpenAIRE

    Gao, Yuanfang; Chen, Xiaohui; Gupta, Sanju; Gillis, Kevin D.; Gangopadhyay, Shubhra

    2008-01-01

    Carbon electrodes are widely used in electrochemistry due to their low cost, wide potential window, and low and stable background noise. Carbon-fiber electrodes (CFE) are commonly used to electrochemically measure “quantal” catecholamine release via exocytosis from individual cells, but it is difficult to integrate CFEs into lab-on-a-chip devices. Here we report the development of nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon (DLC:N) microelectrodes on a chip to monitor quantal release of catecholamines...

  2. A quantal toy model for heavy-ion collisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cassing, W.

    1987-01-01

    A one-dimensional toy model of moving finite boxes is analysed with respect to quantal phenomena associated with heavy-ion dynamics at low and intermediate energies. Special attention is payed to the relation between energy and momentum of the nucleons inside and outside the time-dependent mean field. A Wigner transformation of the one-body density matrix in space and time allows for a unique comparison with classical phase-space dynamics. It is found that high momentum components of the nuclear groundstate wave function approximately become on-shell during the heavy-ion reaction. This leads to the emission of energetic nucleons which do not appear classically. It is furthermore shown, that the low lying eigenstates of the dinuclear system for fixed time are only partly occupied throughout the reaction at intermediate energies. This opens up final phase space for nucleons after producing e.g. a pion or energetic photon. Through the present model does not allow for a reliable calculation of double differential nucleon spectra, pion or photon cross sections, it transparently shows the peculiar features of quantum dynamics in heavy-ion collisions. (orig.)

  3. Inorganic and organic mercury chloride toxicity to Coturnix: Sensitivity related to age and quantal assessment of physiologic responses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, E.F.

    1982-01-01

    The toxicities of mercuric chloride (HgCl(,2)) and methylmercuric chloride (CH(,3)HgCl) were compared for coturnix (Coturnix coturnix japonica) from hatching to adulthood. Comparisons were based on: (1) Median lethal dosages (LD50) derived by administering single peroral and single intramuscular dosages of mercury, (2) median lethal concentrations (LC50) derived by feeding mercury for 5 days, (3) median toxic concentrations (TC50) derived by feeding mercury 9 weeks and measuring plasma enzyme activity, plasma electrolytes, and other blood constituents, and (4) transient changes of various blood chemistries following a single peroral dose of mercury. Acute peroral and intramuscular LD50s for HgCl(,2) and CH(,3)HgCl increased by two- to threefold for coturnix chicks from hatching to 4 weeks of age. Concomitantly, the LC50s also increased, but the important difference between test procedures was that with both single dose routes of exposure the toxicity ratios, i.e., HgCl(,2)/CH(,3)HgCl, at each age were about 2 to 2.5 compared to about 100 for the LC50s. For example, at 2 weeks of age the peroral LD50s for HgCl(,2) and CH(,3)HgCl were 42 and 18 mg/kg; the dietary LC50s were 5086 and 47 ppm for HgCl(,2) and CH(,3)HgCl. The 9 week feeding trial was not associated with gross effects from either HgCl(,2) at 0.5 to 32 ppm or CH(,3)HgCl at 0.125 to 8 ppm. However, subtle responses were detected for the plasma enzymes aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and ornithine carbamoyl transferase and could be quantified by probit analysis. This quantal procedure was based on establishment of a normal value for each enzyme and classing outliers as respondents. A 'hazard index' based on the TC50 for an enzyme divided by the LD50 or LC50 was introduced. The single oral dosages of HgCl(,2) and CH(,3)HgCl showed that ratios of alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and orinthine carbamoyl transferase for the liver and kidneys of adult coturnix were opposite from

  4. Gambler’s fallacy and imperfect best response in legislative bargaining

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nunnari, S.; Zápal, Jan

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 99, September (2016), s. 275-294 ISSN 0899-8256 Institutional support: RVO:67985998 Keywords : legislative bargaining * experiments * quantal response Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.904, year: 2016

  5. Enhanced quantal release of excitatory transmitter in anterior cingulate cortex of adult mice with chronic pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao Ming-Gao

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC is a forebrain structure that plays important roles in emotion, learning, memory and persistent pain. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the enhancement of excitatory synaptic transmission was induced by peripheral inflammation and nerve injury in ACC synapses. However, little information is available on their presynaptic mechanisms, since the source of the enhanced synaptic transmission could include the enhanced probability of neurotransmitter release at existing release sites and/or increases in the number of available vesicles. The present study aims to perform quantal analysis of excitatory synapses in the ACC with chronic pain to examine the source of these increases. The quantal analysis revealed that both probability of transmitter release and number of available vesicles were increased in a mouse model of peripheral inflammation, whereas only probability of transmitter release but not number of available vesicles was enhanced in a mouse model of neuropathic pain. In addition, we compared the miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials (mEPSCs in ACC synapses with those in other pain-related brain areas such as the amygdala and spinal cord. Interestingly, the rate and amplitude of mEPSCs in ACC synapses were significantly lower than those in the amygdala and spinal cord. Our studies provide strong evidences that chronic inflammatory pain increases both probability of transmitter release and number of available vesicles, whereas neuropathic pain increases only probability of transmitter release in the ACC synapses.

  6. Adenoviral vectors for highly selective gene expression in central serotonergic neurons reveal quantal characteristics of serotonin release in the rat brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teschemacher Anja G

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background 5-hydroxytryptamine (5 HT, serotonin is one of the key neuromodulators in mammalian brain, but many fundamental properties of serotonergic neurones and 5 HT release remain unknown. The objective of this study was to generate an adenoviral vector system for selective targeting of serotonergic neurones and apply it to study quantal characteristics of 5 HT release in the rat brain. Results We have generated adenoviral vectors which incorporate a 3.6 kb fragment of the rat tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH-2 gene which selectively (97% co-localisation with TPH-2 target raphe serotonergic neurones. In order to enhance the level of expression a two-step transcriptional amplification strategy was employed. This allowed direct visualization of serotonergic neurones by EGFP fluorescence. Using these vectors we have performed initial characterization of EGFP-expressing serotonergic neurones in rat organotypic brain slice cultures. Fluorescent serotonergic neurones were identified and studied using patch clamp and confocal Ca2+ imaging and had features consistent with those previously reported using post-hoc identification approaches. Fine processes of serotonergic neurones could also be visualized in un-fixed tissue and morphometric analysis suggested two putative types of axonal varicosities. We used micro-amperometry to analyse the quantal characteristics of 5 HT release and found that central 5 HT exocytosis occurs predominantly in quanta of ~28000 molecules from varicosities and ~34000 molecules from cell bodies. In addition, in somata, we observed a minority of large release events discharging on average ~800000 molecules. Conclusion For the first time quantal release of 5 HT from somato-dendritic compartments and axonal varicosities in mammalian brain has been demonstrated directly and characterised. Release from somato-dendritic and axonal compartments might have different physiological functions. Novel vectors generated in this

  7. Absorption spectra for collinear (nonreactive) H3: Comparison between quantal and classical calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engel, V.; Bacic, Z.; Schinke, R.; Shapiro, M.

    1985-01-01

    Absorption spectra for the collinear (nonreactive) H+H 2 →H/sup number-sign/ 3 →H+H 2 are calculated quantum mechanically, using the Siegbahn--Liu--Truhlar--Horowitz (SLTH) ab initio potential and a model H( 3 surface as the ground and excited H 3 surface, respectively. They are compared to classical spectra previously computed by Mayne, Poirier, and Polanyi using the same potential energy surfaces [J. Chem. Phys. 80, 4025 (1984)]. The spectra are calculated at several collision energies and for both H+H 2 (v = 0) and H+H 2 (v = 1). The quantal and classical spectra are shown to agree with respect to basic features and trends. Nevertheless, the two sets of spectra differ considerably in their overall appearance because of some purely quantum aspects of the H+H 2 system

  8. Gambler’s fallacy and imperfect best response in legislative bargaining

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nunnari, S.; Zápal, Jan

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 99, September (2016), s. 275-294 ISSN 0899-8256 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GP14-27902P Institutional support: PRVOUK-P23 Keywords : legislative bargaining * experiments * quantal response Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.904, year: 2016

  9. Quantal and thermal dampings of the hot giant dipole resonance due to complex configuration mixing

    CERN Document Server

    Dang, N D; Arima, A

    1999-01-01

    An approach is presented to study the width of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) at non-zero temperature T, which includes all forward-going processes up to two-phonon ones. Calculations are performed in sup 1 sup 2 sup 0 Sn and sup 2 sup 0 sup 8 Pb. An overall agreement between theory and experiment is found. The total width of the GDR due to coupling of the GDR phonon to all ph, pp and hh configurations increases sharply as T increases up to T approx 3 MeV and saturates at T approx 4-6 MeV. The quantal width GAMMA sub Q due to coupling to ph configurations decreases with increasing T. It is almost independent of T if the contribution of two-phonon processes at T not =0 is omitted.

  10. Interaction of aberrations, diffraction, and quantal fluctuations determine the impact of pupil size on visual quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Renfeng; Wang, Huachun; Thibos, Larry N; Bradley, Arthur

    2017-04-01

    Our purpose is to develop a computational approach that jointly assesses the impact of stimulus luminance and pupil size on visual quality. We compared traditional optical measures of image quality and those that incorporate the impact of retinal illuminance dependent neural contrast sensitivity. Visually weighted image quality was calculated for a presbyopic model eye with representative levels of chromatic and monochromatic aberrations as pupil diameter was varied from 7 to 1 mm, stimulus luminance varied from 2000 to 0.1  cd/m2, and defocus varied from 0 to -2 diopters. The model included the effects of quantal fluctuations on neural contrast sensitivity. We tested the model's predictions for five cycles per degree gratings by measuring contrast sensitivity at 5  cyc/deg. Unlike the traditional Strehl ratio and the visually weighted area under the modulation transfer function, the visual Strehl ratio derived from the optical transfer function was able to capture the combined impact of optics and quantal noise on visual quality. In a well-focused eye, provided retinal illuminance is held constant as pupil size varies, visual image quality scales approximately as the square root of illuminance because of quantum fluctuations, but optimum pupil size is essentially independent of retinal illuminance and quantum fluctuations. Conversely, when stimulus luminance is held constant (and therefore illuminance varies with pupil size), optimum pupil size increases as luminance decreases, thereby compensating partially for increased quantum fluctuations. However, in the presence of -1 and -2 diopters of defocus and at high photopic levels where Weber's law operates, optical aberrations and diffraction dominate image quality and pupil optimization. Similar behavior was observed in human observers viewing sinusoidal gratings. Optimum pupil size increases as stimulus luminance drops for the well-focused eye, and the benefits of small pupils for improving defocused image

  11. Selective-field-ionization dynamics of a lithium m=2 Rydberg state: Landau-Zener model versus quantal approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foerre, M.; Hansen, J.P.

    2003-01-01

    The selective-field-ionization (SFI) dynamics of a Rydberg state of lithium with magnetic quantum number m=2 is studied in detail based on two different theoretical models: (1) a close coupling integration of the Schroedinger equation and (2) the multichannel (incoherent) Landau-Zener (MLZ) model. The m=2 states are particularly interesting, since they define a border zone between fully adiabatic (m=0,1) and fully diabatic (m>2) ionization dynamics. Both sets of calculations are performed up to, and above, the classical ionization limit. It is found that the MLZ model is excellent in the description of the fully diabatic dynamics while certain discrepancies between the time dependent quantal amplitudes appear when the dynamics become involved. Thus, in this region, the analysis of experimental SFI spectra should be performed with care

  12. Quantal density-functional theory in the presence of a magnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Tao; Pan Xiaoyin; Sahni, Viraht

    2011-01-01

    We generalize the quantal density-functional theory (QDFT) of electrons in the presence of an external electrostatic field E(r)=-∇v(r) to include an external magnetostatic field B(r)=∇xA(r), where (v(r),A(r)) are the respective scalar and vector potentials. The generalized QDFT, valid for nondegenerate ground and excited states, is the mapping from the interacting system of electrons to a model of noninteracting fermions with the same density ρ(r) and physical current density j(r), and from which the total energy can be obtained. The properties (ρ(r),j(r)) constitute the basic quantum-mechanical variables because, as proved previously, for a nondegenerate ground state they uniquely determine the potentials (v(r),A(r)). The mapping to the noninteracting system is arbitrary in that the model fermions may be either in their ground or excited state. The theory is explicated by application to a ground state of the exactly solvable (two-dimensional) Hooke's atom in a magnetic field, with the mapping being to a model system also in its ground state. The majority of properties of the model are obtained in closed analytical or semianalytical form. A comparison with the corresponding mapping from a ground state of the (three-dimensional) Hooke's atom in the absence of a magnetic field is also made.

  13. The role of cAMP in synaptic homeostasis in response to environmental temperature challenges and hyperexcitability mutations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atsushi eUeda

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Homeostasis is the ability of physiological systems to regain functional balance following environment or experimental insults and synaptic homeostasis has been demonstrated in various species following genetic or pharmacological disruptions. Among environmental challenges, homeostatic responses to temperature extremes are critical to animal survival under natural conditions. We previously reported that axon terminal arborization in Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions is enhanced at elevated temperatures; however, the amplitude of excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs remains unaltered despite the increase in synaptic bouton numbers. Here we determine the cellular basis of this homeostatic adjustment in larvae reared at high temperature (HT, 29 ˚C. We found that synaptic current focally recorded from individual synaptic boutons was unaffected by rearing temperature (30 ˚C. However, HT rearing decreased the quantal size (amplitude of spontaneous miniature EJPs, or mEJPs, which compensates for the increased number of synaptic releasing sites to retain a normal EJP size. The quantal size decrease is accounted for by a decrease in input resistance of the postsynaptic muscle fiber, indicating an increase in membrane area that matches the synaptic growth at HT. Interestingly, a mutation in rutabaga (rut encoding adenylyl cyclase (AC exhibited no obvious changes in quantal size or input resistance of postsynaptic muscle cells after HT rearing, suggesting an important role for rut AC in temperature-induced synaptic homeostasis in Drosophila. This extends our previous finding of rut-dependent synaptic homeostasis in hyperexcitable mutants, e.g. slowpoke (slo. In slo larvae, the lack of BK channel function is partially ameliorated by upregulation of presynaptic Sh IA current to limit excessive transmitter release in addition to postsynaptic glutamate receptor recomposition that reduces the quantal size.

  14. Effect of rocuronium on the level and mode of pre-synaptic acetylcholine release by facial and somatic nerves, and changes following facial nerve injury in rabbits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Jinghua; Xu, Jing; Xing, Yian; Chen, Lianhua; Li, Shitong

    2015-01-01

    Muscles innervated by the facial nerve show differential sensitivities to muscle relaxants than muscles innervated by somatic nerves. The evoked electromyography (EEMG) response is also proportionally reduced after facial nerve injury. This forms the theoretical basis for proper utilization of muscle relaxants to balance EEMG monitoring and immobility under general anesthesia. (1) To observe the relationships between the level and mode of acetylcholine (ACh) release and the duration of facial nerve injury, and the influence of rocuronium in an in vitro rabbit model. (2) To explore the pre-synaptic mechanisms of discrepant responses to a muscle relaxant. Quantal and non-quantal ACh release were measured by using intracellular microelectrode recording in the orbicularis oris 1 to 42 days after graded facial nerve injury and in the gastrocnemius with/without rocuronium. Quantal ACh release was significantly decreased by rocuronium in the orbicularis oris and gastrocnemius, but significantly more so in gastrocnemius. Quantal release was reduced after facial nerve injury, which was significantly correlated with the severity of nerve injury in the absence but not in the presence of rocuronium. Non-quantal ACh release was reduced after facial nerve injury, with many relationships observed depending on the extent of the injury. The extent of inhibition of non-quantal release by rocuronium correlated with the grade of facial nerve injury. These findings may explain why EEMG amplitude might be diminished after acute facial nerve injury but relatively preserved after chronic injury and differential responses in sensitivity to rocuronium.

  15. Transmission between type II hair cells and bouton afferents in the turtle posterior crista.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holt, Joseph C; Xue, Jin-Tang; Brichta, Alan M; Goldberg, Jay M

    2006-01-01

    Synaptic activity was recorded with sharp microelectrodes during rest and during 0.3-Hz sinusoidal stimulation from bouton afferents identified by their efferent-mediated inhibitory responses. A glutamate antagonist, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) decreased quantal size (qsize) while lowering external Ca(2+) decreased quantal rate (qrate). Miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials (mEPSPs) had effective durations (qdur) of 3.5-5 ms. Their timing was consistent with Poisson statistics. Mean qsizes ranged in different units from 0.25 to 0.73 mV and mean qrates from 200 to 1,500/s; there was an inverse relation across the afferent population between qrate and qsize. qsize distributions were consistent with the independent release of variable-sized quanta. Channel noise, measured during AMPA-induced depolarizations, was small compared with quantal noise. Excitatory responses were larger than inhibitory responses. Peak qrates, which could approach 3,000/s, led peak excitatory mechanical stimulation by 40 degrees . Quantal parameters varied with stimulation phase with qdur and qsize being maximal during inhibitory stimulation. Voltage modulation (vmod) was in phase with qrate and had a peak depolarization of 1.5-3 mV. On average, 80% of vmod was accounted for by quantal activity; the remaining 20% was a nonquantal component that persisted in the absence of quantal activity. The extracellular accumulation of glutamate and K(+) are potential sources of nonquantal transmission and may provide a basis for the inverse relation between qrate and qsize. Comparison of the phases of synaptic and spike activity suggests that both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms contribute to variations across afferents in the timing of spikes during sinusoidal stimulation.

  16. Essays on inference in economics, competition, and the rate of profit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scharfenaker, Ellis S.

    This dissertation is comprised of three papers that demonstrate the role of Bayesian methods of inference and Shannon's information theory in classical political economy. The first chapter explores the empirical distribution of profit rate data from North American firms from 1962-2012. This chapter address the fact that existing methods for sample selection from noisy profit rate data in the industrial organization field of economics tends to be conditional on a covariate's value that risks discarding information. Conditioning sample selection instead on the profit rate data's structure by means of a two component (signal and noise) Bayesian mixture model we find the the profit rate sample to be time stationary Laplace distributed, corroborating earlier estimates of cross section distributions. The second chapter compares alternative probabilistic approaches to discrete (quantal) choice analysis and examines the various ways in which they overlap. In particular, the work on individual choice behavior by Duncan Luce and the extension of this work to quantal response problems by game theoreticians is shown to be related both to the rational inattention work of Christopher Sims through Shannon's information theory as well as to the maximum entropy principle of inference proposed physicist Edwin T. Jaynes. In the third chapter I propose a model of ``classically" competitive firms facing informational entropy constraints in their decisions to potentially enter or exit markets based on profit rate differentials. The result is a three parameter logit quantal response distribution for firm entry and exit decisions. Bayesian methods are used for inference into the the distribution of entry and exit decisions conditional on profit rate deviations and firm level data from Compustat is used to test these predictions.

  17. Coincidence detection of single-photon responses in the inner retina at the sensitivity limit of vision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ala-Laurila, Petri; Rieke, Fred

    2014-12-15

    Vision in starlight relies on our ability to detect single absorbed photons. Indeed, the sensitivity of dark-adapted vision approaches limits set by the quantal nature of light. This sensitivity requires neural mechanisms that selectively transmit quantal responses and suppress noise. Such mechanisms face an inevitable tradeoff because signal and noise cannot be perfectly separated, and rejecting noise also means rejecting signal. We report measurements of single-photon responses in the output signals of the primate retina. We find that visual signals arising from a few absorbed photons are read out fundamentally differently by primate On and Off parasol ganglion cells, key retinal output neurons. Off parasol cells respond linearly to near-threshold flashes, retaining sensitivity to each absorbed photon but maintaining a high level of noise. On parasol cells respond nonlinearly due to thresholding of their excitatory synaptic inputs. This nonlinearity reduces neural noise but also limits information about single-photon absorptions. The long-standing idea that information about each photon absorption is available for behavior at the sensitivity limit of vision is not universally true across retinal outputs. More generally, our work shows how a neural circuit balances the competing needs for sensitivity and noise rejection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. From rationality to cooperativeness: The totally mixed Nash equilibrium in Markov strategies in the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan S Menshikov

    Full Text Available In this research, the social behavior of the participants in a Prisoner's Dilemma laboratory game is explained on the basis of the quantal response equilibrium concept and the representation of the game in Markov strategies. In previous research, we demonstrated that social interaction during the experiment has a positive influence on cooperation, trust, and gratefulness. This research shows that the quantal response equilibrium concept agrees only with the results of experiments on cooperation in Prisoner's Dilemma prior to social interaction. However, quantal response equilibrium does not explain of participants' behavior after social interaction. As an alternative theoretical approach, an examination was conducted of iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game in Markov strategies. We built a totally mixed Nash equilibrium in this game; the equilibrium agrees with the results of the experiments both before and after social interaction.

  19. Non-response weighting adjustment approach in survey sampling ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hence the discussion is illustrated with real examples from surveys (in particular 2003 KDHS) conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) - Kenya. Some suggestions are made for improving the quality of non-response weighting. Keywords: Survey non-response; non-response adjustment factors; weighting; sampling ...

  20. Random Photon Absorption Model Elucidates How Early Gain Control in Fly Photoreceptors Arises from Quantal Sampling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Zhuoyi; Zhou, Yu; Juusola, Mikko

    2016-01-01

    Many diurnal photoreceptors encode vast real-world light changes effectively, but how this performance originates from photon sampling is unclear. A 4-module biophysically-realistic fly photoreceptor model, in which information capture is limited by the number of its sampling units (microvilli) and their photon-hit recovery time (refractoriness), can accurately simulate real recordings and their information content. However, sublinear summation in quantum bump production (quantum-gain-nonlinearity) may also cause adaptation by reducing the bump/photon gain when multiple photons hit the same microvillus simultaneously. Here, we use a Random Photon Absorption Model (RandPAM), which is the 1st module of the 4-module fly photoreceptor model, to quantify the contribution of quantum-gain-nonlinearity in light adaptation. We show how quantum-gain-nonlinearity already results from photon sampling alone. In the extreme case, when two or more simultaneous photon-hits reduce to a single sublinear value, quantum-gain-nonlinearity is preset before the phototransduction reactions adapt the quantum bump waveform. However, the contribution of quantum-gain-nonlinearity in light adaptation depends upon the likelihood of multi-photon-hits, which is strictly determined by the number of microvilli and light intensity. Specifically, its contribution to light-adaptation is marginal (≤ 1%) in fly photoreceptors with many thousands of microvilli, because the probability of simultaneous multi-photon-hits on any one microvillus is low even during daylight conditions. However, in cells with fewer sampling units, the impact of quantum-gain-nonlinearity increases with brightening light. PMID:27445779

  1. Emergence of scale-free characteristics in socio-ecological systems with bounded rationality

    OpenAIRE

    Kasthurirathna, Dharshana; Piraveenan, Mahendra

    2015-01-01

    Socio?ecological systems are increasingly modelled by games played on complex networks. While the concept of Nash equilibrium assumes perfect rationality, in reality players display heterogeneous bounded rationality. Here we present a topological model of bounded rationality in socio-ecological systems, using the rationality parameter of the Quantal Response Equilibrium. We argue that system rationality could be measured by the average Kullback?-Leibler divergence between Nash and Quantal Res...

  2. Neuromuscular dose-response studies: determining sample size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopman, A F; Lien, C A; Naguib, M

    2011-02-01

    Investigators planning dose-response studies of neuromuscular blockers have rarely used a priori power analysis to determine the minimal sample size their protocols require. Institutional Review Boards and peer-reviewed journals now generally ask for this information. This study outlines a proposed method for meeting these requirements. The slopes of the dose-response relationships of eight neuromuscular blocking agents were determined using regression analysis. These values were substituted for γ in the Hill equation. When this is done, the coefficient of variation (COV) around the mean value of the ED₅₀ for each drug is easily calculated. Using these values, we performed an a priori one-sample two-tailed t-test of the means to determine the required sample size when the allowable error in the ED₅₀ was varied from ±10-20%. The COV averaged 22% (range 15-27%). We used a COV value of 25% in determining the sample size. If the allowable error in finding the mean ED₅₀ is ±15%, a sample size of 24 is needed to achieve a power of 80%. Increasing 'accuracy' beyond this point requires increasing greater sample sizes (e.g. an 'n' of 37 for a ±12% error). On the basis of the results of this retrospective analysis, a total sample size of not less than 24 subjects should be adequate for determining a neuromuscular blocking drug's clinical potency with a reasonable degree of assurance.

  3. Nonparametric estimation of benchmark doses in environmental risk assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piegorsch, Walter W.; Xiong, Hui; Bhattacharya, Rabi N.; Lin, Lizhen

    2013-01-01

    Summary An important statistical objective in environmental risk analysis is estimation of minimum exposure levels, called benchmark doses (BMDs), that induce a pre-specified benchmark response in a dose-response experiment. In such settings, representations of the risk are traditionally based on a parametric dose-response model. It is a well-known concern, however, that if the chosen parametric form is misspecified, inaccurate and possibly unsafe low-dose inferences can result. We apply a nonparametric approach for calculating benchmark doses, based on an isotonic regression method for dose-response estimation with quantal-response data (Bhattacharya and Kong, 2007). We determine the large-sample properties of the estimator, develop bootstrap-based confidence limits on the BMDs, and explore the confidence limits’ small-sample properties via a short simulation study. An example from cancer risk assessment illustrates the calculations. PMID:23914133

  4. Elongated membrane tethers, individually anchored by high affinity α4β1/VCAM-1 complexes, are the quantal units of monocyte arrests.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Calvin Chu

    Full Text Available The α4β1 integrin facilitates both monocyte rolling and adhesion to the vascular endothelium and is physiologically activated by monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1. The current study investigated the initial events in the adhesion of THP-1 cells to immobilized Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (VCAM-1. Using AFM force measurements, cell adhesion was shown to be mediated by two populations of α4β1/VCAM-1 complexes. A low affinity form of α4β1 was anchored to the elastic elements of the cytoskeleton, while a higher affinity conformer was coupled to the viscous elements of the cell membrane. Within 100 ms of contact, THP-1 cells, stimulated by co-immobilized MCP-1, exhibited a tremendous increase in adhesion to VCAM-1. Enhanced cell adhesion was accompanied by a local decoupling of the cell membrane from the cytoskeleton and the formation of long membrane tethers. The tethers were individually anchored by multiple α4β1/VCAM-1 complexes that prolonged the extension of the viscous tethers. In vivo, the formation of these membrane tethers may provide the quantal structural units for the arrest of rolling monocytes within the blood vessels.

  5. Constructed-Response Matching to Sample and Spelling Instruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dube, William V.; And Others

    1991-01-01

    This paper describes a computer-based spelling program grounded in programed instructional techniques and using constructed-response matching-to-sample procedures. Following use of the program, two mentally retarded men successfully spelled previously misspelled words. (JDD)

  6. Estimation of Sensitive Proportion by Randomized Response Data in Successive Sampling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Yu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper considers the problem of estimation for binomial proportions of sensitive or stigmatizing attributes in the population of interest. Randomized response techniques are suggested for protecting the privacy of respondents and reducing the response bias while eliciting information on sensitive attributes. In many sensitive question surveys, the same population is often sampled repeatedly on each occasion. In this paper, we apply successive sampling scheme to improve the estimation of the sensitive proportion on current occasion.

  7. Noether identities at the quantum level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ziping

    2002-01-01

    Based on the phase-space generating functional of Green function, the canonical Noether identities under the local transformation at the quantum level have been derived. For the gauge-invariant system, the quantal Noether identities in configuration space have been also deduced. It is pointed out that in certain cases the quantal Noether identities may be converted to quantal conservation laws of the system. This method for obtaining the quantal conservation laws is significantly different from the first Noether theorem at the quantum level. The application to non-Abelian CS theories is studied, the quantal conserved BRS and PBRS charges are obtained, and these two conserved charges are totally different

  8. Responsibility as a dimension of HIV prevention normative beliefs: measurement in three drug-using samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, M W; Timpson, S C; Williams, M L; Amos, C; McCurdy, S; Bowen, A M; Kilonzo, G P

    2007-03-01

    The concept of responsibility was derived originally from principles of morality, as part of a network of rights, duties and obligations. HIV risk-related studies have suggested that a sense of responsibility for condom use to protect a partner is a potentially important predictor of condom use in drug-using populations. We created a four-item scale measuring Self responsibility to use condoms and Partner's responsibility to use condoms. Data were collected from three drug-using samples: crack smokers, HIV seropositive crack smokers in an intervention study in Houston, Texas, and Tanzanian heroin users in Dar es Salaam. Data indicated that the four responsibility items had high alpha coefficients in each sample, and that there were moderate to high intercorrelations between equivalent self and partner responsibility items. There were significant differences in scale scores between the crack smokers and the HIV positive crack smokers and the Tanzanian samples, but no significant differences between the HIV positive and Tanzanian samples. Comparing within the first crack-smoker sample those who were HIV positive and negative showed significant differences in the direction of higher beliefs in responsibility to use condoms in the HIV positive group. These data suggest that responsibility is measurable, holds similar psychometric properties across three samples differing in culture and HIV serostatus, and that condom use responsibility is conceptualized as a measure of general responsibility rather than as a reciprocal self/partner responsibility.

  9. The Dirichet-Multinomial model for multivariate randomized response data and small samples

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Avetisyan, Marianna; Fox, Gerardus J.A.

    2012-01-01

    In survey sampling the randomized response (RR) technique can be used to obtain truthful answers to sensitive questions. Although the individual answers are masked due to the RR technique, individual (sensitive) response rates can be estimated when observing multivariate response data. The

  10. Optimizing incomplete sample designs for item response model parameters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Linden, Willem J.

    Several models for optimizing incomplete sample designs with respect to information on the item parameters are presented. The following cases are considered: (1) known ability parameters; (2) unknown ability parameters; (3) item sets with multiple ability scales; and (4) response models with

  11. The Dirichlet-Multinomial Model for Multivariate Randomized Response Data and Small Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avetisyan, Marianna; Fox, Jean-Paul

    2012-01-01

    In survey sampling the randomized response (RR) technique can be used to obtain truthful answers to sensitive questions. Although the individual answers are masked due to the RR technique, individual (sensitive) response rates can be estimated when observing multivariate response data. The beta-binomial model for binary RR data will be generalized…

  12. Dose response of artificial irradiation of fluvial sediment sample for ESR dating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chunru; Yin Gongming; Gao Lu; Li Jianping; Han Fei; Lin Min

    2011-01-01

    ESR dating samples need be irradiated to obtain dose response curve and the equivalent dose. The artificial dose rate is about 1 x 10 -1 -1 x 10 2 Gy/min, whereas the natural dose rate is about 3 Gy/ka. Therefore, one must be sure whether the much higher artificial dose rate is suitable for the ESR dating study. In this paper, we use different artificial dose rate to irradiate the same fluvial sample and measure the quartz Al centre ESR signal under the same conditions. The dose response curves are compared, in an attempt to gain a preliminary knowledge on that problem and build a good foundation for our ESR dating studies on fluvial samples. (authors)

  13. Relevance of sampling schemes in light of Ruelle's linear response theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucarini, Valerio; Wouters, Jeroen; Faranda, Davide; Kuna, Tobias

    2012-01-01

    We reconsider the theory of the linear response of non-equilibrium steady states to perturbations. We first show that using a general functional decomposition for space–time dependent forcings, we can define elementary susceptibilities that allow us to construct the linear response of the system to general perturbations. Starting from the definition of SRB measure, we then study the consequence of taking different sampling schemes for analysing the response of the system. We show that only a specific choice of the time horizon for evaluating the response of the system to a general time-dependent perturbation allows us to obtain the formula first presented by Ruelle. We also discuss the special case of periodic perturbations, showing that when they are taken into consideration the sampling can be fine-tuned to make the definition of the correct time horizon immaterial. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results in terms of strategies for analysing the outputs of numerical experiments by providing a critical review of a formula proposed by Reick

  14. TL response of citrine samples for high-dose dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teixeira, Maria Ines; Caldas, Linda V.E.

    2011-01-01

    The possibility of using samples of Brazilian stones as quartz, amethyst, topaz, etc. for high-dose dosimetry has been studied in recent years at IPEN, using the thermoluminescence technique (TL). In this work, the TL properties of citrine samples were studied. They were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation ( 60 Co). The natural citrine stone was extracted from a mine in Minas Gerais state, Brazil; it is a tectosilicate ranked as one of three-dimensional structure, showing clear yellow to golden brown color. The natural citrine stone is classified as quartz (SiO 2 ), and it has a lower symmetry and more compact reticulum. The citrine stone samples were powdered, and the selected grains were mixed with Teflon in the proportion 2 (Teflon):1 (Citrine). The mixture was pressed and sintered for production of Citrine -Teflon pellets of 50 mg. The TL emission curve showed two peaks at 160 deg C and 220 deg C. To remove the TL peak (160 deg C) of the sintered citrine pellet glow curves, different thermal treatments were tested during several time intervals. The TL dose-response curve between 50 Gy and 100 kGy, the reproducibility of TL response and the lower detection dose were obtained. The preliminary results show that citrine may be useful for high-dose dosimetry. (author)

  15. Microwave second-harmonic response of ceramic MgB2 samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agliolo Gallitto, A.; Bonsignore, G.; Li Vigni, M.

    2005-01-01

    Nonlinear microwave response of different ceramic MgB 2 samples has been investigated by the technique of second-harmonic emission. The second-harmonic signal has been investigated as a function of temperature, DC magnetic field and input microwave power. The attention has mainly been devoted to the response at low magnetic fields, where nonlinear processes arising from motion of Abrikosov fluxons are ineffective. The results show that different mechanisms are responsible for the nonlinear response in the different ranges of temperature. At low temperatures, the nonlinear response is due to processes involving weak links. At temperatures close to T c , a further contribution to the harmonic emission is present; it can be ascribed to modulation of the order parameter by the microwave field and gives rise to a peak in the temperature dependence of the harmonic signal

  16. Empirical Sampling Distributions of Equating Coefficients for Graded and Nominal Response Instruments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Frank B.

    1997-01-01

    Examined the sampling distributions of equating coefficients produced by the characteristic curve method for tests using graded and nominal response scoring using simulated data. For both models and across all three equating situations, the sampling distributions were generally bell-shaped and peaked, and occasionally had a small degree of…

  17. Frequency Response of the Sample Vibration Mode in Scanning Probe Acoustic Microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ya-Jun, Zhao; Qian, Cheng; Meng-Lu, Qian

    2010-01-01

    Based on the interaction mechanism between tip and sample in the contact mode of a scanning probe acoustic microscope (SPAM), an active mass of the sample is introduced in the mass-spring model. The tip motion and frequency response of the sample vibration mode in the SPAM are calculated by the Lagrange equation with dissipation function. For the silicon tip and glass assemblage in the SPAM the frequency response is simulated and it is in agreement with the experimental result. The living myoblast cells on the glass slide are imaged at resonance frequencies of the SPAM system, which are 20kHz, 30kHz and 120kHz. It is shown that good contrast of SPAM images could be obtained when the system is operated at the resonance frequencies of the system in high and low-frequency regions

  18. OSL response bleaching of BeO samples, using fluorescent light and blue LEDs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groppo, Daniela Piai; Caldas, Linda V.E.

    2015-01-01

    The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is widely used as a dosimetric technique for many applications. In this work, the OSL response bleaching of BeO samples was studied. The samples were irradiated using a beta radiation source ( 90 Sr+ 90 Y); the bleaching treatments (fluorescent light and blue LEDs) were performed, and the results were compared. Various optical treatment time intervals were tested until reaching the complete bleaching of the OSL response. The best combination of the time interval and bleaching type was analyzed. (author)

  19. OSL response bleaching of BeO samples, using fluorescent light and blue LEDs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groppo, D P; Caldas, L V E

    2016-01-01

    The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is widely used as a dosimetric technique for many applications. In this work, the OSL response bleaching of BeO samples was studied. The samples were irradiated using a beta radiation source ("9"0Sr+"9"0Y); the bleaching treatments (fluorescent light and blue LEDs) were performed, and the results were compared. Various optical treatment time intervals were tested until reaching the complete bleaching of the OSL response. The best combination of the time interval and bleaching type was analyzed. (paper)

  20. To err is human

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tumennasan, Norovsambuu

    We study the classical implementation problem when players are prone to make mis takes. To capture the idea of mistakes, Logit Quantal Response Equilibrium (LQRE) is used, and we consider a case in which players are almost rational, i.e., the sophistication level of players, , approaches innity. ...

  1. Nematic liquid crystal in a cylindrical sample: Theoretical analysis of the electrical response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, O. A.; Yednak, C. A. R.; da Silva, B. V. H. V.; Teixeira-Souza, R. T.

    2018-02-01

    The electrical responses of a nematic liquid crystal sample confined between two cylindrical surfaces are investigated in the framework of elastic continuum theory. The responses are the result of the molecular reorientation induced by both the applied electric field and the cylindrical geometry of the sample. The nematic medium is considered as a parallel RC circuit since the capacitance and the resistance are under the same difference of potential. The electrical properties, including the total electric current, are determined from the molecular reorientation of the director. The elastic anisotropy has been shown to influence substantially the profile of the electrical current, capacitance, and resistance characterizing the equivalent circuit for the medium.

  2. Sampling and Low-Rank Tensor Approximation of the Response Surface

    KAUST Repository

    Litvinenko, Alexander; Matthies, Hermann Georg; El-Moselhy, Tarek A.

    2013-01-01

    Most (quasi)-Monte Carlo procedures can be seen as computing some integral over an often high-dimensional domain. If the integrand is expensive to evaluate-we are thinking of a stochastic PDE (SPDE) where the coefficients are random fields and the integrand is some functional of the PDE-solution-there is the desire to keep all the samples for possible later computations of similar integrals. This obviously means a lot of data. To keep the storage demands low, and to allow evaluation of the integrand at points which were not sampled, we construct a low-rank tensor approximation of the integrand over the whole integration domain. This can also be viewed as a representation in some problem-dependent basis which allows a sparse representation. What one obtains is sometimes called a "surrogate" or "proxy" model, or a "response surface". This representation is built step by step or sample by sample, and can already be used for each new sample. In case we are sampling a solution of an SPDE, this allows us to reduce the number of necessary samples, namely in case the solution is already well-represented by the low-rank tensor approximation. This can be easily checked by evaluating the residuum of the PDE with the approximate solution. The procedure will be demonstrated in the computation of a compressible transonic Reynolds-averaged Navier-Strokes flow around an airfoil with random/uncertain data. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.

  3. A sequential sampling account of response bias and speed-accuracy tradeoffs in a conflict detection task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vuckovic, Anita; Kwantes, Peter J; Humphreys, Michael; Neal, Andrew

    2014-03-01

    Signal Detection Theory (SDT; Green & Swets, 1966) is a popular tool for understanding decision making. However, it does not account for the time taken to make a decision, nor why response bias might change over time. Sequential sampling models provide a way of accounting for speed-accuracy trade-offs and response bias shifts. In this study, we test the validity of a sequential sampling model of conflict detection in a simulated air traffic control task by assessing whether two of its key parameters respond to experimental manipulations in a theoretically consistent way. Through experimental instructions, we manipulated participants' response bias and the relative speed or accuracy of their responses. The sequential sampling model was able to replicate the trends in the conflict responses as well as response time across all conditions. Consistent with our predictions, manipulating response bias was associated primarily with changes in the model's Criterion parameter, whereas manipulating speed-accuracy instructions was associated with changes in the Threshold parameter. The success of the model in replicating the human data suggests we can use the parameters of the model to gain an insight into the underlying response bias and speed-accuracy preferences common to dynamic decision-making tasks. © 2013 American Psychological Association

  4. Correlation of antigen-specific IFN-γ responses of fresh blood samples from Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infected heifers with responses of day-old samples co-cultured with IL-12 or anti-IL-10 antibodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Heidi; Aagaard, Claus; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose

    2012-01-01

    Paratuberculosis is a chronic infection of the intestine of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Early stage MAP infection can be detected by measuring cell-mediated immune responses using the interferon gamma (IFN-γ) assay. Whole blood samples are cultured...... to enhance IFN-γ responses of cultures stimulated with Johnin purified protein derivative (PPDj). Here we examined the correlation of IFN-γ production in response to PPDj and 15 recombinant antigens in day-old blood samples from heifers 10–21 months of age from a MAP infected herd with addition of either...... overnight with specific MAP antigens followed by quantification of IFN-γ by ELISA. It is recommended that the time interval from sampling to culture does not exceed eight hours but addition of the co-stimulating cytokine interleukin 12 (IL-12) or anti-IL-10 antibodies to culture have been demonstrated...

  5. Pairing call-response surveys and distance sampling for a mammalian carnivore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Sara J. K.; Frair, Jacqueline L.; Underwood, Harold B.; Gibbs, James P.

    2015-01-01

    Density estimates accounting for differential animal detectability are difficult to acquire for wide-ranging and elusive species such as mammalian carnivores. Pairing distance sampling with call-response surveys may provide an efficient means of tracking changes in populations of coyotes (Canis latrans), a species of particular interest in the eastern United States. Blind field trials in rural New York State indicated 119-m linear error for triangulated coyote calls, and a 1.8-km distance threshold for call detectability, which was sufficient to estimate a detection function with precision using distance sampling. We conducted statewide road-based surveys with sampling locations spaced ≥6 km apart from June to August 2010. Each detected call (be it a single or group) counted as a single object, representing 1 territorial pair, because of uncertainty in the number of vocalizing animals. From 524 survey points and 75 detections, we estimated the probability of detecting a calling coyote to be 0.17 ± 0.02 SE, yielding a detection-corrected index of 0.75 pairs/10 km2 (95% CI: 0.52–1.1, 18.5% CV) for a minimum of 8,133 pairs across rural New York State. Importantly, we consider this an index rather than true estimate of abundance given the unknown probability of coyote availability for detection during our surveys. Even so, pairing distance sampling with call-response surveys provided a novel, efficient, and noninvasive means of monitoring populations of wide-ranging and elusive, albeit reliably vocal, mammalian carnivores. Our approach offers an effective new means of tracking species like coyotes, one that is readily extendable to other species and geographic extents, provided key assumptions of distance sampling are met.

  6. De determination for young samples using the standardised OSL response of coarse-grain quartz

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burbidge, C.I.; Duller, G.A.T.; Roberts, H.M.

    2006-01-01

    It has recently been shown that it is possible to construct standardised curves of the sensitivity corrected growth in optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) with exposure to ionising radiation, and that they may be used in the dating of quartz and polymineral samples. Standardised growth curves are particularly advantageous where measurement time is limited, as once they have been defined, only the natural signal and the response to a subsequent test dose are required in order to determine the equivalent dose of a sub-sample. The present study is concerned with the application of the standardised growth curve approach to OSL dating of Holocene age samples. Systematic changes in the shape of the standardised growth curve of coarse-grain quartz are identified as the size of the test dose is varied, because of non-proportionality between the test dose and the luminescence test response. The effect is characterised by fitting the change in gradient of the standardised growth curve as test dose is varied. An equation is defined to describe standardised growth as a function of regenerative dose and test dose. Regenerative dose responses of other samples in this study are treated as unknowns and recovered through different growth curves to compare precision and accuracy of various methods of D e determination. The standardised growth curve is found to yield similar precision to conventional fits of single aliquot regenerative data, but slightly poorer accuracy. The standardised growth curve approach was refined by incorporating the measurement of one regenerative response for each aliquot as well as its natural signal. Measurements of this additional data point for aliquots of 22 samples were used to adjust the standardised growth equation, improving its accuracy. The incorporation of this additional data point also indicated a systematic uncertainty of 2.4% in the estimates of D e

  7. Calculation of parameter failure probability of thermodynamic system by response surface and importance sampling method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shang Yanlong; Cai Qi; Chen Lisheng; Zhang Yangwei

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, the combined method of response surface and importance sampling was applied for calculation of parameter failure probability of the thermodynamic system. The mathematics model was present for the parameter failure of physics process in the thermodynamic system, by which the combination arithmetic model of response surface and importance sampling was established, then the performance degradation model of the components and the simulation process of parameter failure in the physics process of thermodynamic system were also present. The parameter failure probability of the purification water system in nuclear reactor was obtained by the combination method. The results show that the combination method is an effective method for the calculation of the parameter failure probability of the thermodynamic system with high dimensionality and non-linear characteristics, because of the satisfactory precision with less computing time than the direct sampling method and the drawbacks of response surface method. (authors)

  8. Galaxy power-spectrum responses and redshift-space super-sample effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yin; Schmittfull, Marcel; Seljak, Uroš

    2018-02-01

    As a major source of cosmological information, galaxy clustering is susceptible to long-wavelength density and tidal fluctuations. These long modes modulate the growth and expansion rate of local structures, shifting them in both amplitude and scale. These effects are often named the growth and dilation effects, respectively. In particular the dilation shifts the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) peak and breaks the assumption of the Alcock-Paczynski (AP) test. This cannot be removed with reconstruction techniques because the effect originates from long modes outside the survey. In redshift space, the long modes generate a large-scale radial peculiar velocity that affects the redshift-space distortion (RSD) signal. We compute the redshift-space response functions of the galaxy power spectrum to long density and tidal modes at leading order in perturbation theory, including both the growth and dilation terms. We validate these response functions against measurements from simulated galaxy mock catalogs. As one application, long density and tidal modes beyond the scale of a survey correlate various observables leading to an excess error known as the super-sample covariance, and thus weaken their constraining power. We quantify the super-sample effect on BAO, AP, and RSD measurements, and study its impact on current and future surveys.

  9. Complete super-sample lensing covariance in the response approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreira, Alexandre; Krause, Elisabeth; Schmidt, Fabian

    2018-06-01

    We derive the complete super-sample covariance (SSC) of the matter and weak lensing convergence power spectra using the power spectrum response formalism to accurately describe the coupling of super- to sub-survey modes. The SSC term is completely characterized by the survey window function, the nonlinear matter power spectrum and the full first-order nonlinear power spectrum response function, which describes the response to super-survey density and tidal field perturbations. Generalized separate universe simulations can efficiently measure these responses in the nonlinear regime of structure formation, which is necessary for lensing applications. We derive the lensing SSC formulae for two cases: one under the Limber and flat-sky approximations, and a more general one that goes beyond the Limber approximation in the super-survey mode and is valid for curved sky applications. Quantitatively, we find that for sky fractions fsky ≈ 0.3 and a single source redshift at zS=1, the use of the flat-sky and Limber approximation underestimates the total SSC contribution by ≈ 10%. The contribution from super-survey tidal fields to the lensing SSC, which has not been included in cosmological analyses so far, is shown to represent about 5% of the total lensing covariance on multipoles l1,l2 gtrsim 300. The SSC is the dominant off-diagonal contribution to the total lensing covariance, making it appropriate to include these tidal terms and beyond flat-sky/Limber corrections in cosmic shear analyses.

  10. Correlated sampling added to the specific purpose Monte Carlo code McPNL for neutron lifetime log responses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mickael, M.; Verghese, K.; Gardner, R.P.

    1989-01-01

    The specific purpose neutron lifetime oil well logging simulation code, McPNL, has been rewritten for greater user-friendliness and faster execution. Correlated sampling has been added to the code to enable studies of relative changes in the tool response caused by environmental changes. The absolute responses calculated by the code have been benchmarked against laboratory test pit data. The relative responses from correlated sampling are not directly benchmarked, but they are validated using experimental and theoretical results

  11. A Unified Probabilistic Framework for Dose-Response Assessment of Human Health Effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Weihsueh A; Slob, Wout

    2015-12-01

    When chemical health hazards have been identified, probabilistic dose-response assessment ("hazard characterization") quantifies uncertainty and/or variability in toxicity as a function of human exposure. Existing probabilistic approaches differ for different types of endpoints or modes-of-action, lacking a unifying framework. We developed a unified framework for probabilistic dose-response assessment. We established a framework based on four principles: a) individual and population dose responses are distinct; b) dose-response relationships for all (including quantal) endpoints can be recast as relating to an underlying continuous measure of response at the individual level; c) for effects relevant to humans, "effect metrics" can be specified to define "toxicologically equivalent" sizes for this underlying individual response; and d) dose-response assessment requires making adjustments and accounting for uncertainty and variability. We then derived a step-by-step probabilistic approach for dose-response assessment of animal toxicology data similar to how nonprobabilistic reference doses are derived, illustrating the approach with example non-cancer and cancer datasets. Probabilistically derived exposure limits are based on estimating a "target human dose" (HDMI), which requires risk management-informed choices for the magnitude (M) of individual effect being protected against, the remaining incidence (I) of individuals with effects ≥ M in the population, and the percent confidence. In the example datasets, probabilistically derived 90% confidence intervals for HDMI values span a 40- to 60-fold range, where I = 1% of the population experiences ≥ M = 1%-10% effect sizes. Although some implementation challenges remain, this unified probabilistic framework can provide substantially more complete and transparent characterization of chemical hazards and support better-informed risk management decisions.

  12. Stochastic basis for curve shape, RBE and temporal dependence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bond, V.P.

    1982-01-01

    This paper uses biophysical-microdosimetric quantities, measured in a physical surrogate or phantom cell, to explain the shape of absorbed dose-quantal cell response curves, the role of radiation quality and the influence of dose rate. Responses expected are explored first in simple autonomous cell systems, followed by increasingly-complex systems. Complications seen with increasingly-complex systems appear to be confined largely to the higher dose and dose rate ranges

  13. Quantum dynamics without the wavefunction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorkin, Rafael D

    2007-01-01

    When suitably generalized and interpreted, the path integral offers an alternative to the more familiar quantal formalism based on state vectors, self-adjoint operators and external observers. Mathematically one generalizes the path-integral-as-propagator to a quantal measure μ on the space Ω of all 'conceivable worlds', and this generalized measure expresses the dynamics or law of motion of the theory, much as Wiener measure expresses the dynamics of Brownian motion. Within such 'histories-based' schemes new and more 'realistic' possibilities open up for resolving the philosophical problems of the state-vector formalism. In particular, one can dispense with the need for external agents by locating the predictive content of μ in its sets of measure zero: such sets are to be 'precluded'. But unrestricted application of this rule engenders contradictions. One possible response would remove the contradictions by circumscribing the application of the preclusion concept. Another response, more in the tradition of 'quantum logic', would accommodate the contradictions by dualizing Ω to a space of 'co-events' and effectively identifying reality with an element of this dual space

  14. Environmental and emergency response capabilities of Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory's radiological air sampling program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunderson, T.C.

    1980-05-01

    Environmental and emergency response radiological air sampling capabilities of the Environmental Surveillance Group at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory are described. The air sampling program provides a supplementary check on the adequacy of containment and effluent controls, determines compliance with applicable protection guides and standards, and assesses potential environmental impacts on site environs. It also allows evaluation of potential individual and total population doses from airborne radionuclides that may be inhaled or serve as a source of external radiation. The environmental program is sufficient in scope to detect fluctuations and long-term trends in atmospheric levels of radioactivity originating onsite. The emergency response capabilities are designed to respond to both onsite unplanned releases and atmospheric nuclear tests

  15. Replication Variance Estimation under Two-phase Sampling in the Presence of Non-response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muqaddas Javed

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Kim and Yu (2011 discussed replication variance estimator for two-phase stratified sampling. In this paper estimators for mean have been proposed in two-phase stratified sampling for different situation of existence of non-response at first phase and second phase. The expressions of variances of these estimators have been derived. Furthermore, replication-based jackknife variance estimators of these variances have also been derived. Simulation study has been conducted to investigate the performance of the suggested estimators.

  16. An empirical comparison of effective concentration estimators for evaluating aquatic toxicity test responses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bailer, A.J.; Hughes, M.R.; Denton, D.L.; Oris, J.T.

    2000-01-01

    Aquatic toxicity tests are statistically evaluated by either hypothesis testing procedures to derive a no-observed-effect concentration or by inverting regression models to calculate the concentration associated with a specific reduction from the control response. These latter methods can be described as potency estimation methods. Standard US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) potency estimation methods are based on two different techniques. For continuous or count response data, a nominally nonparametric method that assumes monotonic decreasing responses and piecewise linear patterns between successive concentration groups is used. For quantal responses, a probit regression model with a linear dose term is fit. These techniques were compared with a recently developed parametric regression-based estimator, the relative inhibition estimator, RIp. This method is based on fitting generalized linear models, followed by estimation of the concentration associated with a particular decrement relative to control responses. These estimators, with levels of inhibition (p) of 25 and 50%, were applied to a series of chronic toxicity tests in a US EPA region 9 database of reference toxicity tests. Biological responses evaluated in these toxicity tests included the number of young produced in three broods by the water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) and germination success and tube length data from the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). The greatest discrepancy between the RIp and standard US EPA estimators was observed for C. dubia. The concentration-response pattern for this biological endpoint exhibited nonmonotonicity more frequently than for any of the other endpoint. Future work should consider optimal experimental designs to estimate these quantities, methods for constructing confidence intervals, and simulation studies to explore the behavior of these estimators under known conditions.

  17. Mechanisms of efferent-mediated responses in the turtle posterior crista.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holt, Joseph C; Lysakowski, Anna; Goldberg, Jay M

    2006-12-20

    To study the cellular mechanisms of efferent actions, we recorded from vestibular-nerve afferents close to the turtle posterior crista while efferent fibers were electrically stimulated. Efferent-mediated responses were obtained from calyx-bearing (CD, calyx and dimorphic) afferents and from bouton (B) afferents distinguished by their neuroepithelial locations into BT units near the torus and BM units at intermediate sites. The spike discharge of CD units is strongly excited by efferent stimulation, whereas BT and BM units are inhibited, with BM units also showing a postinhibitory excitation. Synaptic activity was recorded intracellularly after spikes were blocked. Responses of BT/BM units to single efferent shocks consist of a brief depolarization followed by a prolonged hyperpolarization. Both components reflect variations in hair-cell quantal release rates and are eliminated by pharmacological antagonists of alpha9/alpha10 nicotinic receptors. Blocking calcium-dependent SK potassium channels converts the biphasic response into a prolonged depolarization. Results can be explained, as in other hair-cell systems, by the sequential activation of alpha9/alpha10 and SK channels. In BM units, the postinhibitory excitation is based on an increased rate of hair-cell quanta and depends on the preceding inhibition. There is, in addition, an efferent-mediated, direct depolarization of BT/BM and CD fibers. In CD units, it is the exclusive efferent response. Nicotinic antagonists have different effects on hair-cell efferent actions and on the direct depolarization of CD and BT/BM units. Ultrastructural studies, besides confirming the efferent innervation of type II hair cells and calyx endings, show that turtle efferents commonly contact afferent boutons terminating on type II hair cells.

  18. Sample dependent response of a LaCl{sub 3}:Ce detector in prompt gamma neutron activation analysis of bulk hydrocarbon samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naqvi, A.A., E-mail: aanaqvi@kfupm.edu.sa [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia); Al-Matouq, Faris A.; Khiari, F.Z. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia); Isab, A.A. [Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia); Khateeb-ur-Rehman,; Raashid, M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia)

    2013-08-11

    The response of a LaCl{sub 3}:Ce detector has been found to depend upon the hydrogen content of bulk samples in prompt gamma analysis using 14 MeV neutron inelastic scattering. The moderation of 14 MeV neutrons from hydrogen in the bulk sample produces thermal neutrons around the sample which ultimately excite chlorine capture gamma rays in the LaCl{sub 3}:Ce detector material. Interference of 6.11 MeV chlorine gamma rays from the detector itself with 6.13 MeV oxygen gamma rays from the bulk samples makes the intensity of the 6.13 MeV oxygen gamma ray peak relatively insensitive to variations in oxygen concentration. The strong dependence of the 1.95 MeV doublet chlorine gamma ray yield on hydrogen content of the bulk samples confirms fast neutron moderation from hydrogen in the bulk samples as a major source of production of thermal neutrons and chlorine gamma rays in the LaCl{sub 3}:Ce detector material. Despite their poor oxygen detection capabilities, these detectors have nonetheless excellent detection capabilities for hydrogen and carbon in benzene, butyl alcohol, propanol, propanic acid, and formic acid bulk samples using 14 MeV neutron inelastic scattering.

  19. Stretch-induced Ca2+ independent ATP release in hippocampal astrocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Yingfei; Teng, Sasa; Zheng, Lianghong; Sun, Suhua; Li, Jie; Guo, Ning; Li, Mingli; Wang, Li; Zhu, Feipeng; Wang, Changhe; Rao, Zhiren; Zhou, Zhuan

    2018-02-28

    Similar to neurons, astrocytes actively participate in synaptic transmission via releasing gliotransmitters. The Ca 2+ -dependent release of gliotransmitters includes glutamate and ATP. Following an 'on-cell-like' mechanical stimulus to a single astrocyte, Ca 2+ independent single, large, non-quantal, ATP release occurs. Astrocytic ATP release is inhibited by either selective antagonist treatment or genetic knockdown of P2X7 receptor channels. Our work suggests that ATP can be released from astrocytes via two independent pathways in hippocampal astrocytes; in addition to the known Ca 2+ -dependent vesicular release, larger non-quantal ATP release depends on P2X7 channels following mechanical stretch. Astrocytic ATP release is essential for brain functions such as synaptic long-term potentiation for learning and memory. However, whether and how ATP is released via exocytosis remains hotly debated. All previous studies of non-vesicular ATP release have used indirect assays. By contrast, two recent studies report vesicular ATP release using more direct assays. In the present study, using patch clamped 'ATP-sniffer cells', we re-investigated astrocytic ATP release at single-vesicle resolution in hippocampal astrocytes. Following an 'on-cell-like' mechanical stimulus of a single astrocyte, a Ca 2+ independent single large non-quantal ATP release occurred, in contrast to the Ca 2+ -dependent multiple small quantal ATP release in a chromaffin cell. The mechanical stimulation-induced ATP release from an astrocyte was inhibited by either exposure to a selective antagonist or genetic knockdown of P2X7 receptor channels. Functional P2X7 channels were expressed in astrocytes in hippocampal brain slices. Thus, in addition to small quantal ATP release, larger non-quantal ATP release depends on P2X7 channels in astrocytes. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2018 The Physiological Society.

  20. Sampling season affects conclusions on soil arthropod community structure responses to metal pollution in Mediterranean urban soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santorufo, L.; van Gestel, C.A.M.; Maisto, G.

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to assess if the period of sampling affected conclusions on the responses of arthropod community structure to metal pollution in urban soils in the Mediterranean area. Higher temperature and lower precipitation were detected in autumn than in spring. In both samplings, the most

  1. A Unified Probabilistic Framework for Dose–Response Assessment of Human Health Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slob, Wout

    2015-01-01

    Background When chemical health hazards have been identified, probabilistic dose–response assessment (“hazard characterization”) quantifies uncertainty and/or variability in toxicity as a function of human exposure. Existing probabilistic approaches differ for different types of endpoints or modes-of-action, lacking a unifying framework. Objectives We developed a unified framework for probabilistic dose–response assessment. Methods We established a framework based on four principles: a) individual and population dose responses are distinct; b) dose–response relationships for all (including quantal) endpoints can be recast as relating to an underlying continuous measure of response at the individual level; c) for effects relevant to humans, “effect metrics” can be specified to define “toxicologically equivalent” sizes for this underlying individual response; and d) dose–response assessment requires making adjustments and accounting for uncertainty and variability. We then derived a step-by-step probabilistic approach for dose–response assessment of animal toxicology data similar to how nonprobabilistic reference doses are derived, illustrating the approach with example non-cancer and cancer datasets. Results Probabilistically derived exposure limits are based on estimating a “target human dose” (HDMI), which requires risk management–informed choices for the magnitude (M) of individual effect being protected against, the remaining incidence (I) of individuals with effects ≥ M in the population, and the percent confidence. In the example datasets, probabilistically derived 90% confidence intervals for HDMI values span a 40- to 60-fold range, where I = 1% of the population experiences ≥ M = 1%–10% effect sizes. Conclusions Although some implementation challenges remain, this unified probabilistic framework can provide substantially more complete and transparent characterization of chemical hazards and support better-informed risk

  2. Dose-Response Analysis of RNA-Seq Profiles in Archival Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Use of archival resources has been limited to date by inconsistent methods for genomic profiling of degraded RNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. RNA-sequencing offers a promising way to address this problem. Here we evaluated transcriptomic dose responses us...

  3. Staircase functions, spectral regidity and a rule for quantizing chaos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aurich, R.; Steiner, F.

    1991-07-01

    Considering the Selberg trace formula as an exact version of Gutzwiller's semiclassical periodic-orbit theory in the case of the free motion on compact Riemann surfaces with constant negative curvature (Hadamard-Gutzwiller model), we study two complementary basic problems in quantum chaology: the computation of the calssical staircase N(l), the number of periodic orbits with length shorter than l, in terms of the quantal energy spectrum {E n }, the computation of the spectral staircase N (E), the number of quantal energies below the energy E, in terms of the length spectrum {l n } of the classical periodic orbits. A formulation of the periodic-orbit theory is presented which is intrinsically unsmoothed, but for which an effective smoothing arises from the limited 'input data', i.e. from the limited knowledge of the periodic orbits in the case of N(E) and the limited knowledge of quantal energies in the case of N(l). Based on the periodic-orbit formula for N(E), we propose a new rule for quantizing chaos, which simply states that the quantal energies are determined by the zeros of the function ξ 1 (E) = cos (πN(E)). The formulas for N(l) and N(E) as well as the new quantization condition are tested numerically. Furthermore, it is shown that the staircase N(E) computed from the length spectrum yields (up to a constant) a good description of the spectral rigidity Δ 3 (L), being the first numerical attempt to compute a statistical property of the quantal energy spectrum of a chaotic system from classical periodic orbits. (orig.)

  4. Dose–response of critical structures in the posterior eye segment to hypofractioned stereotactic photon radiotherapy of choroidal melanoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunavoelgyi, Roman; Georg, Dietmar; Zehetmayer, Martin; Schmidt-Erfurth, Ursula; Pötter, Richard; Dörr, Wolfgang; Dieckmann, Karin

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To identify modifying factors and dose–/volume–response relationships for the retina and optic nerve related to highly conformal hypofractionated radiotherapy. Patients and methods: Seventy-three patients undergoing hypofractionated stereotactic photon radiotherapy of choroidal melanoma were included in this retrospective study. The volumes of the optic nerve receiving doses of more than 7.5 or 12 Gy, respectively, were defined. Optic nerve circumference included in the 30%, 40%, 50%, or 80% isodose (ON % ) and retina included in 30% or 40% were determined as quantal effects. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for clinical variables as well as probit analysis to define EDx (doses where a positive response is expected in x% of the cases). Results: Median follow-up was 90.0 (interquartile range 69.0–98.0) months. Fifty-two (71%) and 49 (67%) patients developed radiation retinopathy and optic neuropathy (any grade). Age, length of follow-up and diabetes were significant parameters regarding retinopathy. Optic neuropathy was significantly influenced by age, length of follow-up, and ON 30 . The probability of optic neuropathy (any grade and grade ⩾2) significantly increases with the dose (p ranges from 0.0126 to 0.0211). Conclusion: Treatment planning should aim at minimizing encompassing isodoses particularly in the low dose region, without compromising PTV coverage

  5. Efficient methods for including quantum effects in Monte Carlo calculations of large systems: extension of the displaced points path integral method and other effective potential methods to calculate properties and distributions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mielke, Steven L; Dinpajooh, Mohammadhasan; Siepmann, J Ilja; Truhlar, Donald G

    2013-01-07

    We present a procedure to calculate ensemble averages, thermodynamic derivatives, and coordinate distributions by effective classical potential methods. In particular, we consider the displaced-points path integral (DPPI) method, which yields exact quantal partition functions and ensemble averages for a harmonic potential and approximate quantal ones for general potentials, and we discuss the implementation of the new procedure in two Monte Carlo simulation codes, one that uses uncorrelated samples to calculate absolute free energies, and another that employs Metropolis sampling to calculate relative free energies. The results of the new DPPI method are compared to those from accurate path integral calculations as well as to results of two other effective classical potential schemes for the case of an isolated water molecule. In addition to the partition function, we consider the heat capacity and expectation values of the energy, the potential energy, the bond angle, and the OH distance. We also consider coordinate distributions. The DPPI scheme performs best among the three effective potential schemes considered and achieves very good accuracy for all of the properties considered. A key advantage of the effective potential schemes is that they display much lower statistical sampling variances than those for accurate path integral calculations. The method presented here shows great promise for including quantum effects in calculations on large systems.

  6. The Emergence of Symmetry in a Conditional Discrimination Task Using Different Responses as Propioceptive Samples in Pigeons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Andres; Benjumea, Santiago

    2006-01-01

    In Experiment 1, 10 pigeons were exposed to a successive symbolic matching-to-sample procedure in which the sample was generated by the pigeons' own behavior. Each trial began with both response keys illuminated white, one being the "correct" key and the other the "incorrect" key. The pigeons had no way of discriminating which key was correct and…

  7. 76 FR 41186 - Salmonella Verification Sampling Program: Response to Comments on New Agency Policies and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-13

    ... Service [Docket No. FSIS-2008-0008] Salmonella Verification Sampling Program: Response to Comments on New Agency Policies and Clarification of Timeline for the Salmonella Initiative Program (SIP) AGENCY: Food... Federal Register notice (73 FR 4767- 4774), which described upcoming policy changes in the FSIS Salmonella...

  8. Charge Exchange in Slow Collisions of O+ with He

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, L. B.; Joseph, D. C.; Saha, B. C.; Lebermann, H. P.; Funke, P.; Buenker, R. J.

    2009-03-01

    A comparative study is reported for the charge transfer in collisions of O^+ with He using the fully quantal and semiclassical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) approaches in the adiabatic representation. The electron capture processes O^+(^4S^o, ^2D^o, ^2P^o) + He -> O(^3P) + He^+ are recalculated. The semiclassical MOCC approach was examined by a detailed comparision of cross sections and transition probabilities from both the fully quantal and semiclassical MOCC approaches. The discrepancies reported previously between the semiclassical and the quantal MOCC cross sections may be attributed due to the insufficient step-size resolution of the semiclassical calculations. Our results are also compared with the experimental cross sections and found good agreements. This work is supported by NSF, CREST program (Grant#0630370).

  9. DOE responses to Ecology review comments for ''Sampling and analysis plans for the 100-D Ponds voluntary remediation project''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    The Sampling and Analysis Plan describes the sampling and analytical activities which will be performed to support closure of the 100-D Ponds at the Hanford Reservation. This report contains responses by the US Department of Energy to Ecology review for ''Sampling and Analysis Plan for the 100-D Ponds Voluntary Remediation Project.''

  10. The current state of knowledge on the use of the benchmark dose concept in risk assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sand, Salomon; Victorin, Katarina; Filipsson, Agneta Falk

    2008-05-01

    This review deals with the current state of knowledge on the use of the benchmark dose (BMD) concept in health risk assessment of chemicals. The BMD method is an alternative to the traditional no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) and has been presented as a methodological improvement in the field of risk assessment. The BMD method has mostly been employed in the USA but is presently given higher attention also in Europe. The review presents a number of arguments in favor of the BMD, relative to the NOAEL. In addition, it gives a detailed overview of the several procedures that have been suggested and applied for BMD analysis, for quantal as well as continuous data. For quantal data the BMD is generally defined as corresponding to an additional or extra risk of 5% or 10%. For continuous endpoints it is suggested that the BMD is defined as corresponding to a percentage change in response relative to background or relative to the dynamic range of response. Under such definitions, a 5% or 10% change can be considered as default. Besides how to define the BMD and its lower bound, the BMDL, the question of how to select the dose-response model to be used in the BMD and BMDL determination is highlighted. Issues of study design and comparison of dose-response curves and BMDs are also covered. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. A combined hit theory-microdosimetric explanation of cellular radiobiological action

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bond, V.P.; Varma, M.N.

    1983-01-01

    Hit theory is combined with microdosimetry in a stochastic approach that explains the observed responses of cell populations exposed in radiation fields of different qualities. The central thesis is that to expose a population of cells in a low-level radiation field is to subject the cells to the potential for interaction with charged particles, quantifiable in terms of the charged particle fluence PHI. When such an interaction occurs there is resulting stochastic transfer of energy to a critical volume (CV) of cross-section σ within the cell(s). The severity of cell injury is dependent on the amount of energy thus imparted, or the hit size. If the severity is above some minimal level, there is a non-zero probability that the injury will result in a quantal effect (e.g., a mutational or carcinogenic initial event, cell transformation). A microdosimetric proportional counter, viewed here as a phantom cell CV that permits measurements not possible in the living cell, is used to determine the incidence of hit cells and the spectrum of hit sizes. Each hit is then weighted on the basis of an empirically determined function that provides the fraction of cells responding quantally, as a function of hit size. The sum of the hits so weighted provides the incidence of quantally responding cells, for any amount of exposure PHI in a radiation field of any quality or mixture of qualities. The hit size weighting function for pink mutations in Tradescantia is discussed, as are its implications in terms of a replacement for relative biological effectiveness and dose equivalent. (author)

  12. Quantum and classical properties of some billiards on the hyperbolic plane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmit, C.

    1991-01-01

    Some 'experimental' results are given on the quantal spectrum of some billiards on two-dimensional manifolds of constant negative curvature. It is shown that the use of the Selberg trace formula may bring some interesting new results on the properties of the classical motion. Some new (and quite unexpected) results are presented about the quantal spectrum of the octagon on the hyperbolic plane. (K.A.) 8 refs.; 17 figs.; 2 tabs

  13. Emergence of scale-free characteristics in socio-ecological systems with bounded rationality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasthurirathna, Dharshana; Piraveenan, Mahendra

    2015-06-11

    Socio-ecological systems are increasingly modelled by games played on complex networks. While the concept of Nash equilibrium assumes perfect rationality, in reality players display heterogeneous bounded rationality. Here we present a topological model of bounded rationality in socio-ecological systems, using the rationality parameter of the Quantal Response Equilibrium. We argue that system rationality could be measured by the average Kullback--Leibler divergence between Nash and Quantal Response Equilibria, and that the convergence towards Nash equilibria on average corresponds to increased system rationality. Using this model, we show that when a randomly connected socio-ecological system is topologically optimised to converge towards Nash equilibria, scale-free and small world features emerge. Therefore, optimising system rationality is an evolutionary reason for the emergence of scale-free and small-world features in socio-ecological systems. Further, we show that in games where multiple equilibria are possible, the correlation between the scale-freeness of the system and the fraction of links with multiple equilibria goes through a rapid transition when the average system rationality increases. Our results explain the influence of the topological structure of socio-ecological systems in shaping their collective cognitive behaviour, and provide an explanation for the prevalence of scale-free and small-world characteristics in such systems.

  14. Complex, non-monotonic dose-response curves with multiple maxima: Do we (ever) sample densely enough?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cvrčková, Fatima; Luštinec, Jiří; Žárský, Viktor

    2015-01-01

    We usually expect the dose-response curves of biological responses to quantifiable stimuli to be simple, either monotonic or exhibiting a single maximum or minimum. Deviations are often viewed as experimental noise. However, detailed measurements in plant primary tissue cultures (stem pith explants of kale and tobacco) exposed to varying doses of sucrose, cytokinins (BA or kinetin) or auxins (IAA or NAA) revealed that growth and several biochemical parameters exhibit multiple reproducible, statistically significant maxima over a wide range of exogenous substance concentrations. This results in complex, non-monotonic dose-response curves, reminiscent of previous reports of analogous observations in both metazoan and plant systems responding to diverse pharmacological treatments. These findings suggest the existence of a hitherto neglected class of biological phenomena resulting in dose-response curves exhibiting periodic patterns of maxima and minima, whose causes remain so far uncharacterized, partly due to insufficient sampling frequency used in many studies.

  15. Sampling method, storage and pretreatment of sediment affect AVS concentrations with consequences for bioassay responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Lange, H J; Van Griethuysen, C; Koelmans, A A

    2008-01-01

    Sediment treatment and sediment storage may alter sediment toxicity, and consequently biotic response. Purpose of our study was to combine these three aspects (treatment-toxicity-biotic response) in one integrated approach. We used Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) concentrations as a proxy of the disturbance of the sediment. AVS and Simultaneously Extracted Metal (SEM) concentrations were compared to bioassay responses with the freshwater benthic macroinvertebrate Asellus aquaticus. Storage conditions and sediment treatment affected AVS but not SEM levels. AVS can be used as a proxy for sediment disturbance. The best way to pretreat the sediment for use in a bioassay in order to maintain initial AVS conditions was to sample the sediment with an Ekman grab, immediately store it in a jar without headspace, and freeze it as soon as possible. In a survey using seven different sediments, bioassay responses of A. aquaticus were correlated with SEM and AVS characteristics.

  16. Lamb Wave Response of Fatigued Composite Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seale, Michael; Smith, Barry T.; Prosser, William H.; Masters, John E.

    1994-01-01

    Composite materials are being more widely used today by aerospace, automotive, sports equipment, and a number of other commercial industries because of their advantages over conventional metals. Composites have a high strength-to-weight ratio and can be constructed to meet specific design needs. Composite structures are already in use in secondary parts of the Douglas MD-11 and are planned to be used in the new MD-12X. Plans also exist for their use in primary and secondary structures on the Boeing 777. Douglas proposed MD-XX may also incorporate composite materials into primary structures such as the wings and tail. Use of composites in these structures offers weight savings, corrosion resistance, and improved aerodynamics. Additionally, composites have been used to repair cracks in many B-1Bs where traditional repair techniques were not very effective. Plans have also been made to reinforce all of the remaining B-1s with composite materials. Verification of the structural integrity of composite components is needed to insure safe operation of these aerospace vehicles. One aspect of the use of these composites is their response to fatigue. To track this progression of fatigue in aerospace structures, a convenient method to nondestructively monitor this damage needs to be developed. Traditional NDE techniques used on metals are not easily adaptable to composites due to the inhomogeneous and anisotropic nature of these materials. Finding an effective means of nondestructively monitoring fatigue damage is extremely important to the safety and reliability of such structures. Lamb waves offer one method of evaluating these composite materials. As a material is fatigued, the modulus degrades. Since the Lamb wave velocity can be related to the modulus of the material, an effective tool can be developed to monitor fatigue damage in composites by measuring the velocity of these waves. In this work, preliminary studies have been conducted which monitor fatigue damage in

  17. Transgenic zebrafish reveal tissue-specific differences in estrogen signaling in response to environmental water samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorelick, Daniel A; Iwanowicz, Luke R; Hung, Alice L; Blazer, Vicki S; Halpern, Marnie E

    2014-04-01

    Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) are exogenous chemicals that mimic endogenous hormones such as estrogens. Previous studies using a zebrafish transgenic reporter demonstrated that the EEDs bisphenol A and genistein preferentially activate estrogen receptors (ERs) in the larval heart compared with the liver. However, it was not known whether the transgenic zebrafish reporter was sensitive enough to detect estrogens from environmental samples, whether environmental estrogens would exhibit tissue-specific effects similar to those of BPA and genistein, or why some compounds preferentially target receptors in the heart. We tested surface water samples using a transgenic zebrafish reporter with tandem estrogen response elements driving green fluorescent protein expression (5xERE:GFP). Reporter activation was colocalized with tissue-specific expression of ER genes by RNA in situ hybridization. We observed selective patterns of ER activation in transgenic fish exposed to river water samples from the Mid-Atlantic United States, with several samples preferentially activating receptors in embryonic and larval heart valves. We discovered that tissue specificity in ER activation was due to differences in the expression of ER subtypes. ERα was expressed in developing heart valves but not in the liver, whereas ERβ2 had the opposite profile. Accordingly, subtype-specific ER agonists activated the reporter in either the heart valves or the liver. The use of 5xERE:GFP transgenic zebrafish revealed an unexpected tissue-specific difference in the response to environmentally relevant estrogenic compounds. Exposure to estrogenic EEDs in utero was associated with adverse health effects, with the potentially unanticipated consequence of targeting developing heart valves.

  18. Feasibility of automated speech sample collection with stuttering children using interactive voice response (IVR) technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogel, Adam P; Block, Susan; Kefalianos, Elaina; Onslow, Mark; Eadie, Patricia; Barth, Ben; Conway, Laura; Mundt, James C; Reilly, Sheena

    2015-04-01

    To investigate the feasibility of adopting automated interactive voice response (IVR) technology for remotely capturing standardized speech samples from stuttering children. Participants were 10 6-year-old stuttering children. Their parents called a toll-free number from their homes and were prompted to elicit speech from their children using a standard protocol involving conversation, picture description and games. The automated IVR system was implemented using an off-the-shelf telephony software program and delivered by a standard desktop computer. The software infrastructure utilizes voice over internet protocol. Speech samples were automatically recorded during the calls. Video recordings were simultaneously acquired in the home at the time of the call to evaluate the fidelity of the telephone collected samples. Key outcome measures included syllables spoken, percentage of syllables stuttered and an overall rating of stuttering severity using a 10-point scale. Data revealed a high level of relative reliability in terms of intra-class correlation between the video and telephone acquired samples on all outcome measures during the conversation task. Findings were less consistent for speech samples during picture description and games. Results suggest that IVR technology can be used successfully to automate remote capture of child speech samples.

  19. Emotional responses to sexual and emotional infidelity: constants and differences across genders, samples, and methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabini, John; Green, Melanie C

    2004-11-01

    In three studies (total N = 619), the authors tested an evolutionary hypothesis: Men are more bothered by sexual than emotional infidelity, whereas the reverse is true of women. More diverse samples (in age) and measures than is typical were used. In Study 1, the authors found across gender, sample, and method that sexual infidelity was associated with anger and blame, but emotional infidelity was associated with hurt feelings. The evolutionary effect was replicated with undergraduates but not with the nonstudent sample. In Study 2, narrative scenarios were used; it was found that nonstudent men and women were more hurt and upset by emotional infidelity but were made angrier by sexual infidelity. In Study 3, using Likert-type scales, scenarios, and a nonstudent sample, it was found that both genders were more upset, hurt, and angrier about sexual than emotional transgressions when rating one kind without hearing the opposite type. The implications for how emotional responses evolved are discussed.

  20. Frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms of some immune response genes in a population sample from São Paulo, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Léa Campos de Oliveira

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To present the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphismsof a few immune response genes in a population sample from SãoPaulo City (SP, Brazil. Methods: Data on allele frequencies ofknown polymorphisms of innate and acquired immunity genes werepresented, the majority with proven impact on gene function. Datawere gathered from a sample of healthy individuals, non-HLA identicalsiblings of bone marrow transplant recipients from the Hospital dasClínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo,obtained between 1998 and 2005. The number of samples variedfor each single nucleotide polymorphism analyzed by polymerasechain reaction followed by restriction enzyme cleavage. Results:Allele and genotype distribution of 41 different gene polymorphisms,mostly cytokines, but also including other immune response genes,were presented. Conclusion: We believe that the data presentedhere can be of great value for case-control studies, to define whichpolymorphisms are present in biologically relevant frequencies and toassess targets for therapeutic intervention in polygenic diseases witha component of immune and inflammatory responses.

  1. The Effects of Test Length and Sample Size on Item Parameters in Item Response Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Alper; Anil, Duygu

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the effects of sample size and test length on item-parameter estimation in test development utilizing three unidimensional dichotomous models of item response theory (IRT). For this purpose, a real language test comprised of 50 items was administered to 6,288 students. Data from this test was used to obtain data sets of…

  2. Magnetic response and critical current properties of mesoscopic-size YBCO superconducting samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lisboa-Filho, P N; Deimling, C V; Ortiz, W A

    2010-01-01

    In this contribution superconducting specimens of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ were synthesized by a modified polymeric precursor method, yielding a ceramic powder with particles of mesoscopic-size. Samples of this powder were then pressed into pellets and sintered under different conditions. The critical current density was analyzed by isothermal AC-susceptibility measurements as a function of the excitation field, as well as with isothermal DC-magnetization runs at different values of the applied field. Relevant features of the magnetic response could be associated to the microstructure of the specimens and, in particular, to the superconducting intra- and intergranular critical current properties.

  3. Magnetic response and critical current properties of mesoscopic-size YBCO superconducting samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lisboa-Filho, P N [UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Grupo de Materiais Avancados, Departamento de Fisica, Bauru (Brazil); Deimling, C V; Ortiz, W A, E-mail: plisboa@fc.unesp.b [Grupo de Supercondutividade e Magnetismo, Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos (Brazil)

    2010-01-15

    In this contribution superconducting specimens of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} were synthesized by a modified polymeric precursor method, yielding a ceramic powder with particles of mesoscopic-size. Samples of this powder were then pressed into pellets and sintered under different conditions. The critical current density was analyzed by isothermal AC-susceptibility measurements as a function of the excitation field, as well as with isothermal DC-magnetization runs at different values of the applied field. Relevant features of the magnetic response could be associated to the microstructure of the specimens and, in particular, to the superconducting intra- and intergranular critical current properties.

  4. The effect of sampling rate and anti-aliasing filters on high-frequency response spectra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boore, David M.; Goulet, Christine

    2013-01-01

    The most commonly used intensity measure in ground-motion prediction equations is the pseudo-absolute response spectral acceleration (PSA), for response periods from 0.01 to 10 s (or frequencies from 0.1 to 100 Hz). PSAs are often derived from recorded ground motions, and these motions are usually filtered to remove high and low frequencies before the PSAs are computed. In this article we are only concerned with the removal of high frequencies. In modern digital recordings, this filtering corresponds at least to an anti-aliasing filter applied before conversion to digital values. Additional high-cut filtering is sometimes applied both to digital and to analog records to reduce high-frequency noise. Potential errors on the short-period (high-frequency) response spectral values are expected if the true ground motion has significant energy at frequencies above that of the anti-aliasing filter. This is especially important for areas where the instrumental sample rate and the associated anti-aliasing filter corner frequency (above which significant energy in the time series is removed) are low relative to the frequencies contained in the true ground motions. A ground-motion simulation study was conducted to investigate these effects and to develop guidance for defining the usable bandwidth for high-frequency PSA. The primary conclusion is that if the ratio of the maximum Fourier acceleration spectrum (FAS) to the FAS at a frequency fsaa corresponding to the start of the anti-aliasing filter is more than about 10, then PSA for frequencies above fsaa should be little affected by the recording process, because the ground-motion frequencies that control the response spectra will be less than fsaa . A second topic of this article concerns the resampling of the digital acceleration time series to a higher sample rate often used in the computation of short-period PSA. We confirm previous findings that sinc-function interpolation is preferred to the standard practice of using

  5. Sampling method, storage and pretreatment of sediment affect AVS concentrations with consequences for bioassay responses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lange, H.J. de [Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 8080, 6700 DD, Wageningen (Netherlands); Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands)], E-mail: marieke.delange@wur.nl; Griethuysen, C. van; Koelmans, A.A. [Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 8080, 6700 DD, Wageningen (Netherlands)

    2008-01-15

    Sediment treatment and sediment storage may alter sediment toxicity, and consequently biotic response. Purpose of our study was to combine these three aspects (treatment-toxicity-biotic response) in one integrated approach. We used Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) concentrations as a proxy of the disturbance of the sediment. AVS and Simultaneously Extracted Metal (SEM) concentrations were compared to bioassay responses with the freshwater benthic macroinvertebrate Asellus aquaticus. Storage conditions and sediment treatment affected AVS but not SEM levels. AVS can be used as a proxy for sediment disturbance. The best way to pretreat the sediment for use in a bioassay in order to maintain initial AVS conditions was to sample the sediment with an Ekman grab, immediately store it in a jar without headspace, and freeze it as soon as possible. In a survey using seven different sediments, bioassay responses of A. aquaticus were correlated with SEM and AVS characteristics. - Change in AVS is a good proxy for sediment disturbance and combined with SEM it can be used as a suitable predictor for biotic effects of sediment contamination.

  6. Combined hit theory-microdosimetric explanation of cellular radiobiological action

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bond, V.P.; Varma, M.N.

    1983-01-01

    Hit theory is combined with microdosimetry in a stochastic approach that explains the observed responses of cell populations exposed in radiation fields of different qualities. The central thesis is that to expose a population of cells in a low-level radiation field is to subject the cells to the potential for interaction with charged particles in the vicinity of the cells, quantifiable in terms of the charged particle fluence theta. When such an interaction occurs there is a resulting stochastic transfer of energy to a critical volume (CV) of cross section sigma, within the cell(s). The severity of cell injury is dependent on the amount of energy thus imparted, or the hit size. If the severity is above some minimal level, there is a non-zero probability that the injury will result in a quantal effect (e.g., a mutational or carcinogenic initial event, cell transformation). A microdosimetric proportional counter, viewed here as a phantom cell CV that permits measurements not possible in the living cell, is used to determine the incidence of hit cells and the spectrum of hit sizes. Each hit is then weighted on the basis of an empirically-determined function that provides the fraction of cells responding quantally, as a function of hit size. The sum of the hits so weighted provides the incidence of quantally-responding cells, for any amount of exposure theta in a radiation field of any quality or mixture qualities. The hit size weighting function for pink mutations in Tradescantia is discussed, as are its implications in terms of a replacement for RBE and dose equivalent. 14 references, 9 figures

  7. Release properties of individual presynaptic boutons expressed during homosynaptic depression and heterosynaptic facilitation of the Aplysia sensorimotor synapse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guy eMalkinson

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Much of what we know about the mechanisms underlying Homosynaptic Depression (HSD and heterosynaptic facilitation is based on intracellular recordings of integrated postsynaptic potentials. This methodological approach views the presynaptic apparatus as a single compartment rather than taking a more realistic representation reflecting the fact that it is made up of tens to hundreds of individual and independent Presynaptic Release Boutons (PRBs. Using cultured Aplysia sensorimotor synapses, we reexamined HSD and its dishabituation by imaging the release properties of individual PRBs. We find that the PRB population is heterogeneous and can be clustered into three groups: approximately 25% of the PRBs consistently release neurotransmitter throughout the entire habituation paradigm (35 stimuli, 0.05Hz and have a relatively high quantal content, 36% of the PRBs display intermittent failures only after the tenth stimulation, and 39% are low quantal-content PRBs that exhibit intermittent release failures from the onset of the habituation paradigm. 5HT-induced synaptic dishabituation by a single 5HT application was generated by the enhanced recovery of the quantal content of the habituated PRBs and did not involve the recruitment of new release boutons. The characterization of the PRB population as heterogeneous in terms of its temporal pattern of release-probability and quantal content provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying HSD and its dishabituation.

  8. A unified framework for benchmark dose estimation applied to mixed models and model averaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ritz, Christian; Gerhard, Daniel; Hothorn, Ludwig A.

    2013-01-01

    for hierarchical data structures, reflecting increasingly common types of assay data. We illustrate the usefulness of the methodology by means of a cytotoxicology example where the sensitivity of two types of assays are evaluated and compared. By means of a simulation study, we show that the proposed framework......This article develops a framework for benchmark dose estimation that allows intrinsically nonlinear dose-response models to be used for continuous data in much the same way as is already possible for quantal data. This means that the same dose-response model equations may be applied to both...

  9. Statistical analysis of hydrological response in urbanising catchments based on adaptive sampling using inter-amount times

    Science.gov (United States)

    ten Veldhuis, Marie-Claire; Schleiss, Marc

    2017-04-01

    Urban catchments are typically characterised by a more flashy nature of the hydrological response compared to natural catchments. Predicting flow changes associated with urbanisation is not straightforward, as they are influenced by interactions between impervious cover, basin size, drainage connectivity and stormwater management infrastructure. In this study, we present an alternative approach to statistical analysis of hydrological response variability and basin flashiness, based on the distribution of inter-amount times. We analyse inter-amount time distributions of high-resolution streamflow time series for 17 (semi-)urbanised basins in North Carolina, USA, ranging from 13 to 238 km2 in size. We show that in the inter-amount-time framework, sampling frequency is tuned to the local variability of the flow pattern, resulting in a different representation and weighting of high and low flow periods in the statistical distribution. This leads to important differences in the way the distribution quantiles, mean, coefficient of variation and skewness vary across scales and results in lower mean intermittency and improved scaling. Moreover, we show that inter-amount-time distributions can be used to detect regulation effects on flow patterns, identify critical sampling scales and characterise flashiness of hydrological response. The possibility to use both the classical approach and the inter-amount-time framework to identify minimum observable scales and analyse flow data opens up interesting areas for future research.

  10. The impact parameter dependence of swift electron-matter interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ritchie, R.H.

    1988-01-01

    In quantal collision theories, momentum and energy are usually taken to be good quantal variables. Classical collision theory, on the other hand, uses position and time to describe interactions between a probe and a target. In modern physics one may wish to express quantal theories in terms of spacelike variables. For example, experiments are now common in which one measures, by means of a narrowly focused beam of swift electrons, the distribution in energy of losses experienced in a very small region of space. Also, in experiments with channeled ions, and in microdosimetry, one is interested in the spatial coherence of unlocalized excitations created by swift ions and electrons, and their ultimate localization through transfer of energy to, e.g., single-particle excitations. In this lecture the author describes work, done in part in collaboration with Professor Howie, on some aspects of the spatial dependence of inelastic interactions between a charged particle and a condensed matter target. 6 refs., 1 fig

  11. Potentiating day-old blood samples for detection of interferon-gamma responses following infection with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Heidi; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Jungersen, Gregers

    time interval from blood sampling to culture. The objective of the study was to assess options for use of day-old blood samples for early-stage diagnosis of MAP infections. Bovine interleukin 12 (IL-12) can induce, and IL-10 reduce, IFN-γ production. Therefore, addition of IL-12 and anti-IL-10 could...... result in production of IFN-γ in samples previously exposed to MAP antigens. Whole blood samples were collected from heifers in a Danish dairy herd known to be infected with MAP. The samples were collected on three sample dates, and on each date the blood samples were stimulated with PPDj and recombinant......The interferon gamma (IFN-γ) test measuring specific cell-mediated immune responses in whole blood can be used for diagnosis at an early stage of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection. A major obstacle for the practical use of IFN-γ testing is the recommended maximum 8 hour...

  12. Survey Response Styles, Acculturation, and Culture Among a Sample of Mexican American Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Rachel E; Resnicow, Ken; Couper, Mick P

    2011-10-01

    A number of studies have investigated use of extreme (ERS) and acquiescent (ARS) response styles across cultural groups. However, due to within-group heterogeneity, it is important to also examine use of response styles, acculturation, and endorsement of cultural variables at the individual level. This study explores relationships between acculturation, six Mexican cultural factors, ERS, and ARS among a sample of 288 Mexican American telephone survey respondents. Three aspects of acculturation were assessed: Spanish use, the importance of preserving Mexican culture, and interaction with Mexican Americans versus Anglos. These variables were hypothesized to positively associate with ERS and ARS. Participants with higher Spanish use did utilize more ERS and ARS; however, value for preserving Mexican culture and interaction with Mexican Americans were not associated with response style use. In analyses of cultural factors, endorsement of familismo and simpatia were related to more frequent ERS and ARS, machismo was associated with lower ERS among men, and la mujer was related to higher ERS among women. Caballerismo was marginally associated with utilization of ERS among men. No association was found between la mujer abnegada and ERS among women. Relationships between male gender roles and ARS were nonsignificant. Relationships between female gender roles and ARS were mixed but trended in the positive direction. Overall, these findings suggest that Mexican American respondents vary in their use of response styles by acculturation and cultural factors. This usage may be specifically influenced by participants' valuing of and engagement with constructs directly associated with social behavior.

  13. Most oxidative stress response in water samples comes from unknown chemicals: the need for effect-based water quality trigger values.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escher, Beate I; van Daele, Charlotte; Dutt, Mriga; Tang, Janet Y M; Altenburger, Rolf

    2013-07-02

    The induction of adaptive stress response pathways is an early and sensitive indicator of the presence of chemical and non-chemical stressors in cells. An important stress response is the Nrf-2 mediated oxidative stress response pathway where electrophilic chemicals or chemicals that cause the formation of reactive oxygen species initiate the production of antioxidants and metabolic detoxification enzymes. The AREc32 cell line is sensitive to chemicals inducing oxidative stress and has been previously applied for water quality monitoring of organic micropollutants and disinfection byproducts. Here we propose an algorithm for the derivation of effect-based water quality trigger values for this end point that is based on the combined effects of mixtures of regulated chemicals. Mixture experiments agreed with predictions by the mixture toxicity concept of concentration addition. The responses in the AREc32 and the concentrations of 269 individual chemicals were quantified in nine environmental samples, ranging from treated effluent, recycled water, stormwater to drinking water. The effects of the detected chemicals could explain less than 0.1% of the observed induction of the oxidative stress response in the sample, affirming the need to use effect-based trigger values that account for all chemicals present.

  14. A simple method for the rapid assessment of the qualitative ESR response of fossil samples to laboratory irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gruen, Rainer

    2006-01-01

    A simple and effective method is proposed for the analysis of the qualitative response of ESR spectra to dosing. The method comprises of the alignment of the spectra, and subtraction of the natural spectrum from those that were subsequently irradiated in the laboratory. In that way, the ESR response to environmental radiation can be compared to the ESR response to laboratory radiation. As illustrated on some tooth enamel and mollusk shell samples, both materials are frequently used in dating and accident dosimetry, the method is very effective for the identification of regions where the two radiation regimes generate qualitatively the same dose response as well as for the isolation of radiation insensitive signals that interfere with those used for dose estimation

  15. Scattering of thermal He beams by crossed atomic and molecular beams. I. Sensitivity of the elastic differential cross section to the interatomic potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keil, M.; Kuppermann, A.

    1978-01-01

    The ability of diffraction oscillations in atomic beam scattering experiments to uniquely determine interatomic potentials for highly quantal systems is examined. Assumed but realistic potentials are used to generate, by scattering calculations and incorporation of random errors, differential cross sections which are then treated as if they were ''experimental'' data. From these, attempts are made to recover the initial potential by varying the parameters of assumed mathematical forms different from the original one, until a best fit to the ''experimental'' results is obtained. It is found that the region of the interaction potential around the van der Waals minimum is accurately determined by the ''measured'' differential cross sections over a range of interatomic separations significantly wider than would be expected classically. It is also found, for collision energies at which the weakly repulsive wall is appreciably sampled, that the SPF--Dunham and double Morse--van der Waals types of potentials lead to accurate determinations of the interatomic potential, whereas many other mathematical forms do not. Analytical parameterizations most appropriate for obtaining accurate interatomic potentials from thermal DCS experiments, for a given highly quantal system, may depend on the collision energy used

  16. Along-wind response of a wind turbine tower with blade coupling subjected to rotationally sampled wind loading

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murtagh, P J; Basu, B; Broderick, B M [Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College, Dublin (Ireland)

    2005-07-15

    This paper proposes an approach to investigate the along-wind forced vibration response of a wind turbine tower and rotating blades assembly subjected to rotationally sampled stationary wind loading. The wind turbine assembly consists of three rotating rotor blades connected to the top of a flexible annular tower, constituting a multi-body dynamic entity. The tower and rotating blades are each modelled as discretized multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) entities, allowing the free vibration characteristics of each to be obtained using a discrete parameter approach. The free vibration properties of the tower include the effect of a rigid mass at the top, representing the nacelle, and those of the blade include the effects of centrifugal stiffening due to rotation and blade gravity loadings. The blades are excited by drag force time-histories derived from discrete Fourier transform (DFT) representations of rotationally sampled wind turbulence spectra. Blade response time-histories are obtained using the mode acceleration method, which allows for the quantification of base shear forces due to flapping for the three blades to be obtained. This resultant base shear is imparted into the top of the tower. Wind drag loading on the tower is also considered, with a series of spatially correlated nodal force time-histories being derived using DFTs of wind force spectra. The tower/nacelle is then coupled with the rotating blades by combining their equations of motion and solving for the displacement at the top of the tower under compatibility conditions in the frequency domain. An inverse Fourier transform of the frequency domain response yields the response time-history of the coupled system. The response of an equivalent system that does not consider the blade/tower interaction is also investigated, and the results are compared. (Author)

  17. Collisional effects in He I lines and helium abundances in planetary nebulae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clegg, R.E.S.

    1987-01-01

    Attention is drawn to new, 19-state quantal calculations for collisional excitation by electron impact in neutral helium. Recommended empirical formulae are given for the collisional contribution to HeI recombination lines such as λλ4471, 5876 A in gaseous nebulae. Collisional ionization of metastable (2 3 S) He I is significant for high-temperature nebulae. Collisional transfers provide significant cooling in nebulae with low heavy-element abundances. Revised mean He/H ratios for three large samples of planetary nebulae are given. (author)

  18. Colorimetric and Fluorescent Dual Mode Sensing of Alcoholic Strength in Spirit Samples with Stimuli-Responsive Infinite Coordination Polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Jingjing; Ma, Wenjie; Yu, Ping; Mao, Lanqun

    2015-07-07

    This study demonstrates a new strategy for colorimetric and fluorescent dual mode sensing of alcoholic strength (AS) in spirit samples based on stimuli-responsive infinite coordination polymers (ICPs). The ICP supramolecular network is prepared with 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (bix) as the ligand and Zn(2+) as the central metal ion in ethanol, in which rhodamine B (RhB) is encapsulated through self-adaptive chemistry. In pure ethanol solvent, the as-formed RhB/Zn(bix) is well dispersed and quite stable. However, the addition of water into the ethanol dispersion of RhB/Zn(bix) destroys Zn(bix) network structure, resulting in the release of RhB from ICP into the solvent. As a consequence, the solvent displays the color of released RhB and, at the meantime, turns on the fluorescence of RhB, which constitutes a new mechanism for colorimetric and fluorescent dual mode sensing of AS in commercial spirit samples. With the method developed here, we could distinguish the AS of different commercial spirit samples by the naked eye within a wide linear range from 20 to 100% vol and by monitoring the increase of fluorescent intensity of the released RhB. This study not only offers a new method for on-spot visible detection of AS in commercial spirit samples, but also provides a strategy for designing dual mode sensing mechanisms for different analytical purposes based on novel stimuli-responsive materials.

  19. Sampling of Stochastic Input Parameters for Rockfall Calculations and for Structural Response Calculations Under Vibratory Ground Motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    M. Gross

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this scientific analysis is to define the sampled values of stochastic (random) input parameters for (1) rockfall calculations in the lithophysal and nonlithophysal zones under vibratory ground motions, and (2) structural response calculations for the drip shield and waste package under vibratory ground motions. This analysis supplies: (1) Sampled values of ground motion time history and synthetic fracture pattern for analysis of rockfall in emplacement drifts in nonlithophysal rock (Section 6.3 of ''Drift Degradation Analysis'', BSC 2004 [DIRS 166107]); (2) Sampled values of ground motion time history and rock mechanical properties category for analysis of rockfall in emplacement drifts in lithophysal rock (Section 6.4 of ''Drift Degradation Analysis'', BSC 2004 [DIRS 166107]); (3) Sampled values of ground motion time history and metal to metal and metal to rock friction coefficient for analysis of waste package and drip shield damage to vibratory motion in ''Structural Calculations of Waste Package Exposed to Vibratory Ground Motion'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 167083]) and in ''Structural Calculations of Drip Shield Exposed to Vibratory Ground Motion'' (BSC 2003 [DIRS 163425]). The sampled values are indices representing the number of ground motion time histories, number of fracture patterns and rock mass properties categories. These indices are translated into actual values within the respective analysis and model reports or calculations. This report identifies the uncertain parameters and documents the sampled values for these parameters. The sampled values are determined by GoldSim V6.04.007 [DIRS 151202] calculations using appropriate distribution types and parameter ranges. No software development or model development was required for these calculations. The calculation of the sampled values allows parameter uncertainty to be incorporated into the rockfall and structural response calculations that support development of the seismic scenario for the

  20. Modern survey sampling

    CERN Document Server

    Chaudhuri, Arijit

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to SamplingAbstract Introduction Concepts of Population, Sample, and SamplingInitial RamificationsAbstract Introduction Sampling Design, Sampling SchemeRandom Numbers and Their Uses in Simple RandomSampling (SRS)Drawing Simple Random Samples with and withoutReplacementEstimation of Mean, Total, Ratio of Totals/Means:Variance and Variance EstimationDetermination of Sample SizesA.2 Appendix to Chapter 2 A.More on Equal Probability Sampling A.Horvitz-Thompson EstimatorA.SufficiencyA.LikelihoodA.Non-Existence Theorem More Intricacies Abstract Introduction Unequal Probability Sampling StrategiesPPS Sampling Exploring Improved WaysAbstract Introduction Stratified Sampling Cluster SamplingMulti-Stage SamplingMulti-Phase Sampling: Ratio and RegressionEstimationviiviii ContentsControlled SamplingModeling Introduction Super-Population ModelingPrediction Approach Model-Assisted Approach Bayesian Methods Spatial SmoothingSampling on Successive Occasions: Panel Rotation Non-Response and Not-at-Homes Weighting Adj...

  1. A proteomic study to identify soya allergens--the human response to transgenic versus non-transgenic soya samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batista, Rita; Martins, Isabel; Jeno, Paul; Ricardo, Cândido Pinto; Oliveira, Maria Margarida

    2007-01-01

    In spite of being among the main foods responsible for allergic reactions worldwide, soybean (Glycine max)-derived products continue to be increasingly widespread in a variety of food products due to their well-documented health benefits. Soybean also continues to be one of the elected target crops for genetic modification. The aim of this study was to characterize the soya proteome and, specifically, IgE-reactive proteins as well as to compare the IgE response in soya-allergic individuals to genetically modified Roundup Ready soya versus its non-transgenic control. We performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of protein extracts from a 5% genetically modified Roundup Ready flour sample and its non-transgenic control followed by Western blotting with plasma from 5 soya-sensitive individuals. We used peptide tandem mass spectrometry to identify soya proteins (55 protein matches), specifically IgE-binding ones, and to evaluate differences between transgenic and non-transgenic samples. We identified 2 new potential soybean allergens--one is maturation associated and seems to be part of the late embryogenesis abundant proteins group and the other is a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. None of the individuals tested reacted differentially to the transgenic versus non-transgenic samples under study. Soybean endogenous allergen expression does not seem to be altered after genetic modification. Proteomics should be considered a powerful tool for functional characterization of plants and for food safety assessment. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Physiological response of wild dugongs (Dugong dugon) to out-of-water sampling for health assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanyon, Janet M.; Sneath, Helen L.; Long, Trevor; Bonde, Robert K.

    2010-01-01

    The dugong (Dugong dugon) is a vulnerable marine mammal with large populations living in urban Queensland waters. A mark-recapture program for wild dugongs has been ongoing in southern Queensland since 2001. This program has involved capture and in-water sampling of more than 700 dugongs where animals have been held at the water surface for 5 min to be gene-tagged, measured, and biopsied. In 2008, this program expanded to examine more comprehensively body condition, reproductive status, and the health of wild dugongs in Moreton Bay. Using Sea World's research vessel, captured dugongs were lifted onto a boat and sampled out-of-water to obtain accurate body weights and morphometrics, collect blood and urine samples for baseline health parameters and hormone profiles, and ultrasound females for pregnancy status. In all, 30 dugongs, including two pregnant females, were sampled over 10 d and restrained on deck for up to 55 min each while biological data were collected. Each of the dugongs had their basic temperature-heart rate-respiration (THR) monitored throughout their period of handling, following protocols developed for the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). This paper reports on the physiological response of captured dugongs during this out-of-water operation as indicated by their vital signs and the suitability of the manatee monitoring protocols to this related sirenian species. A recommendation is made that the range of vital signs of these wild dugongs be used as benchmark criteria of normal parameters for other studies that intend to sample dugongs out-of-water.

  3. Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sefa, Eunice; Adimazoya, Edward Akolgo; Yartey, Emmanuel; Lenzi, Rachel; Tarpo, Cindy; Heward-Mills, Nii Lante; Lew, Katherine; Ampeh, Yvonne

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Generating a nationally representative sample in low and middle income countries typically requires resource-intensive household level sampling with door-to-door data collection. High mobile phone penetration rates in developing countries provide new opportunities for alternative sampling and data collection methods, but there is limited information about response rates and sample biases in coverage and nonresponse using these methods. We utilized data from an interactive voice response, random-digit dial, national mobile phone survey in Ghana to calculate standardized response rates and assess representativeness of the obtained sample. Materials and methods The survey methodology was piloted in two rounds of data collection. The final survey included 18 demographic, media exposure, and health behavior questions. Call outcomes and response rates were calculated according to the American Association of Public Opinion Research guidelines. Sample characteristics, productivity, and costs per interview were calculated. Representativeness was assessed by comparing data to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the National Population and Housing Census. Results The survey was fielded during a 27-day period in February-March 2017. There were 9,469 completed interviews and 3,547 partial interviews. Response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rates were 31%, 81%, 7%, and 39% respectively. Twenty-three calls were dialed to produce an eligible contact: nonresponse was substantial due to the automated calling system and dialing of many unassigned or non-working numbers. Younger, urban, better educated, and male respondents were overrepresented in the sample. Conclusions The innovative mobile phone data collection methodology yielded a large sample in a relatively short period. Response rates were comparable to other surveys, although substantial coverage bias resulted from fewer women, rural, and older residents completing the mobile phone survey in

  4. Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    L'Engle, Kelly; Sefa, Eunice; Adimazoya, Edward Akolgo; Yartey, Emmanuel; Lenzi, Rachel; Tarpo, Cindy; Heward-Mills, Nii Lante; Lew, Katherine; Ampeh, Yvonne

    2018-01-01

    Generating a nationally representative sample in low and middle income countries typically requires resource-intensive household level sampling with door-to-door data collection. High mobile phone penetration rates in developing countries provide new opportunities for alternative sampling and data collection methods, but there is limited information about response rates and sample biases in coverage and nonresponse using these methods. We utilized data from an interactive voice response, random-digit dial, national mobile phone survey in Ghana to calculate standardized response rates and assess representativeness of the obtained sample. The survey methodology was piloted in two rounds of data collection. The final survey included 18 demographic, media exposure, and health behavior questions. Call outcomes and response rates were calculated according to the American Association of Public Opinion Research guidelines. Sample characteristics, productivity, and costs per interview were calculated. Representativeness was assessed by comparing data to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the National Population and Housing Census. The survey was fielded during a 27-day period in February-March 2017. There were 9,469 completed interviews and 3,547 partial interviews. Response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rates were 31%, 81%, 7%, and 39% respectively. Twenty-three calls were dialed to produce an eligible contact: nonresponse was substantial due to the automated calling system and dialing of many unassigned or non-working numbers. Younger, urban, better educated, and male respondents were overrepresented in the sample. The innovative mobile phone data collection methodology yielded a large sample in a relatively short period. Response rates were comparable to other surveys, although substantial coverage bias resulted from fewer women, rural, and older residents completing the mobile phone survey in comparison to household surveys. Random digit dialing of mobile

  5. Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly L'Engle

    Full Text Available Generating a nationally representative sample in low and middle income countries typically requires resource-intensive household level sampling with door-to-door data collection. High mobile phone penetration rates in developing countries provide new opportunities for alternative sampling and data collection methods, but there is limited information about response rates and sample biases in coverage and nonresponse using these methods. We utilized data from an interactive voice response, random-digit dial, national mobile phone survey in Ghana to calculate standardized response rates and assess representativeness of the obtained sample.The survey methodology was piloted in two rounds of data collection. The final survey included 18 demographic, media exposure, and health behavior questions. Call outcomes and response rates were calculated according to the American Association of Public Opinion Research guidelines. Sample characteristics, productivity, and costs per interview were calculated. Representativeness was assessed by comparing data to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the National Population and Housing Census.The survey was fielded during a 27-day period in February-March 2017. There were 9,469 completed interviews and 3,547 partial interviews. Response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rates were 31%, 81%, 7%, and 39% respectively. Twenty-three calls were dialed to produce an eligible contact: nonresponse was substantial due to the automated calling system and dialing of many unassigned or non-working numbers. Younger, urban, better educated, and male respondents were overrepresented in the sample.The innovative mobile phone data collection methodology yielded a large sample in a relatively short period. Response rates were comparable to other surveys, although substantial coverage bias resulted from fewer women, rural, and older residents completing the mobile phone survey in comparison to household surveys. Random digit

  6. Substance abuse treatment response in a Latino sample: the influence of family conflict.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fish, Jessica N; Maier, Candice A; Priest, Jacob B

    2015-02-01

    Latino Americans report underutilization of treatment and poor treatment response for substance use and abuse compared to other racial/ethnic groups; thus, it is important to assess factors that contribute to these disparities. The current study objective was to assess the influence of family conflict on substance abuse treatment response in a sample of Latino Americans using two different yet complementary analyses. First, ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the association between overall family conflict and pre- and post-treatment substance use. Second, repeated measures latent class analysis was used to identify groups based on family member conflict and timing of conflict during treatment. Findings indicated that family conflict contributed unique variance to concurrent substance use; however pre-treatment family conflict was not related to post-treatment outcomes. Results also identified three distinct family conflict groups: no/low conflict, pre-treatment conflict, and post-treatment conflict who differed in pre- and post-treatment substance use. Post hoc investigation revealed that those who experienced pre-treatment conflict but low post-treatment conflict showed the greatest decrease in substance use. Findings highlight the importance of considering family conflict during all stages of treatment for Latino American substance users. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Intended Sensitive and Harsh Caregiving Responses to Infant Crying: The Role of Cry Pitch and Perceived Urgency in an Adult Twin Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Out, Dorothee; Pieper, Suzanne; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; Zeskind, Philip Sanford; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To examine the underlying mechanisms of adults' intended caregiving responses to cry sounds in a behavioral genetic design and to investigate the role of cry pitch and perceived urgency in sensitive and harsh caregiving responses. Methods: The sample consisted of 184 adult twin pairs (18-69 years), including males and females, parents…

  8. The role of the medial caudate nucleus, but not the hippocampus, in a matching-to sample task for a motor response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesner, Raymond P; Gilbert, Paul E

    2006-04-01

    A delayed-match-to-sample task was used to assess memory for motor responses in rats with control, hippocampus, or medial caudate nucleus (MCN) lesions. All testing was conducted on a cheeseboard maze in complete darkness using an infrared camera. A start box was positioned in the centre of the maze facing a randomly determined direction on each trial. On the sample phase, a phosphorescent object was randomly positioned to cover a baited food well in one of five equally spaced positions around the circumference of the maze forming a 180-degree arc 60 cm from the box. The rat had to displace the object to receive food and return to the start box. The box was then rotated to face a different direction. An identical baited phosphorescent object was placed in the same position relative to the start box. A second identical object was positioned to cover a different unbaited well. On the choice phase, the rat must remember the motor response made on the sample phase and make the same motor response on the choice phase to receive a reward. Hippocampus lesioned and control rats improved as a function of increased angle separation used to separate the correct object from the foil (45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees) and matched the performance of controls. However, rats with MCN lesions were impaired across all separations. Results suggest that the MCN, but not the hippocampus, supports working memory and/or a process aimed at reducing interference for motor response selection based on vector angle information.

  9. Standard operating procedures for collection of soil and sediment samples for the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy pilot study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Shawn C.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Jones, Daniel K.; Benzel, William M.; Griffin, Dale W.; Loftin, Keith A.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Cohl, Jonathan A.

    2015-12-17

    An understanding of the effects on human and ecological health brought by major coastal storms or flooding events is typically limited because of a lack of regionally consistent baseline and trends data in locations proximal to potential contaminant sources and mitigation activities, sensitive ecosystems, and recreational facilities where exposures are probable. In an attempt to close this gap, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has implemented the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy pilot study to collect regional sediment-quality data prior to and in response to future coastal storms. The standard operating procedure (SOP) detailed in this document serves as the sample-collection protocol for the SCoRR strategy by providing step-by-step instructions for site preparation, sample collection and processing, and shipping of soil and surficial sediment (for example, bed sediment, marsh sediment, or beach material). The objectives of the SCoRR strategy pilot study are (1) to create a baseline of soil-, sand-, marsh sediment-, and bed-sediment-quality data from sites located in the coastal counties from Maine to Virginia based on their potential risk of being contaminated in the event of a major coastal storm or flooding (defined as Resiliency mode); and (2) respond to major coastal storms and flooding by reoccupying select baseline sites and sampling within days of the event (defined as Response mode). For both modes, samples are collected in a consistent manner to minimize bias and maximize quality control by ensuring that all sampling personnel across the region collect, document, and process soil and sediment samples following the procedures outlined in this SOP. Samples are analyzed using four USGS-developed screening methods—inorganic geochemistry, organic geochemistry, pathogens, and biological assays—which are also outlined in this SOP. Because the SCoRR strategy employs a multi-metric approach for sample analyses, this

  10. Validity and reliability of Spanish versions of the Ruminative Responses Scale-Short Form and the Distraction Responses Scale in a sample of Spanish high school and college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Extremera, Natalio; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

    2006-02-01

    This study investigated the construct validity and reliability of the Spanish Ruminative Responses Scale-Short From, and the Distraction Responses Scale of the Response Styles Questionnaire for a sample of 727 Spanish high school and college students who responded anonymously and voluntarily to a questionnaire (293 men, 434 women; ages 16 to 29 years, M=18.8, SD=3.0). In addition to the above scales, the questionnaire included the Spanish forms of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Trait Anxiety Scale from the State-Trait Anxiety Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. The internal consistency of the scales was satisfactory (Cronbach alpha=.86 for the Ruminative Responses Scale and .78 for the Distraction Responses Scale). As expected, scores on the Spanish Ruminative Responses Scale showed positive correlations with those on the Beck Depression Inventory and the Trait Anxiety Scale and negative associations with the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Conversely, the Spanish Distraction Responses Scale was negatively correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory and positively associated with the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Subjective Happiness Scale. These results provide evidence of appropriate reliability for research purposes. Furthermore, the correlational analysis supported prior findings that ruminative response and distraction response styles are differentially associated with reported depressed and positive moods.

  11. Applications of inverse and algebraic scattering theories

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amos, K. [Qinghua Univ., Beijing, BJ (China). Dept. of Physics

    1997-06-01

    Inverse scattering theories, algebraic scattering theory and exactly solvable scattering potentials are diverse ways by which scattering potentials can be defined from S-functions specified by fits to fixed energy, quantal scattering data. Applications have been made in nuclear (heavy ion and nucleon-nucleus scattering), atomic and molecular (electron scattering from simple molecules) systems. Three inverse scattering approaches are considered in detail; the semiclassical WKB and fully quantal Lipperheide-Fiedeldey method, than algebraic scattering theory is applied to heavy ion scattering and finally the exactly solvable Ginocchio potentials. Some nuclear results are ambiguous but the atomic and molecular inversion potentials are in good agreement with postulated forms. 21 refs., 12 figs.

  12. Response of soil aggregate stability to storage time of soil samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerzabek, M.H.; Roessner, H.

    1993-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the well known phenomenon of changing aggregate stability values as result of soil sample storage. In order to evaluate the impact of soil microbial activity, the soil sample was split into three subsamples. Two samples were sterilized by means of chloroform fumigation and gamma irradiation, respectively. However, the aggregate stability measurements at three different dates were not correlated with the microbial activity (dehydrogenase activity). The moisture content of the aggregate samples seems to be of higher significance. Samples with lower moisture content (range: 0.4 to 1.9%) exhibited higher aggregate stabilities. Thus, airdried aggregate samples without further treatment don't seem to be suitable for standardized stability measurements. (authors)

  13. Nonperturbative non-Markovian quantum master equation: Validity and limitation to calculate nonlinear response functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishizaki, Akihito; Tanimura, Yoshitaka

    2008-05-01

    Based on the influence functional formalism, we have derived a nonperturbative equation of motion for a reduced system coupled to a harmonic bath with colored noise in which the system-bath coupling operator does not necessarily commute with the system Hamiltonian. The resultant expression coincides with the time-convolutionless quantum master equation derived from the second-order perturbative approximation, which is also equivalent to a generalized Redfield equation. This agreement occurs because, in the nonperturbative case, the relaxation operators arise from the higher-order system-bath interaction that can be incorporated into the reduced density matrix as the influence operator; while the second-order interaction remains as a relaxation operator in the equation of motion. While the equation describes the exact dynamics of the density matrix beyond weak system-bath interactions, it does not have the capability to calculate nonlinear response functions appropriately. This is because the equation cannot describe memory effects which straddle the external system interactions due to the reduced description of the bath. To illustrate this point, we have calculated the third-order two-dimensional (2D) spectra for a two-level system from the present approach and the hierarchically coupled equations approach that can handle quantal system-bath coherence thanks to its hierarchical formalism. The numerical demonstration clearly indicates the lack of the system-bath correlation in the present formalism as fast dephasing profiles of the 2D spectra.

  14. Ocular-following responses to white noise stimuli in humans reveal a novel nonlinearity that results from temporal sampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheliga, Boris M; Quaia, Christian; FitzGibbon, Edmond J; Cumming, Bruce G

    2016-01-01

    White noise stimuli are frequently used to study the visual processing of broadband images in the laboratory. A common goal is to describe how responses are derived from Fourier components in the image. We investigated this issue by recording the ocular-following responses (OFRs) to white noise stimuli in human subjects. For a given speed we compared OFRs to unfiltered white noise with those to noise filtered with band-pass filters and notch filters. Removing components with low spatial frequency (SF) reduced OFR magnitudes, and the SF associated with the greatest reduction matched the SF that produced the maximal response when presented alone. This reduction declined rapidly with SF, compatible with a winner-take-all operation. Removing higher SF components increased OFR magnitudes. For higher speeds this effect became larger and propagated toward lower SFs. All of these effects were quantitatively well described by a model that combined two factors: (a) an excitatory drive that reflected the OFRs to individual Fourier components and (b) a suppression by higher SF channels where the temporal sampling of the display led to flicker. This nonlinear interaction has an important practical implication: Even with high refresh rates (150 Hz), the temporal sampling introduced by visual displays has a significant impact on visual processing. For instance, we show that this distorts speed tuning curves, shifting the peak to lower speeds. Careful attention to spectral content, in the light of this nonlinearity, is necessary to minimize the resulting artifact when using white noise patterns undergoing apparent motion.

  15. Gender, socioeconomic status, age, and jealousy: emotional responses to infidelity in a national sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Melanie C; Sabini, John

    2006-05-01

    The authors used a representative national sample (N = 777) to test the evolutionary hypothesis that men would be more bothered by sexual infidelity and women by emotional infidelity, the Jealousy as a Specific Innate Module (JSIM) effect. Our alternative conceptualization of jealousy suggests that there are distinct emotional components of jealousy that did not evolve differently by gender. The authors looked for effects of age, socioeconomic status (SES), and type of measure (continuous or dichotomous) on jealousy. The authors did not find age or SES effects. Forced-choice items provided support for our alternative view; both genders showed more anger and blame over sexual infidelity but more hurt feelings over emotional infidelity. Continuous measures indicated more emotional response to sexual than emotional infidelity among both genders. 2006 APA, all rights reserved

  16. Preliminary Efficacy of Adapted Responsive Teaching for Infants at Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Community Sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grace T. Baranek

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the (a feasibility of enrolling 12-month-olds at risk of ASD from a community sample into a randomized controlled trial, (b subsequent utilization of community services, and (c potential of a novel parent-mediated intervention to improve outcomes. The First Year Inventory was used to screen and recruit 12-month-old infants at risk of ASD to compare the effects of 6–9 months of Adapted Responsive Teaching (ART versus referral to early intervention and monitoring (REIM. Eighteen families were followed for ~20 months. Assessments were conducted before randomization, after treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. Utilization of community services was highest for the REIM group. ART significantly outperformed REIM on parent-reported and observed measures of child receptive language with good linear model fit. Multiphase growth models had better fit for more variables, showing the greatest effects in the active treatment phase, where ART outperformed REIM on parental interactive style (less directive, child sensory responsiveness (less hyporesponsive, and adaptive behavior (increased communication and socialization. This study demonstrates the promise of a parent-mediated intervention for improving developmental outcomes for infants at risk of ASD in a community sample and highlights the utility of earlier identification for access to community services earlier than standard practice.

  17. Theoretical study of the electron-cluster elastic scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Descourt, P.; Guet, C.; Farine, M.

    1997-01-01

    The properties of the clusters consisting of some tens to several hundreds of alkali atoms are generally quite well described in the jellium approximation. This approximation treats the cluster as a charged Fermi liquid of finite size. The optical response predicted by this approximation and taking into account the electron-electron correlations of the Hartree-Fock mean field agrees rather well with the experiment. The objective of this work was to obtain a quantal many-body formalism, within jellium approximation, applicable to elastic scattering of electrons from an alkali-metal-cluster. Influence of correlations on the phase shifts was also taken into account

  18. A Static and Dynamic Investigation of Quantum Nonlinear Transport in Highly Dense and Mobile 2D Electron Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dietrich, Scott

    density across the sample. The theoretical model predicts the period of these oscillations to depend on the total electron density, which has been confirmed by controlling the density through a voltage top-gate on the sample. The peculiar nonlinear mechanism of quantal heating has garned much attention recently. This bulk phenomenon is a quantum manifestation of Joule heating where an applied bias current causes selective flattening in the electron distribution function but conserves overall broadening. This produces a highly non-equilibrium distribution of electrons that drastically effects the transport properties of the system. Recent studies have proposed contributions from edge states and/or skipping orbitals. We have shown that these contributions are minimal by studying the transition to the zero differential conductance state and comparing results between Hall and Corbino geometries. This demonstrated quantal heating as the dominant nonlinear mechanism in these systems. To study the dynamics of quantal heating, we applied microwave radiation simultaneously from two sources at frequencies ƒ1 and ƒ2 and measured the response of the system at the difference frequency, ƒ=|ƒ 1-ƒ2|. This provides direct access to the rate of inelastic scattering processes, 1tau/in, that tend to bring the electron distribution back to thermal equilibrium. While conventional measurements of the temperature dependence indicate that 1tau/in is proportional to temperature, recent DC investigations and our new dynamic measurements show either T2 or T3 dependence in different magnetic fields. Our microwave experiment is the first direct access to the inelastic relaxation rate and confirms the non-linear temperature dependence.

  19. Task-specific modulation of human auditory evoked responses in a delayed-match-to-sample task

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng eRong

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we focus our investigation on task-specific cognitive modulation of early cortical auditory processing in human cerebral cortex. During the experiments, we acquired whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG data while participants were performing an auditory delayed-match-to-sample (DMS task and associated control tasks. Using a spatial filtering beamformer technique to simultaneously estimate multiple source activities inside the human brain, we observed a significant DMS-specific suppression of the auditory evoked response to the second stimulus in a sound pair, with the center of the effect being located in the vicinity of the left auditory cortex. For the right auditory cortex, a non-invariant suppression effect was observed in both DMS and control tasks. Furthermore, analysis of coherence revealed a beta band (12 ~ 20 Hz DMS-specific enhanced functional interaction between the sources in left auditory cortex and those in left inferior frontal gyrus, which has been shown to involve in short-term memory processing during the delay period of DMS task. Our findings support the view that early evoked cortical responses to incoming acoustic stimuli can be modulated by task-specific cognitive functions by means of frontal-temporal functional interactions.

  20. Multiple response optimization for Cu, Fe and Pb determination in naphtha by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with sample injection as detergent emulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brum, Daniel M.; Lima, Claudio F.; Robaina, Nicolle F.; Fonseca, Teresa Cristina O.; Cassella, Ricardo J.

    2011-01-01

    The present paper reports the optimization for Cu, Fe and Pb determination in naphtha by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) employing a strategy based on the injection of the samples as detergent emulsions. The method was optimized in relation to the experimental conditions for the emulsion formation and taking into account that the three analytes (Cu, Fe and Pb) should be measured in the same emulsion. The optimization was performed in a multivariate way by employing a three-variable Doehlert design and a multiple response strategy. For this purpose, the individual responses of the three analytes were combined, yielding a global response that was employed as a dependent variable. The three factors related to the optimization process were: the concentration of HNO 3 , the concentration of the emulsifier agent (Triton X-100 or Triton X-114) in aqueous solution used to emulsify the sample and the volume of solution. At optimum conditions, it was possible to obtain satisfactory results with an emulsion formed by mixing 4 mL of the samples with 1 mL of a 4.7% w/v Triton X-100 solution prepared in 10% v/v HNO 3 medium. The resulting emulsion was stable for 250 min, at least, and provided enough sensitivity to determine the three analytes in the five samples tested. A recovery test was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the optimized procedure and recovery rates, in the range of 88-105%; 94-118% and 95-120%, were verified for Cu, Fe and Pb, respectively.

  1. Multiple response optimization for Cu, Fe and Pb determination in naphtha by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with sample injection as detergent emulsion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brum, Daniel M.; Lima, Claudio F. [Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Vicosa, A. Peter Henry Rolfs s/n, Vicosa/MG, 36570-000 (Brazil); Robaina, Nicolle F. [Departamento de Quimica Analitica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de S.J. Batista s/n, Centro, Niteroi/RJ, 24020-141 (Brazil); Fonseca, Teresa Cristina O. [Petrobras, Cenpes/PDEDS/QM, Av. Horacio Macedo 950, Ilha do Fundao, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, 21941-915 (Brazil); Cassella, Ricardo J., E-mail: cassella@vm.uff.br [Departamento de Quimica Analitica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de S.J. Batista s/n, Centro, Niteroi/RJ, 24020-141 (Brazil)

    2011-05-15

    The present paper reports the optimization for Cu, Fe and Pb determination in naphtha by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) employing a strategy based on the injection of the samples as detergent emulsions. The method was optimized in relation to the experimental conditions for the emulsion formation and taking into account that the three analytes (Cu, Fe and Pb) should be measured in the same emulsion. The optimization was performed in a multivariate way by employing a three-variable Doehlert design and a multiple response strategy. For this purpose, the individual responses of the three analytes were combined, yielding a global response that was employed as a dependent variable. The three factors related to the optimization process were: the concentration of HNO{sub 3}, the concentration of the emulsifier agent (Triton X-100 or Triton X-114) in aqueous solution used to emulsify the sample and the volume of solution. At optimum conditions, it was possible to obtain satisfactory results with an emulsion formed by mixing 4 mL of the samples with 1 mL of a 4.7% w/v Triton X-100 solution prepared in 10% v/v HNO{sub 3} medium. The resulting emulsion was stable for 250 min, at least, and provided enough sensitivity to determine the three analytes in the five samples tested. A recovery test was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the optimized procedure and recovery rates, in the range of 88-105%; 94-118% and 95-120%, were verified for Cu, Fe and Pb, respectively.

  2. The 'sniffer-patch' technique for detection of neurotransmitter release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, T G

    1997-05-01

    A wide variety of techniques have been employed for the detection and measurement of neurotransmitter release from biological preparations. Whilst many of these methods offer impressive levels of sensitivity, few are able to combine sensitivity with the necessary temporal and spatial resolution required to study quantal release from single cells. One detection method that is seeing a revival of interest and has the potential to fill this niche is the so-called 'sniffer-patch' technique. In this article, specific examples of the practical aspects of using this technique are discussed along with the procedures involved in calibrating these biosensors to extend their applications to provide quantitative, in addition to simple qualitative, measurements of quantal transmitter release.

  3. Impacts of suppression on emotional responses and performance outcomes: an experience-sampling study in younger and older workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeung, Dannii Y; Fung, Helene H

    2012-11-01

    Past studies have demonstrated that older adults used less emotional suppression to regulate their emotions than did younger adults, but the effectiveness of using this emotion regulatory strategy on psychosocial well-being across age remains largely unexplored. The present study adopted an experience-sampling method to examine whether the impacts of momentary employment of emotional suppression on momentary positive and negative emotions and job performance would be different by age. Eighty-seven Chinese insurance workers, aged between 18 and 61 years, participated in a 5-day sampling study. Their affective responses at work, momentary task performance, and sales productivity were recorded. Results showed that older workers' greater use of suppression at work was associated with lower intensity of negative emotions, whereas such association was not found among younger workers. Moreover, greater use of suppression over the sampling period was significantly predictive of sales productivity of older workers, but such a positive association was not shown in younger workers. These findings reveal that the use of suppression at work may be more effective for older workers than for younger workers.

  4. Probability Sampling Method for a Hidden Population Using Respondent-Driven Sampling: Simulation for Cancer Survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Minsoo

    2015-01-01

    When there is no sampling frame within a certain group or the group is concerned that making its population public would bring social stigma, we say the population is hidden. It is difficult to approach this kind of population survey-methodologically because the response rate is low and its members are not quite honest with their responses when probability sampling is used. The only alternative known to address the problems caused by previous methods such as snowball sampling is respondent-driven sampling (RDS), which was developed by Heckathorn and his colleagues. RDS is based on a Markov chain, and uses the social network information of the respondent. This characteristic allows for probability sampling when we survey a hidden population. We verified through computer simulation whether RDS can be used on a hidden population of cancer survivors. According to the simulation results of this thesis, the chain-referral sampling of RDS tends to minimize as the sample gets bigger, and it becomes stabilized as the wave progresses. Therefore, it shows that the final sample information can be completely independent from the initial seeds if a certain level of sample size is secured even if the initial seeds were selected through convenient sampling. Thus, RDS can be considered as an alternative which can improve upon both key informant sampling and ethnographic surveys, and it needs to be utilized for various cases domestically as well.

  5. Brief report: accuracy and response time for the recognition of facial emotions in a large sample of children with autism spectrum disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fink, Elian; de Rosnay, Marc; Wierda, Marlies; Koot, Hans M; Begeer, Sander

    2014-09-01

    The empirical literature has presented inconsistent evidence for deficits in the recognition of basic emotion expressions in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which may be due to the focus on research with relatively small sample sizes. Additionally, it is proposed that although children with ASD may correctly identify emotion expression they rely on more deliberate, more time-consuming strategies in order to accurately recognize emotion expressions when compared to typically developing children. In the current study, we examine both emotion recognition accuracy and response time in a large sample of children, and explore the moderating influence of verbal ability on these findings. The sample consisted of 86 children with ASD (M age = 10.65) and 114 typically developing children (M age = 10.32) between 7 and 13 years of age. All children completed a pre-test (emotion word-word matching), and test phase consisting of basic emotion recognition, whereby they were required to match a target emotion expression to the correct emotion word; accuracy and response time were recorded. Verbal IQ was controlled for in the analyses. We found no evidence of a systematic deficit in emotion recognition accuracy or response time for children with ASD, controlling for verbal ability. However, when controlling for children's accuracy in word-word matching, children with ASD had significantly lower emotion recognition accuracy when compared to typically developing children. The findings suggest that the social impairments observed in children with ASD are not the result of marked deficits in basic emotion recognition accuracy or longer response times. However, children with ASD may be relying on other perceptual skills (such as advanced word-word matching) to complete emotion recognition tasks at a similar level as typically developing children.

  6. Improved time-dependent harmonic oscillator method for vibrationally inelastic collisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DePristo, A.E.

    1985-01-01

    A quantal solution to vibrationally inelastic collisions is presented based upon a linear expansion of the interaction potential around the time-dependent classical positions of all translational and vibrational degrees of freedom. The full time-dependent wave function is a product of a Gaussian translational wave packet and a multidimensional harmonic oscillator wave function, both centered around the appropriate classical position variables. The computational requirements are small since the initial vibrational coordinates are the equilibrium values in the classical trajectory (i.e., phase space sampling does not occur). Different choices of the initial width of the translational wave packet and the initial classical translational momenta are possible, and two combinations are investigated. The first involves setting the initial classical momenta equal to the quantal expectation value, and varying the width to satisfy normalization of the transition probability matrix. The second involves adjusting the initial classical momenta to ensure detailed balancing for each set of transitions, i→f and f→i, and varying the width to satisfy normalization. This choice illustrates the origin of the empirical correction of using the arithmetic average momenta as the initial classical momenta in the forced oscillator approximation. Both methods are tested for the collinear collision systems CO 2 --(He, Ne), and are found to be accurate except for near-resonant vibration--vibration exchange at low initial kinetic energies

  7. Pseudoclassical approach to electron and ion density correlations in simple liquid metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vericat, F.; Tosi, M.P.; Pastore, G.

    1986-04-01

    Electron-electron and electron-ion structural correlations in simple liquid metals are treated by using effective pair potentials to incorporate quantal effects into a pseudoclassical description of the electron fluid. An effective pair potential between simultaneous electron density fluctuations is first constructed from known properties of the degenerate jellium model, which are the plasmon sum rule, the Kimball-Niklasson relation and Yasuhara's values of the electron pair distribution function at contact. An analytic expression is thereby obtained in the Debye-Hueckel approximation for the electronic structure factor in jellium over a range of density appropriate to metals, with results which compare favourably with those of fully quantal evaluations. A simple pseudoclassical model is then set up for a liquid metal: this involves a model of charged hard spheres for the ion-ion potential and an empty core model for the electron-ion potential, the Coulombic tails being scaled as required by the relation between the long-wavelength partial structure factors and the isothermal compressibility of the metal. The model is solved analytically by a pseudoclassical linear response treatment of the electron-ion coupling and numerical results are reported for partial structure factors in liquid sodium and liquid beryllium. Contact is made for the latter system with data on the electron-electron structure factor in the crystal from inelastic X-ray scattering experiments of Eisenberger, Marra and Brown. (author)

  8. Analysis of Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 effects on frog myelinated axons and the neuromuscular junction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattei, César; Marquais, Michel; Schlumberger, Sébastien; Molgó, Jordi; Vernoux, Jean-Paul; Lewis, Richard J; Benoit, Evelyne

    2010-10-01

    Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 (C-CTX-1) induced, after about 1h exposure, muscle membrane depolarisation and repetitive post-synaptic action potentials (APs) in frog neuromuscular preparations. This depolarising effect was also observed in a Ca(2+)-free medium with a strong enhancement of spontaneous quantal transmitter release, compared with control conditions. The ciguatoxin-induced increase in release could be accelerated when Ca(2+) was present in the extracellular medium. C-CTX-1 also enhanced nerve-evoked quantal acetylcholine (ACh) release. At normal neuromuscular junctions loaded with the fluorescent dye FM1-43, C-CTX-1 induced swelling of nerve terminals, an effect that was reversed by hyperosmotic d-mannitol. In myelinated axons, C-CTX-1 increased nodal membrane excitability, inducing spontaneous and repetitive APs. Also, the toxin enlarged the repolarising phase of APs in control and tetraethylammonium-treated axons. Overall, our data suggest that C-CTX-1 affects nerve excitability and neurotransmitter release at nerve terminals. We conclude that C-CTX-1-induced up-regulation of Na(+) channels and the inhibition of K(+) channels, at low nanomolar concentrations, produce a variety of functional dysfunctions that are in part responsible for the human muscle skeletal symptoms observed in ciguatera. All these dysfunctions seem to result from the subtle balance between ionic currents, intracellular Na(+) and Ca(2+) concentrations, and engaged second messengers. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1994-02-01

    This document contains the planned 1994 schedules for routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP), Drinking Water Project, and Ground-Water Surveillance Project. Samples are routinely collected for the SESP and analyzed to determine the quality of air, surface water, soil, sediment, wildlife, vegetation, foodstuffs, and farm products at Hanford Site and surrounding communities. The responsibility for monitoring the onsite drinking water falls outside the scope of the SESP. The Hanford Environmental Health Foundation is responsible for monitoring the nonradiological parameters as defined in the National Drinking Water Standards while PNL conducts the radiological monitoring of the onsite drinking water. PNL conducts the drinking water monitoring project concurrent with the SESP to promote efficiency and consistency, utilize the expertise developed over the years, and reduce costs associated with management, procedure development, data management, quality control and reporting. The ground-water sampling schedule identifies ground-water sampling events used by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site

  10. Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1994-02-01

    This document contains the planned 1994 schedules for routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP), Drinking Water Project, and Ground-Water Surveillance Project. Samples are routinely collected for the SESP and analyzed to determine the quality of air, surface water, soil, sediment, wildlife, vegetation, foodstuffs, and farm products at Hanford Site and surrounding communities. The responsibility for monitoring the onsite drinking water falls outside the scope of the SESP. The Hanford Environmental Health Foundation is responsible for monitoring the nonradiological parameters as defined in the National Drinking Water Standards while PNL conducts the radiological monitoring of the onsite drinking water. PNL conducts the drinking water monitoring project concurrent with the SESP to promote efficiency and consistency, utilize the expertise developed over the years, and reduce costs associated with management, procedure development, data management, quality control and reporting. The ground-water sampling schedule identifies ground-water sampling events used by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site.

  11. Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1995-02-01

    Environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site and surrounding areas is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This document contains the planned 1994 schedules for routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP), Drinking Water Project, and Ground-Water Surveillance Project. Samples are routinely collected for the SESP and analyzed to determine the quality of air, surface water, soil, sediment, wildlife, vegetation, foodstuffs, and farm products at Hanford Site and surrounding communities. The responsibility for monitoring onsite drinking water falls outside the scope of the SESP. PNL conducts the drinking water monitoring project concurrent with the SESP to promote efficiency and consistency, utilize expertise developed over the years, and reduce costs associated with management, procedure development, data management, quality control, and reporting. The ground-water sampling schedule identifies ground-water sampling .events used by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site. Sampling is indicated as annual, semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly in the sampling schedule. Some samples are collected and analyzed as part of ground-water monitoring and characterization programs at Hanford (e.g. Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or Operational). The number of samples planned by other programs are identified in the sampling schedule by a number in the analysis column and a project designation in the Cosample column. Well sampling events may be merged to avoid redundancy in cases where sampling is planned by both-environmental surveillance and another program

  12. Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1995-02-01

    Environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site and surrounding areas is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This document contains the planned 1994 schedules for routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP), Drinking Water Project, and Ground-Water Surveillance Project. Samples are routinely collected for the SESP and analyzed to determine the quality of air, surface water, soil, sediment, wildlife, vegetation, foodstuffs, and farm products at Hanford Site and surrounding communities. The responsibility for monitoring onsite drinking water falls outside the scope of the SESP. PNL conducts the drinking water monitoring project concurrent with the SESP to promote efficiency and consistency, utilize expertise developed over the years, and reduce costs associated with management, procedure development, data management, quality control, and reporting. The ground-water sampling schedule identifies ground-water sampling .events used by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site. Sampling is indicated as annual, semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly in the sampling schedule. Some samples are collected and analyzed as part of ground-water monitoring and characterization programs at Hanford (e.g. Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or Operational). The number of samples planned by other programs are identified in the sampling schedule by a number in the analysis column and a project designation in the Cosample column. Well sampling events may be merged to avoid redundancy in cases where sampling is planned by both-environmental surveillance and another program.

  13. Intensified Sampling in Response to a Salmonella Heidelberg Outbreak Associated with Multiple Establishments Within a Single Poultry Corporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Alice; Defibaugh-Chavez, Stephanie; Douris, Aphrodite; Vetter, Danah; Atkinson, Richard; Kissler, Bonnie; Khroustalev, Allison; Robertson, Kis; Sharma, Yudhbir; Becker, Karen; Dessai, Uday; Antoine, Nisha; Allen, Latasha; Holt, Kristin; Gieraltowski, Laura; Wise, Matthew; Schwensohn, Colin

    2018-03-01

    On June 28, 2013, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of an investigation of a multistate cluster of illnesses of Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg. Since case-patients in the cluster reported consumption of a variety of chicken products, FSIS used a simple likelihood-based approach using traceback information to focus on intensified sampling efforts. This article describes the multiphased product sampling approach taken by FSIS when epidemiologic evidence implicated chicken products from multiple establishments operating under one corporation. The objectives of sampling were to (1) assess process control of chicken slaughter and further processing and (2) determine whether outbreak strains were present in products from these implicated establishments. As part of the sample collection process, data collected by FSIS personnel to characterize product included category (whole chicken and type of chicken parts), brand, organic or conventional product, injection with salt solutions or flavorings, and whether product was skinless or skin-on. From the period September 9, 2013, through October 31, 2014, 3164 samples were taken as part of this effort. Salmonella percent positive declined from 19.7% to 5.3% during this timeframe as a result of regulatory and company efforts. The results of intensified sampling for this outbreak investigation informed an FSIS regulatory response and corrective actions taken by the implicated establishments. The company noted that a multihurdle approach to reduce Salmonella in products was taken, including on-farm efforts such as environmental testing, depopulation of affected flocks, disinfection of affected houses, vaccination, and use of various interventions within the establishments over the course of several months.

  14. Quantum theory and questions of reality and completeness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andaas, H.E.; Gjoetterud, O.K.

    1991-10-01

    The authors discuss how the description of a two-particle spin-1/2 system prepared in a singlet state, a product state of definite total spin-projection and a specified mixture relates to the EPR conceptions of reality, locality and completeness and to Jarrets interpretations and representations of these concepts by probability statements. The importance of the state-preparation procedures and their relevance in this context is emphasized. The position of Bell's inequalities is also discussed. It is concluded that the inequalities have a limited power in deciding whether or not a system requires a quantal description, and that making a priori claims on reality and completeness is a too narrow scheme to describe quantal phenomena. 21 refs., 4 figs

  15. Quantum theory and questions of reality and completeness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andaas, H.E.; Gjoetterud, O.K.

    1992-07-01

    The authors discuss how the description of a two-particle spin-1/2 system prepared in a singlet state, a product state of definite total spin-projection and a specified mixture relates to the EPR conceptions of reality, locality and completeness and to Jarrets interpretations and representations of these concepts by probability statements. The importance of the state-preparation procedures and their relevance in this context is emphasized. The position of Bell's inequalities is also discussed. It is concluded that the inequalities have a limited power in deciding whether or not a system requires a quantal decription and that making a priori claims on reality and completeness is a too narrow scheme to describe quantal phenomena. 22 refs. 4 figs

  16. Supporting Sampling and Sample Preparation Tools for Isotope and Nuclear Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2016-03-01

    Nuclear and related techniques can help develop climate-smart agricultural practices by optimizing water and nutrient use efficiency, assessing organic carbon sequestration in soil, and assisting in the evaluation of soil erosion control measures. Knowledge on the behaviour of radioactive materials in soil, water and foodstuffs is also essential in enhancing nuclear emergency preparedness and response. Appropriate sampling and sample preparation are the first steps to ensure the quality and effective use of the measurements and this publication provides comprehensive detail on the necessary steps

  17. Feasibility of self-sampled dried blood spot and saliva samples sent by mail in a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakhi, Amrit Kaur; Bastani, Nasser Ezzatkhah; Ellingjord-Dale, Merete; Gundersen, Thomas Erik; Blomhoff, Rune; Ursin, Giske

    2015-04-11

    In large epidemiological studies it is often challenging to obtain biological samples. Self-sampling by study participants using dried blood spots (DBS) technique has been suggested to overcome this challenge. DBS is a type of biosampling where blood samples are obtained by a finger-prick lancet, blotted and dried on filter paper. However, the feasibility and efficacy of collecting DBS samples from study participants in large-scale epidemiological studies is not known. The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility and response rate of collecting self-sampled DBS and saliva samples in a population-based study of women above 50 years of age. We determined response proportions, number of phone calls to the study center with questions about sampling, and quality of the DBS. We recruited women through a study conducted within the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program. Invitations, instructions and materials were sent to 4,597 women. The data collection took place over a 3 month period in the spring of 2009. Response proportions for the collection of DBS and saliva samples were 71.0% (3,263) and 70.9% (3,258), respectively. We received 312 phone calls (7% of the 4,597 women) with questions regarding sampling. Of the 3,263 individuals that returned DBS cards, 3,038 (93.1%) had been packaged and shipped according to instructions. A total of 3,032 DBS samples were sufficient for at least one biomarker analysis (i.e. 92.9% of DBS samples received by the laboratory). 2,418 (74.1%) of the DBS cards received by the laboratory were filled with blood according to the instructions (i.e. 10 completely filled spots with up to 7 punches per spot for up to 70 separate analyses). To assess the quality of the samples, we selected and measured two biomarkers (carotenoids and vitamin D). The biomarker levels were consistent with previous reports. Collecting self-sampled DBS and saliva samples through the postal services provides a low cost, effective and feasible

  18. GET electronics samples data analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giovinazzo, J.; Goigoux, T.; Anvar, S.; Baron, P.; Blank, B.; Delagnes, E.; Grinyer, G.F.; Pancin, J.; Pedroza, J.L.; Pibernat, J.; Pollacco, E.; Rebii, A.

    2016-01-01

    The General Electronics for TPCs (GET) has been developed to equip a generation of time projection chamber detectors for nuclear physics, and may also be used for a wider range of detector types. The goal of this paper is to propose first analysis procedures to be applied on raw data samples from the GET system, in order to correct for systematic effects observed on test measurements. We also present a method to estimate the response function of the GET system channels. The response function is required in analysis where the input signal needs to be reconstructed, in terms of time distribution, from the registered output samples.

  19. Posttraumatic stress symptoms related to community violence and children's diurnal cortisol response in an urban community-dwelling sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suglia, Shakira Franco; Staudenmayer, John; Cohen, Sheldon; Wright, Rosalind J

    2010-03-01

    While community violence has been linked to psychological morbidity in urban youth, data on the physiological correlates of violence and associated posttraumatic stress symptoms are sparse. We examined the influence of child posttraumatic stress symptoms reported in relationship to community violence exposure on diurnal salivary cortisol response in a population based sample of 28 girls and 15 boys ages 7-13, 54% self-identified as white and 46% as Hispanic. Mothers' reported on the child's exposure to community violence using the Survey of Children's Exposure to Community Violence and completed the Checklist of Children's Distress Symptoms (CCDS) which captures factors related to posttraumatic stress; children who were eight years of age or greater reported on their own community violence exposure. Saliva samples were obtained from the children four times a day (after awakening, lunch, dinner and bedtime) over three days. Mixed models were used to assess the influence of posttraumatic stress symptoms on cortisol expression, examined as diurnal slope and area under the curve (AUC), calculated across the day, adjusting for socio-demographics. In adjusted analyses, higher scores on total traumatic stress symptoms (CCDS) were associated with both greater cortisol AUC and with a flatter cortisol waking to bedtime rhythm. The associations were primarily attributable to differences on the intrusion, arousal and avoidance CCDS subscales. Posttraumatic stress symptomatology reported in response to community violence exposure was associated with diurnal cortisol disruption in these community-dwelling urban children.

  20. Optimizing sampling approaches along ecological gradients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schweiger, Andreas; Irl, Severin D. H.; Steinbauer, Manuel

    2016-01-01

    1. Natural scientists and especially ecologists use manipulative experiments or field observations along gradients to differentiate patterns driven by processes from those caused by random noise. A well-conceived sampling design is essential for identifying, analysing and reporting underlying...... patterns in a statistically solid and reproducible manner, given the normal restrictions in labour, time and money. However, a technical guideline about an adequate sampling design to maximize prediction success under restricted resources is lacking. This study aims at developing such a solid...... and reproducible guideline for sampling along gradients in all fields of ecology and science in general. 2. We conducted simulations with artificial data for five common response types known in ecology, each represented by a simple function (no response, linear, exponential, symmetric unimodal and asymmetric...

  1. Contributions to sampling statistics

    CERN Document Server

    Conti, Pier; Ranalli, Maria

    2014-01-01

    This book contains a selection of the papers presented at the ITACOSM 2013 Conference, held in Milan in June 2013. ITACOSM is the bi-annual meeting of the Survey Sampling Group S2G of the Italian Statistical Society, intended as an international  forum of scientific discussion on the developments of theory and application of survey sampling methodologies and applications in human and natural sciences. The book gathers research papers carefully selected from both invited and contributed sessions of the conference. The whole book appears to be a relevant contribution to various key aspects of sampling methodology and techniques; it deals with some hot topics in sampling theory, such as calibration, quantile-regression and multiple frame surveys, and with innovative methodologies in important topics of both sampling theory and applications. Contributions cut across current sampling methodologies such as interval estimation for complex samples, randomized responses, bootstrap, weighting, modeling, imputati...

  2. Electron capture in collisions of ? with H and ? with C

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stancil, P. C.; Gu, J.-P.; Havener, C. C.; Krstic, P. S.; Schultz, D. R.; Kimura, M.; Zygelman, B.; Hirsch, G.; Buenker, R. J.; Bannister, M. E.

    1998-08-01

    A comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of electron capture in collisions of 0953-4075/31/16/017/img15 with H and 0953-4075/31/16/017/img16 with C extending over the energy range 0953-4075/31/16/017/img17 to 0953-4075/31/16/017/img18 is presented. A variety of theoretical approaches were used including those based on quantal molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC), multielectron hidden crossings (MEHC), quantal decay and classical trajectory Monte Carlo techniques. Radiative charge transfer cross sections were computed using the optical potential/distorted wave (OPDW) and fully quantal (FQ) approaches. The MOCC, OPDW and FQ calculations incorporated ab initio potentials, nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements and transition moments computed at the configuration-interaction level. Ab initio potential surfaces in the plane of complex internuclear distance were obtained for the MEHC calculations. Merged-beam measurements were performed between 0953-4075/31/16/017/img19 and 0953-4075/31/16/017/img20 for the 0953-4075/31/16/017/img21 collision system. Diagnostics of the 0953-4075/31/16/017/img15 beam with a crossed electron beam could find no presence of a 0953-4075/31/16/017/img15 metastable component. The current results, in conjunction with previous measurements, are used to deduce a set of recommended cross sections.

  3. Theoretical atomic and molecular physics: Progress report, July 1, 1988 through June 30, 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lane, N.F.

    1989-01-01

    The theoretical atomic and molecular physics program at Rice University emphasizes fundamental questions regarding the structure and collision dynamics of various atomic and molecular systems with some attention given to atomic processes at surfaces. Our activities have been centered on continuing the projects initiated last year as well as beginning some new studies. These include: differential elastic and charge-transfer scattering and alignment and orientation of the excited electron cloud in ion-atom, atom-atom and ion-molecule collisions, using a molecular-orbital representation and both semiclassical and quantal methods; quenching of low-lying Rydberg states of a sodium atom in a collision with a rare-gas atom, using a semiclassical representation; so far, target atoms He, Ne and Ar have been studied; chemiionization and ion-pair formation in a collision of a Li atom with a metastable He atom at intermediate collision energies, using a combination of quantal and semi-classical methods; Penning ionization of alkali atoms Na and K, using advanced Cl and Stieltjes imaging methods; radiative and nonradiative charge-transfer in He + + H collisions at ultra-low collision energies, using quantal methods; elastic and inelastic processes in electron-molecule collisions, using the continuum-multiple-scattering method; and inelastic collision processes in dense, high-temperature plasmas. Selected highlights of our research progress are briefly summarized in this paper

  4. The impact of non-response bias due to sampling in public health studies: A comparison of voluntary versus mandatory recruitment in a Dutch national survey on adolescent health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Kei Long; Ten Klooster, Peter M; Smit, Cees; de Vries, Hein; Pieterse, Marcel E

    2017-03-23

    In public health monitoring of young people it is critical to understand the effects of selective non-response, in particular when a controversial topic is involved like substance abuse or sexual behaviour. Research that is dependent upon voluntary subject participation is particularly vulnerable to sampling bias. As respondents whose participation is hardest to elicit on a voluntary basis are also more likely to report risk behaviour, this potentially leads to underestimation of risk factor prevalence. Inviting adolescents to participate in a home-sent postal survey is a typical voluntary recruitment strategy with high non-response, as opposed to mandatory participation during school time. This study examines the extent to which prevalence estimates of adolescent health-related characteristics are biased due to different sampling methods, and whether this also biases within-subject analyses. Cross-sectional datasets collected in 2011 in Twente and IJsselland, two similar and adjacent regions in the Netherlands, were used. In total, 9360 youngsters in a mandatory sample (Twente) and 1952 youngsters in a voluntary sample (IJsselland) participated in the study. To test whether the samples differed on health-related variables, we conducted both univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses controlling for any demographic difference between the samples. Additional multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine moderating effects of sampling method on associations between health-related variables. As expected, females, older individuals, as well as individuals with higher education levels, were over-represented in the voluntary sample, compared to the mandatory sample. Respondents in the voluntary sample tended to smoke less, consume less alcohol (ever, lifetime, and past four weeks), have better mental health, have better subjective health status, have more positive school experiences and have less sexual intercourse than respondents in the

  5. State-selective charge exchange in slow collisions of Si3+ ions with H atoms: A molecular state close coupling treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joseph, Dwayne C; Saha, Bidhan C

    2012-01-01

    Charge transfer cross sections are calculated by employing both the quantal and semiclassical ε(R) molecular orbital close coupling (MOCC) approximations in the adiabatic representation and compared with other theoretical and experimental results

  6. Electron capture cross sections by O{sup +} from atomic He

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joseph, Dwayne C; Saha, Bidhan C [Department of Physics, Florida A and M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307 (United States)

    2009-11-01

    The adiabatic representation is used in both the quantal and semi classical molecular orbital close coupling methods (MOCC) to evaluate charge exchange cross sections. Our results show good agreement with experimental cross sections

  7. State-selective charge exchange in slow collisions of Si3+ ions with H atoms: A molecular state close coupling treatment*)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Dwayne C.; Saha, Bidhan C.

    2012-11-01

    Charge transfer cross sections are calculated by employing both the quantal and semiclassical ɛ(R) molecular orbital close coupling (MOCC) approximations in the adiabatic representation and compared with other theoretical and experimental results

  8. Electron capture cross sections by O+ from atomic He

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joseph, Dwayne C; Saha, Bidhan C

    2009-01-01

    The adiabatic representation is used in both the quantal and semi classical molecular orbital close coupling methods (MOCC) to evaluate charge exchange cross sections. Our results show good agreement with experimental cross sections

  9. Electron capture cross sections by O+ from atomic He

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Dwayne C.; Saha, Bidhan C.

    2009-11-01

    The adiabatic representation is used in both the quantal and semi classical molecular orbital close coupling methods (MOCC) to evaluate charge exchange cross sections. Our results show good agreement with experimental cross sections

  10. Pattern analysis of total item score and item response of the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6 in a nationally representative sample of US adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shinichiro Tomitaka

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Several recent studies have shown that total scores on depressive symptom measures in a general population approximate an exponential pattern except for the lower end of the distribution. Furthermore, we confirmed that the exponential pattern is present for the individual item responses on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D. To confirm the reproducibility of such findings, we investigated the total score distribution and item responses of the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6 in a nationally representative study. Methods Data were drawn from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS, which comprises four subsamples: (1 a national random digit dialing (RDD sample, (2 oversamples from five metropolitan areas, (3 siblings of individuals from the RDD sample, and (4 a national RDD sample of twin pairs. K6 items are scored using a 5-point scale: “none of the time,” “a little of the time,” “some of the time,” “most of the time,” and “all of the time.” The pattern of total score distribution and item responses were analyzed using graphical analysis and exponential regression model. Results The total score distributions of the four subsamples exhibited an exponential pattern with similar rate parameters. The item responses of the K6 approximated a linear pattern from “a little of the time” to “all of the time” on log-normal scales, while “none of the time” response was not related to this exponential pattern. Discussion The total score distribution and item responses of the K6 showed exponential patterns, consistent with other depressive symptom scales.

  11. "On-off" switchable tool for food sample preparation: merging molecularly imprinting technology with stimuli-responsive blocks. Current status, challenges and highlighted applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Raquel; Gomes da Silva, Marco D R; Cabrita, Maria João

    2018-01-01

    Sample preparation still remains a great challenge in the analytical workflow representing the most time-consuming and laborious step in analytical procedures. Ideally, sample pre-treatment procedures must be more selective, cheap, quick and environmental friendly. Molecular imprinting technology is a powerful tool in the development of highly selective sample preparation methodologies enabling to preconcentrate the analytes from a complex food matrix. Actually, the design and development of molecularly imprinted polymers-based functional materials that merge an enhancement of selectivity with a controllable and switchable mode of action by means of specific stimulus constitutes a hot research topic in the field of food analysis. Thus, combining the stimuli responsive mechanism and imprinting technology a new generation of materials are emerging. The application of these smart materials in sample preparation is in early stage of development, nevertheless new improvements will promote a new driven in the demanding field of food sample preparation. The new trends in the advancement of food sample preparation using these smart materials will be presented in this review and highlighted the most relevant applications in this particular area of knowledge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Sample management implementation plan: Salt Repository Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    The purpose of the Sample Management Implementation Plan is to define management controls and building requirements for handling materials collected during the site characterization of the Deaf Smith County, Texas, site. This work will be conducted for the US Department of Energy Salt Repository Project Office (SRPO). The plan provides for controls mandated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Salt Repository Project (SRP) Sample Management will interface with program participants who request, collect, and test samples. SRP Sample Management will be responsible for the following: (1) preparing samples; (2) ensuring documentation control; (3) providing for uniform forms, labels, data formats, and transportation and storage requirements; and (4) identifying sample specifications to ensure sample quality. The SRP Sample Management Facility will be operated under a set of procedures that will impact numerous program participants. Requesters of samples will be responsible for definition of requirements in advance of collection. Sample requests for field activities will be approved by the SRPO, aided by an advisory group, the SRP Sample Allocation Committee. This document details the staffing, building, storage, and transportation requirements for establishing an SRP Sample Management Facility. Materials to be managed in the facility include rock core and rock discontinuities, soils, fluids, biota, air particulates, cultural artifacts, and crop and food stuffs. 39 refs., 3 figs., 11 tabs

  13. Feasibility of self-sampled dried blood spot and saliva samples sent by mail in a population-based study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakhi, Amrit Kaur; Bastani, Nasser Ezzatkhah; Ellingjord-Dale, Merete; Gundersen, Thomas Erik; Blomhoff, Rune; Ursin, Giske

    2015-01-01

    In large epidemiological studies it is often challenging to obtain biological samples. Self-sampling by study participants using dried blood spots (DBS) technique has been suggested to overcome this challenge. DBS is a type of biosampling where blood samples are obtained by a finger-prick lancet, blotted and dried on filter paper. However, the feasibility and efficacy of collecting DBS samples from study participants in large-scale epidemiological studies is not known. The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility and response rate of collecting self-sampled DBS and saliva samples in a population–based study of women above 50 years of age. We determined response proportions, number of phone calls to the study center with questions about sampling, and quality of the DBS. We recruited women through a study conducted within the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program. Invitations, instructions and materials were sent to 4,597 women. The data collection took place over a 3 month period in the spring of 2009. Response proportions for the collection of DBS and saliva samples were 71.0% (3,263) and 70.9% (3,258), respectively. We received 312 phone calls (7% of the 4,597 women) with questions regarding sampling. Of the 3,263 individuals that returned DBS cards, 3,038 (93.1%) had been packaged and shipped according to instructions. A total of 3,032 DBS samples were sufficient for at least one biomarker analysis (i.e. 92.9% of DBS samples received by the laboratory). 2,418 (74.1%) of the DBS cards received by the laboratory were filled with blood according to the instructions (i.e. 10 completely filled spots with up to 7 punches per spot for up to 70 separate analyses). To assess the quality of the samples, we selected and measured two biomarkers (carotenoids and vitamin D). The biomarker levels were consistent with previous reports. Collecting self-sampled DBS and saliva samples through the postal services provides a low cost, effective and feasible

  14. Measuring Pancharatnam's relative phase for SO(3) evolutions using spin polarimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larsson, Peter; Sjoeqvist, Erik

    2003-01-01

    In polarimetry, a superposition of internal quantal states is exposed to a single Hamiltonian and information about the evolution of the quantal states is inferred from projection measurements on the final superposition. In this framework, we here extend the polarimetric test of Pancharatnam's relative phase for spin-(1/2) proposed by Wagh and Rakhecha [Phys. Lett. A 197, 112 (1995)] to spin j≥1 undergoing noncyclic SO(3) evolution. We demonstrate that the output intensity for higher spin values is a polynomial function of the corresponding spin-(1/2) intensity. We further propose a general method to extract the noncyclic SO(3) phase and visibility by rigid translation of two π/2 spin flippers. Polarimetry on higher spin states may in practice be done with spin polarized atomic beams

  15. Quantum fluctuations in insulating ferroelectrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riseborough, Peter S.

    2010-01-01

    Graphical abstract: It has been proposed that in a ferroelectric insulator, an applied magnetic field may couple the transverse phonon modes and produce left and right circularly polarized phonon modes which are no longer degenerate. We quantize the theory and examine the effects of quantal fluctuations. In particular, we show that the zero point fluctuations result in a large diamagnetic contribution to the magnetic susceptibility. - Abstract: It has been proposed that in a ferroelectric insulator, an applied magnetic field may couple the transverse phonon modes and produce left and right circularly polarized phonon modes which are no longer degenerate. We quantize the theory and examine the effects of quantal fluctuations. In particular, we show that the zero-point fluctuations result in a large diamagnetic contribution to the magnetic susceptibility.

  16. Report of the First Community Consultation on the Responsible Collection and Use of Samples for Genetic Research, September 25-26, 2000

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenberg, Judith H.

    2002-05-22

    The First Community Consultation on the Responsible Collection and Use of Samples for Genetic Research was held in Bethesda, Maryland, on September 25-26, 2000. The consultation was convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Approximately 120 individuals participated in the consultation, half from a broad range of communities and populations, and half from government. The participants shared their views and concerns about population- and community-based genetic research, expanding the focus of the meeting from the collection and use of blood or other tissue samples for genetic research to broader issues and concerns about the conduct of genetic research in general with populations and communities.

  17. Modification of the radiation response of pig skin by manipulation of tissue oxygen tension using anesthetics and administration of BW12C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    van den Aardweg, G.J.; Hopewell, J.W.; Barnes, D.W.; Sansom, J.M.; Nethersell, A.B.

    1989-01-01

    The importance of tissue oxygen tension on radiosensitivity was studied by examining modifications in the incidence of moist desquamation in pig skin after irradiation with strontium-90 plaques. The effects were analyzed using quantal dose-response data and comparisons were made using ED50 values for moist desquamation. Under standard anesthetic conditions of 2% halothane, approximately 70% oxygen, and approximately 30% nitrous oxide, the ED50 value (+/- SE) for moist desquamation was 27.32 +/- 0.52 Gy with no significant variation in radiosensitivity between dorsal, lateral, and ventral skin sites on the flank. Irradiation with 2% halothane and air increased the ED50 to 31.25 +/- 0.94 Gy, primarily due to an increased radioresistance of the dorsal sites. When combined with BW12C, a drug which binds oxygen selectively to hemoglobin and hence reduced the oxygen availability to tissues, a further increase in the ED50 values was observed. This was approximately 39 Gy with BW12C concentrations of 30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg b.w. of BW12C, indicating a dose modification factor (DMF) of approximately 1.26. However, when animals were breathing the standard gas mixture, this DMF was reduced to 1.15 for 30 mg/kg of BW12C, indicating that a higher level of oxygen partly counteracted the effects of the drug in these studies with BW12C. The greatest variability in radiosensitivity was seen in the dorsal fields. This suggested complex physiological adaptation, a phenomenon that might also explain the absence of any modification of the radiation response when 100 mg/kg of BW12C was used

  18. Pramana – Journal of Physics | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    dimensional quantal scattering, we define the quasi-bound states that occur in one-dimensional transmission generated by twin symmetric potential barriers and evaluate their energies and widths using two typical examples: (i) twin rectangular ...

  19. HAMMER: Reweighting tool for simulated data samples

    CERN Document Server

    Duell, Stephan; Ligeti, Zoltan; Papucci, Michele; Robinson, Dean

    2016-01-01

    Modern flavour physics experiments, such as Belle II or LHCb, require large samples of generated Monte Carlo events. Monte Carlo events often are processed in a sophisticated chain that includes a simulation of the detector response. The generation and reconstruction of large samples is resource-intensive and in principle would need to be repeated if e.g. parameters responsible for the underlying models change due to new measurements or new insights. To avoid having to regenerate large samples, we work on a tool, The Helicity Amplitude Module for Matrix Element Reweighting (HAMMER), which allows one to easily reweight existing events in the context of semileptonic b → q ` ̄ ν ` analyses to new model parameters or new physics scenarios.

  20. Day and night variation in chemical composition and toxicological responses of size segregated urban air PM samples in a high air pollution situation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalava, P. I.; Wang, Q.; Kuuspalo, K.; Ruusunen, J.; Hao, L.; Fang, D.; Väisänen, O.; Ruuskanen, A.; Sippula, O.; Happo, M. S.; Uski, O.; Kasurinen, S.; Torvela, T.; Koponen, H.; Lehtinen, K. E. J.; Komppula, M.; Gu, C.; Jokiniemi, J.; Hirvonen, M.-R.

    2015-11-01

    Urban air particulate pollution is a known cause for adverse human health effects worldwide. China has encountered air quality problems in recent years due to rapid industrialization. Toxicological effects induced by particulate air pollution vary with particle sizes and season. However, it is not known how distinctively different photochemical activity and different emission sources during the day and the night affect the chemical composition of the PM size ranges and subsequently how it is reflected to the toxicological properties of the PM exposures. The particulate matter (PM) samples were collected in four different size ranges (PM10-2.5; PM2.5-1; PM1-0.2 and PM0.2) with a high volume cascade impactor. The PM samples were extracted with methanol, dried and thereafter used in the chemical and toxicological analyses. RAW264.7 macrophages were exposed to the particulate samples in four different doses for 24 h. Cytotoxicity, inflammatory parameters, cell cycle and genotoxicity were measured after exposure of the cells to particulate samples. Particles were characterized for their chemical composition, including ions, element and PAH compounds, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to take images of the PM samples. Chemical composition and the induced toxicological responses of the size segregated PM samples showed considerable size dependent differences as well as day to night variation. The PM10-2.5 and the PM0.2 samples had the highest inflammatory potency among the size ranges. Instead, almost all the PM samples were equally cytotoxic and only minor differences were seen in genotoxicity and cell cycle effects. Overall, the PM0.2 samples had the highest toxic potential among the different size ranges in many parameters. PAH compounds in the samples and were generally more abundant during the night than the day, indicating possible photo-oxidation of the PAH compounds due to solar radiation. This was reflected to different toxicity in the PM

  1. The inter-relationship between mood, self-esteem and response styles in adolescent offspring of bipolar parents: an experience sampling study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlickova, Hana; Turnbull, Oliver H; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Bentall, Richard P

    2015-02-28

    The response styles theory of depression (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991) proposes three main strategies individuals employ in response to low mood: rumination, active coping (distraction and problem-solving) and risk taking. Although recent research has suggested this theory has utility in understanding the symptoms of bipolar disorder (BD), the role of these processes in conferring vulnerability to the condition is poorly understood. Twenty-three adolescent children of patients with BD and 25 offspring of well parents completed the Experience Sampling Method (ESM; Csikszentmihalyi and Larson, 1987) diary for six days. Longitudinal analyses were carried out to examine inter-relationships between mood, self-esteem and response styles. Increased negative as well as positive mood resulted in greater rumination in both groups. Low self-esteem triggered greater risk-taking at the subsequent time point in the at-risk group, while negative affect instigated increased active coping in the control group. In both groups, engagement in risk-taking improved mood at the subsequent time point, whilst rumination dampened self-esteem. Differential longitudinal associations between mood, self-esteem and response styles between at-risk and control children suggest early psychological vulnerability in the offspring of BD parents, with important indications for early intervention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Impact of participant incentives and direct and snowball sampling on survey response rate in an ethnically diverse community: results from a pilot study of physical activity and the built environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, Daniel F; Nie, Jason X; Ardern, Chris I; Radhu, Natasha; Ritvo, Paul

    2013-02-01

    Community-wide efforts to encourage healthy behaviours must respond to the needs of existing neighbourhoods, especially those where low physical activity (PA) is associated with social, economic, and cultural challenges. This study reports on the effect of direct and snowball sampling strategies and financial incentive levels on the response rates of a built environment and PA survey in a predominately urban, low-SES new-immigrant community. Women residing in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario were selected to participate by quasi-random sampling, yielding a response rate of 41.5%. The survey completion rate per contact attempt increased 2-fold when incentives were increased from $10 to $20 and a further threefold following the increase from $20 to $30. Snowball sampled respondents were older, less likely to have full-time employment, and had lower educational attainment than directly sampled participants. With appropriate incentives, face-to-face contact, and snowball sampling, survey-based research is feasible within a low-SES, high minority population.

  3. Multilevel eEmpirical Bayes modeling for improved estimation of toxicant formulations tosuppress parasitic sea lamprey in the Upper Great Lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatfield, Laura A.; Gutreuter, Steve; Boogaard, Michael A.; Carlin, Bradley P.

    2011-01-01

    Estimation of extreme quantal-response statistics, such as the concentration required to kill 99.9% of test subjects (LC99.9), remains a challenge in the presence of multiple covariates and complex study designs. Accurate and precise estimates of the LC99.9 for mixtures of toxicants are critical to ongoing control of a parasitic invasive species, the sea lamprey, in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. The toxicity of those chemicals is affected by local and temporal variations in water chemistry, which must be incorporated into the modeling. We develop multilevel empirical Bayes models for data from multiple laboratory studies. Our approach yields more accurate and precise estimation of the LC99.9 compared to alternative models considered. This study demonstrates that properly incorporating hierarchical structure in laboratory data yields better estimates of LC99.9 stream treatment values that are critical to larvae control in the field. In addition, out-of-sample prediction of the results of in situ tests reveals the presence of a latent seasonal effect not manifest in the laboratory studies, suggesting avenues for future study and illustrating the importance of dual consideration of both experimental and observational data.

  4. EPA perspective on radionuclide aerosol sampling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karhnak, J.M. [Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States)

    1995-02-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is concerned with radionuclide aerosol sampling primarily at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities in order to insure compliance with national air emission standards, known as NESHAPs. Sampling procedures are specified in {open_quotes}National Emission Standards for Emissions of Radionuclides other than Radon from Department of Energy Sites{close_quotes} (Subpart H). Subpart H also allows alternate procedures to be used if they meet certain requirements. This paper discusses some of the mission differences between EPA and Doe and how these differences are reflected in decisions that are made. It then describes how the EPA develops standards, considers alternate sampling procedures, and lists suggestions to speed up the review and acceptance process for alternate procedures. The paper concludes with a discussion of the process for delegation of Radionuclide NESHAPs responsibilities to the States, and responsibilities that could be retained by EPA.

  5. A Meta-Analysis of Questionnaire Response Rates in Military Samples

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Parrish, Michael R

    2007-01-01

    ...), use of advance notices, and use of follow-up reminders. Data were gathered for a meta-analysis of 73 previously published studies which utilized a survey or questionnaire to collect data from a military-only sample...

  6. Coordination of Conditional Poisson Samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grafström Anton

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Sample coordination seeks to maximize or to minimize the overlap of two or more samples. The former is known as positive coordination, and the latter as negative coordination. Positive coordination is mainly used for estimation purposes and to reduce data collection costs. Negative coordination is mainly performed to diminish the response burden of the sampled units. Poisson sampling design with permanent random numbers provides an optimum coordination degree of two or more samples. The size of a Poisson sample is, however, random. Conditional Poisson (CP sampling is a modification of the classical Poisson sampling that produces a fixed-size πps sample. We introduce two methods to coordinate Conditional Poisson samples over time or simultaneously. The first one uses permanent random numbers and the list-sequential implementation of CP sampling. The second method uses a CP sample in the first selection and provides an approximate one in the second selection because the prescribed inclusion probabilities are not respected exactly. The methods are evaluated using the size of the expected sample overlap, and are compared with their competitors using Monte Carlo simulation. The new methods provide a good coordination degree of two samples, close to the performance of Poisson sampling with permanent random numbers.

  7. Dissipation and nuclear collective motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, Helmut; Jensen, A.S.; Ngo, Christian; Siemens, P.J.; California Univ., Berkeley

    1979-01-01

    This contribution is intended to give a brief summary of a forthcoming paper which shall review extensively the linear response theory for dissipation and statistical fluctuations as well as its application to heavy-ion collisions. It shall contain new results on the following subjects: numerical computations of response functions and transport coefficients; dissipation in a self-consistent treatment of harmonic vibrations; introduction of collective variables within a quantum theory. The method used consists of an extended version of the Bohm and Pines treatment of the electron gas. It allows to deduce a quantum Hamiltonian for the collective and intrinsic motion including coupling terms; discussion and solution of a quantal Master equation for non-linear collective motion. Additionally, a somewhat elaborate discussion of the problems of irreversibility is given, especially in connection to a treatment within the moving basis

  8. G protein betagamma-subunits activated by serotonin mediate presynaptic inhibition by regulating vesicle fusion properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Photowala, Huzefa; Blackmer, Trillium; Schwartz, Eric; Hamm, Heidi E; Alford, Simon

    2006-03-14

    Neurotransmitters are thought to be released as quanta, where synaptic vesicles deliver packets of neurotransmitter to the synaptic cleft by fusion with the plasma membrane. However, synaptic vesicles may undergo incomplete fusion. We provide evidence that G protein-coupled receptors inhibit release by causing such incomplete fusion. 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor signaling potently inhibits excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) between lamprey reticulospinal axons and their postsynaptic targets by a direct action on the vesicle fusion machinery. We show that 5-HT receptor-mediated presynaptic inhibition, at this synapse, involves a reduction in EPSC quantal size. Quantal size was measured directly by comparing unitary quantal amplitudes of paired EPSCs before and during 5-HT application and indirectly by determining the effect of 5-HT on the relationship between mean-evoked EPSC amplitude and variance. Results from FM dye-labeling experiments indicate that 5-HT prevents full fusion of vesicles. 5-HT reduces FM1-43 staining of vesicles with a similar efficacy to its effect on the EPSC. However, destaining of FM1-43-labeled vesicles is abolished by lower concentrations of 5-HT that leave a substantial EPSC. The use of a water-soluble membrane impermeant quenching agent in the extracellular space reduced FM1-43 fluorescence during stimulation in 5-HT. Thus vesicles contact the extracellular space during inhibition of synaptic transmission by 5-HT. We conclude that 5-HT, via free Gbetagamma, prevents the collapse of synaptic vesicles into the presynaptic membrane.

  9. Statistical properties of anti-symmetrized molecular dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohnishi, A.; Randrup, J.

    1993-01-01

    We study the statistical equilibrium properties of the recently developed anti-symmetrized molecular dynamics model for heavy-ion reactions. We consider A non-interacting fermions in one dimension, either bound in a common harmonic potential or moving freely within an interval, and perform a Metropolis sampling of the corresponding parameter space. Generally the average excitation and the specific heat, considered as functions of the imposed temperature, behave in a classical manner when the canonical weight is calculated in the mean-field approximation. However, it is possible to obtain results that are much closer to the quantal behavior by modifying the weight to take approximate account of the energy fluctuations within the individual wave packets. (orig.)

  10. Caregiver Responsiveness to the Family Bereavement Program: What predicts responsiveness? What does responsiveness predict?

    OpenAIRE

    Schoenfelder, Erin N.; Sandler, Irwin N.; Millsap, Roger E.; Wolchik, Sharlene A.; Berkel, Cady; Ayers, Timothy S.

    2013-01-01

    The study developed a multi-dimensional measure to assess participant responsiveness to a preventive intervention, and applied this measure to study how participant baseline characteristics predict responsiveness and how responsiveness predicts program outcomes. The study was conducted with caregivers who participated in the parenting-focused component of the Family Bereavement Program (FBP), a prevention program for families that have experienced parental death. The sample consisted of 89 ca...

  11. Plasma androgen concentrations in initial samples from spotted ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1990-01-31

    Jan 31, 1990 ... initial samples, the immobilization stress response and the response to exogenous GnRH administration, for ... the sex-specific differences in plasma androgens is confounded by other variables such as the reproductive.

  12. Hanford Sampling Quality Management Plan (HSQMP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyatt, J.E.

    1995-06-01

    HSQMP establishes quality requirements in response to DOE Order 5700. 6C and to 10 Code of Federal Regulations 830.120. HSQMP is designed to meet the needs of Richland Operations Office for controlling the quality of services provided by sampling operations. It is issued through the Analytical Services Program of the Waste Programs Division. This document describes the Environmental Sampling and Analysis Program activities considered to represent the best management activities necessary to achieve a sampling program with adequate control

  13. Colorimetric assay for on-the-spot alcoholic strength sensing in spirit samples based on dual-responsive lanthanide coordination polymer particles with ratiometric fluorescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng, Jingjing; Shi, Guoyue; Zhou, Tianshu

    2016-01-01

    This study demonstrates a new strategy for colorimetric detection of alcoholic strength (AS) in spirit samples based on dual-responsive lanthanide infinite coordination polymer (Ln-ICP) particles with ratiometric fluorescence. The ICP used in this study are composed of two components: one is the supramolecular Ln-ICP network formed by the coordination between the ligand 2,2’-thiodiacetic acid (TDA) and central metal ion Eu"3"+; and the other is a fluorescent dye, i.e., coumarin 343 (C343), both as the cofactor ligand and as the sensitizer, doped into the Ln-ICP network through self-adaptive chemistry. Upon being excited at 300 nm, the red fluorescence of Ln-ICP network itself at 617 nm is highly enhanced due to the concomitant energy transfer from C343 to Eu"3"+, while the fluorescence of C343 at 495 nm is supressed. In pure ethanol solvent, the as-formed C343@Eu-TDA is well dispersed and quite stable. However, the addition of water into ethanolic dispersion of C343@Eu-TDA destructs Eu-TDA network structure, resulting in the release of C343 from ICP network into the solvent. Consequently, the fluorescence of Eu-TDA turns off and the fluorescence of C343 turns on, leading to the fluorescent color change of the dispersion from red to blue, which constitutes a new mechanism for colorimetric sensing of AS in commercial spirit samples. With the method developed here, we could clearly distinguish the AS of different spirit samples within a wide linear range from 10% vol to 100% vol directly by “naked eye” with the help of UV-lamp (365 nm). This study not only offers a new method for on-the-spot visible detection of AS, but also provides a strategy for dual-responsive sensing mode by rational designing the optical properties of the Ln-ICP network and the guest, respectively. - Highlights: • Dual responsive lanthanide coordination polymer particles C343@Eu-TDA were synthesized. • The guest molecular coumarin 343 sensitized the luminescence of Eu-TDA network

  14. Colorimetric assay for on-the-spot alcoholic strength sensing in spirit samples based on dual-responsive lanthanide coordination polymer particles with ratiometric fluorescence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deng, Jingjing, E-mail: jjdeng@des.ecnu.edu.cn [School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China); Shi, Guoyue [Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China); Zhou, Tianshu, E-mail: tszhou@des.ecnu.edu.cn [School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China)

    2016-10-26

    This study demonstrates a new strategy for colorimetric detection of alcoholic strength (AS) in spirit samples based on dual-responsive lanthanide infinite coordination polymer (Ln-ICP) particles with ratiometric fluorescence. The ICP used in this study are composed of two components: one is the supramolecular Ln-ICP network formed by the coordination between the ligand 2,2’-thiodiacetic acid (TDA) and central metal ion Eu{sup 3+}; and the other is a fluorescent dye, i.e., coumarin 343 (C343), both as the cofactor ligand and as the sensitizer, doped into the Ln-ICP network through self-adaptive chemistry. Upon being excited at 300 nm, the red fluorescence of Ln-ICP network itself at 617 nm is highly enhanced due to the concomitant energy transfer from C343 to Eu{sup 3+}, while the fluorescence of C343 at 495 nm is supressed. In pure ethanol solvent, the as-formed C343@Eu-TDA is well dispersed and quite stable. However, the addition of water into ethanolic dispersion of C343@Eu-TDA destructs Eu-TDA network structure, resulting in the release of C343 from ICP network into the solvent. Consequently, the fluorescence of Eu-TDA turns off and the fluorescence of C343 turns on, leading to the fluorescent color change of the dispersion from red to blue, which constitutes a new mechanism for colorimetric sensing of AS in commercial spirit samples. With the method developed here, we could clearly distinguish the AS of different spirit samples within a wide linear range from 10% vol to 100% vol directly by “naked eye” with the help of UV-lamp (365 nm). This study not only offers a new method for on-the-spot visible detection of AS, but also provides a strategy for dual-responsive sensing mode by rational designing the optical properties of the Ln-ICP network and the guest, respectively. - Highlights: • Dual responsive lanthanide coordination polymer particles C343@Eu-TDA were synthesized. • The guest molecular coumarin 343 sensitized the luminescence of Eu

  15. On the structure of quantal proposition systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bub, Jeffrey

    1994-09-01

    I define sublaltices of quantum propositions that can be taken as having determinate (but perhaps unknown) truth values for a given quantum state, in the sense that sufficiently many two-valued maps satisfying a Boolean homomorphism condition exist on each determinate sublattice to generate a Kolmogorov probability space for the probabilities defined by the slate. I show that these sublattices are maximal, subject to certain constraints, from which it follows easily that they are unique. I discuss the relevance of this result for the measurement problem, relating it to an early proposal by Jauch and Piron for defining a new notion of state for quantum systems, to a recent uniqueness proof by Clifton for the sublattice of propositions specified as determinate by modal interpretations of quantum mechanics that exploit the polar decompostion theorem, and to my own previous suggestions for interpreting quantum mechanics without the projection postulate.

  16. Nitric oxide and non-quantal acetylcholine release

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vyskočil, František

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 3 (2003), s. 241-243 ISSN 1211-7579. [Celostátní konference biologické psychiatrie /11./. Luhačovice, 11.06.2003-14.06.2003] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA305/02/1333 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922; CEZ:MSM 113100003 Keywords : nitric oxide Subject RIV: ED - Physiology

  17. Maternal obesity alters immune cell frequencies and responses in umbilical cord blood samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Randall M; Marshall, Nicole E; Jeske, Daniel R; Purnell, Jonathan Q; Thornburg, Kent; Messaoudi, Ilhem

    2015-06-01

    Maternal obesity is one of the several key factors thought to modulate neonatal immune system development. Data from murine studies demonstrate worse outcomes in models of infection, autoimmunity, and allergic sensitization in offspring of obese dams. In humans, children born to obese mothers are at increased risk for asthma. These findings suggest a dysregulation of immune function in the children of obese mothers; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal body weight and the human neonatal immune system. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from infants born to lean, overweight, and obese mothers. Frequency and function of major innate and adaptive immune cell populations were quantified using flow cytometry and multiplex analysis of circulating factors. Compared to babies born to lean mothers, babies of obese mothers had fewer eosinophils and CD4 T helper cells, reduced monocyte and dendritic cell responses to Toll-like receptor ligands, and increased plasma levels of IFN-α2 and IL-6 in cord blood. These results support the hypothesis that maternal obesity influences programming of the neonatal immune system, providing a potential link to increased incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular disease in the offspring. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Low-sampling-rate ultra-wideband channel estimation using equivalent-time sampling

    KAUST Repository

    Ballal, Tarig

    2014-09-01

    In this paper, a low-sampling-rate scheme for ultra-wideband channel estimation is proposed. The scheme exploits multiple observations generated by transmitting multiple pulses. In the proposed scheme, P pulses are transmitted to produce channel impulse response estimates at a desired sampling rate, while the ADC samples at a rate that is P times slower. To avoid loss of fidelity, the number of sampling periods (based on the desired rate) in the inter-pulse interval is restricted to be co-prime with P. This condition is affected when clock drift is present and the transmitted pulse locations change. To handle this case, and to achieve an overall good channel estimation performance, without using prior information, we derive an improved estimator based on the bounded data uncertainty (BDU) model. It is shown that this estimator is related to the Bayesian linear minimum mean squared error (LMMSE) estimator. Channel estimation performance of the proposed sub-sampling scheme combined with the new estimator is assessed in simulation. The results show that high reduction in sampling rate can be achieved. The proposed estimator outperforms the least squares estimator in almost all cases, while in the high SNR regime it also outperforms the LMMSE estimator. In addition to channel estimation, a synchronization method is also proposed that utilizes the same pulse sequence used for channel estimation. © 2014 IEEE.

  19. Predictors of PTSD Treatment Response Trajectories in a Sample of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: The Roles of Social Support, Coping, and PTSD Symptom Clusters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, Shelley; Elklit, Ask; Shevlin, Mark; Armour, Cherie

    2017-11-01

    This study aimed to (a) identify posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) trajectories in a sample of Danish treatment-seeking childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors and (b) examine the roles of social support, coping style, and individual PTSD symptom clusters (avoidance, reexperiencing, and hyperarousal) as predictors of the identified trajectories. We utilized a convenience sample of 439 CSA survivors attending personalized psychotherapy treatment in Denmark. Four assessments were conducted on a six monthly basis over a period of 18 months. We used latent class growth analysis (LCGA) to test solutions with one to six classes. Following this, a logistic regression was conducted to examine predictors of the identified trajectories. Results revealed four distinct trajectories which were labeled high PTSD gradual response, high PTSD treatment resistant, moderate PTSD rapid response, and moderate PTSD gradual response. Emotional and detached coping and more severe pretreatment avoidance and reexperiencing symptoms were associated with more severe and treatment resistant PTSD. High social support and a longer length of time since the abuse were associated with less severe PTSD which improved over time. The findings suggested that treatment response of PTSD in CSA survivors is characterized by distinct patterns with varying levels and rates of PTSD symptom improvement. Results revealed that social support is protective and that emotional and detached coping and high pretreatment levels of avoidance and reexperiencing symptoms are risk factors in relation to PTSD severity and course. These factors could potentially identify patients who are at risk of not responding to treatment. Furthermore, these factors could be specifically addressed to increase positive outcomes for treatment-seeking CSA survivors.

  20. The coupling of condensed matter excitations to electron probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ritchie, R.H.

    1988-01-01

    Aspects of coupling of a classical electron with bulk and surface excitations in condensed matter have been sketched. Some considerations of a self-energy approach to the complete quantal treatment of this coupling have been given. 19 refs., 3 figs

  1. Correction of Sample-Time Error for Time-Interleaved Sampling System Using Cubic Spline Interpolation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qin Guo-jie

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Sample-time errors can greatly degrade the dynamic range of a time-interleaved sampling system. In this paper, a novel correction technique employing a cubic spline interpolation is proposed for inter-channel sample-time error compensation. The cubic spline interpolation compensation filter is developed in the form of a finite-impulse response (FIR filter structure. The correction method of the interpolation compensation filter coefficients is deduced. A 4GS/s two-channel, time-interleaved ADC prototype system has been implemented to evaluate the performance of the technique. The experimental results showed that the correction technique is effective to attenuate the spurious spurs and improve the dynamic performance of the system.

  2. 40 CFR 90.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...-analysis values. (3) Measure and record HC, CO, CO2, and NOX concentrations in the exhaust sample bag(s...-analysis values. (7) Collect background HC, CO, CO2, and NOX in a sample bag (for dilute exhaust sampling...: (1) For dilute grab (“bag”) sample analysis, the analyzer response must be stable at greater than 99...

  3. Large Sample Confidence Intervals for Item Response Theory Reliability Coefficients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson, Björn; Xin, Tao

    2018-01-01

    In applications of item response theory (IRT), an estimate of the reliability of the ability estimates or sum scores is often reported. However, analytical expressions for the standard errors of the estimators of the reliability coefficients are not available in the literature and therefore the variability associated with the estimated reliability…

  4. Optical method for the characterization of laterally patterned samples in integrated circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maris, Humphrey J [Barrington, RI

    2009-03-17

    Disclosed is a method for characterizing a sample having a structure disposed on or within the sample, comprising the steps of applying a first pulse of light to a surface of the sample for creating a propagating strain pulse in the sample, applying a second pulse of light to the surface so that the second pulse of light interacts with the propagating strain pulse in the sample, sensing from a reflection of the second pulse a change in optical response of the sample, and relating a time of occurrence of the change in optical response to at least one dimension of the structure.

  5. Measurement of radioactivity in the environment - Soil - Part 2: Guidance for the selection of the sampling strategy, sampling and pre-treatment of samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    This part of ISO 18589 specifies the general requirements, based on ISO 11074 and ISO/IEC 17025, for all steps in the planning (desk study and area reconnaissance) of the sampling and the preparation of samples for testing. It includes the selection of the sampling strategy, the outline of the sampling plan, the presentation of general sampling methods and equipment, as well as the methodology of the pre-treatment of samples adapted to the measurements of the activity of radionuclides in soil. This part of ISO 18589 is addressed to the people responsible for determining the radioactivity present in soil for the purpose of radiation protection. It is applicable to soil from gardens, farmland, urban or industrial sites, as well as soil not affected by human activities. This part of ISO 18589 is applicable to all laboratories regardless of the number of personnel or the range of the testing performed. When a laboratory does not undertake one or more of the activities covered by this part of ISO 18589, such as planning, sampling or testing, the corresponding requirements do not apply. Information is provided on scope, normative references, terms and definitions and symbols, principle, sampling strategy, sampling plan, sampling process, pre-treatment of samples and recorded information. Five annexes inform about selection of the sampling strategy according to the objectives and the radiological characterization of the site and sampling areas, diagram of the evolution of the sample characteristics from the sampling site to the laboratory, example of sampling plan for a site divided in three sampling areas, example of a sampling record for a single/composite sample and example for a sample record for a soil profile with soil description. A bibliography is provided

  6. Stochasticity or the fatal 'imperfection' of cloning

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    duced by a cell is the result of the integration of small quantal events (McAdams ... city in the case of de-repression of the lac operon has recently been .... Changes in the medium ..... eukaryotic gene networks: cell differentiation by graded to.

  7. Effects of the variation of samples geometry on radionuclide calibrator response for radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Albuquerque, Antonio Morais de Sa; Fragoso, Maria Conceicao de Farias; Oliveira, Mercia L. [Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-NE/CNEN-PE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

    2011-07-01

    In the nuclear medicine practice, the accurate knowledge of the activity of radiopharmaceuticals which will be administered to the subjects is an important factor to ensure the success of diagnosis or therapy. The instrument used for this purpose is the radionuclide calibrator. The radiopharmaceuticals are usually contained on glass vials or syringes. However, the radionuclide calibrators response is sensitive to the measurement geometry. In addition, the calibration factors supplied by manufactures are valid only for single sample geometry. To minimize the uncertainty associated with the activity measurements, it is important to use the appropriate corrections factors for the each radionuclide in the specific geometry in which the measurement is to be made. The aims of this work were to evaluate the behavior of radionuclide calibrators varying the geometry of radioactive sources and to determine experimentally the correction factors for different volumes and containers types commonly used in nuclear medicine practice. The measurements were made in two ionization chambers of different manufacturers (Capintec and Biodex), using four radionuclides with different photon energies: {sup 18}F, {sup 99m}Tc, {sup 131}I and {sup 201}Tl. The results confirm the significant dependence of radionuclide calibrators reading on the sample geometry, showing the need of use correction factors in order to minimize the errors which affect the activity measurements. (author)

  8. Stroop Interference in a Delayed Match-to-Sample Task: Evidence for Semantic Competition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bradley R. Sturz

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Discussions of the source of the Stroop interference effect continue to pervade the literature. Semantic competition posits that interference results from competing semantic activation of word and color dimensions of the stimulus prior to response selection. Response competition posits that interference results from competing responses for articulating the word dimension versus the color dimension at the time of response selection. We embedded Stroop stimuli into a delayed match-to-sample task in an attempt to test semantic and response competition accounts of the interference effect. Participants viewed a sample color word in black or colored fonts that were congruent or incongruent with respect to the color word itself. After a 5s delay, participants were presented with two targets (i.e., a match and a foil and were instructed to select the correct match. We probed each dimension independently during target presentations via color targets (i.e., two colors or word targets (i.e., two words and manipulated whether the semantic content of the foil was related to the semantic content of the irrelevant sample dimension (e.g., word sample red in blue font with the word red as the match and the word blue as the foil. We provide evidence for Stroop interference such that response times increased for incongruent trials even in the presence of a response option with semantic content unrelated to the semantic content of the irrelevant sample dimension. Accuracy also deteriorated during the related foil trials. A follow-up experiment with a 10s delay between sample and targets replicated the results. Results appear to provide converging evidence for Stroop interference in a delayed match-to-sample task in a manner that is consistent with an explanation based upon semantic competition and inconsistent with an explanation based upon response competition.

  9. An overview of the Environmental Response Team's air surveillance procedures at emergency response activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turpin, R.D.; Campagna, P.R. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Edison, NJ (USA))

    The Safety and Air Surveillance Section of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Response Team responds to emergency air releases such as tire fires and explosions. The air surveillance equipment and procedures used by the organization are described, and case studies demonstrating the various emergency response activities are presented. Air response activities include emergency air responses, occupational and human health air responses and remedial air responses. Monitoring and sampling equipment includes photoionization detectors, combustible gas meters, real-time aerosol monitors, personal sampling pumps, and high flow pumps. Case histories presented include disposal of dioxane from a cotton plant, response to oil well fires in Kuwait, disposal of high pressure cylinders in American Samoa, and response to hurricane Hugo. 3 refs., 1 tab.

  10. Radioactive air sampling methods

    CERN Document Server

    Maiello, Mark L

    2010-01-01

    Although the field of radioactive air sampling has matured and evolved over decades, it has lacked a single resource that assimilates technical and background information on its many facets. Edited by experts and with contributions from top practitioners and researchers, Radioactive Air Sampling Methods provides authoritative guidance on measuring airborne radioactivity from industrial, research, and nuclear power operations, as well as naturally occuring radioactivity in the environment. Designed for industrial hygienists, air quality experts, and heath physicists, the book delves into the applied research advancing and transforming practice with improvements to measurement equipment, human dose modeling of inhaled radioactivity, and radiation safety regulations. To present a wide picture of the field, it covers the international and national standards that guide the quality of air sampling measurements and equipment. It discusses emergency response issues, including radioactive fallout and the assets used ...

  11. The influence of tube voltage and phantom size in computed tomography on the dose-response relationship of dicentrics in human blood samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jost, G; Pietsch, H; Lengsfeld, P; Voth, M; Schmid, E

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the dose response relationship of dicentrics in human lymphocytes after CT scans at tube voltages of 80 and 140 kV. Blood samples from a healthy donor placed in tissue equivalent abdomen phantoms of standard, pediatric and adipose sizes were exposed at dose levels up to 0.1 Gy using a 64-slice CT scanner. It was found that both the tube voltage and the phantom size significantly influenced the CT scan-induced linear dose-response relationship of dicentrics in human lymphocytes. Using the same phantom (standard abdomen), 80 kV CT x-rays were biologically more effective than 140 kV CT x-rays. However, it could also be determined that the applied phantom size had much more influence on the biological effectiveness. Obviously, the increasing slopes of the CT scan-induced dose response relationships of dicentrics in human lymphocytes obtained in a pediatric, a standard and an adipose abdomen have been induced by scattering effects of photons, which strongly increase with increasing phantom size.

  12. The influence of tube voltage and phantom size in computed tomography on the dose-response relationship of dicentrics in human blood samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jost, G; Pietsch, H [TRG Diagnostic Imaging, Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Berlin (Germany); Lengsfeld, P; Voth, M [Global Medical Affairs Diagnostic Imaging, Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Berlin (Germany); Schmid, E, E-mail: Ernst.Schmid@lrz.uni-muenchen.d [Institute for Cell Biology, Center for Integrated Protein Science, University of Munich (Germany)

    2010-06-07

    The aim of this study was to investigate the dose response relationship of dicentrics in human lymphocytes after CT scans at tube voltages of 80 and 140 kV. Blood samples from a healthy donor placed in tissue equivalent abdomen phantoms of standard, pediatric and adipose sizes were exposed at dose levels up to 0.1 Gy using a 64-slice CT scanner. It was found that both the tube voltage and the phantom size significantly influenced the CT scan-induced linear dose-response relationship of dicentrics in human lymphocytes. Using the same phantom (standard abdomen), 80 kV CT x-rays were biologically more effective than 140 kV CT x-rays. However, it could also be determined that the applied phantom size had much more influence on the biological effectiveness. Obviously, the increasing slopes of the CT scan-induced dose response relationships of dicentrics in human lymphocytes obtained in a pediatric, a standard and an adipose abdomen have been induced by scattering effects of photons, which strongly increase with increasing phantom size.

  13. Optimization conditions of samples saponification for tocopherol analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Aloisio Henrique Pereira; Gohara, Aline Kirie; Rodrigues, Ângela Claudia; Ströher, Gisely Luzia; Silva, Danielle Cristina; Visentainer, Jesuí Vergílio; Souza, Nilson Evelázio; Matsushita, Makoto

    2014-09-01

    A full factorial design 2(2) (two factors at two levels) with duplicates was performed to investigate the influence of the factors agitation time (2 and 4 h) and the percentage of KOH (60% and 80% w/v) in the saponification of samples for the determination of α, β and γ+δ-tocopherols. The study used samples of peanuts (cultivar armadillo), produced and marketed in Maringá, PR. The factors % KOH and agitation time were significant, and an increase in their values contributed negatively to the responses. The interaction effect was not significant for the response δ-tocopherol, and the contribution of this effect to the other responses was positive, but less than 10%. The ANOVA and response surfaces analysis showed that the most efficient saponification procedure was obtained using a 60% (w/v) solution of KOH and with an agitation time of 2 h. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1991-01-01

    Environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site and surrounding areas is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the US Department of Energy (DOE). This document contains the planned schedule for routine sample collection for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP) and Ground-Water Monitoring Project. The routine sampling plan for the SESP has been revised this year to reflect changing site operations and priorities. Some sampling previously performed at least annually has been reduced in frequency, and some new sampling to be performed at a less than annual frequency has been added. Therefore, the SESP schedule reflects sampling to be conducted in calendar year 1991 as well as future years. The ground-water sampling schedule is for 1991. This schedule is subject to modification during the year in response to changes in Site operation, program requirements, and the nature of the observed results. Operational limitations such as weather, mechanical failures, sample availability, etc., may also require schedule modifications. Changes will be documented in the respective project files, but this plan will not be reissued. The purpose of these monitoring projects is to evaluate levels of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants in the Hanford evirons

  15. Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1991-01-01

    Environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site and surrounding areas is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the US Department of Energy (DOE). This document contains the planned schedule for routine sample collection for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP) and Ground-Water Monitoring Project. The routine sampling plan for the SESP has been revised this year to reflect changing site operations and priorities. Some sampling previously performed at least annually has been reduced in frequency, and some new sampling to be performed at a less than annual frequency has been added. Therefore, the SESP schedule reflects sampling to be conducted in calendar year 1991 as well as future years. The ground-water sampling schedule is for 1991. This schedule is subject to modification during the year in response to changes in Site operation, program requirements, and the nature of the observed results. Operational limitations such as weather, mechanical failures, sample availability, etc., may also require schedule modifications. Changes will be documented in the respective project files, but this plan will not be reissued. The purpose of these monitoring projects is to evaluate levels of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants in the Hanford evirons.

  16. Tank vapor sampling and analysis data package for tank 241-C-106 waste retrieval sluicing system process test phase III, sampled March 28, 1999

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LOCKREM, L.L.

    1999-01-01

    This data package presents sampling data and analytical results from the March 28, 1999, vapor sampling of Hanford Site single-shell tank 241-C-106 during active sluicing. Samples were obtained from the 296-C-006 ventilation system stack and ambient air at several locations. Characterization Project Operations (CPO) was responsible for the collection of all SUMMATM canister samples. The Special Analytical Support (SAS) vapor team was responsible for the collection of all triple sorbent trap (TST), sorbent tube train (STT), polyurethane foam (PUF), and particulate filter samples collected at the 296-C-006 stack. The SAS vapor team used the non-electrical vapor sampling (NEVS) system to collect samples of the air, gases, and vapors from the 296-C-006 stack. The SAS vapor team collected and analyzed these samples for Lockheed Martin Hanford Corporation (LMHC) and Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) in accordance with the sampling and analytical requirements specified in the Waste Retrieval Sluicing System Vapor Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) for Evaluation of Organic Emissions, Process Test Phase III, HNF-4212, Rev. 0-A, (LMHC, 1999). All samples were stored in a secured Radioactive Materials Area (RMA) until the samples were radiologically released and received by SAS for analysis. The Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF) performed the radiological analyses. The samples were received on April 5, 1999

  17. A Comparison of Response Rate, Response Time, and Costs of Mail and Electronic Surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shannon, David M.; Bradshaw, Carol C.

    2002-01-01

    Compared response rates, response time, and costs of mail and electronic surveys using a sample of 377 college faculty members. Mail surveys yielded a higher response rate and a lower rate of undeliverable surveys, but response time was longer and costs were higher than for electronic surveys. (SLD)

  18. Microscopic theory of one-body dissipation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koonin, S.E.; Randrup, J.; Hatch, R.; Kolomietz, V.

    1977-01-01

    A microscopic theory is developed for nuclear collective motion in the limit of a long nuclear mean-free path. Linear response techniques are applied to an independent particle model and expressions for the collective kinetic energy and rate of energy dissipation are obtained. For leptodermous systems, these quantities are characterized by mass and dissipation kernels coupling the velocities at different points on the nuclear surface. In a classical treatment, the kernels are given in terms of nucleon trajectories within the nuclear shape. In a quantal treatment, the dissipation kernel is related to the nuclear Green function. The spatial and thermal properties of the kernels are investigated. Corrections for the diffuseness of the potential and shell effects are also discussed. (Auth.)

  19. Blubber cortisol: a potential tool for assessing stress response in free-ranging dolphins without effects due to sampling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicholas M Kellar

    Full Text Available When paired with dart biopsying, quantifying cortisol in blubber tissue may provide an index of relative stress levels (i.e., activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in free-ranging cetacean populations while minimizing the effects of the act of sampling. To validate this approach, cortisol was extracted from blubber samples collected from beach-stranded and bycaught short-beaked common dolphins using a modified blubber steroid isolation technique and measured via commercially available enzyme immunoassays. The measurements exhibited appropriate quality characteristics when analyzed via a bootstraped stepwise parallelism analysis (observed/expected = 1.03, 95%CI: 99.6 - 1.08 and showed no evidence of matrix interference with increasing sample size across typical biopsy tissue masses (75-150 mg; r(2 = 0.012, p = 0.78, slope = 0.022 ng(cortisol deviation/ul(tissue extract added. The relationships between blubber cortisol and eight potential cofactors namely, 1 fatality type (e.g., stranded or bycaught, 2 specimen condition (state of decomposition, 3 total body length, 4 sex, 5 sexual maturity state, 6 pregnancy status, 7 lactation state, and 8 adrenal mass, were assessed using a Bayesian generalized linear model averaging technique. Fatality type was the only factor correlated with blubber cortisol, and the magnitude of the effect size was substantial: beach-stranded individuals had on average 6.1-fold higher cortisol levels than those of bycaught individuals. Because of the difference in conditions surrounding these two fatality types, we interpret this relationship as evidence that blubber cortisol is indicative of stress response. We found no evidence of seasonal variation or a relationship between cortisol and the remaining cofactors.

  20. An Exploration to Brand Trust Through Microblogging Corporate Social Responsibility : A Sample of Three Business Users of Weibo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Gu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article, the author tries to explore the effect of buiding brand trust through microblogging Corporate Social Responsibility. The author samples three business users of microblogging CSR from Weibo.cn, among which are: @dellcsr, @zlgoodlife, @ditan100. Then two corpuses are built by collecting: a the texts blogged by the business users during six consecutive months in 2012; b the texts blogged by other Weibo users as feedback to business users (comment, forward, mention@ during the same period. With assistance of corpus linguistic tool Concordance 3.3, the author conducting qualitative context analysis to both corpuses. The result shows that the more corporate microblogs offline CSR activities, the more brand trust online stakeholders (Weibo users express. However, this online brand trust would most likely be harmed by followers’ unpleasant product experience.

  1. Evaluation of Sampling Methods for Bacillus Spore ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Journal Article Following a wide area release of biological materials, mapping the extent of contamination is essential for orderly response and decontamination operations. HVAC filters process large volumes of air and therefore collect highly representative particulate samples in buildings. HVAC filter extraction may have great utility in rapidly estimating the extent of building contamination following a large-scale incident. However, until now, no studies have been conducted comparing the two most appropriate sampling approaches for HVAC filter materials: direct extraction and vacuum-based sampling.

  2. Schrödinger Theory of Electrons in Electromagnetic Fields: New Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viraht Sahni

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The Schrödinger theory of electrons in an external electromagnetic field is described from the new perspective of the individual electron. The perspective is arrived at via the time-dependent “Quantal Newtonian” law (or differential virial theorem. (The time-independent law, a special case, provides a similar description of stationary-state theory. These laws are in terms of “classical” fields whose sources are quantal expectations of Hermitian operators taken with respect to the wave function. The laws reveal the following physics: (a in addition to the external field, each electron experiences an internal field whose components are representative of a specific property of the system such as the correlations due to the Pauli exclusion principle and Coulomb repulsion, the electron density, kinetic effects, and an internal magnetic field component. The response of the electron is described by the current density field; (b the scalar potential energy of an electron is the work done in a conservative field. It is thus path-independent. The conservative field is the sum of the internal and Lorentz fields. Hence, the potential is inherently related to the properties of the system, and its constituent property-related components known. As the sources of the fields are functionals of the wave function, so are the respective fields, and, therefore, the scalar potential is a known functional of the wave function; (c as such, the system Hamiltonian is a known functional of the wave function. This reveals the intrinsic self-consistent nature of the Schrödinger equation, thereby providing a path for the determination of the exact wave functions and energies of the system; (d with the Schrödinger equation written in self-consistent form, the Hamiltonian now admits via the Lorentz field a new term that explicitly involves the external magnetic field. The new understandings are explicated for the stationary state case by application to two quantum

  3. Cerenkov fiber sampling calorimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arrington, K.; Kefford, D.; Kennedy, J.; Pisani, R.; Sanzeni, C.; Segall, K.; Wall, D.; Winn, D.R.; Carey, R.; Dye, S.; Miller, J.; Sulak, L.; Worstell, W.; Efremenko, Y.; Kamyshkov, Y.; Savin, A.; Shmakov, K.; Tarkovsky, E.

    1994-01-01

    Clear optical fibers were used as a Cerenkov sampling media in Pb (electromagnetic) and Cu (hadron) absorbers in spaghetti calorimeters, for high rate and high radiation dose experiments, such as the forward region of high energy colliders. The fiber axes were aligned close to the direction of the incident particles (1 degree--7 degree). The 7 λ deep hadron tower contained 2.8% by volume 1.5 mm diameter core clear plastic fibers. The 27 radiation length deep electromagnetic towers had packing fractions of 6.8% and 7.2% of 1 mm diameter core quartz fibers as the active Cerenkov sampling medium. The energy resolution on electrons and pions, energy response, pulse shapes and angular studies are presented

  4. ESR response of powder samples of clear fused quartz material to high doses of 10 MeV electrons: possible applications for industrial radiation processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aliabadi, R.; Amraei, R.; Ranjbar, A.H.; Rafieian, Sh.; Nasirimoghadam, S.

    2010-01-01

    Powder samples of clear fused quartz were irradiated by 10 MeV electrons at doses between 6-15 kGy and 25-37 kGy and analyzed with electron spin resonance. The reproducibility of the material dose response curve was studied, in which the irradiated samples were annealed and reused for further investigations. Results indicate a good linearity between the absorbed dose and the ESR intensity of the signals. They also showed that in the reuse processes, the electron spin resonance signal intensity, in both dose ranges was decreased. The thermal fading represented a relative sharp decay at room temperature through 15 days, after which the decay-rate was negligible for a measurement period of 60 days.

  5. Optoelectronic time-domain characterization of a 100 GHz sampling oscilloscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Füser, H; Baaske, K; Kuhlmann, K; Judaschke, R; Pierz, K; Bieler, M; Eichstädt, S; Elster, C

    2012-01-01

    We have carried out an optoelectronic measurement of the impulse response of an ultrafast sampling oscilloscope with a nominal bandwidth of 100 GHz within a time window of approximately 100 ps. Our experimental technique also considers frequency components above the cut-off frequency of higher order modes of the 1.0 mm coaxial line, which is shown to be important for the specification of the impulse response of ultrafast sampling oscilloscopes. Additionally, we have measured the reflection coefficient of the sampling head induced by the mismatch of the sampling circuit and the coaxial connector which is larger than 0.5 for certain frequencies. The uncertainty analysis has been performed using the Monte Carlo method of Supplement 1 to the 'Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement' and correlations in the estimated impulse response have been determined. Our measurements extend previous work which deals with the characterization of 70 GHz oscilloscopes and the measurement of 100 GHz oscilloscopes up to the cut-off frequency of higher order modes

  6. BP Spill Sampling Data April-September 2010

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This dataset provides all of the sampling data from the the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon Rig Explosion Emergency Response. The data were collected between...

  7. Sample oxidation for liquid scintillation counting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kisieleski, W.E.; Buess, E.M.

    1976-01-01

    The general features of biological and medical investigations which are responsible for the demands such investigations place upon the design specifications of liquid scintillation counters and associated methodology are reviewed. Special emphasis is given to the oxidative technique for sample preparation

  8. The Mathematical Formalism of a Particle in a Magnetic Field

    CERN Document Server

    Mantoiu, M

    2005-01-01

    In this review article we develop a basic part of the mathematical theory involved in the description of a particle (classical and quantal) placed in the Euclidean space $\\mathbb R^N$ under the influence of a magnetic field $B$, emphasising the structure of the family of observables.

  9. Evaluation of common methods for sampling invertebrate pollinator assemblages: net sampling out-perform pan traps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popic, Tony J; Davila, Yvonne C; Wardle, Glenda M

    2013-01-01

    Methods for sampling ecological assemblages strive to be efficient, repeatable, and representative. Unknowingly, common methods may be limited in terms of revealing species function and so of less value for comparative studies. The global decline in pollination services has stimulated surveys of flower-visiting invertebrates, using pan traps and net sampling. We explore the relative merits of these two methods in terms of species discovery, quantifying abundance, function, and composition, and responses of species to changing floral resources. Using a spatially-nested design we sampled across a 5000 km(2) area of arid grasslands, including 432 hours of net sampling and 1296 pan trap-days, between June 2010 and July 2011. Net sampling yielded 22% more species and 30% higher abundance than pan traps, and better reflected the spatio-temporal variation of floral resources. Species composition differed significantly between methods; from 436 total species, 25% were sampled by both methods, 50% only by nets, and the remaining 25% only by pans. Apart from being less comprehensive, if pan traps do not sample flower-visitors, the link to pollination is questionable. By contrast, net sampling functionally linked species to pollination through behavioural observations of flower-visitation interaction frequency. Netted specimens are also necessary for evidence of pollen transport. Benefits of net-based sampling outweighed minor differences in overall sampling effort. As pan traps and net sampling methods are not equivalent for sampling invertebrate-flower interactions, we recommend net sampling of invertebrate pollinator assemblages, especially if datasets are intended to document declines in pollination and guide measures to retain this important ecosystem service.

  10. Theoretical nuclear fission: The evolution of the first fifty years

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffin, J.J.

    1989-01-01

    The evolution of the dynamical theory of nuclear fission is reviewed through four recognizable major phases. Its conceptual structure was from the outset shaped by the Bohr-Wheeler idea of the nucleus as a liquid drop. On the other hand, today's nuclear drop is a system which has under study repeatedly revealed remarkable and unexpected properties, especially with respect to the dependence of its energy upon its shape. Although some of these special properties arise from quantal effects, the theory of fission is still expressed largely in terms of classical dynamics. This situation leaves open the question whether our theoretical success flows entirely from physical truth or in part from the great phenomenological flexibility of the drop model. It leads one also to wonder whether in the next phase connections with the quantal many-body dynamics might finally find a firm place in the theory, and tie its predictions quantitatively to the deeper microscopic reality

  11. Rapid Sampling from Sealed Containers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnston, R.G.; Garcia, A.R.E.; Martinez, R.K.; Baca, E.T.

    1999-01-01

    The authors have developed several different types of tools for sampling from sealed containers. These tools allow the user to rapidly drill into a closed container, extract a sample of its contents (gas, liquid, or free-flowing powder), and permanently reseal the point of entry. This is accomplished without exposing the user or the environment to the container contents, even while drilling. The entire process is completed in less than 15 seconds for a 55 gallon drum. Almost any kind of container can be sampled (regardless of the materials) with wall thicknesses up to 1.3 cm and internal pressures up to 8 atm. Samples can be taken from the top, sides, or bottom of a container. The sampling tools are inexpensive, small, and easy to use. They work with any battery-powered hand drill. This allows considerable safety, speed, flexibility, and maneuverability. The tools also permit the user to rapidly attach plumbing, a pressure relief valve, alarms, or other instrumentation to a container. Possible applications include drum venting, liquid transfer, container flushing, waste characterization, monitoring, sampling for archival or quality control purposes, emergency sampling by rapid response teams, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation and treaty verification, and use by law enforcement personnel during drug or environmental raids

  12. Waste sampling and characterization facility (WSCF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-10-01

    The Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF) complex consists of the main structure (WSCF) and four support structures located in the 600 Area of the Hanford site east of the 200 West area and south of the Hanford Meterology Station. WSCF is to be used for low level sample analysis, less than 2 mRem. The Laboratory features state-of-the-art analytical and low level radiological counting equipment for gaseous, soil, and liquid sample analysis. In particular, this facility is to be used to perform Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 sample analysis in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Protocols, room air and stack monitoring sample analysis, waste water treatment process support, and contractor laboratory quality assurance checks. The samples to be analyzed contain very low concentrations of radioisotopes. The main reason that WSCF is considered a Nuclear Facility is due to the storage of samples at the facility. This maintenance Implementation Plan has been developed for maintenace functions associate with the WSCF

  13. Large-scale prospective T cell function assays in shipped, unfrozen blood samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hadley, David; Cheung, Roy K; Becker, Dorothy J

    2014-01-01

    , for measuring core T cell functions. The Trial to Reduce Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the Genetically at Risk (TRIGR) type 1 diabetes prevention trial used consecutive measurements of T cell proliferative responses in prospectively collected fresh heparinized blood samples shipped by courier within...... cell immunocompetence. We have found that the vast majority of the samples were viable up to 3 days from the blood draw, yet meaningful responses were found in a proportion of those with longer travel times. Furthermore, the shipping time of uncooled samples significantly decreased both the viabilities...... North America. In this article, we report on the quality control implications of this simple and pragmatic shipping practice and the interpretation of positive- and negative-control analytes in our assay. We used polyclonal and postvaccination responses in 4,919 samples to analyze the development of T...

  14. Efficient computation of smoothing splines via adaptive basis sampling

    KAUST Repository

    Ma, Ping

    2015-06-24

    © 2015 Biometrika Trust. Smoothing splines provide flexible nonparametric regression estimators. However, the high computational cost of smoothing splines for large datasets has hindered their wide application. In this article, we develop a new method, named adaptive basis sampling, for efficient computation of smoothing splines in super-large samples. Except for the univariate case where the Reinsch algorithm is applicable, a smoothing spline for a regression problem with sample size n can be expressed as a linear combination of n basis functions and its computational complexity is generally O(n3). We achieve a more scalable computation in the multivariate case by evaluating the smoothing spline using a smaller set of basis functions, obtained by an adaptive sampling scheme that uses values of the response variable. Our asymptotic analysis shows that smoothing splines computed via adaptive basis sampling converge to the true function at the same rate as full basis smoothing splines. Using simulation studies and a large-scale deep earth core-mantle boundary imaging study, we show that the proposed method outperforms a sampling method that does not use the values of response variables.

  15. Efficient computation of smoothing splines via adaptive basis sampling

    KAUST Repository

    Ma, Ping; Huang, Jianhua Z.; Zhang, Nan

    2015-01-01

    © 2015 Biometrika Trust. Smoothing splines provide flexible nonparametric regression estimators. However, the high computational cost of smoothing splines for large datasets has hindered their wide application. In this article, we develop a new method, named adaptive basis sampling, for efficient computation of smoothing splines in super-large samples. Except for the univariate case where the Reinsch algorithm is applicable, a smoothing spline for a regression problem with sample size n can be expressed as a linear combination of n basis functions and its computational complexity is generally O(n3). We achieve a more scalable computation in the multivariate case by evaluating the smoothing spline using a smaller set of basis functions, obtained by an adaptive sampling scheme that uses values of the response variable. Our asymptotic analysis shows that smoothing splines computed via adaptive basis sampling converge to the true function at the same rate as full basis smoothing splines. Using simulation studies and a large-scale deep earth core-mantle boundary imaging study, we show that the proposed method outperforms a sampling method that does not use the values of response variables.

  16. Multilevel Empirical Bayes Modeling for Improved Estimation of Toxicant Formulations to Suppress Parasitic Sea Lamprey in the Upper Great Lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatfield, L.A.; Gutreuter, S.; Boogaard, M.A.; Carlin, B.P.

    2011-01-01

    Estimation of extreme quantal-response statistics, such as the concentration required to kill 99.9% of test subjects (LC99.9), remains a challenge in the presence of multiple covariates and complex study designs. Accurate and precise estimates of the LC99.9 for mixtures of toxicants are critical to ongoing control of a parasitic invasive species, the sea lamprey, in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. The toxicity of those chemicals is affected by local and temporal variations in water chemistry, which must be incorporated into the modeling. We develop multilevel empirical Bayes models for data from multiple laboratory studies. Our approach yields more accurate and precise estimation of the LC99.9 compared to alternative models considered. This study demonstrates that properly incorporating hierarchical structure in laboratory data yields better estimates of LC99.9 stream treatment values that are critical to larvae control in the field. In addition, out-of-sample prediction of the results of in situ tests reveals the presence of a latent seasonal effect not manifest in the laboratory studies, suggesting avenues for future study and illustrating the importance of dual consideration of both experimental and observational data. ?? 2011, The International Biometric Society.

  17. Partial dehydration and cryopreservation of Citrus seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graiver, Natalia; Califano, Alicia; Zaritzky, Noemí

    2011-11-01

    Three categories of seed storage behavior are generally recognized among plant species: orthodox, intermediate and recalcitrant. Intermediate seeds cannot be stored in liquid nitrogen (LN) without a previous partial dehydration process. The water content (WC) of the seeds at the moment of immersion in LN must be regarded as the most critical factor in cryopreservation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the basis of the optimal hydration status for cryopreservation of Citrus seeds: C. sinensis (sweet orange), C. paradisi (grapefruit), C. reticulata (mandarin) in LN. To study the tolerance to dehydration and LN exposure, seeds were desiccated by equilibration at relative humidities between 11 and 95%. Sorption isotherms were determined and modeled; lipid content of the seeds was measured. Seed desiccation sensitivity was quantified by the quantal response model. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms were determined on cotyledon tissue at different moisture contents to measure ice melting enthalpies and unfrozen WC. Samples of total seed lipid extract were also analyzed by DSC to identify lipid transitions in the thermograms. The limit of hydration for LN Citrus seeds treatment corresponded to the unfrozen WC in the tissue, confirming that seed survival strictly depended on avoidance of intracellular ice formation. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Evaluation of common methods for sampling invertebrate pollinator assemblages: net sampling out-perform pan traps.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tony J Popic

    Full Text Available Methods for sampling ecological assemblages strive to be efficient, repeatable, and representative. Unknowingly, common methods may be limited in terms of revealing species function and so of less value for comparative studies. The global decline in pollination services has stimulated surveys of flower-visiting invertebrates, using pan traps and net sampling. We explore the relative merits of these two methods in terms of species discovery, quantifying abundance, function, and composition, and responses of species to changing floral resources. Using a spatially-nested design we sampled across a 5000 km(2 area of arid grasslands, including 432 hours of net sampling and 1296 pan trap-days, between June 2010 and July 2011. Net sampling yielded 22% more species and 30% higher abundance than pan traps, and better reflected the spatio-temporal variation of floral resources. Species composition differed significantly between methods; from 436 total species, 25% were sampled by both methods, 50% only by nets, and the remaining 25% only by pans. Apart from being less comprehensive, if pan traps do not sample flower-visitors, the link to pollination is questionable. By contrast, net sampling functionally linked species to pollination through behavioural observations of flower-visitation interaction frequency. Netted specimens are also necessary for evidence of pollen transport. Benefits of net-based sampling outweighed minor differences in overall sampling effort. As pan traps and net sampling methods are not equivalent for sampling invertebrate-flower interactions, we recommend net sampling of invertebrate pollinator assemblages, especially if datasets are intended to document declines in pollination and guide measures to retain this important ecosystem service.

  19. Dose-response effect between cannabis use and psychosis liability in a non-clinical population: evidence from a snowball sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Veguilla, Miguel; Barrigón, María Luisa; Hernández, Laureano; Rubio, José Luis; Gurpegui, Manuel; Sarramea, Fernando; Cervilla, Jorge; Gutiérrez, Blanca; James, Anthony; Ferrin, Maite

    2013-08-01

    This study aimed to explore the associations between daily cannabis use and the specific profiles of subclinical symptoms in a non-clinical population obtained through snowball sampling, taking into account alcohol use, other drug use, social exclusion and age at onset of cannabis use. We included 85 daily cannabis users and 100 non-daily cannabis users. Both the case and the control populations were identified by snowball sampling. Daily cannabis use was associated with more alcohol intake and other drug use, as well as with early onset in the use of cannabis. Daily cannabis use appeared to exert a dose-response effect on first-rank symptoms, mania symptoms and auditory hallucinations, even after adjusting for sex, age, other drug use, social exclusion and age at onset of cannabis use. The paranoid dimension was only associated with the heaviest consumption of cannabis. Initial age of cannabis use modified the effects of daily cannabis use on the first-rank and voices experiences. Daily cannabis use was associated with significantly more first-rank and voices experiences among those subjects who started to use cannabis before 17 years of age. Our study supports the association of psychotic experiences with cannabis use even among non-psychotic subjects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Development and Demonstration of a Method to Evaluate Bio-Sampling Strategies Using Building Simulation and Sample Planning Software

    OpenAIRE

    Dols, W. Stuart; Persily, Andrew K.; Morrow, Jayne B.; Matzke, Brett D.; Sego, Landon H.; Nuffer, Lisa L.; Pulsipher, Brent A.

    2010-01-01

    In an effort to validate and demonstrate response and recovery sampling approaches and technologies, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), along with several other agencies, have simulated a biothreat agent release within a facility at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on two separate occasions in the fall of 2007 and the fall of 2008. Because these events constitute only two realizations of many possible scenarios, increased understanding of sampling strategies can be obtained by vir...

  1. Solid phase microextraction headspace sampling of chemical warfare agent contaminated samples : method development for GC-MS analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jackson Lepage, C.R.; Hancock, J.R. [Defence Research and Development Canada, Medicine Hat, AB (Canada); Wyatt, H.D.M. [Regina Univ., SK (Canada)

    2004-07-01

    Defence R and D Canada-Suffield (DRDC-Suffield) is responsible for analyzing samples that are suspected to contain chemical warfare agents, either collected by the Canadian Forces or by first-responders in the event of a terrorist attack in Canada. The analytical techniques used to identify the composition of the samples include gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. GC-MS and LC-MS generally require solvent extraction and reconcentration, thereby increasing sample handling. The authors examined analytical techniques which reduce or eliminate sample manipulation. In particular, this paper presented a screening method based on solid phase microextraction (SPME) headspace sampling and GC-MS analysis for chemical warfare agents such as mustard, sarin, soman, and cyclohexyl methylphosphonofluoridate in contaminated soil samples. SPME is a method which uses small adsorbent polymer coated silica fibers that trap vaporous or liquid analytes for GC or LC analysis. Collection efficiency can be increased by adjusting sampling time and temperature. This method was tested on two real-world samples, one from excavated chemical munitions and the second from a caustic decontamination mixture. 7 refs., 2 tabs., 3 figs.

  2. Development and Demonstration of a Method to Evaluate Bio-Sampling Strategies Using Building Simulation and Sample Planning Software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dols, W Stuart; Persily, Andrew K; Morrow, Jayne B; Matzke, Brett D; Sego, Landon H; Nuffer, Lisa L; Pulsipher, Brent A

    2010-01-01

    In an effort to validate and demonstrate response and recovery sampling approaches and technologies, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), along with several other agencies, have simulated a biothreat agent release within a facility at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on two separate occasions in the fall of 2007 and the fall of 2008. Because these events constitute only two realizations of many possible scenarios, increased understanding of sampling strategies can be obtained by virtually examining a wide variety of release and dispersion scenarios using computer simulations. This research effort demonstrates the use of two software tools, CONTAM, developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Visual Sample Plan (VSP), developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The CONTAM modeling software was used to virtually contaminate a model of the INL test building under various release and dissemination scenarios as well as a range of building design and operation parameters. The results of these CONTAM simulations were then used to investigate the relevance and performance of various sampling strategies using VSP. One of the fundamental outcomes of this project was the demonstration of how CONTAM and VSP can be used together to effectively develop sampling plans to support the various stages of response to an airborne chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear event. Following such an event (or prior to an event), incident details and the conceptual site model could be used to create an ensemble of CONTAM simulations which model contaminant dispersion within a building. These predictions could then be used to identify priority area zones within the building and then sampling designs and strategies could be developed based on those zones.

  3. Accurate EPR radiosensitivity calibration using small sample masses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, R. B.; Haskell, E. H.; Barrus, J. K.; Kenner, G. H.; Romanyukha, A. A.

    2000-03-01

    We demonstrate a procedure in retrospective EPR dosimetry which allows for virtually nondestructive sample evaluation in terms of sample irradiations. For this procedure to work, it is shown that corrections must be made for cavity response characteristics when using variable mass samples. Likewise, methods are employed to correct for empty tube signals, sample anisotropy and frequency drift while considering the effects of dose distribution optimization. A demonstration of the method's utility is given by comparing sample portions evaluated using both the described methodology and standard full sample additive dose techniques. The samples used in this study are tooth enamel from teeth removed during routine dental care. We show that by making all the recommended corrections, very small masses can be both accurately measured and correlated with measurements of other samples. Some issues relating to dose distribution optimization are also addressed.

  4. Accurate EPR radiosensitivity calibration using small sample masses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayes, R.B.; Haskell, E.H.; Barrus, J.K.; Kenner, G.H.; Romanyukha, A.A.

    2000-01-01

    We demonstrate a procedure in retrospective EPR dosimetry which allows for virtually nondestructive sample evaluation in terms of sample irradiations. For this procedure to work, it is shown that corrections must be made for cavity response characteristics when using variable mass samples. Likewise, methods are employed to correct for empty tube signals, sample anisotropy and frequency drift while considering the effects of dose distribution optimization. A demonstration of the method's utility is given by comparing sample portions evaluated using both the described methodology and standard full sample additive dose techniques. The samples used in this study are tooth enamel from teeth removed during routine dental care. We show that by making all the recommended corrections, very small masses can be both accurately measured and correlated with measurements of other samples. Some issues relating to dose distribution optimization are also addressed

  5. Staff supplement to the draft report on human engineering guide to control room evaluation: response to comments, sample checklist, draft systems review guidelines, and evaluation procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-03-01

    This staff supplement to Draft Report NUREG/CR-1580, Human Engineering Guide to Control Room Evaluation, provides staff responses to comments on the draft report and supplemental material not provided in the draft report. The supplemental material includes new draft guidelines for the systems review of nuclear power plant control rooms and sample checklists and corresponding human engineering guidelines

  6. UMTRA water sampling technical (peer) review: Responses to observations, comments, and recommendations submitted by Don Messinger (Roy F. Weston, Inc.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-08-01

    An independent technical review (peer review) was conducted during the period of September 15--17, 1992. The review was conducted by C. Warren Ankerberg (Geraghty and Miller, Inc., Tampa, Florida) and Don Messinger (Roy F. Weston, Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania). The review was held at Jacobs Engineering in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and at the Shiprock, New Mexico, site. The peer review included a review of written documentation [water sampling standard operating procedures (SOP)], an inspection of technical reports and other deliverables, a review of staff qualifications and training, and a field visit to evaluate the compliance of field procedures with SOPS. Upon completion of the peer review, each reviewer independently prepared a report of findings from the review. The reports listed findings and recommended actions. This document responds to the observations, comments, and recommendations submitted by Don Messinger following his review. The format of this document is to present the findings and recommendations verbatim from Mr. Messinger's report, followed by responses from the UMTRA Project staff. Included in the responses from the UMTRA Project staff are recommended changes in SOPs and strategies for implementing the charges

  7. EEG and autonomic responses during performance of matching and non-matching to sample working memory tasks with emotional content.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana eGarcia

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Working memory (WM is a neural system responsible for the temporary storage of information and its utilization in problem solving. The central executive is theorized as the controller of storage functions that support WM. Neurophysiological data suggest that EEG theta and alpha oscillations in frontal and midline regions are involved in neural communication between the central executive and storage functions during WM performance. Emotion is known to modulate several memory systems, including WM, through central and peripheral pathways. However, the physiological correlations (electroencephalographic – EEG; autonomic nervous activity of the effect of emotion over WM are not well described. In this study we aimed to identify physiological responses related to emotional WM performance. EEG (21 channels, heart rate (HR and galvanic skin response (GSR recordings were obtained from 54 volunteers while performing delayed matching and non-matching to sample tasks (DMTS/DNMTS. Emotional and neutral pictures from the International Affective Picture System and geometric figures were used as stimuli. As expected, WM performance was accompanied by presence of theta (frontal and midline electrodes and Alpha power (parietal electrodes. Beta and gamma oscillations were concentrated in frontopolar and left temporal regions. DNMTS task was accompanied by increases in Beta power, HR and GSR compared to DMTS task. Correlation analysis showed a positive tendency for gamma in Fp2 site, ratio of LF/HF (HR low and high frequency and skin conductance in both tasks. The HR results indicate an inverse reaction related to parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system during the performance of the tasks. Taken together, our results contribute to elucidate the complex interactions between central and autonomic nervous systems in the modulation of emotional WM tasks.

  8. Rational Variability in Children's Causal Inferences: The Sampling Hypothesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denison, Stephanie; Bonawitz, Elizabeth; Gopnik, Alison; Griffiths, Thomas L.

    2013-01-01

    We present a proposal--"The Sampling Hypothesis"--suggesting that the variability in young children's responses may be part of a rational strategy for inductive inference. In particular, we argue that young learners may be randomly sampling from the set of possible hypotheses that explain the observed data, producing different hypotheses with…

  9. Absence of level-repulsion in a two-state Hamiltonian

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, Zafar

    2007-01-01

    But for the inclusion of scattering states, we point out that the two-state method (the so called perturbation method of nearly degenerate levels) for a perturbed two-state Hamiltonian is exact , yet the prediction of the level-repulsion by this method could be contradicted by the exact quantal eigenvalues. (author)

  10. Sequential effects in pigeon delayed matching-to-sample performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roitblat, H L; Scopatz, R A

    1983-04-01

    Pigeons were tested in a three-alternative delayed matching-to-sample task in which second-choices were permitted following first-choice errors. Sequences of responses both within and between trials were examined in three experiments. The first experiment demonstrates that the sample information contained in first-choice errors is not sufficient to account for the observed pattern of second choices. This result implies that second-choices following first-choice errors are based on a second examination of the contents of working memory. Proactive interference was found in the second experiment in the form of a dependency, beyond that expected on the basis of trial independent response bias, of first-choices from one trial on the first-choice emitted on the previous trial. Samples from the previous trial were not found to exert a significant influence on later trials. The magnitude of the intertrial association (Experiment 3) did not depend on the duration of the intertrial interval. In contrast, longer intertrial intervals and longer sample durations did facilitate choice accuracy, by strengthening the association between current samples and choices. These results are incompatible with a trace-decay and competition model; they suggest strongly that multiple influences act simultaneously and independently to control delayed matching-to-sample responding. These multiple influences include memory for the choice occurring on the previous trial, memory for the sample, and general effects of trial spacing.

  11. WRAP Module 1 sampling and analysis plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mayancsik, B.A.

    1995-03-24

    This document provides the methodology to sample, screen, and analyze waste generated, processed, or otherwise the responsibility of the Waste Receiving and Processing Module 1 facility. This includes Low-Level Waste, Transuranic Waste, Mixed Waste, and Dangerous Waste.

  12. WRAP Module 1 sampling and analysis plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayancsik, B.A.

    1995-01-01

    This document provides the methodology to sample, screen, and analyze waste generated, processed, or otherwise the responsibility of the Waste Receiving and Processing Module 1 facility. This includes Low-Level Waste, Transuranic Waste, Mixed Waste, and Dangerous Waste

  13. Quantal Time Asymmetry: Mathematical Foundation and Physical Interpretation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bohm, A.

    2010-01-01

    Time in standard quantum mechanics extends from -∞ + must be prepared first at a particular time t = t 0 , before the probability |(ψ - (t),ψ + (t 0 ))| 2 for an observable ψ - can be measured in it at t>t 0 (Feynman (1948)). In experiments on single Ba + ions, Dehmelt and others observed this finite preparation time as the ensemble of onset-times t 0 1 , t 0 2 ,...,t 0 n of dark periods. How the semigroup time evolution, t 0 ≡0 0 , can suggest the parametrization of the resonance pole position of the Z-boson at s = s R as s R = (M R -iΓ R /2) 2 in terms of a mass M R and a width Γ R given by a lifetime τ = h-bar /Γ R , is the subject of this contribution dedicated to Augusto Garcia.

  14. How does observation uncertainty influence which stream water samples are most informative for model calibration?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ling; van Meerveld, Ilja; Seibert, Jan

    2016-04-01

    Streamflow isotope samples taken during rainfall-runoff events are very useful for multi-criteria model calibration because they can help decrease parameter uncertainty and improve internal model consistency. However, the number of samples that can be collected and analysed is often restricted by practical and financial constraints. It is, therefore, important to choose an appropriate sampling strategy and to obtain samples that have the highest information content for model calibration. We used the Birkenes hydrochemical model and synthetic rainfall, streamflow and isotope data to explore which samples are most informative for model calibration. Starting with error-free observations, we investigated how many samples are needed to obtain a certain model fit. Based on different parameter sets, representing different catchments, and different rainfall events, we also determined which sampling times provide the most informative data for model calibration. Our results show that simulation performance for models calibrated with the isotopic data from two intelligently selected samples was comparable to simulations based on isotopic data for all 100 time steps. The models calibrated with the intelligently selected samples also performed better than the model calibrations with two benchmark sampling strategies (random selection and selection based on hydrologic information). Surprisingly, samples on the rising limb and at the peak were less informative than expected and, generally, samples taken at the end of the event were most informative. The timing of the most informative samples depends on the proportion of different flow components (baseflow, slow response flow, fast response flow and overflow). For events dominated by baseflow and slow response flow, samples taken at the end of the event after the fast response flow has ended were most informative; when the fast response flow was dominant, samples taken near the peak were most informative. However when overflow

  15. Response to Johnson: A random sample versus the radical event

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elie Ayache

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Timothy Johnson’s working hypothesis in his review of my latest book, The Medium of Contingency, is that I (as well as the ‘quants’ involved in the derivative pricing industry do not understand the foundations of abstract probability theory. In this response, I show that this is not the case. On the contrary, rules and protocols which are common in the derivative pricing industry, the result of which can be an extension of abstract probability theory as it now stands, seem to elude Johnson. To address these failings, I provide theoretical reflections on probability theory and its formalisms.

  16. Sampling in ecology and evolution - bridging the gap between theory and practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albert, C.H.; Yoccoz, N.G.; Edwards, T.C.; Graham, C.H.; Zimmermann, N.E.; Thuiller, W.

    2010-01-01

    Sampling is a key issue for answering most ecological and evolutionary questions. The importance of developing a rigorous sampling design tailored to specific questions has already been discussed in the ecological and sampling literature and has provided useful tools and recommendations to sample and analyse ecological data. However, sampling issues are often difficult to overcome in ecological studies due to apparent inconsistencies between theory and practice, often leading to the implementation of simplified sampling designs that suffer from unknown biases. Moreover, we believe that classical sampling principles which are based on estimation of means and variances are insufficient to fully address many ecological questions that rely on estimating relationships between a response and a set of predictor variables over time and space. Our objective is thus to highlight the importance of selecting an appropriate sampling space and an appropriate sampling design. We also emphasize the importance of using prior knowledge of the study system to estimate models or complex parameters and thus better understand ecological patterns and processes generating these patterns. Using a semi-virtual simulation study as an illustration we reveal how the selection of the space (e.g. geographic, climatic), in which the sampling is designed, influences the patterns that can be ultimately detected. We also demonstrate the inefficiency of common sampling designs to reveal response curves between ecological variables and climatic gradients. Further, we show that response-surface methodology, which has rarely been used in ecology, is much more efficient than more traditional methods. Finally, we discuss the use of prior knowledge, simulation studies and model-based designs in defining appropriate sampling designs. We conclude by a call for development of methods to unbiasedly estimate nonlinear ecologically relevant parameters, in order to make inferences while fulfilling requirements of

  17. Effect of Familiar Olfactory Stimulus on Responses to Blood Sampling Pain in Neonates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Sadathosseini

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Pain in neonates can lead to various risks. So, it seems essential to find a simple, safe, and acceptable method for relieving pain. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of olfactory stimuli (familiar and unfamiliar on physiological and behavioral responses to the pain of arterial blood draws in term neonates. Materials & Methods: In this quasi-experimental clinical trial, according to the conditions of the study 135 term neonates were chosen by convenience sampling and were assigned to three groups. During the procedure, familiar odor group was presented with the vanilla smell with which they had been familiarized prior to the procedure for 9 hours. Unfamiliar odor group was presented with the vanilla smell to which they had not been previously exposed, and the control group was presented with no odor. The heart rate and O2 saturation levels were measured before, after inserting and after removing the needle. Also, their cry duration was measured from onset until a crying free interval of more than five seconds. Results: The infants exposed to the familiar odor cried significantly less during the procedure compared to the unfamiliar odor and no odor group (P<0.001. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference in the heart rate among the groups after inserting and removing the needle and in the O2 saturation rate after inserting the needle. The O2 saturation rate was significantly higher in the familiar odor group compared with the other groups (p<0.05 after the needle removal. Conclusion: A familiar odor is effective in reducing crying during arterial blood draws in neonates, but does not affect on physiological parameters. (Sci J Hamadan Univ Med Sci 2011;18(1:10-19

  18. Adaptive list sequential sampling method for population-based observational studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hof, Michel H.; Ravelli, Anita C. J.; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.

    2014-01-01

    In population-based observational studies, non-participation and delayed response to the invitation to participate are complications that often arise during the recruitment of a sample. When both are not properly dealt with, the composition of the sample can be different from the desired

  19. Evaluation of standard methods for collecting and processing fuel moisture samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sally M. Haase; José Sánchez; David R. Weise

    2016-01-01

    A variety of techniques for collecting and processing samples to determine moisture content of wildland fuels in support of fire management activities were evaluated. The effects of using a chainsaw or handsaw to collect samples of largediameter wood, containers for storing and transporting collected samples, and quick-response ovens for estimating moisture content...

  20. Evaluation of Pu sample oscillations in CESAR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brunet, M.

    1974-10-15

    A set of 12 plutonium samples of various compositions were oscillated in CESAR in 1973. Comparisons were made to the oscillated reactivity effect of a known specimen of U-235 and boron where the detector signals were corrected against a background signal based on comparison to the motion of a control rod in the central location of critical assembly. An equivalent sample method was tested first for various samples of U-235 and boron to establish a means of correction in the detector response. Inferred plutonium reaction rates in the experiments were compared to transport theory calculations using the APOLLO code. Addition effort is needed to reconcile differences in measured and calculated results requiring both chemical analyses of the plutonium isotopes in the samples and improved cross sections for the plutonium isotopes.

  1. THE IMPACTS OF PHILANTHROPY RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD CUSTOMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOR AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY

    OpenAIRE

    Kurniawati Chrisjatmiko; Danthy Margareth

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of philanthropy responsibility and ethical responsibility towards customer purchase behavior and customer loyalty on fast food restaurants. The research was conducted by using quantitative research design and hypothetical testing to explore philanthropic responsibility, ethical responsibility, customer purchase behavior, and customer loyalty variables. Samples were taken from 186 respondents of employee population in Jakarta. Structural eq...

  2. Evaluation of false positive responses by mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry for the detection of trace explosives in complex samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crawford, C.L., E-mail: clcrawf@sandia.gov; Hill, H.H.

    2013-09-17

    Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •First study to use (−)SESI-IM-TOFMS to analyze complex mixtures of personal care products. •The study demonstrated, by identifying mobility and mass interferents with explosive signatures, which, if used separately, neither IMS nor MS alone would prevent every false positive for explosives when detected in the presence of a complex sample matrix. •Ingredients in common household cleaning products were shown to either enhance or suppress the ionization of explosives in a SESI-IM-TOFMS analysis. •Mobility separation provided real-time separation of ion species that indicated overlapping isotope peak patterns -- Abstract: Secondary electrospray ionization-ion mobility-time of flight mass spectrometry (SESI-IM-TOFMS) was used to evaluate common household products and food ingredients for any mass or mobility responses that produced false positives for explosives. These products contained ingredients which shared the same mass and mobility drift time ranges as the analyte ions for common explosives. The results of this study showed that the vast array of compounds in these products can cause either mass or mobility false positive responses. This work also found that two ingredients caused either enhanced or reduced ionization of the target analytes. Another result showed that an IMS can provide real-time separation of ion species that impede accurate mass identifications due to overlapping isotope peak patterns. The final result of this study showed that, when mass and mobility values were used to identify an ion, no false responses were found for the target explosives. The wider implication of these results is that the possibility exists for even greater occurrences of false responses from complex mixtures found in common products. Neither IMS nor MS alone can provide 100% assurance from false responses. IMS, due to its low cost, ease of operation, rugged reliability, high sensitivity and tunable selectivity, will remain

  3. The determination of radionuclides in grass ecosystem samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LaBrecque, J.J.; Schelenz, R.; Perkins, R.W.

    1987-07-01

    The radioactive debris cloud from the Chernobyl reactor accident resulted in some deposition over essentially all of the Northern Hemisphere. Shortly after the accident invitations were sent out by the IAEA to Member States to collect grass samples according to specific instructions so that the ratio of the various radionuclides in the fallout debris could be established over a wide area of Europe. In response to this request, 20 grass samples were provided by Member States. To establish a protocol for analysis of these valuable samples and to recommend a protocol for future sample collection, a Consultants Meeting was called by the IAEA for 23-25 September 1986. This document contains the considerations and recommendations of the consultants

  4. Third-generation Ah receptor-responsive luciferase reporter plasmids: amplification of dioxin-responsive elements dramatically increases CALUX bioassay sensitivity and responsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Guochun; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S; Zhao, Jing; Heath-Pagliuso, Sharon; Denison, Michael S

    2011-10-01

    2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related dioxin-like chemicals are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants that produce diverse toxic and biological effects through their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is an AhR-responsive recombinant luciferase reporter gene-based cell bioassay that has been used in combination with chemical extraction and cleanup methods for the relatively rapid and inexpensive detection and relative quantitation of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals in a wide variety of sample matrices. Although the CALUX bioassay has been validated and used extensively for screening purposes, it has some limitations when screening samples with very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals or when there is only a small amount of sample matrix for analysis. Here, we describe the development of third-generation (G3) CALUX plasmids with increased numbers of dioxin-responsive elements, and stable transfection of these new plasmids into mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells has produced novel amplified G3 CALUX cell bioassays that respond to TCDD with a dramatically increased magnitude of luciferase induction and significantly lower minimal detection limit than existing CALUX-type cell lines. The new G3 CALUX cell lines provide a highly responsive and sensitive bioassay system for the detection and relative quantitation of very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals in sample extracts.

  5. Third-Generation Ah Receptor–Responsive Luciferase Reporter Plasmids: Amplification of Dioxin-Responsive Elements Dramatically Increases CALUX Bioassay Sensitivity and Responsiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Guochun; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S.; Zhao, Jing; Heath-Pagliuso, Sharon; Denison, Michael S.

    2011-01-01

    2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related dioxin-like chemicals are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants that produce diverse toxic and biological effects through their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is an AhR-responsive recombinant luciferase reporter gene–based cell bioassay that has been used in combination with chemical extraction and cleanup methods for the relatively rapid and inexpensive detection and relative quantitation of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals in a wide variety of sample matrices. Although the CALUX bioassay has been validated and used extensively for screening purposes, it has some limitations when screening samples with very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals or when there is only a small amount of sample matrix for analysis. Here, we describe the development of third-generation (G3) CALUX plasmids with increased numbers of dioxin-responsive elements, and stable transfection of these new plasmids into mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells has produced novel amplified G3 CALUX cell bioassays that respond to TCDD with a dramatically increased magnitude of luciferase induction and significantly lower minimal detection limit than existing CALUX-type cell lines. The new G3 CALUX cell lines provide a highly responsive and sensitive bioassay system for the detection and relative quantitation of very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals in sample extracts. PMID:21775728

  6. Comparison of pure and 'Latinized' centroidal Voronoi tessellation against various other statistical sampling methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romero, Vicente J.; Burkardt, John V.; Gunzburger, Max D.; Peterson, Janet S.

    2006-01-01

    A recently developed centroidal Voronoi tessellation (CVT) sampling method is investigated here to assess its suitability for use in statistical sampling applications. CVT efficiently generates a highly uniform distribution of sample points over arbitrarily shaped M-dimensional parameter spaces. On several 2-D test problems CVT has recently been found to provide exceedingly effective and efficient point distributions for response surface generation. Additionally, for statistical function integration and estimation of response statistics associated with uniformly distributed random-variable inputs (uncorrelated), CVT has been found in initial investigations to provide superior points sets when compared against latin-hypercube and simple-random Monte Carlo methods and Halton and Hammersley quasi-random sequence methods. In this paper, the performance of all these sampling methods and a new variant ('Latinized' CVT) are further compared for non-uniform input distributions. Specifically, given uncorrelated normal inputs in a 2-D test problem, statistical sampling efficiencies are compared for resolving various statistics of response: mean, variance, and exceedence probabilities

  7. Family Business and Corporate Social Responsibility in a Sample of Dutch Firms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    prof. Uhlaner, L.M.; van Goor-Balk, H.J.M.; Masurel, E.

    2004-01-01

    This paper explores corporate social responsibility in family businesses. In particular, the research investigates family businesses in relation to a wide variety of constituent or stakeholder groups. It reports the preliminary results of focused interviews with 42 small and medium-sized Dutch

  8. Design and development of multiple sample counting setup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rath, D.P.; Murali, S.; Babu, D.A.R.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: The analysis of active samples on regular basis for ambient air activity and floor contamination from radio chemical lab accounts for major chunk of the operational activity in Health Physicist's responsibility. The requirement for daily air sample analysis on immediate counting and delayed counting from various labs in addition to samples of smear swipe check of lab led to the urge for development of system that could cater multiple sample analysis in a time programmed manner on a single sample loading. A multiple alpha/beta counting system for counting was designed and fabricated. It has arrangements for loading 10 samples in slots in order, get counted in a time programmed manner with results displayed and records maintained in PC. The paper describes the design and development of multiple sample counting setup presently in use at the facility has resulted in reduction of man-hour consumption in counting and recording of the results

  9. Sample size estimation and sampling techniques for selecting a representative sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aamir Omair

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The purpose of this article is to provide a general understanding of the concepts of sampling as applied to health-related research. Sample Size Estimation: It is important to select a representative sample in quantitative research in order to be able to generalize the results to the target population. The sample should be of the required sample size and must be selected using an appropriate probability sampling technique. There are many hidden biases which can adversely affect the outcome of the study. Important factors to consider for estimating the sample size include the size of the study population, confidence level, expected proportion of the outcome variable (for categorical variables/standard deviation of the outcome variable (for numerical variables, and the required precision (margin of accuracy from the study. The more the precision required, the greater is the required sample size. Sampling Techniques: The probability sampling techniques applied for health related research include simple random sampling, systematic random sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster sampling, and multistage sampling. These are more recommended than the nonprobability sampling techniques, because the results of the study can be generalized to the target population.

  10. The ambiguity of simplicity in quantum and classical simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aghamohammadi, Cina; Mahoney, John R.; Crutchfield, James P.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Simplicity depends on whether a system is represented classically or quantally. • We demonstrate that simplicity is unavoidably ambiguous. • Relative simplicity changes order moving between classical and quantum descriptions. • Ambiguity of simplicity bears directly on model selection. - Abstract: A system's perceived simplicity depends on whether it is represented classically or quantally. This is not so surprising, as classical and quantum physics are descriptive frameworks built on different assumptions that capture, emphasize, and express different properties and mechanisms. What is surprising is that, as we demonstrate, simplicity is ambiguous: the relative simplicity between two systems can change sign when moving between classical and quantum descriptions. Here, we associate simplicity with small model-memory. We see that the notions of absolute physical simplicity at best form a partial, not a total, order. This suggests that appeals to principles of physical simplicity, via Ockham's Razor or to the “elegance” of competing theories, may be fundamentally subjective. Recent rapid progress in quantum computation and quantum simulation suggest that the ambiguity of simplicity will strongly impact statistical inference and, in particular, model selection.

  11. Lecture 1: Experimental evidence for collective and thermal features in heavy ion reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moretto, L.G.

    1979-01-01

    The set of degrees of freedom playing a relevant role in deep inelastic processes is discussed. General considerations concerning the dynamic regimes prevailing during the nucleus--nucleus interaction lead to interesting conclusions regarding classical and quantal features as well as to the applicability of transport theories. The damping associated with the relative distance coordinate is considered and the evidence for thermal equilibrium between fragments is presented. The role of the E1 mode and of all the other odd isovector modes on the charge distrbution at fixed mass asymmetry is discussed and the posssible evidence for quantal fluctuations is analyzed. The mass asymmetry degree of freedom is considered in terms of the experimental mass distributions. The origin of the two components, deep inelastic and fusion--fission, is explained in terms of different dynamical regimes leading to greatly different interaction times. The rotational degrees of freedom are discussed in terms of γ-ray multiplicities and sequential fission. The problem of angular momentum fractionation along the mass asymmetry coordinate is considered and the depolarization and misalignment of the fragment spins are discussed. 43 references

  12. Demystifying Theoretical Sampling in Grounded Theory Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenna Breckenridge BSc(Hons,Ph.D.Candidate

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Theoretical sampling is a central tenet of classic grounded theory and is essential to the development and refinement of a theory that is ‘grounded’ in data. While many authors appear to share concurrent definitions of theoretical sampling, the ways in which the process is actually executed remain largely elusive and inconsistent. As such, employing and describing the theoretical sampling process can present a particular challenge to novice researchers embarking upon their first grounded theory study. This article has been written in response to the challenges faced by the first author whilst writing a grounded theory proposal. It is intended to clarify theoretical sampling for new grounded theory researchers, offering some insight into the practicalities of selecting and employing a theoretical sampling strategy. It demonstrates that the credibility of a theory cannot be dissociated from the process by which it has been generated and seeks to encourage and challenge researchers to approach theoretical sampling in a way that is apposite to the core principles of the classic grounded theory methodology.

  13. Relative Abundance of Proteins in Blood Plasma Samples from Patients with Chronic Cerebral Ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaysheva, Anna L; Kopylov, Artur T; Ponomarenko, Elena A; Kiseleva, Olga I; Teryaeva, Nadezhda B; Potapov, Alexander A; Izotov, Alexander А; Morozov, Sergei G; Kudryavtseva, Valeria Yu; Archakov, Alexander I

    2018-03-01

    A comparative protein profile analysis of 17 blood plasma samples from patients with ischemia and 20 samples from healthy volunteers was carried out using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. The analysis of measurements was performed using the proteomics search engine OMSSA. Normalized spectrum abundance factor (NSAF) in the biological samples was assessed using SearchGUI. The findings of mass spectrometry analysis of the protein composition of blood plasma samples demonstrate that the depleted samples are quite similar in protein composition and relative abundance of proteins. By comparing them with the control samples, we have found a small group of 44 proteins characteristic of the blood plasma samples from patients with chronic cerebral ischemia. These proteins contribute to the processes of homeostasis maintenance, including innate immune response unfolding, the response of a body to stress, and contribution to the blood clotting cascade.

  14. Response Inhibition and ADHD Traits: Correlates and Heritability in a Community Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosbie, J.; Arnold, P.; Paterson, A.; Swanson, J.; Dupuis, A.; Li, X.; Shan, J.; Goodale, T.; Tam, C.; Strug, L. J.; Schachar, R. J.

    2013-01-01

    Endophenotypes or intermediate phenotypes are of great interest in neuropsychiatric genetics because of their potential for facilitating gene discovery. We evaluated response inhibition, latency and variability measures derived from the stop task as endophenotypes of ADHD by testing whether they were related to ADHD traits in the general…

  15. Attention as Inference: Selection Is Probabilistic; Responses Are All-or-None Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vul, Edward; Hanus, Deborah; Kanwisher, Nancy

    2009-01-01

    Theories of probabilistic cognition postulate that internal representations are made up of multiple simultaneously held hypotheses, each with its own probability of being correct (henceforth, "probability distributions"). However, subjects make discrete responses and report the phenomenal contents of their mind to be all-or-none states rather than…

  16. Response problems in a vacation panel study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christine A. Vogt; Susan I. Stewart

    2001-01-01

    This paper investigates response problems encountered in a panel study of travel behavior. Though the overall response rate to the three-wave panel study was acceptable (over 60%), three types of response problems were encountered: refusal, non-response, and attrition. In a follow-up phone survey, a sample of individuals from each problem response group was questioned...

  17. On the use of personalization to enhance compliance in experience sampling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Markopoulos, P.; Batalas, N.; Timmermans, A.

    2015-01-01

    This paper argues that allowing personalization can increase respondent adherence in experience sampling studies. We report a one week long field experiment (N=36), which compared response rates when respondents select the times at which they are prompted to report in an experience sampling protocol

  18. Classical and semi-classical solutions of the Yang--Mills theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackiw, R.; Nohl, C.; Rebbi, C.

    1977-12-01

    This review summarizes what is known at present about classical solutions to Yang-Mills theory both in Euclidean and Minkowski space. The quantal meaning of these solutions is also discussed. Solutions in Euclidean space expose multiple vacua and tunnelling of the quantum theory. Those in Minkowski space-time provide a semi-classical spectrum for a conformal generator

  19. Quantum mechanics and spectrum generating groups and supergroups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bohm, A.

    1986-04-01

    Collective models are reviewed briefly as the physical basis for dynamical groups, particularly for molecular and nuclear physics. To show that collective models for extended relativistic objects can be constructed, the results of a quantal relativistic oscillator are reviewed. An infinite supermultiplet is then used to describe Regge recurrences as yrast states and daughters as radial excitations

  20. Canonical form of an elastoplastic model of nuclear fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikhajlova, T.I.; Mikhajlov, I.N.; Do Dang, G.

    1997-01-01

    Starting from equations of motion describing the fusion process in symmetrical nuclear systems of low angular momenta we reconstruct the collective Lagrangian and dissipation Rayleigh functions. This opens new perspectives in studying the dynamical effects in the heavy nuclei collisions. In particular, it provides a basis for a quantal description of the fusion process and accompanying its effects

  1. Relationism of quantum physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chylinski, Z.

    1995-01-01

    This paper develops the hypothesis of quantum relationism. Quantum relationism is compared and contrasted with the Cartesian eventism, which is the ontology behind the conventional local quantum field theory. In more technical terms the paper deals with a relativistic description of bound quantal systems which, in Author's opinion, provide an ideal testing ground for his hypothesis. (author)

  2. Hanford site transuranic waste sampling plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    GREAGER, T.M.

    1999-01-01

    This sampling plan (SP) describes the selection of containers for sampling of homogeneous solids and soil/gravel and for visual examination of transuranic and mixed transuranic (collectively referred to as TRU) waste generated at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site. The activities described in this SP will be conducted under the Hanford Site TRU Waste Certification Program. This SP is designed to meet the requirements of the Transuranic Waste Characterization Quality Assurance Program Plan (CAO-94-1010) (DOE 1996a) (QAPP), site-specific implementation of which is described in the Hanford Site Transuranic Waste Characterization Program Quality Assurance Project Plan (HNF-2599) (Hanford 1998b) (QAPP). The QAPP defines the quality assurance (QA) requirements and protocols for TRU waste characterization activities at the Hanford Site. In addition, the QAPP identifies responsible organizations, describes required program activities, outlines sampling and analysis strategies, and identifies procedures for characterization activities. The QAPP identifies specific requirements for TRU waste sampling plans. Table 1-1 presents these requirements and indicates sections in this SP where these requirements are addressed

  3. Sampling method, storage and pretreatment of sediment affect AVS concentrations with consequences for bioassay responses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lange, de H.J.; Griethuysen, van C.; Koelmans, A.A.

    2008-01-01

    Sediment treatment and sediment storage may alter sediment toxicity, and consequently biotic response. Purpose of our study was to combine these three aspects (treatment-toxicity-biotic response) in one integrated approach. We used Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) concentrations as a proxy of the

  4. Tooth enamel sample preparation using alkaline treatment in ESR dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yongzeng, Zhou; Jiadong, Wang; Xiaomei, Jia; Ke, Wu; Jianbo, Cong

    2002-01-01

    Tooth enamel sample preparation using alkaline treatment was studied and compared with traditional mechanical method in this paper. 20 adult teeth were used. Samples were placed into NaOH solution. This method requires 4-5 weeks and the enamel was separated from dentin. Experimental results show that 8M NaOH was appropriate for separating enamel from dentin and that there is no difference in background signal relative intensity between samples prepared by mechanical and by chemical methods. There is also no difference in radiosensitivity between samples prepared by two methods mentioned above. Dose response curve for tooth enamel samples isolated by 8M NaOH solution was obtained

  5. Adding Postal Follow-Up to a Web-Based Survey of Primary Care and Gastroenterology Clinic Physician Chiefs Improved Response Rates but not Response Quality or Representativeness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partin, Melissa R; Powell, Adam A; Burgess, Diana J; Haggstrom, David A; Gravely, Amy A; Halek, Krysten; Bangerter, Ann; Shaukat, Aasma; Nelson, David B

    2015-09-01

    This study assessed whether postal follow-up to a web-based physician survey improves response rates, response quality, and representativeness. We recruited primary care and gastroenterology chiefs at 125 Veterans Affairs medical facilities to complete a 10-min web-based survey on colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic practices in 2010. We compared response rates, response errors, and representativeness in the primary care and gastroenterology samples before and after adding postal follow-up. Adding postal follow-up increased response rates by 20-25 percentage points; markedly greater increases than predicted from a third e-mail reminder. In the gastroenterology sample, the mean number of response errors made by web responders (0.25) was significantly smaller than the mean number made by postal responders (2.18), and web responders provided significantly longer responses to open-ended questions. There were no significant differences in these outcomes in the primary care sample. Adequate representativeness was achieved before postal follow-up in both samples, as indicated by the lack of significant differences between web responders and the recruitment population on facility characteristics. We conclude adding postal follow-up to this web-based physician leader survey improved response rates but not response quality or representativeness. © The Author(s) 2013.

  6. NaCl samples for optical luminescence dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Catli, S.

    2005-01-01

    Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) have been used broadly for luminescence dosimetry and dating. In many cases, it has been pointed out that the decay of the OSL do not generally behave according to a simple exponential function. In this study the Infra-red stimulated luminescence (IRSL) intensity from NaCl samples were experimentally measured. The decay curves for this sample were fitted to some functions and it is in good agreement with the function y = α + b exp(-cx). The IRSL decay curves from NaCl using different β-doses have been obtained and investigated their dose response

  7. Analysis of arsenical metabolites in biological samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez-Zavala, Araceli; Drobna, Zuzana; Styblo, Miroslav; Thomas, David J

    2009-11-01

    Quantitation of iAs and its methylated metabolites in biological samples provides dosimetric information needed to understand dose-response relations. Here, methods are described for separation of inorganic and mono-, di-, and trimethylated arsenicals by thin layer chromatography. This method has been extensively used to track the metabolism of the radionuclide [(73)As] in a variety of in vitro assay systems. In addition, a hydride generation-cryotrapping-gas chromatography-atomic absorption spectrometric method is described for the quantitation of arsenicals in biological samples. This method uses pH-selective hydride generation to differentiate among arsenicals containing trivalent or pentavalent arsenic.

  8. Anthrax Sampling and Decontamination: Technology Trade-Offs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Price, Phillip N.; Hamachi, Kristina; McWilliams, Jennifer; Sohn, Michael D.

    2008-09-12

    The goal of this project was to answer the following questions concerning response to a future anthrax release (or suspected release) in a building: 1. Based on past experience, what rules of thumb can be determined concerning: (a) the amount of sampling that may be needed to determine the extent of contamination within a given building; (b) what portions of a building should be sampled; (c) the cost per square foot to decontaminate a given type of building using a given method; (d) the time required to prepare for, and perform, decontamination; (e) the effectiveness of a given decontamination method in a given type of building? 2. Based on past experience, what resources will be spent on evaluating the extent of contamination, performing decontamination, and assessing the effectiveness of the decontamination in abuilding of a given type and size? 3. What are the trade-offs between cost, time, and effectiveness for the various sampling plans, sampling methods, and decontamination methods that have been used in the past?

  9. Will Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer Provide Biological Samples for Research Purposes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shelley A Harris

    Full Text Available Little is known about the response rates for biological sample donation and attitudes towards control recruitment, especially in younger women. The goals of this pilot study were to determine in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer, the proportion of cases willing to provide biological samples and for purposes of control recruitment, contact information for friends or colleagues.A population-based sample of breast cancer cases (n = 417, 25-74 years was recruited from the Ontario Cancer Registry in 2010 and self-administered questionnaires were completed to determine willingness to provide samples (spot or 24-hr urine, saliva, blood and contact information for friends/colleagues for control recruitment. Using Χ2 analyses of contingency tables we evaluated if these proportions varied by age group (<45 and 45+ and other factors such as ethnicity, education, income, body mass index (BMI, smoking status and alcohol consumption.Cases were willing to provide blood samples, by visiting a clinic (62% or by having a nurse visit the home (61%. Moreover, they would provide saliva (73%, and morning or 24-hr urine samples (66% and 52%. Younger cases (≤45 were 3 times (OR more likely more than older cases to agree to collect morning urine (95% CI: 1.15-8.35. Only 26% of cases indicated they would provide contact information of friends or work colleagues to act as controls. Educated cases were more likely to agree to provide samples, and cases who consumed alcohol were more willing to provide contact information. Ethnicity, income, BMI and smoking had little effect on response rates.Reasonable response rates for biological sample collection should be expected in future case controls studies in younger women, but other methods of control selection must be devised.

  10. Sampling bias in climate-conflict research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Courtland; Ide, Tobias; Barnett, Jon; Detges, Adrien

    2018-03-01

    Critics have argued that the evidence of an association between climate change and conflict is flawed because the research relies on a dependent variable sampling strategy1-4. Similarly, it has been hypothesized that convenience of access biases the sample of cases studied (the `streetlight effect'5). This also gives rise to claims that the climate-conflict literature stigmatizes some places as being more `naturally' violent6-8. Yet there has been no proof of such sampling patterns. Here we test whether climate-conflict research is based on such a biased sample through a systematic review of the literature. We demonstrate that research on climate change and violent conflict suffers from a streetlight effect. Further, studies which focus on a small number of cases in particular are strongly informed by cases where there has been conflict, do not sample on the independent variables (climate impact or risk), and hence tend to find some association between these two variables. These biases mean that research on climate change and conflict primarily focuses on a few accessible regions, overstates the links between both phenomena and cannot explain peaceful outcomes from climate change. This could result in maladaptive responses in those places that are stigmatized as being inherently more prone to climate-induced violence.

  11. Stochastic, weighted hit size theory of cellular radiobiological action

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bond, V.P.; Varma, M.N.

    1982-01-01

    A stochastic theory that appears to account well for the observed responses of cell populations exposed in radiation fields of different qualities and for different durations of exposure is described. The theory appears to explain well most cellular radiobiological phenomena observed in at least autonomous cell systems, argues for the use of fluence rate (phi) instead of absorbed dose for quantification of the amount of radiation involved in low level radiation exposure. With or without invoking the cell sensitivity function, the conceptual improvement would be substantial. The approach suggested also shows that the absorbed dose-cell response functions currently employed do not reflect the spectrum of cell sensitivities to increasing cell doses of a single agent, nor can RBE represent the potency ratio for different agents that can produce similar quantal responses. Thus, for accurate comparison of cell sensitivities among different cells in the same individual, or between the cells in different kinds of individuals, it is necessary to quantify cell sensitivity in terms of the hit size weighting or cell sensitivity function introduced here. Similarly, this function should be employed to evaluate the relative potency of radiation and other radiomimetic chemical or physical agents

  12. Challenging genosensors in food samples: The case of gluten determination in highly processed samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Fernández, Begoña; de-los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Martín-Clemente, Juan Pedro; Lobo-Castañón, María Jesús; López-Ruiz, Beatriz

    2016-01-01

    Electrochemical genosensors have undergone an enormous development in the last decades, but only very few have achieved a quantification of target content in highly processed food samples. The detection of allergens, and particularly gluten, is challenging because legislation establishes a threshold of 20 ppm for labeling as gluten-free but most genosensors expresses the results in DNA concentration or DNA copies. This paper describes the first attempt to correlate the genosensor response and the wheat content in real samples, even in the case of highly processed food samples. A sandwich-based format, comprising a capture probe immobilized onto the screen-printed gold electrode, and a signaling probe functionalized with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), both hybridizing with the target was used. The hybridization event was electrochemically monitored by adding an anti-FITC peroxidase (antiFITC-HRP) and its substrate, tetramethylbenzidine. Binary model mixtures, as a reference material, and real samples have been analyzed. DNA from food was extracted and a fragment encoding the immunodominant peptide of α2-gliadin amplified by a tailored PCR. The sensor was able to selectively detect toxic cereals for celiac patients, such as different varieties of wheat, barley, rye and oats, from non-toxic plants. As low as 0.001% (10 mg/kg) of wheat flour in an inert matrix was reliably detected, which directly compete with the current method of choice for DNA detection, the real-time PCR. A good correlation with the official immunoassay was found in highly processed food samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Standard practice for bulk sampling of liquid uranium hexafluoride

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2001-01-01

    1.1 This practice covers methods for withdrawing representative samples of liquid uranium hexafluoride (UF6) from bulk quantities of the material. Such samples are used for determining compliance with the applicable commercial specification, for example Specification C787 and Specification C996. 1.2 It is assumed that the bulk liquid UF6 being sampled comprises a single quality and quantity of material. This practice does not address any special additional arrangements that might be required for taking proportional or composite samples, or when the sampled bulk material is being added to UF6 residues already in a container (“heels recycle”). 1.3 The number of samples to be taken, their nominal sample weight, and their disposition shall be agreed upon between the parties. 1.4 The scope of this practice does not include provisions for preventing criticality incidents. 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of th...

  14. A Proposal on the Advanced Sampling Based Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis Method for the Eigenvalue Uncertainty Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Song Hyun; Song, Myung Sub; Shin, Chang Ho; Noh, Jae Man

    2014-01-01

    In using the perturbation theory, the uncertainty of the response can be estimated by a single transport simulation, and therefore it requires small computational load. However, it has a disadvantage that the computation methodology must be modified whenever estimating different response type such as multiplication factor, flux, or power distribution. Hence, it is suitable for analyzing few responses with lots of perturbed parameters. Statistical approach is a sampling based method which uses randomly sampled cross sections from covariance data for analyzing the uncertainty of the response. XSUSA is a code based on the statistical approach. The cross sections are only modified with the sampling based method; thus, general transport codes can be directly utilized for the S/U analysis without any code modifications. However, to calculate the uncertainty distribution from the result, code simulation should be enough repeated with randomly sampled cross sections. Therefore, this inefficiency is known as a disadvantage of the stochastic method. In this study, an advanced sampling method of the cross sections is proposed and verified to increase the estimation efficiency of the sampling based method. In this study, to increase the estimation efficiency of the sampling based S/U method, an advanced sampling and estimation method was proposed. The main feature of the proposed method is that the cross section averaged from each single sampled cross section is used. For the use of the proposed method, the validation was performed using the perturbation theory

  15. Lateral sample motion in the plate-rod impact experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaretsky, Eugene; Levi-Hevroni, David; Shvarts, Dov; Ofer, Dror

    2000-01-01

    Velocity of the lateral motion of cylindrical, 9 mm diameter 20 mm length, samples impacted by WHA impactors of 5-mm thickness was monitored by VISAR at the different points of the sample surface at distance of 1 to 4 mm from the sample impacted edge. The impactors were accelerated in the 25-mm pneumatic gun up to velocities of about 300 m/sec. Integrating the VISAR data recorded at the different surface points after the impact with the same velocity allows to obtain the changes of the sample shape during the initial period of the sample deformation. It was found that the character of the lateral motion is different for samples made of WHA and commercial Titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V. 2-D numerical simulation of the impact allows to conclude that the work hardening of the alloys is responsible for this difference

  16. OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission Image Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chevres Fernandez, Lee Roger; Bos, Brent

    2018-01-01

    NASA’s Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission constitutes the “first-of-its-kind” project to thoroughly characterize a near-Earth asteroid. The selected asteroid is (101955) 1999 RQ36 (a.k.a. Bennu). The mission launched in September 2016, and the spacecraft will reach its asteroid target in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2023. The spacecraft that will travel to, and collect a sample from, Bennu has five integrated instruments from national and international partners. NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission spacecraft includes the Touch-And-Go Camera System (TAGCAMS) three camera-head instrument. The purpose of TAGCAMS is to provide imagery during the mission to facilitate navigation to the target asteroid, confirm acquisition of the asteroid sample and document asteroid sample stowage. Two of the TAGCAMS cameras, NavCam 1 and NavCam 2, serve as fully redundant navigation cameras to support optical navigation and natural feature tracking. The third TAGCAMS camera, StowCam, provides imagery to assist with and confirm proper stowage of the asteroid sample. Analysis of spacecraft imagery acquired by the TAGCAMS during cruise to the target asteroid Bennu was performed using custom codes developed in MATLAB. Assessment of the TAGCAMS in-flight performance using flight imagery was done to characterize camera performance. One specific area of investigation that was targeted was bad pixel mapping. A recent phase of the mission, known as the Earth Gravity Assist (EGA) maneuver, provided images that were used for the detection and confirmation of “questionable” pixels, possibly under responsive, using image segmentation analysis. Ongoing work on point spread function morphology and camera linearity and responsivity will also be used for calibration purposes and further analysis in preparation for proximity operations around Bennu. Said analyses will provide a broader understanding

  17. Long release latencies are increased by acetylcholine at frog endplate

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Samigullin, D.; Bukharaeva, E. A.; Nikolsky, E.; Adámek, S.; Vyskočil, František

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 52, č. 4 (2003), s. 475-480 ISSN 0862-8408 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA305/02/1333; GA ČR GA202/02/1213 Grant - others:RFBR(RU) 02/04/48901 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922; CEZ:MSM 113100003 Keywords : quantal release * acetylcholine * synaptic latency Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 0.939, year: 2003

  18. Pramana – Journal of Physics | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2014-10-09

    Oct 9, 2014 ... After a brief review of the history of viscosity from classical to quantal fluids, a discussion of how the shear viscosity of a finite hot nucleus is calculated directly from the width and energy of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) of the nucleus is given in this paper. The ratio / with s being the entropy volume ...

  19. Linking morphodynamic response with sediment mass balance on the Colorado River in Marble Canyon: issues of scale, geomorphic setting, and sampling design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grams, Paul E.; Topping, David J.; Schmidt, John C.; Hazel, Joseph E.; Kaplinski, Matt

    2013-01-01

    Measurements of morphologic change are often used to infer sediment mass balance. Such measurements may, however, result in gross errors when morphologic changes over short reaches are extrapolated to predict changes in sediment mass balance for long river segments. This issue is investigated by examination of morphologic change and sediment influx and efflux for a 100 km segment of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona. For each of four monitoring intervals within a 7 year study period, the direction of sand-storage response within short morphologic monitoring reaches was consistent with the flux-based sand mass balance. Both budgeting methods indicate that sand storage was stable or increased during the 7 year period. Extrapolation of the morphologic measurements outside the monitoring reaches does not, however, provide a reasonable estimate of the magnitude of sand-storage change for the 100 km study area. Extrapolation results in large errors, because there is large local variation in site behavior driven by interactions between the flow and local bed topography. During the same flow regime and reach-average sediment supply, some locations accumulate sand while others evacuate sand. The interaction of local hydraulics with local channel geometry exerts more control on local morphodynamic response than sand supply over an encompassing river segment. Changes in the upstream supply of sand modify bed responses but typically do not completely offset the effect of local hydraulics. Thus, accurate sediment budgets for long river segments inferred from reach-scale morphologic measurements must incorporate the effect of local hydraulics in a sampling design or avoid extrapolation altogether.

  20. Environmental monitoring master sampling schedule: January--December 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1989-01-01

    Environmental monitoring of the Hanford Site is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the US Department of Energy (DOE). This document contains the planned schedule for routine sample collection for calendar year 1989 for the Surface and Ground-Water Environmental Monitoring Projects. This schedule is subject to modification during the year in response to changes in Site operations, program requirements, and the nature of the observed results. Operational limitations such as weather, mechanical failures, sample availability, etc., may also require schedule modifications. Changes will be documented in the respective project files, but this plan will not be reissued. This schedule includes routine ground-water sampling performed by PNL for Westinghouse Hanford Company, but does not include samples that may be collected in 1989 to support special studies or special contractor projects, or for quality control. The sampling schedule for Site-wide chemical monitoring is not included here, because it varies each quarter as needed, based on past results and operating needs. This schedule does not include Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ground-water sampling performed by PNL for Hanford Site contractors, nor does it include sampling that may be done by other DOE Hanford contractors

  1. Method for validating radiobiological samples using a linear accelerator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brengues, Muriel; Liu, David; Korn, Ronald; Zenhausern, Frederic

    2014-04-29

    There is an immediate need for rapid triage of the population in case of a large scale exposure to ionizing radiation. Knowing the dose absorbed by the body will allow clinicians to administer medical treatment for the best chance of recovery for the victim. In addition, today's radiotherapy treatment could benefit from additional information regarding the patient's sensitivity to radiation before starting the treatment. As of today, there is no system in place to respond to this demand. This paper will describe specific procedures to mimic the effects of human exposure to ionizing radiation creating the tools for optimization of administered radiation dosimetry for radiotherapy and/or to estimate the doses of radiation received accidentally during a radiation event that could pose a danger to the public. In order to obtain irradiated biological samples to study ionizing radiation absorbed by the body, we performed ex-vivo irradiation of human blood samples using the linear accelerator (LINAC). The LINAC was implemented and calibrated for irradiating human whole blood samples. To test the calibration, a 2 Gy test run was successfully performed on a tube filled with water with an accuracy of 3% in dose distribution. To validate our technique the blood samples were ex-vivo irradiated and the results were analyzed using a gene expression assay to follow the effect of the ionizing irradiation by characterizing dose responsive biomarkers from radiobiological assays. The response of 5 genes was monitored resulting in expression increase with the dose of radiation received. The blood samples treated with the LINAC can provide effective irradiated blood samples suitable for molecular profiling to validate radiobiological measurements via the gene-expression based biodosimetry tools.

  2. Distinct patterns of DNA damage response and apoptosis correlate with Jak/Stat and PI3kinase response profiles in human acute myelogenous leukemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David B Rosen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Single cell network profiling (SCNP utilizing flow cytometry measures alterations in intracellular signaling responses. Here SCNP was used to characterize Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML disease subtypes based on survival, DNA damage response and apoptosis pathways. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Thirty four diagnostic non-M3 AML samples from patients with known clinical outcome were treated with a panel of myeloid growth factors and cytokines, as well as with apoptosis-inducing agents. Analysis of induced Jak/Stat and PI3K pathway responses in blasts from individual patient samples identified subgroups with distinct signaling profiles that were not seen in the absence of a modulator. In vitro exposure of patient samples to etoposide, a DNA damaging agent, revealed three distinct "DNA damage response (DDR/apoptosis" profiles: 1 AML blasts with a defective DDR and failure to undergo apoptosis; 2 AML blasts with proficient DDR and failure to undergo apoptosis; 3 AML blasts with proficiency in both DDR and apoptosis pathways. Notably, AML samples from clinical responders fell within the "DDR/apoptosis" proficient profile and, as well, had low PI3K and Jak/Stat signaling responses. In contrast, samples from clinical non responders had variable signaling profiles often with in vitro apoptotic failure and elevated PI3K pathway activity. Individual patient samples often harbored multiple, distinct, leukemia-associated cell populations identifiable by their surface marker expression, functional performance of signaling pathway in the face of cytokine or growth factor stimulation, as well as their response to apoptosis-inducing agents. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Characterizing and tracking changes in intracellular pathway profiles in cell subpopulations both at baseline and under therapeutic pressure will likely have important clinical applications, potentially informing the selection of beneficial targeted agents, used either alone or in

  3. Helium atom in a box: a fully quantal solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitnik, D.M. [Departmento de Fisica, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio (IAFE), Casilla de Correo 67, Sucursal 28 (C1428EGA) Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2007-06-15

    A complete non-perturbative solution of the Helium atom in a box problem is presented by developing two numerical techniques. The first technique is the direct solution by diagonalization of the Hamiltonian, and the second is based on a constrained relaxation of the wave functions. Time-dependent propagation of doubly-excited wave-functions is analyzed, allowing the calculation and the visualization of the autoionization process.

  4. UMTRA water sampling technical (peer) review. Responses to observations, comments, and recommendations submitted by C. Warren Ankerberg (Geraghty ampersand Miller, Inc.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-08-01

    At the request of the Office of Independent Technical Review for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project, an independent technical review (peer review) was conducted during the period of September 15-17, 1992. The review was conducted by C. Warren Ankerberg (Geraghty ampersand Miller, Inc., Tampa, Florida) and Don Messinger (Roy F. Weston, Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania). The peer review included a review of written documentation [water sampling standard operating procedures (SOP)], an inspection of technical reports and other deliverables, a review of staff qualifications and training, and a field visit to evaluate the compliance of field procedures with SOPs. The approach of the peer reviewers was to verify that the program meets the following criteria: Reported results are traceable to and consistent with recorded data. The basic assumptions and acceptance criteria are valid. Data are traceable to their origin and to reported analytical results. The procedures employed are consistent both internally and externally with written SOPs and regulatory guidelines. Inferences and conclusions are soundly based. The procedures and/or reports generated present work that satisfies the local, state and/or Federal regulatory requirements as applicable. The approach is consistent with industry standards and/or state-of-the-art technology, as practical. The data generated by activities are legally defensible and technically sound. UMTRA staff are adequately trained and qualified for the work. This document is a response to the observations, comments, and recommendations submitted by C. Warren Ankerberg following his review. The format of this document is to present the findings and recommendations verbatim from Mr. Ankerberg's report, followed by responses from the UMTRA Project staff. Included in the responses from the UMTRA Project staff are recommended changes in SOPs and strategies for implementing the changes

  5. Sample size determination for a three-arm equivalence trial of Poisson and negative binomial responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yu-Wei; Tsong, Yi; Zhao, Zhigen

    2017-01-01

    Assessing equivalence or similarity has drawn much attention recently as many drug products have lost or will lose their patents in the next few years, especially certain best-selling biologics. To claim equivalence between the test treatment and the reference treatment when assay sensitivity is well established from historical data, one has to demonstrate both superiority of the test treatment over placebo and equivalence between the test treatment and the reference treatment. Thus, there is urgency for practitioners to derive a practical way to calculate sample size for a three-arm equivalence trial. The primary endpoints of a clinical trial may not always be continuous, but may be discrete. In this paper, the authors derive power function and discuss sample size requirement for a three-arm equivalence trial with Poisson and negative binomial clinical endpoints. In addition, the authors examine the effect of the dispersion parameter on the power and the sample size by varying its coefficient from small to large. In extensive numerical studies, the authors demonstrate that required sample size heavily depends on the dispersion parameter. Therefore, misusing a Poisson model for negative binomial data may easily lose power up to 20%, depending on the value of the dispersion parameter.

  6. Efficient Bayesian inference of subsurface flow models using nested sampling and sparse polynomial chaos surrogates

    KAUST Repository

    Elsheikh, Ahmed H.

    2014-02-01

    An efficient Bayesian calibration method based on the nested sampling (NS) algorithm and non-intrusive polynomial chaos method is presented. Nested sampling is a Bayesian sampling algorithm that builds a discrete representation of the posterior distributions by iteratively re-focusing a set of samples to high likelihood regions. NS allows representing the posterior probability density function (PDF) with a smaller number of samples and reduces the curse of dimensionality effects. The main difficulty of the NS algorithm is in the constrained sampling step which is commonly performed using a random walk Markov Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) algorithm. In this work, we perform a two-stage sampling using a polynomial chaos response surface to filter out rejected samples in the Markov Chain Monte-Carlo method. The combined use of nested sampling and the two-stage MCMC based on approximate response surfaces provides significant computational gains in terms of the number of simulation runs. The proposed algorithm is applied for calibration and model selection of subsurface flow models. © 2013.

  7. Preparing a laboratory for radioanalytical emergency response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bennett, J.; Webb, C.J.; Isch, S.

    2011-01-01

    As the state of the nation's ability to respond to a radiological event is examined, it has become apparent that both capacity and capability are lacking. Department of Homeland Security National Planning Scenario 11 is designed to address the planning activities for the response to an attack using radiological dispersal devices. The scenario details show that the cleanup activity will take several years, and that there will be between 360 000 and 1 000 000 environmental samples in the first year. Based on existing capacity and capabilities it would take four to six years to analyze the samples generated at the lower end of the sample range. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been given responsibility for the remediation activities following a radiological event, and has awarded cooperative agreements to several laboratories to start the process of developing capacity and capabilities. The Connecticut Department of Public Health Laboratory (DPHL) was awarded one of the cooperative agreements. The DPHL has started activities to further those goals by investigating and implementing procedures to ensure that samples with activity higher than normal background can be processed safely, as well as implementing more rapid methods for radiochemical analysis. The DPHL already served as the primacy radiochemistry laboratory for several New England states and thus had a solid foundation to build upon. The DPHL has taken a process flow approach in preparing for radiological emergency response and recommends that radioanalytical laboratories that are reviewing their roles in such a response: - Ensure that their Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses allow for appropriate radioisotope types and activities; - Develop procedures and processes to ensure that samples with higher activities can be processed safely, with due regard for sample screening and aliquanting samples; - Provide for enhanced radioanalytical contamination control, with careful consideration of sample

  8. Interactive Fuzzy Goal Programming approach in multi-response stratified sample surveys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gupta Neha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we applied an Interactive Fuzzy Goal Programming (IFGP approach with linear, exponential and hyperbolic membership functions, which focuses on maximizing the minimum membership values to determine the preferred compromise solution for the multi-response stratified surveys problem, formulated as a Multi- Objective Non Linear Programming Problem (MONLPP, and by linearizing the nonlinear objective functions at their individual optimum solution, the problem is approximated to an Integer Linear Programming Problem (ILPP. A numerical example based on real data is given, and comparison with some existing allocations viz. Cochran’s compromise allocation, Chatterjee’s compromise allocation and Khowaja’s compromise allocation is made to demonstrate the utility of the approach.

  9. Effect of adrenal medullectomy on metabolic responses to chronic intermittent hypoxia in the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Mi-Kyung; Han, Woobum; Joo, Hoon; Bevans-Fonti, Shannon; Shiota, Masakazu; Stefanovski, Darko; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y

    2017-04-01

    Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with type 2 diabetes. We have previously developed a mouse model of intermittent hypoxia (IH) mimicking oxyhemoglobin desaturations in patients with sleep apnea and have shown that IH increases fasting glucose, hepatic glucose output, and plasma catecholamines. We hypothesize that adrenal medulla modulates glucose responses to IH and that such responses can be prevented by adrenal medullectomy. We performed adrenal medullectomy or sham surgery in lean C57BL/6J mice, which were exposed to IH or intermittent air (control) for 4 wk followed by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) in unanesthetized unrestrained animals. IH was administered during the 12-h light phase (9 AM to 9 PM) by decreasing inspired oxygen from 21 to 6.5% 60 cycles/h. Insulin sensitivity (S I ), insulin independent glucose disposal [glucose effectiveness (S G )], and the insulin response to glucose (AIR G ) were determined using the minimal model method. In contrast to our previous data obtained in restrained mice, IH did not affect fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin levels in sham-operated mice. IH significantly decreased S G but did not affect S I and AIR G Adrenal medullectomy decreased fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin levels and increased glycogen synthesis in the liver in hypoxic mice but did not have a significant effect on the FSIVGTT metrics. We conclude that, in the absence of restraints, IH has no effect on glucose metabolism in lean mice with exception of decreased S G , whereas adrenal medullectomy decreases fasting glucose and insulin levels in the IH environment. NEW & NOTEWORTHY To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the role of adrenal catecholamines in glucose metabolism during intermittent hypoxia (IH) in unanesthetized unrestrained C57BL/6J mice. We report that IH did not affect fasting glucose and insulin levels nor insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion during, whereas glucose

  10. Detection of endogenous lithium in neuropsychiatric disorders--a model for biological transmutation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurup, Ravi Kumar; Kurup, Parameswara Achutha

    2002-01-01

    The human hypothalamus produces an endogenous membrane Na(+)-K(+) ATPase inhibitor, digoxin. A digoxin induced model of cellular/neuronal quantal state and perception has been described by the authors. Biological transmutation has been described in microbial systems in the quantal state. The study focuses on the plasma levels of digoxin, RBC membrane Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activity, plasma levels of magnesium and lithium in neuropsychiatric and systemic disorders. Inhibition of RBC membrane Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activity was observed in most cases along with an increase in the levels of serum digoxin and lithium and a decrease in the level of serum Mg(++). The generation of endogenous lithium would obviously occur due to biological transmutation from magnesium. Digoxin and lithium together can produce added membrane Na(+)-K(+) ATPase inhibition. The role of membrane Na(+)-K(+) ATPase inhibition in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric and systemic disorders is discussed. The inhibition of membrane Na(+)-K(+) ATPase can contribute to an increase in intracellular calcium and a decrease in magnesium, which can result in a defective neurotransmitter transport mechanism, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, defective golgi body function and protein processing dysfunction, immune dysfunction and oncogenesis. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. The ambiguity of simplicity in quantum and classical simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aghamohammadi, Cina, E-mail: caghamohammadi@ucdavis.edu; Mahoney, John R., E-mail: jrmahoney@ucdavis.edu; Crutchfield, James P., E-mail: chaos@ucdavis.edu

    2017-04-11

    Highlights: • Simplicity depends on whether a system is represented classically or quantally. • We demonstrate that simplicity is unavoidably ambiguous. • Relative simplicity changes order moving between classical and quantum descriptions. • Ambiguity of simplicity bears directly on model selection. - Abstract: A system's perceived simplicity depends on whether it is represented classically or quantally. This is not so surprising, as classical and quantum physics are descriptive frameworks built on different assumptions that capture, emphasize, and express different properties and mechanisms. What is surprising is that, as we demonstrate, simplicity is ambiguous: the relative simplicity between two systems can change sign when moving between classical and quantum descriptions. Here, we associate simplicity with small model-memory. We see that the notions of absolute physical simplicity at best form a partial, not a total, order. This suggests that appeals to principles of physical simplicity, via Ockham's Razor or to the “elegance” of competing theories, may be fundamentally subjective. Recent rapid progress in quantum computation and quantum simulation suggest that the ambiguity of simplicity will strongly impact statistical inference and, in particular, model selection.

  12. Off-site response for radiological emergencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eldridge, J.S.; Oakes, T.W.; Hubbard, H.M.; Hibbitts, H.W.

    1982-01-01

    Environmental radiological surveillance under emergency conditions at off-site locations is one of the advisory functions provided by DOE within the ORO jurisdiction. The Department of Environmental Management of ORNL has been requested to provide sampling and analytical assistance at such emergency response activities. We have assembled and identified specific individuals and equipment to provide a rapid response force to perform field measurements for environmental radioactivity releases as a consequence of nuclear accidents. Survey teams for sample collection and field measurements are provided along with analytical assistance to operate the radioactivity measuring equipment in the DOE emergency van

  13. Refining the multisystem view of the stress response: Coordination among cortisol, alpha-amylase, and subjective stress in response to relationship conflict

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powers, Sally I.; Granger, Douglas A.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated associations among young adults' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, autonomic nervous system activity, and subjective stress in response to interpersonal conflict to better characterize coordination across stress systems. Seven saliva samples were collected from 199 young adult opposite-sex couples before, during, and after they discussed an unresolved relationship conflict. Samples were later assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA). Couples rated anticipatory stress prior to the conflict and perceived stress immediately following the task. Growth curve modeling was used to examine two possible levels of within-person coordination across physiological systems: alignment between cortisol and sAA responses throughout the sampling period (“matched phase coordination”), and association between overall levels of cortisol and sAA in response to conflict (“average level coordination”). Whereas both partners showed the former type of coordination, only women showed the latter type. Positive anticipation of the stressor predicted stronger cortisol-sAA matched phase coordination for women. Pre-task ratings related to women's sAA, and post-task ratings related to both partners' cortisol responses. Implications for a multisystem interpretation of normal and pathological responses to daily stress are discussed. PMID:23684904

  14. Refining the multisystem view of the stress response: coordination among cortisol, alpha-amylase, and subjective stress in response to relationship conflict.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurent, Heidemarie K; Powers, Sally I; Granger, Douglas A

    2013-07-02

    This study investigated associations among young adults' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, autonomic nervous system activity, and subjective stress in response to interpersonal conflict to better characterize coordination across stress systems. Seven saliva samples were collected from 199 young adult opposite-sex couples before, during, and after they discussed an unresolved relationship conflict. Samples were later assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA). Couples rated anticipatory stress prior to the conflict and perceived stress immediately following the task. Growth curve modeling was used to examine two possible levels of within-person coordination across physiological systems: alignment between cortisol and sAA responses throughout the sampling period ("matched phase coordination"), and association between overall levels of cortisol and sAA in response to conflict ("average level coordination"). Whereas both partners showed the former type of coordination, only women showed the latter type. Positive anticipation of the stressor predicted stronger cortisol-sAA matched phase coordination for women. Pre-task ratings related to women's sAA, and post-task ratings related to both partners' cortisol responses. Implications for a multisystem interpretation of normal and pathological responses to daily stress are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Development of Resistive Micromegas for Sampling Calorimetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geralis, T.; Fanourakis, G.; Kalamaris, A.; Nikas, D.; Psallidas, A.; Chefdeville, M.; Karyotakis, I.; Koletsou, I.; Titov, M.

    2018-02-01

    Resistive micromegas is proposed as an active element for sampling calorimetry. Future linear collider experiments or the HL-LHC experiments can profit from those developments for Particle Flow Calorimetry. Micromegas possesses remarkable properties concerning gain stability, reduced ion feedback, response linearity, adaptable sensitive element granularity, fast response and high rate capability. Recent developments on Micromegas with a protective resistive layer present excellent results, resolving the problem of discharges caused by local high charge deposition, thanks to its RC-slowed charge evacuation. Higher resistivity though, may cause loss of the response linearity at high rates. We have scanned a wide range of resistivities and performed laboratory tests with X-rays that demonstrate excellent response linearity up to rates of (a few) times 10MHz/cm2, with simultaneous mitigation of discharges. Beam test studies at SPS/CERN with hadrons have also shown a remarkable stability of the resistive Micromegas and low currents for rates up to 15MHz/cm2. We present results from the aforementioned studies confronted with MC simulation

  16. Sampling Key Populations for HIV Surveillance: Results From Eight Cross-Sectional Studies Using Respondent-Driven Sampling and Venue-Based Snowball Sampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Amrita; Stahlman, Shauna; Hargreaves, James; Weir, Sharon; Edwards, Jessie; Rice, Brian; Kochelani, Duncan; Mavimbela, Mpumelelo; Baral, Stefan

    2017-10-20

    In using regularly collected or existing surveillance data to characterize engagement in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services among marginalized populations, differences in sampling methods may produce different pictures of the target population and may therefore result in different priorities for response. The objective of this study was to use existing data to evaluate the sample distribution of eight studies of female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM), who were recruited using different sampling approaches in two locations within Sub-Saharan Africa: Manzini, Swaziland and Yaoundé, Cameroon. MSM and FSW participants were recruited using either respondent-driven sampling (RDS) or venue-based snowball sampling. Recruitment took place between 2011 and 2016. Participants at each study site were administered a face-to-face survey to assess sociodemographics, along with the prevalence of self-reported HIV status, frequency of HIV testing, stigma, and other HIV-related characteristics. Crude and RDS-adjusted prevalence estimates were calculated. Crude prevalence estimates from the venue-based snowball samples were compared with the overlap of the RDS-adjusted prevalence estimates, between both FSW and MSM in Cameroon and Swaziland. RDS samples tended to be younger (MSM aged 18-21 years in Swaziland: 47.6% [139/310] in RDS vs 24.3% [42/173] in Snowball, in Cameroon: 47.9% [99/306] in RDS vs 20.1% [52/259] in Snowball; FSW aged 18-21 years in Swaziland 42.5% [82/325] in RDS vs 8.0% [20/249] in Snowball; in Cameroon 15.6% [75/576] in RDS vs 8.1% [25/306] in Snowball). They were less educated (MSM: primary school completed or less in Swaziland 42.6% [109/310] in RDS vs 4.0% [7/173] in Snowball, in Cameroon 46.2% [138/306] in RDS vs 14.3% [37/259] in Snowball; FSW: primary school completed or less in Swaziland 86.6% [281/325] in RDS vs 23.9% [59/247] in Snowball, in Cameroon 87.4% [520/576] in RDS vs 77.5% [238/307] in Snowball) than the snowball

  17. A quantal transport theory for nuclear collective motion: the merits of a locally harmonic approximation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, H.

    1997-01-01

    A transport theory is developed for collective motion of systems such as an atomic nucleus, which may be considered as a typical representative of a self-bound micro-system. Albeit for pragmatic reasons, collective variables are introduced as shape parameters, self-consistency with respect to the nucleonic degrees of freedom has been implemented at various important stages. This feature leads to subsidiary conditions which are obeyed locally for both the average motion as well as for the quantized Hamiltonian constructed through a Bohm-Pines procedure. Furthermore, self-consistency governs the definition of the transport coefficients appearing in the equations for collective motion. The latter is associated to the time evolution of the density in collective phase space, for which the concept of the Wigner function is employed. Global motion is described by propagating the system in successive time laps which are macroscopically small, but microscopically large. This enables one to exploit linearization procedures and to take advantage of the benefits of linear response theory. A microscopic damping mechanism is introduced by dressing the energies of the independent particle model by complex self-energies, the parameters of which are determined from optical model considerations. Numerical evaluations of transport coefficients are described and tested for the case of fission in the light of recent experimental findings. The theory allows one to extend both Kramers' picture of this process as well as his equation for the density distribution into the quantum regime. (orig.)

  18. Narcissism and response validity: Do individuals with narcissistic features underreport psychopathology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleep, Chelsea E; Sellbom, Martin; Campbell, W Keith; Miller, Joshua D

    2017-08-01

    Narcissism is broadly described as a grandiose sense of self, feelings of entitlement, and a need for attention and admiration. Theorists have long suggested that to maintain an overly positive self-image, individuals with narcissistic features often self-enhance (Leary, 2007) and exhibit distorted (John & Robins, 1994) self-perceptions. Despite this theoretical link, little is known about its relationship to response style, particularly in regard to underreporting or defensiveness. Nevertheless, response style has been extensively studied in psychopathy, narcissism's closest neighbor, due to concerns that psychopathic individuals may lack insight into their traits and/or may be unwilling to admit to perceived faults or difficulties. Given the limited research on this topic, we examined narcissism's relation to response style in multiple samples (i.e., two undergraduate samples; one incarcerated sample) with several well-validated measures of response validity and narcissism. Across samples, the findings indicate that narcissism is not characterized by response invalidity, at least not in low-stakes research settings; in fact, vulnerable features of narcissism were found to be negatively associated with underreporting and a defensive response style. Implications for the present findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. Improved Sampling Algorithms in the Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization Toolkit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandelli, Diego; Smith, Curtis Lee; Alfonsi, Andrea; Rabiti, Cristian; Cogliati, Joshua Joseph

    2015-01-01

    The RISMC approach is developing advanced set of methodologies and algorithms in order to perform Probabilistic Risk Analyses (PRAs). In contrast to classical PRA methods, which are based on Event-Tree and Fault-Tree methods, the RISMC approach largely employs system simulator codes applied to stochastic analysis tools. The basic idea is to randomly perturb (by employing sampling algorithms) timing and sequencing of events and internal parameters of the system codes (i.e., uncertain parameters) in order to estimate stochastic parameters such as core damage probability. This approach applied to complex systems such as nuclear power plants requires to perform a series of computationally expensive simulation runs given a large set of uncertain parameters. These types of analysis are affected by two issues. Firstly, the space of the possible solutions (a.k.a., the issue space or the response surface) can be sampled only very sparsely, and this precludes the ability to fully analyze the impact of uncertainties on the system dynamics. Secondly, large amounts of data are generated and tools to generate knowledge from such data sets are not yet available. This report focuses on the first issue and in particular employs novel methods that optimize the information generated by the sampling process by sampling unexplored and risk-significant regions of the issue space: adaptive (smart) sampling algorithms. They infer system response from surrogate models constructed from existing samples and predict the most relevant location of the next sample. It is therefore possible to understand features of the issue space with a small number of carefully selected samples. In this report, we will present how it is possible to perform adaptive sampling using the RISMC toolkit and highlight the advantages compared to more classical sampling approaches such Monte-Carlo. We will employ RAVEN to perform such statistical analyses using both analytical cases but also another RISMC code: RELAP-7.

  20. Improved Sampling Algorithms in the Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization Toolkit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mandelli, Diego [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Smith, Curtis Lee [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Alfonsi, Andrea [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Rabiti, Cristian [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cogliati, Joshua Joseph [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2015-09-01

    The RISMC approach is developing advanced set of methodologies and algorithms in order to perform Probabilistic Risk Analyses (PRAs). In contrast to classical PRA methods, which are based on Event-Tree and Fault-Tree methods, the RISMC approach largely employs system simulator codes applied to stochastic analysis tools. The basic idea is to randomly perturb (by employing sampling algorithms) timing and sequencing of events and internal parameters of the system codes (i.e., uncertain parameters) in order to estimate stochastic parameters such as core damage probability. This approach applied to complex systems such as nuclear power plants requires to perform a series of computationally expensive simulation runs given a large set of uncertain parameters. These types of analysis are affected by two issues. Firstly, the space of the possible solutions (a.k.a., the issue space or the response surface) can be sampled only very sparsely, and this precludes the ability to fully analyze the impact of uncertainties on the system dynamics. Secondly, large amounts of data are generated and tools to generate knowledge from such data sets are not yet available. This report focuses on the first issue and in particular employs novel methods that optimize the information generated by the sampling process by sampling unexplored and risk-significant regions of the issue space: adaptive (smart) sampling algorithms. They infer system response from surrogate models constructed from existing samples and predict the most relevant location of the next sample. It is therefore possible to understand features of the issue space with a small number of carefully selected samples. In this report, we will present how it is possible to perform adaptive sampling using the RISMC toolkit and highlight the advantages compared to more classical sampling approaches such Monte-Carlo. We will employ RAVEN to perform such statistical analyses using both analytical cases but also another RISMC code: RELAP-7.

  1. An in-vacuum wall current monitor and low cost signal sampling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Y.; Rawnsley, W.R.; Mackenzie, G.H.

    1993-11-01

    The beam bunches extracted from the TRIUMF cyclotron are usually about 4 ns long, contain ∼ 4 x 10 7 protons, and are spaced at 43 ns. A wall current monitor capable of giving the charge distribution within a bunch, on a bunch by bunch basis, has recently been installed together with a sampling system for routine display in the control room. The wall current monitor is enclosed in a vacuum vessel and no ceramic spacer is required. This enhances the response to high frequencies, ferrite rings extend the low frequency response. Bench measurements show a flat response between a few hundred kilohertz and 4.6 GHz. For a permanent display in the control room the oscilloscope will be replaced by a Stanford Research Systems fast sampler module, a scanner module, and an interface module made at TRIUMF. The time to acquire one 10 ns distribution encompassing the beam bunch is 30 ms with a sample width of 100 ps and an average sample spacing of 13 ps. The scan, sample, and retrace signals are buffered carried on 70 m differential lines to the control room. An analog scope in XYZ mode provides a real time display. Signal averaging can be performed by using a digital oscilloscope in YT mode. (author). 6 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs

  2. Plasma cortisol and noradrenalin concentrations in pigs: automated sampling of freely moving pigs housed in PigTurn versus manually sampled and restrained pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minimizing the effects of restraint and human interaction on the endocrine physiology of animals is essential for collection of accurate physiological measurements. Our objective was to compare stress-induced cortisol (CORT) and noradrenalin (NorA) responses in automated versus manual blood sampling...

  3. Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center Monitoring Manual Volume 2, Radiation Monitoring and Sampling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NSTec Aerial Measurement Systems

    2012-07-31

    The FRMAC Monitoring and Sampling Manual, Volume 2 provides standard operating procedures (SOPs) for field radiation monitoring and sample collection activities that are performed by the Monitoring group during a FRMAC response to a radiological emergency.

  4. Method for validating radiobiological samples using a linear accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brengues, Muriel; Liu, David; Korn, Ronald; Zenhausern, Frederic

    2014-01-01

    There is an immediate need for rapid triage of the population in case of a large scale exposure to ionizing radiation. Knowing the dose absorbed by the body will allow clinicians to administer medical treatment for the best chance of recovery for the victim. In addition, today's radiotherapy treatment could benefit from additional information regarding the patient's sensitivity to radiation before starting the treatment. As of today, there is no system in place to respond to this demand. This paper will describe specific procedures to mimic the effects of human exposure to ionizing radiation creating the tools for optimization of administered radiation dosimetry for radiotherapy and/or to estimate the doses of radiation received accidentally during a radiation event that could pose a danger to the public. In order to obtain irradiated biological samples to study ionizing radiation absorbed by the body, we performed ex-vivo irradiation of human blood samples using the linear accelerator (LINAC). The LINAC was implemented and calibrated for irradiating human whole blood samples. To test the calibration, a 2 Gy test run was successfully performed on a tube filled with water with an accuracy of 3% in dose distribution. To validate our technique the blood samples were ex-vivo irradiated and the results were analyzed using a gene expression assay to follow the effect of the ionizing irradiation by characterizing dose responsive biomarkers from radiobiological assays. The response of 5 genes was monitored resulting in expression increase with the dose of radiation received. The blood samples treated with the LINAC can provide effective irradiated blood samples suitable for molecular profiling to validate radiobiological measurements via the gene-expression based biodosimetry tools. (orig.)

  5. National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses II. Status of Nurses: November 1980.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, Barbara S.; And Others

    This report provides data describing the nursing population as determined by the second national sample survey of registered nurses. A brief introduction is followed by a chapter that presents an overview of the survey methodology, including details on the sampling design, the response rate, and the statistical reliability. Chapter 3 provides a…

  6. Readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles measured at single synaptic contacts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trigo, Federico F; Sakaba, Takeshi; Ogden, David; Marty, Alain

    2012-10-30

    To distinguish between different models of vesicular release in brain synapses, it is necessary to know the number of vesicles of transmitter that can be released immediately at individual synapses by a high-calcium stimulus, the readily releasable pool (RRP). We used direct stimulation by calcium uncaging at identified, single-site inhibitory synapses to investigate the statistics of vesicular release and the size of the RRP. Vesicular release, detected as quantal responses in the postsynaptic neuron, showed an unexpected stochastic variation in the number of quanta from stimulus to stimulus at high intracellular calcium, with a mean of 1.9 per stimulus and a maximum of three or four. The results provide direct measurement of the RRP at single synaptic sites. They are consistent with models in which release proceeds from a small number of vesicle docking sites with an average occupancy around 0.7.

  7. Estimation of population mean under systematic sampling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noor-ul-amin, Muhammad; Javaid, Amjad

    2017-11-01

    In this study we propose a generalized ratio estimator under non-response for systematic random sampling. We also generate a class of estimators through special cases of generalized estimator using different combinations of coefficients of correlation, kurtosis and variation. The mean square errors and mathematical conditions are also derived to prove the efficiency of proposed estimators. Numerical illustration is included using three populations to support the results.

  8. Sample preparations for spark source mass spectrography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Catlett, C.W.; Rollins, M.B.; Griffin, E.B.; Dorsey, J.G.

    1977-10-01

    Methods have been developed for the preparation of various materials for spark source mass spectrography. The essential features of these preparations (all which can provide adequate precision in a cost-effective manner) consist in obtaining spark-stable electrode sample pieces, a common matrix, a reduction of anomolous effects in the spark, the incorporation of a suitable internal standard for plate response normalization, and a reduction in time

  9. Environmental monitoring master sampling schedule, January--December 1990

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bisping, L.E.

    1990-01-01

    Environmental monitoring of the Hanford Site is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the US Department of Energy (DOE). This document contains the planned schedule for routine sample collection for calendar year 1990 for the Environment Surveillance and Ground-Water Monitoring Projects. This schedule is subject to modification during the year in response to changes in Site operations, program requirements, and the nature of the observed results. Operational limitations such as weather, mechanical failures, sample availability, etc., may also require schedule modifications. Changes will be documented in the respective project files, but this plan will not be reissued. The purpose of these monitoring projects is to evaluate levels of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants in the Hanford environs. This schedule includes ground-water sampling performed by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site.

  10. The Unitality of Quantum B-algebras

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Shengwei; Xu, Xiaoting; Qin, Feng

    2018-02-01

    Quantum B-algebras as a generalization of quantales were introduced by Rump and Yang, which cover the majority of implicational algebras and provide a unified semantic for a wide class of substructural logics. Unital quantum B-algebras play an important role in the classification of implicational algebras. The main purpose of this paper is to construct unital quantum B-algebras from non-unital quantum B-algebras.

  11. Relation lifting, with an application to the many-valued cover modality

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bílková, Marta; Kurz, A.; Petrisan, D.; Velebil, J.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 9, č. 4 (2013), 8_1-8_48 ISSN 1860-5974 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP202/11/1632 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : relation lifting * module * exact square * enriched categories * commutative quantale * coalgebra * modal logic * cover modality Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.443, year: 2013 http://www.lmcs-online.org/ojs/viewarticle.php?id=1154&layout=abstract

  12. PENGARUH PENGUNGKAPAN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TERHADAP EARNING RESPONSE COEFFICIENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MI Mitha Dwi Restuti

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh negatif pengungkapan Corporate Sosial Responsibility (CSR disclosure terhadap Earning Response Coefficient (ERC. Alat analisis yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis regresi berganda.Sampel yang digunakan adalah sebanyak 150 perusahaan yang terdaftar pada Bursa Efek Indonesia pada tahun 2010. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ditemukan bahwa pengungkapan Corporate Social Responsibility tidak berpengaruh terhadap Earning Response Coefficient (ERC. Hal ini dapat dikatakan bahwa investor belum memperhatikan informasi-informasi sosial yang diungkapkan dalam laporan tahunan perusahaan sebagai informasi yang dapat mempengaruhi investor dalam melakukan keputusan investasi. Investor masih mengganggap informasi laba lebih bermanfaat dalam menilai perusahaan dan dianggap lebih mampu memberikan informasi untuk mendapatkan return saham yang diharapkan oleh investor dibandingkan dengan informasi sosial yang diungkapkan oleh perusahaan.The purpose of this study is to determine the negative effect of Corporate Social Responsibility disclosure (CSR disclosure of Earnings Response Coefficient (ERC. Multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The samples were 150 companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2010. Based on the research, the result was the disclosures of Corporate Social Responsibility did not influence Earning Response Coefficient (ECR. It can be said that investors did not pay attention to social information that was disclosed in the company’s annual report as information that could affect investors in making investment decisions. Investor did not consider sosial information; they only consider profit information to assess the company value and their investment return

  13. Broadband sample holder for microwave spectroscopy of superconducting qubits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Averkin, A. S.; Karpov, A.; Glushkov, E.; Abramov, N.; Shulga, K.; Huebner, U.; Il'ichev, E.; Ustinov, A. V.

    2014-01-01

    We present a practical design and implementation of a broadband sample holder suitable for microwave experiments with superconducting integrated circuits at millikelvin temperatures. Proposed design can be easily integrated in standard dilution cryostats, has flat pass band response in a frequency range from 0 to 32 GHz, allowing the RF testing of the samples with substrate size up to 4 × 4 mm 2 . The parasitic higher modes interference in the holder structure is analyzed and prevented via design considerations. The developed setup can be used for characterization of superconducting parametric amplifiers, bolometers, and qubits. We tested the designed sample holder by characterizing of a superconducting flux qubit at 20 mK temperature

  14. The perils of straying from protocol: sampling bias and interviewer effects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carrie J Ngongo

    Full Text Available Fidelity to research protocol is critical. In a contingent valuation study in an informal urban settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, participants responded differently to the three trained interviewers. Interviewer effects were present during the survey pilot, then magnified at the start of the main survey after a seemingly slight adaptation of the survey sampling protocol allowed interviewers to speak with the "closest neighbor" in the event that no one was home at a selected household. This slight degree of interviewer choice led to inferred sampling bias. Multinomial logistic regression and post-estimation tests revealed that the three interviewers' samples differed significantly from one another according to six demographic characteristics. The two female interviewers were 2.8 and 7.7 times less likely to talk with respondents of low socio-economic status than the male interviewer. Systematic error renders it impossible to determine which of the survey responses might be "correct." This experience demonstrates why researchers must take care to strictly follow sampling protocols, consistently train interviewers, and monitor responses by interview to ensure similarity between interviewers' groups and produce unbiased estimates of the parameters of interest.

  15. Effect of the sample matrix on measurement uncertainty in X-ray fluorescence analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morgenstern, P.; Brueggemann, L.; Wennrich, R.

    2005-01-01

    The estimation of measurement uncertainty, with reference to univariate calibration functions, is discussed in detail in the Eurachem Guide 'Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement'. The adoption of these recommendations to quantitative X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) involves basic problems which are above all due to the strong influence of the sample matrix on the analytical response. In XRF-analysis, the proposed recommendations are consequently applicable only to the matrix corrected response. The application is also restricted with regard to both the matrices and analyte concentrations. In this context the present studies are aimed at the problems to predict measurement uncertainty also with reference to more variable sample compositions. The corresponding investigations are focused on the use of the intensity of the Compton scattered tube line as an internal standard to assess the effect of the individual sample matrix on the analytical response relatively to a reference matrix. Based on this concept the estimation of the measurement uncertainty of an analyte presented in an unknown specimen can be predicted in consideration of the data obtained under defined matrix conditions

  16. Systematic sampling with errors in sample locations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ziegel, Johanna; Baddeley, Adrian; Dorph-Petersen, Karl-Anton

    2010-01-01

    analysis using point process methods. We then analyze three different models for the error process, calculate exact expressions for the variances, and derive asymptotic variances. Errors in the placement of sample points can lead to substantial inflation of the variance, dampening of zitterbewegung......Systematic sampling of points in continuous space is widely used in microscopy and spatial surveys. Classical theory provides asymptotic expressions for the variance of estimators based on systematic sampling as the grid spacing decreases. However, the classical theory assumes that the sample grid...... is exactly periodic; real physical sampling procedures may introduce errors in the placement of the sample points. This paper studies the effect of errors in sample positioning on the variance of estimators in the case of one-dimensional systematic sampling. First we sketch a general approach to variance...

  17. [A comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suen, Lee-Jen Wu; Huang, Hui-Man; Lee, Hao-Hsien

    2014-06-01

    Convenience sampling and purposive sampling are two different sampling methods. This article first explains sampling terms such as target population, accessible population, simple random sampling, intended sample, actual sample, and statistical power analysis. These terms are then used to explain the difference between "convenience sampling" and purposive sampling." Convenience sampling is a non-probabilistic sampling technique applicable to qualitative or quantitative studies, although it is most frequently used in quantitative studies. In convenience samples, subjects more readily accessible to the researcher are more likely to be included. Thus, in quantitative studies, opportunity to participate is not equal for all qualified individuals in the target population and study results are not necessarily generalizable to this population. As in all quantitative studies, increasing the sample size increases the statistical power of the convenience sample. In contrast, purposive sampling is typically used in qualitative studies. Researchers who use this technique carefully select subjects based on study purpose with the expectation that each participant will provide unique and rich information of value to the study. As a result, members of the accessible population are not interchangeable and sample size is determined by data saturation not by statistical power analysis.

  18. The effects of two phospholipase A2 inhibitors on the neuromuscular blocking activities of homologous phospholipases A2 from the venom of Pseudechis australis, the Australian king brown snake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatehi, M; Rowan, E G; Harvey, A L

    1995-12-01

    Previous studies have shown that homologous phospholipases A2 (PLA2) (Pa-3, Pa-9C, Pa-10F and Pa-11) from the venom of the Australian king brown snake, Pseudechis australis, significantly reduce the resting membrane potentials and quantal contents of endplate potentials recorded from endplate regions of mouse triangularis sterni nerve-muscle preparations. It is not clear whether PLA2 activity is essential for their neuromuscular activities. Therefore, pharmacological studies were carried out to determine whether neuromuscular activity of the toxins changed after treatment with the phospholipase A2 inhibitors 7,7-dimethyl-eicosadienoic acid (DEDA) and manoalide. After incubation of the toxins with manoalide (120 nM), or DEDA (50 microM), no PLA2 activity against 1-stearoyl 2-[3H]arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine was detected. After incubation with manoalide and/or DEDA, the toxins did not depolarize muscle fibre membranes up to 60 min after administration. However, manoalide and DEDA had different influences on the inhibitory effect of these toxic enzymes on acetylcholine release from nerve terminals. Manoalide abolished the inhibitory effect of the toxins on evoked release of acetylcholine. In contrast, DEDA was not able to prevent the reduction of quantal content of endplate potentials induced by the toxins. This study provides evidence that the depolarizing action and the inhibitory effect on release of acetylcholine exerted by these toxic PLA2 from king brown snake are independent phenomena. The evidence for this conclusion was that inhibition of enzymatic activity with an arachidonic acid analogue (DEDA) abolished the depolarizing effect of the toxins but not the effects on the quantal release of acetylcholine from mouse motor nerve terminals. The data suggest that the depolarizing effect of these toxins is probably due to the enzymatic activity. Since manoalide interacts with lysine residues of PLA2 polypeptides, and, as shown here, manoalide prevented

  19. Reversible thermochromic response based on photonic crystal structure in butterfly wing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wanlin; Wang, Guo Ping; Zhang, Wang; Zhang, Di

    2018-01-01

    Subtle responsive properties can be achieved by the photonic crystal (PC) nanostructures of butterfly based on thermal expansion effect. The studies focused on making the sample visually distinct. However, the response is restricted by limited thermal expansion coefficients. We herein report a new class of reversible thermochromic response achieved by controlling the ambient refractive index in butterfly PC structure. The photonic ethanol-filled nanoarchitecture sample is simply assembled by sealing liquid ethanol filling Papilio ulysses butterfly wing. Volatile ethanol is used to modulate the ambient refractive index. The sample is sealed with glasses to ensure reversibility. Liquid ethanol filling butterfly wing demonstrated significant allochroic response to ambient refractive index, which can be controlled by the liquefaction and vaporization of ethanol. This design is capable of converting thermal energy into visual color signals. The mechanism of this distinct response is simulated and proven by band theory. The response properties are performed with different filled chemicals and different structure parameters. Thus, the reversible thermochromic response design might have potential use in the fields such as detection, photonic switch, displays, and so forth.

  20. High efficiency mixed species radioiodine air sampling, readout, and dose assessment system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Distenfeld, C.; Klemish, J.

    1976-05-01

    Reactor accidents require monitoring to assess the impact to persons in the environment. This implies methods and apparatus to accurately and economically sample and evaluate possible released activity. The development of a prototype iodine air sampling system that can differentiate against noble gas activity and be evaluated by standard Civil Defense instrumentation is reported. The apparatus can efficiently (95 percent) collect organic or inorganic, particulate or gaseous radioiodine in concentrations below stable atmospheric iodine, and under severe ambient conditions. Response to noble fission gases was reduced to less than 4 x 10 -4 of an equal iodine airborne activity by heating the collector to approximately 100 0 C. Reliable sample size, +-5 percent, was achieved by using a simple air flow regulator. Thyroid dose commitment was mathematically and graphically related to the iodine isotope distribution expected in the environment and to the response of the Civil Defense CDV-700 instrument used to evaluate the sample. Sensitivity of the method allows dose assessment of 1 to 2 rads to a child's thyroid

  1. Thermoluminescent response of LaAlO3:Pr

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morales H, A.; Zarate M, J.; Azorin N, J.; Rivera M, T.

    2015-10-01

    In this study, the thermoluminescence response of doped lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO 3 ) with praseodymium ion (Pr) obtained by the Pechini method and drying by the spraying technique Spry Dryer was studied. The obtained powders were analyzed structurally by the X-ray diffraction technique; the morphological characterization was by the scanning electron microscopy technique. The obtained powders at 800 degrees C presented crystallinity and showed a Rhombohedral crystal structure, this phase was observed by X-ray diffraction patterns. Thermoluminescence response of LaAlO 3 :Pr showed a brightness curve with a peak centered at 157 degrees C. The sensitivity of the doped samples was improved about 90 times in comparison with the undoped sample. Thermoluminescence response in function of the wavelength showed a maximum at 230 nm, reproducibility of thermoluminescence response was ±50%. Also the fading in thermoluminescence response was studied. (Author)

  2. Pengungkapan Corporate Social Responsibility, Struktur Corporate Governance dan Nilai Perusahaan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salmah Pattisahusiwa

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The concept of the corporate social responsibility has a significant interest in Indonesia because believed to increase corporate’s value for shareholders. This study aims to find the effect of corporate social responsibility disclosure and corporate governance structure on corporate value. The data were taken from annual report of mining companies listed in Indonesian Stock Exchange for period of 2014-2015. The sample collection has been done by using purposive sampling with the certain criteria so that 18 companies which meet criteria have been obtained as samples. Multiple Regression analysis was employed to analyze data. The result of this research show that corporate social responsibility disclosure and corporate governance structure have significant effect to thecorporate value.

  3. Preanalytical Blood Sampling Errors in Clinical Settings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zehra, N.; Malik, A. H.; Arshad, Q.; Sarwar, S.; Aslam, S.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Blood sampling is one of the common procedures done in every ward for disease diagnosis and prognosis. Daily hundreds of samples are collected from different wards but lack of appropriate knowledge of blood sampling by paramedical staff and accidental errors make the samples inappropriate for testing. Thus the need to avoid these errors for better results still remains. We carried out this research with an aim to determine the common errors during blood sampling; find factors responsible and propose ways to reduce these errors. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out at the Military and Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi during February and March 2014. A Venous Blood Sampling questionnaire (VBSQ) was filled by the staff on voluntary basis in front of the researchers. The staff was briefed on the purpose of the survey before filling the questionnaire. Sample size was 228. Results were analysed using SPSS-21. Results: When asked in the questionnaire, around 61.6 percent of the paramedical staff stated that they cleaned the vein by moving the alcohol swab from inward to outwards while 20.8 percent of the staff reported that they felt the vein after disinfection. On contrary to WHO guidelines, 89.6 percent identified that they had a habit of placing blood in the test tube by holding it in the other hand, which should actually be done after inserting it into the stand. Although 86 percent thought that they had ample knowledge regarding the blood sampling process but they did not practice it properly. Conclusion: Pre analytical blood sampling errors are common in our setup. Eighty six percent participants though thought that they had adequate knowledge regarding blood sampling, but most of them were not adhering to standard protocols. There is a need of continued education and refresher courses. (author)

  4. Sampling and Timing: A Task for the Environmetal Process

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hilderink, G.H.; Broenink, Johannes F.

    2003-01-01

    Sampling and timing is considered a responsibility of the environment of controller software. In this paper we will illustrate a concept whereby an environmental process and multi-way events play an important role in applying timing for untimed CSP software architectures. We use this timing concept

  5. Influences of different sample preparation methods on tooth enamel ESR signals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Wenyi; Jiao Ling; Zhang Liang'an; Pan Zhihong; Zeng Hongyu

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To study the influences of different sample preparation methods on tooth enamel ESR signals in order to reduce the effect of dentine on their sensitivities to radiation. Methods: The enamel was separated from dentine of non-irradiated adult teeth by mechanical, chemical, or both methods. The samples of different preparations were scanned by an ESR spectrometer before and after irradiation. Results: The response of ESR signals of samples prepared with different methods to radiation dose was significantly different. Conclusion: The selection of sample preparation method is very important for dose reconstruction by tooth enamel ESR dosimetry, especially in the low dose range. (authors)

  6. Socially responsible marketing decisions - scale development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dina Lončarić

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to develop a measurement scale for evaluating the implementation level of the concept of social responsibility in taking marketing decisions, in accordance with a paradigm of the quality-of-life marketing. A new scale of "socially responsible marketing decisions" has been formed and its content validity, reliability and dimensionality have been analyzed. The scale has been tested on a sample of the most successful Croatian firms. The research results lead us to conclude that the scale has satisfactory psychometric characteristics but that it is necessary to improve it by generating new items and by testing it on a greater number of samples.

  7. Standard guide for sampling radioactive tank waste

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2011-01-01

    1.1 This guide addresses techniques used to obtain grab samples from tanks containing high-level radioactive waste created during the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels. Guidance on selecting appropriate sampling devices for waste covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is also provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1). Vapor sampling of the head-space is not included in this guide because it does not significantly affect slurry retrieval, pipeline transport, plugging, or mixing. 1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. 1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

  8. Secondary Analysis under Cohort Sampling Designs Using Conditional Likelihood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olli Saarela

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Under cohort sampling designs, additional covariate data are collected on cases of a specific type and a randomly selected subset of noncases, primarily for the purpose of studying associations with a time-to-event response of interest. With such data available, an interest may arise to reuse them for studying associations between the additional covariate data and a secondary non-time-to-event response variable, usually collected for the whole study cohort at the outset of the study. Following earlier literature, we refer to such a situation as secondary analysis. We outline a general conditional likelihood approach for secondary analysis under cohort sampling designs and discuss the specific situations of case-cohort and nested case-control designs. We also review alternative methods based on full likelihood and inverse probability weighting. We compare the alternative methods for secondary analysis in two simulated settings and apply them in a real-data example.

  9. Microbial and chemical analysis of illicit drugs samples confiscated from different areas of PakistanMicrobial and chemical analysis of illicit drugs samples confiscated from different areas of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Shahzad; Khattak, Zainab; Mahmood, Sidra; Malik, Farnaz; Riaz, Humayun; Raza, Syed Atif; Khan, Samiullah

    2016-09-01

    The microbial and chemical analysis of illicit drug samples from different areas of Pakistan i.e. Quetta, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad was conducted in a cross-sectional study at National Institute of Health, Islamabad. The drug samples were confiscated by Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), Pakistan. Microbial analysis was done by estimating bioburden which revealed the presence of gram negative and positive bacteria's, fungus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus species. Trypton soya agar was used for total aerobic count, MacConkey agar for gram-negative bacteria, Sabouraud dextrose agar for fungus and Vogel-Johnson agar for Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species. Colour tests were applied to identify the drug samples. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of suspected samples of Heroin, morphine, cocaine and acetic anhydride was made by employing different chromatographic techniques i.e. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The samples were found to be adulterated with paracetamol, diazepam and Dextromethorphen. Acetic anhydride was adulterated with hydrochloric acid (HCl). There is lack of information providing structured advice on responses to the consequences of illicit drug adulteration. Robust and rehearsed interventions and communication strategies would provide a basis for response for a wide variety of organisations. Research into the usefulness of media warnings about adulteration of illicit drugs is required.

  10. Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm in Systematic and E-Mail Samples of College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rideout, Bruce E.; Hushen, Katherine; McGinty, Dawn; Perkins, Stephanie; Tate, Jennifer

    2005-01-01

    As the initial phase of a longitudinal study of environmental perspective in college students, resident student opinion was sampled using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale administered through systematic alphabetical sampling. Sampling was also carried out by a blanket e-mail distribution of surveys for voluntary response. Results showed…

  11. A two-stage Bayesian design with sample size reestimation and subgroup analysis for phase II binary response trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Wei; Koopmeiners, Joseph S; Carlin, Bradley P

    2013-11-01

    Frequentist sample size determination for binary outcome data in a two-arm clinical trial requires initial guesses of the event probabilities for the two treatments. Misspecification of these event rates may lead to a poor estimate of the necessary sample size. In contrast, the Bayesian approach that considers the treatment effect to be random variable having some distribution may offer a better, more flexible approach. The Bayesian sample size proposed by (Whitehead et al., 2008) for exploratory studies on efficacy justifies the acceptable minimum sample size by a "conclusiveness" condition. In this work, we introduce a new two-stage Bayesian design with sample size reestimation at the interim stage. Our design inherits the properties of good interpretation and easy implementation from Whitehead et al. (2008), generalizes their method to a two-sample setting, and uses a fully Bayesian predictive approach to reduce an overly large initial sample size when necessary. Moreover, our design can be extended to allow patient level covariates via logistic regression, now adjusting sample size within each subgroup based on interim analyses. We illustrate the benefits of our approach with a design in non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a simple binary covariate (patient gender), offering an initial step toward within-trial personalized medicine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Toxicological Response of Poecilia reticulata, Hyla species and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PROF HORSFALL

    response of Poecilia reticulata, Hyla and Culex species was investigated using acute and chronic toxicity tests. ... responses over a 28 day period. .... sample. A control with only de-chlorinated tap water ..... landfills using luminescent bacteria.

  13. Monte Carlo simulation of a gas-sampled hadron calorimeter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, C Y; Kunori, S; Rapp, P; Talaga, R; Steinberg, P; Tylka, A J; Wang, Z M

    1988-02-15

    A prototype of the OPAL barrel hadron calorimeter, which is a gas-sampled calorimeter using plastic streamer tubes, was exposed to pions at energies between 1 and 7 GeV. The response of the detector was simulated using the CERN GEANT3 Monte Carlo program. By using the observed high energy muon signals to deduce details of the streamer formation, the Monte Carlo program was able to reproduce the observed calorimeter response. The behavior of the hadron calorimeter when placed behind a lead glass electromagnetic calorimeter was also investigated.

  14. Development and Validation of Culture-Specific Variable Response Inconsistency and True Response Inconsistency Scales for Use with the Korean MMPI-2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ketterer, Holly L.; Han, Kyunghee; Hur, Jaehong; Moon, Kyungjoo

    2010-01-01

    In response to the concern that Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; J. N. Butcher, W. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989; J. N. Butcher et al., 2001) Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) and True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) score invalidity criteria recommended for use with American samples results…

  15. Low-Cost Chemical-Responsive Adhesive Sensing Chips.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Weirui; Zhang, Liyuan; Shen, Wei

    2017-12-06

    Chemical-responsive adhesive sensing chip is a new low-cost analytical platform that uses adhesive tape loaded with indicator reagents to detect or quantify the target analytes by directly sticking the tape to the samples of interest. The chemical-responsive adhesive sensing chips can be used with paper to analyze aqueous samples; they can also be used to detect and quantify solid, particulate, and powder analytes. The colorimetric indicators become immediately visible as the contact between the functionalized adhesives and target samples is made. The chemical-responsive adhesive sensing chip expands the capability of paper-based analytical devices to analyze solid, particulate, or powder materials via one-step operation. It is also a simpler alternative way, to the covalent chemical modification of paper, to eliminate indicator leaching from the dipstick-style paper sensors. Chemical-responsive adhesive chips can display analytical results in the form of colorimetric dot patterns, symbols, and texts, enabling clear understanding of assay results by even nonprofessional users. In this work, we demonstrate the analyses of heavy metal salts in silica powder matrix, heavy metal ions in water, and bovine serum albumin in an aqueous solution. The detection is one-step, specific, sensitive, and easy-to-operate.

  16. An overview of sample preparation procedures for LC-MS multiclass antibiotic determination in environmental and food samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno-Bondi, María Cruz; Marazuela, María Dolores; Herranz, Sonia; Rodriguez, Erika

    2009-10-01

    Antibiotics are a class of pharmaceuticals that are of great interest due to the large volumes of these substances that are consumed in both human and veterinary medicine, and due to their status as the agents responsible for bacterial resistance. They can be present in foodstuffs and in environmental samples as multicomponent chemical mixtures that exhibit a wide range of mechanisms of action. Moreover, they can be transformed into different metabolites by the action of microorganisms, as well as by other physical or chemical means, resulting in mixtures with higher ecotoxicities and risks to human health than those of the individual compounds. Therefore, there is growing interest in the availability of multiclass methods for the analysis of antimicrobial mixtures in environmental and food samples at very low concentrations. Liquid chromatography (LC) has become the technique of choice for multiclass analysis, especially when coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and tandem MS (LC-MS(2)). However, due to the complexity of the matrix, in most cases an extraction step for sample clean-up and preconcentration is required before analysis in order to achieve the required sensitivities. This paper reviews the most recent developments and applications of multiclass antimicrobial determination in environmental and food matrices, emphasizing the practical aspects of sample preparation for the simultaneous extraction of antimicrobials from the selected samples. Future trends in the application of LC-MS-based techniques to multiclass antibiotic analysis are also presented.

  17. Estimates of the Sampling Distribution of Scalability Coefficient H

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Onna, Marieke J. H.

    2004-01-01

    Coefficient "H" is used as an index of scalability in nonparametric item response theory (NIRT). It indicates the degree to which a set of items rank orders examinees. Theoretical sampling distributions, however, have only been derived asymptotically and only under restrictive conditions. Bootstrap methods offer an alternative possibility to…

  18. Effect of Water-Glass Coating on HA and HA-TCP Samples for MSCs Adhesion, Proliferation, and Differentiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Indu Bajpai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Ca-P and silicon based materials have become very popular as bone tissue engineering materials. In this study, water-glass (also known as sodium silicate glass was coated on sintered hydroxyapatite (HA and HA-TCP (TCP stands for tricalcium phosphate samples and subsequently heat-treated at 600°C for 2 hrs. X-rays diffraction showed the presence of β- and α-TCP phases along with HA in the HA-TCP samples. Samples without coating, with water-glass coating, and heat-treated after water-glass coating were used to observe the adhesion and proliferation response of bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs. Cell culture was carried out for 4 hrs, 1 day, and 7 days. Interestingly, all samples showed similar response for cell adhesion and proliferation up to 7-day culture but fibronectin, E-cadherin, and osteogenic differentiation related genes (osteocalcin and osteopontin were significantly induced in heat-treated water-glass coated HA-TCP samples. A water-glass coating on Ca-P samples was not found to influence the cell proliferation response significantly but activated some extracellular matrix genes and induced osteogenic differentiation in the MSCs.

  19. Sample design considerations of indoor air exposure surveys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cox, B.G.; Mage, D.T.; Immerman, F.W.

    1988-01-01

    Concern about the potential for indoor air pollution has prompted recent surveys of radon and NO 2 concentrations in homes and personal exposure studies of volatile organics, carbon monoxide and pesticides, to name a few. The statistical problems in designing sample surveys that measure the physical environment are diverse and more complicated than those encountered in traditional surveys of human attitudes and attributes. This paper addresses issues encountered when designing indoor air quality (IAQ) studies. General statistical concepts related to target population definition, frame creation, and sample selection for area household surveys and telephone surveys are presented. The implications of different measurement approaches are discussed, and response rate considerations are described

  20. Social characteristics of a sample of solo mothers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritchie, J

    1980-05-14

    In 1978 a sample of 158 solo mothers was interviewed by third year psychology students under the supervision of the author to obtain data both on their child rearing practices (for comparison with data obtained the year before from a sample of dual parents) and on their social circumstances. These data indicate that in the case of women who had previously been married, most aspects of their life, with the exception of finance, are now improved. Freedom from conflict and greater independence are cited as the advantages of being a solo parent; loneliness and responsibility are the major disadvantages. Parents and friends are the chief sources of support.

  1. Spill response exercises and lessons learned : a response organization's perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, E.; Green, M.

    2001-01-01

    In the past five years, Burrard Clean Operations (BCO) has demonstrated its' oil spill response capabilities through different types of exercises. Such exercises are necessary for certification of Response Organizations in Canada. The exercises can be performed through actual response to spills or through simulated situations. Both can provide an opportunity to practice different levels of response to a range of conditions in various settings. They also provide the opportunity to focus on specific themes that can be part of a response and to identify areas for improvement in response actions. They also make it possible to interface with government agencies, industry and others that participate in spill responses. The exercise program for BCO is aimed at maintaining certification and to assist the Canadian Coast Guard. The exercises broaden the lessons learned and set a course for future enhancement to spill readiness should a real incident occur. The goals of the exercise program are to provide real time drills that show the operational capability of a representative sample of BCO equipment, management and trained spill responders. The response functions of the BCO exercise program are: notification, response organization activation, contractor activation, situation analysis, strategy development for marine oil spill response, site safety, equipment deployment, containment, recovery, shoreline assessment, cleanup, communications, decontamination, logistics, and financial management. The BCO experience has led to the basic conclusions that there is a need to vary the exercise design and format and that there is a need to implement follow-up actions provided during exercise evaluations. 7 refs., 3 tabs

  2. Bootstrap confidence intervals for principal response curves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmerman, Marieke E.; Ter Braak, Cajo J. F.

    2008-01-01

    The principal response curve (PRC) model is of use to analyse multivariate data resulting from experiments involving repeated sampling in time. The time-dependent treatment effects are represented by PRCs, which are functional in nature. The sample PRCs can be estimated using a raw approach, or the

  3. Bootstrap Confidence Intervals for Principal Response Curves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmerman, M.E.; Braak, ter C.J.F.

    2008-01-01

    The principal response curve (PRC) model is of use to analyse multivariate data resulting from experiments involving repeated sampling in time. The time-dependent treatment effects are represented by PRCs, which are functional in nature. The sample PRCs can be estimated using a raw approach, or the

  4. Soil Sampling Plan for the transuranic storage area soil overburden and final report: Soil overburden sampling at the RWMC transuranic storage area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stanisich, S.N.

    1994-12-01

    This Soil Sampling Plan (SSP) has been developed to provide detailed procedural guidance for field sampling and chemical and radionuclide analysis of selected areas of soil covering waste stored at the Transuranic Storage Area (TSA) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory's (INEL) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC). The format and content of this SSP represents a complimentary hybrid of INEL Waste Management--Environmental Restoration Program, and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) sampling guidance documentation. This sampling plan also functions as a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). The QAPP as a controlling mechanism during sampling to ensure that all data collected are valid, reliabile, and defensible. This document outlines organization, objectives and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) activities to achieve the desired data quality goals. The QA/QC requirements for this project are outlined in the Data Collection Quality Assurance Plan (DCQAP) for the Buried Waste Program. The DCQAP is a program plan and does not outline the site specific requirements for the scope of work covered by this SSP

  5. Solar System Samples for Research, Education, and Public Outreach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, J.; Luckey, M.; McInturff, B.; Kascak, A.; Tobola, K.; Galindo, C.; Allen, C.

    2011-01-01

    In the next two years, during the NASA Year of the Solar System, spacecraft from NASA and our international partners will; encounter a comet, orbit asteroid 4 Vesta, continue to explore Mars with rovers, and launch robotic explorers to the Moon and Mars. We have pieces of all these worlds in our laboratories, and their continued study provides incredibly valuable "ground truth" to complement space exploration missions. Extensive information about these unique materials, as well as actual lunar samples and meteorites, are available for display and education. The Johnson Space Center (JSC) has the unique responsibility to curate NASA's extraterrestrial samples from past and future missions. Curation includes documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public outreach.

  6. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMPOSITION AND TOXICITY OF ENGINE EMISSION SAMPLES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    (1)Mauderly, J; Seagrave, J; McDonald; J (2)Eide,I (3)Zielinska, B (4)Lawson, D

    2003-08-24

    Differences in the lung toxicity and bacterial mutagenicity of seven samples from gasoline and diesel vehicle emissions were reported previously [1]. Filter and vapor-phase semivolatile organic samples were collected from normal and high-emitter gasoline and diesel vehicles operated on chassis dynamometers on the Unified Driving Cycle, and the compositions of the samples were measured in detail. The two fractions of each sample were combined in their original mass collection ratios, and the toxicity of the seven samples was compared by measuring inflammation and tissue damage in rat lungs and mutagenicity in bacteria. There was good agreement among the toxicity response variables in ranking the samples and demonstrating a five-fold range of toxicity. The relationship between chemical composition and toxicity was analyzed by a combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression (PLS, also known as projection to latent surfaces). The PCA /PLS analysis revealed the chemical constituents co-varying most strongly with toxicity and produced models predicting the relative toxicity of the samples with good accuracy. The results demonstrated the utility of the PCA/PLS approach, which is now being applied to additional samples, and it also provided a starting point for confirming the compounds that actually cause the effects.

  7. Information sampling behavior with explicit sampling costs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juni, Mordechai Z.; Gureckis, Todd M.; Maloney, Laurence T.

    2015-01-01

    The decision to gather information should take into account both the value of information and its accrual costs in time, energy and money. Here we explore how people balance the monetary costs and benefits of gathering additional information in a perceptual-motor estimation task. Participants were rewarded for touching a hidden circular target on a touch-screen display. The target’s center coincided with the mean of a circular Gaussian distribution from which participants could sample repeatedly. Each “cue” — sampled one at a time — was plotted as a dot on the display. Participants had to repeatedly decide, after sampling each cue, whether to stop sampling and attempt to touch the hidden target or continue sampling. Each additional cue increased the participants’ probability of successfully touching the hidden target but reduced their potential reward. Two experimental conditions differed in the initial reward associated with touching the hidden target and the fixed cost per cue. For each condition we computed the optimal number of cues that participants should sample, before taking action, to maximize expected gain. Contrary to recent claims that people gather less information than they objectively should before taking action, we found that participants over-sampled in one experimental condition, and did not significantly under- or over-sample in the other. Additionally, while the ideal observer model ignores the current sample dispersion, we found that participants used it to decide whether to stop sampling and take action or continue sampling, a possible consequence of imperfect learning of the underlying population dispersion across trials. PMID:27429991

  8. The mechanical response of lithographically defined break junctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huisman, E. H.; Bakker, F. L.; Wees, B. J. van; Trouwborst, M. L.; Molen, S. J. van der

    2011-01-01

    We present an experimental study on the mechanical response of lithographically defined break junctions by measuring atomic chain formation, tunneling traces and Gundlach oscillations. The calibration factor, i.e., the ratio between the electrode movement and the bending of the substrate, is found to be 2.5 times larger than expected from a simple mechanical model. This result is consistent with previous finite-element calculations. Comparing different samples, the mechanical response is found to be similar for electrode separations >4 A. However, for smaller electrode separations significant sample-to-sample variations appear. These variations are ascribed to differences in the shape of the two electrodes on the atomic scale which cannot be controlled by the fabrication process.

  9. Samples and Sampling Protocols for Scientific Investigations | Joel ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... from sampling, through sample preparation, calibration to final measurement and reporting. This paper, therefore offers useful information on practical guidance on sampling protocols in line with best practice and international standards. Keywords: Sampling, sampling protocols, chain of custody, analysis, documentation ...

  10. Validation and psychometric properties of the Somatic and Psychological HEalth REport (SPHERE) in a young Australian-based population sample using non-parametric item response theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste; Davenport, Tracey A; Martin, Nicholas G; Wright, Margaret J; Hickie, Ian B

    2017-08-01

    The Somatic and Psychological HEalth REport (SPHERE) is a 34-item self-report questionnaire that assesses symptoms of mental distress and persistent fatigue. As it was developed as a screening instrument for use mainly in primary care-based clinical settings, its validity and psychometric properties have not been studied extensively in population-based samples. We used non-parametric Item Response Theory to assess scale validity and item properties of the SPHERE-34 scales, collected through four waves of the Brisbane Longitudinal Twin Study (N = 1707, mean age = 12, 51% females; N = 1273, mean age = 14, 50% females; N = 1513, mean age = 16, 54% females, N = 1263, mean age = 18, 56% females). We estimated the heritability of the new scores, their genetic correlation, and their predictive ability in a sub-sample (N = 1993) who completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. After excluding items most responsible for noise, sex or wave bias, the SPHERE-34 questionnaire was reduced to 21 items (SPHERE-21), comprising a 14-item scale for anxiety-depression and a 10-item scale for chronic fatigue (3 items overlapping). These new scores showed high internal consistency (alpha > 0.78), moderate three months reliability (ICC = 0.47-0.58) and item scalability (Hi > 0.23), and were positively correlated (phenotypic correlations r = 0.57-0.70; rG = 0.77-1.00). Heritability estimates ranged from 0.27 to 0.51. In addition, both scores were associated with later DSM-IV diagnoses of MDD, social anxiety and alcohol dependence (OR in 1.23-1.47). Finally, a post-hoc comparison showed that several psychometric properties of the SPHERE-21 were similar to those of the Beck Depression Inventory. The scales of SPHERE-21 measure valid and comparable constructs across sex and age groups (from 9 to 28 years). SPHERE-21 scores are heritable, genetically correlated and show good predictive ability of mental health in an Australian-based population

  11. Matching-to-sample performance is better analyzed in terms of a four-term contingency than in terms of a three-term contingency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Brent M; Elliffe, Douglas M

    2013-07-01

    Four pigeons performed a simultaneous matching-to-sample (MTS) task involving two samples and two comparisons that differed in their pixel density and luminance. After a long history of reinforcers for correct responses after both samples, 15 conditions arranged either continuous reinforcement of correct responses after Sample 1 and extinction for all responses after Sample 2, or vice versa. The sample after which correct responses were reinforced alternated across successive conditions. The disparity between the samples and the disparity between the comparisons were varied independently across conditions in a quasifactorial design. Contrary to predictions of extant quantitative models, which assume that MTS tasks involve two 3-term contingencies of reinforcement, matching accuracies were not at chance levels in these conditions, comparison-selection ratios differed after the two samples, and effects on matching accuracies of both sample disparity and comparison disparity were observed. These results were, however, consistent with ordinal and sometimes quantitative predictions of Jones' (2003) theory of stimulus and reinforcement effects in MTS tasks. This theory asserts that MTS tasks involve four-term contingencies of reinforcement and that any tendency to select one comparison more often than the other over a set of trials reflects meaningful differences between comparison-discrimination accuracies after the two samples. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  12. Technical/institutional prerequisite for nuclear forensics response framework

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamai, Hiroshi; Okubo, Ayako; Kimura, Yoshiki; Kokaji, Lisa; Shinohara, Nobuo; Tomikawa, Hirofumi

    2016-01-01

    Nuclear Forensics capability has been developed under the international collaborations. For its effective function, technical development in analysis of seized nuclear materials as well as the institutional development in comprehensive response framework are required under individual national responsibility. In order to keep the “chain of custody” in the proper operation of sample collection at the event scene, radiological analysis at the laboratory, storage of the samples, and further inspection and trial, close cooperation and information sharing between relevant organisations are essential. IAEA issues the Implementing Guide to provide the model action plan and assists individual national development. Some countries at the advancing stage of national response framework, promote the international cooperation for the technical improvement and awareness cultivation. Examples in such national developments will be introduced and prospective technical/institutional prerequisite for nuclear forensics response framework will be studied. (author)

  13. Gas generation from Hanford grout samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jonah, C.D.; Kapoor, S.; Matheson, M.S.; Mulac, W.A.; Meisel, D.

    1996-01-01

    In an extension of our work on the radiolytic processes that occur in the waste tanks at the Hanford site, we studied the gas generation from grout samples that contained nuclear waste simulants. Grout is one option for the long-term storage of low-level nuclear waste solutions but the radiolytic effects on grout have not been thoroughly defined. In particular, the generation of potentially flammable and hazardous gases required quantification. A research team at Argonne examined this issue and found that the total amount of gases generated radiolytically from the WHC samples was an order of magnitude higher than predicted. This implies that novel pathways fro charge migration from the solid grout to the associated water are responsible for gas evolution. The grout samples produced hydrogen, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide as well as nitrogen and oxygen. Yields of each of these substances were determined for doses that are equivalent to about 80 years storage of the grout. Carbon monoxide, which was produced in 2% yield, is of particular importance because even small amounts may adversely affect catalytic conversion instrumentation that has been planned for installation in the storage vaults

  14. Guided episodic sampling for capturing and characterizing industrial plumes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ou-Yang, Chang-Feng; Liao, Wei-Cheng; Chang, Chih-Chung; Hsieh, Hsin-Cheng; Wang, Jia-Lin

    2018-02-01

    An integrated sampling technique, dubbed trigger sampling, was developed to capture characteristic industrial emissions or plumes. In the field experiment, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) analyzer was used as the triggering instrument at the boundary of a refinery plant due to frequent complaints of foul smell from local residents. Ten episodic samples were captured when the H2S level surpassed the prescribed trigger level of 8.5 ppbv over a three-day period. Three non-episodic (blank) samples and 23 road-side samples were also collected for comparison. All the 36 flask samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection (GC-MS/FID) for 108 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The total VOC abundance of the event samples was exceedingly higher than the non-episodic samples by over 80 times in the extreme case. Alkanes were found to be the dominant constituents in the event samples, amounting to over 90% of the total VOC concentrations vs. only 30-40% for the blank and metropolitan samples. In addition, light alkanes in the event samples were highly correlated with the trigger species H2S (R2 = 0.82), implying their common origin. The matrix of chemical composition vs. sample types permitted easy visualization of the dominance of light alkanes for the event samples compared to other types of samples. Principle component analysis (PCA) identified two major contributors to cover 93% of the total variance arising from the 36 samples, further quantifying the distinction of the triggered episodic samples from the contrast samples. The proposed trigger sampling is a coupling of fast-and-slow measurement techniques. In this example, the fast-response H2S analyzer served to "guide" sampling to capture industrial plumes which were then characterized by a relatively slow method of GC-MS/FID for detailed chemical composition representative of the prominent sources.

  15. Maximising nurses' and midwives' response rates to surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Alannah Louise; Brown, Janie

    2017-12-18

    Low response rates to surveys have been a long-standing issue in research. This includes research involving nurses and midwives. To gain representative samples, appropriate measures to maximise response rates need to be used. To explore ways to maximise response rates from nurses and midwives, using a hospital-wide survey as an example. All nurses and midwives at the study hospital were invited to participate in a survey. To encourage participation and elicit an adequate response rate, several strategies were used. A total of 1,000 surveys were distributed and 319 (32%) were returned. All the required age groups, levels of experience and types of nursing registration were represented in the responses and data saturation was achieved. It is important to pay attention to obtaining a representative sample. Further investigation of response rates to surveys by nurses and midwives is warranted. Strategies to maximise response rates from a target population should be used when conducting surveys. ©2017 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

  16. Sex Differences in Jealousy in Response to Actual Infidelity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John E. Edlund

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The present studies address two criticisms of the theory of evolved sex differences in jealousy: (a that the sex difference in jealousy emerges only in response to hypothetical infidelity scenarios, and (b that the sex difference emerges only using forced-choice measures. In two separate studies, one a paper-and-pencil survey with a student sample and the other a web-based survey targeting a non-student sample, men and women showed significant sex differences in jealousy in response to actual infidelity experiences; men experienced more jealousy in response to the sexual aspects of an actual infidelity, whereas women experienced more jealousy in response to the emotional aspects of the infidelity. Sex differences emerged using both continuous measures of jealousy as well as the traditional forced-choice measure. Overall, our results demonstrate that sex differences in jealousy are not limited to responses to hypothetical infidelity scenarios; they also emerge in response to actual infidelity experiences.

  17. Comparing Simulated and Theoretical Sampling Distributions of the U3 Person-Fit Statistic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emons, Wilco H. M.; Meijer, Rob R.; Sijtsma, Klaas

    2002-01-01

    Studied whether the theoretical sampling distribution of the U3 person-fit statistic is in agreement with the simulated sampling distribution under different item response theory models and varying item and test characteristics. Simulation results suggest that the use of standard normal deviates for the standardized version of the U3 statistic may…

  18. Masturbation among women: associated factors and sexual response in a Portuguese community sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalheira, Ana; Leal, Isabel

    2013-01-01

    Masturbation is a common sexual practice with significant variations in reported incidence between men and women. The goal of this study was to explore (a) the age at initiation and frequency of masturbation, (b) the associations of masturbation with diverse variables, (c) the reported reasons for masturbating and associated emotions, and (d) the relation between frequency of masturbation and different sexual behavioral factors. Participants were 3,687 women who completed a web-based survey of previously pilot-tested items. The results reveal a high reported incidence of masturbation practices among this convenience sample of women. Among the women in this sample, 91% indicated that they had masturbated at some point in their lives, and 29.3% reported having masturbated within the past month. Masturbation behavior appears to be related to a greater sexual repertoire, more sexual fantasies, and greater reported ease in reaching sexual arousal and orgasm. Women reported many reasons for masturbation and a variety of direct and indirect techniques. A minority of women reported feeling shame and guilt associated with masturbation. Early masturbation experience might be beneficial to sexual arousal and orgasm in adulthood. Further, this study demonstrates that masturbation is a positive component in the structuring of female sexuality.

  19. Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS) Detects Individual Variation in Social Responsiveness for Captive Chimpanzees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faughn, Carley; Marrus, Natasha; Pruett, John R.; Shuman, Jeremy; Ross, Stephen R.; Constantino, John N.; Povinelli, Daniel J.

    2017-01-01

    Comparative studies of social responsiveness, a core impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), will enhance our understanding of typical and atypical social behavior. We previously reported a quantitative, cross-species (human–chimpanzee) social responsiveness measure, which included the development of the Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS). Here, we augment our prior CSRS sample with 25 zoo chimpanzees at three sites: combined N = 54. The CSRS demonstrated strong interrater reliability, and low-ranked chimpanzees, on average, displayed higher CSRS scores. The CSRS continues to discriminate variation in chimpanzee social responsiveness, and the association of higher scores with lower chimpanzee social standing has implications for the relationship between autistic traits and human social status. Continued comparative investigations of social responsiveness will enhance our understanding of underlying impairments in ASD, improve early diagnosis, and inform future therapies. PMID:25312279

  20. Inferring category characteristics from sample characteristics: inductive reasoning and social projection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krueger, J; Clement, R W

    1996-03-01

    Inductive reasoning involves generalization from sample observations to categories. This research examined the conditions under which generalizations go beyond the boundaries of the sampled categories. In Experiment 1, participants sampled colored chips from urns. When categorization was not salient, participants revised their estimates of the probability of a particular color even in urns they had not sampled. As categorization became more salient, generalization became limited to the sampled urn. In Experiment 2 the salience of categorization in social induction was varied. When social categorization was not salient, participants projected their own responses to test items to members of a laboratory group even when they themselves did not belong to this group. When salience increased, projection decreased among nonmembers but not among members. In Experiment 3 these results were replicated in a field setting.

  1. Ground-water sample collection and analysis plan for the ground-water surveillance project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bryce, R.W.; Evans, J.C.; Olsen, K.B.

    1991-12-01

    The Pacific Northwest Laboratory performs ground-water sampling activities at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site in support of DOE's environmental surveillance responsibilities. The purpose of this document is to translate DOE's General Environmental Protection Program (DOE Order 5400.1) into a comprehensive ground-water sample collection and analysis plan for the Hanford Site. This sample collection and analysis plan sets forth the environmental surveillance objectives applicable to ground water, identifies the strategy for selecting sample collection locations, and lists the analyses to be performed to meet those objectives

  2. Difference of protein 53 expression based on radiation therapy response in cervical cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasaribu, H. P.; Lubis, L. I.; Dina, S.; Simanjuntak, R. Y.; Siregar, H. S.; Rivany, R.

    2018-03-01

    Cervical cancer is one of most common gynecological cancer in women and the leading cause of death in developing countries. An analytic study with the case-control design was conducted to determine the difference of p53 expression based on radiation therapy response in cervical cancer. The study was performed in Obstetric and Gynecology Department and Pathology Department of Adam Malik General Hospital Medan from January to February 2017. 15 paraffin blocks of acervical cancer patient with incomplete response were obtained as study samples, and 15 paraffin blocks of acervical cancer patient with complete response were obtained as control samples, The samples were collected by consecutive sampling, andan immunohistochemical assessment of p53 expression was done to assessapoptosis count and radiation response. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis with confidence interval 83.5% and pcervical cancer.

  3. Curating NASA's Past, Present, and Future Extraterrestrial Sample Collections

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCubbin, F. M.; Allton, J. H.; Evans, C. A.; Fries, M. D.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Righter, K.; Zeigler, R. A.; Zolensky, M.; Stansbery, E. K.

    2016-01-01

    The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office (henceforth referred to herein as NASA Curation Office) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is responsible for curating all of NASA's extraterrestrial samples. Under the governing document, NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 7100.10E "Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials", JSC is charged with "...curation of all extra-terrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions." The Directive goes on to define Curation as including "...documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public outreach." Here we describe some of the past, present, and future activities of the NASA Curation Office.

  4. A multi-dimensional sampling method for locating small scatterers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Rencheng; Zhong, Yu; Chen, Xudong

    2012-01-01

    A multiple signal classification (MUSIC)-like multi-dimensional sampling method (MDSM) is introduced to locate small three-dimensional scatterers using electromagnetic waves. The indicator is built with the most stable part of signal subspace of the multi-static response matrix on a set of combinatorial sampling nodes inside the domain of interest. It has two main advantages compared to the conventional MUSIC methods. First, the MDSM is more robust against noise. Second, it can work with a single incidence even for multi-scatterers. Numerical simulations are presented to show the good performance of the proposed method. (paper)

  5. Testing of Small Graphite Samples for Nuclear Qualification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Julie Chapman

    2010-11-01

    Accurately determining the mechanical properties of small irradiated samples is crucial to predicting the behavior of the overal irradiated graphite components within a Very High Temperature Reactor. The sample size allowed in a material test reactor, however, is limited, and this poses some difficulties with respect to mechanical testing. In the case of graphite with a larger grain size, a small sample may exhibit characteristics not representative of the bulk material, leading to inaccuracies in the data. A study to determine a potential size effect on the tensile strength was pursued under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant program. It focuses first on optimizing the tensile testing procedure identified in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard C 781-08. Once the testing procedure was verified, a size effect was assessed by gradually reducing the diameter of the specimens. By monitoring the material response, a size effect was successfully identified.

  6. NaI(Tl) response functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vega C, H. R.; Ortiz R, J. M.; Benites R, J. L.; De Leon M, H. A.

    2015-09-01

    The response functions of a NaI(Tl) detector have been estimated using Monte Carlo methods. Response functions were calculated for monoenergetic photon sources (0.05 to 3 MeV). Responses were calculated for point-like sources and for sources distributed in Portland cement cylinders. The responses were used to calculate the efficiency functions in term of photon energy. Commonly, sources used for calibration are point-like, and eventually sources to be measured have different features. In order to use the calibrated sources corrections due to solid angle, self-absorption and scattering, must be carried out. However, some of these corrections are not easy to perform. In this work, the calculated responses were used to estimate the detector efficiency of point-like sources, and sources distributed in Portland type cement. Samples of Portland paste were prepared and were exposed to photoneutrons produced by a 15 MV linac. Some of the elements in the cement were activated producing γ-emitting radionuclides that were measured with a NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer, that was calibrated with point-like sources. In order to determine the specific activity in the induced radioisotopes calculated efficiencies were used to make corrections due to the differences between the solid angle, photon absorption and photon scattering in the point-like calibration sources and the sources distributed in cement. During the interaction between photoneutrons and the cement samples three radioisotopes were induced: 56 Mn, 24 Na, and 28 Al. (Author)

  7. NaI(Tl) response functions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vega C, H. R.; Ortiz R, J. M. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico); Benites R, J. L. [Centro Estatal de Cancerologia de Nayarit, Calz. de la Cruz 118 Sur, Tepic, Nayarit (Mexico); De Leon M, H. A., E-mail: fermineutron@yahoo.com.mx [Instituto Tecnologico de Aguascalientes, Av. Adolfo Lopez Mateos 1801 Ote., 20155 Aguascalientes, Ags. (Mexico)

    2015-09-15

    The response functions of a NaI(Tl) detector have been estimated using Monte Carlo methods. Response functions were calculated for monoenergetic photon sources (0.05 to 3 MeV). Responses were calculated for point-like sources and for sources distributed in Portland cement cylinders. The responses were used to calculate the efficiency functions in term of photon energy. Commonly, sources used for calibration are point-like, and eventually sources to be measured have different features. In order to use the calibrated sources corrections due to solid angle, self-absorption and scattering, must be carried out. However, some of these corrections are not easy to perform. In this work, the calculated responses were used to estimate the detector efficiency of point-like sources, and sources distributed in Portland type cement. Samples of Portland paste were prepared and were exposed to photoneutrons produced by a 15 MV linac. Some of the elements in the cement were activated producing γ-emitting radionuclides that were measured with a NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer, that was calibrated with point-like sources. In order to determine the specific activity in the induced radioisotopes calculated efficiencies were used to make corrections due to the differences between the solid angle, photon absorption and photon scattering in the point-like calibration sources and the sources distributed in cement. During the interaction between photoneutrons and the cement samples three radioisotopes were induced: {sup 56}Mn, {sup 24}Na, and {sup 28}Al. (Author)

  8. Accurate Delayed Matching-to-Sample Responding without Rehearsal: An Unintentional Demonstration with Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratkos, Thom; Frieder, Jessica E.; Poling, Alan

    2016-01-01

    Research on joint control has focused on mediational responses, in which simultaneous stimulus control from two sources leads to the emission of a single response, such as choosing a comparison stimulus in delayed matching-to-sample. Most recent studies of joint control examined the role of verbal mediators (i.e., rehearsal) in evoking accurate…

  9. Sampling analytical tests and destructive tests for quality assurance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saas, A.; Pasquini, S.; Jouan, A.; Angelis, de; Hreen Taywood, H.; Odoj, R.

    1990-01-01

    In the context of the third programme of the European Communities on the monitoring of radioactive waste, various methods have been developed for the performance of sampling and measuring tests on encapsulated waste of low and medium level activity, on the one hand, and of high level activity, on the other hand. The purpose was to provide better quality assurance for products to be stored on an interim or long-term basis. Various testing sampling means are proposed such as: - sampling of raw waste before conditioning and determination of the representative aliquot, - sampling of encapsulated waste on process output, - sampling of core specimens subjected to measurement before and after cutting. Equipment suitable for these sampling procedures have been developed and, in the case of core samples, a comparison of techniques has been made. The results are described for the various analytical tests carried out on the samples such as: - mechanical tests, - radiation resistance, - fire resistance, - lixiviation, - determination of free water, - biodegradation, - water resistance, - chemical and radiochemical analysis. Every time it was possible, these tests were compared with non-destructive tests on full-scale packages and some correlations are given. This word has made if possible to improve and clarify sample optimization, with fine sampling techniques and methodologies and draw up characterization procedures. It also provided an occasion for a first collaboration between the laboratories responsible for these studies and which will be furthered in the scope of the 1990-1994 programme

  10. In response to community violence: coping strategies and involuntary stress responses among Latino adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein-Ngo, Quyen; Maurizi, Laura K; Bregman, Allyson; Ceballo, Rosario

    2013-01-01

    Among poor, urban adolescents, high rates of community violence are a pressing public health concern. This study relies on a contextual framework of stress and coping to investigate how coping strategies and involuntary stress responses may both mediate and moderate the relation between exposure to community violence and psychological well-being. Our sample consists of 223 ninth grade Latino adolescents from poor, urban families. In response to community violence, these adolescents reported using an array of coping strategies as well as experiencing a number of involuntary stress responses; the most frequent coping responses were turning to religion and seeking social support. Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that involuntary stress responses mediated the relations between both witnessing or being victimized by violence and poorer psychological functioning, while coping strategies moderated these relations. These findings suggest that the negative psychological effects of exposure to community violence may, in part, be explained by involuntary stress responses, while religious-based coping may serve as a protective factor.

  11. Sampling and chemical analysis in environmental samples around Nuclear Power Plants and some environmental samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Yong Woo; Han, Man Jung; Cho, Seong Won; Cho, Hong Jun; Oh, Hyeon Kyun; Lee, Jeong Min; Chang, Jae Sook [KORTIC, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-12-15

    Twelve kinds of environmental samples such as soil, seawater, underground water, etc. around Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs) were collected. Tritium chemical analysis was tried for the samples of rain water, pine-needle, air, seawater, underground water, chinese cabbage, a grain of rice and milk sampled around NPPs, and surface seawater and rain water sampled over the country. Strontium in the soil that sere sampled at 60 point of district in Korea were analyzed. Tritium were sampled at 60 point of district in Korea were analyzed. Tritium were analyzed in 21 samples of surface seawater around the Korea peninsular that were supplied from KFRDI(National Fisheries Research and Development Institute). Sampling and chemical analysis environmental samples around Kori, Woolsung, Youngkwang, Wooljin Npps and Taeduk science town for tritium and strontium analysis was managed according to plans. Succeed to KINS after all samples were tried.

  12. Characterization of early host responses in adults with dengue disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling Ling

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background While dengue-elicited early and transient host responses preceding defervescence could shape the disease outcome and reveal mechanisms of the disease pathogenesis, assessment of these responses are difficult as patients rarely seek healthcare during the first days of benign fever and thus data are lacking. Methods In this study, focusing on early recruitment, we performed whole-blood transcriptional profiling on denguevirus PCR positive patients sampled within 72 h of self-reported fever presentation (average 43 h, SD 18.6 h and compared the signatures with autologous samples drawn at defervescence and convalescence and to control patients with fever of other etiology. Results In the early dengue fever phase, a strong activation of the innate immune response related genes were seen that was absent at defervescence (4-7 days after fever debut, while at this second sampling genes related to biosynthesis and metabolism dominated. Transcripts relating to the adaptive immune response were over-expressed in the second sampling point with sustained activation at the third sampling. On an individual gene level, significant enrichment of transcripts early in dengue disease were chemokines CCL2 (MCP-1, CCL8 (MCP-2, CXCL10 (IP-10 and CCL3 (MIP-1α, antimicrobial peptide β-defensin 1 (DEFB1, desmosome/intermediate junction component plakoglobin (JUP and a microRNA which may negatively regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines in dengue infected peripheral blood cells, mIR-147 (NMES1. Conclusions These data show that the early response in patients mimics those previously described in vitro, where early assessment of transcriptional responses has been easily obtained. Several of the early transcripts identified may be affected by or mediate the pathogenesis and deserve further assessment at this timepoint in correlation to severe disease.

  13. Pierre Gy's sampling theory and sampling practice heterogeneity, sampling correctness, and statistical process control

    CERN Document Server

    Pitard, Francis F

    1993-01-01

    Pierre Gy's Sampling Theory and Sampling Practice, Second Edition is a concise, step-by-step guide for process variability management and methods. Updated and expanded, this new edition provides a comprehensive study of heterogeneity, covering the basic principles of sampling theory and its various applications. It presents many practical examples to allow readers to select appropriate sampling protocols and assess the validity of sampling protocols from others. The variability of dynamic process streams using variography is discussed to help bridge sampling theory with statistical process control. Many descriptions of good sampling devices, as well as descriptions of poor ones, are featured to educate readers on what to look for when purchasing sampling systems. The book uses its accessible, tutorial style to focus on professional selection and use of methods. The book will be a valuable guide for mineral processing engineers; metallurgists; geologists; miners; chemists; environmental scientists; and practit...

  14. Discovering biological progression underlying microarray samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Qiu

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available In biological systems that undergo processes such as differentiation, a clear concept of progression exists. We present a novel computational approach, called Sample Progression Discovery (SPD, to discover patterns of biological progression underlying microarray gene expression data. SPD assumes that individual samples of a microarray dataset are related by an unknown biological process (i.e., differentiation, development, cell cycle, disease progression, and that each sample represents one unknown point along the progression of that process. SPD aims to organize the samples in a manner that reveals the underlying progression and to simultaneously identify subsets of genes that are responsible for that progression. We demonstrate the performance of SPD on a variety of microarray datasets that were generated by sampling a biological process at different points along its progression, without providing SPD any information of the underlying process. When applied to a cell cycle time series microarray dataset, SPD was not provided any prior knowledge of samples' time order or of which genes are cell-cycle regulated, yet SPD recovered the correct time order and identified many genes that have been associated with the cell cycle. When applied to B-cell differentiation data, SPD recovered the correct order of stages of normal B-cell differentiation and the linkage between preB-ALL tumor cells with their cell origin preB. When applied to mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation data, SPD uncovered a landscape of ESC differentiation into various lineages and genes that represent both generic and lineage specific processes. When applied to a prostate cancer microarray dataset, SPD identified gene modules that reflect a progression consistent with disease stages. SPD may be best viewed as a novel tool for synthesizing biological hypotheses because it provides a likely biological progression underlying a microarray dataset and, perhaps more importantly, the

  15. Reappraising the Legacy of Colonialism: The Value of an Island Sample - A Response to Bertram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Feyrer

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available In this brief article, we respond to Geoff Bertram’s overview of the current state of research into the legacy of colonial institutions. We make the general case for islands as a useful unit of observation in thinking about cross country income differences. The nature of island exploration and settlement provides a unique natural experiment that is not available in a mainland sample of countries. However, we feel that the results provide useful insights to the general literature about the relationship between colonialism and income. We also respond to Bertram’s criticisms of our data and sample selection. In many cases, problems he identifies have been addressed in the most recent version of our work.

  16. Novel strategies for sample preparation in forensic toxicology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samanidou, Victoria; Kovatsi, Leda; Fragou, Domniki; Rentifis, Konstantinos

    2011-09-01

    This paper provides a review of novel strategies for sample preparation in forensic toxicology. The review initially outlines the principle of each technique, followed by sections addressing each class of abused drugs separately. The novel strategies currently reviewed focus on the preparation of various biological samples for the subsequent determination of opiates, benzodiazepines, amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics and cannabinoids. According to our experience, these analytes are the most frequently responsible for intoxications in Greece. The applications of techniques such as disposable pipette extraction, microextraction by packed sorbent, matrix solid-phase dispersion, solid-phase microextraction, polymer monolith microextraction, stir bar sorptive extraction and others, which are rapidly gaining acceptance in the field of toxicology, are currently reviewed.

  17. Variable screening and ranking using sampling-based sensitivity measures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Y-T.; Mohanty, Sitakanta

    2006-01-01

    This paper presents a methodology for screening insignificant random variables and ranking significant important random variables using sensitivity measures including two cumulative distribution function (CDF)-based and two mean-response based measures. The methodology features (1) using random samples to compute sensitivities and (2) using acceptance limits, derived from the test-of-hypothesis, to classify significant and insignificant random variables. Because no approximation is needed in either the form of the performance functions or the type of continuous distribution functions representing input variables, the sampling-based approach can handle highly nonlinear functions with non-normal variables. The main characteristics and effectiveness of the sampling-based sensitivity measures are investigated using both simple and complex examples. Because the number of samples needed does not depend on the number of variables, the methodology appears to be particularly suitable for problems with large, complex models that have large numbers of random variables but relatively few numbers of significant random variables

  18. Systematic Sampling and Cluster Sampling of Packet Delays

    OpenAIRE

    Lindh, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    Based on experiences of a traffic flow performance meter this papersuggests and evaluates cluster sampling and systematic sampling as methods toestimate average packet delays. Systematic sampling facilitates for exampletime analysis, frequency analysis and jitter measurements. Cluster samplingwith repeated trains of periodically spaced sampling units separated by randomstarting periods, and systematic sampling are evaluated with respect to accuracyand precision. Packet delay traces have been ...

  19. Technical note: Alternatives to reduce adipose tissue sampling bias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, G D; Wang, Y; Fadel, J G

    2014-10-01

    Understanding the mechanisms by which nutritional and pharmaceutical factors can manipulate adipose tissue growth and development in production animals has direct and indirect effects in the profitability of an enterprise. Adipocyte cellularity (number and size) is a key biological response that is commonly measured in animal science research. The variability and sampling of adipocyte cellularity within a muscle has been addressed in previous studies, but no attempt to critically investigate these issues has been proposed in the literature. The present study evaluated 2 sampling techniques (random and systematic) in an attempt to minimize sampling bias and to determine the minimum number of samples from 1 to 15 needed to represent the overall adipose tissue in the muscle. Both sampling procedures were applied on adipose tissue samples dissected from 30 longissimus muscles from cattle finished either on grass or grain. Briefly, adipose tissue samples were fixed with osmium tetroxide, and size and number of adipocytes were determined by a Coulter Counter. These results were then fit in a finite mixture model to obtain distribution parameters of each sample. To evaluate the benefits of increasing number of samples and the advantage of the new sampling technique, the concept of acceptance ratio was used; simply stated, the higher the acceptance ratio, the better the representation of the overall population. As expected, a great improvement on the estimation of the overall adipocyte cellularity parameters was observed using both sampling techniques when sample size number increased from 1 to 15 samples, considering both techniques' acceptance ratio increased from approximately 3 to 25%. When comparing sampling techniques, the systematic procedure slightly improved parameters estimation. The results suggest that more detailed research using other sampling techniques may provide better estimates for minimum sampling.

  20. Hormonal and haematological responses of Clarias gariepinus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study assessed hormonal and haematological responses of Clarias gariepinus to ammonia toxicity. Laboratory study of haematological responses of adult C. gariepinus to sub-lethal level of ammonia (2.2 g/l) at different exposure hours (0, 6, 24, 48, 72, 96 h) were carried out. Blood samples of C. gariepinus were ...

  1. NEON terrestrial field observations: designing continental scale, standardized sampling

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. H. Kao; C.M. Gibson; R. E. Gallery; C. L. Meier; D. T. Barnett; K. M. Docherty; K. K. Blevins; P. D. Travers; E. Azuaje; Y. P. Springer; K. M. Thibault; V. J. McKenzie; M. Keller; L. F. Alves; E. L. S. Hinckley; J. Parnell; D. Schimel

    2012-01-01

    Rapid changes in climate and land use and the resulting shifts in species distributions and ecosystem functions have motivated the development of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Integrating across spatial scales from ground sampling to remote sensing, NEON will provide data for users to address ecological responses to changes in climate, land use,...

  2. Sequential sampling of visual objects during sustained attention.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianrong Jia

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In a crowded visual scene, attention must be distributed efficiently and flexibly over time and space to accommodate different contexts. It is well established that selective attention enhances the corresponding neural responses, presumably implying that attention would persistently dwell on the task-relevant item. Meanwhile, recent studies, mostly in divided attentional contexts, suggest that attention does not remain stationary but samples objects alternately over time, suggesting a rhythmic view of attention. However, it remains unknown whether the dynamic mechanism essentially mediates attentional processes at a general level. Importantly, there is also a complete lack of direct neural evidence reflecting whether and how the brain rhythmically samples multiple visual objects during stimulus processing. To address these issues, in this study, we employed electroencephalography (EEG and a temporal response function (TRF approach, which can dissociate responses that exclusively represent a single object from the overall neuronal activity, to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics of attention in various attentional contexts. First, attention, which is characterized by inhibitory alpha-band (approximately 10 Hz activity in TRFs, switches between attended and unattended objects every approximately 200 ms, suggesting a sequential sampling even when attention is required to mostly stay on the attended object. Second, the attentional spatiotemporal pattern is modulated by the task context, such that alpha-mediated switching becomes increasingly prominent as the task requires a more uniform distribution of attention. Finally, the switching pattern correlates with attentional behavioral performance. Our work provides direct neural evidence supporting a generally central role of temporal organization mechanism in attention, such that multiple objects are sequentially sorted according to their priority in attentional contexts. The results suggest

  3. Small sample GEE estimation of regression parameters for longitudinal data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Sudhir; Zhang, Xuemao

    2014-09-28

    Longitudinal (clustered) response data arise in many bio-statistical applications which, in general, cannot be assumed to be independent. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) is a widely used method to estimate marginal regression parameters for correlated responses. The advantage of the GEE is that the estimates of the regression parameters are asymptotically unbiased even if the correlation structure is misspecified, although their small sample properties are not known. In this paper, two bias adjusted GEE estimators of the regression parameters in longitudinal data are obtained when the number of subjects is small. One is based on a bias correction, and the other is based on a bias reduction. Simulations show that the performances of both the bias-corrected methods are similar in terms of bias, efficiency, coverage probability, average coverage length, impact of misspecification of correlation structure, and impact of cluster size on bias correction. Both these methods show superior properties over the GEE estimates for small samples. Further, analysis of data involving a small number of subjects also shows improvement in bias, MSE, standard error, and length of the confidence interval of the estimates by the two bias adjusted methods over the GEE estimates. For small to moderate sample sizes (N ≤50), either of the bias-corrected methods GEEBc and GEEBr can be used. However, the method GEEBc should be preferred over GEEBr, as the former is computationally easier. For large sample sizes, the GEE method can be used. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Influences of Product Temperature on Emotional Responses to, and Sensory Attributes of, Coffee and Green Tea Beverages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pramudya, Ragita C.; Seo, Han-Seok

    2018-01-01

    Coffee and green tea are popular beverages consumed at both hot and cold temperatures. When people consume hot beverages concurrently with other activities, they may experience at different temperatures over the period of consumption. However, there has been limited research investigating the effects of product temperatures on emotional responses and sensory attributes of beverages. This study aimed to determine whether emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, brewed coffee and green tea vary as a function of sample temperature. Using a check-all-that-apply (CATA) method, 157 participants (79 for coffee and 78 for green tea) were asked to evaluate either coffee or green tea samples served at cold (5°C), ambient (25°C), and hot (65°C) temperatures with respect to emotional responses and sensory attributes. The results showed that sample temperature could have significant influences on emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee and green tea samples. More specifically, 6 and 18 sensory attributes of coffee and green tea samples, respectively, significantly differed with sample temperature. Beverage samples evaluated at 65°C were characterized, regardless of activation/arousal level, by positive emotional responses terms and favorable sensory attributes. While beverages evaluated at 25°C were associated more with negative emotional responses with low activation/arousal, those evaluated at 5°C were more frequently characterized as having negative emotional responses with high activation/arousal. Sensory and emotional drivers of liking for both coffee and green tea differed both with sample temperature and gender. While both emotional responses and sensory attributes were identified as drivers of liking among females, only emotional responses were identified as drivers of liking among males. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that both emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee and green tea beverages can

  5. Ambient krypton-85 air sampling at Hanford

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trevathan, M.S.; Price, K.R.

    1985-01-01

    In the fall of 1982, the Environmental Evaluations Section of Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) initiated a network of continuous 85 Kr air samplers located on and around the Hanford Site. This effort was in response to the resumption of operations at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant located onsite where 85 Kr was to be released during fuel dissolution. Preoperational data were collected using noble gas samplers designed by the Environmental Protection Agency-Las Vegas (EPA-LV). The samplers functioned erratically resulting in excessive maintenance costs and prompted a search for a new sampling system. State-of-the-art 85 Dr sampling methods were reviewed and found to be too costly, too complex and inappropriate for field application, so a simple bag collection system was designed and field tested. The system is composed of a reinforced, heavy plastic bag, connected to a variable flow pump and housed in a weatherproof enclosure. At the end of the four week sampling period the air in the bag is transferred by a compressor into a pressure tank for easy transport to the laboratory for analysis. After several months of operation, the air sampling system has proven its reliability and sensitivity to ambient levels of 85 Kr

  6. Ambient krypton-85 air sampling at Hanford

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trevathan, M.S.; Price, K.R.

    1984-10-01

    In the fall of 1982, the Environmental Evaluations Section of Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) initiated a network of continuous krypton-85 air samplers located on and around the Hanford Site. This effort was in response to the resumption of operations at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant located onsite where krypton-85 was to be released during fuel dissolution. Preoperational data were collected using noble gas samplers designed by the Environmental Protection Agency-Las Vegas (EPA-LV). The samplers functioned erratically resulting in excessive maintenance costs and prompted a search for a new sampling system. State of the art krypton-85 sampling methods were reviewed and found to be too costly, too complex and inappropriate for field application, so a simple bag collection system was designed and field tested. The system is composed of a reinforced, heavy plastic bag, connected to a variable flow pump and housed in a weatherproof enclosure. At the end of the four week sampling period the air in the bag is transferred by a compressor into a pressure tank for easy transport to the laboratory for analysis. After several months of operation, the air sampling system has proven its reliability and sensitivity to ambient levels of krypton-85. 3 references, 3 figures, 1 table

  7. Sampling

    CERN Document Server

    Thompson, Steven K

    2012-01-01

    Praise for the Second Edition "This book has never had a competitor. It is the only book that takes a broad approach to sampling . . . any good personal statistics library should include a copy of this book." —Technometrics "Well-written . . . an excellent book on an important subject. Highly recommended." —Choice "An ideal reference for scientific researchers and other professionals who use sampling." —Zentralblatt Math Features new developments in the field combined with all aspects of obtaining, interpreting, and using sample data Sampling provides an up-to-date treat

  8. Social learning in the ultimatum game.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Boyu

    2013-01-01

    In the ultimatum game, two players divide a sum of money. The proposer suggests how to split and the responder can accept or reject. If the suggestion is rejected, both players get nothing. The rational solution is that the responder accepts even the smallest offer but humans prefer fair share. In this paper, we study the ultimatum game by a learning-mutation process based on quantal response equilibrium, where players are assumed boundedly rational and make mistakes when estimating the payoffs of strategies. Social learning is never stabilized at the fair outcome or the rational outcome, but leads to oscillations from offering 40 percent to 50 percent. To be precise, there is a clear tendency to increase the mean offer if it is lower than 40 percent, but will decrease when it reaches the fair offer. If mutations occur rarely, fair behavior is favored in the limit of local mutation. If mutation rate is sufficiently high, fairness can evolve for both local mutation and global mutation.

  9. The homeobox gene Msx in development and transdifferentiation of jellyfish striated muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galle, Sabina; Yanze, Nathalie; Seipel, Katja

    2005-01-01

    Bilaterian Msx homeobox genes are generally expressed in areas of cell proliferation and in association with multipotent progenitor cells. Likewise, jellyfish Msx is expressed in progenitor cells of the developing entocodon, a cell layer giving rise to the striated and smooth muscles of the medusa. However, in contrast to the bilaterian homologs, Msx gene expression is maintained at high levels in the differentiated striated muscle of the medusa in vivo and in vitro. This tissue exhibits reprogramming competence. Upon induction, the Msx gene is immediately switched off in the isolated striated muscle undergoing transdifferentiation, to be upregulated again in the emerging smooth muscle cells which, in a stem cell like manner, undergo quantal cell divisions producing two cell types, a proliferating smooth muscle cell and a differentiating nerve cell. This study indicates that the Msx protein may be a key component of the reprogramming machinery responsible for the extraordinary transdifferentation and regeneration potential of striated muscle in the hydrozoan jellyfish.

  10. Water born pollutants sampling using porous suction samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baig, M.A.

    1997-01-01

    The common standard method of sampling water born pollutants in the vadoze zone is core sampling and it is followed by extraction of pore fluid. This method does not allow sampling at the same location next time and again later on. There is an alternative approach for sampling fluids (water born pollutants) from both saturated and unsaturated regions of vadose zone using porous suction samplers. There are three types of porous suction samplers, vacuum-operated, pressure-vacuum lysimeters, high pressure vacuum samples. The suction samples are operated in the range of 0-70 centi bars and usually consist of ceramic and polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). The operation range of PTFE is higher than ceramic cups. These samplers are well suited for in situ and repeated sampling form the same location. This paper discusses the physical properties and operating condition of such samplers to the utilized under our environmental sampling. (author)

  11. Choosing a suitable sample size in descriptive sampling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Yong Kyun; Choi, Dong Hoon; Cha, Kyung Joon

    2010-01-01

    Descriptive sampling (DS) is an alternative to crude Monte Carlo sampling (CMCS) in finding solutions to structural reliability problems. It is known to be an effective sampling method in approximating the distribution of a random variable because it uses the deterministic selection of sample values and their random permutation,. However, because this method is difficult to apply to complex simulations, the sample size is occasionally determined without thorough consideration. Input sample variability may cause the sample size to change between runs, leading to poor simulation results. This paper proposes a numerical method for choosing a suitable sample size for use in DS. Using this method, one can estimate a more accurate probability of failure in a reliability problem while running a minimal number of simulations. The method is then applied to several examples and compared with CMCS and conventional DS to validate its usefulness and efficiency

  12. Socially responsible investments in mutual funds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Funaru, M.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to add contribution to the socially responsible investments (from now on called “SRI” research by examining the significance of this type of investment in terms of ethical or financial prior behaviour. Using the sample of European market of socially responsible investments funds, we first explore the SRI market dimension compared to the global data on SRI. We also investigate whether the ethical recognition is more important rather than the financial performance. Applied to the European social responsible investment fund market, the paper investigates the difference between these two aspects of behaviour and underlies the importance of socially responsible investments in promoting a sustainable development.

  13. Variational transition-state theory. Progress report, February 1981-January 1983

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Truhlar, D.G.

    1983-01-01

    During the past two years we have extended the variational transition-state theory in several ways. Especially notable is that we have developed several new methods for calculating tunneling probabilities, including two general techniques applicable to systems with small and large reaction-path curvature. We have tested these methods successfully against accurate quantal calculations, and we have applied them to real systems in three dimensions. We have also developed general algorithms for variational transition state theory calculations on polyatomic systems and we have applied these to the combustion reaction OH + H 2 → H 2 O + H. We have developed and successfully applied a statistical-diabatic theory for state-selected rates. We made a totally ab initio prediction of an absolute chemical reaction rate, for the reaction Mu + H 2 → MuH + H, using an accurate potential energy surface and ethods that we had demonstrated to be reliable by tests against accurate quantal collinear results. This prediction has now been confirmed by unpublished experiments; I believe that this is the first reliable ab initio prediction of a chemical rection rate prior to its measurement. In the rest of this technical progress report we give further details of these and other studies we have carried out in the last two years under this contract

  14. Quantum mechanical theory of positron production in heavy ion collisions with nuclear contact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heinz, U.

    1986-01-01

    The interplay between atomic and nuclear interactions in heavy ion collisions with nuclear contact is studied. The general theoretical description is outlined and analyzed in a number of different limits (semiclassical approximation, DWBA, fully quantal description). The two most important physical mechanisms for generating atomic-nuclear interference, i.e., energy conservation and the introduction of additional phase shifts by nuclear reactions, are extracted. The resulting typical coupling matrix elements are analyzed for their relative importance in atomic and nuclear excitations. The description of nuclear influence on atomic excitations in terms of a classical time delay caused by nuclear reactions is reviewed, and its relationship to the underlying quantal character of the nuclear reaction is discussed. The theory is applied to spontaneous positron emission in supercritical heavy-ion collisions (Z/sub tot/ ≥ 173). It is shown that nuclear contact can lead to line structures in the positron energy spectra if the probability distribution for nuclear delay times caused by the contact has contributions for T ≥ 10 -19 sec. We explicitly evaluate a model where a pocket in the internuclear potential near the touching configuration leads to formation of nuclear molecules, and predict a resonance-like excitation function for the positron peak. 25 refs., 7 figs

  15. Study on the radiation-induced biological responses based on the analysis of metabolites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jo, Sungkee; Jung, Uhee; Park, Haeran; Roh, Changhyun; Shin, Heejune; Ryu, Dongkyoung

    2013-01-01

    1. Objectives □ Establishment of basis of biological radiation response study by metabolite analysis 2. Project results □ Establishment of analytical basis of radiation-responsive metabolites in biological samples - Large scale collection of tissue samples from irradiated animal for radiation metabolomics research - Establishment of mass spectromety (GC MS, LC MS-MS) analysis methods of biological samples - 3 Standard Operation Protocols (SOP) for ultra high resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS, Q-TOF MS) analysis of metabolites from biological samples - Establishment of database for radiation metabolites □ Basic research on radiation-responsive metabolites and the interpretation of their functions - Validation of spermidine as a candidate biomarker of acute radiation response in mouse blood - Verification of 5 radiation-responsive steroid hormones and alteration of their metabolic enzyme activities in mouse blood - Verification of 13 radiation-responsive amino acids (related to oxidative stress, neurotransmission, energy metabolism) in regional mouse brain -Verification of 10 radiation-responsive amino acids (related to oxidative stress, neurotransmission, energy metabolism) in regional mouse brain - Verification of 74 radiation-responsive metabolites in whole rat brain by ultra high resolution FT-ICR MS and Q-TOF MS analysis 3. Expected benefits and plan of application □ Establishment of research basis of radiation metabolomics in Korea □ Provision of core technology in radiation bioscience and safety field by application of radiation metabolomics results to the technology development in radiation biodosimetry, and radiation response evaluation and modulation

  16. Study on the radiation-induced biological responses based on the analysis of metabolites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jo, Sungkee; Jung, Uhee; Park, Haeran; Roh, Changhyun; Shin, Heejune; Ryu, Dongkyoung

    2013-01-15

    1. Objectives □ Establishment of basis of biological radiation response study by metabolite analysis 2. Project results □ Establishment of analytical basis of radiation-responsive metabolites in biological samples - Large scale collection of tissue samples from irradiated animal for radiation metabolomics research - Establishment of mass spectromety (GC MS, LC MS-MS) analysis methods of biological samples - 3 Standard Operation Protocols (SOP) for ultra high resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS, Q-TOF MS) analysis of metabolites from biological samples - Establishment of database for radiation metabolites □ Basic research on radiation-responsive metabolites and the interpretation of their functions - Validation of spermidine as a candidate biomarker of acute radiation response in mouse blood - Verification of 5 radiation-responsive steroid hormones and alteration of their metabolic enzyme activities in mouse blood - Verification of 13 radiation-responsive amino acids (related to oxidative stress, neurotransmission, energy metabolism) in regional mouse brain -Verification of 10 radiation-responsive amino acids (related to oxidative stress, neurotransmission, energy metabolism) in regional mouse brain - Verification of 74 radiation-responsive metabolites in whole rat brain by ultra high resolution FT-ICR MS and Q-TOF MS analysis 3. Expected benefits and plan of application □ Establishment of research basis of radiation metabolomics in Korea □ Provision of core technology in radiation bioscience and safety field by application of radiation metabolomics results to the technology development in radiation biodosimetry, and radiation response evaluation and modulation.

  17. OVERVIEW OF BERYLLIUM SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brisson, M

    2009-04-01

    Because of its unique properties as a lightweight metal with high tensile strength, beryllium is widely used in applications including cell phones, golf clubs, aerospace, and nuclear weapons. Beryllium is also encountered in industries such as aluminium manufacturing, and in environmental remediation projects. Workplace exposure to beryllium particulates is a growing concern, as exposure to minute quantities of anthropogenic forms of beryllium may lead to sensitization and to chronic beryllium disease, which can be fatal and for which no cure is currently known. Furthermore, there is no known exposure-response relationship with which to establish a 'safe' maximum level of beryllium exposure. As a result, the current trend is toward ever lower occupational exposure limits, which in turn make exposure assessment, both in terms of sampling and analysis, more challenging. The problems are exacerbated by difficulties in sample preparation for refractory forms of beryllium, such as beryllium oxide, and by indications that some beryllium forms may be more toxic than others. This chapter provides an overview of sources and uses of beryllium, health risks, and occupational exposure limits. It also provides a general overview of sampling, analysis, and data evaluation issues that will be explored in greater depth in the remaining chapters. The goal of this book is to provide a comprehensive resource to aid personnel in a wide variety of disciplines in selecting sampling and analysis methods that will facilitate informed decision-making in workplace and environmental settings.

  18. Sex Differences in Jealousy in Response to Actual Infidelity

    OpenAIRE

    John E. Edlund; Jeremy D. Heider; Cory R. Scherer; Maria-Magdalena Farc; Brad J. Sagarin

    2006-01-01

    The present studies address two criticisms of the theory of evolved sex differences in jealousy: (a) that the sex difference in jealousy emerges only in response to hypothetical infidelity scenarios, and (b) that the sex difference emerges only using forced-choice measures. In two separate studies, one a paper-and-pencil survey with a student sample and the other a web-based survey targeting a non-student sample, men and women showed significant sex differences in jealousy in response to actu...

  19. Oral neutrophil responses to acute prolonged exercise may not be representative of blood neutrophil responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davison, Glen; Jones, Arwel Wyn

    2015-03-01

    Neutrophil numbers and function (oxidative burst) were assessed in peripheral blood and oral samples before and after prolonged exercise. Blood neutrophil count increased (∼3.5-fold, P < 0.001) and function decreased (30% ± 19% decrease, P = 0.005) postexercise. Oral neutrophil count (P = 0.392) and function (P = 0.334) were unchanged. Agreement between oral and blood neutrophil function responses to exercise was poor. These findings highlight the importance of studying neutrophils within various compartments/sample types.

  20. The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martha Finck; Bevin Brush; Dick Jansen; David Chamberlain; Don Dry; George Brooks; Margaret Goldberg

    2012-03-01

    The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises Source term information is required for to reconstruct a device used in a dispersed radiological dispersal device. Simulating a radioactive environment to train and exercise sampling and sample characterization methods with suitable sample materials is a continued challenge. The Idaho National Laboratory has developed and permitted a Radioactive Response Training Range (RRTR), an 800 acre test range that is approved for open air dispersal of activated KBr, for training first responders in the entry and exit from radioactively contaminated areas, and testing protocols for environmental sampling and field characterization. Members from the Department of Defense, Law Enforcement, and the Department of Energy participated in the first contamination exercise that was conducted at the RRTR in the July 2011. The range was contaminated using a short lived radioactive Br-82 isotope (activated KBr). Soil samples contaminated with KBr (dispersed as a solution) and glass particles containing activated potassium bromide that emulated dispersed radioactive materials (such as ceramic-based sealed source materials) were collected to assess environmental sampling and characterization techniques. This presentation summarizes the performance of a radioactive materials surrogate for use as a training aide for nuclear forensics.

  1. Sampling and examination methods used for TMI-2 samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marley, A.W.; Akers, D.W.; McIsaac, C.V.

    1988-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to summarize the sampling and examination techniques that were used in the collection and analysis of TMI-2 samples. Samples ranging from auxiliary building air to core debris were collected and analyzed. Handling of the larger samples and many of the smaller samples had to be done remotely and many standard laboratory analytical techniques were modified to accommodate the extremely high radiation fields associated with these samples. The TMI-2 samples presented unique problems with sampling and the laboratory analysis of prior molten fuel debris. 14 refs., 8 figs

  2. Ionizing radiation as optimization method for aluminum detection from drinking water samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bazante-Yamguish, Renata; Geraldo, Aurea Beatriz C.; Moura, Eduardo; Manzoli, Jose Eduardo

    2013-01-01

    The presence of organic compounds in water samples is often responsible for metal complexation; depending on the analytic method, the organic fraction may dissemble the evaluation of the real values of metal concentration. Pre-treatment of the samples is advised when organic compounds are interfering agents, and thus sample mineralization may be accomplished by several chemical and/or physical methods. Here, the ionizing radiation was used as an advanced oxidation process (AOP), for sample pre-treatment before the analytic determination of total and dissolved aluminum by ICP-OES in drinking water samples from wells and spring source located at Billings dam region. Before irradiation, the spring source and wells' samples showed aluminum levels of 0.020 mg/l and 0.2 mg/l respectively; after irradiation, both samples showed a 8-fold increase of aluminum concentration. These results are discussed considering other physical and chemical parameters and peculiarities of sample sources. (author)

  3. Screening of various diesel particulate matter samples from various commodity mines

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mahlangu, Vusi J

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available exercise, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry was used to identify trace elements and other metal elements in the DPM samples. Most of the trace elements did not give a sufficient instrument response to warrant further evaluation. However...

  4. The Response of Simple Polymer Structures Under Dynamic Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proud, William; Ellison, Kay; Yapp, Su; Cole, Cloe; Galimberti, Stefano; Institute of Shock Physics Team

    2017-06-01

    The dynamic response of polymeric materials has been widely studied with the effects of degree of crystallinity, strain rate, temperature and sample size being commonly reported. This study uses a simple PMMA structure, a right cylindrical sample, with structural features such as holes. The features are added an varied in a systematic fashion. Samples were dynamically loaded using a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar up to failure. The resulting stress-strain curves are presented showing the change in sample response. The strain to failure is shown to increase initially with the presence of holes, while failure stress is relatively unaffected. The fracture patterns seen in the failed samples change, with tensile cracks, Hertzian cones, shear effects being dominant for different holes sizes and geometries. The sample were prepared by laser cutting and checked for residual stress before experiment. The data is used to validate predictive model predictions where material, structure and damage are included.. The Institute of Shock Physics acknowledges the support of Imperial College London and the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

  5. Principal response curves: analysis of time-dependent multivariate responses of biological community to stress

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brink, van den P.J.; Braak, ter C.J.F.

    1999-01-01

    In this paper a novel multivariate method is proposed for the analysis of community response data from designed experiments repeatedly sampled in time. The long-term effects of the insecticide chlorpyrifos on the invertebrate community and the dissolved oxygen (DO)–pH–alkalinity–conductivity

  6. Sample substitution can be an acceptable data-collection strategy: the case of the Belgian Health Interview Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demarest, Stefaan; Molenberghs, Geert; Van der Heyden, Johan; Gisle, Lydia; Van Oyen, Herman; de Waleffe, Sandrine; Van Hal, Guido

    2017-11-01

    Substitution of non-participating households is used in the Belgian Health Interview Survey (BHIS) as a method to obtain the predefined net sample size. Yet, possible effects of applying substitution on response rates and health estimates remain uncertain. In this article, the process of substitution with its impact on response rates and health estimates is assessed. The response rates (RR)-both at household and individual level-according to the sampling criteria were calculated for each stage of the substitution process, together with the individual accrual rate (AR). Unweighted and weighted health estimates were calculated before and after applying substitution. Of the 10,468 members of 4878 initial households, 5904 members (RRind: 56.4%) of 2707 households (RRhh: 55.5%) participated. For the three successive (matched) substitutes, the RR dropped to 45%. The composition of the net sample resembles the one of the initial samples. Applying substitution did not produce any important distorting effects on the estimates. Applying substitution leads to an increase in non-participation, but does not impact the estimations.

  7. Stability of response characteristics of a Delphi panel: application of bootstrap data expansion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cole Bryan R

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Delphi surveys with panels of experts in a particular area of interest have been widely utilized in the fields of clinical medicine, nursing practice, medical education and healthcare services. Despite this wide applicability of the Delphi methodology, there is no clear identification of what constitutes a sufficient number of Delphi survey participants to ensure stability of results. Methods The study analyzed the response characteristics from the first round of a Delphi survey conducted with 23 experts in healthcare quality and patient safety. The panel members had similar training and subject matter understanding of the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence in Healthcare. The raw data from the first round sampling, which usually contains the largest diversity of responses, were augmented via bootstrap sampling to obtain computer-generated results for two larger samples obtained by sampling with replacement. Response characteristics (mean, trimmed mean, standard deviation and 95% confidence intervals for 54 survey items were compared for the responses of the 23 actual study participants and two computer-generated samples of 1000 and 2000 resampling iterations. Results The results from this study indicate that the response characteristics of a small expert panel in a well-defined knowledge area are stable in light of augmented sampling. Conclusion Panels of similarly trained experts (who possess a general understanding in the field of interest provide effective and reliable utilization of a small sample from a limited number of experts in a field of study to develop reliable criteria that inform judgment and support effective decision-making.

  8. A redshift survey of IRAS galaxies. I. Sample selection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strauss, M.A.; Davis, M.; Yahil, A.; Huchra, J.P.

    1990-01-01

    A complete all-sky sample of objects, flux-limited at 60 microns, has been extracted from the data base of the IRAS. The sample consists of 5014 objects, of which 2649 are galaxies and 13 are not yet identified. In order to study large-scale structure with this sample, it must be free of systematic biases. Corrections are applied for a major systematic effect in the flux densities listed in the IRAS Point Source Catalog: sources resolved by the IRAS beam have flux densities systematically underestimated. In addition, accurate flux densities are obtained for sources flagged as variable, or of moderate flux quality at 60 microns. The IRAS detectors suffered radiation-induced responsivity enhancement (hysteresis) due to crossings of the satellite scans across the Galactic plane; this effect is measured and is shown to be negligible. 53 refs

  9. Camel molar tooth enamel response to gamma rays using EPR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Faramawy, N A; El-Somany, I; Mansour, A; Maghraby, A M; Eissa, H; Wieser, A

    2018-03-01

    Tooth enamel samples from molar teeth of camel were prepared using a combined procedure of mechanical and chemical tooth treatment. Based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, the dose response of tooth enamel samples was examined and compared to that of human enamel. The EPR dose response of the tooth enamel samples was obtained through irradiation to gamma doses from 1 Gy up to 100 kGy. It was found that the radiation-induced EPR signal increased linearly with gamma dose for all studied tooth enamel samples, up to about 15 kGy. At higher doses, the dose response curve leveled off. The results revealed that the location of the native signal of camel tooth enamel was similar to that of enamel from human molars at 2.00644, but different from that of enamel from cows and goats. In addition, the peak-to-peak width (ΔH pp ) for human and camel molar teeth was similar. It was also found that the response of camel enamel to gamma radiation was 36% lower than that of human enamel. In conclusion, the results indicate the suitability of camel teeth for retrospective gamma dosimetry.

  10. Camel molar tooth enamel response to gamma rays using EPR spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Faramawy, N.A.; El-Somany, I. [Ain Shams University, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo (Egypt); Mansour, A. [National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Maghraby, A.M.; Eissa, H. [National Institute of Standards (NIS), Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory, Giza (Egypt); Wieser, A. [Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Department of Radiation Sciences, Institute of Radiation Protection, Neuherberg (Germany)

    2018-03-15

    Tooth enamel samples from molar teeth of camel were prepared using a combined procedure of mechanical and chemical tooth treatment. Based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, the dose response of tooth enamel samples was examined and compared to that of human enamel. The EPR dose response of the tooth enamel samples was obtained through irradiation to gamma doses from 1 Gy up to 100 kGy. It was found that the radiation-induced EPR signal increased linearly with gamma dose for all studied tooth enamel samples, up to about 15 kGy. At higher doses, the dose response curve leveled off. The results revealed that the location of the native signal of camel tooth enamel was similar to that of enamel from human molars at 2.00644, but different from that of enamel from cows and goats. In addition, the peak-to-peak width (ΔH{sub pp}) for human and camel molar teeth was similar. It was also found that the response of camel enamel to gamma radiation was 36% lower than that of human enamel. In conclusion, the results indicate the suitability of camel teeth for retrospective gamma dosimetry. (orig.)

  11. Modified electrode voltammetric sensors for trace metals in environmental samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brett Christopher M.A.

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Nafion-modified mercury thin film electrodes have been investigated for the analysis of trace metals in environmental samples of waters and effluent by batch injection analysis with square wave anodic stripping voltammetry. The method, involving injection over the detector electrode of untreated samples of volume of the order of 50 microlitres has fast response, blocking and fouling of the electrode is minimum as shown by studies with surface-active components. Comparison is made between glassy carbon substrate electrodes and carbon fibre microelectrode array substrates, the latter leading to a small sensitivity enhancement. Application to analysis of river water and industrial effluent for labile zinc, cadmium, lead and copper ions is demonstrated in collected samples and after acid digestion.

  12. How Do Employees Perceive Corporate Responsibility? Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Corporate Stakeholder Responsibility Scale

    OpenAIRE

    El Akremi, A.; Gond, J-P.; Swaen, V.; De Roeck, K.; Igalens, J.

    2015-01-01

    Recent research on the microfoundations of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has highlighted the need for improved measures to evaluate how stakeholders perceive and subsequently react to CSR initiatives. Drawing on stakeholder theory and data from five samples of employees (N = 3,772), the authors develop and validate a new measure of corporate stakeholder responsibility (CStR), which refers to an organization’s context-specific actions and policies designed to enhance the welfare of var...

  13. Benchmark calculations of thermal reaction rates. I - Quantal scattering theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatfield, David C.; Truhlar, Donald G.; Schwenke, David W.

    1991-01-01

    The thermal rate coefficient for the prototype reaction H + H2 yields H2 + H with zero total angular momentum is calculated by summing, averaging, and numerically integrating state-to-state reaction probabilities calculated by time-independent quantum-mechanical scattering theory. The results are very carefully converged with respect to all numerical parameters in order to provide high-precision benchmark results for confirming the accuracy of new methods and testing their efficiency.

  14. Response Latency as a Function of Hypothesis-Testing Strategies in Concept Identification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fink, Richard T.

    1972-01-01

    The ability of M. Levine's subset-sampling assumptions to account for the decrease in response latency following the trial of the last error was investigated by employing a distributed stimulus set composed of four binary dimensions and a procedure which required Ss to make an overt response in order to sample each dimension. (Author)

  15. Semiclassical eigenenergies in the wake of fast ions in solids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, J.; Burgdoerfer, J.; Noid, D.W.

    1990-01-01

    We compare the semiclassical and quantum mechanical eigenenergies of an electron in the wake of a fast, highly charged ion traversing a solid. The classical dynamics of this system shows a transition from regular to chaotic motion as a function of the binding energy. The transition can also be seen in the quantal spectra. We find evidence for a connection between bifurcation of tori and disorder in the energy level sequences. 21 refs., 4 figs

  16. Kinematic approach to off-diagonal geometric phases of nondegenerate and degenerate mixed states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tong, D.M.; Oh, C.H.; Sjoeqvist, Erik; Filipp, Stefan; Kwek, L.C.

    2005-01-01

    Off-diagonal geometric phases have been developed in order to provide information of the geometry of paths that connect noninterfering quantal states. We propose a kinematic approach to off-diagonal geometric phases for pure and mixed states. We further extend the mixed-state concept proposed in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 050403 (2003)] to degenerate density operators. The first- and second-order off-diagonal geometric phases are analyzed for unitarily evolving pairs of pseudopure states

  17. Correspondence between classical and quantum chaos for hydrogen in a uniform magnetic field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harada, A; Hasegawa, H [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics

    1983-06-01

    It is shown, by numerical computations, that the classical and the quantal critical energy of a hydrogen atom in a uniform magnetic field, characterising the onset of irregular motions, approximately coincide. This result is obtained by applying a simple scaling property of the classical Hamiltonian, valid only for Lsub(z)=O (the angular momentum component along the field vanishes), to the numerically deduced relative areas of the irregular region of Poincare surfaces of section.

  18. The quantum probability calculus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jauch, J.M.

    1976-01-01

    The Wigner anomaly (1932) for the joint distribution of noncompatible observables is an indication that the classical probability calculus is not applicable for quantum probabilities. It should, therefore, be replaced by another, more general calculus, which is specifically adapted to quantal systems. In this article this calculus is exhibited and its mathematical axioms and the definitions of the basic concepts such as probability field, random variable, and expectation values are given. (B.R.H)

  19. Particle evaporation spectra with inclusion of thermal shape fluctuations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moretto, L.G.; Bowman, D.R.

    1987-04-01

    The origin of the substantial sub-Coulomb component observed in proton and 4 He evaporation spectra at high excitation energy is attributed to the thermal excitation of shape degrees of freedom. A critique of the Hauser-Feshbach theory as used in evaporation codes is presented. A new formalism including the thermal excitation of collective modes as well as quantal penetration in the framework of a transition state approach is derived. 5 figs

  20. Adaptive designs for the one-sample log-rank test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Rene; Faldum, Andreas; Kwiecien, Robert

    2017-09-22

    Traditional designs in phase IIa cancer trials are single-arm designs with a binary outcome, for example, tumor response. In some settings, however, a time-to-event endpoint might appear more appropriate, particularly in the presence of loss to follow-up. Then the one-sample log-rank test might be the method of choice. It allows to compare the survival curve of the patients under treatment to a prespecified reference survival curve. The reference curve usually represents the expected survival under standard of the care. In this work, convergence of the one-sample log-rank statistic to Brownian motion is proven using Rebolledo's martingale central limit theorem while accounting for staggered entry times of the patients. On this basis, a confirmatory adaptive one-sample log-rank test is proposed where provision is made for data dependent sample size reassessment. The focus is to apply the inverse normal method. This is done in two different directions. The first strategy exploits the independent increments property of the one-sample log-rank statistic. The second strategy is based on the patient-wise separation principle. It is shown by simulation that the proposed adaptive test might help to rescue an underpowered trial and at the same time lowers the average sample number (ASN) under the null hypothesis as compared to a single-stage fixed sample design. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

  1. Standard practice for sampling special nuclear materials in multi-container lots

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    1987-01-01

    1.1 This practice provides an aid in designing a sampling and analysis plan for the purpose of minimizing random error in the measurement of the amount of nuclear material in a lot consisting of several containers. The problem addressed is the selection of the number of containers to be sampled, the number of samples to be taken from each sampled container, and the number of aliquot analyses to be performed on each sample. 1.2 This practice provides examples for application as well as the necessary development for understanding the statistics involved. The uniqueness of most situations does not allow presentation of step-by-step procedures for designing sampling plans. It is recommended that a statistician experienced in materials sampling be consulted when developing such plans. 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standar...

  2. How College Students Conceptualize and Practice Responsible Drinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Adam E.; Goodson, Patricia

    2011-01-01

    Objective: This study sought to employ a mixed-methods approach to (a) qualitatively explore responsible drinking beliefs and behaviors among a sample of college students, and (b) quantitatively assess the prevalence of those behaviors. Participants: Convenience samples, drawn from currently enrolled students attending a large public university in…

  3. Sampling and sample processing in pesticide residue analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehotay, Steven J; Cook, Jo Marie

    2015-05-13

    Proper sampling and sample processing in pesticide residue analysis of food and soil have always been essential to obtain accurate results, but the subject is becoming a greater concern as approximately 100 mg test portions are being analyzed with automated high-throughput analytical methods by agrochemical industry and contract laboratories. As global food trade and the importance of monitoring increase, the food industry and regulatory laboratories are also considering miniaturized high-throughput methods. In conjunction with a summary of the symposium "Residues in Food and Feed - Going from Macro to Micro: The Future of Sample Processing in Residue Analytical Methods" held at the 13th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry, this is an opportune time to review sampling theory and sample processing for pesticide residue analysis. If collected samples and test portions do not adequately represent the actual lot from which they came and provide meaningful results, then all costs, time, and efforts involved in implementing programs using sophisticated analytical instruments and techniques are wasted and can actually yield misleading results. This paper is designed to briefly review the often-neglected but crucial topic of sample collection and processing and put the issue into perspective for the future of pesticide residue analysis. It also emphasizes that analysts should demonstrate the validity of their sample processing approaches for the analytes/matrices of interest and encourages further studies on sampling and sample mass reduction to produce a test portion.

  4. A whole-cell bioreporter assay for quantitative genotoxicity evaluation of environmental samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Bo; Li, Guanghe; Xing, Yi; Zhang, Dayi; Jia, Jianli; Cui, Zhisong; Luan, Xiao; Tang, Hui

    2017-10-01

    Whole-cell bioreporters have emerged as promising tools for genotoxicity evaluation, due to their rapidity, cost-effectiveness, sensitivity and selectivity. In this study, a method for detecting genotoxicity in environmental samples was developed using the bioluminescent whole-cell bioreporter Escherichia coli recA::luxCDABE. To further test its performance in a real world scenario, the E. coli bioreporter was applied in two cases: i) soil samples collected from chromium(VI) contaminated sites; ii) crude oil contaminated seawater collected after the Jiaozhou Bay oil spill which occurred in 2013. The chromium(VI) contaminated soils were pretreated by water extraction, and directly exposed to the bioreporter in two phases: aqueous soil extraction (water phase) and soil supernatant (solid phase). The results indicated that both extractable and soil particle fixed chromium(VI) were bioavailable to the bioreporter, and the solid-phase contact bioreporter assay provided a more precise evaluation of soil genotoxicity. For crude oil contaminated seawater, the response of the bioreporter clearly illustrated the spatial and time change in genotoxicity surrounding the spill site, suggesting that the crude oil degradation process decreased the genotoxic risk to ecosystem. In addition, the performance of the bioreporter was simulated by a modified cross-regulation gene expression model, which quantitatively described the DNA damage response of the E. coli bioreporter. Accordingly, the bioluminescent response of the bioreporter was calculated as the mitomycin C equivalent, enabling quantitative comparison of genotoxicities between different environmental samples. This bioreporter assay provides a rapid and sensitive screening tool for direct genotoxicity assessment of environmental samples. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. TH-C-18A-09: Exam and Patient Parameters Affecting the DNA Damage Response Following CT Studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elgart, S; Adibi, A; Bostani, M; Ruehm, S; Enzmann, D; McNitt-Gray, M; Iwamoto, K

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To identify exam and patient parameters affecting the biological response to CT studies using in vivo and ex vivo blood samples. Methods: Blood samples were collected under IRB approval from 16 patients undergoing clinically-indicated CT exams. Blood was procured prior to, immediately after and 30minutes following irradiation. A sample of preexam blood was placed on the patient within the exam region for ex vivo analysis. Whole blood samples were fixed immediately following collection and stained for γH2AX to assess DNA damage response (DDR). Median fluorescence of treated samples was compared to non-irradiated control samples for each patient. Patients were characterized by observed biological kinetic response: (a) fast — phosphorylation increased by 2minutes and fell by 30minutes, (b) slow — phosphorylation continued to increase to 30minutes and (c) none — little change was observed or irradiated samples fell below controls. Total dose values were normalized to exam time for an averaged dose-rate in dose/sec for each exam. Relationships between patient biological responses and patient and exam parameters were investigated. Results: A clearer dose response at 30minutes is observed for young patients (<61yoa; R2>0.5) compared to old patients (>61yoa; R 2 <0.11). Fast responding patients were significantly younger than slow responding patients (p<0.05). Unlike in vivo samples, age did not significantly affect the patient response ex vivo. Additionally, fast responding patients received exams with significantly smaller dose-rate than slow responding patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: Age is a significant factor in the biological response suggesting that DDR may be more rapid in a younger population and slower as the population ages. Lack of an agerelated response ex vivo suggests a systemic response to radiation not present when irradiated outside the body. Dose-rate affects the biological response suggesting that patient response may be related to scan

  6. Anomalies in the detection of change: When changes in sample size are mistaken for changes in proportions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiedler, Klaus; Kareev, Yaakov; Avrahami, Judith; Beier, Susanne; Kutzner, Florian; Hütter, Mandy

    2016-01-01

    Detecting changes, in performance, sales, markets, risks, social relations, or public opinions, constitutes an important adaptive function. In a sequential paradigm devised to investigate detection of change, every trial provides a sample of binary outcomes (e.g., correct vs. incorrect student responses). Participants have to decide whether the proportion of a focal feature (e.g., correct responses) in the population from which the sample is drawn has decreased, remained constant, or increased. Strong and persistent anomalies in change detection arise when changes in proportional quantities vary orthogonally to changes in absolute sample size. Proportional increases are readily detected and nonchanges are erroneously perceived as increases when absolute sample size increases. Conversely, decreasing sample size facilitates the correct detection of proportional decreases and the erroneous perception of nonchanges as decreases. These anomalies are however confined to experienced samples of elementary raw events from which proportions have to be inferred inductively. They disappear when sample proportions are described as percentages in a normalized probability format. To explain these challenging findings, it is essential to understand the inductive-learning constraints imposed on decisions from experience.

  7. USAXS and SAXS from cancer-bearing breast tissue samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez, M.; Suhonen, H.; Keyrilaeinen, J.; Bravin, A.; Fiedler, S.; Karjalainen-Lindsberg, M.-L.; Leidenius, M.; Smitten, K. von; Suortti, P.

    2008-01-01

    USAXS and SAXS patterns from cancer-bearing human breast tissue samples were recorded at beamline ID02 of the ESRF using a Bonse-Hart camera and a pinhole camera. The samples were classified as being ductal carcinoma, grade II, and ductal carcinoma in situ, partly invasive. The samples included areas of healthy collagen, invaded collagen, necrotic ducts with calcifications, and adipose tissue. The scattering patterns were analyzed in different ways to separate the scattering contribution and the direct beam from the observed rocking curve (RC) of the analyzer. It was found that USAXS from all tissues was weak, and the effects on the analyzer RC were observed only in the low-intensity tails of the patterns. The intrinsic RC was convolved with different model functions for the impulse response of the sample, and the best fit with experiment was obtained by the Pearson VII function. Significantly different distributions for the Pearson exponent m were obtained in benign and malignant regions of the samples. For a comparison with analyzer-based imaging (ABI) or diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) a 'long-slit' integration of the patterns was performed, and this emphasized the scattering contribution in the tails of the rocking curve

  8. Boat sampling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Citanovic, M.; Bezlaj, H.

    1994-01-01

    This presentation describes essential boat sampling activities: on site boat sampling process optimization and qualification; boat sampling of base material (beltline region); boat sampling of weld material (weld No. 4); problems accompanied with weld crown varieties, RPV shell inner radius tolerance, local corrosion pitting and water clarity. The equipment used for boat sampling is described too. 7 pictures

  9. A Bayesian Justification for Random Sampling in Sample Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glen Meeden

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In the usual Bayesian approach to survey sampling the sampling design, plays a minimal role, at best. Although a close relationship between exchangeable prior distributions and simple random sampling has been noted; how to formally integrate simple random sampling into the Bayesian paradigm is not clear. Recently it has been argued that the sampling design can be thought of as part of a Bayesian's prior distribution. We will show here that under this scenario simple random sample can be given a Bayesian justification in survey sampling.

  10. Analysis of bioethanol samples through Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry with a total sample consumption system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez, Carlos; Lienemann, Charles-Philippe; Todolí, Jose-Luis

    2016-10-01

    Bioethanol real samples have been directly analyzed through ICP-MS by means of the so called High Temperature Torch Integrated Sample Introduction System (hTISIS). Because bioethanol samples may contain water, experiments have been carried out in order to determine the effect of ethanol concentration on the ICP-MS response. The ethanol content studied went from 0 to 50%, because higher alcohol concentrations led to carbon deposits on the ICP-MS interface. The spectrometer default spray chamber (double pass) equipped with a glass concentric pneumatic micronebulizer has been taken as the reference system. Two flow regimes have been evaluated: continuous sample aspiration at 25 μL min- 1 and 5 μL air-segmented sample injection. hTISIS temperature has been shown to be critical, in fact ICP-MS sensitivity increased with this variable up to 100-200 °C depending on the solution tested. Higher chamber temperatures led to either a drop in signal or a plateau. Compared with the reference system, the hTISIS improved the sensitivities by a factor included within the 4 to 8 range while average detection limits were 6 times lower for the latter device. Regarding the influence of the ethanol concentration on sensitivity, it has been observed that an increase in the temperature was not enough to eliminate the interferences. It was also necessary to modify the torch position with respect to the ICP-MS interface to overcome them. This fact was likely due to the different extent of ion plasma radial diffusion encountered as a function of the matrix when working at high chamber temperatures. When the torch was moved 1 mm plasma down axis, ethanolic and aqueous solutions provided statistically equal sensitivities. A preconcentration procedure has been applied in order to validate the methodology. It has been found that, under optimum conditions from the point of view of matrix effects, recoveries for spiked samples were close to 100%. Furthermore, analytical concentrations for real

  11. Graph sampling

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, L.-C.; Patone, M.

    2017-01-01

    We synthesise the existing theory of graph sampling. We propose a formal definition of sampling in finite graphs, and provide a classification of potential graph parameters. We develop a general approach of Horvitz–Thompson estimation to T-stage snowball sampling, and present various reformulations of some common network sampling methods in the literature in terms of the outlined graph sampling theory.

  12. Glyphosate–rich air samples induce IL–33, TSLP and generate IL–13 dependent airway inflammation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sudhir; Khodoun, Marat; Kettleson, Eric M.; McKnight, Christopher; Reponen, Tiina; Grinshpun, Sergey A.; Adhikari, Atin

    2014-01-01

    Several low weight molecules have often been implicated in the induction of occupational asthma. Glyphosate, a small molecule herbicide, is widely used in the world. There is a controversy regarding a role of glyphosate in developing asthma and rhinitis among farmers, the mechanism of which is unexplored. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms of glyphosate induced pulmonary pathology by utilizing murine models and real environmental samples. C57BL/6, TLR4−/−, and IL-13−/− mice inhaled extracts of glyphosate-rich air samples collected on farms during spraying of herbicides or inhaled different doses of glyphosate and ovalbumin. The cellular response, humoral response, and lung function of exposed mice were evaluated. Exposure to glyphosate-rich air samples as well as glyphosate alone to the lungs increased: eosinophil and neutrophil counts, mast cell degranulation, and production of IL-33, TSLP, IL-13, and IL-5. In contrast, in vivo systemic IL-4 production was not increased. Co-administration of ovalbumin with glyphosate did not substantially change the inflammatory immune response. However, IL-13-deficiency resulted in diminished inflammatory response but did not have a significant effect on airway resistance upon methacholine challenge after 7 or 21 days of glyphosate exposure. Glyphosate-rich farm air samples as well as glyphosate alone were found to induce pulmonary IL-13-dependent inflammation and promote Th2 type cytokines, but not IL-4 for glyphosate alone. This study, for the first time, provides evidence for the mechanism of glyphosate-induced occupational lung disease. PMID:25172162

  13. Acceptance sampling using judgmental and randomly selected samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sego, Landon H.; Shulman, Stanley A.; Anderson, Kevin K.; Wilson, John E.; Pulsipher, Brent A.; Sieber, W. Karl

    2010-09-01

    We present a Bayesian model for acceptance sampling where the population consists of two groups, each with different levels of risk of containing unacceptable items. Expert opinion, or judgment, may be required to distinguish between the high and low-risk groups. Hence, high-risk items are likely to be identifed (and sampled) using expert judgment, while the remaining low-risk items are sampled randomly. We focus on the situation where all observed samples must be acceptable. Consequently, the objective of the statistical inference is to quantify the probability that a large percentage of the unsampled items in the population are also acceptable. We demonstrate that traditional (frequentist) acceptance sampling and simpler Bayesian formulations of the problem are essentially special cases of the proposed model. We explore the properties of the model in detail, and discuss the conditions necessary to ensure that required samples sizes are non-decreasing function of the population size. The method is applicable to a variety of acceptance sampling problems, and, in particular, to environmental sampling where the objective is to demonstrate the safety of reoccupying a remediated facility that has been contaminated with a lethal agent.

  14. Spatial distribution of single-nucleotide polymorphisms related to fungicide resistance and implications for sampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van der Heyden, H; Dutilleul, P; Brodeur, L; Carisse, O

    2014-06-01

    Spatial distribution of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to fungicide resistance was studied for Botrytis cinerea populations in vineyards and for B. squamosa populations in onion fields. Heterogeneity in this distribution was characterized by performing geostatistical analyses based on semivariograms and through the fitting of discrete probability distributions. Two SNPs known to be responsible for boscalid resistance (H272R and H272Y), both located on the B subunit of the succinate dehydrogenase gene, and one SNP known to be responsible for dicarboximide resistance (I365S) were chosen for B. cinerea in grape. For B. squamosa in onion, one SNP responsible for dicarboximide resistance (I365S homologous) was chosen. One onion field was sampled in 2009 and another one was sampled in 2010 for B. squamosa, and two vineyards were sampled in 2011 for B. cinerea, for a total of four sampled sites. Cluster sampling was carried on a 10-by-10 grid, each of the 100 nodes being the center of a 10-by-10-m quadrat. In each quadrat, 10 samples were collected and analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or allele specific PCR. Mean SNP incidence varied from 16 to 68%, with an overall mean incidence of 43%. In the geostatistical analyses, omnidirectional variograms showed spatial autocorrelation characterized by ranges of 21 to 1 m. Various levels of anisotropy were detected, however, with variograms computed in four directions (at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135° from the within-row direction used as reference), indicating that spatial autocorrelation was prevalent or characterized by a longer range in one direction. For all eight data sets, the β-binomial distribution was found to fit the data better than the binomial distribution. This indicates local aggregation of fungicide resistance among sampling units, as supported by estimates of the parameter θ of the β-binomial distribution of 0.09 to 0.23 (overall median value = 0

  15. A Prorating Method for Estimating MMPI-2-RF Scores From MMPI Responses: Examination of Score Fidelity and Illustration of Empirical Utility in the PERSEREC Police Integrity Study Sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarescavage, Anthony M; Corey, David M; Ben-Porath, Yossef S

    2016-04-01

    The purpose of the current study was to identify Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) correlates of police officer integrity violations and other problem behaviors in an archival database with original MMPI item responses and collateral information regarding integrity violations obtained for 417 male officers. In Study 1, we estimated MMPI-2-RF scores from the MMPI item pool (which includes approximately 80% of the MMPI-2-RF items) in a normative sample, a psychiatric inpatient sample, and a police officer sample, and conducted analyses that demonstrated the comparability of estimated and full scale scores for 41 of the 51 MMPI-2-RF scales. In Study 2, we correlated estimated MMPI-2-RF scores with information about subsequent integrity violations and problem behaviors from the integrity violation data set. Several meaningful associations were obtained, predominately with scales from the emotional, thought, and behavioral dysfunction domains of the MMPI-2-RF. Application of a correction for range restriction yielded substantially improved validity estimates. Finally, we calculated relative risk ratios for the statistically significant findings using cutoffs lower than 65T, which is traditionally used to identify clinically significant elevations, and found several meaningful relative risk ratios. © The Author(s) 2015.

  16. Education of Social Responsibility among Sports Schools Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malinauskas, Romualdas K.; Juodsnukis, Dalius R.

    2017-01-01

    Research aim was to analyze peculiarities of education of social responsibility among football sports school students. We hypothesized that after the educational program sport school students will have more developed social responsibility. The total sample comprised 52 male students. Experimental group consisted of 26 and the control group of 26…

  17. Effects of Spatial Sampling Interval on Roughness Parameters and Microwave Backscatter over Agricultural Soil Surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matías Ernesto Barber

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The spatial sampling interval, as related to the ability to digitize a soil profile with a certain number of features per unit length, depends on the profiling technique itself. From a variety of profiling techniques, roughness parameters are estimated at different sampling intervals. Since soil profiles have continuous spectral components, it is clear that roughness parameters are influenced by the sampling interval of the measurement device employed. In this work, we contributed to answer which sampling interval the profiles needed to be measured at to accurately account for the microwave response of agricultural surfaces. For this purpose, a 2-D laser profiler was built and used to measure surface soil roughness at field scale over agricultural sites in Argentina. Sampling intervals ranged from large (50 mm to small ones (1 mm, with several intermediate values. Large- and intermediate-sampling-interval profiles were synthetically derived from nominal, 1 mm ones. With these data, the effect of sampling-interval-dependent roughness parameters on backscatter response was assessed using the theoretical backscatter model IEM2M. Simulations demonstrated that variations of roughness parameters depended on the working wavelength and was less important at L-band than at C- or X-band. In any case, an underestimation of the backscattering coefficient of about 1-4 dB was observed at larger sampling intervals. As a general rule a sampling interval of 15 mm can be recommended for L-band and 5 mm for C-band.

  18. Pengaruh Biaya Corporate Social Responsibility Terhadap Kinerja Keuangan dan Nilai Perusahaan [Influence of Cost against Corporate Social Responsibility, Financial Performance, and Value

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aditya Satya Yudharma

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Corporate social responsibility is becoming increasingly important in Indonesia and many companies get into trouble when they do not care about environmental and social issues. The purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of corporate social responsibility expenditure on the financial performance and value of a firm. The samples used in this study were 56 companies listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange 2012 and 2013. The samples were chosen using the purposive sampling method based on certain designated criterias. Corporate social responsibility expenditure is measured by employee welfare cost and social expenditure for the community. The financial performance is measured by return on assets (ROA and the firm value is measured by Tobin’s Q ratio. For testing hypothesis, this study used multiple regression analysis. The result of this study showed that the employee welfare cost had a positive effect toward financial performance (ROA and no effect toward firm value (Tobin's Q while social expenditure for community had no effect toward financial performance (ROA and firm value (Tobin’s Q.

  19. X-ray dose response of calcite—A comprehensive analysis for optimal application in TL dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalita, J.M.; Wary, G.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Effect of annealing temperature on TL signal of calcite has been studied. • Specific annealing treatment for optimal dose response has been evaluated. • The dose response of natural calcite has been analyzed quantitatively. - Abstract: The effect of various annealing treatments on dosimetric characteristics of orange calcite (CaCO_3) mineral has been studied in detail. Quantitative analysis on the dose response shows that the 573 K annealed sample showed sublinear dose response from 10 mGy to 1 Gy. The fading and reproducibility of this sample are also good enough for dosimetric application. However, a specific annealing treatment after irradiation shows some significant improvements in the dosimetric characteristics of the sample. The 773 K pre-annealed sample, after X-ray irradiation post-annealing at 340 K for 6 min provides linear dose response from 10 mGy to 3.60 Gy, very less fading and good reproducibility. Moreover, this sample after post-annealing at 380 K for 6 min shows linear dose response from 10 mGy to 5.40 Gy when analyzed from the ∼408 K thermoluminescence (TL) glow peak. Analysis of TL glow curves confirmed that the 1.30 eV trap center in calcite crystal is the most effective trapping site for dosimetric application.

  20. X-ray dose response of calcite—A comprehensive analysis for optimal application in TL dosimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalita, J.M., E-mail: jitukalita09@gmail.com; Wary, G.

    2016-09-15

    Highlights: • Effect of annealing temperature on TL signal of calcite has been studied. • Specific annealing treatment for optimal dose response has been evaluated. • The dose response of natural calcite has been analyzed quantitatively. - Abstract: The effect of various annealing treatments on dosimetric characteristics of orange calcite (CaCO{sub 3}) mineral has been studied in detail. Quantitative analysis on the dose response shows that the 573 K annealed sample showed sublinear dose response from 10 mGy to 1 Gy. The fading and reproducibility of this sample are also good enough for dosimetric application. However, a specific annealing treatment after irradiation shows some significant improvements in the dosimetric characteristics of the sample. The 773 K pre-annealed sample, after X-ray irradiation post-annealing at 340 K for 6 min provides linear dose response from 10 mGy to 3.60 Gy, very less fading and good reproducibility. Moreover, this sample after post-annealing at 380 K for 6 min shows linear dose response from 10 mGy to 5.40 Gy when analyzed from the ∼408 K thermoluminescence (TL) glow peak. Analysis of TL glow curves confirmed that the 1.30 eV trap center in calcite crystal is the most effective trapping site for dosimetric application.

  1. Site-specific waste management instruction for the field sampling organization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bryant, D.L.

    1997-01-01

    The Site-Specific Waste Management Instruction (SSWMI) provides guidance for the management of waste generated from field-sampling activities performed by the Environment Restoration Contractor (ERC) Sampling Organization that are not managed as part of a project SSWMI. Generally, the waste is unused preserved groundwater trip blanks, used and expired calibration solutions, and other similar waste that cannot be returned to an ERC project for disposal. The specific waste streams addressed by this SSWMI are identified in Section 2.0. This SSWMI was prepared in accordance with BHI-EE-02, Environmental Requirements. Waste generated from field sample collection activities should be returned to the project and managed in accordance with the applicable project-specific SSWMI whenever possible. However, returning all field sample collection and associated waste to a project for disposal may not always be practical or cost effective. Therefore, the ERC field sampling organization must manage and arrange to dispose of the waste using the (Bechtel Hanford, Inc. [BHI]) Field Support Waste Management (FSWM) services. This SSWMI addresses those waste streams that are the responsibility of the field sampling organization to manage and make arrangements for disposal

  2. The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kevin Carney; Martha Finck; Christopher McGrath; Bevin Brush; Dick Jansen; Donald Dry; George Brooks; David Chamberlain

    2013-01-01

    Source term information is required for to reconstruct a device used in a dispersed radiological dispersal device. Simulating a radioactive environment to train and exercise sampling and sample characterization methods with suitable sample materials is a continued challenge. The Idaho National Laboratory has developed and permitted a radioactive response training range (RRTR), an 800 acre test range that is approved for open air dispersal of activated KBr, for training first responders in the entry and exit from radioactively contaminated areas, and testing protocols for environmental sampling and field characterization. Members from the Department of Defense, Law Enforcement, and the Department of Energy participated in the first contamination exercise that was conducted at the RRTR in the July 2011. The range was contaminated using a short lived radioactive 82 Br isotope (activated KBr). Soil samples contaminated with KBr (dispersed as a solution) and glass particles containing activated potassium bromide that emulated dispersed radioactive materials (such as ceramic-based sealed source materials) were collected to assess environmental sampling and characterization techniques. This presentation summarizes the performance of a radioactive materials surrogate for use as a training aide for nuclear forensics. (author)

  3. Collection and preparation of wet and dry stream-sediment samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Puchlik, K.

    1977-03-01

    Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is responsible for the Hydrogeochemistry and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program for uranium in the seven far western states. The work thus far has concentrated on the arid to semi-arid regions of the West and this paper discusses the collection and preparation of sediment samples in the Basin and Range province. The sample collection and preparation procedures described here may not be applicable to other parts of the far western states or other areas. These procedures also differ somewhat from those used by the other three laboratories involved in the HSSR program

  4. Response spectrum analysis of a stochastic seismic model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Koji; Sakata, Masaru; Takemoto, Shinichiro.

    1990-01-01

    The stochastic response spectrum approach is presented for predicting the dynamic behavior of structures to earthquake excitation expressed by a random process, one of whose sample functions can be regarded as a recorded strong-motion earthquake accelerogram. The approach consists of modeling recorded ground motion by a random process and the root-mean-square response (rms) analysis of a single-degree-of-freedom system by using the moment equations method. The stochastic response spectrum is obtained as a plot of the maximum rms response versus the natural period of the system and is compared with the conventional response spectrum. (author)

  5. 40 CFR 1065.245 - Sample flow meter for batch sampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sample flow meter for batch sampling... Sample flow meter for batch sampling. (a) Application. Use a sample flow meter to determine sample flow... difference between a diluted exhaust sample flow meter and a dilution air meter to calculate raw exhaust flow...

  6. Profile-likelihood Confidence Intervals in Item Response Theory Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chalmers, R Philip; Pek, Jolynn; Liu, Yang

    2017-01-01

    Confidence intervals (CIs) are fundamental inferential devices which quantify the sampling variability of parameter estimates. In item response theory, CIs have been primarily obtained from large-sample Wald-type approaches based on standard error estimates, derived from the observed or expected information matrix, after parameters have been estimated via maximum likelihood. An alternative approach to constructing CIs is to quantify sampling variability directly from the likelihood function with a technique known as profile-likelihood confidence intervals (PL CIs). In this article, we introduce PL CIs for item response theory models, compare PL CIs to classical large-sample Wald-type CIs, and demonstrate important distinctions among these CIs. CIs are then constructed for parameters directly estimated in the specified model and for transformed parameters which are often obtained post-estimation. Monte Carlo simulation results suggest that PL CIs perform consistently better than Wald-type CIs for both non-transformed and transformed parameters.

  7. Evaluation of non-response bias in mental health determinants and outcomes in a large sample of pre-adolescents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Winter, AF; Oldehinkel, AJ; Veenstra, René; Brunnekreef, JA; Verhulst, FC; Ormel, J

    2005-01-01

    Since non- response may jeopardize the validity of studies, comprehensive assessment of non-response is a prerequisite for proper interpretation of study findings. Recently, the baseline assessment of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey ( TRAILS), a prospective cohort study among Dutch

  8. Genesis Contingency Planning and Mishap Recovery: The Sample Curation View

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stansbery, E. K.; Allton, J. H.; Allen, C. C.; McNamara, K. M.; Calaway, M.; Rodriques, M. C.

    2007-01-01

    Planning for sample preservation and curation was part of mission design from the beginning. One of the scientific objectives for Genesis included collecting samples of three regimes of the solar wind in addition to collecting bulk solar wind during the mission. Collectors were fabricated in different thicknesses for each regime of the solar wind and attached to separate frames exposed to the solar wind during specific periods of solar activity associated with each regime. The original plan to determine the solar regime sampled for specific collectors was to identify to which frame the collector was attached. However, the collectors were dislodged during the hard landing making identification by frame attachment impossible. Because regimes were also identified by thickness of the collector, the regime sampled is identified by measuring fragment thickness. A variety of collector materials and thin films applied to substrates were selected and qualified for flight. This diversity provided elemental measurement in more than one material, mitigating effects of diffusion rates and/or radiation damage. It also mitigated against different material and substrate strengths resulting in differing effects of the hard landing. For example, silicon crystal substrates broke into smaller fragments than sapphire-based substrates and diamond surfaces were more resilient to flying debris damage than gold. The primary responsibility of the curation team for recovery was process documentation. Contingency planning for the recovery phase expanded this responsibility to include not only equipment to document, but also gather, contain and identify samples from the landing area and the recovered spacecraft. The team developed contingency plans for various scenarios as part of mission planning that included topographic maps to aid in site recovery and identification of different modes of transport and purge capability depending on damage. A clean tent, set-up at Utah Test & Training Range

  9. Balanced sampling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brus, D.J.

    2015-01-01

    In balanced sampling a linear relation between the soil property of interest and one or more covariates with known means is exploited in selecting the sampling locations. Recent developments make this sampling design attractive for statistical soil surveys. This paper introduces balanced sampling

  10. Rapid habitability assessment of Mars samples by pyrolysis-FTIR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Peter R.; Sephton, Mark A.

    2016-02-01

    Pyrolysis Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (pyrolysis FTIR) is a potential sample selection method for Mars Sample Return missions. FTIR spectroscopy can be performed on solid and liquid samples but also on gases following preliminary thermal extraction, pyrolysis or gasification steps. The detection of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases can reveal information on sample mineralogy and past habitability of the environment in which the sample was created. The absorption of IR radiation at specific wavenumbers by organic functional groups can indicate the presence and type of any organic matter present. Here we assess the utility of pyrolysis-FTIR to release water, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and organic matter from Mars relevant materials to enable a rapid habitability assessment of target rocks for sample return. For our assessment a range of minerals were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance FTIR. Subsequently, the mineral samples were subjected to single step pyrolysis and multi step pyrolysis and the products characterised by gas phase FTIR. Data from both single step and multi step pyrolysis-FTIR provide the ability to identify minerals that reflect habitable environments through their water and carbon dioxide responses. Multi step pyrolysis-FTIR can be used to gain more detailed information on the sources of the liberated water and carbon dioxide owing to the characteristic decomposition temperatures of different mineral phases. Habitation can be suggested when pyrolysis-FTIR indicates the presence of organic matter within the sample. Pyrolysis-FTIR, therefore, represents an effective method to assess whether Mars Sample Return target rocks represent habitable conditions and potential records of habitation and can play an important role in sample triage operations.

  11. Ensemble Sampling

    OpenAIRE

    Lu, Xiuyuan; Van Roy, Benjamin

    2017-01-01

    Thompson sampling has emerged as an effective heuristic for a broad range of online decision problems. In its basic form, the algorithm requires computing and sampling from a posterior distribution over models, which is tractable only for simple special cases. This paper develops ensemble sampling, which aims to approximate Thompson sampling while maintaining tractability even in the face of complex models such as neural networks. Ensemble sampling dramatically expands on the range of applica...

  12. THE IMPACTS OF PHILANTHROPY RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD CUSTOMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOR AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kurniawati Chrisjatmiko

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of philanthropy responsibility and ethical responsibility towards customer purchase behavior and customer loyalty on fast food restaurants. The research was conducted by using quantitative research design and hypothetical testing to explore philanthropic responsibility, ethical responsibility, customer purchase behavior, and customer loyalty variables. Samples were taken from 186 respondents of employee population in Jakarta. Structural equation modeling was used in order to test the proposed hypotheses. Research result showed the positive and significant impact of philanthropic responsibility towards customer purchase behavior. On contrary, there was no positive ethical responsibility impact found towards customer purchase behavior. These findings are supported by the fact that the majority of consumers purchased fast food base on impulsive buying and not driven by the fast food restaurants ethically responsible behavior. However, the research does show a positive and significant impact of customer purchase behavior on customer loyalty. Further research recommendation should be taken from more respondents in a broader population area. Companies are suggested to approach a strategic and relevant caused-related marketing and caused promotions in relation to philanthropy responsibility to increase customer purchase behavior.

  13. Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center Analytical Response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nielsen, E.C.

    2003-01-01

    The Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FR-MAC) is authorized by the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan to coordinate all off-site radiological response assistance to state and local government s, in the event of a major radiological emergency in the United States. The FR-MAC is established by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, to coordinate all Federal assets involved in conducting a comprehensive program of radiological environmental monitoring, sampling, radioanalysis, quality assurance, and dose assessment. During an emergency response, the initial analytical data is provided by portable field instrumentation. As incident responders scale up their response based on the seriousness of the incident, local analytical assets and mobile laboratories add additional capability and capacity. During the intermediate phase of the response, data quality objectives and measurement quality objectives are more rigorous. These higher objectives will require the use of larger laboratories, with greater capacity and enhanced capabilities. These labs may be geographically distant FR-om the incident, which will increase sample management challenges. This paper addresses emergency radioanalytical capability and capacity and its utilization during FR-MAC operations

  14. Respondent-Driven Sampling – Testing Assumptions: Sampling with Replacement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barash Vladimir D.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Classical Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS estimators are based on a Markov Process model in which sampling occurs with replacement. Given that respondents generally cannot be interviewed more than once, this assumption is counterfactual. We join recent work by Gile and Handcock in exploring the implications of the sampling-with-replacement assumption for bias of RDS estimators. We differ from previous studies in examining a wider range of sampling fractions and in using not only simulations but also formal proofs. One key finding is that RDS estimates are surprisingly stable even in the presence of substantial sampling fractions. Our analyses show that the sampling-with-replacement assumption is a minor contributor to bias for sampling fractions under 40%, and bias is negligible for the 20% or smaller sampling fractions typical of field applications of RDS.

  15. Transcript accumulation of putative drought responsive genes in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-09-15

    Sep 15, 2009 ... tories where radioactive labelling is not available by using the silver staining ... ICCV2 were removed from the soil and roots were dipped for 5 h into water with or .... respective PCR product in control and drought-stressed samples will testify to the ..... responsive elements and the dehydration-responsive.

  16. Analysis of industrial coke samples by activation with cyclotron protons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaudhri, M.A.; Lee, M.M.; Spicer, B.M.

    1982-01-01

    A Melbourne Petrochemical Company was experiencing excessive coke formation in its ''cracking furnaces'', which was causing unnecessary stoppage of production and wastage of energy due to additional insulation. In order to investigate the possible causes of this excessive coke formation, we analyzed various coke samples and other coke-like materials obtained from these furnaces by activation with cyclotron-protons. Our results showed that, out of the two suspected coke promoters As and Sb whose small concentration in feed would produce greatly accelerated coke formation, As could not be detected in any of the eight samples investigated, while Sb was present in only one sample. However, we did observe Ca, Cr and Fe in all the samples, with surprisingly high concentrations in some of them. It has, therefore, been suggested that Ca, and perhaps Cr and Fe, but not As or Sb, could have been responsible for the excessive coke formation in the ''cracking furnaces''

  17. Improved explosive collection and detection with rationally assembled surface sampling materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chouyyok, Wilaiwan; Bays, J. Timothy; Gerasimenko, Aleksandr A.; Cinson, Anthony D.; Ewing, Robert G.; Atkinson, David A.; Addleman, R. Shane

    2016-01-01

    Sampling and detection of trace explosives is a key analytical process in modern transportation safety. In this work we have explored some of the fundamental analytical processes for collection and detection of trace level explosive on surfaces with the most widely utilized system, thermal desorption IMS. The performance of the standard muslin swipe material was compared with chemically modified fiberglass cloth. The fiberglass surface was modified to include phenyl functional groups. When compared to standard muslin, the phenyl functionalized fiberglass sampling material showed better analyte release from the sampling material as well as improved response and repeatability from multiple uses of the same swipe. The improved sample release of the functionalized fiberglass swipes resulted in a significant increase in sensitivity. Various physical and chemical properties were systematically explored to determine optimal performance. The results herein have relevance to improving the detection of other explosive compounds and potentially to a wide range of other chemical sampling and field detection challenges.

  18. Modulation transfer function cascade model for a sampled IR imaging system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Luca, L; Cardone, G

    1991-05-01

    The performance of the infrared scanning radiometer (IRSR) is strongly stressed in convective heat transfer applications where high spatial frequencies in the signal that describes the thermal image are present. The need to characterize more deeply the system spatial resolution has led to the formulation of a cascade model for the evaluation of the actual modulation transfer function of a sampled IR imaging system. The model can yield both the aliasing band and the averaged modulation response for a general sampling subsystem. For a line scan imaging system, which is the case of a typical IRSR, a rule of thumb that states whether the combined sampling-imaging system is either imaging-dependent or sampling-dependent is proposed. The model is tested by comparing it with other noncascade models as well as by ad hoc measurements performed on a commercial digitized IRSR.

  19. Response rates and selection problems, with emphasis on mental health variables and DNA sampling, in large population-based, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of adolescents in Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjertness, Espen; Sagatun, Ase; Green, Kristian; Lien, Lars; Søgaard, Anne Johanne; Selmer, Randi

    2010-10-12

    Selection bias is a threat to the internal validity of epidemiological studies. In light of a growing number of studies which aim to provide DNA, as well as a considerable number of invitees who declined to participate, we discuss response rates, predictors of lost to follow-up and failure to provide DNA, and the presence of possible selection bias, based on five samples of adolescents. We included nearly 7,000 adolescents from two longitudinal studies of 18/19 year olds with two corresponding cross-sectional baseline studies at age 15/16 (10th graders), and one cross-sectional study of 13th graders (18/19 years old). DNA was sampled from the cheek mucosa of 18/19 year olds. Predictors of lost to follow-up and failure to provide DNA were studied by Poisson regression. Selection bias in the follow-up at age 18/19 was estimated through investigation of prevalence ratios (PRs) between selected exposures (physical activity, smoking) and outcome variables (general health, mental distress, externalizing problems) measured at baseline. Out of 5,750 who participated at age 15/16, we lost 42% at follow-up at age 18/19. The percentage of participants who gave their consent to DNA provision was as high as the percentage that consented to a linkage of data with other health registers and surveys, approximately 90%. Significant predictors of lost to follow-up and failure to provide DNA samples in the present genetic epidemiological study were: male gender; non-western ethnicity; postal survey compared with school-based; low educational plans; low education and income of father; low perceived family economy; unmarried parents; poor self-reported health; externalized symptoms and smoking, with some differences in subgroups of ethnicity and gender. The association measures (PRs) were quite similar among participants and all invitees, with some minor discrepancies in subgroups of non-western boys and girls. Lost to follow-up had marginal impact on the estimated prevalence ratios

  20. 32 CFR 806.27 - Samples of Air Force FOIA processing documents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... ADMINISTRATION AIR FORCE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROGRAM § 806.27 Samples of Air Force FOIA processing... determination within 20 workdays, we have instituted multitrack processing of requests. Based on the information... source; responsive records were part of the Air Force's decision-making process, and the prerelease...