Performance of diamond and point attack coal cutter picks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Y. [CSIRO, Brisbane, Qld. (Australia). Division of Exploration and Mining

1996-12-31

This paper presents results of laboratory experiments and field trials of PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) and PA (Point Attack) coal cutter picks. Laboratory cutting tests included linear rock and coal cutting and turning rock cutting. The following parameters were measured to assess performance of PDC and PA cutter picks: cutting force, normal force, specific energy consumption, yield, dust generation and ignitional characteristics (temperature rise). Field trials were conducted on a longwall shearer. Performance of both types of pick interims of pick life and dust generation were assessed. 3 refs., 18 figs., 3 tabs.

Analysis of Pick-Up Development in Punching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsson, David Dam; Bay, Niels; Andreasen, Jan Lasson

2002-01-01

The development of pick-up of work piece material on the punch surface with increasing number of strokes during punching of stainless steel sheet is investigated applying Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), 3D roughness mapping and measurements of the backstroke force. It is found that pick...

A Proposed Analytical Model for Integrated Pick-and-Sort Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Recep KIZILASLAN

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In this study we present an analytical approach for integration of order picking and sortation operations which are the most important, labour intensive and costly activity for warehouses. Main aim is to investigate order picking and sorting efficiencies under different design issues as a function of order wave size. Integrated analytical model is proposed to estimate the optimum order picking and order sortation efficiency. The model, which has been tested by simulations with different illustrative examples, calculates the optimum wave size that solves the trade-off between picking and sorting operations and makes the order picking and sortations efficiency maximum. Our model also allow system designer to predict the order picking and sorting capacity for different system configurations. This study presents an innovative approach for integrated warehouse operations.

PICK1 interacts with ABP/GRIP to regulate AMPA receptor trafficking.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Wei; Ziff, Edward B

2005-08-04

PICK1 and ABP/GRIP bind to the AMPA receptor (AMPAR) GluR2 subunit C terminus. Transfer of the receptor from ABP/GRIP to PICK1, facilitated by GluR2 S880 phosphorylation, may initiate receptor trafficking. Here we report protein interactions that regulate these steps. The PICK1 BAR domain interacts intermolecularly with the ABP/GRIP linker II region and intramolecularly with the PICK1 PDZ domain. Binding of PKCalpha or GluR2 to the PICK1 PDZ domain disrupts the intramolecular interaction and facilitates the PICK1 BAR domain association with ABP/GRIP. Interference with the PICK1-ABP/GRIP interaction impairs S880 phosphorylation of GluR2 by PKC and decreases the constitutive surface expression of GluR2, the NMDA-induced endocytosis of GluR2, and recycling of internalized GluR2. We suggest that the PICK1 interaction with ABP/GRIP is a critical step in controlling GluR2 trafficking.

Warehouse Order-Picking Process. Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Korobkov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article describes basic warehousing activities, namely: movement, information storage and transfer, as well as connections between typical warehouse operations (reception, transfer, assigning storage position and put-away, order-picking, hoarding and sorting, cross-docking, shipping. It presents a classification of the warehouse order-picking systems in terms of manual labor on offer as well as external (marketing channels, consumer’s demand structure, supplier’s replenishment structure and inventory level, total production demand, economic situation and internal (mechanization level, information accessibility, warehouse dimensionality, method of dispatch for shipping, zoning, batching, storage assignment method, routing method factors affecting the designing systems complexity. Basic optimization considerations are described. There is a literature review on the following sub-problems of planning and control of orderpicking processes.A layout design problem has been taken in account at two levels — external (facility layout problem and internal (aisle configuration problem. For a problem of distributing goods or stock keeping units the following methods are emphasized: random, nearest open storage position, and dedicated (COI-based, frequency-based distribution, as well as class-based and familygrouped (complimentary- and contact-based one. Batching problem can be solved by two main methods, i.e. proximity order batching (seed and saving algorithms and time-window order batching. There are two strategies for a zoning problem: progressive and synchronized, and also a special case of zoning — bucket brigades method. Hoarding/sorting problem is briefly reviewed. Order-picking routing problem will be thoroughly described in the next article of the cycle “Warehouse order-picking process”.

The relationship of psychological trauma with trichotillomania and skin picking.

Science.gov (United States)

Özten, Eylem; Sayar, Gökben Hızlı; Eryılmaz, Gül; Kağan, Gaye; Işık, Sibel; Karamustafalıoğlu, Oğuz

2015-01-01

Interactions between psychological, biological and environmental factors are important in development of trichotillomania and skin picking. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of traumatic life events, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociation in patients with diagnoses of trichotillomania and skin picking disorder. The study included patients who was diagnosed with trichotillomania (n=23) or skin picking disorder (n=44), and healthy controls (n=37). Beck Depression Inventory, Traumatic Stress Symptoms Scale and Dissociative Experiences Scale were administered. All groups checked a list of traumatic life events to determine the exposed traumatic events. There was no statistical significance between three groups in terms of Dissociative Experiences Scale scores (P=0.07). But Beck Depression Inventory and Traumatic Stress Symptoms Scale scores of trichotillomania and skin picking groups were significantly higher than the control group. Subjects with a diagnosis of trichotillomania and skin picking reported statistically significantly higher numbers of traumatic and negative events in childhood compared to healthy subjects. We can conclude that trauma may play a role in development of both trichotillomania and skin picking. Increased duration of trichotillomania or skin picking was correlated with decreased presence of post-traumatic stress symptoms. The reason for the negatively correlation of severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms and self-harming behavior may be speculated as developing trichotillomania or skin picking symptoms helps the patient to cope with intrusive thoughts related to trauma. Future longitudinal research must focus on whether trauma and post-traumatic stress or trichotillomania and skin picking precede the development of mental disorder.

Fast and Reliable Mouse Picking Using Graphics Hardware

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanli Zhao

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Mouse picking is the most commonly used intuitive operation to interact with 3D scenes in a variety of 3D graphics applications. High performance for such operation is necessary in order to provide users with fast responses. This paper proposes a fast and reliable mouse picking algorithm using graphics hardware for 3D triangular scenes. Our approach uses a multi-layer rendering algorithm to perform the picking operation in linear time complexity. The objectspace based ray-triangle intersection test is implemented in a highly parallelized geometry shader. After applying the hardware-supported occlusion queries, only a small number of objects (or sub-objects are rendered in subsequent layers, which accelerates the picking efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate the high performance of our novel approach. Due to its simplicity, our algorithm can be easily integrated into existing real-time rendering systems.

Design and Control of Warehouse Order Picking: a literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.B.M. de Koster (René); T. Le-Duc (Tho); K.J. Roodbergen (Kees-Jan)

2006-01-01

textabstractOrder picking has long been identified as the most labour-intensive and costly activity for almost every warehouse; the cost of order picking is estimated to be as much as 55% of the total warehouse operating expense. Any underperformance in order picking can lead to unsatisfactory

Efficient data analysis and travel time picking methods for crosshole GPR experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keskinen, Johanna; Moreau, Julien; Nielsen, Lars

2013-01-01

to the source position, and the vertical axis to the travel time. Using OpendTect (dGB Earth Sciences), this data cube is then displayed and inspected in a 3D environment, which allows for effective and efficient data analysis. Quality control and data editing of the individual transmitter gathers can be rapidly......-attribute analyses. We believe that this approach to 3D representation and analysis of GPR crosshole data greatly improves consistency in travel time picking and reduces the time needed for the picking process. Moreover, the approach is well suited for generation of high quality input data for tomographic inversion...... methods. Future time-lapse GPR studies of different types of chalk aim at characterizing the flow characteristics of these economically important lithologies. In the framework of the current study, we have collected new crosshole GPR data from a site located in a former quarry in Eastern Denmark, where...

NOISY DISPERSION CURVE PICKING (NDCP): a Matlab friendly suite package for fully control dispersion curve picking

Science.gov (United States)

Granados, I.; Calo, M.; Ramos, V.

2017-12-01

We developed a Matlab suite package (NDCP, Noisy Dispersion Curve Picking) that allows a full control over parameters to identify correctly group velocity dispersion curves in two types of datasets: correlograms between two stations or surface wave records from earthquakes. Using the frequency-time analysis (FTAN), the procedure to obtain the dispersion curves from records with a high noise level becomes difficult, and sometimes, the picked curve result in a misinterpreted character. For correlogram functions, obtained with cross-correlation of noise records or earthquake's coda, a non-homogeneous noise sources distribution yield to a non-symmetric Green's function (GF); to retrieve the complete information contained in there, NDCP allows to pick the dispersion curve in the time domain both in the causal and non-causal part of the GF. Then the picked dispersion curve is displayed on the FTAN diagram to in order to check if it matches with the maximum of the signal energy avoiding confusion with overtones or spike of noise. To illustrate how NDCP performs, we show exemple using: i) local correlograms functions obtained from sensors deployed into a volcanic caldera (Los Humeros, in Puebla, Mexico), ii) regional correlograms functions between two stations of the National Seismological Service (SSN, Servicio Sismológico Nacional in Spanish), and iii) surface wave seismic record for an earthquake located in the Pacific Ocean coast of Mexico and recorded by the SSN. This work is supported by the GEMEX project (Geothermal Europe-Mexico consortium).

The relationship between adolescents' academic stress, impulsivity, anxiety, and skin picking behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Sun Kyung; Lee, Woo Kyeong

2017-08-01

Skin picking behavior involves an individual picking or biting their skin repeatedly. Although this behavior commonly occurs at a young age, little research has addressed its harmful effects among the Korean population. Therefore, we examined the characteristics of South Korean adolescents who reported skin picking behavior. South Korean students aged 12-16 years participated (N=410, females=52.2%). They completed questionnaires that addressed skin picking behavior, academic stress, impulsivity, and anxiety. The survey was conducted in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do from February-March 2016. Among participants, 66.8% reported that they had picked their skin and 15.4% did so currently. Skin picking was positively correlated with academic stress, impulsivity, and anxiety. Students who picked their skin more often displayed more anxiety, academic stress, and impulsivity. Future studies should address skin picking adolescents' characteristics, especially regarding anxiety and academic stress. Educational programs should be implemented to help adolescents decrease their anxiety and academic stress and prevent the worsening of skin picking behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Order Picking Optimization in Carousels Storage System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiong-zhi Wang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the order picking problem in a material handling system consisting of multiple carousels and one picker. Carousels are rotatable closed-loop storage systems for small items, where items are stored in bins along the loop. An order at carousels consists of n different items stored there. The objective is to find an optimal picking sequence to minimizing the total order picking time. After proving the problem to be strongly NP-hard and deriving two characteristics, we develop a dynamic programming algorithm (DPA for a special case (two-carousel storage system and an improved nearest items heuristics (INIH for the general problem. Experimental results verify that the solutions are quickly and steadily achieved and show their better performance.

The impact of COI-based storage on order-picking times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grzegorz Tarczyński

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The increasing competitiveness on the global markets enforces the need for a fast and reliable delivery. This task is possible to perform by improving the order-picking systems. The implementation of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS is not always profitable. In the warehouses where the order-picking is performed in accordance with the principle of picker-to-part rule, the picking efficiency optimization includes among others: the warehouse layout, the storage policy, the routing heuristic, the way of zoning, the order-batching method, and the sequencing of pick-lists. In the paper the impact of the storage policy on the order-picking times is checked. Methods: The influence of storage based on Heskett’s cube-per-order index (COI on the average order-picking times is analyzed. The items based on increasing values of COI index are divided on classes. To determine the demand for items the analytical function proposed by Caron is used. Results: In the paper the benefits of storage based on COI index are compared with random storage and storage based only on picking frequency. It is assumed that the bin, to which the picker collects items has limited capacity – some orders has to be divided on smaller pick-lists. The analysis was performed using simulation tools. Additionally, the algorithm (taking into account different sizes of picker’s bin for order-batching is presented. Conclusions: The analysis shows that the COI-based storage is particularly effective when the size of items increases. The COI-based curve is less skewed than the curve based only on picking frequency. The choice of storage policy should be carried out together with routing heuristic. The use of batching algorithm significantly increases the effectiveness of the order-picking process, but the optimal size of picker’s bin (and batch should be optimized with consideration the sorting process.

Bayesian Peak Picking for NMR Spectra

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Yichen

2014-02-01

Protein structure determination is a very important topic in structural genomics, which helps people to understand varieties of biological functions such as protein-protein interactions, protein–DNA interactions and so on. Nowadays, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has often been used to determine the three-dimensional structures of protein in vivo. This study aims to automate the peak picking step, the most important and tricky step in NMR structure determination. We propose to model the NMR spectrum by a mixture of bivariate Gaussian densities and use the stochastic approximation Monte Carlo algorithm as the computational tool to solve the problem. Under the Bayesian framework, the peak picking problem is casted as a variable selection problem. The proposed method can automatically distinguish true peaks from false ones without preprocessing the data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort in the literature that tackles the peak picking problem for NMR spectrum data using Bayesian method.

Automatic microseismic event picking via unsupervised machine learning

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yangkang

2018-01-01

Effective and efficient arrival picking plays an important role in microseismic and earthquake data processing and imaging. Widely used short-term-average long-term-average ratio (STA/LTA) based arrival picking algorithms suffer from the sensitivity to moderate-to-strong random ambient noise. To make the state-of-the-art arrival picking approaches effective, microseismic data need to be first pre-processed, for example, removing sufficient amount of noise, and second analysed by arrival pickers. To conquer the noise issue in arrival picking for weak microseismic or earthquake event, I leverage the machine learning techniques to help recognizing seismic waveforms in microseismic or earthquake data. Because of the dependency of supervised machine learning algorithm on large volume of well-designed training data, I utilize an unsupervised machine learning algorithm to help cluster the time samples into two groups, that is, waveform points and non-waveform points. The fuzzy clustering algorithm has been demonstrated to be effective for such purpose. A group of synthetic, real microseismic and earthquake data sets with different levels of complexity show that the proposed method is much more robust than the state-of-the-art STA/LTA method in picking microseismic events, even in the case of moderately strong background noise.

Performance approximation of pick-to-belt orderpicking systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.B.M. de Koster (René)

1994-01-01

textabstractIn this paper, an approximation method is discussed for the analysis of pick-to-belt orderpicking systems. The aim of the approximation method is to provide an instrument for obtaining rapid insight in the performance of designs of pick-to-belt orderpicking systems. It can be used to

Automatic first-break picking using the instantaneous traveltime attribute

KAUST Repository

Saragiotis, Christos; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

2012-01-01

Picking the first breaks is an important step in seismic processing. The large volume of the seismic data calls for automatic and objective picking. We introduce a new automatic first-break picker, which uses specifically designed time windows

Using the Min/Max Method for Replenishment of Picking Locations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apsalons Raitis

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The irregularity of removing quantities from a definite picking location in a warehouse very often results in the stock out in the particular picking address. In practice, the Red Card principle is used to determine a critical level for each picking location when it is necessary to start the replenishment of stock in the picking address. The question is how to calculate an adequate critical level. The guidelines in this paper explain in detail the solution of the problem using the Min/Max stock control method and mathematical algorithms adjusted by authors. In order to check the validity of these mathematical algorithms of the Min/Max method, the simulation modelling has been also done and presented.

An automated framework for NMR resonance assignment through simultaneous slice picking and spin system forming

KAUST Repository

Abbas, Ahmed

2014-04-19

Despite significant advances in automated nuclear magnetic resonance-based protein structure determination, the high numbers of false positives and false negatives among the peaks selected by fully automated methods remain a problem. These false positives and negatives impair the performance of resonance assignment methods. One of the main reasons for this problem is that the computational research community often considers peak picking and resonance assignment to be two separate problems, whereas spectroscopists use expert knowledge to pick peaks and assign their resonances at the same time. We propose a novel framework that simultaneously conducts slice picking and spin system forming, an essential step in resonance assignment. Our framework then employs a genetic algorithm, directed by both connectivity information and amino acid typing information from the spin systems, to assign the spin systems to residues. The inputs to our framework can be as few as two commonly used spectra, i.e., CBCA(CO)NH and HNCACB. Different from the existing peak picking and resonance assignment methods that treat peaks as the units, our method is based on \\'slices\\', which are one-dimensional vectors in three-dimensional spectra that correspond to certain (N, H) values. Experimental results on both benchmark simulated data sets and four real protein data sets demonstrate that our method significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods while using a less number of spectra than those methods. Our method is freely available at http://sfb.kaust.edu.sa/Pages/Software.aspx. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media.

Assignment of stock keeping units to parallel undirectional picking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthews, Jason

2015-05-01

Full Text Available An order picking system consisting of a number of parallel unidirectional picking lines is investigated. Stock keeping units (SKUs that are grouped by product type into distributions (DBNs are assigned daily to available picking lines. A mathematical programming formulation and its relaxations is presented. A greedy insertion and a greedy phased insertion are further introduced to obtain feasible results within usable computation times for all test cases. The walking distance of the pickers was shown to decrease by about 22 per cent compared with the current assignment approach. However, product handling and operational risk increases.

Adaptive Motion Planning in Bin-Picking with Object Uncertainties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Thomas Fridolin; Ellekilde, Lars-Peter; Miró, Jaime Valls

2017-01-01

Doing motion planning for bin-picking with object uncertainties requires either a re-grasp of picked objects or an online sensor system. Using the latter is advantageous in terms of computational time, as no time is wasted doing an extra pick and place action. It does, however, put extra...... requirements on the motion planner, as the target position may change on-the-fly. This paper solves that problem by using a state adjusting Partial Observable Markov Decision Process, where the state space is modified between runs, to better fit earlier solved problems. The approach relies on a set...

Methodology of Evaluation of the Impact of Picking Area Location on the Total Costs of Warehouse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apsalons Raitis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The picking system and the layout of the picking area are the key drivers for the evaluation of a warehouse picking cost. There are five variants for organizing the picking process of orders in a warehouse. The choice of a specific variant depends on the total cost of picking. The picking cost is evaluated within an uninterrupted picking process. It means that no stock out occurs in the time period of the picking process. The storing area and the picking area are created as two separate zones for picking quantities of the customer’s orders; the principle of division of orders is observed strictly. Referring to the locations of stock keeping units (SKU, two approaches of the layout of SKU in the picking area can be estimated. The first one is the single picking location for each single SKU, where replenishment is realized in the picking process. The second one - various picking locations for each single SKU, and the replenishment here is realized just only prior to a picking process or after it. The main benefits of the economy of the picking cost as far as these two approaches are concerned are the shortest picking route in the first case and one common replenishment option in the second case.

Aligning Order Picking Methods, Incentive Systems, and Regulatory Focus to Increase Performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, J.; de Koster, R.; Stam, D.

2016-01-01

A controlled field experiment investigates order picking performance in terms of productivity. We examined three manual picker-to-parts order picking methods (parallel, zone, and dynamic zone picking) under two different incentive systems (competition-based vs. cooperation-based) for pickers with

Aligning order picking methods, incentive systems, and regulatory focus to increase performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J. de Vries (Jelle); M.B.M. de Koster (René); D.A. Stam (Daan)

2015-01-01

textabstractA unique controlled field experiment investigates order picking performance (in terms of productivity and quality). We examined three manual picker-to-parts order picking methods (parallel, zone, and dynamic zone picking) under two different incentive systems (competition- based versus

National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

... nor does it host or receive funding from advertising or from the display of commercial content. This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here . The National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation ...

Science Fiction & Scientific Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Czerneda, Julie E.

2006-01-01

The term "science fiction" has become synonymous, in the media at least, for any discovery in science too incredible or unexpected for the nonscientist to imagine. One of the most common classroom uses of science fiction is for students to pick out flaws in science fiction movies or television shows. Unfortunately, this approach can result in…

Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder in adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leibovici, Vera; Koran, Lorrin M; Murad, Sari

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We sought to estimate the lifetime prevalence of Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder (SPD) in the Israeli adult population as a whole and compare SPD prevalence in the Jewish and Arab communities. We also explored demographic, medical and psychological correlates of SPD diagnosis. METH......-reported medical and psychiatric comorbidities between the Jewish and Arab subsamples suggest the possibility of cross-cultural variation in the correlates of this disorder.......OBJECTIVE: We sought to estimate the lifetime prevalence of Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder (SPD) in the Israeli adult population as a whole and compare SPD prevalence in the Jewish and Arab communities. We also explored demographic, medical and psychological correlates of SPD diagnosis...

Estimating order-picking times for return heuristic - equations and simulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grzegorz Tarczyński

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: A key element of the evaluation of warehouse operation is the average order-picking time. In warehouses where the order-picking process is carried out according to the "picker-to-part" rule the order-picking time is usually proportional to the distance covered by the picker while picking items. This distance can by estimated by simulations or using mathematical equations. In the paper only the best described in the literature one-block rectangular warehouses are considered. Material and methods: For the one-block rectangular warehouses there are well known five routing heuristics. In the paper the author considers the return heuristic in two variants. The paper presents well known Hall's and De Koster's equations for the average distance traveled by the picker while completing items from one pick list. The author presents own proposals for calculating the expected distance. Results: the results calculated by the use of mathematical equations (the formulas of Hall, De Koster and own propositions were compared with the average values obtained using computer simulations. For the most cases the average error does not exceed 1% (except for Hall's equations. To carry out simulation the computer software Warehouse Real-Time Simulator was used. Conclusions: the order-picking time is a function of many variables and its optimization is not easy. It can be done in two stages: firstly using mathematical equations the set of the potentially best variants is established, next the results are verified using simulations. The results calculated by the use of equations are not precise, but possible to achieve immediately. The simulations are more time-consuming, but allow to analyze the order-picking process more accurately.

The assessment of skin picking in adolescence: psychometric properties of the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (German version).

Science.gov (United States)

Gallinat, Christina; Keuthen, Nancy J; Stefini, Annette; Backenstrass, Matthias

2017-02-01

Skin picking disorder has received growing attention since the release of DSM-5, yet there are no evidence-based assessment instruments for adolescent samples. The present study examines the psychometric properties of the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (SPS-R, German version) in adolescents. A total of 76 adolescents (96% female) completed the SPS-R, the Clinical Psychological Diagnostic System (KPD-38), and a questionnaire assessing demographics and clinical characteristics online. The SPS-R had high internal consistency (α = 0.89) and significant small-to-medium correlations with reduced competence skills, psychological impairment, general life satisfaction, social support, and social problems on the KPD-38. Similar to prior findings for adults, an exploratory factor analysis suggested a two-factor model for the SPS-R in adolescents. Group comparisons failed to show significant differences on SPS-R scores between participants with and without dermatological conditions. The current results suggest that the SPS-R can be useful in adolescent samples as a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of skin picking severity. Future research investigating scale validity and factor structure in a clinical sample of adolescent skin pickers is warranted.

PICK1 expression in the Drosophila central nervous system primarily occurs in the neuroendocrine system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jansen, Anna M; Nässel, Dick R; Madsen, Kenneth L

2009-01-01

in the adult and larval Drosophila central nervous system. PICK1 was found in cell bodies in the subesophageal ganglion, the antennal lobe, the protocerebrum, and the neuroendocrine center pars intercerebralis. The cell types that express PICK1 were identified using GAL4 enhancer trap lines. The PICK1...... (AMPA) receptor subunit GluR2 and the dopamine transporter. PICK1 is strongly implicated in GluR2 trafficking and synaptic plasticity. In mammals, PICK1 has been characterized extensively in cell culture studies. To study PICK1 in an intact system, we characterized PICK1 expression immunohistochemically...... neurons in the neuroendocrine system, which express the transcription factor DIMM and the amidating enzyme peptidylglycine-alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM). The PICK1-positive cells include neurosecretory cells that produce the insulin-like peptide dILP2. PICK1 expression in insulin-producing cells...

Close up of the pick and place tool carrying a dummy silicon sensor.

CERN Multimedia

Bernd Surrow

1999-01-01

The gantry positioning head contains a vacuum pick-up system thatallows several different pick-up tools to be used. This one isdesigned to pick up the silicon sensors. The pick-up tool containsa pressure sensitive contact which can stop the motion of the machine when the tool touches a fixed object. The shiny cylinderis the end of the microscope optics of the CCD camera.

Stock Picking via Nonsymmetrically Pruned Binary Decision Trees

OpenAIRE

Anton Andriyashin

2008-01-01

Stock picking is the field of financial analysis that is of particular interest for many professional investors and researchers. In this study stock picking is implemented via binary classification trees. Optimal tree size is believed to be the crucial factor in forecasting performance of the trees. While there exists a standard method of tree pruning, which is based on the cost-complexity tradeoff and used in the majority of studies employing binary decision trees, this paper introduces a no...

Order Picking Process in Warehouse: Case Study of Dairy Industry in Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josip Habazin

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The proper functioning of warehouse processes is fundamental for operational improvement and overall logistic supply chain improvement. Order picking is considered one of the most important from the group. Throughout picking orders in warehouses, the presence of human work is highly reflected, with the main goal to reduce the process time as much as possible, that is, to the very minimum. There are several different order picking methods, and nowadays, the most common ones are being developed and are significantly dependent on the type of goods, the warehouse equipment, etc., and those that stand out are scanning and picking by voice. This paper will provide information regarding the dairy industry in the Republic of Croatia with the analysis of order picking process in the observed company. Overall research highlighted the problem and resulted in proposals of solutions.

Niemann-Pick type C disease: molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches

OpenAIRE

Rosenbaum, Anton I.; Maxfield, Frederick R.

2011-01-01

Cholesterol is an important lipid of mammalian cells. Its unique physicochemical properties modulate membrane behavior and it serves as the precursor for steroid hormones, oxysterols and vitamin D. Cholesterol is effluxed from the late endosomes/lysosomes via the concerted action of at least two distinct proteins: Niemann-Pick C1 and Niemann-Pick C2. Mutations in these two proteins manifest as Niemann-Pick type C disease – a very rare, usually fatal, autosomal, recessive, neurovisceral, lysos...

Pick-up and impact of flexible bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, H.; Hanna, J. A.

2017-09-01

Picking up, laying down, colliding, rolling, and peeling are partial-contact interactions involving moving discontinuities. We examine the balances of momentum and energy across a moving discontinuity in a string, with allowance for injection or dissipation by singular supplies. We split the energy dissipation according to its invariance properties, discuss analogies with systems of particles and connections with the literature on shocks and phase transition fronts in various bodies, and derive a compatibility relation between supplies of momentum and translation-invariant energy. For a moving contact discontinuity between a string and a smooth rigid plane in the presence of gravity, we find a surprising asymmetry between the processes of picking up and laying down, such that steady-state kinks in geometry and associated jumps in tension are not admissible during pick-up. This prediction is consistent with experimental observations. We briefly discuss related problems including the falling folded chain, peeling of an adhesive tape, and the "chain fountain". Our approach is applicable to the study of impact and locomotion, and to systems such as moored floating structures and some musical instruments that feature vibrating string and cable elements interacting with a surface.

Genetics Home Reference: Niemann-Pick disease

Science.gov (United States)

... are compartments within cells that break down and recycle different types of molecules. Acid sphingomyelinase is responsible ... A, Brodie SE, Desnick RJ, Wasserstein MP. Natural history of Type A Niemann-Pick disease: possible endpoints ...

PAL-XFEL cavity beam position monitor pick-up design and beam test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sojeong, E-mail: sojung8681@postech.ac.kr; Park, Young Jung; Kim, Changbum; Kim, Seung Hwan; Shin, Dong Cheol; Han, Jang-Hui; Ko, In Soo

2016-08-11

As an X-ray Free Electron Laser, PAL-XFEL is about to start beam commissioning. X-band cavity beam position monitor (BPM) is used in the PAL-XFEL undulator beam line. Prototypes of cavity BPM pick-up were designed and fabricated to test the RF characteristics. Also, the beam test of a cavity BPM pick-up was done in the Injector Test Facility (ITF). In the beam test, the raw signal properties of the cavity BPM pick-up were measured at a 200 pC bunch charge. According to the RF test and beam test results, the prototype cavity BPM pick-up design was confirmed to meet the requirements of the PAL-XFEL cavity BPM system.

Efficacy of the “pick and roll” offense in top level European basketball teams

Science.gov (United States)

Marmarinos, Christos; Kostopoulos, Nikolaos; Apostolidis, Alexandros

2016-01-01

Abstract Team offense in basketball games consists of a set of offensive actions carried out with the cooperation of two or more players. Of these actions, the most commonly used in the last decade is the on-ball screen called the “pick and roll.” The aim of this study was to analyze all of the pick and rolls conducted in the Euroleague championship from all of the 24 participating teams and to investigate the possible relationships between success in the pick and roll and overall success of the teams. For this purpose, 12,376 pick and rolls from 502 matches were analyzed and classified in categories according to the end result of the offensive possession. The results showed that the most effective type of pick and roll offense was when a shot was attempted after 2 passes from the pick and roll occurrence, followed by the screener’s shot when he rolled to the basket. Additionally, linear regression analysis confirmed that pick and roll effectiveness could predict the final classification of the teams. Conclusively, coaches of the high level European clubs should focus on training the players to the most efficient phases of the pick and roll offense, so that the chances of winning the championship to be maximized. PMID:28149375

Efficacy of the “pick and roll” offense in top level European basketball teams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marmarinos Christos

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Team offense in basketball games consists of a set of offensive actions carried out with the cooperation of two or more players. Of these actions, the most commonly used in the last decade is the on-ball screen called the “pick and roll.” The aim of this study was to analyze all of the pick and rolls conducted in the Euroleague championship from all of the 24 participating teams and to investigate the possible relationships between success in the pick and roll and overall success of the teams. For this purpose, 12,376 pick and rolls from 502 matches were analyzed and classified in categories according to the end result of the offensive possession. The results showed that the most effective type of pick and roll offense was when a shot was attempted after 2 passes from the pick and roll occurrence, followed by the screener’s shot when he rolled to the basket. Additionally, linear regression analysis confirmed that pick and roll effectiveness could predict the final classification of the teams. Conclusively, coaches of the high level European clubs should focus on training the players to the most efficient phases of the pick and roll offense, so that the chances of winning the championship to be maximized.

The gift in interaction: a study of 'picking-up the bill'.

Science.gov (United States)

Llewellyn, Nick

2011-12-01

This paper analyses the phenomenon of 'picking up the bill', thereby contributing to a resurgence of sociological interest in gift exchange. Drawing on ethnomethodology, it describes and locates a distinctive theoretical approach. Utilizing video recordings, the analysis considers the interactional constitution of gifts and how gift exchange is locally invoked via the norm of reciprocity. Recurrent practices are described, through which gifts are brought into being, with reciprocity invoked, by benefactor and beneficiary alike, to manage social problems of acceptance, rather than to sanction insufficient contributions. The study describes the social character of what are perhaps the preeminent gifts exchanged in modern societies; where one person pays for another's consumption. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2011.

A Preliminary Analysis of the Phenomenology of Skin-Picking in Prader-Willi Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Jessica R.; Storch, Eric A.; Woods, Douglas W.; Bodzin, Danielle; Lewin, Adam B.; Murphy, Tanya K.

2010-01-01

To examine the nature and psychosocial correlates of skin-picking behavior in youth with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Parents of 67 youth (aged 5-19 years) with PWS were recruited to complete an internet-based survey that included measures of: skin-picking behaviors, the automatic and/or focused nature of skin-picking, severity of skin-picking…

Skin Picking in Turkish Students: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Gender Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Calikusu, Celal; Kucukgoncu, Suat; Tecer, Ozlem; Bestepe, Emrem

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, triggers, and consequences of skin picking (SP) in a sample of Turkish university students, with an emphasis on gender differences. A total of 245 students from two universities in Turkey were assessed by using the Skin Picking Inventory. In total, 87.8% of the students…

The number of pickers and stock-keeping unit arrangement on a uni-directional picking line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hagspihl, Robert

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The order picking process is often the single largest expense in a distribution centre (DC. The DC considered in this paper uses a picking line configuration to perform order picking. The number of pickers in a picking line, and the initial arrangement of stock-keeping units (SKUs, are two important factors that affect the total completion time of the picking lines. In this paper, the picking line configuration is simulated with an agent-based approach to describe the behaviour of an individual picker. The simulation is then used to analyse the effect of the number of pickers and the SKU arrangement. Verification and validation of this model shows that the model represents the real-world picking line to a satisfactory degree. Marginal analysis (MA was chosen to determine a ‘good’ number of pickers by means of the simulation model. A look-up table is presented to provide decision support for the choice of a ‘good’ number of pickers to improve completion times of the picking line, for the properties of a specific picking line. The initial SKU arrangement on a picking line is shown to be a factor that can affect the level of picker congestion and the total completion time. The greedy ranking and partitioning (GRP and organ pipe arrangement (OPA techniques from the literature, as well as the historical SKU arrangements used by the retailer under consideration, were compared with the proposed classroom discipline heuristic (CDH for SKU arrangement. It was found that the CDH provides an more even spread of SKUs that are picked most frequently, thus decreasing congestion and total completion time.

Automatic first-break picking using the instantaneous traveltime attribute

KAUST Repository

Saragiotis, Christos

2012-01-01

Picking the first breaks is an important step in seismic processing. The large volume of the seismic data calls for automatic and objective picking. We introduce a new automatic first-break picker, which uses specifically designed time windows and an iterative procedure based on the instantaneous traveltime attribute. The method is fast as it only uses a few FFT\\'s per trace. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this automatic method by applying it on real test data.

Membrane Localization is Critical for Activation of the PICK1 BAR Domain

Science.gov (United States)

Madsen, Kenneth L.; Eriksen, Jacob; Milan-Lobo, Laura; Han, Daniel S.; Niv, Masha Y.; Ammendrup-Johnsen, Ina; Henriksen, Ulla; Bhatia, Vikram K.; Stamou, Dimitrios; Sitte, Harald H.; McMahon, Harvey T.; Weinstein, Harel; Gether, Ulrik

2013-01-01

The PSD-95/Discs-large/ZO-1 homology (PDZ) domain protein, protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) contains a C-terminal Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain mediating recognition of curved membranes; however, the molecular mechanisms controlling the activity of this domain are poorly understood. In agreement with negative regulation of the BAR domain by the N-terminal PDZ domain, PICK1 distributed evenly in the cytoplasm, whereas truncation of the PDZ domain caused BAR domain-dependent redistribution to clusters colocalizing with markers of recycling endosomal compartments. A similar clustering was observed both upon truncation of a short putative α-helical segment in the linker between the PDZ and the BAR domains and upon coexpression of PICK1 with a transmembrane PDZ ligand, including the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor GluR2 subunit, the GluR2 C-terminus transferred to the single transmembrane protein Tac or the dopamine transporter C-terminus transferred to Tac. In contrast, transfer of the GluR2 C-terminus to cyan fluorescent protein, a cytosolic protein, did not elicit BAR domain-dependent clustering. Instead, localizing PICK1 to the membrane by introducing an N-terminal myristoylation site produced BAR domain-dependent, but ligand-independent, PICK1 clustering. The data support that in the absence of PDZ ligand, the PICK1 BAR domain is inhibited through a PDZ domain-dependent and linker-dependent mechanism. Moreover, they suggest that unmasking of the BAR domain’s membrane-binding capacity is not a consequence of ligand binding to the PDZ domain per se but results from, and coincides with, recruitment of PICK1 to a membrane compartment. PMID:18466293

How 'ground-picked' olive fruits affect virgin olive oil ethanol content, ethyl esters and quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Beltran, Gabriel; Sánchez, Raquel; Sánchez-Ortiz, Araceli; Aguilera, Maria P; Bejaoui, Mohamed A; Jimenez, Antonio

2016-08-01

Olives dropped on the ground naturally sometimes are not separated from those fresh and healthy collected from the tree for harvest and processing. In this work we compared the quality, ethanol content and bioactive components of virgin olive oils from ground-picked olives, tree-picked fruits and their mixture. Ground-picked olives produced 'Lampante' virgin olive oils; these are of a lower quality category, because of important alterations in chemical and sensory characteristics. Ethyl esters showed the highest values, although under the regulated limit. The mixture of ground and tree-picked olives gave oils classified as 'virgin' because of sensory defects, although the quality parameters did not exceed the limits for the 'extra' category. Ethanol content showed a significant increase in the oils from ground- picked olives and their mixture with respect to those from tree-picked fruits. Furthermore, bioactive compounds showed a significant decrease as fruit quality was poorer. Ground-picked olives must be harvested and processed separately since they produce low-quality virgin olive oils with sensory defects and lower concentrations of bioactive compounds. The higher acidity and ethanol concentration observed in oils from ground-picked fruits or their mixture may help ethyl ester synthesis during storage. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

The correlation between cherry picking and the distance that consumers travel to do grocery shopping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louise Van Scheers

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Retailers often use price promotions to discriminate between consumers who can shift purchases over time and those who cannot. Retailers consistently tend to charge lower prices than necessary, pricing defensively to prevent loyal customers from cherry picking, or shifting to competitors. Knowledge about cherry picking behaviour will enable retailers to obtain a higher share of disposable income from even price-sensitive shoppers, while at the same time charging higher prices. Recent studies indicate that effective cherry picking entails saving costs through price searching over time, price searching across stores, or both. This study examines the relationship between cherry picking and the distance that consumers travel to do grocery shopping. Interviews were conducted at ten different retail outlets over three days, and the results show that there is a highly significant correlation between cherry picking and the distance that consumers travel to do grocery shopping.These results should help retailers to benefit from cherry picking by taking a proactive approach to store switching and store location, two of the main influences on cherry picking behaviour.

Pathological skin picking: case presentation and review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Isabela Sarbu

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Pathological skin picking is a condition in which patients induce skin lesions through repetitive, compulsive excoriations of normal skin or skin with minor surface irregularities and they admit their role in the production of the lesions, but are unable to stop their behavior. Psychiatric comorbidities most often associated with skin picking include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, body dysmorphic disorders, trichotillomania and compulsive-buying disorder. We report the case of a 17 year old female patient who addressed the dermatology department of our hospital with an eruption consisting of erythematous papules and plaques. The local examination revealed several clues of paramount importance in drawing the final conclusion and the psychiatric examination helped establish the diagnosis of pathological skin picking in a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Automated Peak Picking and Peak Integration in Macromolecular NMR Spectra Using AUTOPSY

Science.gov (United States)

Koradi, Reto; Billeter, Martin; Engeli, Max; Güntert, Peter; Wüthrich, Kurt

1998-12-01

A new approach for automated peak picking of multidimensional protein NMR spectra with strong overlap is introduced, which makes use of the program AUTOPSY (automatedpeak picking for NMRspectroscopy). The main elements of this program are a novel function for local noise level calculation, the use of symmetry considerations, and the use of lineshapes extracted from well-separated peaks for resolving groups of strongly overlapping peaks. The algorithm generates peak lists with precise chemical shift and integral intensities, and a reliability measure for the recognition of each peak. The results of automated peak picking of NOESY spectra with AUTOPSY were tested in combination with the combined automated NOESY cross peak assignment and structure calculation routine NOAH implemented in the program DYANA. The quality of the resulting structures was found to be comparable with those from corresponding data obtained with manual peak picking.

Haloperidol augmentation of fluvoxamine in skin picking disorder: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Maria

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Compulsive skin picking, being part of the broader category of impulse control disorders, is considered a residual diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. It is characterized by excessive scratching or picking of normal skin, or skin with minor surface irregularities, and occurs in 2% of patients attending dermatology clinics. Despite the clinical relevance of this disorder, no clear guidelines are available yet; clinical management is, therefore, compromised and the day-to-day clinical practice is burdened by difficulties. Studies on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and anti-epileptic drugs have provided limited results. The association between anti-depressants and anti-epileptics has been found to be beneficial in some impulse control disorders, but in skin picking no previous studies have been conducted on this pharmacological approach. There are very few reports on the efficacy of anti-psychotics in skin picking. Case presentation The therapeutic path described in this case report produced good results for a 59-year-old Caucasian woman. The first therapeutic approach, with fluvoxamine and oxcarbazepine was partially effective; then, the suspension of oxcarbazepine and haloperidol augmentation of fluvoxamine were adopted. After 10 weeks, a significant improvement of the disease was observed: the clinical picture and the associated symptoms were nearly solved. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article reporting the association of fluvoxamine and haloperidol in skin picking disorder. It might be useful to perform further research regarding the treatment of skin picking disorder: in clinical practice, several variables might limit the choice of certain drugs. Therefore, it would be useful for the clinician to be aware of other therapeutic options.

21 CFR 872.6650 - Massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene. 872.6650 Section 872.6650 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... hygiene. (a) Identification. A massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene is a rigid, pointed device intended...

Automatic Grasp Generation and Improvement for Industrial Bin-Picking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kraft, Dirk; Ellekilde, Lars-Peter; Rytz, Jimmy Alison

2014-01-01

and achieve comparable results and that our learning approach can improve system performance significantly. Automatic bin-picking is an important industrial process that can lead to significant savings and potentially keep production in countries with high labour cost rather than outsourcing it. The presented......This paper presents work on automatic grasp generation and grasp learning for reducing the manual setup time and increase grasp success rates within bin-picking applications. We propose an approach that is able to generate good grasps automatically using a dynamic grasp simulator, a newly developed...

Grasp Densities for Grasp Refinement in Industrial Bin Picking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hupfauf, Benedikt; Hahn, Heiko; Bodenhagen, Leon

in terms of object-relative gripper pose, can be learned from empirical experience, and allow the automatic choice of optimal grasps in a given scene context (object pose, workspace constraints, etc.). We will show grasp densities extracted from empirical data in a real industrial bin picking context...... generated in industrial bin-picking for grasp learning. This aim is achieved by using the novel concept of grasp densities (Detry et al., 2010). Grasp densities can describe the full variety of grasps that apply to specific objects using specific grippers. They represent the likelihood of grasp success...

PICK1 deficiency impairs secretory vesicle biogenesis and leads to growth retardation and decreased glucose tolerance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Birgitte Holst

Full Text Available Secretory vesicles in endocrine cells store hormones such as growth hormone (GH and insulin before their release into the bloodstream. The molecular mechanisms governing budding of immature secretory vesicles from the trans-Golgi network (TGN and their subsequent maturation remain unclear. Here, we identify the lipid binding BAR (Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs domain protein PICK1 (protein interacting with C kinase 1 as a key component early in the biogenesis of secretory vesicles in GH-producing cells. Both PICK1-deficient Drosophila and mice displayed somatic growth retardation. Growth retardation was rescued in flies by reintroducing PICK1 in neurosecretory cells producing somatotropic peptides. PICK1-deficient mice were characterized by decreased body weight and length, increased fat accumulation, impaired GH secretion, and decreased storage of GH in the pituitary. Decreased GH storage was supported by electron microscopy showing prominent reduction in secretory vesicle number. Evidence was also obtained for impaired insulin secretion associated with decreased glucose tolerance. PICK1 localized in cells to immature secretory vesicles, and the PICK1 BAR domain was shown by live imaging to associate with vesicles budding from the TGN and to possess membrane-sculpting properties in vitro. In mouse pituitary, PICK1 co-localized with the BAR domain protein ICA69, and PICK1 deficiency abolished ICA69 protein expression. In the Drosophila brain, PICK1 and ICA69 co-immunoprecipitated and showed mutually dependent expression. Finally, both in a Drosophila model of type 2 diabetes and in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice, we observed up-regulation of PICK1 mRNA expression. Our findings suggest that PICK1, together with ICA69, is critical during budding of immature secretory vesicles from the TGN and thus for vesicular storage of GH and possibly other hormones. The data link two BAR domain proteins to membrane remodeling processes in the secretory pathway of

Nibbling and picking in obese patients with Binge Eating Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Masheb, Robin M; Roberto, Christina A; White, Marney A

2013-12-01

The goal of this study was to examine the clinical utility of nibbling behavior, defined as eating in an unplanned and repetitious manner between meals and snacks without a sense of loss of control, in obese patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Two-hundred seventeen (N = 217) consecutive, treatment-seeking, obese patients with BED were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE). Nibbling frequency was examined in relation to current weight, eating disorder psychopathology and eating patterns. Results found that nibbling/picking was not related to body mass index, objective bulimic, subjective bulimic, or overeating episodes, food avoidance, sensitivity to weight gain, or any subscales of the EDE. However, nibbling/picking was significantly related to frequency of morning and afternoon snacking (r = .21, p = .002; r = .27, p < .001). The assessment of nibbling/picking behaviors among individuals with BED might not provide clinically significant information. © 2013.

Lysosomal and Mitochondrial Liaisons in Niemann-Pick Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Torres

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD are characterized by the accumulation of diverse lipid species in lysosomes. Niemann-Pick type A/B (NPA/B and type C diseases Niemann-Pick type C (NPC are progressive LSD caused by loss of function of distinct lysosomal-residing proteins, acid sphingomyelinase and NPC1, respectively. While the primary cause of these diseases differs, both share common biochemical features, including the accumulation of sphingolipids and cholesterol, predominantly in endolysosomes. Besides these alterations in lysosomal homeostasis and function due to accumulation of specific lipid species, the lysosomal functional defects can have far-reaching consequences, disrupting intracellular trafficking of sterols, lipids and calcium through membrane contact sites (MCS of apposed compartments. Although MCS between endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria have been well studied and characterized in different contexts, emerging evidence indicates that lysosomes also exhibit close proximity with mitochondria, which translates in their mutual functional regulation. Indeed, as best illustrated in NPC disease, alterations in the lysosomal-mitochondrial liaisons underlie the secondary accumulation of specific lipids, such as cholesterol in mitochondria, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and defective antioxidant defense, which contribute to disease progression. Thus, a better understanding of the lysosomal and mitochondrial interactions and trafficking may identify novel targets for the treatment of Niemann-Pick disease.

Belt for picking up liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sewell, R B.H.; Nelson, S P

1973-05-18

This belt for picking up liquids consists of a layer of strong material, e.g., coarse cloth, sewed on at least one layer of absorbing material, e.g., sponge cloth, the stitching being disposed along chevrons with their apexes along the central axis of the belt; the edges do not contain any other marks. This arrangement facilitates the expulsion of the absorbed liquid when the belt passes between compression rollers.

Psychosocial dysfunction associated with skin picking disorder and trichotillomania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grant, Jon E.; Redden, Sarah A.; Leppink, Eric W.

2016-01-01

Skin picking disorder (SPD) and trichotillomania (TTM) are common and oftentimes disabling disorders. 125 Participants with SPD and 152 with TTM undertook clinical and neurocognitive evaluation, and were grouped according to mild, moderate, or severe levels of psychosocial dysfunction. Relationsh......Skin picking disorder (SPD) and trichotillomania (TTM) are common and oftentimes disabling disorders. 125 Participants with SPD and 152 with TTM undertook clinical and neurocognitive evaluation, and were grouped according to mild, moderate, or severe levels of psychosocial dysfunction...... that levels of self-reported psychosocial dysfunction have a strong association with specific clinical aspects of SPD and TTM....

Arrival-time picking method based on approximate negentropy for microseismic data

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yue; Ni, Zhuo; Tian, Yanan

2018-05-01

Accurate and dependable picking of the first arrival time for microseismic data is an important part in microseismic monitoring, which directly affects analysis results of post-processing. This paper presents a new method based on approximate negentropy (AN) theory for microseismic arrival time picking in condition of much lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). According to the differences in information characteristics between microseismic data and random noise, an appropriate approximation of negentropy function is selected to minimize the effect of SNR. At the same time, a weighted function of the differences between maximum and minimum value of AN spectrum curve is designed to obtain a proper threshold function. In this way, the region of signal and noise is distinguished to pick the first arrival time accurately. To demonstrate the effectiveness of AN method, we make many experiments on a series of synthetic data with different SNR from -1 dB to -12 dB and compare it with previously published Akaike information criterion (AIC) and short/long time average ratio (STA/LTA) methods. Experimental results indicate that these three methods can achieve well picking effect when SNR is from -1 dB to -8 dB. However, when SNR is as low as -8 dB to -12 dB, the proposed AN method yields more accurate and stable picking result than AIC and STA/LTA methods. Furthermore, the application results of real three-component microseismic data also show that the new method is superior to the other two methods in accuracy and stability.

Robotic vision system for random bin picking with dual-arm robots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Sangseung

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Random bin picking is one of the most challenging industrial robotics applications available. It constitutes a complicated interaction between the vision system, robot, and control system. For a packaging operation requiring a pick-and-place task, the robot system utilized should be able to perform certain functions for recognizing the applicable target object from randomized objects in a bin. In this paper, we introduce a robotic vision system for bin picking using industrial dual-arm robots. The proposed system recognizes the best object from randomized target candidates based on stereo vision, and estimates the position and orientation of the object. It then sends the result to the robot control system. The system was developed for use in the packaging process of cell phone accessories using dual-arm robots.

Niemann-Pick disease type C

OpenAIRE

Vanier, Marie T

2010-01-01

Abstract Niemann-Pick C disease (NP-C) is a neurovisceral atypical lysosomal lipid storage disorder with an estimated minimal incidence of 1/120 000 live births. The broad clinical spectrum ranges from a neonatal rapidly fatal disorder to an adult-onset chronic neurodegenerative disease. The neurological involvement defines the disease severity in most patients but is typically preceded by systemic signs (cholestatic jaundice in the neonatal period or isolated spleno- or hepatosplenomegaly in...

Niemann-Pick disease, type B with TRAP-positive storage cells and secondary sea blue histiocytosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Saxena

2009-09-01

Full Text Available We present 2 cases of Niemann Pick disease, type B with secondary sea-blue histiocytosis. Strikingly, in both cases the Pick cells were positive for tartrate resistant acid phosphatase, a finding hitherto described only in Gaucher cells. This report highlights the importance of this finding as a potential cytochemical diagnostic pitfall in the diagnosis of Niemann Pick disease.

Use of ergonomic principles in manual order picking systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Labus Nina

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Successful companies are continually striving to streamline costs and optimize processes, enabling them to grow progress, develop and ensure competitiveness on the market. A large part of the costs arises in warehouses, where up to 55% of total costs are generated by order-picking, which makes it important and interesting in terms of research. The paper explores “picker to part” order-picking concept, which enables flexible work and is the optimal choice for most companies. The concept is associated with a high level of work-related injuries and work-related illnesses. Work requires physical efforts resulting from handling heavy goods, performing repetitive movements and using manipulative means. Human as the main actor of the concept affects the costs caused by picking and the quality of work done, which depends on technological support, physically and psychologically capable and motivated people. Due to the high costs of service, the focus on time planning and productivity increases. Contrary, the lack of attention is paid to the working conditions and the health status of the pickers. To overcome this gab, a review of scientific and professional literature on ergonomic principles in picking concept »picker to part« was carried out, followed by a quantitative survey of ergonomic properties in warehousing activities. Results revealed that more than 60% of the surveyed order-pickers associate problems with health with the characteristics of work, about 24% of them associate health problems with the use of a particular means of transport, and all agree that provided measures to reduce physical effort and greater support of technologies influence on increased speed of work and better health status of order-pickers.

Development of a doorframe-typed swinging seedling pick-up device for automatic field transplantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, H.; Mao, H.; Hu, J.; Tian, K.

2015-07-01

A doorframe-typed swing seedling pick-up device for automatic field transplanters was developed and evaluated in a laboratory. The device, consisting of a path manipulator and two grippers, can move the pins slowly to extract seedlings from the tray cells and return quickly to the pick-up point for the next extraction. The path manipulator was constructed with the creative design of type-Ⅱ mechanism combination in series. It consists of an oscillating guide linkage mechanism and a grooved globoidal cam mechanism. The gripper is a pincette-type mechanism using the pick-up pins to penetrate into the root mass for seedling extraction. The dynamic analysis of the designed seedling pick-up device was simulated with ADAMS software. Being the first prototype, various performance tests under local production conditions were conducted to find out the optimal machine operation parameters and transplant production conditions. As the gripper with multiple fine pins was moved by the swing pick-up device, it can effectively complete the transplanting work cycle of extracting, transferring, and discharging a seedling. The laboratory evaluation showed that the pick-up device equipped with two grippers can extract 80 seedlings/min with a 90% success and a 3% failure in discharging seedlings, using 42-day-old tomato plantlets. The quality of extracting seedlings was satisfactory. (Author)

Solenoid pick-up problem in the CREN-K Triga Mark 2 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malu wa Kalenga; Kobakozete Itono; Diazengwa Mpaka; Mampaka Mana Mouiny; Itio Momba

1981-01-01

During a lazy susan forty irradiation tube inspection with the specimen lifting device, the solenoid-operated specimen pick-up tool happened to be locked in the number fourteen position loading tube. The present paper describes the successful experiment which was carried out to solve a potential damaging situation for the safe and useful operation of the reactor. The first step in the investigation process was to ascertain what has indeed occurred in the reactor core to avoid any ill advised step which will worsen the situation. The alternatives were the following: a) The specimen tube was not lined with the loading tube; b) The lazy susan was not working properly due example to the fact that a roll pin in a drive shaft coupling inside the drive shaft tube has been broken; c) The pick-up tool has produced through the cleanout hole in the bottom of the specimen tube and engage the hole; d) The pick-up tool might have slided most of the way between the lazy susan and its housing. By moving up and down the pick-up tool and rotating back and forth the lazy susan it was possible to come to the conclusion that alternative c) was the most likely. It was not possible to release the pick-up tool because its engaging arms could not be activated as was often the case when lifting aluminium container

Solenoid pick-up problem in the CREN-K Triga Mark 2 reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malu wa Kalenga; Kobakozete Itono; Diazengwa Mpaka; Mampaka Mana Mouiny; Itio Momba (Commissariat des Sciences Nucleaires, Kinshasa (Zaire). Centre Regional d' Etudes Nucleaires)

1981-01-01

During a lazy susan forty irradiation tube inspection with the specimen lifting device, the solenoid-operated specimen pick-up tool happened to be locked in the number fourteen position loading tube. The present paper describes the successful experiment which was carried out to solve a potential damaging situation for the safe and useful operation of the reactor. The first step in the investigation process was to ascertain what has indeed occurred in the reactor core to avoid any ill advised step which will worsen the situation. The alternatives were the following: a) The specimen tube was not lined with the loading tube; b) The lazy susan was not working properly due example to the fact that a roll pin in a drive shaft coupling inside the drive shaft tube has been broken; c) The pick-up tool has produced through the cleanout hole in the bottom of the specimen tube and engage the hole; d) The pick-up tool might have slided most of the way between the lazy susan and its housing. By moving up and down the pick-up tool and rotating back and forth the lazy susan it was possible to come to the conclusion that alternative c) was the most likely. It was not possible to release the pick-up tool because its engaging arms could not be activated as was often the case when lifting aluminium container.

Habit Reversal as a Treatment for Chronic Skin Picking: A Pilot Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Ellen J.; Woods, Douglas W.; Twohig, Michael P.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of habit reversal (HR) to a wait-list control as a treatment for chronic skin picking in adults. Twenty-five adults with a chronic skin-picking problem were randomly assigned to a wait-list control or HR group. At pretreatment, posttreatment, and a 3-month follow-up, self-reported skin…

A multi-objective approach to the assignment of stock keeping units to unidirectional picking lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Le Roux, G. J.

2017-05-01

Full Text Available An order picking system in a distribution centre consisting of parallel unidirectional picking lines is considered. The objectives are to minimise the walking distance of the pickers, the largest volume of stock on a picking line over all picking lines, the number of small packages, and the total penalty incurred for late distributions. The problem is formulated as a multi-objective multiple knapsack problem that is not solvable in a realistic time. Population-based algorithms, including the artificial bee colony algorithm and the genetic algorithm, are also implemented. The results obtained from all algorithms indicate a substantial improvement on all objectives relative to historical assignments. The genetic algorithm delivers the best performance.

75 FR 22423 - Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Division Proposed Project Use Power Rate

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-28

...: Reopening of comment period for review of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western... reopening the comment period for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Division... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and...

75 FR 1408 - Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Division Proposed Project Use Power Rate

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-11

... of Proposed Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Divisions, Project Use Power Rate...) for Project Use Power for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program (P-SMBP), Eastern and Western... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and...

A comparative study of Alzheimer's disease and Pick's disease by CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichimiya, Yosuke; Kobayashi, Kazunari; Arai, Heii; Ikeda, Kenji; Kosaka, Kenji

1984-01-01

17 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease, 11 patients with clinically diagnosed Pick's disease and 13 healthy age-matched subjects as the control were studied by computed tomography (CT). In order to study cerebral atrophy, volumetric measurement was performed. Subarachnoid Space Volume Index (SVI). Frontal, Temporal, and Parieto-Occipital Subarachnoid Space Volume Indices (SfVI, StVI, and SpoVI, respectively) as well as Ventricle Volume Index (VVI), The volume indices of anterior horn, inferior horn, and posterior horn of the lateral ventricles (VaVI, ViVI, and VpVI, respectively) were calculated as the indices for the atrophy of the cerebral cortex and white matter. Furthermore, to evaluate lobar atrophy, SfVI+VaVI (FA), StVI+ViVI (TA), and SpoVI+VpVI (POA) were defined as the indices of frontal lobe atrophy, temporal lobe atrophy, and parieto-occipital lobe atrophy respectively. In Alzheimer's patients, FA and POA were significantly large (p<0.001) in stage I group and TA was significantly enlarged (p<0.001) in stage II group. In Pick's patients, FA and TA were significantly large (FA : p<0.001, TA : p<0.01) in stage I group and POA became significantly prominent (p<0.001) in stage III group. Pick's patients showed significantly larger SfVI (p<0.2 in stage I group and p<0.001 in stage II group) and FA (p<0.01 in stage II group) than Alzheimer's patients. The results in this study give us the following suggestions; 1) Alzheimer's patients show a diffuse cerebral atrophy in the early stage. 2) Pick's patients have a localized atrophy of frontal and temporal lobes already in the early stage. 3) Compared with Alzheimer's patients, Pick's patients show significantly more severe atrophy in frontal lobe at the early stage. (J.P.N.)

Climate Change and Fruit-Picking Tourism: Impact and Adaptation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Liu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this work is to present phenology as a valid indicator and methodology for monitoring and assessing the impact of climate change on plant-based tourist activities. Fruit-picking has become a popular rural tourism activity worldwide. However, fruit maturity dates (FMD have been affected by climate change (CC, which has in turn profoundly affected fruit-picking tourism activities (FPTA. In this paper, phenological data on the FMD for 45 types of plants in 1980–2012, dates for more than 200 fruit-picking festivals, and data on monthly average air temperature in 1980–2013 were used to assess the impact of CC on FPTA by wavelet and correlation analyses. The findings indicated that the study area had been significantly affected by CC. Prevailing temperatures at one or three months prior have a decisive influence on FMD. Among the 11 plants directly related to FPTA, the FMD of four were significantly advanced, while 6-7 were significantly delayed owning to increased temperature. Of the 11 FPTA, only two had realized the impact of CC and had adjusted festival opening dates based on dynamic changes. However, a considerable number of festival activities remained fixed or scheduled on the weekends.

Warehouse order-picking process. Order-picker routing problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Korobkov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article continues “Warehouse order-picking process” cycle and describes order-picker routing sub-problem of a warehouse order-picking process. It draws analogies between the orderpickers’ routing problem and traveling salesman’s problem, shows differences between the standard problem statement of a traveling salesman and routing problem of warehouse orderpickers, and gives the particular Steiner’s problem statement of a traveling salesman.Warehouse layout with a typical order is represented by a graph, with some its vertices corresponding to mandatory order-picker’s visits and some other ones being noncompulsory. The paper describes an optimal Ratliff-Rosenthal algorithm to solve order-picker’s routing problem for the single-block warehouses, i.e. warehouses with only two crossing aisles, defines seven equivalent classes of partial routing sub-graphs and five transitions used to have an optimal routing sub-graph of a order-picker. An extension of optimal Ratliff-Rosenthal order-picker routing algorithm for multi-block warehouses is presented and also reasons for using the routing heuristics instead of exact optimal algorithms are given. The paper offers algorithmic description of the following seven routing heuristics: S-shaped, return, midpoint, largest gap, aisle-by-aisle, composite, and combined as well as modification of combined heuristics. The comparison of orderpicker routing heuristics for one- and two-block warehouses is to be described in the next article of the “Warehouse order-picking process” cycle.

Detection of interstellar pick-up hydrogen in the solar system

Science.gov (United States)

Gloeckler, G.; Geiss, J.; Balsiger, H.; Fisk, L. A.; Galvin, A. B.; Ipavich, F. M.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Von Steiger, R.; Wilken, B.

1993-01-01

Interstellar hydrogen ionized primarily by the solar wind has been detected by the Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer instrument on the Ulysses spacecraft at a distance of 4.8 AUs from the sun. This 'pick-up' hydrogen is identified by its distinct velocity distribution function, which drops abruptly at twice the local solar wind speed. From the measured fluxes of pick-up protons and singly charged helium, the number densities of neutral hydrogen and helium in the distant regions of the solar system are estimated to be 0.077 +/- 0.015 and 0.013 +/- 0.003 per cu cm, respectively.

Benchmarking motion planning algorithms for bin-picking applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Thomas Fridolin; Ellekilde, Lars-Peter

2017-01-01

Purpose For robot motion planning there exists a large number of different algorithms, each appropriate for a certain domain, and the right choice of planner depends on the specific use case. The purpose of this paper is to consider the application of bin picking and benchmark a set of motion...... planning algorithms to identify which are most suited in the given context. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a selection of motion planning algorithms and defines benchmarks based on three different bin-picking scenarios. The evaluation is done based on a fixed set of tasks, which are planned...... and executed on a real and a simulated robot. Findings The benchmarking shows a clear difference between the planners and generally indicates that algorithms integrating optimization, despite longer planning time, perform better due to a faster execution. Originality/value The originality of this work lies...

Fifteen Minutes of Fame? The Market Impact of Internet Stock Picks

OpenAIRE

Peter Antunovich; Asani Sarkar

2006-01-01

We examine 120 Nasdaq and Over-the-Counter "buy" recommendations made by Internet sites from April 1999 to June 2001. The stock picks show substantial short- and long-run price and liquidity gains, although no new information is revealed about them. For example, liquidity one year after the pick day remains higher for these stocks than for a sample matched according to size, book-to-market value, and liquidity in the preceding year. In addition, after controlling for fundamental and microstru...

A Semiautomated Multilayer Picking Algorithm for Ice-sheet Radar Echograms Applied to Ground-Based Near-Surface Data

Science.gov (United States)

Onana, Vincent De Paul; Koenig, Lora Suzanne; Ruth, Julia; Studinger, Michael; Harbeck, Jeremy P.

2014-01-01

Snow accumulation over an ice sheet is the sole mass input, making it a primary measurement for understanding the past, present, and future mass balance. Near-surface frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radars image isochronous firn layers recording accumulation histories. The Semiautomated Multilayer Picking Algorithm (SAMPA) was designed and developed to trace annual accumulation layers in polar firn from both airborne and ground-based radars. The SAMPA algorithm is based on the Radon transform (RT) computed by blocks and angular orientations over a radar echogram. For each echogram's block, the RT maps firn segmented-layer features into peaks, which are picked using amplitude and width threshold parameters of peaks. A backward RT is then computed for each corresponding block, mapping the peaks back into picked segmented-layers. The segmented layers are then connected and smoothed to achieve a final layer pick across the echogram. Once input parameters are trained, SAMPA operates autonomously and can process hundreds of kilometers of radar data picking more than 40 layers. SAMPA final pick results and layer numbering still require a cursory manual adjustment to correct noncontinuous picks, which are likely not annual, and to correct for inconsistency in layer numbering. Despite the manual effort to train and check SAMPA results, it is an efficient tool for picking multiple accumulation layers in polar firn, reducing time over manual digitizing efforts. The trackability of good detected layers is greater than 90%.

PICK1 regulates the trafficking of ASIC1a and acidotoxicity in a BAR domain lipid binding-dependent manner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Wenying

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a is the major ASIC subunit determining acid-activated currents in brain neurons. Recent studies show that ASIC1a play critical roles in acid-induced cell toxicity. While these studies raise the importance of ASIC1a in diseases, mechanisms for ASIC1a trafficking are not well understood. Interestingly, ASIC1a interacts with PICK1 (protein interacting with C-kinase 1, an intracellular protein that regulates trafficking of several membrane proteins. However, whether PICK1 regulates ASIC1a surface expression remains unknown. Results Here, we show that PICK1 overexpression increases ASIC1a surface level. A BAR domain mutant of PICK1, which impairs its lipid binding capability, blocks this increase. Lipid binding of PICK1 is also required for PICK1-induced clustering of ASIC1a. Consistent with the effect on ASIC1a surface levels, PICK1 increases ASIC1a-mediated acidotoxicity and this effect requires both the PDZ and BAR domains of PICK1. Conclusions Taken together, our results indicate that PICK1 regulates trafficking and function of ASIC1a in a lipid binding-dependent manner.

Necessity and complexity of order picking routing optimisation based on pallet loading features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bódis Tamás

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Order picking is the most labour-intensive and costly activity of warehouses. The main challenges of its improvement are the synchronisation of warehouse layout, storage assignment policy, routing, zoning, and batching. Furthermore, the competitiveness of the warehouse depends on how it adapts to the unique customer demands and product parameters and the changes. The operators usually have to manage the picking sequence based on best practices taking into consideration the product stacking factors and minimising the lead time. It is usually necessary to support the operators by making e ective decisions. Researchers of the pallet loading problem, bin packing problem, and order picking optimisation provide a wide horizon of solutions but their results are rarely synchronised.

Using Robot Skills for Flexible Reprogramming of Pick Operations in Industrial Scenarios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Rasmus S.; Nalpantidis, Lazaros; Krüger, Volker

2014-01-01

objects on tabletops and pick them up in a user-specified manner. The programming itself is primarily done through kinesthetic teaching. We show that the skill has robustness towards the location and shape of the object to pick, and that objects from a real industrial production line can be handled. Also......, preliminary tests indicate that non-expert users can learn to use the skill after only a short introduction....

NMRNet: A deep learning approach to automated peak picking of protein NMR spectra.

Science.gov (United States)

Klukowski, Piotr; Augoff, Michal; Zieba, Maciej; Drwal, Maciej; Gonczarek, Adam; Walczak, Michal J

2018-03-14

Automated selection of signals in protein NMR spectra, known as peak picking, has been studied for over 20 years, nevertheless existing peak picking methods are still largely deficient. Accurate and precise automated peak picking would accelerate the structure calculation, and analysis of dynamics and interactions of macromolecules. Recent advancement in handling big data, together with an outburst of machine learning techniques, offer an opportunity to tackle the peak picking problem substantially faster than manual picking and on par with human accuracy. In particular, deep learning has proven to systematically achieve human-level performance in various recognition tasks, and thus emerges as an ideal tool to address automated identification of NMR signals. We have applied a convolutional neural network for visual analysis of multidimensional NMR spectra. A comprehensive test on 31 manually-annotated spectra has demonstrated top-tier average precision (AP) of 0.9596, 0.9058 and 0.8271 for backbone, side-chain and NOESY spectra, respectively. Furthermore, a combination of extracted peak lists with automated assignment routine, FLYA, outperformed other methods, including the manual one, and led to correct resonance assignment at the levels of 90.40%, 89.90% and 90.20% for three benchmark proteins. The proposed model is a part of a Dumpling software (platform for protein NMR data analysis), and is available at https://dumpling.bio/. michaljerzywalczak@gmail.compiotr.klukowski@pwr.edu.pl. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Excoriation (skin-picking disorder: a systematic review of treatment options

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lochner C

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Christine Lochner,1 Annerine Roos,1 Dan J Stein2 1SU/UCT MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; 2SU/UCT MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa Abstract: Although pathological skin-picking has been documented in the medical literature since the 19th century, it has only recently been included as a distinct entity in psychiatric classification systems. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition and the proposed International Classification of Diseases, Eleventh Revision, excoriation (skin-picking disorder (ED, also known as neurotic excoriation, psychogenic excoriation, or dermatillomania, is described as recurrent picking of skin, leading to skin lesions and significant distress or functional impairment. ED is listed as one of the obsessive–compulsive and related disorders, given its overlap with conditions such as trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder. Arguably, its inclusion and delineation in the diagnostic nomenclature will lead to increased awareness of the condition, more research, and ultimately in treatment advances. This systematic review aims to provide readers with an up-to-date view of current treatment options for ED. A MEDLINE search of the ED treatment literature was conducted to collate relevant articles published between 1996 and 2017. The findings indicate that a number of randomized controlled trails on ED have now been published, and that current management options include behavioral therapy (habit reversal or acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy, and medication (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or N-acetyl cysteine. Keywords: excoriation, skin-picking, treatment, habit reversal therapy, behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, systematic review

Interaction of intersteller pick-up ions with the solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mobius, E.; Klecker, B.; Hovestadt, D.; Scholer, M.

1988-01-01

The interaction of interstellar pick-up ions with the solar wind is studied by comparing a model for the velocity distribution function of pick-up ions with actual measurements of He + ions in the solar wind. The model includes the effects of pitch-angle diffusion due to interplanetary Alfven waves, adiabatic deceleration in the expanding solar wind and the radial variation of the source function. It is demonstrated that the scattering mean free path is in the range ≤0.1 AU and that energy diffusion can be neglected as compared with adiabatic deceleration. The effects of adiabatic focusing, of the radial variation of the neutral density and of an variation of the solar wind velocity with distance from the Sun are investigated. With the correct choice of these parameters the authors can model the measured energy spectra of the pick-up ions does not vary with the solar wind velocity and the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field for a given local neutral gas density and ionization rate. Therefore, the comparison of the model distributions with the measurements leads to a quantitative determination of the local interstellar gas density

Molecular determinants for the complex binding specificity of the PDZ domain in PICK1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Kenneth L; Beuming, Thijs; Niv, Masha Y

2005-01-01

PICK1 (protein interacting with C kinase 1) contains a single PDZ domain known to mediate interaction with the C termini of several receptors, transporters, ion channels, and kinases. In contrast to most PDZ domains, the PICK1 PDZ domain interacts with binding sequences classifiable as type I (te...

The BAR Domain Protein PICK1 Controls Vesicle Number and Size in Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

da Silva Pinheiro, Paulo César; Jansen, Anna M; de Wit, Heidi

2014-01-01

, a marker for immature granules. In chromaffin cells isolated from a PICK1 knockout (KO) mouse the amount of exocytosis was reduced, while release kinetics and Ca(2+) sensitivity were unaffected. Vesicle-fusion events had a reduced frequency and released lower amounts of transmitter per vesicle (i...... in vesicle number and size, whereas the fusion competence of generated vesicles was unaffected by the absence of PICK1. Viral rescue experiments demonstrated that long-term re-expression of PICK1 is necessary to restore normal vesicular content and secretion, while short-term overexpression is ineffective...

Membrane Localization is Critical for Activation of the PICK1 BAR Domain

OpenAIRE

Madsen, Kenneth L.; Eriksen, Jacob; Milan-Lobo, Laura; Han, Daniel S.; Niv, Masha Y.; Ammendrup-Johnsen, Ina; Henriksen, Ulla; Bhatia, Vikram K.; Stamou, Dimitrios; Sitte, Harald H.; McMahon, Harvey T.; Weinstein, Harel; Gether, Ulrik

2008-01-01

The PSD-95/Discs-large/ZO-1 homology (PDZ) domain protein, protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) contains a C-terminal Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain mediating recognition of curved membranes; however, the molecular mechanisms controlling the activity of this domain are poorly understood. In agreement with negative regulation of the BAR domain by the N-terminal PDZ domain, PICK1 distributed evenly in the cytoplasm, whereas truncation of the PDZ domain caused BAR domain-dependent redis...

Generalized fragment picking in Rosetta: design, protocols and applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominik Gront

Full Text Available The Rosetta de novo structure prediction and loop modeling protocols begin with coarse grained Monte Carlo searches in which the moves are based on short fragments extracted from a database of known structures. Here we describe a new object oriented program for picking fragments that greatly extends the functionality of the previous program (nnmake and opens the door for new approaches to structure modeling. We provide a detailed description of the code design and architecture, highlighting its modularity, and new features such as extensibility, total control over the fragment picking workflow and scoring system customization. We demonstrate that the program provides at least as good building blocks for ab-initio structure prediction as the previous program, and provide examples of the wide range of applications that are now accessible.

Vision guided robot bin picking of cylindrical objects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Georg Kronborg; Dyhr-Nielsen, Carsten

1997-01-01

In order to achieve increased flexibility on robotic production lines an investigation of the rovbot bin-picking problem is presented. In the paper, the limitations related to previous attempts to solve the problem are pointed uot and a set of innovative methods are presented. The main elements...

Metaheuristic approaches to order sequencing on a unidirectional picking line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AP de Villiers

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper the sequencing of orders on a unidirectional picking line is considered. The aim of the order sequencing is to minimise the number of cycles travelled by a picker within the picking line to complete all orders. A tabu search, simulated annealing, genetic algorithm, generalised extremal optimisation and a random local search are presented as possible solution approaches. Computational results based on real life data instances are presented for these metaheuristics and compared to the performance of a lower bound and the solutions used in practise. The random local search exhibits the best overall solution quality, however, the generalised extremal optimisation approach delivers comparable results in considerably shorter computational times.

Material flow enhancement in production assembly lines under application of zoned order picking systems

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D. Živanić

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Introduced research work relates to the possibility of material flow enhancement in production systems, with the apostrophe on material order picking in production assembly lines. The paper presents basic rules and the results related to formed computer models of zoned order picking systems under the application of developed bound cavities method.

Tracked "Pick-Up" Ultrasound for Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Caitlin; Nguan, Christopher; Rohling, Robert; Salcudean, Septimiu

2016-02-01

We present a novel "pick-up" ultrasound transducer for intraabdominal robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery. Such a "pick-up" ultrasound transducer is inserted through an abdominal incision at the beginning of the procedure and remains in the abdominal cavity throughout, eliminating the need for a dedicated port or a patient bedside surgical assistant. The transducer has a handle that can be grasped in a repeatable manner using a da Vinci Prograsp tool, allowing the transducer to be accurately manipulated by the surgeon using the da Vinci Robot. This is one way to enable 3-D tracking of the transducer, and, thus, mapping of the vasculature. The 3-D vascular images can be used to register preoperative CT to intraoperative camera images. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, we use an ultrasound vessel phantom to register a CT surface model to extracted ultrasound vessel models. The 3-D vascular phantom images are generated by segmenting B-mode images and tracking the pick-up ultrasound transducer with the da Vinci kinematics, internal electromagnetic sensor, or visible fiducials suitable for camera tracking. Reconstruction results using da Vinci kinematics for tracking give a target registration error of 5.4 ± 1.7 mm.

Treatment of Chronic Skin-Picking in an Adolescent With Asperger Syndrome and Borderline Intellectual Disability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lang, R.B.; Didden, H.C.M.; Sigafoos, J.; Rispoli, M.; Regester, A.; Lancioni, G.E.

2009-01-01

We present the case of a 17-year-old girl with Asperger syndrome and borderline intellectual disability with a 5-year history of chronic skin-picking. Our intervention approach included an initial functional assessment to identify variables maintaining skin-picking, followed by evaluation of a

75 FR 72843 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-26

... in regard to the scheduling of meetings for the transaction of National Science Board business and... your name and place of business to request your badge, which will be ready for pick-up at the visitor's... Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) for America's Future. [cir] Speaker: Dr...

Sensitivity of Velocity Picking on 4th Order Non Hyperbolic Move out Correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enuma, C.; Hope, R.; Idoko, P.

2003-01-01

Long offset processing has become the standard for TotaFinaElf in the Deep Offshore Nigeria. The advantage of having longer offsets are numerous; higher fold of coverage, improved S/N improved AVA analysis, less multiple contamination etc. A key element in successful long offset processing is the higher order velocity picking. In classical processing of seismic data with standard 2nd order terms for NMO correction, and outer mute at approximately 27 degrees, not to include non flattened events is required. By applying 3 terms 4th order anisotropic non hyperbolic corrections, angles out to 50-60 degrees may be flattened and can be very useful. Typically in modern 3D seismic data processing velocities are picked every 1km or 0.5km. a test was carried out to study the effect of the lateral velocity pick spacing required to properly flatten events at longer offsets. The evaluation of the test w3as carried out by loading all the CMP gathers along the line on a workstation as a 3D so that the flatness on pre-stack could be studied. The analysis showed that for 2nd order NMO 0.5km spacing is adequate to properly interpolate and flatten events at all CMP gathers along the line. However it was shown that for more advanced processing, such as the 4th order anisotropic three terms non hyperbolic velocity corrections, a more dense lateral velocity picking would be advantageous in terms of flattening of reflections. This presentation show how important long offset processing is and especially the importance of velocity picking

Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Confining Stress on Hard Rock Fragmentation Using a Conical Pick

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xibing; Wang, Shaofeng; Wang, Shanyong

2018-01-01

High geostress is a prominent condition in deep excavations and affects the cuttability of deep hard rock. This study aims to determine the influence of confining stress on hard rock fragmentation as applied by a conical pick. Using a true triaxial test apparatus, static and coupled static and dynamic loadings from pick forces were applied to end faces of cubic rock specimens to break them under biaxial, uniaxial and stress-free confining stress conditions. The cuttability indices (peak pick force, insertion depth and disturbance duration), failure patterns and fragment sizes were measured and compared to estimate the effects of confining stress. The results show that the rock cuttabilities decreased in order from rock breakages under stress-free conditions to uniaxial confining stress and then to biaxial confining stress. Under biaxial confining stress, only flake-shaped fragments were stripped from the rock surfaces under the requirements of large pick forces or disturbance durations. As the level of uniaxial confining stress increased, the peak pick force and the insertion depth initially increased and then decreased, and the failure patterns varied from splitting to partial splitting and then to rock bursts with decreasing average fragment sizes. Rock bursts will occur under elastic compression via ultra-high uniaxial confining stresses. There are two critical uniaxial confining stress levels, namely stress values at which peak pick forces begin to decrease and improve rock cuttability, and those at which rock bursts initially occur and cutting safety decreases. In particular, hard rock is easiest to split safely and efficiently under stress-free conditions. Moreover, coupled static preloading and dynamic disturbance can increase the efficiency of rock fragmentation with increasing preloading levels and disturbance amplitudes. The concluding remarks confirm hard rock cuttability using conical pick, which can improve the applicability of mechanical excavation in

Pick-N-Pull Auto Dismantlers, Kansas City, LLC Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

The EPA is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Pick-N-Pull Auto Dismantlers, Kansas City, LLC, a subsidiary of Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., for alleged violations at its facilities at 8012 East Truman Rd., Kansas C

The Impact of Visual Guided Order Picking on Ocular Comfort, Ocular Surface and Tear Function.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelika Klein-Theyer

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of a visual picking system on ocular comfort, the ocular surface and tear function compared to those of a voice guided picking solution.Prospective, observational, cohort study.Institutional.A total of 25 young asymptomatic volunteers performed commissioning over 10 hours on two consecutive days.The operators were guided in the picking process by two different picking solutions, either visually or by voice while their subjective symptoms and ocular surface and tear function parameters were recorded.The visual analogue scale (VAS values, according to subjective dry eye symptoms, in the visual condition were significantly higher at the end of the commissioning than the baseline measurements. In the voice condition, the VAS values remained stable during the commissioning. The tear break-up time (BUT values declined significantly in the visual condition (pre-task: 16.6 sec and post-task: 9.6 sec in the right eyes, that were exposed to the displays, the left eyes in the visual condition showed only a minor decline, whereas the BUT values in the voice condition remained constant (right eyes or even increased (left eyes over the time. No significant differences in the tear meniscus height values before and after the commissioning were observed in either condition.In our study, the use of visually guided picking solutions was correlated with post-task subjective symptoms and tear film instability.

DeepPicker: A deep learning approach for fully automated particle picking in cryo-EM.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Feng; Gong, Huichao; Liu, Gaochao; Li, Meijing; Yan, Chuangye; Xia, Tian; Li, Xueming; Zeng, Jianyang

2016-09-01

Particle picking is a time-consuming step in single-particle analysis and often requires significant interventions from users, which has become a bottleneck for future automated electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM). Here we report a deep learning framework, called DeepPicker, to address this problem and fill the current gaps toward a fully automated cryo-EM pipeline. DeepPicker employs a novel cross-molecule training strategy to capture common features of particles from previously-analyzed micrographs, and thus does not require any human intervention during particle picking. Tests on the recently-published cryo-EM data of three complexes have demonstrated that our deep learning based scheme can successfully accomplish the human-level particle picking process and identify a sufficient number of particles that are comparable to those picked manually by human experts. These results indicate that DeepPicker can provide a practically useful tool to significantly reduce the time and manual effort spent in single-particle analysis and thus greatly facilitate high-resolution cryo-EM structure determination. DeepPicker is released as an open-source program, which can be downloaded from https://github.com/nejyeah/DeepPicker-python. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Clubbers' Guide: Ideas for Science/STEM Clubs from... Books!

Science.gov (United States)

Howarth, Sue

2013-01-01

The internet is certainly a speedy way of finding plenty of information when searching for ideas for science or other STEM clubs. There are many helpful websites, such as that of the British Science Association, with their "free project resources" pages, which include "pick up and run" projects that can be linked to CREST…

An assessment of the waterside corrosion and hydrogen pick-up in the zircaloy-2 pressure tubes of PHWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sah, D.N.

1992-01-01

In view of the deleterious effect of hydriding on the operating life of zircaloy-2 pressure tubes in PHWRs there is an urgent need for the assessment of the status of the pressure tubes with respect to corrosion and hydrogen pick-up in the operating PHWRs. A model has been developed for analysing the waterside corrosion and hydrogen pick-up in the zircaloy-2 pressure tubes under reactor operating conditions. This model predicts the axial profiles of oxide layer thickness and hydrogen pick-up in the pressure tubes as a function of the operating time of the reactor. The prediction of hydrogen pick-up by the model in the F-10 pressure tube of RAPS-I have been found to be in good agreement with the measured value of hydrogen content. This report gives a brief description of the model and its predictions on the present status of hydrogen pick-up in the pressure tubes of lead reactor RAPS-II. (author). 6 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs

Revisiting the theory of the evolution of pick-up ion distributions: magnetic or adiabatic cooling?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Fahr

2007-01-01

Full Text Available We study the phasespace behaviour of heliospheric pick-up ions after the time of their injection as newly created ions into the solar wind bulk flow from either charge exchange or photoionization of interplanetary neutral atoms. As interaction with the ambient MHD wave fields we allow for rapid pitch angle diffusion, but for the beginning of this paper we shall neglect the effect of quasilinear or nonlinear energy diffusion (Fermi-2 acceleration induced by counterflowing ambient waves. In the up-to-now literature connected with the convection of pick-up ions by the solar wind only adiabatic cooling of these ions is considered which in the solar wind frame takes care of filling the gap between the injection energy and energies of the thermal bulk of solar wind ions. Here we reinvestigate the basics of the theory behind this assumption of adiabatic pick-up ion reactions and correlated predictions derived from it. We then compare it with the new assumption of a pure magnetic cooling of pick-up ions simply resulting from their being convected in an interplanetary magnetic field which decreases in magnitude with increase of solar distance. We compare the results for pick-up ion distribution functions derived along both ways and can point out essential differences of observational and diagnostic relevance. Furthermore we then include stochastic acceleration processes by wave-particle interactions. As we can show, magnetic cooling in conjunction with diffusive acceleration by wave-particle interaction allows for an unbroken power law with the unique power index γ=−5 beginning from lowest velocities up to highest energy particles of about 100 KeV which just marginally can be in resonance with magnetoacoustic turbulences. Consequences for the resulting pick-up ion pressures are also analysed.

Revisiting the theory of the evolution of pick-up ion distributions: magnetic or adiabatic cooling?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Fahr

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We study the phasespace behaviour of heliospheric pick-up ions after the time of their injection as newly created ions into the solar wind bulk flow from either charge exchange or photoionization of interplanetary neutral atoms. As interaction with the ambient MHD wave fields we allow for rapid pitch angle diffusion, but for the beginning of this paper we shall neglect the effect of quasilinear or nonlinear energy diffusion (Fermi-2 acceleration induced by counterflowing ambient waves. In the up-to-now literature connected with the convection of pick-up ions by the solar wind only adiabatic cooling of these ions is considered which in the solar wind frame takes care of filling the gap between the injection energy and energies of the thermal bulk of solar wind ions. Here we reinvestigate the basics of the theory behind this assumption of adiabatic pick-up ion reactions and correlated predictions derived from it. We then compare it with the new assumption of a pure magnetic cooling of pick-up ions simply resulting from their being convected in an interplanetary magnetic field which decreases in magnitude with increase of solar distance. We compare the results for pick-up ion distribution functions derived along both ways and can point out essential differences of observational and diagnostic relevance. Furthermore we then include stochastic acceleration processes by wave-particle interactions. As we can show, magnetic cooling in conjunction with diffusive acceleration by wave-particle interaction allows for an unbroken power law with the unique power index γ=−5 beginning from lowest velocities up to highest energy particles of about 100 KeV which just marginally can be in resonance with magnetoacoustic turbulences. Consequences for the resulting pick-up ion pressures are also analysed.

PICK1 deficiency impairs secretory vesicle biogenesis and leads to growth retardation and decreased glucose tolerance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holst, Birgitte; Madsen, Kenneth L; Jansen, Anna M

2013-01-01

by electron microscopy showing prominent reduction in secretory vesicle number. Evidence was also obtained for impaired insulin secretion associated with decreased glucose tolerance. PICK1 localized in cells to immature secretory vesicles, and the PICK1 BAR domain was shown by live imaging to associate...

Feather-picking psittacines: histopathology and species trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Garner, M M; Clubb, S L; Mitchell, M A; Brown, L

2008-05-01

Histologic findings are described for 408 feather-picking or self-mutilating psittacines with the use of biopsies from clinically affected and unaffected skin. Inflammatory skin disease was diagnosed in 210 birds, and traumatic skin disease was diagnosed in 198 birds. Criteria used for the diagnosis of inflammatory skin disease included the presence of perivascular inflammation in the superficial or deep dermis of clinically affected and unaffected sites. The primary histologic criteria for the diagnosis of traumatic skin disease were superficial dermal scarring with or without inflammation in the affected sites and an absence of inflammation in the unaffected sites. The inflammatory cells associated with the lesions were typically lymphocytes and occasionally plasma cells, histiocytes, and granulocytes. A preponderance of inflammatory skin disease was seen in macaws (Ara spp.) and Amazon parrots (Amazona spp.). A preponderance of traumatic skin disease was seen in cockatoos (Cacatua spp.) and African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). The prevalence of each was approximately equal in several other species, including conures (Aratinga and Pyrrhura spp.), eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus), quaker parrots (Myiopsitta monachus), cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), parakeets (Cyanorhamphus and Psittacula spp.), and caiques (Pionites spp.). No geographic or gender-based trends were identified. These findings could be helpful for identifying and treating birds with feather-picking disorders.

CONEDEP: COnvolutional Neural network based Earthquake DEtection and Phase Picking

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Y.; Huang, Y.; Yue, H.; Zhou, S.; An, S.; Yun, N.

2017-12-01

We developed an automatic local earthquake detection and phase picking algorithm based on Fully Convolutional Neural network (FCN). The FCN algorithm detects and segments certain features (phases) in 3 component seismograms to realize efficient picking. We use STA/LTA algorithm and template matching algorithm to construct the training set from seismograms recorded 1 month before and after the Wenchuan earthquake. Precise P and S phases are identified and labeled to construct the training set. Noise data are produced by combining back-ground noise and artificial synthetic noise to form the equivalent scale of noise set as the signal set. Training is performed on GPUs to achieve efficient convergence. Our algorithm has significantly improved performance in terms of the detection rate and precision in comparison with STA/LTA and template matching algorithms.

Investigation into the potential for dust and gas explosions in underground coal mines with reference to pick tip geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawood, Albert D.

2011-01-01

In underground coal mines, methane gas, if present in sufficient concentration, may be ignited by sparks from hot spots on the picks of coal cutting machines striking hard bands of rock. During the coal cutting, wear-flat areas develop on the trailing side of the tips of picks. As pick wear progresses, the generation of frictional heat and coal dust increases and the development of hot spots at the cutting tips may lead to an explosion of methane gas. Field experience and research work over the last few years have facilitated excellent cutting performance for certain picks through the optimisation of the cutting parameters. Such performance improvements show great promise in preventing the incidence of gas or dust explosions occurring at the coal face area. This study sets out some of the fundamentals of pick geometry and cutting parameters and the methods which have been employed to achieve improvements in reducing the hazards of gas or dust explosions. It is based on the comparative trial results of two types of picks with different designs and on a range of available research information on the subject. My investigation looked at the fundamentals of pick geometry and cutting parameters and the current suppression techniques in place to control the dust and gas explosions on the coal operating face.

Functional Assessment and Behavioral Treatment of Skin Picking in a Teenage Girl With Prader-Willi Syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Radstaake, M.; Didden, H.C.M.; Bolio, M.M.L.; Lang, R.B.; Lancioni, G.E.; Curfs, L.M.G.

2011-01-01

Skin picking is common in individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) but few treatment studies exist. This study reports the successful functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and treatment of skin picking in a 16-year-old female with PWS. A treatment package based on FBA results consisted of

A Robust Formant Extraction Algorithm Combining Spectral Peak Picking and Root Polishing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seo Kwang-deok

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a robust formant extraction algorithm that combines the spectral peak picking, formants location examining for peak merger checking, and the root extraction methods. The spectral peak picking method is employed to locate the formant candidates, and the root extraction is used for solving the peak merger problem. The location and the distance between the extracted formants are also utilized to efficiently find out suspected peak mergers. The proposed algorithm does not require much computation, and is shown to be superior to previous formant extraction algorithms through extensive tests using TIMIT speech database.

Pick-Up Ion Instabilities at Planetary Magnetospheres

Science.gov (United States)

Strangeway, Robert J.; Sharber, James (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This effort involved the analysis of low frequency waves as observed by the Galileo spacecraft near the Galilean moon, Io. Io is a significant source of material, especially SO2, and various products of dissociation, and further these atoms and molecules are readily ionized. The initial velocity of the ions is essentially that of the neutral species, i.e., the Keplerian velocity. The plasma, on the other hand is co-rotating, and there is a differential flow of the order 57 km/s between the plasma and the neutral particles. Thus pick-up ion instabilities are Rely to occur within the Jovian magnetosphere. Indeed, magnetometer observations from the Galileo spacecraft clearly show ion cyclotron waves that have been identified with a large variety of plasma species, such as O+, S++ (which has the same gyro-frequency as O+), S+, and SO2+. Typically, however, the dominant frequency is near the SO2+ gyro-frequency. The research effort was originally planned to be a team effort between Robert J. Strangeway as the Principal Investigator, and Debbie Huddleston, who was an Assistant Research Geophysicist at UCLA. Unfortunately, Dr. Huddleston took a position within Industry. The effort was therefore descoped, and Dr. Strangeway instead pursued a collaboration with Dr. Xochitl Blanco-Cano, of the Instituto de Geofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. This has proved to be a productive collaboration, with several papers and publications arising out of the effort. The magnetic field oscillations near lo generally fall into two types: ion cyclotron waves, with frequencies near an ion gyro-frequency, and lower frequency mirror-mode waves. The ion cyclotron waves are mainly transverse, and frequently propagate along the ambient magnetic field. The mirror-mode waves are compressional waves, and they have essentially zero frequency in the plasma rest frame. One of the purposes of our investigation is to understand what controls the types of wave modes that occur, since both

An intelligent identification algorithm for the monoclonal picking instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Hua; Zhang, Rongfu; Yuan, Xujun; Wang, Qun

2017-11-01

The traditional colony selection is mainly operated by manual mode, which takes on low efficiency and strong subjectivity. Therefore, it is important to develop an automatic monoclonal-picking instrument. The critical stage of the automatic monoclonal-picking and intelligent optimal selection is intelligent identification algorithm. An auto-screening algorithm based on Support Vector Machine (SVM) is proposed in this paper, which uses the supervised learning method, which combined with the colony morphological characteristics to classify the colony accurately. Furthermore, through the basic morphological features of the colony, system can figure out a series of morphological parameters step by step. Through the establishment of maximal margin classifier, and based on the analysis of the growth trend of the colony, the selection of the monoclonal colony was carried out. The experimental results showed that the auto-screening algorithm could screen out the regular colony from the other, which meets the requirement of various parameters.

Relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive test performance in National Football League draft picks.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Gary S; Kuhn, Andrew

2014-04-01

There are limited empirical data available regarding the relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive functioning in active National Football League (NFL) players in general and NFL draft picks in particular. Potential NFL draft picks undergo 2 neurocognitive tests at the National Invitational Camp (Scouting Combine) every year: the Wonderlic and, since 2011, the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). After conclusion of the combine and before the draft, NFL teams invite potential draft picks to their headquarters for individual visits where further assessment may occur. To examine the relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive performance (ImPACT and Wonderlic) in a sample of elite NFL draft picks. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Over 7 years, 226 potential draft picks were invited to visit a specific NFL team's headquarters after the combine. The athletes were divided into 3 groups based on self-reported concussion history: no prior concussions, 1 prior concussion, and 2 or more prior concussions. Neurocognitive measures of interest included Wonderlic scores (provided by the NFL team) and ImPACT composite scores (administered either at the combine or during a visit to the team headquarters). The relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive scores was assessed, as were the relationships among the 2 neurocognitive tests. Concussion history had no relationship to neurocognitive performance on either the Wonderlic or ImPACT. Concussion history did not affect performance on either neurocognitive test, suggesting that for this cohort, a history of concussion may not have adverse effects on neurocognitive functioning as measured by these 2 tests. This study reveals no correlation between concussion history and neurocognitive test scores (ImPACT, Wonderlic) in soon-to-be active NFL athletes.

Wavefront picking for 3D tomography and full-waveform inversion

KAUST Repository

AlTheyab, Abdullah; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

We have developed an efficient approach for picking firstbreak wavefronts on coarsely sampled time slices of 3D shot gathers. Our objective was to compute a smooth initial velocity model for multiscale full-waveform inversion (FWI). Using

Study on store-space assignment based on logistic AGV in e-commerce goods to person picking pattern

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lijuan; Zhu, Jie

2017-10-01

This paper studied on the store-space assignment based on logistic AGV in E-commerce goods to person picking pattern, and established the store-space assignment model based on the lowest picking cost, and design for store-space assignment algorithm after the cluster analysis based on similarity coefficient. And then through the example analysis, compared the picking cost between store-space assignment algorithm this paper design and according to item number and storage according to ABC classification allocation, and verified the effectiveness of the design of the store-space assignment algorithm.

Public participation: Picking the players

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McNeill, L.; Jernigan, G.

1995-01-01

When citizens become involved in the public policy decision-making process, who picks the players? Are there any criteria for determining which members of the public should sit at the table? These are questions frequently asked by new participants and observers of the public involvement process. In the interest of trust and credibility, the process must be one of self-selection. Any exclusion on the part of the sponsoring organization would probably be interpreted by the public and the press as manipulative self-interest. Clearly, at times there are irrational people attending public meetings or submitting written comments. But if an organization begins excluding participants, the risk increases that the process will be perceived as a travesty

High-lying neutron hole strengths observed in pick-up reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gales, S.

1980-01-01

Neutron-hole states in orbits well below the Fermi surface have been observed in a number of medium-heavy nuclei from A=90 to 209 using one nucleon pick-up reactions. The excitation energies, angular distributions of such broad and enhanced structures will be discussed. The fragmentation of the neutron-hole strengths as well as the spreading of such simple mode of excitations into more complex states are compared to recent calculations within the quasiparticle-phonon or the single particle-vibration coupling nuclear models. We report on recent measurements of J for inner-hole states in 89 Zr and 115 Sn 119 Sn using the analyzing power of the (p,d) and (d,t) reactions. Large enhancement of cross-sections are observed at high excitation energy in the study of the (p,t) reactions on Zr, Cd, Sn, Te and Sm isotopes. The systematic features of such high-lying excitation are related to the ones observed in one neutron pick-up experiments. The origin of such concentration of two neutron-hole strengths in Cd and Sn isotopes will be discussed. Preliminary results obtained in the study of the (α, 6 He) reaction at 218 MeV incident energy on 90 Zr, 118 Sn and 208 Pb targets are presented and compared to the (p,t) results. Finally the properties of hole-analog states populated in neutron pick-up reactions (from 90 Zr to 208 Pb) will be presented

Pick- and waveform-based techniques for real-time detection of induced seismicity

Science.gov (United States)

Grigoli, Francesco; Scarabello, Luca; Böse, Maren; Weber, Bernd; Wiemer, Stefan; Clinton, John F.

2018-05-01

The monitoring of induced seismicity is a common operation in many industrial activities, such as conventional and non-conventional hydrocarbon production or mining and geothermal energy exploitation, to cite a few. During such operations, we generally collect very large and strongly noise-contaminated data sets that require robust and automated analysis procedures. Induced seismicity data sets are often characterized by sequences of multiple events with short interevent times or overlapping events; in these cases, pick-based location methods may struggle to correctly assign picks to phases and events, and errors can lead to missed detections and/or reduced location resolution and incorrect magnitudes, which can have significant consequences if real-time seismicity information are used for risk assessment frameworks. To overcome these issues, different waveform-based methods for the detection and location of microseismicity have been proposed. The main advantages of waveform-based methods is that they appear to perform better and can simultaneously detect and locate seismic events providing high-quality locations in a single step, while the main disadvantage is that they are computationally expensive. Although these methods have been applied to different induced seismicity data sets, an extensive comparison with sophisticated pick-based detection methods is still missing. In this work, we introduce our improved waveform-based detector and we compare its performance with two pick-based detectors implemented within the SeiscomP3 software suite. We test the performance of these three approaches with both synthetic and real data sets related to the induced seismicity sequence at the deep geothermal project in the vicinity of the city of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Application Value of Slider-Crank Mechanism in Pick-and-Place Operation of Delta Robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhe QIN

2018-01-01

Full Text Available By absorbing the advantages of the rotary-driven Delta robot and linear-driven Delta robot, a Delta robot for pick-and-place operation that forms a crank-slider at the drive joint is designed.To take the most common gate shaped curve in Cartesian space as the motion trail of robotic pick-and-place operation, according to the kinematics inverse solution theory of Delta robot, this thesis mainly solves the output angular velocity of robot-driven joint. Establishing the static transfer mathematical model and solving the forced condition of driving joint. The simulation analysis show that after the upper slider-crank mechanism is connected to the driving joint, the angular velocity of the driving joint changes suddenly, which caused a rigid impact on the robot in the picking and releasing operation, though the force of the driving joint can be made smaller.

Wear Assessment of Conical Pick used in Coal Cutting Operation

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dewangan, S.; Chattopadhyaya, S.; Hloch, Sergej

-, 11/2014 (2014), s. 1-6 ISSN 0723-2632 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : conical pick * wear * SEM * EDX Subject RIV: JQ - Machines ; Tools Impact factor: 2.420, year: 2014 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00603-014-0680-z

Proposal of an efficient operation method about order processing sequence and allocating goods to racks in the automatic picking system; Jido picking system ni okeru shohin no tanawaritsuke to chumon shori junjo no koritsuka un`yo hoshiki no teian

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ono, T.; Kagami, A.; Kosaka, M. [Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1997-07-05

The material distribution center is a facility to store the goods from a factory and to prepare to ship the goods in response to order from retail store. Recently, with multiplication of consumption market, multi-variety and less-amount of the goods, multi-frequency of delivery and time saving form order to delivery are required. As picking work to prepare the stored goods for each customer requires specially many man-hours out of the works in this center, time saving of working becomes an important problem. In this paper, for an object of the automatic picking system constructed by plural equipments and to execute picking of small goods for each order, the following two operation methods were proposed: (1) To define shelf sharing of the goods so that the picking requirement numbers for each picking hand may be uniform as well as possible in response to order distribution for each goods, and (2) to define treating sequence of order so as not to generate large difference in order treating times among each treating hand on operation in parallel. These operation methods were confirmed their total treating time saving by some experiments using actual ordered data. 7 refs., 8 figs., 6 tabs.

77 FR 40385 - Withdrawal of Regulatory Guide 7.3; Procedures for Picking Up and Receiving Packages of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-09

... Picking Up and Receiving Packages of Radioactive Material AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION.... Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is withdrawing RG 7.3, ``Procedures for Picking Up and... Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, or 301-415-4737, or by email at PDR...

Automatic seed picking for brachytherapy postimplant validation with 3D CT images.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guobin; Sun, Qiyuan; Jiang, Shan; Yang, Zhiyong; Ma, Xiaodong; Jiang, Haisong

2017-11-01

Postimplant validation is an indispensable part in the brachytherapy technique. It provides the necessary feedback to ensure the quality of operation. The ability to pick implanted seed relates directly to the accuracy of validation. To address it, an automatic approach is proposed for picking implanted brachytherapy seeds in 3D CT images. In order to pick seed configuration (location and orientation) efficiently, the approach starts with the segmentation of seed from CT images using a thresholding filter which based on gray-level histogram. Through the process of filtering and denoising, the touching seed and single seed are classified. The true novelty of this approach is found in the application of the canny edge detection and improved concave points matching algorithm to separate touching seeds. Through the computation of image moments, the seed configuration can be determined efficiently. Finally, two different experiments are designed to verify the performance of the proposed approach: (1) physical phantom with 60 model seeds, and (2) patient data with 16 cases. Through assessment of validated results by a medical physicist, the proposed method exhibited promising results. Experiment on phantom demonstrates that the error of seed location and orientation is within ([Formula: see text]) mm and ([Formula: see text])[Formula: see text], respectively. In addition, the most seed location and orientation error is controlled within 0.8 mm and 3.5[Formula: see text] in all cases, respectively. The average process time of seed picking is 8.7 s per 100 seeds. In this paper, an automatic, efficient and robust approach, performed on CT images, is proposed to determine the implanted seed location as well as orientation in a 3D workspace. Through the experiments with phantom and patient data, this approach also successfully exhibits good performance.

Immune dysfunction in Niemann?Pick disease type C

OpenAIRE

Platt, Nick; Speak, Annelise O.; Colaco, Alexandria; Gray, James; Smith, David A.; Williams, Ian M.; Wallom, Kerri?Lee; Platt, Frances M.

2015-01-01

Abstract Lysosomal storage diseases are inherited monogenic disorders in which lysosome function is compromised. Although individually very rare, they occur at a collective frequency of approximately one in five thousand live births and usually have catastrophic consequences for health. The lysosomal storage diseases Niemann?Pick disease type C (NPC) is caused by mutations predominantly in the lysosomal integral membrane protein NPC1 and clinically presents as a progressive neurodegenerative ...

Algorithmic-Reducibility = Renormalization-Group Fixed-Points; ``Noise''-Induced Phase-Transitions (NITs) to Accelerate Algorithmics (``NIT-Picking'') Replacing CRUTCHES!!!: Gauss Modular/Clock-Arithmetic Congruences = Signal X Noise PRODUCTS..

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, J.; Siegel, Edward Carl-Ludwig

2011-03-01

Cook-Levin computational-"complexity"(C-C) algorithmic-equivalence reduction-theorem reducibility equivalence to renormalization-(semi)-group phase-transitions critical-phenomena statistical-physics universality-classes fixed-points, is exploited with Gauss modular/clock-arithmetic/model congruences = signal X noise PRODUCT reinterpretation. Siegel-Baez FUZZYICS=CATEGORYICS(SON of ``TRIZ''): Category-Semantics(C-S) tabular list-format truth-table matrix analytics predicts and implements "noise"-induced phase-transitions (NITs) to accelerate versus to decelerate Harel [Algorithmics(1987)]-Sipser[Intro. Theory Computation(1997) algorithmic C-C: "NIT-picking" to optimize optimization-problems optimally(OOPO). Versus iso-"noise" power-spectrum quantitative-only amplitude/magnitude-only variation stochastic-resonance, this "NIT-picking" is "noise" power-spectrum QUALitative-type variation via quantitative critical-exponents variation. Computer-"science" algorithmic C-C models: Turing-machine, finite-state-models/automata, are identified as early-days once-workable but NOW ONLY LIMITING CRUTCHES IMPEDING latter-days new-insights!!!

77 FR 36017 - Regulatory Guide 7.3, Procedures for Picking Up and Receiving Packages of Radioactive Material

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-15

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0139] Regulatory Guide 7.3, Procedures for Picking Up and... Guide (RG) 7.3, ``Procedures for Picking Up and Receiving Packages of Radioactive Material.'' The guide..., please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, or 301-415-4737...

How consumers pick a hotel strategic segmentation and target marketing

CERN Document Server

Winston, William

2013-01-01

Venture through the pages of How Consumers Pick a Hotel to learn the steps of selecting a target and using consumer behavior applications to segment the market to reach your target. Much as a consumer goes through the process of selecting a satisfying hotel, you can choose to use the information provided to make your hospitality career relaxing and satisfying. When you finish this fantastic reading journey, you'll be prepared to offer services that meet the public's demands, and you'll possess the prerequisite knowledge and skills for developing your own strategic approach to a target market. As the many methods of segmentation are discussed in detail, you will also learn effective strategies for communicating with multiple segments. Ideal as a supplementary text for marketing and hospitality marketing courses, How Consumers Pick a Hotel provides a concise overview of consumer behavior and intertwines marketing theory with sound ways in which to implement the theory. This will both orient you and give you a s...

MgB2 magnetometer with directly coupled pick-up loop

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Portesi, C.; Mijatovic, D.; Veldhuis, Dick; Brinkman, Alexander; Monticone, E.; Gonnelli, R.S.

2006-01-01

magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop. We used an all in situ technique for fabricating magnesium diboride films, which consists of the co-evaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater respectively. Consequently, we realized the superconducting device, which

An Amphipathic Helix Directs Cellular Membrane Curvature Sensing and Function of the BAR Domain Protein PICK1.

Science.gov (United States)

Herlo, Rasmus; Lund, Viktor K; Lycas, Matthew D; Jansen, Anna M; Khelashvili, George; Andersen, Rita C; Bhatia, Vikram; Pedersen, Thomas S; Albornoz, Pedro B C; Johner, Niklaus; Ammendrup-Johnsen, Ina; Christensen, Nikolaj R; Erlendsson, Simon; Stoklund, Mikkel; Larsen, Jannik B; Weinstein, Harel; Kjærulff, Ole; Stamou, Dimitrios; Gether, Ulrik; Madsen, Kenneth L

2018-05-15

BAR domains are dimeric protein modules that sense, induce, and stabilize lipid membrane curvature. Here, we show that membrane curvature sensing (MCS) directs cellular localization and function of the BAR domain protein PICK1. In PICK1, and the homologous proteins ICA69 and arfaptin2, we identify an amphipathic helix N-terminal to the BAR domain that mediates MCS. Mutational disruption of the helix in PICK1 impaired MCS without affecting membrane binding per se. In insulin-producing INS-1E cells, super-resolution microscopy revealed that disruption of the helix selectively compromised PICK1 density on insulin granules of high curvature during their maturation. This was accompanied by reduced hormone storage in the INS-1E cells. In Drosophila, disruption of the helix compromised growth regulation. By demonstrating size-dependent binding on insulin granules, our finding highlights the function of MCS for BAR domain proteins in a biological context distinct from their function, e.g., at the plasma membrane during endocytosis. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cataplexy leading to the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C.

Science.gov (United States)

Smit, Liesbeth S; Lammers, Gert Jan; Catsman-Berrevoets, Coriene E

2006-07-01

Cataplexy in childhood is a rare and often misdiagnosed symptom. It is described as a brief episode of bilateral loss of muscle tone with intact consciousness, triggered by a variety of strong emotions and in particular with unexpected laughter. This report presents a 9-year old male with progressive cerebellar and pyramidal symptoms and a cognitive decline since the age of 4. His recently developed "drop attacks" on laughter were recognized as cataplexy and led to the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick type C disease. With biochemical studies this diagnosis, a lysosomal storage disease, was confirmed. With cataplexy narcolepsy, Niemann-Pick type C disease, Norrie disease, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Coffin-Lowry syndrome are associated disorders. Recognition of cataplexy in children with concomitant neurologic symptoms may lead to an early and straight diagnosis of one of these disorders.

Automatic picking of direct P, S seismic phases and fault zone head waves

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Z. E.; Ben-Zion, Y.

2014-10-01

We develop a set of algorithms for automatic detection and picking of direct P and S waves, as well as fault zone head waves (FZHW), generated by earthquakes on faults that separate different lithologies and recorded by local seismic networks. The S-wave picks are performed using polarization analysis and related filters to remove P-wave energy from the seismograms, and utilize STA/LTA and kurtosis detectors in tandem to lock on the phase arrival. The early portions of P waveforms are processed with STA/LTA, kurtosis and skewness detectors for possible first-arriving FZHW. Identification and picking of direct P and FZHW is performed by a multistage algorithm that accounts for basic characteristics (motion polarities, time difference, sharpness and amplitudes) of the two phases. The algorithm is shown to perform well on synthetic seismograms produced by a model with a velocity contrast across the fault, and observed data generated by earthquakes along the Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault and the Hayward fault. The developed techniques can be used for systematic processing of large seismic waveform data sets recorded near major faults.

Interactive Micromanipulation of Picking and Placement of Nonconductive Microsphere in Scanning Electron Microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Cao

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, classified theoretical models, consisting of contact with and placement of microsphere and picking operations, are simplified and established to depict the interactive behaviors of external and internal forces in pushing manipulations, respectively. Sliding and/or rolling cases, resulting in the acceleration of micromanipulations, are discussed in detail. Effective contact detection is achieved by combining alterations of light-shadow and relative movement displacement between the tip-sphere. Picking operations are investigated by typical interactive positions and different end tilt angles. Placements are realized by adjusting the proper end tilt angles. These were separately conducted to explore the interactive operations of nonconductive glass microspheres in a scanning electron microscope. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed contact detection method can efficiently protect the end-tip from damage, regardless of operator skills in initial positioning operations. E-beam irradiation onto different interactive positions with end tilt angles can be utilized to pick up microspheres without bending the end-tip. In addition, the results of releasing deviations away from the pre-setting point were utilized to verify the effectiveness of the placement tilt angles.

(p, α) reactions: knock-on(out) or pick-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadioli, E.

1983-01-01

Nothwithstanding the great lot of data collected starting from the beginning of fifties, it cannot be said that a good degree of knowledge about the (p, α) reaction mechanism has been reached. Experimental data are usually interpreted or on the basis of a pure pick-up or knock-on(out) mechanism, though many results suggest the importance of both mechanism

Clinical evaluation of chitotriosidase enzyme activity in Gaucher and Niemann Pick A/B diseases: A retrospective study from India.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadali, Srilatha; Kolusu, Anusha; Sunkara, Satish; Gummadi, Maheshwar Reddy; Undamatla, Jayanthi

2016-06-01

Plasma chitotriosidase originates from activated macrophages and is reported to be elevated in many Lysosomal Storage Disorders. Measurement of this enzyme activity has been an available tool for monitoring therapy of Gaucher disease. The degree of elevation of chitotriosidase is useful for differential diagnosis of Gaucher disease and Niemann Pick A/B. However the potential utility of this chitotriosidase assay depends on the frequency of deficient chitotriosidase activity in a particular population. We therefore aim to study the clinical utility of this assay Gaucher and Niemann Pick A/B diseases in the backdrop of chitotriosidase deficiency in our population. The study comprises 173 patients with clinical suspicion of either Gaucher disease (n=108) or Niemann Pick A/B (n=65) and 92 healthy controls. The plasma samples of controls, Gaucher disease, and Niemann Pick A/B showed chitotriosidase deficiency of 12%, 25% and 27% respectively. The degree of elevation of chitotriosidase in Gaucher disease and Niemann Pick A/B patients is 40-326 (11,325.7±6395.4nmol/h/ml) and 7-22 folds (1192.5±463.0nmol/h/ml) respectively. In view of these findings of distinguishable fold elevation of chitotriosidase in Gaucher disease or Niemann Pick A/B, it can be a potential surrogate differential diagnostic marker for these groups of diseases, except in the patients in whom this enzyme is deficient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Order picking in carousel systems under the nearest item heuristic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Litvak, Nelli; Zijm, Willem H.M.; Adan, I.J.B.F.; Wessels, J.

2001-01-01

A carousel is a computer-controlled warehousing system, which is widely used to store small- and medium-sized goods. One of the most important performance characteristics of such systems is the pick time of an order, which mostly depends on the travel time of the carousel. In this article, we

Order picking in carousel systems under the nearest item heuristic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Litvak, Nelli; Adan, I.J.B.F.; Wessels, J.; Zijm, Willem H.M.

2000-01-01

A carousel is a computer controlled warehousing system, which is widely used to store small and medium sized goods. One of the most important performance characteristics of such systems is the pick time of an order, which mostly depends on the travel time of the carousel. In this paper we consider

Order picking in carousel systems under the nearest item heuristic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Litvak, Nelli; Adan, I.J.B.F.; Wessels, J.B.; Zijm, Willem H.M.

2001-01-01

A carousel is a computer-controlled warehousing system, which is widely used to store small- and medium-sized goods+ One of the most important performance character- istics of such systems is the pick time of an order, which mostly depends on the travel time of the carousel+ In this article, we

The Effect of Slot-Code Optimization in Warehouse Order Picking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Fumi

2013-07-01

most appropriate material handling resource configuration. Building on previous work on the effect of slot-code optimization on travel times in single/dual command cycles, the authors broaden the scope to include the most general picking case, thus widening the range of applicability and realising former suggestions for future research.

Ac-loss measurement of coated conductors: The influence of the pick-up coil position

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Curt

2008-01-01

The ac-loss measurement by the magnetization method requires calibration for obtaining absolute values. A convenient way of calibration is the calorimetric measurement which yields, within the measuring accuracy, absolute loss values. In the magnetization measurement the hysteresis loop of sample magnetization which determines the losses is measured via the integration of magnetic flux penetrating a pick-up coil. The ratio of flux integral to magnetization integral and hence the calibration factor is however, for a given pick-up coil geometry, not exactly a constant, but depends on the magnetization current pattern within the sample. Especially for thin tapes in perpendicular external field this effect has to be taken into consideration in order to avoid miss measurements. The relation between measured flux and sample magnetization was calculated for special cases of magnetization current distribution in the sample as a function of the pick-up coil position. Furthermore calibration factors were measured as a function of the ac-field amplitude and the result compared with available theoretical models. A good agreement was found between experiment and theory

Picking of foreign television formats by Czech televisions

OpenAIRE

Šopovová, Andrea

2010-01-01

This paper is concerned with one of the impacts of media globalisation and it is a picking of foreign television formats. It analyzes the structure of television programs offered by Czech television broadcasters and its change from 2005 when TV Nova and TV Prima changed their owners to international ones. After the introduction of media globalisation, the paper describes the television formats and then it includes a list of licensed television programs and a comparison of chosen programs with...

Protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) reduces reinsertion rates of interaction partners sorted to Rab11-dependent slow recycling pathway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Kenneth Lindegaard; Thorsen, Thor Seneca; Rahbek-Clemmensen, Troels

2012-01-01

The scaffolding protein PICK1 (protein interacting with C kinase 1) contains an N-terminal PSD-95/Discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain and a central lipid-binding Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain. PICK1 is thought to regulate trafficking of its PDZ binding partners but different and even opposing...... functions have been suggested. Here, we apply ELISA-based assays and confocal microscopy in HEK293 cells with inducible PICK1 expression to assess in an isolated system the ability of PICK1 to regulate trafficking of natural and engineered PDZ binding partners. The dopamine transporter (DAT), which...

Cherry Picking Robot Vision Recognition System Based on OpenCV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Qi Rong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Through OpenCV function, the cherry in a natural environment image after image preprocessing, color recognition, threshold segmentation, morphological filtering, edge detection, circle Hough transform, you can draw the cherry’s center and circular contour, to carry out the purpose of the machine picking. The system is simple and effective.

Brushes and picks used on nails during the surgical scrub to reduce bacteria: a randomised trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, J; Khan, D; Walsh, S; Chernova, J; Lamont, S; Laurent, T

2009-03-01

Though brushes are no longer used on the hands and forearms during the surgical scrub, they are still widely used on the nails. The aim of this study was to determine whether nail picks and nail brushes are effective in providing additional decontamination during a surgical hand scrub. A total of 164 operating department staff were randomised to undertake one of the following three surgical hand-scrub protocols: chlorhexidine only; chlorhexidine and a nail pick; or chlorhexidine and a nail brush. Bacterial hand sampling was conducted before and 1h after scrubbing using a modified version of the glove juice method. No statistically significant differences in bacterial numbers were found between any two of the three intervention groups. Nail brushes and nail picks used during surgical hand scrubs do not decrease bacterial numbers and are unnecessary.

The ATLAS beam pick-up based timing system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohm, C.; Pauly, T.

2010-01-01

The ATLAS BPTX stations are composed of electrostatic button pick-up detectors, located 175 m away along the beam pipe on both sides of ATLAS. The pick-ups are installed as a part of the LHC beam instrumentation and used by ATLAS for timing purposes. The usage of the BPTX signals in ATLAS is twofold: they are used both in the trigger system and for LHC beam monitoring. The BPTX signals are discriminated with a constant-fraction discriminator to provide a Level-1 trigger when a bunch passes through ATLAS. Furthermore, the BPTX detectors are used by a stand-alone monitoring system for the LHC bunches and timing signals. The BPTX monitoring system measures the phase between collisions and clock with a precision better than 100 ps in order to guarantee a stable phase relationship for optimal signal sampling in the sub-detector front-end electronics. In addition to monitoring this phase, the properties of the individual bunches are measured and the structure of the beams is determined. On September 10, 2008, the first LHC beams reached the ATLAS experiment. During this period with beam, the ATLAS BPTX system was used extensively to time in the read-out of the sub-detectors. In this paper, we present the performance of the BPTX system and its measurements of the first LHC beams.

Identification of a small-molecule inhibitor of the PICK1 PDZ domain that inhibits hippocampal LTP and LTD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsen, Thor S; Madsen, Kenneth L; Rebola, Nelson

2010-01-01

interacting protein 1 (GRIP1). Pretreatment of cultured hippocampal neurons with FSC231 inhibited coimmunopreciptation of the AMPA receptor GluR2 subunit with PICK1. In agreement with inhibiting the role of PICK1 in GluR2 trafficking, FSC231 accelerated recycling of pHluorin-tagged GluR2 in hippocampal...

Green Grape Detection and Picking-Point Calculation in a Night-Time Natural Environment Using a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD Vision Sensor with Artificial Illumination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juntao Xiong

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Night-time fruit-picking technology is important to picking robots. This paper proposes a method of night-time detection and picking-point positioning for green grape-picking robots to solve the difficult problem of green grape detection and picking in night-time conditions with artificial lighting systems. Taking a representative green grape named Centennial Seedless as the research object, daytime and night-time grape images were captured by a custom-designed visual system. Detection was conducted employing the following steps: (1 The RGB (red, green and blue. Color model was determined for night-time green grape detection through analysis of color features of grape images under daytime natural light and night-time artificial lighting. The R component of the RGB color model was rotated and the image resolution was compressed; (2 The improved Chan–Vese (C–V level set model and morphological processing method were used to remove the background of the image, leaving out the grape fruit; (3 Based on the character of grape vertical suspension, combining the principle of the minimum circumscribed rectangle of fruit and the Hough straight line detection method, straight-line fitting for the fruit stem was conducted and the picking point was calculated using the stem with an angle of fitting line and vertical line less than 15°. The visual detection experiment results showed that the accuracy of grape fruit detection was 91.67% and the average running time of the proposed algorithm was 0.46 s. The picking-point calculation experiment results showed that the highest accuracy for the picking-point calculation was 92.5%, while the lowest was 80%. The results demonstrate that the proposed method of night-time green grape detection and picking-point calculation can provide technical support to the grape-picking robots.

Skin picking disorder with co-occurring body dysmorphic disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grant, Jon E; Redden, Sarah A; Leppink, Eric W

2015-01-01

There is clinical overlap between skin picking disorder (SPD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), but little research has examined clinical and cognitive correlates of the two disorders when they co-occur. Of 55 participants with SPD recruited for a neurocognitive study and two pharmacological st...... unique clinical and cognitive aspects of SPD may be more pronounced. Future work should explore possible subgroups in SPD and whether these predict different treatment outcomes....

Nanorobotic Manipulation Setup for Pick-and-Place Handling and non-destructive Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eicchorn, V.; Carlson, Kenneth; Andersen, Karin Nordström

2007-01-01

. The pick-and-place task is carried out by using an electrothermal actuated microgripper, designed for controlled manipulation of nanotubes. The nanotube is picked up from an array of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and transferred to the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe in order...... to assemble a high-aspect ratio AFM supertip. Another application of the nanorobotic setup considered in this paper is the nondestructive mechanical characterization of CNTs. A piezoresistive AFM probe is used to bend MWCNTs, while the bending force is measured, in order to estimate the Young's modulus...

Sodium Pick-Up Ion Observations in the Solar Wind Upstream of Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Jasinski, J. M.; Raines, J. M.; Slavin, J. A.; Regoli, L. R.; Murphy, N.

2018-05-01

We present the first observations of sodium pick-up ions upstream of Mercury’s magnetosphere. From these observations we infer properties of Mercury’s sodium exosphere and implications for the solar wind interaction with Mercury’s magnetosphere.

Seasonal variation of Martian pick-up ions: Evidence of breathing exosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Yamauchi, M.; Hara, T.; Lundin, R.; Dubinin, E.; Fedorov, A.; Sauvaud, J.-A.; Frahm, R. A.; Ramstad, R.; Futaana, Y.; Holmstrom, M.; Barabash, S.

2015-12-01

The Mars Express (MEX) Ion Mass Analyser (IMA) found that the detection rate of the ring-like distribution of protons in the solar wind outside of the bow shock to be quite different between Mars orbital summer (around perihelion) and orbital winter (around aphelion) for four Martian years, while the north-south asymmetry is much smaller than the perihelion-aphelion difference. Further analyses using eight years of MEX/IMA solar wind data between 2005 and 2012 has revealed that the detection frequency of the pick-up ions originating from newly ionized exospheric hydrogen with certain flux strongly correlates with the Sun-Mars distance, which changes approximately every two years. Variation due to the solar cycle phase is not distinguishable partly because this effect is masked by the seasonal variation under the MEX capability of plasma measurements. This finding indicates that the variation in solar UV has a major effect on the formation of the pick-up ions, but this is not the only controlling factor.

Testbeam Studies on Pick-Up in Sensors with Embedded Pitch Adapters

CERN Document Server

Rehnisch, Laura; The ATLAS collaboration

2018-01-01

Embedded pitch adapters are an alternative solution to external pitch adapters widely used to facilitate the wire-bonding step when connecting silicon strip sensors and readout electronics of different pitch. The pad-pitch adaption can be moved into the sensor fabrication step by implementing a second layer of metal tracks, connected by vias to the primary metal layer of sensor strips. Such a solution, however, might bear the risk of performance losses introduced by various phenomena. One of these effects, the undesired capacitive coupling between the silicon bulk and this second metal layer (pick-up) has been investigated in photon testbeam measurements. For a worst-case embedded pitch adapter design, expected to be maximally susceptible to pick-up, a qualitative analysis has visualized the effect as a function of the location on the second metal layer structure. It was further found that the unwanted effect decreases towards expected values for operating thresholds of the binary readout used. Suggestions fo...

Automatic first-arrival picking based on extended super-virtual interferometry with quality control procedure

Science.gov (United States)

An, Shengpei; Hu, Tianyue; Liu, Yimou; Peng, Gengxin; Liang, Xianghao

2017-12-01

Static correction is a crucial step of seismic data processing for onshore play, which frequently has a complex near-surface condition. The effectiveness of the static correction depends on an accurate determination of first-arrival traveltimes. However, it is difficult to accurately auto-pick the first arrivals for data with low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), especially for those measured in the area of the complex near-surface. The technique of the super-virtual interferometry (SVI) has the potential to enhance the SNR of first arrivals. In this paper, we develop the extended SVI with (1) the application of the reverse correlation to improve the capability of SNR enhancement at near-offset, and (2) the usage of the multi-domain method to partially overcome the limitation of current method, given insufficient available source-receiver combinations. Compared to the standard SVI, the SNR enhancement of the extended SVI can be up to 40%. In addition, we propose a quality control procedure, which is based on the statistical characteristics of multichannel recordings of first arrivals. It can auto-correct the mispicks, which might be spurious events generated by the SVI. This procedure is very robust, highly automatic and it can accommodate large data in batches. Finally, we develop one automatic first-arrival picking method to combine the extended SVI and the quality control procedure. Both the synthetic and the field data examples demonstrate that the proposed method is able to accurately auto-pick first arrivals in seismic traces with low SNR. The quality of the stacked seismic sections obtained from this method is much better than those obtained from an auto-picking method, which is commonly employed by the commercial software.

Serine 77 in the PDZ domain of PICK1 is a protein kinase Cα phosphorylation site regulated by lipid membrane binding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ammendrup-Johnsen, Ina; Thorsen, Thor Seneca; Gether, Ulrik

2012-01-01

PICK1 (protein interacting with C kinase 1) contains an N-terminal protein binding PDZ domain and a C-terminal lipid binding BAR domain. PICK1 plays a key role in several physiological processes, including synaptic plasticity. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms governing the a...... lipid binding and/or polymerization capacity. We propose that PICK1 is phosphorylated at Ser77 by PKCα preferentially when bound to membrane vesicles and that this phosphorylation in turn modulates its cellular distribution....

Determining The Optimal Order Picking Batch Size In Single Aisle Warehouses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

T. Le-Duc (Tho); M.B.M. de Koster (René)

2002-01-01

textabstractThis work aims at investigating the influence of picking batch size to average time in system of orders in a one-aisle warehouse under the assumption that order arrivals follow a Poisson process and items are uniformly distributed over the aisle's length. We model this problem as an

Analysis of action of device with spring pins for picking up of retted flax straw

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. G. Chernikov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Weather conditions in flax cultivation areas during harvesting time can be characterized with high rainfalls, relative humidity and, in some areas, extremely low temperature. Clogging of fields with stones, grass germination through flax swaths, often an absence of homogeneity on length and thickness of straw in swaths require working out new devices for straw lifting. Existing devices for picking up do not provide a high-quality lifting of flax swaths and have a low coefficient of reliability of the process. Researches and experimental-design works were carried out to create a constructive-technological scheme of the picking up device of cylindrical type with spring-loaded rigid pins. The mathematical model of the device operation when a pin touching an obstacle. The condition of balance of the mechanism under which the pin of a cilinder will operate technological process of picking up of retted flax straw without action of the safety device (spring was described. The offered method of calculation of operation of this device was introduced in a common flax swath lifter-turners

“Pick-up Lines”: A Fun Way to Facilitate Learning Microbiological Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Edison E. dela Cruz

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Learning microbiology can be made fun by writing funny lines related to microbiology. Students were tasked to create their own pick-up lines and explain these based on their understanding of the basic concepts in microbiology.

Understanding Human Hand Gestures for Learning Robot Pick-and-Place Tasks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsien-I Lin

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Programming robots by human demonstration is an intuitive approach, especially by gestures. Because robot pick-and-place tasks are widely used in industrial factories, this paper proposes a framework to learn robot pick-and-place tasks by understanding human hand gestures. The proposed framework is composed of the module of gesture recognition and the module of robot behaviour control. For the module of gesture recognition, transport empty (TE, transport loaded (TL, grasp (G, and release (RL from Gilbreth's therbligs are the hand gestures to be recognized. A convolution neural network (CNN is adopted to recognize these gestures from a camera image. To achieve the robust performance, the skin model by a Gaussian mixture model (GMM is used to filter out non-skin colours of an image, and the calibration of position and orientation is applied to obtain the neutral hand pose before the training and testing of the CNN. For the module of robot behaviour control, the corresponding robot motion primitives to TE, TL, G, and RL, respectively, are implemented in the robot. To manage the primitives in the robot system, a behaviour-based programming platform based on the Extensible Agent Behavior Specification Language (XABSL is adopted. Because the XABSL provides the flexibility and re-usability of the robot primitives, the hand motion sequence from the module of gesture recognition can be easily used in the XABSL programming platform to implement the robot pick-and-place tasks. The experimental evaluation of seven subjects performing seven hand gestures showed that the average recognition rate was 95.96%. Moreover, by the XABSL programming platform, the experiment showed the cube-stacking task was easily programmed by human demonstration.

Automatic picking of the first arrival event using the unwrapped-phase of the Fourier transformed wavefield

KAUST Repository

Choi, Yun Seok

2011-01-01

First-arrival picking has long suffered from cycle skipping, especially when the first arrival is contaminated with noise or have experienced complex near surface phenomena. We propose a new algorithm for automatic picking of first arrivals using an approach based on unwrapping the phase. We unwrap the phase by taking the derivative of the Fourier-transformed wavefield with respect to the angular frequency and isolate its amplitude component. To do so, we first apply a damping function to the seismic trace, calculate the derivative of the wavefield with respect to the angular frequency, divide the derivative of wavefield by the wavefield itself, and finally take its imaginary part. We compare our derivative approach to the logarithmic one and show that the derivative approach does not suffer from the phase wrapping or cycle-skipping effects. Numerical examples show that our automatic picking algorithm gives convergent and reliable results for the noise-free synthetic data and noisy field data. © 2011 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Science Fiction at the Far Side of Technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Mikkel Willum

2017-01-01

. Further, those with a concern for the future may find inspiration in what a study of the politics and ethics of science fiction can tell us about the moral and political dilemmas of our own time. Although this book is more likely to be picked up by someone who already has an interest in science fiction....... It is our hope that this interdisciplinary approach will set an example for those who, like us, have been busy assessing the ways in which fictional attempts to fathom the possibilities of science and technology speak to central concerns about what it means to be human in a contemporary world of technology...

The Quality of Rambak Cracker from Rabbit Skin (Water Content and Swelling Power using The Different Technique of Fur Picking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dedes Amertaningtyas

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This objective of this researchwas to compare the different technique of fur picking (liming and boiling inthe quality rambak cracker from rabbit skin on water content and swelling power.Materials of this research were 20 drying rabbit skin 5 – 6 months old. The tTest was using to compare the different technique of fur picking. Theindependent variables of this research were water content and swelling power onrambak cracker from rabbit skin. The result showed that the different techniqueof fur picking had highly significant effect (P<0.01 on water content and  expanding rate. The best result was limingtechnique of fur picking. It had the following properties: Water content of 1.5922% and expending rate of 855.3798 %. The conclusion showed that the use limingof 4% produced high quality of rambak cracker from rabbit skin or anotheranimal skin (cow, buffalo, chicken or fish. Keywords: rambak cracker, rabbit skin, water content,expanding rate

Perbandingan Algoritma Simulated Annealing dan Harmony Search dalam Penerapan Picking Order Sequence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanti Octavia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Implementation of mobile rack warehouse is commonly used in manufacturing industry because it can minimize the warehouse area used. Applying picking orders in taking of Stock Keeping Unit (SKU on mobile rack warehouses could give fast loading order. This research aims to find out which algorithm is better in applying picking order sequence in mobile rack warehouse. The algorithm used is Simualted Annealing (SA and Harmony Search (HS algorithm. Both of these algorithms will be compared in terms of the gap with the shortest path method.The result shows that the HS algorithm produces a better solution than the SA algorithm with lower CPU time, but the convergence rate of HS is lower than that of SA.HS was able to produce a better solution than the shortest path method of 9 cases, while SA only 8 cases from 15 cases.

Pick up screens for x-ray image intensifier tubes employing evaporated activated scintillator layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spicer, W.E.

1976-01-01

The present invention relates in general to methods for making pick-up screens for x-ray image intensifier tubes and, more particularly, to an improved method wherein the x-ray fluorescent phosphor screen element is formed by evaporation of an alkali metal halide material in vacuum and condensing the evaporated material on an x-ray transparent portion of the x-ray intensifier tube, whereby a curved x-ray image pick-up screen is formed which has improved quantum efficiency and resolution. Such improved x-ray image intensifier tubes are especially useful for, but not limited in use to x-ray systems and for intensifying gamma ray images obtained in applications of nuclear medicine. 7 claims, 5 drawing figures

Dietary cholesterol induces trafficking of intestinal Niemann-Pick Type C1 Like 1 from the brush border to endosomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skov, Marianne; Tønnesen, Carina K; Hansen, Gert H

2011-01-01

The transmembrane protein Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) belongs to the Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) family of cholesterol transporters and is mainly expressed in the liver and the small intestine. NPC1L1 is believed to be the main transporter responsible for the absorption of dietary cholesterol. Lik...

Analysis of the Impact of Storage Parameters and the Size of Orders on the Choice of the Method for Routing Order Picking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grzegorz Tarczyński

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an analysis of the impact of the number of picking aisles, slots in a rack, the size of pick lists, and the routing method on the performance of the order picking process. In the analysis, the forklift truck's maneuvers such as turns back and turns aside, omitted by some scientists, are considered. Although only random storage assignment is examined in this paper, the possible congestion effect is considered. Experiments were performed by the use of simulations. (original abstract

Laparoscopic ovum pick-up in spotted paca ( Cuniculus pacas )

OpenAIRE

Barros,F.F.P.C.; Teixeira,P.P.M.; Uscategui,R.A.R.; Coutinho,L.N.; Brito,M.B.S.; Kawanami,A.E.; Almeida,V.T.; Mariano,R.S.G.; Nociti,R.P.; Machado,M.R.F.; Vicente,W.R.R.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The aim of this work is study the laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LapOPU) technique in spotted paca, describing surgery details, complications and oocyte recovery rate. Nine healthy adult non-pregnant captive females were used, in a total of 39 procedures. When the surgical plane of anaesthesia was achieved, the females were positioned at 20º Trendelenburg. Three 6mm trocars were placed on right and left inguinal and hypogastric regions. Abdomen was inflated with CO2 and the intra-abdomin...

The pick-up mechanism in composite particle emission processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jingshang; Yan Shiwei; Wang Cuilan

1992-01-01

The pick-up mechanism has been included in the exciton model for the light composite particle emissions. Based on the cluster phase space integration method the formation probabilities of α,d,t, 3 He are obtained. The calculation results of (n,t) cross sections indicate that this theoretical method can reproduce the experimental data nicely. For triton emissions in pre-equilibrium reaction processes, the semi-direct reactions are the dominant terms which are just omitted in the previous model calculation

Membrane localization is critical for activation of the PICK1 BAR domain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Kenneth L; Eriksen, Jacob; Milan-Lobo, Laura

2008-01-01

The PSD-95/Discs-large/ZO-1 homology (PDZ) domain protein, protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) contains a C-terminal Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain mediating recognition of curved membranes; however, the molecular mechanisms controlling the activity of this domain are poorly understood....

An improved contour symmetry axes extraction algorithm and its application in the location of picking points of apples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, D.; Song, H.; Yu, X.; Zhang, W.; Qu, W.; Xu, Y.

2015-07-01

The key problem for picking robots is to locate the picking points of fruit. A method based on the moment of inertia and symmetry of apples is proposed in this paper to locate the picking points of apples. Image pre-processing procedures, which are crucial to improving the accuracy of the location, were carried out to remove noise and smooth the edges of apples. The moment of inertia method has the disadvantage of high computational complexity, which should be solved, so convex hull was used to improve this problem. To verify the validity of this algorithm, a test was conducted using four types of apple images containing 107 apple targets. These images were single and unblocked apple images, single and blocked apple images, images containing adjacent apples, and apples in panoramas. The root mean square error values of these four types of apple images were 6.3, 15.0, 21.6 and 18.4, respectively, and the average location errors were 4.9°, 10.2°, 16.3° and 13.8°, respectively. Furthermore, the improved algorithm was effective in terms of average runtime, with 3.7 ms and 9.2 ms for single and unblocked and single and blocked apple images, respectively. For the other two types of apple images, the runtime was determined by the number of apples and blocked apples contained in the images. The results showed that the improved algorithm could extract symmetry axes and locate the picking points of apples more efficiently. In conclusion, the improved algorithm is feasible for extracting symmetry axes and locating the picking points of apples. (Author)

Preliminary Specifications for the PS Pick-ups Amplifier to be used in the Transverse Damping System

CERN Document Server

Belleman, J; CERN. Geneva. AB Department

2003-01-01

The pick-up amplification stage to be used for the CODD in the PS is presently under redesign. It appears that the constraints for the circuit are very similar to those of the transverse feedback project. The AB/BDI group and in particular its PI section has kindly agreed to fulfil the RF group constraints so as to obtain a common design with a common control interface. The reliability aspect is not treated here. Nevertheless radiation has been considered. At the locations foreseen for the pick-ups (SS 2, 94, 98), the annual dose measured on the vacuum chamber (ref: CERN-TIS-2002-06-TE) is about 1000 Gray per year. This value is to be compared to the 100 Gy considered as the critical dose for electronic circuits. The radiation problem has been solved for the CODD pick-ups using distance and shield (active circuits 2 meters below the floor composed of concrete slabs). The same lay out will be applied for the dampers with the drawback of the capacitive plates being loaded with a low impedance -5 meters long- ca...

Normative values and the effects of age, gender, and handedness on the Moberg Pick-Up Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Amirjani, Nasim; Ashworth, Nigel L; Gordon, Tessa; Edwards, David C; Chan, K Ming

2007-06-01

The Moberg Pick-Up Test is a standardized test for assessing hand dexterity. Although reduction of sensation in the hand occurs with aging, the effect of age on a subject's performance of the Moberg Pick-Up Test has not been examined. The primary goal of this study was to examine the impact of aging and, secondarily, the impact of gender and handedness, on performance of the Moberg Pick-Up Test in 116 healthy subjects. The average time to complete each of the four subsets of the test was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The results show that hand dexterity of the subjects was significantly affected by age, with young subjects being the fastest and elderly subjects the slowest. Women accomplished the test faster than men, and task performance with the dominant hand was faster than with the non-dominant hand. Use of normative values established based on age and gender is a valuable objective tool to gauge hand function in patients with different neurologic disorders.

Cometary pick-up ions observed near Giacobini-Zinner

Science.gov (United States)

Gloeckler, G.; Hovestadt, D.; Ipavich, F. M.; Scholer, M.; Klecker, B.

1986-01-01

The number and energy density of cometary water-group ions observed near Comet Giacobini-Zinner are derived using the rest-frame distribution functions. The data reveal that density profiles of inbound and outbound passes and their shape correlate with pick-up ion production model predictions. The lose rate and production rate of water-group cometary molecules calculated from predicted and measured density profiles are 2 x 10 to the -6th/sec and 2.6 x 10 to the 28th/sec respectively. The shapes of the distribution functions are examined to study the solar wind/cometary ions interaction process.

Lubricant Film Breakdown and Material Pick-Up in Sheet Forming of Advanced High Strength Steels and Stainless Steels when Using Environmental Friendly Lubricants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ceron, Ermanno; Olsson, M.; Bay, Niels

2014-01-01

chemically with the tool and workpiece material forming thin films, which adhere strongly to the surfaces and reduce the tendency to metal-metal contact and material pick-up. Production tests of new, environmentally benign tribo-systems are, however, costly and laboratory tests are preferred as a preliminary...... the tribological performance, i.e. tendency to material pick-up and galling, of the evaluated tribo-systems. Moreover the SEM analysis shows that different workpiece materials result in different types of material pick-up....

In Vivo Assessment of Neurodegeneration in Type C Niemann-Pick Disease by IDEAL-IQ.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Ruo-Mi; Li, Qing-Ling; Luo, Zhong-Xing; Tang, Wen; Jiao, Ju; Wang, Jin; Kang, Zhuang; Chen, Shao-Qiong; Zhang, Yong

2018-01-01

To noninvasively assess the neurodegenerative changes in the brain of patients with Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease by measuring the lesion tissue with the iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least square estimation-iron quantification (IDEAL-IQ). Routine brain MRI, IDEAL-IQ and 1 H-proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS, served as control) were performed on 12 patients with type C Niemann-Pick disease (4 males and 8 females; age range, 15-61 years; mean age, 36 years) and 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females; age range, 20-65 years; mean age, 38 years). The regions with lesion and the normal appearing regions (NARs) of patients were measured and analyzed based on the fat/water signal intensity on IDEAL-IQ and the lipid peak on 1 H-MRS. Niemann-Pick type C patients showed a higher fat/water signal intensity ratio with IDEAL-IQ on T2 hyperintensity lesions and NARs (3.7-4.9%, p IQ instead of 1 H-MRS. The findings of this study suggested that IDEAL-IQ may be useful as a noninvasive and objective method in the evaluation of patients with NPC; additionally, IDEAL-IQ can be used to quantitatively measure the brain parenchymal adipose content and monitor patient follow-up after treatment of NPC.

An analysis of the first-arrival times picked on the DSS and wide-angle seismic section recorded in Italy since 1968

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Tondi

2004-06-01

Full Text Available We performed an analysis of refraction data recorded in Italy since 1968 in the frame of the numerous deep seismic sounding and wide-angle reflection/refraction projects. The aims of this study are to construct a parametric database including the recording geometric information relative to each profile, the phase pickings and the results of some kinematic analyses performed on the data, and to define a reference 1D velocity model for the Italian territory from all the available refraction data. As concerns the first goal, for each seismic section we picked the P-wave first-arrival-times, evaluated the uncertainties of the arrival-times pickings and determined from each travel time-offset curve the 1D velocity model. The study was performed on 419 seismic sections. Picking was carried out manually by an algorithm which includes the computation of three picking functions and the picking- error estimation. For each of the travel time-offset curves a 1D velocity model has been calculated. Actually, the 1D velocity-depth functions were estimated in three different ways which assume: a constant velocitygradient model, a varying velocity-gradient model and a layered model. As regards the second objective of this work, a mean 1D velocity model for the Italian crust was defined and compared with those used for earthquake hypocentre locations and seismic tomographic studies by different institutions operating in the Italian area, to assess the significance of the model obtained. This model can be used in future works as input for a next joint tomographic inversion of active and passive seismic data.

An order batching algorithm for wave picking in a parallel-aisle warehouse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gademann, A.J.R.M.; Berg, van den J.P.; Hoff, van der H.H.

2001-01-01

In this paper we address the problem of batching orders in a parallel-aisle warehouse, with the objective to minimize the maximum lead time of any of the batches. This is a typical objective for a wave picking operation. Many heuristics have been suggested to solve order batching problems. We

Pick-a-mood; development and application of a pictorial mood-reporting instrument

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Desmet, P.M.A.; Vastenburg, M.H.; Van Bel, D.; Romero Herrera, N.A.

2012-01-01

This paper presents ‘Pick-A-Mood’ (PAM), a cartoon-based pictorial instrument for reporting and expressing moods. The use of cartoon characters enables people to unambiguously and visually express or report their mood in a rich and easy-to-use way. PAM consists of three characters that each express

Cook-Levin Theorem Algorithmic-Reducibility/Completeness = Wilson Renormalization-(Semi)-Group Fixed-Points; ``Noise''-Induced Phase-Transitions (NITs) to Accelerate Algorithmics (``NIT-Picking'') REPLACING CRUTCHES!!!: Models: Turing-machine, finite-state-models, finite-automata

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Frederic; Siegel, Edward

Cook-Levin theorem theorem algorithmic computational-complexity(C-C) algorithmic-equivalence reducibility/completeness equivalence to renormalization-(semi)-group phase-transitions critical-phenomena statistical-physics universality-classes fixed-points, is exploited via Siegel FUZZYICS =CATEGORYICS = ANALOGYICS =PRAGMATYICS/CATEGORY-SEMANTICS ONTOLOGY COGNITION ANALYTICS-Aristotle ``square-of-opposition'' tabular list-format truth-table matrix analytics predicts and implements ''noise''-induced phase-transitions (NITs) to accelerate versus to decelerate Harel [Algorithmics (1987)]-Sipser[Intro.Thy. Computation(`97)] algorithmic C-C: ''NIT-picking''(!!!), to optimize optimization-problems optimally(OOPO). Versus iso-''noise'' power-spectrum quantitative-only amplitude/magnitude-only variation stochastic-resonance, ''NIT-picking'' is ''noise'' power-spectrum QUALitative-type variation via quantitative critical-exponents variation. Computer-''science''/SEANCE algorithmic C-C models: Turing-machine, finite-state-models, finite-automata,..., discrete-maths graph-theory equivalence to physics Feynman-diagrams are identified as early-days once-workable valid but limiting IMPEDING CRUTCHES(!!!), ONLY IMPEDE latter-days new-insights!!!

High-performance integrated pick-up circuit for SPAD arrays in time-correlated single photon counting

Science.gov (United States)

Acconcia, Giulia; Cominelli, Alessandro; Peronio, Pietro; Rech, Ivan; Ghioni, Massimo

2017-05-01

The analysis of optical signals by means of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) has been subject to a widespread interest in recent years. The development of multichannel high-performance Time Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) acquisition systems has undergone a fast trend. Concerning the detector performance, best in class results have been obtained resorting to custom technologies leading also to a strong dependence of the detector timing jitter from the threshold used to determine the onset of the photogenerated current flow. In this scenario, the avalanche current pick-up circuit plays a key role in determining the timing performance of the TCSPC acquisition system, especially with a large array of SPAD detectors because of electrical crosstalk issues. We developed a new current pick-up circuit based on a transimpedance amplifier structure able to extract the timing information from a 50-μm-diameter custom technology SPAD with a state-of-art timing jitter as low as 32ps and suitable to be exploited with SPAD arrays. In this paper we discuss the key features of this structure and we present a new version of the pick-up circuit that also provides quenching capabilities in order to minimize the number of interconnections required, an aspect that becomes more and more crucial in densely integrated systems.

Automated Trajectory Planner of Industrial Robot for Pick-and-Place Task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Saravana Perumaal

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Industrial robots, due to their great speed, precision and cost-effectiveness in repetitive tasks, now tend to be used in place of human workers in automated manufacturing systems. In particular, they perform the pick-and-place operation, a non-value-added activity which at the same time cannot be eliminated. Hence, minimum time is an important consideration for economic reasons in the trajectory planning system of the manipulator. The trajectory should also be smooth to handle parts precisely in applications such as semiconductor manufacturing, processing and handling of chemicals and medicines, and fluid and aerosol deposition. In this paper, an automated trajectory planner is proposed to determine a smooth, minimum-time and collision-free trajectory for the pick-and-place operations of a 6-DOF robotic manipulator in the presence of an obstacle. Subsequently, it also proposes an algorithm for the jerk-bounded Synchronized Trigonometric S-curve Trajectory (STST and the ‘forbidden-sphere’ technique to avoid the obstacle. The proposed planner is demonstrated with suitable examples and comparisons. The experiments show that the proposed planner is capable of providing a smoother trajectory than the cubic spline based trajectory.

EFFICACY OF CITALOPRAM IN TREATMENT OF PATHOLOGICAL SKIN PICKING, A RANDOMIZED DOUBLE BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Arbabi

2008-11-01

Full Text Available "nVarious studies suggest that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs may be useful in treating pathological skin picking (PSP. This study sought to assess effectiveness of citalopram in comparison with placebo in treating PSP. Forty five individuals with PSP were recruited in a four-week, randomized clinical trial of citalopram (20 mg/day in comparison with placebo. Study measures assessing skin picking severity, mental health status, obsessive compulsive disorder and quality of life were given at baseline, weeks 2 and 4. PSP severity, general health status, obsession-compulsion severity and quality of life level were similar between two groups at baseline (P > 0.05. Treatment analyses revealed significant improvements in quality of life, general health status and obsession-compulsion severity in citalopram group compared to placebo group (P < 0.05. Mean PSP severity reduction in citalopram group was more than placebo group but this difference was not significant. Citalopram can improve general health status and quality of life in individuals with PSP but its effect on skin picking behavior doesn't differ significantly with placebo. Other trials with longer time are needed to determine the exact efficacy of citalopram on PSP

Simulation model of a single-server order picking workstation using aggregate process times

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andriansyah, R.; Etman, L.F.P.; Rooda, J.E.; Biles, W.E.; Saltelli, A.; Dini, C.

2009-01-01

In this paper we propose a simulation modeling approach based on aggregate process times for the performance analysis of order picking workstations in automated warehouses with first-in-first-out processing of orders. The aggregate process time distribution is calculated from tote arrival and

Perancangan dan Proses Pembuatan Inner Door Panel Mobil Pick Up Multiguna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Prayogi

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Sejak tahun 2012 Jurusan Teknik Mesin bekerja sama dengan PT. INKA mengembangkan mobil murah multigna. Mobil pick up tersebut diberi nama GEA. Pengembangan dilakukan pada body, chasis dan engine. Sebagai bagian dari body, pintu mobil juga akan dikembangkan. Pada tahun 2013, penelitian terhadap posisi handle pengatur kaca jendela atau window regulator mobil pick up GEA telah dilakukan. Evaluasi tersebut mengharuskan adanya perubahan desain dari inner door panel. Suatu rancangan pengembangan desain inner door panel perlu dilakukan agar inner door panel dapat diproduksi secara massal. Langkah-langkah penelitian yang dilakukan meliputi penyusunan list of requirement untuk pengembangan konsep, analisa getaran dan tegangan yang terjadi pada panel dengan bantuan software CATIA. Selanjutnya perancangan proses pembuatan dan perancangan punch and dies-nya dilakukan. Dari analisa getaran yang dilakukan, dapat diketahui inner door panel memiliki frekuensi natural sebesar 166,94 Hz (10.016,4 rpm artinya panel aman dan tidak terpengaruh oleh getaran dari mesin mobil. Tegangan yang terjadi pada inner door panel akibat gaya pembebanan pada handle pintu bagian dalam adalah 2,9159 x 107 Pa (2,97 Kg/mm2 sehingga lebih kecil dari tegangan ijin materialnya 13,94 Kg/mm2 dan rancangan masih berada dalam kategori aman. Untuk membuat inner door panel dilakukan 3 macam proses pembentukan yaitu trimming, embossing dan piercing. Total gaya pembentukan masing-masing proses sebagai berikut: Gaya pembentukan proses trimming = 48.96 ton, proses embossing = 26.89 ton dan proses piercing = 41.66 ton. Window regulator yang disarankan untuk digunakan pada mobil pick up multiguna ini adalah scissor type window regulator dengan tenaga penggerak manual. Pada perancangan punch and dies, tegangan kompresi masing-masing proses dihitung dan hasilnya adalah sebagai berikut: Tegangan kompresi proses trimming 0.11 Kg/mm2, tegangan kompresi proses embossing 0.28 Kg/mm2, tegangan kompresi

A theoretical model for predicting the Peak Cutting Force of conical picks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gao Kuidong

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In order to predict the PCF (Peak Cutting Force of conical pick in rock cutting process, a theoretical model is established based on elastic fracture mechanics theory. The vertical fracture model of rock cutting fragment is also established based on the maximum tensile criterion. The relation between vertical fracture angle and associated parameters (cutting parameter  and ratio B of rock compressive strength to tensile strength is obtained by numerical analysis method and polynomial regression method, and the correctness of rock vertical fracture model is verified through experiments. Linear regression coefficient between the PCF of prediction and experiments is 0.81, and significance level less than 0.05 shows that the model for predicting the PCF is correct and reliable. A comparative analysis between the PCF obtained from this model and Evans model reveals that the result of this prediction model is more reliable and accurate. The results of this work could provide some guidance for studying the rock cutting theory of conical pick and designing the cutting mechanism.

Stirring, charging, and picking: hunting tactics of potamotrygonid rays in the upper Paraná River

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Domingos Garrone-Neto

Full Text Available Hunting tactics of potamotrygonid freshwater rays remain unreported under natural conditions. Three main foraging tactics of Potamotrygon falkneri and P. motoro are described here based on underwater observations in the upper Paraná River. Both species displayed similar behaviors. The most common tactic was to undulate the disc margins close to, or on, the bottom and thus stirring the substrate and uncovering hidden preys. Another tactic was to charge upon prey concentrated in the shallows. The least common tactic was to pick out prey adhered to the substrate. The first tactic is widespread in several species of marine rays in the Dasyatidae, whereas the remainder (especially picking up prey on substrata above water surface may be restricted to the Potamotrygonidae.

Evaluation of strip-line pick-up system for the SPS wideband transverse feedback system

CERN Document Server

Kotzian, G; Steinhagen, R J; Valuch, D; Wehrle, U

2017-01-01

The proposed SPS Wideband Transverse Feedback sys- tem requires a wide-band pick-up system to be able to de- tect intra-bunch motion within the SPS proton bunches, captured and accelerated in a 200 MHz bucket. We present the electro-magnetic design of transverse beam position pick-up options optimised for installation in the SPS and evaluate their performance reach with respect to direct time domain sampling of the intra-bunch motion. The analy- sis also discusses the achieved subsystem responses of the associated cabling with new low dispersion smooth wall coaxial cables, wide-band generation of intensity and posi- tion signals by means of 180 degree RF hybrids as well as passive techniques to electronically suppress the beam off- set signal, needed to optimise the dynamic range and posi- tion resolution of the planned digital intra-bunch feedback system.

Comparison of magnetic and electrostatic Schottky pick-up in the CERN AD

CERN Document Server

Federmann, S

2013-01-01

The present note is intended to exploit the possibility of using a dedicated electrostatic beam pick-up for Schottky diagnostics in the future ELENA ring. A test setup is described allowing the evaluation of its performance compared to the extra low-noise beam current transformer used successfully in the AD. The results of this experiment are summarized and discussed.

Pick-N-Pull Auto Dismantlers, Kansas City, LLC Inc. - Clean Water Act Public Notice

Science.gov (United States)

The EPA is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Pick-N-Pull Auto Dismantlers, Kansas City, LLC, a subsidiary of Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., for alleged violations at its facilities at 8012 East Truman Rd., Kansas C

Automatic traveltime picking using local time-frequency maps

KAUST Repository

Saragiotis, Christos

2011-01-01

The arrival times of distinct and sufficiently concentrated signals can be computed using Fourier transforms. In real seis- mograms, however, signals are far from distinct. We use local time-frequency maps of the seismograms and its frequency derivatives to obtain frequency-dependent (instantaneous) traveltimes. A smooth division is utilized to control the resolution of the instantaneous traveltimes to allow for a trade-off between resolution and stability. We average these traveltimes over the frequency band which is data-dependent. The resulting traveltime attribute is used to isolate different signals in seismic traces. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this automatic method for picking arrivals by applying it on synthetic and real data. © 2011 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Abnormal brain activation in excoriation (skin-picking) disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odlaug, Brian L.; Hampshire, Adam; Chamberlain, Samuel R

2016-01-01

Background: Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder (SPD) is a relatively common psychiatric condition whose neurobiological basis is unknown. Aims: To probe the function of fronto-striatal circuitry in SPD. Method: Eighteen participants with SPD and 15 matched healthy controls undertook an executive...... encompassing bilateral dorsal striatum (maximal in right caudate), bilateral anterior cingulate and right medial frontal regions. These abnormalities were, for the most part, outside the dorsal planning network typically activated by executive planning tasks. Conclusions: Abnormalities of neural regions...... involved in habit formation, action monitoring and inhibition appear involved in the pathophysiology of SPD. Implications exist for understanding the basis of excessive grooming and the relationship of SPD with putative obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders....

The assessment of muscle strain with surface electromyograms during simulated mushroom picking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ohashi, Jun-Ya; Blangsted, Anne Katrine; Kofoed Nielsen, Pernille B.

2008-01-01

Muscle strain was assessed with surface EMG during simulated mushroom picking. Nine female subjects performed five periods of work (W1-W5). The duration of each period was about 20 min. W1, W2 and W3 were separated by a short break of several minutes. W3, W4 and W5 were separated by a rest period...

Embodied intersubjective engagement in mother-infant tactile communication: a cross-cultural study of Japanese and Scottish mother-infant behaviors during infant pick-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Negayama, Koichi; Delafield-Butt, Jonathan T; Momose, Keiko; Ishijima, Konomi; Kawahara, Noriko; Lux, Erin J; Murphy, Andrew; Kaliarntas, Konstantinos

2015-01-01

This study examines the early development of cultural differences in a simple, embodied, and intersubjective engagement between mothers putting down, picking up, and carrying their infants between Japan and Scotland. Eleven Japanese and ten Scottish mothers with their 6- and then 9-month-old infants participated. Video and motion analyses were employed to measure motor patterns of the mothers' approach to their infants, as well as their infants' collaborative responses during put-down, pick-up, and carry phases. Japanese and Scottish mothers approached their infants with different styles and their infants responded differently to the short duration of separation during the trial. A greeting-like behavior of the arms and hands was prevalent in the Scottish mothers' approach, but not in the Japanese mothers' approach. Japanese mothers typically kneeled before making the final reach to pick-up their children, giving a closer, apparently gentler final approach of the torso than Scottish mothers, who bent at the waist with larger movements of the torso. Measures of the gap closure between the mothers' hands to their infants' heads revealed variably longer duration and distance gap closures with greater velocity by the Scottish mothers than by the Japanese mothers. Further, the sequence of Japanese mothers' body actions on approach, contact, pick-up, and hold was more coordinated at 6 months than at 9 months. Scottish mothers were generally more variable on approach. Measures of infant participation and expressivity indicate more active participation in the negotiation during the separation and pick-up phases by Scottish infants. Thus, this paper demonstrates a culturally different onset of development of joint attention in pick-up. These differences reflect cultures of everyday interaction.

Embodied intersubjective engagement in mother–infant tactile communication: a cross-cultural study of Japanese and Scottish mother–infant behaviors during infant pick-up

Science.gov (United States)

Negayama, Koichi; Delafield-Butt, Jonathan T.; Momose, Keiko; Ishijima, Konomi; Kawahara, Noriko; Lux, Erin J.; Murphy, Andrew; Kaliarntas, Konstantinos

2015-01-01

This study examines the early development of cultural differences in a simple, embodied, and intersubjective engagement between mothers putting down, picking up, and carrying their infants between Japan and Scotland. Eleven Japanese and ten Scottish mothers with their 6- and then 9-month-old infants participated. Video and motion analyses were employed to measure motor patterns of the mothers’ approach to their infants, as well as their infants’ collaborative responses during put-down, pick-up, and carry phases. Japanese and Scottish mothers approached their infants with different styles and their infants responded differently to the short duration of separation during the trial. A greeting-like behavior of the arms and hands was prevalent in the Scottish mothers’ approach, but not in the Japanese mothers’ approach. Japanese mothers typically kneeled before making the final reach to pick-up their children, giving a closer, apparently gentler final approach of the torso than Scottish mothers, who bent at the waist with larger movements of the torso. Measures of the gap closure between the mothers’ hands to their infants’ heads revealed variably longer duration and distance gap closures with greater velocity by the Scottish mothers than by the Japanese mothers. Further, the sequence of Japanese mothers’ body actions on approach, contact, pick-up, and hold was more coordinated at 6 months than at 9 months. Scottish mothers were generally more variable on approach. Measures of infant participation and expressivity indicate more active participation in the negotiation during the separation and pick-up phases by Scottish infants. Thus, this paper demonstrates a culturally different onset of development of joint attention in pick-up. These differences reflect cultures of everyday interaction. PMID:25774139

An interactive tool for CT volume rendering and sagittal plane-picking of the prostate for radiotherapy treatment planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jani, Ashesh B.; Pelizzari, Charles A.; Chen, George T.Y.; Grzezcszuk, Robert P.; Vijayakumar, Srinivasan

1997-01-01

Objective: Accurate and precise target volume and critical structure definition is a basic necessity in radiotherapy. The prostate, particularly the apex (an important potential site of recurrence in prostate cancer patients), is a challenging structure to define using any modality, including conventional axial CT. Invasive or expensive techniques, such as retrograde urethrography or MRI, could be avoided if localization of the prostate were possible using information already available on the planning CT. Our primary objective was to build a software tool to determine whether volume rendering and sagittal plane-picking, which are CT-based, noninvasive visualization techniques, were of utility in radiotherapy treatment planning for the prostate. Methods: Using AVS (Application Visualization System) on a Silicon Graphics Indigo 2 High Impact workstation, we have developed a tool that enables the clinician to efficiently navigate a CT volume and to use volume rendering and sagittal plane-picking to better define structures at any anatomic site. We applied the tool to the specific example of the prostate to compare the two visualization techniques with the current standard of axial CT. The prostate was defined on 80-slice CT scans (scanning thickness 4mm, pixel size 2mm x 2mm) of prostate cancer patients using axial CT images, volume-rendered CT images, and sagittal plane-picked images. Results: The navigation of the prostate using the different visualization techniques qualitatively demonstrated that the sagittal plane-picked images, and even more so the volume-rendered images, revealed the prostate (particularly the lower border) better in relationship to the surrounding regional anatomy (bladder, rectum, pelvis, and penile structures) than did the axial images. A quantitative comparison of the target volumes obtained by navigating using the different visualization techniques demonstrated that, when compared to the prostate volume defined on axial CT, a larger volume

Parametric Optimal Design of a Parallel Schönflies-Motion Robot under Pick-And-Place Trajectory Constraints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Guanglei; Bai, Shaoping; Hjørnet, Preben

2015-01-01

This paper deals with the parametric optimum design of a parallel Schoenflies-motion robot, named "Ragnar", designed for fast and flexible pick-and-place applications. The robot architecture admits a rectangular workspace, which can utilize the shop-floor space efficiently. In this work......, the parametric models of the transmission quality, elasto-statics and dynamics are established. By taking into consideration of design requirements and pick-and-place trajectory, a comprehensive multi-objective optimization problem is formulated to optimize both kinematic and dynamic performances. The Pareto......-front is obtained, which provides optimal solutions to the robot design. Robot prototyping work based on the optimal results is described....

Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder), skin picking disorder, and stereotypic movement disorder: toward DSM-V.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Dan J; Grant, Jon E; Franklin, Martin E; Keuthen, Nancy; Lochner, Christine; Singer, Harvey S; Woods, Douglas W

2010-06-01

In DSM-IV-TR, trichotillomania (TTM) is classified as an impulse control disorder (not classified elsewhere), skin picking lacks its own diagnostic category (but might be diagnosed as an impulse control disorder not otherwise specified), and stereotypic movement disorder is classified as a disorder usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. ICD-10 classifies TTM as a habit and impulse disorder, and includes stereotyped movement disorders in a section on other behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence. This article provides a focused review of nosological issues relevant to DSM-V, given recent empirical findings. This review presents a number of options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V: (1) Although TTM fits optimally into a category of body-focused repetitive behavioral disorders, in a nosology comprised of relatively few major categories it fits best within a category of motoric obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, (2) available evidence does not support continuing to include (current) diagnostic criteria B and C for TTM in DSM-V, (3) the text for TTM should be updated to describe subtypes and forms of hair pulling, (4) there are persuasive reasons for referring to TTM as "hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania)," (5) diagnostic criteria for skin picking disorder should be included in DSM-V or in DSM-Vs Appendix of Criteria Sets Provided for Further Study, and (6) the diagnostic criteria for stereotypic movement disorder should be clarified and simplified, bringing them in line with those for hair pulling and skin picking disorder. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Flow time prediction for a single-server order picking workstation using aggregate process times

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andriansyah, R.; Etman, L.F.P.; Rooda, J.E.

2010-01-01

In this paper we propose a simulation modeling approach based on aggregate process times for the performance analysis of order picking workstations in automated warehouses. The aggregate process time distribution is calculated from tote arrival and departure times. We refer to the aggregate process

An automated framework for NMR resonance assignment through simultaneous slice picking and spin system forming

KAUST Repository

Abbas, Ahmed; Guo, Xianrong; Jing, Bingyi; Gao, Xin

2014-01-01

positives and negatives impair the performance of resonance assignment methods. One of the main reasons for this problem is that the computational research community often considers peak picking and resonance assignment to be two separate problems, whereas

What Skills and Tactics Are Needed to Play Adult Pick-Up Basketball Games?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianyu; Liu, Wenhao; Moffit, Jeffrey

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine skill levels and performance patterns of regular players of pick-up basketball games. By a survey, 65 participants were identified as regular players and participated in the study. An observational instrument used to analyze game performance of the participants was developed and both content and construct…

A rethink of how policy and social science approach changing individuals' actions on greenhouse gas emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, William; Middlemiss, Lucie

2012-01-01

Social scientists from all areas are developing theories and testing practical approaches to change individuals' actions to lower greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK context, policy-makers, local authorities, companies and organisations are using these theories to invest resources to change individual's actions. The problem is that social scientists are delivering fragmented science based on narrow disciplinary views and those using this science are cherry picking whatever theory suits their agenda. We argue that with substantial GHG emission reduction targets to be achieved, a multidisciplinary application and view of social science are urgently needed.

Whole body organization during a symmetric bimanual pick up task in overweight and obese children.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Ya-Ching; Mangiafreno, Melissa; Gill, Simone V

2017-02-01

Information on the effects of obesity on the biomechanics of whole body movement control in children is limited. The purpose of the current study is to test the hypothesis that during a simple pick up task, overweight and obese children will organize their whole body movements differently than those in normal weight children. Twelve children who were overweight or obese (5-13 years old) and twelve age matched normal weight children participated in the study. Children picked up an empty box to waist height at a self-selected pace while kinematic and kinetic data were recorded and analyzed using a VICON system and two AMTI force plates. The overweight and obese group showed less knee flexion in both legs, more spine flexion, and less excursion in the height of their center of mass (all Psoverweight and obese group had more anterior movement in their center of mass (Poverweight and obese group had greater anterior excursion with faster average anterior moving speed and spent a longer time with the center of pressure reached forward (all Psoverweight and obese children organize their whole body movement during a simple pick up task differently with higher and more forward center of mass, quickly shifting their center of pressure anteriorly, and with a longer period of time with the center of pressure remaining forward. Their movement strategy may put them in a less stable condition and thus make them prone to losing balance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spotting Fruit versus Picking Fruit as the Selective Advantage of Human Colour Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Bompas

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The spatiochromatic properties of the red–green dimension of human colour vision appear to be optimized for picking fruit in leaves at about arms' reach. However, other evidence suggests that the task of spotting fruit from a distance might be more important. This discrepancy may arise because the task a system (e.g. human trichromacy is best at is not necessarily the same task where the largest advantage occurs over the evolutionary alternatives (dichromacy or anomalous trichromacy. We tested human dichromats, anomalous trichromats and “normal” trichromats in a naturalistic visual search task in which they had to find fruit pieces in a bush at 1, 4, 8 or 12 m viewing distance. We found that the largest advantage (in terms of either performance ratio or performance difference of normal trichromacy over both types of colour deficiency was for the largest viewing distance. We infer that in the evolution of human colour vision, spotting fruit from a distance was a more important selective advantage than picking fruit at arms' reach.

Development of a Suspicion Index to aid diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijburg, F. A.; Sedel, F.; Pineda, M.; Hendriksz, C. J.; Fahey, M.; Walterfang, M.; Patterson, M. C.; Wraith, J. E.; Kolb, S. A.

2012-01-01

Objectives: Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive lysosomal lipid storage disorder that is invariably fatal. NP-C diagnosis can be delayed for years due to heterogeneous presentation; adult-onset NP-C can be particularly difficult to diagnose. We developed a Suspicion

A Port-Hamiltonian Approach to Visual Servo Control of a Pick and Place System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dirksz, Daniel A.; Scherpen, Jacquelien M. A.; Steinbuch, Maarten

In this paper, we take a port-Hamiltonian approach to address the problem of image-based visual servo control of a pick and place system. Through a coordinate transformation and a passive interconnection between mechanical system and camera dynamics we realize a closed-loop system that is

Collision free pick up and movement of large objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drotning, W.D.; McKee, G.R.

1998-01-01

An automated system is described for the sensor-based precision docking and manipulation of large objects. Past work in the remote handling of large nuclear waste containers is extensible to the problems associated with the handling of large objects such as coils of flat steel in industry. Computer vision and ultrasonic proximity sensing as described here are used to control the precision docking of large objects, and swing damped motion control of overhead cranes is used to control the position of the pick up device and suspended payload during movement. Real-time sensor processing and model-based control are used to accurately position payloads

Pick 'n' mix: neuropatholgical detection of peri-tumour taupathy.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Lonergan, Roisin

2013-11-01

Radiotherapy is used to treat recurrent oligodendrogliomas, WHO grade 2 tumours. Potential morbitities include steroid-responsive radiation necrosis and radiation leucoencephalopathy, characterised pathologically by reactive astrogliosis, focal necrosis, demyelination, axonal loss, and clinically by progressive subcortical deficits (ataxia, amnesia, incontinence, cognitive decline), with relative sparing of cortical function. Although subcortical features may overlap with neurodegenerative conditions (eg frontotemporal dementia), focal cortical atrophy of FTD causes loss of language function in addition to memory, and specific histopathological features characterise FTD subtypes (eg Pick disease). Association between mitotic disease and tauopathy has not been reported widely, but co-existence is possible. Diagnostic accuracy may guide management.

Hibernia field construction pace picks up speed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the pace of construction is increasing for the $5.2 billion (Canadian) Hibernia oil field development project off Newfoundland with a new partner close to signing on. Texaco, Inc. is reported ready to pick up a 25% interest in the project within a month. Construction activity for offshore systems was cut 50% last February when Gulf Canada Resources Inc. The it planned to withdraw from its 25% interest in Hibernia. Since then, remaining interest owners Mobil Oil Canada Ltd., Chevron Canada Resources Ltd., and Petro-Canada have been seeking new partners. The effort has focused on Texaco with Canadian Energy Minister Jake Epp playing a role in talks. Hibernia's construction work force has risen to 850 from a low of 600. A spokesman for Hibernia Management and Development Co., project manager, the a steady increase in the work force is planned

The hidden Niemann-Pick type C patient : Clinical niches for a rare inherited metabolic disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriksz, Christian J.; Anheim, Mathieu; Bauer, Peter; Bonnot, Olivier; Chakrapani, Anupam; Corvol, Jean-Christophe; de Koning, Tom J.; Degtyareva, Anna; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; Doss, Sarah; Duning, Thomas; Giunti, Paola; Iodice, Rosa; Johnston, Tracy; Kelly, Dierdre; Kluenemann, Hans-Hermann; Lorenzl, Stefan; Padovani, Alessandro; Pocovi, Miguel; Synofzik, Matthis; Terblanche, Alta; Bergh, Florian Then; Topcu, Meral; Tranchant, Christine; Walterfang, Mark; Velten, Christian; Kolb, Stefan A.

2017-01-01

Background: Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease of impaired intracellular lipid trafficking. Clinical symptoms are highly heterogeneous, including neurological, visceral, or psychiatric manifestations. The incidence of NP-C is under-estimated due to

A port-Hamiltonian approach to visual servo control of a pick and place system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dirksz, Daniel A.; Scherpen, Jacquelien M.A.

2012-01-01

In this paper we take a port-Hamiltonian approach to address the problem of image-based visual servo control of a pick and place system. We realize a closed-loop system, including the nonlinear camera dynamics, which is port-Hamiltonian. Although the closed-loop system is nonlinear, the resulting

Reestructuración del layout de la zona de picking en una bodega industrial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Darío Arango Serna

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Este artículo tiene como objetivo presentar una propuesta orientada al mejoramiento de los procesos de distribución y Picking en la bodega de una empresa del sector industrial. Este presenta, inicialmente el marco teórico y la problemática, finaliza con la presentación del caso empresarial objeto de estudio. Las actividades relacionadas con el almacenamiento de materiales son de las que más interfieren en los costos logísticos totales en una empresa o cadena de suministro. Una de las actividades primordiales para intentar reducir los costos operativos es la optimización de los espacios requeridos en el almacenamiento. La finalidad del estudio radica principalmente en la disminución de los tiempos de preparación de pedido para lograr una mejora en el servicio y en la reducción del área destinada al almacenamiento para mitigar los costos de operación. / The main objective of this paper is to present a proposal aimed at improving the distribution and picking processes in a warehouse of an industrial company. Initially, it outlines the theory and problem to be solved, and concludes with a description of a case study. Warehousing activities affect the total logistics costs of a company or supply chain most; thus, optimizing the required spaces for warehousing is one of the most important activities when attempting to reduce operative costs in a company. The purpose of this study is to reduce the time required for picking activities and, therefore, obtain an improvement in the service and a reduction of the area used in the warehouse, which leads to cost reductions.

Type a niemann-pick disease. Description of three cases with delayed myelination.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, A; Sibilio, M; Caranci, F; Bartiromo, F; Taurisano, R; Balivo, F; Melis, D; Parenti, G; Cirillo, S; Elefante, R; Brunetti, A

2008-06-03

We describe three patients with type A Niemann-Pick disease (NPD-A). NPD-A is an autosomal recessive neuronal storage disease classified among the sphingolipidoses, characterized by accumulation of sphingomyelin in various tissues and in the brain. Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) of our three patients showed a marked delay of myelination with frontal atrophy. Few descriptions of this MRI pattern of delayed myelination have been published to date.

Exact Solutions to the Symmetric and Asymmetric Vehicle Routing Problem with Simultaneous Delivery and Pick-Up

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Rieck

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In reverse logistics networks, products (e.g., bottles or containers have to be transported from a depot to customer locations and, after use, from customer locations back to the depot. In order to operate economically beneficial, companies prefer a simultaneous delivery and pick-up service. The resulting Vehicle Routing Problem with Simultaneous Delivery and Pick-up (VRPSDP is an operational problem, which has to be solved daily by many companies. We present two mixed-integer linear model formulations for the VRPSDP, namely a vehicle-flow and a commodity-flow model. In order to strengthen the models, domain-reducing preprocessing techniques, and effective cutting planes are outlined. Symmetric benchmark instances known from the literature as well as new asymmetric instances derived from real-world problems are solved to optimality using CPLEX 12.1.

Plasma chitotriosidase and CCL18: Early biochemical surrogate markers in type B Niemann-Pick disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brinkman, J.; Wijburg, F. A.; Hollak, C. E.; Groener, J. E.; Verhoek, M.; Scheij, S.; Aten, J.; Boot, R. G.; Aerts, J. M.

2005-01-01

Type B Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) is a nonneuronopathic lysosomal storage disorder which is characterized by accumulation of sphingomyelin-laden macrophages. The availability of plasma markers for storage cells may be of great value in facilitating therapeutic decisions. Given the similarity of the

Peak picking multidimensional NMR spectra with the contour geometry based algorithm CYPICK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Würz, Julia M.; Güntert, Peter

2017-01-01

The automated identification of signals in multidimensional NMR spectra is a challenging task, complicated by signal overlap, noise, and spectral artifacts, for which no universally accepted method is available. Here, we present a new peak picking algorithm, CYPICK, that follows, as far as possible, the manual approach taken by a spectroscopist who analyzes peak patterns in contour plots of the spectrum, but is fully automated. Human visual inspection is replaced by the evaluation of geometric criteria applied to contour lines, such as local extremality, approximate circularity (after appropriate scaling of the spectrum axes), and convexity. The performance of CYPICK was evaluated for a variety of spectra from different proteins by systematic comparison with peak lists obtained by other, manual or automated, peak picking methods, as well as by analyzing the results of automated chemical shift assignment and structure calculation based on input peak lists from CYPICK. The results show that CYPICK yielded peak lists that compare in most cases favorably to those obtained by other automated peak pickers with respect to the criteria of finding a maximal number of real signals, a minimal number of artifact peaks, and maximal correctness of the chemical shift assignments and the three-dimensional structure obtained by fully automated assignment and structure calculation.

Peak picking multidimensional NMR spectra with the contour geometry based algorithm CYPICK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Würz, Julia M.; Güntert, Peter, E-mail: guentert@em.uni-frankfurt.de [Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (Germany)

2017-01-15

The automated identification of signals in multidimensional NMR spectra is a challenging task, complicated by signal overlap, noise, and spectral artifacts, for which no universally accepted method is available. Here, we present a new peak picking algorithm, CYPICK, that follows, as far as possible, the manual approach taken by a spectroscopist who analyzes peak patterns in contour plots of the spectrum, but is fully automated. Human visual inspection is replaced by the evaluation of geometric criteria applied to contour lines, such as local extremality, approximate circularity (after appropriate scaling of the spectrum axes), and convexity. The performance of CYPICK was evaluated for a variety of spectra from different proteins by systematic comparison with peak lists obtained by other, manual or automated, peak picking methods, as well as by analyzing the results of automated chemical shift assignment and structure calculation based on input peak lists from CYPICK. The results show that CYPICK yielded peak lists that compare in most cases favorably to those obtained by other automated peak pickers with respect to the criteria of finding a maximal number of real signals, a minimal number of artifact peaks, and maximal correctness of the chemical shift assignments and the three-dimensional structure obtained by fully automated assignment and structure calculation.

Parameters optimization and experiment of garlic picking mechanism%大蒜果秧分离机构参数优化及试验

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

于昭洋; 胡志超; 王海鸥; 彭宝良; 谢焕雄; 吴峰

2015-01-01

In the present, the mechanized harvest technology of garlic in China is still in infancy. Most of the current domestic garlic harvesters only can accomplish the processes of digging and laying. However, the garlic combine harvester, which can synchronously finish the processes of digging, cleaning soil, cutting stem, cutting beard, gathering garlic bulb, etc., is still under test and demonstration. Furthermore, picking is the most important and difficult process of combine harvest, because the bad separation will result in another manual cutting. Different with the harvest mode of the developed countries, the farmers in China pull out the young garlic shoot in its early stage, which causes the garlic to collapse and affects its locating in the application of half feeding combine harvest. Besides, the residual stem is long, the damage rate is high and the cut pass rate is low. In view of the above problems, a picking device of garlic combine harvester was designed, realizing the garlic plant flexibly clamped, the garlic being sorted one by one and aligned automatically. In order to further study the garlic picking device, the garlic picking testbed was designed. The garlic picking testbed consists of a garlic picking device, shelf and transmission system. The main goal of testbed is the garlic picking device which consists of a clamping device, a rank-alignment device, a cutting device. In order to enhance operational performance of garlic picking device, reduce the residual stem length, the damage rate and increase cutting surface pass rate, the Box-Benhnken central composite experimental design principle was conducted in this paper. A four factors and three levels response surface experiment was completed on the garlic picking testbed, with four factors which affect picking quality. This paper established the response surface model and studied the factors affecting picking quality. At the same time, it synthetically optimized the factors affecting picking quality

Factor Structure, Validity and Reliability of the Revised Version of Skin Picking Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Rabiei

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure, validity and reliability of the Skin Picking Scale-Revised Version. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and validation study, participants were 550 (250 male and 300 female of the University of Isfahan were selected randomly from 15000 students. In order to examine the factor structure of the SPS-R we conducted both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach's alpha. Results: Convergent validity of SPS-R with YBOCS-BDD, OCI-R and DASS 21-item were r=0.45, r=0.51 and r=0.70 (p<0.001. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed two factors, one assessing impairment and the other symptom severity (4 items each. These factors could determine 58.1% of the variance. The Cronbach's alpha for the two factors were above 0.88. Also, results were shown to possess good psychometric properties, as well as discriminant validity and classification accuracy, in both clinical and community populations. Conclusion: It can be concluded that this instrument is a useful measure for assess skin-picking disorder symptoms in clinical assessment.

Estimates of the Hyperbolic Radius Gradient and Schwarz–Pick Inequalities for the Eccentric Annulus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.Kh. Giniyatova

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Let Ω and Π be hyperbolic domains in the complex plane C. By A(Ω, Π we shall designate the class of functions f which are holomorphic or meromorphic in Ω and such that f(Ω ϲ Π. Estimates of the higher derivatives |f(n(z| of the analytic functions from the class A(Ω, Π with the punishing factor Cn(Ω, Π is one of the main problems of geometric theory of functions. These estimates are commonly referred to as Schwarz–Pick inequalities. Many results concerning this problem have been obtained for simply connected domains. Therefore, the research interest in such problems for finitely connected domains is natural. As known, the constant C2(Ω, Π for any pairs of hyperbolic domains depends only on the hyperbolic radius gradient of the corresponding domains. The main result of this paper is estimates of the hyperbolic radius gradient and the punishing factor in the Schwarz–Pick inequality for the eccentric annulus. We also consider the extreme case – the randomly punctured circle.

Pick-up, transport and release of a molecular cargo using a small-molecule robotic arm

Science.gov (United States)

Kassem, Salma; Lee, Alan T. L.; Leigh, David A.; Markevicius, Augustinas; Solà, Jordi

2016-02-01

Modern-day factory assembly lines often feature robots that pick up, reposition and connect components in a programmed manner. The idea of manipulating molecular fragments in a similar way has to date only been explored using biological building blocks (specifically DNA). Here, we report on a wholly artificial small-molecule robotic arm capable of selectively transporting a molecular cargo in either direction between two spatially distinct, chemically similar, sites on a molecular platform. The arm picks up/releases a 3-mercaptopropanehydrazide cargo by formation/breakage of a disulfide bond, while dynamic hydrazone chemistry controls the cargo binding to the platform. Transport is controlled by selectively inducing conformational and configurational changes within an embedded hydrazone rotary switch that steers the robotic arm. In a three-stage operation, 79-85% of 3-mercaptopropanehydrazide molecules are transported in either (chosen) direction between the two platform sites, without the cargo at any time fully dissociating from the machine nor exchanging with other molecules in the bulk.

STEM Picks Up Speed

Science.gov (United States)

Demski, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Algebra, geometry, earth science, physics--these require patience and perseverance to master. That kind of academic stamina is hard to advertise to kids nurtured on the instant engagement and gratification of modern digital technology. And there's little hope they'll be sustained by an intrinsic interest in math and science; they have to be shown…

Heliospheric pick-up ions influencing thermodynamics and dynamics of the distant solar wind

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Fahr

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Neutral interstellar H-atoms penetrate into the inner heliosphere and upon the event of ionization are converted into pick-up ions (PUIs. The magnetized solar wind flow incorporates these ions into the plasma bulk and enforces their co-motion. By nonlinear interactions with wind-entrained Alfvén waves, these ions are then processed in the comoving velocity space. The complete pick-up process is connected with forces acting back to the original solar wind ion flow, thereby decelerating and heating the solar wind plasma. As we show here, the resulting deceleration cannot be treated as a pure loading effect, but requires adequate consideration of the action of the pressure of PUI-scattered waves operating by the PUI pressure gradient. Hereby, it is important to take into proper account the stochastic acceleration which PUIs suffer from at their convection out of the inner heliosphere by quasi-linear interactions with MHD turbulences. Only then can the presently reported VOYAGER observations of solar wind decelerations and heatings in the outer heliosphere be understood in view of the most likely values of interstellar gas parameters, such as an H-atom density of 0.12 cm-3 . Solar wind protons (SWPs appear to be globally heated in their motion to larger solar distances. Ascribing the needed heat transfer to the action of suprathermal PUIs, which drive MHD waves that are partly absorbed by SWPs, in order to establish the observed SWP polytropy, we can obtain a quantitative expression for the solar wind proton pressure as a function of solar distance. This expression clearly shows the change from an adiabatic to a quasi-polytropic SWP behaviour with a decreasing polytropic index at increasing distances. This also allows one to calculate the average percentage of initial pick-up energy fed into the thermal proton energy. In a first order evaluation of this expression, we can estimate that about 10% of the initial PUI injection energy is eventually

Final version of the pick-up wheels in the Pelletron tandem accelerator at Lund

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakansson, K.; Hellborg, R.

1993-01-01

A new type of pick-up wheel has been designed and constructed for the charge transport system of the Lund 3UDH Pelletron tandem accelerator. The major improvements compared with older types are a slender design with only one ball bearing and more robust contact pins with a rubber ring between the pinhead and the wheel nave. (orig.)

Evaluation by statistical brain perfusion SPECT analysis on MRI findings, kana pick-out test and Mini-Mental State Examination results in patients with forgetfulness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakatsuka, Hiroki; Matsubara, Ichirou; Ohtani, Haruhiko

2003-01-01

The aim of this single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) study was to determine the abnormality of the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using a three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection (3D-SSP) in 18 patients who were referred to the hospital because of forgetfulness. Two intergroup comparison by 3D-SSP analysis was conducted based on MRI, kana pick-out test and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) results. Of the MRI findings, in the brain atrophy group, rCBF was decreased in the posterior cingulate gyrus, medial temporal structure and parieto-temporal association cortex; these rCBF-decreased areas are similar to the Alzheimer disease pattern. In the group where the MMSE was normal but the kana pick-out test was abnormal, rCBF was decreased in the posterior cingulate gyrus and cinguloparietal transitional area. In the group where both the MMSE and kana pick-out test were abnormal, rCBF was decreased in the parieto-temporal association cortex, temporal cortex and medial temporal structure. These results suggest that 3D-SSP analysis of the SPECT with MMSE and the kana pick-out test provides the possibility of early diagnosis of initial stage of Alzheimer's disease. (author)

Impaired Autophagy in the Lipid-Storage Disorder Niemann-Pick Type C1 Disease

OpenAIRE

Sarkar, Sovan; Carroll, Bernadette; Buganim, Yosef; Maetzel, Dorothea; Ng, Alex H.M.; Cassady, John P.; Cohen, Malkiel A.; Chakraborty, Souvik; Wang, Haoyi; Spooner, Eric; Ploegh, Hidde; Gsponer, Joerg; Korolchuk, Viktor I.; Jaenisch, Rudolf

2013-01-01

Autophagy dysfunction has been implicated in misfolded protein accumulation and cellular toxicity in several diseases. Whether alterations in autophagy also contribute to the pathology of lipid-storage disorders is not clear. Here, we show defective autophagy in Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease associated with cholesterol accumulation, where the maturation of autophagosomes is impaired because of defective amphisome formation caused by failure in SNARE machinery, whereas the lysosomal prot...

Excoriation (skin picking) disorder in Israeli University students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leibovici, Vera; Murad, Sari; Cooper-Kazaz, Rena

2014-01-01

, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder and disruptive, impulse control and conduct disorders. A total of 2176 participants (43.6%) responded and were included in the analysis. Mean age was 25.1 ± 4.8 (range 17-60) years, and 64.3% were female. RESULTS: The proportion of students...... who were screened positive for SPD was 3.03%, with a nearly equal gender distribution (3.0% in females and 3.1% in males). There was a trend toward significantly higher rates of psychiatric problems such as generalized anxiety, compulsive sexual behavior and eating disorders in these students. Within...... the group of students screening positive for SPD, alcohol intake was higher in male students, while female students perceived themselves as less attractive. No association was found between depression and SPD. A high prevalence rate of skin picking was found within first-degree family members...

Modification of AFM Tips for Facilitating Picking-up of Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Wang; Hai-Jun, Yang; Hua-Bin, Wang; Hai, Li; Xin-Yan, Wang; Ying, Wang; Jun-Hong, Lü; Bin, Li; Yi, Zhang; Jun, Hu

2008-01-01

The radius of atomic force microscope (AFM) tip is a key factor that influences nonspecific interactions between AFM tip and nanoparticles. Generally, a tip with larger radius contributes to a higher efficiency of picking up nanoparticles. We provide two methods for modifying the AFM tip: one is to wear a tip apex on a solid substrate and the other is to coat a tip with poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Both the approaches can enhance the adhesion force between the tip and nanoparticles by increasing tip radius. The experimental results show that a modified tip, compared to an unmodified one, achieves six-fold efficiency improvement in the capture of targeted colloidal gold nanoparticles. (general)

Enfermedad de Niemann Pick tipo-A. Presentación de 12 casos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Zarco-Román

2017-05-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCCIÓN: la enfermedad de Niemann Pick tipo A es una enfermedad hereditaria de depósito lisosomal, debida a un déficit de la enzima esfingomielinasa ácida, lo que da lugar a la acumulación de esfingomielina en las células del sistema reticuloendotelial y nervioso central. OBJETIVO: se describe el curso de la enfermedad de Niemann Pick tipo A en 12 pacientes: tres niños y nueve niñas, con edades entre 3 a 33 meses. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio retrospectivo efectuado con base en la información de los expedientes de 12 pacientes, evaluados mediante un examen físico completo, oftalmológico, análisis de laboratorio, ultrasonido de abdomen, tomografía axial computarizada o resonancia magnética nuclear cerebral, radiografías de tórax, ecocardiograma, electroencefalograma, potenciales evocados auditivos y visuales, serie esofagogastroduodenal y serie ósea. Se obtuvo información sobre enfermedades intercurrentes y causas de muerte. RESULTADOS: la sintomatología comenzó en promedio a los 5.9 meses (2 a 16 meses y el diagnóstico definitivo se realizó a la edad de los 15.6 meses (3 a 33 meses a través del cuadro clínico sugestivo, con presencia de células espumosas en el aspirado de médula ósea 12/12 (100% y deficiencia de la enzima esfingomielinasa ácida en 12/12 pacientes (100%; la biopsia hepática fue sugestiva de enfermedad por atesoramiento en 5/12 (41.6%. Las manifestaciones clínicas por orden de frecuencia fueron: hepatoesplenomegalia y afección neurológica en 12/12 (100%, alteración pulmonar 11/12 (91.6%, hematológica 9/12 (80%, oftalmológica con mancha rojo cereza 9/12 (75%, ósea 6/12 (50%, y cardiaca 4/12 (33.3%. Únicamente hubo antecedente de consanguinidad en 4 familias (33.3%. CONCLUSIONES: el curso clínico de la enfermedad de Niemann Pick tipo A es muy similar entre los pacientes afectados, el primer dato clínico detectado es la hepatoesplenomegalia. Los pacientes están asintomáticos los primeros

Critical Damage Analysis of WC-Co Tip of Conical Pick due to Coal Excavation in Mines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saurabh Dewangan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available WC-Co based tools are widely used in the field of coal and rock excavation because of their unique combination of strength, hardness, and resistance to abrasive wear. Conical pick is one of the coal cutting tools. The tip of the pick is made of WC-Co material. As coal and rock are heterogeneous elements, they pose various constraints during excavation. As a result the tools wear out during the process. Other parameters like cutting techniques, tool orientation, and environmental conditions also affect the tool significantly. The wearing phenomenon greatly reduces the service life of the tools and thereby cuts down the production rate. To prevent such wearing process, it is important to investigate the different wear mechanisms in WC-Co. Simultaneously, there has to be an ongoing endeavour for the development of better quality WC-Co. This paper focuses on different wear mechanisms in a conical pick which has been used in a continuous miner machine for coal cutting. The worn out surface has been observed by using FE-SEM (field emission scanning electron microscopy and EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The mechanisms, namely, coal/rock intermixing, cracking and crushing of WC grains, and adhesion of rock particles, have been predominantly investigated in this study. A little indication of corrosive decay in the WC grain has also been reported. The EDS has detected material concentration in a selected area or point of the worn-out surface. The spectrograph confirms the presence of coal/rock materials. Elements such as W, C, Ca, K, O, and Co have been mainly found in different concentrations at different positions.

Your future in Science and Technology: breathtaking opportunities and significant choices

KAUST Repository

Metayer, Estelle

2017-01-18

A voyage into the technologies which will change our world in the next 20 years. A deep thinking into the responsibilities that will come from the scientific choices we make, and the dilemmas the science and technology community will have to resolve. Weﾒll also explore the new industries and jobs that will emerge and how you, in this fascinating new world, will develop the personal skills and toolkit to learn to pick weak signals, probe your blindspots and grow as a leader. Finally, this thought-provoking keynote will demystify the profound impact science and technology will have in the future of work, our relations with each other, and with the world around us.

The hour equivalent solar pick, definition and interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez Martínez, Maykop; Morales Rodríguez; Clemente; Castro Ingeniero, Elio

2017-01-01

Photovoltaic solar energy takes advantage of the light energy of the sun to produce electricity through semiconductor plates that are altered by solar radiation, these systems are called Photovoltaic Solar Panels (PSP). In order to calculate the energy absorbed by these PSPs, it is necessary to use technical terms that are a little difficult to interpret, for those less experienced in the subject, above all because of the ambiguity, the level of abstraction required in their understanding and the variety of ways of expressing very similar ideas without offering a clear and unique definition. The main term to which this article is dedicated is the Hour Solar Pick (HSP), which in the experiences of the authors has generated strong discussions about its interpretation. In order to arrive at the desired term, it is necessary to start with others, so the aim is to propose a definition and physical and mathematical interpretation to clarify the meaning of this term. (author)

Motion coordination affects movement parameters in a joint pick-and-place task

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vesper, Cordula; Soutschek, Alexander; Schubö, Anna

2009-01-01

This study examined influences of social context on movement parameters in a pick-and-place task. Participants’ motion trajectories were recorded while they performed sequences of natural movements either working side-by-side with a partner or alone. It was expected that movement parameters would...... person performed the task while being observed by the partner. Results indicate that participants adapted their movements temporally and spatially to the joint action situation: Overall movement duration was shorter, and mean and maximum velocity was higher when actually working together than when...... action tasks....

Adult Niemann-Pick disease type B with myositis ossificans: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Russka Shumnalieva

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick Disease (NPD is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal lipid storage disorder. The disease is caused by gene mutations that affect the metabolism of sphingolipids. The dysfunctions cause sphingomyelin to accumulate in different organs. NPD includes forms with low and high levels of sphingomyelin. We report a case of a 34 year-old man with a family history of NPD type B who presented with hepatosplenomegaly, neurological deficiency, bone abnormalities, and myositis ossificans. The clinical, biochemical, and imaging data confirmed the combined diagnosis of NPD type B with myositis ossificans.

Peripheral neuropathy in type A Niemann-Pick disease. A morphological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Landrieu, P; Saïd, G

1984-01-01

A black boy had a severe neuropathic form of Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) with a pronounced sphingomyelinase deficiency in the fibroblasts. Nerve conduction velocities were diminished, and a nerve biopsy was performed. Isolated fibers showed segmental demyelination and numerous dense bodies in the Schwann cells (SC). Electron microscopy revealed two categories of inclusions: the first was made up of lysosomal inclusions usually described in NPD. The second comprised myelin inclusions--sometimes still connected to the original myelin sheath--indicating severe myelinopathy. Both myelin debris and NPD inclusions were found in axoplasms and probably came from SC cytoplasm through axolemma lesions. NPD is a unique example of myelinopathy due to sphingomyelinase deficiency.

An Examination of the Science Curriculum As It Reflects Social/Industrial Change: A Proposal for Curriculum Involving Social Interactions and Utilitarian Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Seale, Thomas Scott

Chapter I of this master's thesis examines aspects of the changing lifestyle that was inaugerated by the Industrial and Scientific Revolutions. Chapter II picks up the transition in general schooling that accompanied the revolutions. Chapter III traces the role of the evolving science curricula in this transition. Chapter IV presents proposals…

PICK1 uncoupling from mGluR7a causes absence-like seizures

OpenAIRE

Bertaso, Federica; Zhang, Chuansheng; Scheschonka, Astrid; de Bock, Frédéric; Fontanaud, Pierre; Marin, Philippe; Huganir, Richard L; Betz, Heinrich; Bockaert, Joël; Fagni, Laurent; Lerner-Natoli, Mireille

2008-01-01

Absence epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes a recurrent loss of consciousness and generalized spike-and-wave discharges on an electroencephalogram (EEG). The role of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and associated scaffolding proteins in absence epilepsy has been unclear to date. We investigated a possible role for these proteins in absence epilepsy, focusing on the mGluR7a receptor and its PDZ-interacting protein, protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1), in rats and ...

Near-surface traveltime tomographic inversion using multiple first break picks

KAUST Repository

Saragiotis, Christos; Choi, Yun Seok; Keho, T.; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

2013-01-01

The input data for refraction traveltime tomography are the traveltimes of the first breaks, which are picked using automatic pickers. Although automatic pickers perform satisfactorily overall, no one automatic picker can be characterized as the best one; one picker might fail for traces for which other pickers are accurate and vice versa for other traces. We introduce an iterative method for traveltime tomography, which takes as input traveltimes from a number of pickers. During the inversion scheme inconsistent traveltimes are replaced with more meaningful ones to obtain a smooth near-surface velocity model. The scheme is easily parallelizable and a byproduct of the inversion scheme is a set of consistent traveltimes which is close to the actual traveltimes of the first breaks.

Investor Outlook: Gene Therapy Picking up Steam; At a Crossroads.

Science.gov (United States)

Schimmer, Joshua; Breazzano, Steven

2016-09-01

The gene therapy field continues to pick up steam with recent successes in a number of different therapeutic indications that highlight the potential for the platform. As the field continues to make progress, a growing data set of long-term safety and efficacy data will continue to define gene therapy's role, determining ultimately how widely it may be used beyond rare, serious diseases with high unmet needs. New technologies often take unanticipated twists and turns as patient exposure accumulates, and gene therapy may be no exception. That said, with many diseases that have no other treatment options beyond gene therapy and that present considerable morbidity and mortality, the field appears poised to withstand some minor and even major bumps in the road should they emerge.

Pathological grooming: Evidence for a single factor behind trichotillomania, skin picking and nail biting.

Science.gov (United States)

Maraz, Aniko; Hende, Borbála; Urbán, Róbert; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2017-01-01

Although trichotillomania (TTM), skin picking (SP), and nail biting (NB) have been receiving growing scientific attention, the question as to whether these disorders can be regarded as separate entities or they are different manifestations of the same underlying tendency is unclear. Data were collected online in a community survey, yielding a sample of 2705 participants (66% women, mean age: 29.1, SD: 8.6). Hierarchical factor analysis was used to identify a common latent factor and the multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) modelling was applied to test the predictive effect of borderline personality disorder symptoms, impulsivity, distress and self-esteem on pathological grooming. Pearson correlation coefficients between TTM, SP and NB were between 0.13 and 0.29 (p grooming factor. Impulsivity, psychiatric distress and contingent self-esteem had significant predictive effects, whereas borderline personality disorder had a nonsignificant predictive effect on the latent factor. We found evidence that the category of pathological grooming is meaningful and encompasses three symptom manifestations: trichotillomania, skin picking and nail biting. This latent underlying factor is not better explained by indicators of psychopathology, which supports the notion that the urge to self-groom, rather than general psychiatric distress, impulsivity, self-esteem or borderline symptomatology, is what drives individual grooming behaviours.

Single neutron pick-up on 104Pd

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, M.R.D.; Andre, J.P.A.M. de; Borello-Lewin, T.; Horodynski-Matsushigue, L.B.; Duarte, J.L.M.; Rodrigues, C.L.; Ukita, G.M.

2006-01-01

Low-lying levels of 103 Pd have been investigated through the (d,t) reaction on 104 Pd, at an incident deuteron energy of 15.0 MeV. Outgoing particles were momentum analyzed by an Enge magnetic spectrograph and detected in nuclear emulsion plates, with an energy resolution of 8 keV. Previous (d,t) work suffered from a much worse resolution than that here achieved. A partial analysis of the data obtained is reported, referring to six out of the fourteen scattering angles for which data were obtained. Angular distributions associated with eight of the thirteen levels seen up to 1.1 MeV of excitation have been compared to DWBA one-neutron pick-up predictions. Both, the attributed excitation energy values and the transferred angular momenta are in excellent agreement with the results of other kind of experiments, as tabulated by the Nuclear Data Sheets. Some peculiar structure characteristics, associated with the yrast 5/2 + , 3/2 + and 7/2 + states found in the Ru chain could be recognized also in 103 Pd, pointing to the possibility of a more global understanding of this transitional mass region. (author)

A modeling of dynamic storage assignment for order picking in beverage warehousing with Drive-in Rack system

Science.gov (United States)

Hadi, M. Z.; Djatna, T.; Sugiarto

2018-04-01

This paper develops a dynamic storage assignment model to solve storage assignment problem (SAP) for beverages order picking in a drive-in rack warehousing system to determine the appropriate storage location and space for each beverage products dynamically so that the performance of the system can be improved. This study constructs a graph model to represent drive-in rack storage position then combine association rules mining, class-based storage policies and an arrangement rule algorithm to determine an appropriate storage location and arrangement of the product according to dynamic orders from customers. The performance of the proposed model is measured as rule adjacency accuracy, travel distance (for picking process) and probability a product become expiry using Last Come First Serve (LCFS) queue approach. Finally, the proposed model is implemented through computer simulation and compare the performance for different storage assignment methods as well. The result indicates that the proposed model outperforms other storage assignment methods.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Niemann-Pick disease type B monitored by chitotriosidase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Quarello, Paola; Spada, Marco; Porta, Francesco; Vassallo, Elena; Timeus, Fabio; Fagioli, Franca

2018-02-01

Here, we report a patient with Niemann-Pick disease type B, with early severe onset of disease and pulmonary involvement, treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from a bone marrow matched unrelated donor. We confirm that HSCT is feasible and potentially beneficial for patients with severe phenotype. Noteworthy, we discussed the potential usefulness of the activity of peripheral chitotriosidase for the longitudinal evaluation of HSCT success and effectiveness. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bacterial recovery from breast skin of genetically feathered and featherless broiler carcasses immediately following scalding and picking.

Science.gov (United States)

Buhr, R J; Berrang, M E; Cason, J A

2003-10-01

Genetically feathered and featherless sibling broilers selected for matched BW were killed, scalded, and defeathered to determine the consequences of feathers and empty feather follicles on the recovery of bacteria from carcass breast skin. In trial 1, the vents of all carcasses were plugged and sutured before scalding to prevent the expulsion of cloacal contents during picking. In trial 2, half of the carcasses had their vents plugged and sutured. Immediately after defeathering, breast skin was aseptically removed, and bacteria associated with it were enumerated. In trial 1, the levels of bacteria recovered did not differ between feathered and featherless carcasses: Campylobacter log10 1.4 cfu/mL of rinse, coliform log10 1.8, Escherichia coli log10 1.6, and total aerobic bacteria log10 3.1. In trial 2, the carcasses that had vents plugged and sutured had lower levels of all four types of bacteria (differences of Campylobacter log10 0.7 cfu/mL, coliform log10 1.8, E. coli log10 1.7, and total aerobic bacteria log10 0.5) than those carcasses with open vents. The lower levels of bacteria recovered from carcasses with the vents plugged and sutured during picking enabled detection of small but significant differences between feathered and featherless carcasses. The level of coliform and E. coli recovered was slightly higher by log10 0.7 cfu for feathered carcasses, but featherless carcasses had marginally higher levels of total aerobic bacteria by log10 0.4 cfu. Feathered and featherless carcasses with open vents during picking did not differ in the levels of recovery of coliform, E. coli, and total aerobic bacteria from breast skin.

On measuring the UNK SC-dipole bending strength with rotating pick-up coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, N.L.; Tikhov, A.V.

1993-01-01

The experience in measuring the SC-dipole bending strength with the spotting method shown this measurement to be the most complicated and expensive. A convenient and simple method of rotating pick-up coil, which can not provide the required accuracy, may be used for this measurement combined with NMR measurements in the dipole central part. The physical ground and description of the method are given in the paper. The analysis of the errors and measurement results of the SPDMI SC-dipoles are presented. 9 refs..; 7 figs

Design developments for the ITER in-Vessel equilibrium pick-up Coils and Halo current Sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chitarin, G; Grando, L.; Pomaro, N.; Peruzzo, S.; Taccon, C.

2006-01-01

The ITER magnetic diagnostics must provide essential information to be used both for plasma diagnostic purposes, and as feedback signals for the machine control loops. Some of the sensors have to be installed in a hostile environment characterized by severe neutron irradiation and plasma heat loads, which can reduce the sensor lifetime (due to mechanical and electrical damage) and also generate undesired DC signals, which might compromise the accuracy of the measurements obtained by time-integration. The paper is focused on the design development and optimization of a typical in-vessel tangential pick-up Coil. The work is aimed to achieve the required measurement precision in spite of Radiation Induced Electromotive Force (RIEMF) and Radiation Induced Thermo-Electric Sensitivity (RITES), which have recently been documented to take place in Mineral Insulated Cables (MIC). To this purpose, a substantial reduction of the thermal gradient and the maximum temperature due to nuclear heating in the pick-up coils is considered necessary. Within the limits of several heavy engineering constraints, a new concept of magnetic pick up coil has been developed. A winding made of a ceramic-coated conductor (instead of a MIC) and '' impregnated '' with ceramic filler is proposed. Different material choices for the coil support structure have been investigated. Similar issues are related to the Halo Sensor design. The possibility of replacing the circular tubes used as support of the Rogowski coils with a ceramic support in order to avoid the non-linear effect of the magnetic material has also been studied. The replacement of the MIC of the winding with a ceramic-coated wire is also investigated in order to increase of the effective area of the sensor. The paper includes also a critical review of each stage of the measurement chain (probes, cabling, conditioning electronics and data acquisition) in order to assess the compliance with the overall system precision that is required for

Pick up of cesium and cobalt activity by oxide sludge in steam generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rufus, A.L.; Subramanian, H.; Velmurugan, S.; Santanu Bera; Narasimhan, S.V.; Reddy, G.L.N.; Sankara Sastry, V.

2002-01-01

A pinhole developed near the tube sheet in the steam generator (SG) tube of a pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) caused leak of primary coolant containing radioactive contaminants ( 137 Cs, 134 Cs and 60 Co) to the shell side. The sludge collected from the tube sheet region was found to have adsorbed these radionuclides at the high temperature (230-240 deg C) that prevailed in the SG. An attempt has been made to evaluate the quantity of activity retained in the various oxide phases that constitute the sludge and their mode of pick-up. The sludge was characterized by XRD and XPS, which showed the presence of various oxides of iron, copper and nickel along with the silicates of calcium, magnesium and aluminium. Gamma-spectrometry of the sludge confirmed the presence of 137 Cs, 134 Cs and 60 Co to an extent of 7.6, 1.3 and 0.9 μCi/g of sludge, respectively. Selective dissolution in various EDTA based formulations and equilibration with nitric acid and magnesium chloride solutions helped to understand the quantity of activity adsorbed by various constituents of the sludge. It was concluded that a major portion of cesium was picked up by a reversible ion exchange process on various oxide constituents and about 10% by an irreversible specific adsorption process on insoluble silicates. Also, it was proved that 60 Co was specifically adsorbed over the oxides of iron and nickel. (author)

Rapid Diagnosis of 83 Patients with Niemann Pick Type C Disease and Related Cholesterol Transport Disorders by Cholestantriol Screening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janine Reunert

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Niemann Pick type C (NP-C is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by an impairment of intracellular lipid transport. Due to the heterogeneous clinical phenotype and the lack of a reliable blood test, diagnosis and therapy are often delayed for years. In the cell, accumulating cholesterol leads to increased formation of oxysterols that can be used as a powerful screening parameter for NP-C. In a large scale study, we evaluated the oxysterol cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol (c-triol as potential biomarker for a rapid diagnosis of NP-C. Using GC/MS, c-triol has been analyzed in 1902 plasma samples of patients with the suspicion for NP-C. Diagnosis in patients with elevated oxysterols was confirmed by genetic analysis. 71 new NP-C patients (69 NP-C1 and two NP-C2 and 12 Niemann Pick type A/B patients were identified. 24 new mutations in NPC1, one new mutation in NPC2 and three new mutations in the SMPD1 gene were found. Cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol was elevated in Niemann Pick type C1, type C2, type A/B and in CESD disease. No other study has ever identified so many NP-C patients, proving that c-triol is a rapid and reliable biomarker to detect patients with NP-C disease and related cholesterol transport disorders. It should replace the filipin test as the first-line diagnostic assay.

Functional modulation of the glutamate transporter variant GLT1b by the PDZ domain protein PICK1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Rikke; Borre, Lars; Braunstein, Thomas H

2013-01-01

The dominant glutamate transporter isoform in the mammalian brain, GLT1, exists as at least three splice variants, GLT1a, GLT1b, and GLT1c. GLT1b interacts with the scaffold protein PICK1 (protein interacting with kinase C1), which is implicated in glutamatergic neurotransmission via its regulato...

Data fusion analysis of a surface direct-current resistivity and well pick data set

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayton, E.A.; Lewis, R.E.

1995-09-01

Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has been tasked with testing, debugging, and refining the Hanford Site data fusion workstation (DFW), with the assistance of Coleman Research Corporation (CRC), before delivering the DFW to the environmental restoration client at the Hanford Site. Data fusion is the mathematical combination (or fusion) of disparate data sets into a single interpretation. The data fusion software used in this study was developed by CRC. This report discusses the results of evaluating a surface direct-current (dc) resistivity and well-pick data set using two methods: data fusion technology and commercially available software (i.e., RESIX Plus from Interpex Ltd., Golden, Colorado), the conventional method of analysis. The report compares the two technologies; describes the survey, procedures, and results; and includes conclusions and recommendations. The surface dc resistivity and well-pick data set had been acquired by PNL from a study performed in May 1993 at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. The resistivity survey data were acquired to map the top of permafrost in support of a hydrogeologic study. This data set provided an excellent opportunity to test and refine the dc resistivity capabilities of the DFW; previously, the data fusion software was untested on dc resistivity data. The DFW was used to evaluate the dc resistivity survey data and to produce a 3-dimensional earth model of the study area

41 CFR 102-41.230 - May SASPs pick up or store donated drug paraphernalia in their distribution centers?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May SASPs pick up or store donated drug paraphernalia in their distribution centers? 102-41.230 Section 102-41.230 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL...

Adult onset Niemann-Pick type C disease: A clinical, neuroimaging and molecular genetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Battisti, Carla; Tarugi, Patrizla; Dotti, Maria Teresa; De Stefano, Nicola; Vattimo, Angelo; Chierichetti, Francesea; Calandra, Sebastiano; Federico, Antonio

2003-11-01

We report on a patient with adult-onset Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease, carrying the mutations P1007 and I1061T in the NPC1 gene, presenting with marked psychiatric changes followed by dystonia and cognitive impairment. Filipin staining, single photon emission computed tomography perfusional, positron emission tomography metabolic, conventional magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings suggested a pathophysiological correlation with phenotype expression. This case expands the clinical and genetic spectrum of the rare adult-onset NPC disease phenotype.

How to reliably deliver narrow individual-patient error bars for optimization of pacemaker AV or VV delay using a "pick-the-highest" strategy with haemodynamic measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Darrel P

2013-03-10

Intuitive and easily-described, "pick-the-highest" is often recommended for quantitative optimization of AV and especially VV delay settings of biventricular pacemakers (BVP; cardiac resynchronization therapy, CRT). But reliable selection of the optimum setting is challenged by beat-to-beat physiological variation, which "pick-the-highest" combats by averaging multiple heartbeats. Optimization is not optimization unless the optimum is identified confidently. This document shows how to calculate how many heartbeats must be averaged to optimize reliably by pick-the-highest. Any reader, by conducting a few measurements, can calculate for locally-available methods (i) biological scatter between replicate measurements, and (ii) curvature of the biological response. With these, for any clinically-desired precision of optimization, the necessary number of heartbeats can be calculated. To achieve 95% confidence of getting within ±∆x of the true optimum, the number of heartbeats needed is 2(scatter/curvature)(2)/∆x(4) per setting. Applying published scatter/curvature values (which readers should re-evaluate locally) indicates that optimizing AV, even coarsely with a 40ms-wide band of precision, requires many thousand beats. For VV delay, the number approaches a million. Moreover, identifying the optimum twice as precisely requires 30-fold more beats. "Pick the highest" is quick to say but slow to do. We must not expect staff to do the impossible; nor criticise them for not doing so. Nor should we assume recommendations and published protocols are well-designed. Reliable AV or VV optimization, using "pick-the-highest" on commonly-recommended manual measurements, is unrealistic. Improving time-efficiency of the optimization process to become clinically realistic may need a curve-fitting strategy instead, with all acquired data marshalled conjointly. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting the outcome of in vitro bovine embryo production using ovum pick-up-derived cumulus oocyte complexes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Merton, J.S.

2013-01-01

Optimization of bovine ovum pick up (OPU) followed by in vitro embryo production (IVP) has been driven by the desire of both beef and dairy cattle breeders to enhance genetic improvement. The work presented in this thesis focuses on optimizing the efficiency and efficacy of the OPU-IVP program.

Liver and Skin Histopathology in Adults with Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (Niemann-Pick Disease Type B)

OpenAIRE

Thurberg, Beth L.; Wasserstein, Melissa P.; Schiano, Thomas; O’Brien, Fanny; Richards, Susan; Cox, Gerald F.; McGovern, Margaret M.

2012-01-01

Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by the pathologic accumulation of sphingomyelin in multiple cells types, and occurs most prominently within the liver, spleen and lungs, leading to significant clinical disease. Seventeen ASMD patients underwent a liver biopsy during baseline screening for a Phase 1 trial of recombinant human acid sphingomyelinase (rhASM) in adults with Niemann-Pick disease type B. Eleven of the 17 were enrolled in the trial...

Sphingomyelin lipidosis (Niemann-Pick disease) in a juvenile raccoon (Procyon lotor).

Science.gov (United States)

Vapniarsky, N; Wenger, D A; Scheenstra, D; Mete, A

2013-01-01

A wild caught juvenile male raccoon with neurological disease was humanely destroyed due to poor prognosis. Necropsy examination revealed hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and multicentric lymphadenomegaly with diffuse hepatic pallor and pulmonary consolidation with pinpoint pale subpleural foci. Microscopically, there was marked pale cytoplasmic swelling of the central and peripheral neurons as well as the glial cells in the brain, accompanied by multiorgan infiltration by abundant foamy macrophages. Ultrastructural investigation revealed accumulation of concentrically arranged lamellar material within lysosomes of the affected neurons, macrophages and endothelial cells. Biochemical enzymatic analysis detected sphingomyelinase deficiency and lysosomal storage disease consistent with sphingomyelin lipidosis (Niemann-Pick disease [NPD]) was diagnosed. This is the first report of NPD in a raccoon. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Relationship Between Treatment Adherence and Non-picked Up Medications in Community Pharmacies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vu Phan Hoang Nguyen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Medication adherence is one of the major factors that determine an outcome of a treatment. Despite the effort of healthcare providers to improve the adherence rate, it still remains a serious issue in our health care system today. Many patients do not take their medications as directed or just simply do not want to fill or refill their prescriptions. A small survey performed by pharmacy students at Temple School of Pharmacy showed that there is a significant number of patients did not pick up their medications. Cardiovascular medications are the most common non-picked up drugs. There are various reasons that patients use to justify for this non-adherence behavior. However, they are unaware that their actions create a tremendous negative effect not only on the treatment itself but also on the entire health care system. The consequences include expensive therapies, inaccurate research data, and poor treatment outcomes. Many solutions have been utilized to solve this problem, but it is still the major problem for healthcare providers to keep in mind when planning a drug regimen. Although many people believed that pharmacists are responsible for solving this problem, it should be a multidisciplinary effort of all healthcare providers to improve the medication adherence. Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received, employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties.   Type: Student Project

Research on random service system efficiency of sorted storage manual order picking manners%分类存储人工拣选随机服务系统效率研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

朱杰; 周丽; 郭键

2012-01-01

The manual order picking system with order arrival as Poisson flow, and single picking servicer can be considered as M/G/l random service system. This paper studies the efficiency optimization problem of manual order picking system. We also analyze the stochastic characteristics of arrived orders goods categories and items number. The paper establishes picker route stochastic models under sorted storage return-type and S-type picking for logistics distribution center to deduce corresponding picking time distribution functions. Experiment results show that the two models approximate all approach simulation better under permitted error conditions. Compare the two picking manners with five kinds of goods order frequency and storage assignment, and then get application situations. This paper provides reference for estimation picking time and waiting time of traditional rectangular logistic distribution center, and provides basis for choosing storage strategy.%可以把订单服从泊松输入、单个拣选人员提供服务的人工拣选作业系统看作M/G/1随机服务系统,研究此随机服务系统的效率优化问题.分析订单到达的物品种类与件数随机特性,建立分类存储返回型与S型拣选距离随机模型,分别推导相应的拣选时间分布.仿真结果表明,两个模型的结果能在误差允许条件下较好地与仿真逼近.比较5种物品订购频率和货位分配情况下的返回型和S型拣选方式,得出两种拣选方式各自适用的情况.研究结论可以为传统矩形配送中心的订单拣选时间、等待时间估计提供参考,可为拣选路径方式选择提供依据.

Safety Picks up "STEAM"

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Ken

2016-01-01

This column shares safety information for the classroom. STEAM subjects--science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics--are essential for fostering students' 21st-century skills. STEAM promotes critical-thinking skills, including analysis, assessment, categorization, classification, interpretation, justification, and prediction, and are…

Single neutron pick-up on {sup 104}Pd

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, M.R.D.; Andre, J.P.A.M. de; Borello-Lewin, T.; Horodynski-Matsushigue, L.B.; Duarte, J.L.M.; Rodrigues, C.L. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Ukita, G.M. [Universidade de Santo Amaro, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Psicologia

2006-12-15

Low-lying levels of {sup 103}Pd have been investigated through the (d,t) reaction on {sup 104}Pd, at an incident deuteron energy of 15.0 MeV. Outgoing particles were momentum analyzed by an Enge magnetic spectrograph and detected in nuclear emulsion plates, with an energy resolution of 8 keV. Previous (d,t) work suffered from a much worse resolution than that here achieved. A partial analysis of the data obtained is reported, referring to six out of the fourteen scattering angles for which data were obtained. Angular distributions associated with eight of the thirteen levels seen up to 1.1 MeV of excitation have been compared to DWBA one-neutron pick-up predictions. Both, the attributed excitation energy values and the transferred angular momenta are in excellent agreement with the results of other kind of experiments, as tabulated by the Nuclear Data Sheets. Some peculiar structure characteristics, associated with the yrast 5/2{sup +}, 3/2{sup +} and 7/2{sup +} states found in the Ru chain could be recognized also in {sup 103}Pd, pointing to the possibility of a more global understanding of this transitional mass region. (author)

Micromanipulation and pick-up system for X-Ray diffraction characterization of micrometer-sized single particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeichi, Y; Inami, N; Saito, K; Otori, H; Sagayama, R; Kumai, R; Ono, K; Ueno, T

2014-01-01

We describe a micromanipulation and pick-up system for preparing a micrometer-sized single particle for X-ray diffraction characterization. Combining a microgripper based on microelectromechanical systems, piezo-motor-driven linear stages, and a gamepad, the system provides precise and intuitive handling of the object. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements of Sm-Fe-N permanent magnet were performed using this system. We also describe a method to distinguish crystallographically homogeneous particles found in powder-form samples.

Design and manufacture of mechanical forceps to pick up objects at the bottom of the pool reactor TRIGA MK II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kankunku, K.P.; Lukanda, M.V.

2011-01-01

This design helps us to pick up any objects felt in bottom of swimming pool, which is a radioactive area, due to the presence of spent nuclear fuel. Its great advantage is its sample designing and made with local material.

Meghnad Saha his life in science and politics

CERN Document Server

Naik, Pramod V

2017-01-01

This biography is a short yet comprehensive overview of the life of Meghnad Saha, the mastermind behind the frequently used Saha equations and a strong contributor to the foundation of science in India. The author explores the lesser known details behind the man who played a major role in building scientific institutions in India, developed the breakthrough theory of thermal ionization, and whose fervor about India’s rapid progress in science and technology, along with concern for uplifting his countrymen and optimizing resources, led him to eventually enter politics and identify the mismanagement of many programs of national importance to Parliament. This book is free of most academic technicalities, so that the reader with general scientific knowledge can read and understand it easily. One interested only in Saha’s contribution to physics can pick up just that part and read it. Conversely, the average reader may skip the technical chapters, and read the book without loss of continuity or generality to s...

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modeling and Evaluation of Therapeutics for Niemann-Pick Disease Type A.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Yan; Xu, Miao; Li, Rong; Dai, Sheng; Beers, Jeanette; Chen, Guokai; Soheilian, Ferri; Baxa, Ulrich; Wang, Mengqiao; Marugan, Juan J; Muro, Silvia; Li, Zhiyuan; Brady, Roscoe; Zheng, Wei

2016-12-01

: Niemann-Pick disease type A (NPA) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the SMPD1 gene that encodes acid sphingomyelinase (ASM). Deficiency in ASM function results in lysosomal accumulation of sphingomyelin and neurodegeneration. Currently, there is no effective treatment for NPA. To accelerate drug discovery for treatment of NPA, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells from two patient dermal fibroblast lines and differentiated them into neural stem cells. The NPA neural stem cells exhibit a disease phenotype of lysosomal sphingomyelin accumulation and enlarged lysosomes. By using this disease model, we also evaluated three compounds that reportedly reduced lysosomal lipid accumulation in Niemann-Pick disease type C as well as enzyme replacement therapy with ASM. We found that α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, and ASM reduced sphingomyelin accumulation and enlarged lysosomes in NPA neural stem cells. Therefore, the NPA neural stem cells possess the characteristic NPA disease phenotype that can be ameliorated by tocopherols, cyclodextrin, and ASM. Our results demonstrate the efficacies of cyclodextrin and tocopherols in the NPA cell-based model. Our data also indicate that the NPA neural stem cells can be used as a new cell-based disease model for further study of disease pathophysiology and for high-throughput screening to identify new lead compounds for drug development. Currently, there is no effective treatment for Niemann-Pick disease type A (NPA). To accelerate drug discovery for treatment of NPA, NPA-induced pluripotent stem cells were generated from patient dermal fibroblasts and differentiated into neural stem cells. By using the differentiated NPA neuronal cells as a cell-based disease model system, α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin significantly reduced sphingomyelin accumulation in these NPA neuronal cells. Therefore, this cell-based NPA model can be used for further study of

Towards fully automated structure-based NMR resonance assignment of 15N-labeled proteins from automatically picked peaks

KAUST Repository

Jang, Richard; Gao, Xin; Li, Ming

2011-01-01

In NMR resonance assignment, an indispensable step in NMR protein studies, manually processed peaks from both N-labeled and C-labeled spectra are typically used as inputs. However, the use of homologous structures can allow one to use only N-labeled NMR data and avoid the added expense of using C-labeled data. We propose a novel integer programming framework for structure-based backbone resonance assignment using N-labeled data. The core consists of a pair of integer programming models: one for spin system forming and amino acid typing, and the other for backbone resonance assignment. The goal is to perform the assignment directly from spectra without any manual intervention via automatically picked peaks, which are much noisier than manually picked peaks, so methods must be error-tolerant. In the case of semi-automated/manually processed peak data, we compare our system with the Xiong-Pandurangan-Bailey- Kellogg's contact replacement (CR) method, which is the most error-tolerant method for structure-based resonance assignment. Our system, on average, reduces the error rate of the CR method by five folds on their data set. In addition, by using an iterative algorithm, our system has the added capability of using the NOESY data to correct assignment errors due to errors in predicting the amino acid and secondary structure type of each spin system. On a publicly available data set for human ubiquitin, where the typing accuracy is 83%, we achieve 91% accuracy, compared to the 59% accuracy obtained without correcting for such errors. In the case of automatically picked peaks, using assignment information from yeast ubiquitin, we achieve a fully automatic assignment with 97% accuracy. To our knowledge, this is the first system that can achieve fully automatic structure-based assignment directly from spectra. This has implications in NMR protein mutant studies, where the assignment step is repeated for each mutant. © Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Towards fully automated structure-based NMR resonance assignment of 15N-labeled proteins from automatically picked peaks

KAUST Repository

Jang, Richard

2011-03-01

In NMR resonance assignment, an indispensable step in NMR protein studies, manually processed peaks from both N-labeled and C-labeled spectra are typically used as inputs. However, the use of homologous structures can allow one to use only N-labeled NMR data and avoid the added expense of using C-labeled data. We propose a novel integer programming framework for structure-based backbone resonance assignment using N-labeled data. The core consists of a pair of integer programming models: one for spin system forming and amino acid typing, and the other for backbone resonance assignment. The goal is to perform the assignment directly from spectra without any manual intervention via automatically picked peaks, which are much noisier than manually picked peaks, so methods must be error-tolerant. In the case of semi-automated/manually processed peak data, we compare our system with the Xiong-Pandurangan-Bailey- Kellogg\\'s contact replacement (CR) method, which is the most error-tolerant method for structure-based resonance assignment. Our system, on average, reduces the error rate of the CR method by five folds on their data set. In addition, by using an iterative algorithm, our system has the added capability of using the NOESY data to correct assignment errors due to errors in predicting the amino acid and secondary structure type of each spin system. On a publicly available data set for human ubiquitin, where the typing accuracy is 83%, we achieve 91% accuracy, compared to the 59% accuracy obtained without correcting for such errors. In the case of automatically picked peaks, using assignment information from yeast ubiquitin, we achieve a fully automatic assignment with 97% accuracy. To our knowledge, this is the first system that can achieve fully automatic structure-based assignment directly from spectra. This has implications in NMR protein mutant studies, where the assignment step is repeated for each mutant. © Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Some calculated (p,α) cross-sections using the alpha particle knock-on and triton pick-up reaction mechanisms: An optimisation of the single-step Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin (FKK) theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olise, Felix S.; Ajala, Afis; Olamiyl, Hezekiah B. [Dept. of Physics and Engineering Physics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (Nigeria)

2016-04-15

The Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin (FKK) multi-step direct (MSD) theory of pre-equilibrium reactions has been used to compute the single-step cross-sections for some (p,α) reactions using the knock-on and pick-up reaction mechanisms at two incident proton energies. For the knock-on mechanism, the reaction was assumed to have taken place by the direct ejection of a preformed alpha cluster in a shell-model state of the target. But the reaction was assumed to have taken place by the pick-up of a preformed triton cluster (also bound in a shell-model state of the target core) by the incident proton for the pick-up mechanism. The Yukawa forms of potential were used for the proton-alpha (for the knock-on process) and proton-triton (for the pick-up process) interaction and several parameter sets for the proton and alpha-particle optical potentials. The calculated cross-sections for both mechanisms gave satisfactory fits to the experimental data. Furthermore, it has been shown that some combinations of the calculated distorted wave Born approximation cross-sections for the two reaction mechanisms in the FKK MSD theory are able to give better fits to the experimental data, especially in terms of range of agreement. In addition, the theory has been observed to be valid over a wider range of energy.

Some Calculated (p,α Cross-Sections Using the Alpha Particle Knock-On and Triton Pick-Up Reaction Mechanisms: An Optimisation of the Single-Step Feshbach–Kerman–Koonin (FKK Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felix S. Olise

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The Feshbach–Kerman–Koonin (FKK multi-step direct (MSD theory of pre-equilibrium reactions has been used to compute the single-step cross-sections for some (p,α reactions using the knock-on and pick-up reaction mechanisms at two incident proton energies. For the knock-on mechanism, the reaction was assumed to have taken place by the direct ejection of a preformed alpha cluster in a shell-model state of the target. But the reaction was assumed to have taken place by the pick-up of a preformed triton cluster (also bound in a shell-model state of the target core by the incident proton for the pick-up mechanism. The Yukawa forms of potential were used for the proton-alpha (for the knock-on process and proton-triton (for the pick-up process interaction and several parameter sets for the proton and alpha-particle optical potentials. The calculated cross-sections for both mechanisms gave satisfactory fits to the experimental data. Furthermore, it has been shown that some combinations of the calculated distorted wave Born approximation cross-sections for the two reaction mechanisms in the FKK MSD theory are able to give better fits to the experimental data, especially in terms of range of agreement. In addition, the theory has been observed to be valid over a wider range of energy.

WaVPeak: Picking NMR peaks through wavelet-based smoothing and volume-based filtering

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhi

2012-02-10

Motivation: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been widely used as a powerful tool to determine the 3D structures of proteins in vivo. However, the post-spectra processing stage of NMR structure determination usually involves a tremendous amount of time and expert knowledge, which includes peak picking, chemical shift assignment and structure calculation steps. Detecting accurate peaks from the NMR spectra is a prerequisite for all following steps, and thus remains a key problem in automatic NMR structure determination. Results: We introduce WaVPeak, a fully automatic peak detection method. WaVPeak first smoothes the given NMR spectrum by wavelets. The peaks are then identified as the local maxima. The false positive peaks are filtered out efficiently by considering the volume of the peaks. WaVPeak has two major advantages over the state-of-the-art peak-picking methods. First, through wavelet-based smoothing, WaVPeak does not eliminate any data point in the spectra. Therefore, WaVPeak is able to detect weak peaks that are embedded in the noise level. NMR spectroscopists need the most help isolating these weak peaks. Second, WaVPeak estimates the volume of the peaks to filter the false positives. This is more reliable than intensity-based filters that are widely used in existing methods. We evaluate the performance of WaVPeak on the benchmark set proposed by PICKY (Alipanahi et al., 2009), one of the most accurate methods in the literature. The dataset comprises 32 2D and 3D spectra from eight different proteins. Experimental results demonstrate that WaVPeak achieves an average of 96%, 91%, 88%, 76% and 85% recall on 15N-HSQC, HNCO, HNCA, HNCACB and CBCA(CO)NH, respectively. When the same number of peaks are considered, WaVPeak significantly outperforms PICKY. The Author(s) 2012. Published by Oxford University Press.

On the Stability of Pick-up Ion Ring Distributions in the Outer Heliosheath

Science.gov (United States)

Summerlin, Errol J.; Viñas, Adolfo F.; Moore, Thomas E.; Christian, Eric R.; Cooper, John F.

2014-10-01

The "secondary energetic neutral atom (ENA)" hypothesis for the ribbon feature observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) posits that the neutral component of the solar wind continues beyond the heliopause and charge exchanges with interstellar ions in the Outer Heliosheath (OHS). This creates pick-up ions that gyrate about the draped interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) lines at pitch angles near 90° on the locus where the ISMF lies tangential to the heliopause and perpendicular to the heliocentric radial direction. This location closely coincides with the location of the ribbon feature according to the prevailing inferences of the ISMF orientation and draping. The locally gyrating ions undergo additional charge exchange and escape as free-flying neutral atoms, many of which travel back toward the inner solar system and are imaged by IBEX as a ribbon tracing out the locus described above. For this mechanism to succeed, the pick-up ions must diffuse in pitch angle slowly enough to permit secondary charge exchange before their pitch angle distribution substantially broadens away from 90°. Previous work using linear Vlasov dispersion analysis of parallel propagating waves has suggested that the ring distribution in the OHS is highly unstable, which, if true, would make the secondary ENA hypothesis incapable of rendering the observed ribbon. In this paper, we extend this earlier work to more realistic ring distribution functions. We find that, at the low densities necessary to produce the observed IBEX ribbon via the secondary ENA hypothesis, growth rates are highly sensitive to the temperature of the beam and that even very modest temperatures of the ring beam corresponding to beam widths of distributions necessary to produce the observed IBEX ENA flux via the secondary ENA hypothesis will be unstable to their own self-generated turbulence.

Towards Sensor-Actuator Coupling in an Automated Order Picking System by Detecting Sealed Seams on Pouch Packed Goods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Weichert

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a novel concept of coupling the actuators of an automated order picking system for pouch packed goods with an embedded CCD camera sensor by means of image processing and machine learning is presented. The picking system mechanically combines the conveyance and singularization of a still-connected chain of pouch packed goods in a single machinery. The proposed algorithms perform a per-frame processing of the captured images in real-time to detect the sealed seams of the ongoing pouches. The detections are used to deduce cutting decisions in order to control the system’s actuators, namely the drive pulley for conveyance and the cutting device for the separation. Within this context, two controlling strategies are presented as well which specify the interaction of the sensor and the actuators. The detection is carried out by two different marker detection strategies: enhanced Template Matching as a heuristic and Support Vector Machines as a supervised classification based concept. Depending on the employed marker, detection rates of almost 100% with a calculation time of less than 40 ms are possible. From a logistic point of view, sealed seam widths of 20 mm prove feasible.

Locating single-point sources from arrival times containing large picking errors (LPEs): the virtual field optimization method (VFOM)

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xi-Bing; Wang, Ze-Wei; Dong, Long-Jun

2016-01-01

Microseismic monitoring systems using local location techniques tend to be timely, automatic and stable. One basic requirement of these systems is the automatic picking of arrival times. However, arrival times generated by automated techniques always contain large picking errors (LPEs), which may make the location solution unreliable and cause the integrated system to be unstable. To overcome the LPE issue, we propose the virtual field optimization method (VFOM) for locating single-point sources. In contrast to existing approaches, the VFOM optimizes a continuous and virtually established objective function to search the space for the common intersection of the hyperboloids, which is determined by sensor pairs other than the least residual between the model-calculated and measured arrivals. The results of numerical examples and in-site blasts show that the VFOM can obtain more precise and stable solutions than traditional methods when the input data contain LPEs. Furthermore, we discuss the impact of LPEs on objective functions to determine the LPE-tolerant mechanism, velocity sensitivity and stopping criteria of the VFOM. The proposed method is also capable of locating acoustic sources using passive techniques such as passive sonar detection and acoustic emission.

Pick-and-place process for sensitivity improvement of the capacitive type CMOS MEMS 2-axis tilt sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chun-I.; Tsai, Ming-Han; Liu, Yu-Chia; Sun, Chih-Ming; Fang, Weileun

2013-09-01

This study exploits the foundry available complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process and the packaging house available pick-and-place technology to implement a capacitive type micromachined 2-axis tilt sensor. The suspended micro mechanical structures such as the spring, stage and sensing electrodes are fabricated using the CMOS microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes. A bulk block is assembled onto the suspended stage by pick-and-place technology to increase the proof-mass of the tilt sensor. The low temperature UV-glue dispensing and curing processes are employed to bond the block onto the stage. Thus, the sensitivity of the CMOS MEMS capacitive type 2-axis tilt sensor is significantly improved. In application, this study successfully demonstrates the bonding of a bulk solder ball of 100 µm in diameter with a 2-axis tilt sensor fabricated using the standard TSMC 0.35 µm 2P4M CMOS process. Measurements show the sensitivities of the 2-axis tilt sensor are increased for 2.06-fold (x-axis) and 1.78-fold (y-axis) after adding the solder ball. Note that the sensitivity can be further improved by reducing the parasitic capacitance and the mismatch of sensing electrodes caused by the solder ball.

Impact of miglustat on evolution of atypical presentation of late-infantile-onset Niemann?Pick disease type C with early cognitive impairment, behavioral dysfunction, epilepsy, ophthalmoplegia, and cerebellar involvement: a case report

OpenAIRE

Cuisset, Jean-Marie; Sukno, S.; Trauffler, A.; Latour, P.; Dobbelaere, D.; Michaud, L.; Vall?e, L.

2016-01-01

Background Niemann?Pick disease type C is a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease involving impaired intracellular lipid trafficking and accumulation of glycolipids in various tissues, including the brain. Miglustat, a reversible inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of progressive neurological manifestations in pediatric and adult patients with Niemann?Pick disease type C, and has been used in that indication in Europe since 2010. Case pre...

Examining the Relationship between Heart Rate and Problem Behavior: A Case Study of Severe Skin Picking in Prader-Willi Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Scott S.; Hammond, Jennifer L.; Hustyi, Kristin M.

2013-01-01

Few studies have examined the relationship between heart rate and self-injurious behavior (SIB) shown by individuals with IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities). In this single-case study, we simultaneously monitored heart rate and activity levels during a functional analysis of severe skin picking behavior exhibited by a young man with…

SysML Model of the Pick and Place Unit for Papyrus UML: Scenario Sc4b

OpenAIRE

Vogel-Heuser, Birgit; Folmer, Jens; Legat, Christoph

2014-01-01

The Pick and Place Unit (PPU) is a bench-scale lab demonstrator which is open to the research community to investigate a variety of different topics. To conduct research on the evolution of production automation systems, a variety of different manifestations of the PPU (referred to as scenarios) were developed. A documentation of the PPU and its scenarios is publicly available at www.ppu-demonstrator.org. In this zipped file, a SysML model consisting of state charts and block definition diagr...

PEG-lipid micelles enable cholesterol efflux in Niemann-Pick Type C1 disease-based lysosomal storage disorder

OpenAIRE

Brown, Anna; Patel, Siddharth; Ward, Carl; Lorenz, Anna; Ortiz, Mauren; DuRoss, Allison; Wieghardt, Fabian; Esch, Amanda; Otten, Elsje G.; Heiser, Laura M.; Korolchuk, Viktor I.; Sun, Conroy; Sarkar, Sovan; Sahay, Gaurav

2016-01-01

2-Hydroxy-propyl-?-cyclodextrin (HP?CD), a cholesterol scavenger, is currently undergoing Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for treatment of Niemann Pick Type C-1 (NPC1), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that stems from abnormal cholesterol accumulation in the endo/lysosomes. Unfortunately, the extremely high doses of HP?CD required to prevent progressive neurodegeneration exacerbates ototoxicity, pulmonary toxicity and autophagy-based cellular defects. We present unexpected evidence that a poly (e...

Analysis on picking plant sequence and route of transplanting robotic for column cultivation%面向立柱栽培的机器人移栽苗序与路径分析

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘继展; 刘炜; 毛罕平; 李萍萍

2014-01-01

为有效提高穴盘苗向立柱自动移栽的作业效率，以自主开发的螺旋式栽培立柱及其配套移栽机器人系统为对象，进行了无碰撞最短路径设计，进而对不同取苗-栽植方案的路径长度差异及其影响因素进行了分析。研究表明，面向立柱移栽时，单穴盘对1 m立柱移栽的累计路径长度差异在25%以上。取苗顺序对路径长度具有重要影响，其中“让苗”现象是造成累计路径长度差异的主要因素。立柱栽植顺序对路径长度的影响随立柱高度增加而显著增大，对3 m立柱移栽时16类取苗方案的自上至下植苗平均累计路径长度比自下至上高9.83%。稳定最优方案分别为最近相邻法和近端开始同向逐行或逐列取苗、自下至上栽植方案。研究成果对实现高效的立柱自动移栽具有积极意义。%Column cultivation is a promising high-yield mode in protected agriculture which has been studied and developed for several years. However, its extreme difficulty of manual management has hindered its popularization and application. As a result, an automatic operation of seedling transplanting to column was put forward. A new-type spiral cultivation column and matched seedling transplanting robot that was composed of rail-mounted autonomous vehicle, slide-arm type manipulator, double-needle electromagnet-driven end-effector, and a turning seedling supply device was developed. In view of the frequently repetitive operation of robotic seedling transplanting with changing starting and ending points of routes, the optimal design of a pick-plant sequence and non-collision shortest routing are essential to improving the success rate and efficiency. In robotic seedling transplanting, the route of a manipulator's ending is usually composed of picking an up-down route, a plant up-down route, and a transport route from pick top-point to plant top-point. For column cultivation, the transport route is quite

Laparoscopic ovarian biopsy pick-up method for goats.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandão, Fabiana A S; Alves, Benner G; Alves, Kele A; Souza, Samara S; Silva, Yago P; Freitas, Vicente J F; Teixeira, Dárcio I A; Gastal, Eduardo L

2018-02-01

Biopsy pick-up (BPU) has been considered a safe method to harvest ovarian fragments from live animals. However, no studies have been reported on the use of BPU to collect in vivo ovarian tissue in goats. The goals of this study were: (i) to test different biopsy needle sizes to collect ovarian tissue in situ using the BPU method (Experiment 1), and (ii) to study ovarian tissue features such as preantral follicle density, morphology, class distribution, and stromal cell density in ovarian fragments obtained in vivo through a laparoscopic BPU method (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, goat ovaries (n = 20) were collected in a slaughterhouse and subjected to in situ BPU. Three needles (16, 18, and 20G) were tested. In Experiment 2, the most efficient biopsy needle from Experiment 1 was used to perform laparoscopic BPU in goats (n = 8). In Experiment 1, the recovery rate was greater (P rate). Overall, 2054 preantral follicles were recorded in 5882 histological sections analyzed. Mean preantral follicular density was 28.4 ± 1.3 follicles per cm 2 . The follicular density differed (P rate in goats. Furthermore, this study described for the first time that goat ovarian biopsy fragments have a high heterogeneity in follicular density, morphology, class distribution, and stromal cell density. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Niemann-Pick disease type C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanier Marie T

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Niemann-Pick C disease (NP-C is a neurovisceral atypical lysosomal lipid storage disorder with an estimated minimal incidence of 1/120 000 live births. The broad clinical spectrum ranges from a neonatal rapidly fatal disorder to an adult-onset chronic neurodegenerative disease. The neurological involvement defines the disease severity in most patients but is typically preceded by systemic signs (cholestatic jaundice in the neonatal period or isolated spleno- or hepatosplenomegaly in infancy or childhood. The first neurological symptoms vary with age of onset: delay in developmental motor milestones (early infantile period, gait problems, falls, clumsiness, cataplexy, school problems (late infantile and juvenile period, and ataxia not unfrequently following initial psychiatric disturbances (adult form. The most characteristic sign is vertical supranuclear gaze palsy. The neurological disorder consists mainly of cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, dysphagia, and progressive dementia. Cataplexy, seizures and dystonia are other common features. NP-C is transmitted in an autosomal recessive manner and is caused by mutations of either the NPC1 (95% of families or the NPC2 genes. The exact functions of the NPC1 and NPC2 proteins are still unclear. NP-C is currently described as a cellular cholesterol trafficking defect but in the brain, the prominently stored lipids are gangliosides. Clinical examination should include comprehensive neurological and ophthalmological evaluations. The primary laboratory diagnosis requires living skin fibroblasts to demonstrate accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in perinuclear vesicles (lysosomes after staining with filipin. Pronounced abnormalities are observed in about 80% of the cases, mild to moderate alterations in the remainder ("variant" biochemical phenotype. Genotyping of patients is useful to confirm the diagnosis in the latter patients and essential for future prenatal diagnosis. The differential

An assessment of the efficacy and safety of cross technique with 100% TCA in the management of ice pick acne scars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepali Bhardwaj

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background : Chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS is a technique using high concentrations of trichloroacetic acid (TCA focally on atrophic acne scars to induce inflammation followed by collagenisation. This can lead to reduction in the appearance of scars and cosmetic improvement. Aims : The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the safety of the CROSS technique, using 100% TCA, for atrophic ice pick acne scars. Settings and Design : Open prospective study. Materials and Methods : Twelve patients with predominant atrophic ice pick post acne scars were treated with the CROSS technique, using 100% TCA, applied with a wooden toothpick, at two weekly intervals for four sittings. Efficacy was assessed on the basis of the physician′s clinical assessment, photographic evaluation at each sitting and patient′s feedback after the fourth treatment, and at the three-month and six-month follow-up period, after the last treatment. Results : More than 70% improvement was seen in eight out of ten patients evaluated and good results (50 - 70% improvement were observed in the remaining two patients. No significant side effects were noted. Transient hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation was observed in one patient each. Physician′s findings were in conformity with the patient′s assessment. Three months after the last treatment, one patient noted a decrease in improvement with no further improvement even at the six-month follow-up period. Conclusion : The CROSS technique with 100% TCA is a safe, efficacious, cost-effective and minimally invasive technique for the management of ice pick acne scars that are otherwise generally difficult to treat. In few patients the improvement may not be sustained, probably due to inadequate or delayed collagenisation.

AFM picking-up manipulation of the metaphase chromosome fragment by using the tweezers-type probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamanaka, Keiichiro; Saito, Masato; Shichiri, Motoharu; Sugiyama, Sigeru; Takamura, Yuzuru; Hashiguchi, Gen; Tamiya, Eiichi

2008-01-01

We have studied the development of a new procedure based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) for the analysis of metaphase chromosome. The aim of this study was to obtain detailed information about the specific locations of genes on the metaphase chromosome. In this research, we performed the manipulation of the metaphase chromosome by using novel AFM probes to obtain chromosome fragments of a smaller size than the ones obtained using the conventional methods, such as glass microneedles. We could pick up the fragment of the metaphase chromosome dissected by the knife-edged probe by using our tweezers-type probe

Soil science is way more fun than a proper job (Philippe Duchaufour Medal Lecture)

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Pete

2017-04-01

Having now worked in soil science and climate change for over 20 years, I find myself giving one of the "old man / old woman" lectures at the EGU2017. You probably get picked to do this when your peers think that you are about to die soon, so I had better make the most of my time left! We are very fortunate to have a career in science, and to belong to the soils, and the wider, biogeosciences communities. If ever you get fed up with your teaching load, with your experiment that won't work, your model that you can't get running, or your paper that reviewers do not realise for the gem that you know it is, remember that we could be doing a 9 to 5 job, stuck in an office, with no opportunities to meet, talk and have fun with others from around the world with whom we share the same passion. I hope you enjoy your research careers and the time you spend with your work friends as much as I have. In this presentation I will reflect on how much I have learned about soils, climate, and the politics of how things get done over the past 20 years, and I will pick out some changes in our understanding of soils, and their role in the world as I go. I will draw on examples not only from my own work, but those of others, and will reflect on the some of the fun I have had while doing this "job".

MgB2 magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop

Science.gov (United States)

Portesi, C.; Mijatovic, D.; Veldhuis, D.; Brinkman, A.; Monticone, E.; Gonnelli, R. S.

2006-05-01

In this work, we show the results obtained in the fabrication and characterization of an MgB2 magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop. We used an all in situ technique for fabricating magnesium diboride films, which consists of the co-evaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater respectively. Consequently, we realized the superconducting device, which incorporates two nanobridges as weak links in a superconducting loop. The nanobridges were realized by focused ion beam milling; they were 240 nm wide and had a critical current density of 107 A cm-2. The magnetometer was characterized at different temperatures and also measurements of the noise levels have been performed. The device shows Josephson quantum interference up to 20 K and the calculated effective area at low temperatures was 0.24 mm2. The transport properties of the magnetometer allow determining fundamental materials properties of the MgB2 thin films, such as the penetration depth.

Testbeam Studies on Pick-Up in Sensors with Embedded Pitch Adapters

CERN Document Server

Rehnisch, Laura; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

For silicon strip sensors, the tracking information specifications can lead to challenging requirements for wire bonding. A common strategy is to use external pitch adapters to facilitate this step in the production of detector modules. A novel approach previously discussed in [1], is to implement the pitch adapters in the sensor, by embedding a second layer of metal tracks. The use of these embedded pitch adapters (EPAs) decouples the bond pad layout of the sensor from its implant layout by moving the adaption to the sensor production step. This solution, however, can yield the risk of performance losses due to the increase of inter-strip capacitance, or unwanted capacitive coupling between the metal layers (cross-talk) or the silicon bulk and the second metal layer (pick-up). In the prototyping stage of the ATLAS tracker end-cap upgrade, where different bond-pad layouts on sensor and readout chip lead to extremely challenging wire-bonding conditions, sensors with different geometries of EPA implementations ...

Fast Segmentation of Colour Apple Image under All-Weather Natural Conditions for Vision Recognition of Picking Robots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Ji

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In order to resolve the poor real-time performance problem of the normalized cut (Ncut method in apple vision recognition of picking robots, a fast segmentation method of colour apple images based on the adaptive mean-shift and Ncut methods is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the traditional Ncut method based on pixels is changed into the Ncut method based on regions by the adaptive mean-shift initial segmenting. In this way, the number of peaks and edges in the image is dramatically reduced and the computation speed is improved. Secondly, the image is divided into regional maps by extracting the R-B colour feature, which not only reduces the quantity of regions, but also to some extent overcomes the effect on illumination. On this basis, every region map is expressed by a region point, so the undirected graph of the R-B colour grey-level feature is attained. Finally, regarding the undirected graph as the input of Ncut, we construct the weight matrix W by region points and determine the number of clusters based on the decision-theoretic rough set. The adaptive clustering segmentation can be implemented by an Ncut algorithm. Experimental results show that the maximum segmentation error is 3% and the average recognition time is less than 0.7s, which can meet the requirements of a real-time picking robot.

Automatic detection of lift-off and touch-down of a pick-up walker using 3D kinematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Grootveld, L; Thies, S B; Ogden, D; Howard, D; Kenney, L P J

2014-02-01

Walking aids have been associated with falls and it is believed that incorrect use limits their usefulness. Measures are therefore needed that characterize their stable use and the classification of key events in walking aid movement is the first step in their development. This study presents an automated algorithm for detection of lift-off (LO) and touch-down (TD) events of a pick-up walker. For algorithm design and initial testing, a single user performed trials for which the four individual walker feet lifted off the ground and touched down again in various sequences, and for different amounts of frame loading (Dataset_1). For further validation, ten healthy young subjects walked with the pick-up walker on flat ground (Dataset_2a) and on a narrow beam (Dataset_2b), to challenge balance. One 88-year-old walking frame user was also assessed. Kinematic data were collected with a 3D optoelectronic camera system. The algorithm detected over 93% of events (Dataset_1), and 95% and 92% in Dataset_2a and b, respectively. Of the various LO/TD sequences, those associated with natural progression resulted in up to 100% correctly identified events. For the 88-year-old walking frame user, 96% of LO events and 93% of TD events were detected, demonstrating the potential of the approach. Copyright © 2013 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tau-mediated nuclear depletion and cytoplasmic accumulation of SFPQ in Alzheimer's and Pick's disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yazi D Ke

Full Text Available Tau dysfunction characterizes neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD. Here, we performed an unbiased SAGE (serial analysis of gene expression of differentially expressed mRNAs in the amygdala of transgenic pR5 mice that express human tau carrying the P301L mutation previously identified in familial cases of FTLD. SAGE identified 29 deregulated transcripts including Sfpq that encodes a nuclear factor implicated in the splicing and regulation of gene expression. To assess the relevance for human disease we analyzed brains from AD, Pick's disease (PiD, a form of FTLD, and control cases. Strikingly, in AD and PiD, both dementias with a tau pathology, affected brain areas showed a virtually complete nuclear depletion of SFPQ in both neurons and astrocytes, along with cytoplasmic accumulation. Accordingly, neurons harboring either AD tangles or Pick bodies were also depleted of SFPQ. Immunoblot analysis of human entorhinal cortex samples revealed reduced SFPQ levels with advanced Braak stages suggesting that the SFPQ pathology may progress together with the tau pathology in AD. To determine a causal role for tau, we stably expressed both wild-type and P301L human tau in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, an established cell culture model of tau pathology. The cells were differentiated by two independent methods, mitomycin C-mediated cell cycle arrest or neuronal differentiation with retinoic acid. Confocal microscopy revealed that SFPQ was confined to nuclei in non-transfected wild-type cells, whereas in wild-type and P301L tau over-expressing cells, irrespective of the differentiation method, it formed aggregates in the cytoplasm, suggesting that pathogenic tau drives SFPQ pathology in post-mitotic cells. Our findings add SFPQ to a growing list of transcription factors with an altered nucleo-cytoplasmic distribution under neurodegenerative conditions.

Pathological grooming: Evidence for a single factor behind trichotillomania, skin picking and nail biting.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aniko Maraz

Full Text Available Although trichotillomania (TTM, skin picking (SP, and nail biting (NB have been receiving growing scientific attention, the question as to whether these disorders can be regarded as separate entities or they are different manifestations of the same underlying tendency is unclear. Data were collected online in a community survey, yielding a sample of 2705 participants (66% women, mean age: 29.1, SD: 8.6. Hierarchical factor analysis was used to identify a common latent factor and the multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC modelling was applied to test the predictive effect of borderline personality disorder symptoms, impulsivity, distress and self-esteem on pathological grooming. Pearson correlation coefficients between TTM, SP and NB were between 0.13 and 0.29 (p < 0.01. The model yielded an excellent fit to the data (CFI = 0.992, TLI = 0.991, χ2 = 696.65, p < 0.001, df = 222, RMSEA = 0.030, Cfit of RMSEA = 1.000, supporting the existence of a latent factor. The MIMIC model indicated an adequate fit (CFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.992, χ2 = 655.8, p < 0.001, df = 307, RMSEA = 0.25, CI: 0.022-0.028, pclose = 1.000. TTM, SP and NB each were loaded significantly on the latent factor, indicating the presence of a general grooming factor. Impulsivity, psychiatric distress and contingent self-esteem had significant predictive effects, whereas borderline personality disorder had a nonsignificant predictive effect on the latent factor. We found evidence that the category of pathological grooming is meaningful and encompasses three symptom manifestations: trichotillomania, skin picking and nail biting. This latent underlying factor is not better explained by indicators of psychopathology, which supports the notion that the urge to self-groom, rather than general psychiatric distress, impulsivity, self-esteem or borderline symptomatology, is what drives individual grooming behaviours.

On the stability of pick-up ion ring distributions in the outer heliosheath

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summerlin, Errol J.; Viñas, Adolfo F.; Moore, Thomas E.; Christian, Eric R.; Cooper, John F.

2014-01-01

The 'secondary energetic neutral atom (ENA)' hypothesis for the ribbon feature observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) posits that the neutral component of the solar wind continues beyond the heliopause and charge exchanges with interstellar ions in the Outer Heliosheath (OHS). This creates pick-up ions that gyrate about the draped interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) lines at pitch angles near 90° on the locus where the ISMF lies tangential to the heliopause and perpendicular to the heliocentric radial direction. This location closely coincides with the location of the ribbon feature according to the prevailing inferences of the ISMF orientation and draping. The locally gyrating ions undergo additional charge exchange and escape as free-flying neutral atoms, many of which travel back toward the inner solar system and are imaged by IBEX as a ribbon tracing out the locus described above. For this mechanism to succeed, the pick-up ions must diffuse in pitch angle slowly enough to permit secondary charge exchange before their pitch angle distribution substantially broadens away from 90°. Previous work using linear Vlasov dispersion analysis of parallel propagating waves has suggested that the ring distribution in the OHS is highly unstable, which, if true, would make the secondary ENA hypothesis incapable of rendering the observed ribbon. In this paper, we extend this earlier work to more realistic ring distribution functions. We find that, at the low densities necessary to produce the observed IBEX ribbon via the secondary ENA hypothesis, growth rates are highly sensitive to the temperature of the beam and that even very modest temperatures of the ring beam corresponding to beam widths of <1° are sufficient to damp the self-generated waves associated with the ring beam. Thus, at least from the perspective of linear Vlasov dispersion analysis of parallel propagating waves, there is no reason to expect that the ring distributions necessary to

Science Outreach in Virtual Globes; Best Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Treves, R. W.

2007-12-01

The popularity of projects such as 'Crisis in Darfur' and the IPY (International Polar Year) network link show the potential of using the rich functionality of Virtual Globes for science outreach purposes. However, the structure of outreach projects in Virtual Globes varies widely. Consider an analogy: If you pick up a science journal you immediately know where to find the contents page and what the title and cover story are meant to communicate. That is because journals have a well defined set of norms that they follow in terms of layout and design. Currently, science projects presented in virtual globes have, at best, weakly defined norms, there are little common structural elements beyond those imposed by the constraints of the virtual globe system. This is not a criticism of the science community, it is to be expected since norms take time to develop for any new technology. An example of the development of norms are pages on the web: when they first started appearing structure was unguided but over the last few years structural elements such as a left hand side navigation system and a bread crumb trail near the header have become common. In this paper I shall describe the developing norms of structure I have observed in one area of virtual globe development; Google Earth science outreach projects. These norms include text introductions, video introductions, use of folders and overlay presentation. I shall go on to examine how best to use these norms to build a clear and engaging outreach project and describe some cartographic best practices that we should also consider adopting as norms. I also will briefly explain why I think norms in science outreach aid creativity rather than limiting it despite the counter intuitive nature of this concept.

A novel triple repeat mutant tau transgenic model that mimics aspects of pick's disease and fronto-temporal tauopathies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward Rockenstein

Full Text Available Tauopathies are a group of disorders leading to cognitive and behavioral impairment in the aging population. While four-repeat (4R Tau is more abundant in corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Alzheimer's disease, three-repeat (3R Tau is the most abundant splice, in Pick's disease. A number of transgenic models expressing wild-type and mutant forms of the 4R Tau have been developed. However, few models of three-repeat Tau are available. A transgenic mouse model expressing three-repeat Tau was developed bearing the mutations associated with familial forms of Pick's disease (L266V and G272V mutations. Two lines expressing high (Line 13 and low (Line 2 levels of the three-repeat mutant Tau were analyzed. By Western blot, using antibodies specific to three-repeat Tau, Line 13 expressed 5-times more Tau than Line 2. The Tau expressed by these mice was most abundant in the frontal-temporal cortex and limbic system and was phosphorylated at residues detected by the PHF-1, AT8, CP9 and CP13 antibodies. The higher-expressing mice displayed hyperactivity, memory deficits in the water maze and alterations in the round beam. The behavioral deficits started at 6-8 months of age and were associated with a progressive increase in the accumulation of 3R Tau. By immunocytochemistry, mice from Line 13 displayed extensive accumulation of 3R Tau in neuronal cells bodies in the pyramidal neurons of the neocortex, CA1-3 regions, and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Aggregates in the granular cells had a globus appearance and mimic Pick's-like inclusions. There were abundant dystrophic neurites, astrogliosis and synapto-dendritic damage in the neocortex and hippocampus of the higher expresser line. The hippocampal lesions were moderately argyrophilic and Thioflavin-S negative. By electron microscopy, discrete straight filament aggregates were detected in some neurons in the hippocampus. This model holds promise for better understanding the

Distinct Niemann-Pick Disease Type C Clinical, Cytological, and Biochemical Phenotype in an Adult Patient With 1 Mutated, Overexpressed Allele

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Julia Jecel MD

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C is a rare autosomal-recessive neurovisceral lysosomal storage disease. We report on a juvenile onset, now 25-year-old female patient with typical neurologic symptoms, including vertical gaze palsy, of NP-C. The diagnosis was supported by a positive filipin test (“variant biochemical phenotype” of cholesterol accumulation in cultured fibroblasts, high numbers of “Niemann-Pick cells” in the bone marrow, and 1 positive out of 3 NP-C biomarkers tested, but NP-C was not definitely confirmed genetically. She showed only 1 known NPC1 variant (3 bp deletion in exon 18; p.N916del; this allele, however, being distinctly overexpressed at the messenger RNA level as compared to the wild-type allele, as a not as yet clarified (copathogenic? phenomenon. The patient’s mother, also carrying the p.N916del allele but without overexpression, has a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system classified as multiple sclerosis. However, her severe clinical phenotype includes some signs also consistent with NP-C. The laboratory diagnosis of NP-C can be challenging in detecting novel disease constellations.

Neuroimaging Findings in a Brain With Niemann–Pick Type C Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jei-Yie Huang

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disorder caused by impaired cellular functions in processing and transporting low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In this report, we present magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, magnetic resonance spectrography (MRS and 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET imaging results for a 22-year-old male NPC patient. The patient's two MRI studies (at age 19 years and 22 years demonstrated progressive changes of brain atrophy that were more prominent at the frontal lobes, and hyperintense signals in bilateral parietal-occipital periventricular white matter. MRS (at age 19 years revealed no significant decrease in N-acetyl aspartate/choline ratio in the left frontal central white matter. PET (at age 22 years showed significant bilateral hypometabolism in the prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial thalamus, and hypermetabolism in the parietal-occipital white matter, lenticular nucleus of the basal ganglia, cerebellum and pons. The imaging findings noted by MRI, MRS and 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET offered a possible supplementary explanation for the clinical neurological symptoms of this NPC patient.

Picked FEL Micro Pulse for Nano-Second Interaction with Bio-Molecule

CERN Document Server

Suzuki, Sachiko; Ishii, Katsonuri; Kanai, T; Naito, Y

2004-01-01

Laser pulse duration is a very important parameter to determine the threshold between thermal and nonthermal effects in laser surgery of biomedical tissue. Free Electron Laser (FEL) at Osaka University, Japan, has a pulse structure in which a macropulse (pulse width : 15μs) consists of equally separated micropulses, whose width and interval are ~5ps and 44.8ns, respectively. Precise control of micropulse train may establish fast optic processes because thermal relaxation time in the tissue is about 1us. A pulse-picking system was designed in order to extract single or a few micropulses from an entire macropulse using an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) in which the light path can be temporally diffracted by an external gate signal. An extracted micropulse train was monitored by a mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) photodetector with ~1ns response time and recorded on digital oscilloscope. A single micropulse was extracted as a result of adjusting duration of the RF wave to 50 ns which is nearly equal to the ...

Design Analysis and Dynamic Modeling of a High-Speed 3T1R Pick-and-Place Parallel Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Guanglei; Bai, Shaoping; Hjørnet, Preben

2015-01-01

This paper introduces a four degree-of-freedom parallel robot producing three translation and one rotation (Schönflies motion). This robot can generate a rectangular workspace that is close to the applicable work envelope and suitable for pick-and-place operations. The kinematics of the robot...... is studied to analyze the workspace and the isocontours of the local dexterity over the representative regular workspace are visualized. The simplified dynamics is modeled and compared with Adams model to show its effectiveness....

Solar cycle variation of interstellar neutral He, Ne, O density and pick-up ions along the Earth's orbit

OpenAIRE

Sokół, Justyna M.; Bzowski, Maciej; Kubiak, Marzena A.; Möbius, Eberhard

2016-01-01

We simulated the modulation of the interstellar neutral (ISN) He, Ne, and O density and pick-up ion (PUI) production rate and count rate along the Earth's orbit over the solar cycle from 2002 to 2013 to verify if solar cycle-related effects may modify the inferred ecliptic longitude of the ISN inflow direction. We adopted the classical PUI model with isotropic distribution function and adiabatic cooling, modified by time- and heliolatitude-dependent ionization rates and non-zero injection spe...

Complex lipid trafficking in Niemann-Pick disease type C.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanier, Marie T

2015-01-01

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is an atypical lysosomal storage disease resulting from mutations in one of two genes, either NPC1 or NPC2. Although a neurovisceral disorder, it is above all a neurodegenerative disease in the vast majority of patients. Not an enzyme deficiency, it is currently conceived as a lipid trafficking disorder. Impaired egress of cholesterol from the late endosomal/lysosomal (LE/L) compartment is a specific and key element of the pathogenesis, but other lipids, more specially sphingolipids, are also involved, and there are indications for further abnormalities. The full function of the NPC1 and NPC2 proteins is still unclear. This review provides a reappraisal of lipid storage and lysosomal enzymes activities in tissues/cells from NPC patients and animal models. It summarizes the current knowledge on the NPC1 and NPC2 proteins and their function in transport of cholesterol within the late endosomal-lysosomal compartment, with emphasis on differences between systemic organs and the brain; it also discusses regulation by membrane lipids of the NPC2-mediated cholesterol trafficking, interplay between cholesterol and sphingomyelin, the metabolic origin of glycosphingolipids stored in brain, and the putative role of free sphingoid bases in pathogenesis. Brief mention is finally made of diseases affecting other genes that were very recently shown to impact the "NPC pathway".

Pico Lantern: a pick-up projector for augmented reality in laparoscopic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Edgcumbe, Philip; Pratt, Philip; Yang, Guang-Zhong; Nguan, Chris; Rohling, Rob

2014-01-01

The Pico Lantern is proposed as a new tool for guidance in laparoscopic surgery. Its miniaturized design allows it to be picked up by a laparoscopic tool during surgery and tracked directly by the endoscope. By using laser projection, different patterns and annotations can be projected onto the tissue surface. The first explored application is surface reconstruction. The absolute error for surface reconstruction using stereo endoscopy and untracked Pico Lantern for a plane, cylinder and ex vivo kidney is 2.0 mm, 3.0 mm and 5.6 mm respectively. The absolute error using a mono endoscope and a tracked Pico Lantern for the same plane, cylinder and kidney is 0.8mm, 0.3mm and 1.5mm respectively. The results show the benefit of the wider baseline produced by tracking the Pico Lantern. Pulsatile motion of a human carotid artery is also detected in vivo. Future work will be done on the integration into standard and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Collaborative Development of 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin for the Treatment of Niemann-Pick Type C1 Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Ottinger, Elizabeth A.; Kao, Mark L.; Carrillo-Carrasco, Nuria; Yanjanin, Nicole; Shankar, Roopa Kanakatti; Janssen, Marjo; Brewster, Marcus; Scott, Ilona; Xu, Xin; Cradock, Jim; Terse, Pramod; Dehdashti, Seameen; Marugan, Juan; Zheng, Wei; Portilla, Lili; Hubbs, Alan; Pavan, William J.; Heiss, John; Vite, Charles H.; Walkley, Steven U.; Ory, Daniel S.; Silber, Steven A.; Porter, Forbes D.; Austin, Christopher P.; McKew, John C.

2014-01-01

In 2010, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) program within the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), which was created to stimulate drug discovery and development for rare and neglected tropical diseases through a collaborative model between the NIH, academic scientists, nonprofit organizations, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This paper describes one of the first TRND programs, the development of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) for the treatment of Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1). NPC is a neurodegenerative, autosomal recessive rare disease caused by a mutation in either the NPC1 (about 95% of cases) or the NPC2 gene (about 5% of cases). These mutations affect the intracellular trafficking of cholesterol and other lipids, which leads to a progressive accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and glycosphingolipids in the CNS and visceral organs. Affected individuals typically exhibit ataxia, swallowing problems, seizures, and progressive impairment of motor and intellectual function in early childhood, and usually die in adolescence. There is no disease modifying therapy currently approved for NPC1 in the US. A collaborative drug development program has been established between TRND, public and private partners that has completed the pre-clinical development of HP-β-CD through IND filing for the current Phase I clinical trial that is underway. Here we discuss how this collaborative effort helped to overcome scientific, clinical and financial challenges facing the development of new drug treatments for rare and neglected diseases, and how it will incentivize the commercialization of HP-β-CD for the benefit of the NPC patient community. PMID:24283970

Improved modified energy ratio method using a multi-window approach for accurate arrival picking

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Minho; Byun, Joongmoo; Kim, Dowan; Choi, Jihun; Kim, Myungsun

2017-04-01

To identify accurately the location of microseismic events generated during hydraulic fracture stimulation, it is necessary to detect the first break of the P- and S-wave arrival times recorded at multiple receivers. These microseismic data often contain high-amplitude noise, which makes it difficult to identify the P- and S-wave arrival times. The short-term-average to long-term-average (STA/LTA) and modified energy ratio (MER) methods are based on the differences in the energy densities of the noise and signal, and are widely used to identify the P-wave arrival times. The MER method yields more consistent results than the STA/LTA method for data with a low signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. However, although the MER method shows good results regardless of the delay of the signal wavelet for signals with a high S/N ratio, it may yield poor results if the signal is contaminated by high-amplitude noise and does not have the minimum delay. Here we describe an improved MER (IMER) method, whereby we apply a multiple-windowing approach to overcome the limitations of the MER method. The IMER method contains calculations of an additional MER value using a third window (in addition to the original MER window), as well as the application of a moving average filter to each MER data point to eliminate high-frequency fluctuations in the original MER distributions. The resulting distribution makes it easier to apply thresholding. The proposed IMER method was applied to synthetic and real datasets with various S/N ratios and mixed-delay wavelets. The results show that the IMER method yields a high accuracy rate of around 80% within five sample errors for the synthetic datasets. Likewise, in the case of real datasets, 94.56% of the P-wave picking results obtained by the IMER method had a deviation of less than 0.5 ms (corresponding to 2 samples) from the manual picks.

Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Simultaneous Delivery and Pick-Up Service Based on MCPSO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaobing Gan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper considers two additional factors of the widely researched vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW. The two factors, which are very common characteristics in realworld, are uncertain number of vehicles and simultaneous delivery and pick-up service. Using minimization of the total transport costs as the objective of the extension VRPTW, a mathematic model is constructed. To solve the problem, an efficient multiswarm cooperative particle swarm optimization (MCPSO algorithm is applied. And a new encoding method is proposed for the extension VRPTW. Finally, comparing with genetic algorithm (GA and particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm, the MCPSO algorithm performs best for solving this problem.

Oculomotor abnormalities in children with Niemann-Pick type C.

Science.gov (United States)

Blundell, James; Frisson, Steven; Chakrapani, Anupam; Gissen, Paul; Hendriksz, Chris; Vijay, Suresh; Olson, Andrew

2018-02-01

Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) is a rare recessive disorder associated with progressive supranuclear gaze palsy. Degeneration occurs initially for vertical saccades and later for horizontal saccades. There are studies of oculomotor degeneration in adult NP-C patients [1, 2] but no comparable studies in children. We used high-resolution video-based eye tracking to record monocular vertical and horizontal eye movements in 2 neurological NP-C patients (children with clinically observable oculomotor abnormalities) and 3 pre-neurological NP-C patients (children without clinically observable oculomotor abnormalities). Saccade onset latency, saccade peak velocity and saccade curvature were compared to healthy controls (N=77). NP-C patients had selective impairments of vertical saccade peak velocity and vertical saccade curvature, with slower peak velocities and greater curvature. Changes were more pronounced in neurological than pre-neurological patients, showing that these measures are sensitive to disease progress, but abnormal curvature and slowed downward saccades were present in both groups, showing that eye-tracking can register disease-related changes before these are evident in a clinical exam. Both slowing, curvature and the detailed characteristics of the curvature we observed are predicted by the detailed characteristics of RIMLF population codes. Onset latencies were not different from healthy controls. High-resolution video-based eye tracking is a promising sensitive and objective method to measure NP-C disease severity and neurological onset. It may also help evaluate responses to therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Oxidative Stress: A Pathogenic Mechanism for Niemann-Pick Type C Disease

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Mary Carmen Vázquez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick type C (NPC disease is a neurovisceral atypical lipid storage disorder involving the accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids in the late endocytic pathway. The pathogenic mechanism that links the accumulation of intracellular cholesterol with cell death in NPC disease in both the CNS and the liver is currently unknown. Oxidative stress has been observed in the livers and brains of NPC mice and in different NPC cellular models. Moreover, there is evidence of an elevation of oxidative stress markers in the serumof NPC patients. Recent evidence strongly suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in NPC pathogenesis and that mitochondria could be a significant source of oxidative stress in this disease. In this context, the accumulation of vitamin E in the late endosomal/lysosomal compartments in NPC could lead to a potential decrease of its bioavailability and could be another possible cause of oxidative damage. Another possible source of reactive species in NPC is the diminished activity of different antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, because NPC is mainly caused by the accumulation of free cholesterol, oxidized cholesterol derivatives produced by oxidative stress may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.

Automatic Event Detection and Picking of P, S Seismic Phases for Earthquake Early Warning: A Case Study of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

WANG, Z.; Zhao, B.

2015-12-01

We develop an automatic seismic phase arrival detection and picking algorithm for the impending earthquakes occurred with diverse focal mechanisms and depths. The polarization analysis of the three-component seismograms is utilized to distinguish between P and S waves through a sliding time window. When applying the short term average/long term average (STA/LTA) method to the polarized data, we also construct a new characteristics function that can sensitively reflect the changes of signals' amplitude and frequency, providing a better detection for the phase arrival. Then an improved combination method of the higher order statistics and the Akaike information criteria (AIC) picker is applied to the refined signal to lock on the arrival time with a higher degree of accuracy. We test our techniques to the aftershocks of the Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, where hundreds of three-component acceleration records with magnitudes of 4.0 to 6.4 are treated. In comparison to the analyst picks, the results of the proposed detection algorithms are shown to perform well and can be applied from a single instrument within a network of stations for the large seismic events in the Earthquake Early Warning System (EEWS).

MgB{sub 2} magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Portesi, C [Istituto Elettrotecnico Nazionale Galileo Ferraris, Strada delle Cacce 91, I-10135 Turin (Italy); Mijatovic, D [Low Temperature Division and Mesa Research Institute, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Veldhuis, D [Low Temperature Division and Mesa Research Institute, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Brinkman, A [Low Temperature Division and Mesa Research Institute, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Monticone, E [Istituto Elettrotecnico Nazionale Galileo Ferraris, Strada delle Cacce 91, I-10135 Turin (Italy); Gonnelli, R S [INFM, Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, I-10129 Turin (Italy)

2006-05-15

In this work, we show the results obtained in the fabrication and characterization of an MgB{sub 2} magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop. We used an all in situ technique for fabricating magnesium diboride films, which consists of the co-evaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater respectively. Consequently, we realized the superconducting device, which incorporates two nanobridges as weak links in a superconducting loop. The nanobridges were realized by focused ion beam milling; they were 240 nm wide and had a critical current density of 10{sup 7} A cm{sup -2}. The magnetometer was characterized at different temperatures and also measurements of the noise levels have been performed. The device shows Josephson quantum interference up to 20 K and the calculated effective area at low temperatures was 0.24 mm{sup 2}. The transport properties of the magnetometer allow determining fundamental materials properties of the MgB{sub 2} thin films, such as the penetration depth.

Ebola Viral Glycoprotein Bound to Its Endosomal Receptor Niemann-Pick C1.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Han; Shi, Yi; Song, Jian; Qi, Jianxun; Lu, Guangwen; Yan, Jinghua; Gao, George F

2016-01-14

Filoviruses, including Ebola and Marburg, cause fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans and primates. Understanding how these viruses enter host cells could help to develop effective therapeutics. An endosomal protein, Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), has been identified as a necessary entry receptor for this process, and priming of the viral glycoprotein (GP) to a fusion-competent state is a prerequisite for NPC1 binding. Here, we have determined the crystal structure of the primed GP (GPcl) of Ebola virus bound to domain C of NPC1 (NPC1-C) at a resolution of 2.3 Å. NPC1-C utilizes two protruding loops to engage a hydrophobic cavity on head of GPcl. Upon enzymatic cleavage and NPC1-C binding, conformational change in the GPcl further affects the state of the internal fusion loop, triggering membrane fusion. Our data therefore provide structural insights into filovirus entry in the late endosome and the molecular basis for design of therapeutic inhibitors of viral entry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impaired Autophagy in the Lipid-Storage Disorder Niemann-Pick Type C1 Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sovan Sarkar

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Autophagy dysfunction has been implicated in misfolded protein accumulation and cellular toxicity in several diseases. Whether alterations in autophagy also contribute to the pathology of lipid-storage disorders is not clear. Here, we show defective autophagy in Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1 disease associated with cholesterol accumulation, where the maturation of autophagosomes is impaired because of defective amphisome formation caused by failure in SNARE machinery, whereas the lysosomal proteolytic function remains unaffected. Expression of functional NPC1 protein rescues this defect. Inhibition of autophagy also causes cholesterol accumulation. Compromised autophagy was seen in disease-affected organs of Npc1 mutant mice. Of potential therapeutic relevance is that HP-β-cyclodextrin, which is used for cholesterol-depletion treatment, impedes autophagy, whereas stimulating autophagy restores its function independent of amphisome formation. Our data suggest that a low dose of HP-β-cyclodextrin that does not perturb autophagy, coupled with an autophagy inducer, may provide a rational treatment strategy for NPC1 disease.

Longitudinal beam diagnostic from a distributed electrostatic pick-up in CERN's ELENA ring

CERN Document Server

Angoletta, M E; Federmann, S; Molendijk, J; Sanchez-Quesada, J; Secouet, P J; Søby, L; Pedersen, F; Timmins, M

2013-01-01

The CERN Extra Low ENergy Antiproton (ELENA) Ring is a new synchrotron that will be commissioned in 2016 to further decelerate the antiprotons coming from CERN’s Antiproton Decelerator (AD). Required longitudinal diagnostics include the intensity measurement for bunched and debunched beam and the measurement of Dp/p to assess the electron cooling performance. A novel method for the calculation of these parameters is proposed for ELENA, where signals from the twenty electrostatic Pick-Ups (PU) used for orbit measurements will be combined to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. This requires that the signals be digitally down-converted, rotated and summed so that the many electrostatic PUs will function as a single, distributed PU from the processing system viewpoint. This method includes some challenges and will not be used as the baseline longitudinal diagnostics for the initial ELENA operation. This paper gives an overview of the hardware and digital signal processing involved, as well as of the challenges t...

Human acid sphingomyelinase structures provide insight to molecular basis of Niemann–Pick disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Yan-Feng; Metcalf, Matthew C.; Garman, Scott C.; Edmunds, Tim; Qiu, Huawei; Wei, Ronnie R. (Sanofi Aventis); (UMASS, Amherst)

2016-10-26

Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) hydrolyzes sphingomyelin to ceramide and phosphocholine, essential components of myelin in neurons. Genetic alterations in ASM lead to ASM deficiency (ASMD) and have been linked to Niemann–Pick disease types A and B. Olipudase alfa, a recombinant form of human ASM, is being developed as enzyme replacement therapy to treat the non-neurological manifestations of ASMD. Here we present the human ASM holoenzyme and product bound structures encompassing all of the functional domains. The catalytic domain has a metallophosphatase fold, and two zinc ions and one reaction product phosphocholine are identified in a histidine-rich active site. The structures reveal the underlying catalytic mechanism, in which two zinc ions activate a water molecule for nucleophilic attack of the phosphodiester bond. Docking of sphingomyelin provides a model that allows insight into the selectivity of the enzyme and how the ASM domains collaborate to complete hydrolysis. Mapping of known mutations provides a basic understanding on correlations between enzyme dysfunction and phenotypes observed in ASMD patients.

Spectrum of SMPD1 mutations in Asian-Indian patients with acid sphingomyelinase (ASM)-deficient Niemann-Pick disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranganath, Prajnya; Matta, Divya; Bhavani, Gandham SriLakshmi; Wangnekar, Savita; Jain, Jamal Mohammed Nurul; Verma, Ishwar C; Kabra, Madhulika; Puri, Ratna Dua; Danda, Sumita; Gupta, Neerja; Girisha, Katta M; Sankar, Vaikom H; Patil, Siddaramappa J; Ramadevi, Akella Radha; Bhat, Meenakshi; Gowrishankar, Kalpana; Mandal, Kausik; Aggarwal, Shagun; Tamhankar, Parag Mohan; Tilak, Preetha; Phadke, Shubha R; Dalal, Ashwin

2016-10-01

Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM)-deficient Niemann-Pick disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by biallelic mutations in the SMPD1 gene. To date, around 185 mutations have been reported in patients with ASM-deficient NPD world-wide, but the mutation spectrum of this disease in India has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to ascertain the mutation profile in Indian patients with ASM-deficient NPD. We sequenced SMPD1 in 60 unrelated families affected with ASM-deficient NPD. A total of 45 distinct pathogenic sequence variants were found, of which 14 were known and 31 were novel. The variants included 30 missense, 4 nonsense, and 9 frameshift (7 single base deletions and 2 single base insertions) mutations, 1 indel, and 1 intronic duplication. The pathogenicity of the novel mutations was inferred with the help of the mutation prediction software MutationTaster, SIFT, Polyphen-2, PROVEAN, and HANSA. The effects of the identified sequence variants on the protein structure were studied using the structure modeled with the help of the SWISS-MODEL workspace program. The p. (Arg542*) (c.1624C>T) mutation was the most commonly identified mutation, found in 22% (26 out of 120) of the alleles tested, but haplotype analysis for this mutation did not identify a founder effect for the Indian population. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study on mutation analysis of patients with ASM-deficient Niemann-Pick disease reported in literature and also the first study on the SMPD1 gene mutation spectrum in India. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

IMPLEMENTASI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TALKING CHIPS DAN FAN-N-PICK DALAM MENINGKATKAN MOTIVASI DAN HASIL BELAJAR IPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrus Logo Radja

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study is aimed to describe how Talking Chips and Fan-N-Pick learning model to improve VIII D class students’ motivation and learning outcomes at SMP Kristen Citra Bangsa Kota Kupang. The study is a Classroom Action Research (CAR study. The study consists of four phases, i.e. plan, action, observation, and reflection. The phases in CAR are conducted in 2 cycles. The subject of the study is 20 VIII D class students of SMP Kristen Citra Bangsa Kota Kupang. The collected data consists of students’ motivation and learning result test. The result of the study shows that there is an improvement on students’ motivation in the first cycle and the high criteria is improved to very high criteria in the end of the second cycle. The improvement is also occurred in students’ learning outcome and implementation whether it is from the students or the teacher. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan bagaimana penerapan model pembelajaran Talking Chips dan Fan-N-Pick untuk meningkatkan motivasi dan hasil belajar siswa kelas VIII-D di SMP Kristen Citra Bangsa Kota Kupang. Jenis penelitian ini adalah Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK. Penelitian ini terdiri atas empat tahap, yaitu tahap perencanaan, pelaksanaan, pengamatan/observasi dan refleksi. Tahapan dalam PTK ini dilaksanakan dalam dua siklus. Subjek dalam penelitian ini ialah siswa kelas VIII-D SMP Kristen Citra Bangsa Kupang yang berjumlah 20 orang. Data yang dikumpulkan dalam penelitian ini adalah motivasi siswa dan tes hasil belajar. Hasil penelitian menunjukan terjadinya peningkatan motivasi siswa pada siklus I dengan kriteria tinggi meningkat menjadi sangat tinggi pada akhir siklus II. Peningkatan juga terjadi pada hasil belajar siswa dan keterlaksanaan pembelajaran baik oleh guru dan siswa.

Vestibular function in patients with Niemann-Pick type C disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Bremova, Tatiana; Krafczyk, Siegbert; Bardins, Stanislavs; Reinke, Jörg; Strupp, Michael

2016-11-01

We investigated whether vestibular dysfunction may cause or contribute to postural imbalance and falls in patients with Niemann-Pick type C disease (NP-C). Eight patients with NP-C disease and 20 healthy controls were examined using the video-based head impulse test (vHIT) and caloric irrigation to investigate horizontal canal function as well as ocular- and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (o- and cVEMP), and binocular subjective visual vertical estimation (SVV) for otolith function, and static posturography. There were no significant differences in vestibulo-ocular gain, caloric excitability, o-/cVEMP measures or SVV between the two groups. Posturographic total sway path (tSP) and root mean square (RMS) were significantly higher in NP-C than in controls in 3 out of 4 conditions. The Romberg quotient (RQ) to assess the amount of visual stabilization was significantly lower in the NP-C than in the HC group. In contrast to other inherited metabolic disorders, such as Morbus Gaucher type 3, we did not find any evidence for an impairment of canal or otolith function in patients with NP-C as their cause of postural imbalance. Since RQ was low in NP-C patients, indicating proper sensory input, the observed increased postural sway is most likely due to a cerebellar dysfunction in NP-C, which may therefore, explain postural imbalance.

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Winds pick up and transport grains from nearby beach sands and alluvial deposits into a wide Red Sea coastal plain at the border of the beach. The mineralogical (Qt–Ft–Lt) and geochemical composition of the sands, indicate that SF and QS coastal dune sands are mature and influenced by quartz-rich sands. The average ...

Develop and pilot test smart phone/tablet app for paratransit demand-response passenger pick-up alerts to assist passengers with disabilities and reduce no-shows and dwell times.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

This research produced an arrival notification system for paratransit passengers with disabilities. Almost all existing curb-to-curb paratransit services have significantly large pick-up time window ranging from 20 to 40 minutes from the scheduled ti...

Pick and Choose: A Videotape Series on Nutrition for Migrant Families (Coja y Escoja: Peliculas para Television Sobre la Nutricion para las Familias Migratorias).

Science.gov (United States)

1979

One of the major problems faced by migrant workers throughout the United States is a lack of awareness of the relationship between proper diet and an individual's general health and well being. To help solve this problem was the major objective of the series "Pick and Choose." The three 15-minute programs in the series present…

Possible improvements in the bubble model description of positronium pick-off annihilation in liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beling, C.D.; Smith, F.A.

1980-01-01

The universal applicability of the bubble model is examined and attention is drawn to a number of situations in which it is inadequate. Some possible areas of improvements are considered. The effects of van der Waals forces on the bubble radius are estimated to be insignificant, but the problem of the potential well depth and shape is more intractable. We find that when a linear combination of finite potential components is used, the Ps pressure can become independent of well depth when the infinite component becomes large, as may be the case in certain liquids. We have developed the idea of Tao on the description of the wavefunction overlap occurring in a thin skin in the inside of the bubble surface. By considering the contribution from the protrusion of hydrogen atoms from a hard core bubble surface, we calculate that the pick-off rate can be significantly altered. (orig.)

Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder in adults: a cross-cultural survey of Israeli Jewish and Arab samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Leibovici, Vera; Koran, Lorrin M; Murad, Sari; Siam, Ihab; Odlaug, Brian L; Mandelkorn, Uri; Feldman-Weisz, Vera; Keuthen, Nancy J

2015-04-01

We sought to estimate the lifetime prevalence of Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder (SPD) in the Israeli adult population as a whole and compare SPD prevalence in the Jewish and Arab communities. We also explored demographic, medical and psychological correlates of SPD diagnosis. Questionnaires and scales screening for SPD, and assessing the severity of perceived stress, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), alcohol use, illicit drug use, and medical disorders were completed in a sample of 2145 adults attending medical settings. The lifetime prevalence of SPD was 5.4% in the total sample; it did not differ between genders or within Jewish and Arab subsamples. Severity of depression (pcross-cultural variation in the correlates of this disorder. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

First arrival time picking for microseismic data based on DWSW algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yue; Wang, Yue; Lin, Hongbo; Zhong, Tie

2018-03-01

The first arrival time picking is a crucial step in microseismic data processing. When the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is low, however, it is difficult to get the first arrival time accurately with traditional methods. In this paper, we propose the double-sliding-window SW (DWSW) method based on the Shapiro-Wilk (SW) test. The DWSW method is used to detect the first arrival time by making full use of the differences between background noise and effective signals in the statistical properties. Specifically speaking, we obtain the moment corresponding to the maximum as the first arrival time of microseismic data when the statistic of our method reaches its maximum. Hence, in our method, there is no need to select the threshold, which makes the algorithm more facile when the SNR of microseismic data is low. To verify the reliability of the proposed method, a series of experiments is performed on both synthetic and field microseismic data. Our method is compared with the traditional short-time and long-time average (STA/LTA) method, the Akaike information criterion, and the kurtosis method. Analysis results indicate that the accuracy rate of the proposed method is superior to that of the other three methods when the SNR is as low as - 10 dB.

Borehole images while drilling : real-time dip picking in the foothills

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dexter, D. [Schlumberger Canada Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); Brezsnyak, F. [Talisman Energy Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada); Roth, J. [Talisman Energy Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

The Alberta Foothills drilling environment is a structurally complex thrust belt with slow costly drilling and frequent plan changes after logging. The cross sections are not always accurate due to poor resolution. Therefore, the placement of the wellbore is crucial to success. This presentation showed borehole images from drilling in the Foothills. Topics that were addressed included the Foothills drilling environment; target selection; current well placement methods; and current well performance. Borehole images included resistivity images and density images. The presentation addressed why real-time images should be run. These reasons include the ability to pick dips in real-time; structural information in real time allows for better well placement; it is easier to find and stay in producing areas; reduced non-productive time and probability of sidetracks; and elimination of pipe conveys logs. Applications in the Alberta Foothills such as the commercial run for GVR4 were also offered. Among the operational issues and lessons learned, it was determined that the reservoir thickness to measurement point distance ratio is too great to avoid exiting the sweet spot and that the survey calculation error cause image offset. It was concluded that GVR is a drillers tool for well placement. figs.

Las Cumbres Observatory 1-Meter Global Science Telescope Network

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Pickles, Andrew; Dubberley, M.; Haldeman, B.; Haynes, R.; Posner, V.; Rosing, W.; staff, LCOGT

2009-05-01

We present the optical, mechanical and electronic design of the LCOGT 1-m telescope. These telescopes are planned to go in pairs to each of 6 sites worldwide, complementing 0.4m telescopes and 2-m telescopes at two existing sites. This science network is designed to provide continuously available photometric monitoring and spectroscopy of variable sources. The 1-m optical design is an f/8 quasi-RC system, with a doublet corrector and field flattener to provide good image quality out to 0.8 degrees. The field of view of the Fairchild 4K science CCD is 27 arcmin, with 0.39 arcsec pixels. The mechanical design includes a stiff C-ring equatorial mount and friction drive rollers, mounted on a triangular base that can be adjusted for latitude. Another friction drive is coupled at the Declination axis to the M1 mirror cell, that forms the main Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) structural element. The OTA design includes a stiff carbon fiber truss assembly, with offset vanes to an M2 drive that provides remote focus, tilt and collimation. The tube assembly weighs about 600 Kg, including Hextek mirrors, 4K science CCD, filter wheel, autoguiders and medium resolution spectrograph pick-off fiber. The telescopes will be housed in domes at existing observatory sites. They are designed to operate remotely and reliably under centralized control for automatic, optimized scheduling of observations with available hardware.

Study on Pick-pocketing Theft-- with the Relevant Provisions to the Eighth Criminal Law Amendment as Background%扒窃型盗窃罪研究——以《刑法修正案（八）》相关规定为背景

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

薛进展; 蔡正华

2012-01-01

扒窃型盗窃罪是《刑法修正案（八）》新增的盗窃罪独立定罪类型，也拓宽了扒窃行为入罪的评价路径。刑法上的扒窃是指“以非法占有为目的，秘密窃取他人随身携带的财物的行为”。但并不是所有的扒窃都可以构成扒窃型盗窃罪，只有符合“公共场合”、“从他人身上”以及“取得”等标准的扒窃行为才能构成扒窃型盗窃罪。扒窃型盗窃罪作为内涵最为丰富的盗窃罪定罪类型，其外延受到的限制最严格，所以当出现多种类型盗窃罪竞合时，理应首先认定行为是否构成扒窃型盗窃罪。%The pick-pocketing type Theft is a new type of independent theft in the ＂eighth Criminal Law Amendment ＂, which at the same time clear the way of incorporating pick-pocketing behavior into crime. Pick-pocketing in the criminal law referred to those behaviors which are for the purpose of illegal possession and by means of stealing others＇ property carried with in secret. However not all of pick-pocketing may constitute of pick-pocketing type theft, only those which are conducted in the ＂public places＂, from others＇ body and acquire may meet the definition. Pick-pocketing theft criminal type, who is the richest in connotation, has also the strictest restriction in its epitaxial. So when we meet multiple types of Theft competing, pick-pocketing type theft shall be considered in the first.

THE IMPACT OF THE IMPULSE BUYING DIMENSION AND CHERRY PICKING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY (Consumers Case Study in a mall in Central Jakarta

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Endang Ruswanti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to further test the contradictory research result. Mathai & Haridas’ findings (2014 stated that a discounted price did not influence impulse buying. Meanwhile Ruswanti, (2013 found that a discounted price tended to influence the consumers’ spontaneous shopping. Data discovered by Nielsen (2007 stated that apparently 85% of Indonesian consumers tend to buy things on an impulse. This research was in the form of a survey, the sample being 197 people, of whom 96 respondents were female, and males the other 101. The respondents ages were between 17-50 years old, those with an income of 3 million rupiahs numbered 83 persons, 64 people had an income above 5 millions rupiahs, and 50 respondents had an income above 10 million rupiahs. The technical design was a purposive sampling;70% of the consumers liked the discounted products, and bought something on the spur of the moment at least once. The regression analysis was with SPSS 19; the results show that the external, internal, situational environment, products’ variety, and sociocultural effects significantly influenced the cherry picking. The respondents with an income of above 3-5 million preferred spontaneous shopping. This research gives a contribution to the development of the consumers’ behavioral theory through impulse buying and cherry picking.

Impaired autophagy in the lipid-storage disorder Niemann-Pick type C1 disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Sovan; Carroll, Bernadette; Buganim, Yosef; Maetzel, Dorothea; Ng, Alex H M; Cassady, John P; Cohen, Malkiel A; Chakraborty, Souvik; Wang, Haoyi; Spooner, Eric; Ploegh, Hidde; Gsponer, Joerg; Korolchuk, Viktor I; Jaenisch, Rudolf

2013-12-12

Autophagy dysfunction has been implicated in misfolded protein accumulation and cellular toxicity in several diseases. Whether alterations in autophagy also contribute to the pathology of lipid-storage disorders is not clear. Here, we show defective autophagy in Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease associated with cholesterol accumulation, where the maturation of autophagosomes is impaired because of defective amphisome formation caused by failure in SNARE machinery, whereas the lysosomal proteolytic function remains unaffected. Expression of functional NPC1 protein rescues this defect. Inhibition of autophagy also causes cholesterol accumulation. Compromised autophagy was seen in disease-affected organs of Npc1 mutant mice. Of potential therapeutic relevance is that HP-β-cyclodextrin, which is used for cholesterol-depletion treatment, impedes autophagy, whereas stimulating autophagy restores its function independent of amphisome formation. Our data suggest that a low dose of HP-β-cyclodextrin that does not perturb autophagy, coupled with an autophagy inducer, may provide a rational treatment strategy for NPC1 disease. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Experimental Study of Cutting Performances of Worn Picks

Science.gov (United States)

Dogruoz, Cihan; Bolukbasi, Naci; Rostami, Jamal; Acar, Cemil

2016-01-01

The best means to assess rock cuttability and efficiency of cutting process for using mechanical excavation is specific energy (SE), measured in full-scale rock cutting test. This is especially true for the application of roadheaders, often fitted with drag-type cutting tools. Radial picks or drag bits are changed during the operation as they reach a certain amount of wear and become blunt. In this study, full-scale cutting tests in different sedimentary rock types with bits having various degree of wear were used to evaluate the influence of bit wear on cutting forces and specific energy. The relationship between the amount of wear as represented by the size of the wear flats at the tip of the bit, and cutting forces as well as specific energy was examined. The influence of various rock properties such as mineral content, uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, indentation index, shore hardness, Schmidt hammer hardness, and density with required SE of cutting using different levels of tool wear was also studied. The preliminary analysis of the data shows that the mean cutting forces increase 2-3 times and SE by 4-5 times when cutting with 4 mm wear flat as compared to cutting with new or sharp wedge shape bits. The grain size distribution of the muck for cutting different rock types and different level of bit wear was analyzed and discussed. The best fit prediction models for SE based on statistical analysis of laboratory test results are introduced. The model can be used for estimating the performance of mechanical excavators using radial tools, especially roadheaders, continuous miners and longwall drum shearers.

'Limits and current knowledge of Pick's disease: its differential diagnosis'. A translation of the 1957 Delay, Brion, Escourolle article.

Science.gov (United States)

Thibodeau, Marie-Pierre; Miller, Bruce L

2013-01-01

This article is a translation of a French article by Delay, Brion, and Escourolle. In a seminal article published in French in 1957 these authors summarized the work of previous researchers and reviewed a wide sample of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) cases formerly referred to as Pick's disease. The authors were among the first to define the critical clinical and anatomical differences between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and FTD and they even delineated distinctive FTD subtypes making possible the advances that now constitute the base of our studies. Reviewing their work allows us to appreciate the progress research has made.

Case Report: Genetic analysis and anesthetic management of a child with Niemann-Pick disease Type A [version 1; referees: 2 approved

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Priti G. Dalal

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A 14-month-old child, recently diagnosed with Niemann-Pick disease type A, presented for a laparoscopic placement of a gastrostomy tube under general anesthesia. The disease was confirmed and further characterized by genetic testing, which revealed evidence of the presence of two known pathogenic mutations in the SMPD1 gene, and enzyme studies showed a corresponding very low level of enzymatic activity of acidic sphingomyelinase. The anesthetic management involved strategies to manage an anticipated difficult intubation and avoid post-operative ventilation.

Laparoscopic ovum pick-up in spotted paca ( Cuniculus pacas

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F.F.P.C. Barros

2016-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this work is study the laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LapOPU technique in spotted paca, describing surgery details, complications and oocyte recovery rate. Nine healthy adult non-pregnant captive females were used, in a total of 39 procedures. When the surgical plane of anaesthesia was achieved, the females were positioned at 20º Trendelenburg. Three 6mm trocars were placed on right and left inguinal and hypogastric regions. Abdomen was inflated with CO2 and the intra-abdominal pressure was stablished in 10mmHg. Follicular punctures were performed moving the ovaries with atraumatic forceps. For punctures, an 18-gauge 3.5 inch long needle attached to a vacuum system with pressure not exceeding 65mmHg was used. Oocytes were recovered into 50mL centrifuge tubes with media composed of PBS supplemented with 10 IU/mL of heparin and kept at 36°C. R Software was used for statistical analysis. Data normality distribution (Shapiro test and variances homoscedasticity (Bartlett test were tested and descriptive statistics (mean±SD was used to present the results. It was only possible to perform LapOPU in 30 of 39 laparoscopies (76.92%. The surgical total time was 37.34 ± 18.53 minutes. The total number of visualized follicles, aspirated follicles, and retrieved oocytes were 502, 415, and 155, respectively. And the same parameters per animal were: 14.34 ± 12.23, 11.86 ± 10.03, and 4.43 ± 4.69 respectively. Oocyte recovery rate was 32.56 ± 27.32%. In conclusion, caudal positioning of portals with slight triangulation allows good viewing of the abdominal cavity and eases the manipulation of the ovaries. Thus this described LapOPU technique is feasible in spotted paca and easy to perform.

Receivers for processing electron beam pick-up electrode signals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

There are several methods of determining the transverse position of the electron beam, based upon sensing either the electric field, the magnetic field, or both. At the NSLS the transverse beam position monitors each consist of a set of four circular electrodes. There are 48 sets of pick-up electrodes in the X-ray ring and 24 in the VUV storage ring for determining the electron orbit, and a few extra sets installed for specialized purposes. When the beam passes between the four electrodes, charge is induced on each electrode, the amount depending upon the distance of the beam from that electrode. If V a , V b , V c and V d given by a difference between pairs of electrodes normalized for variations in beam current by dividing by the sum of electrode voltages. The method of processing these signals depends upon their time structure. The electrons circulating around the vacuum chamber are concentrated in short bunches within stability buckets produced by the accelerating voltage in the RF cavities. The charges induced on the pickup electrodes then are narrow pulses, a fraction of a nanosecond long, and would result in a monopolar voltage pulses if it were not for the impedance of the cable connecting the electrode to the processing apparatus. The capacitance between each electrode and the chamber wall is only a few picofarads and is effectively in parallel with the cable impedance (50 ohms). Thus an appreciable amount of the charge flows off the electrode while the bunch is between the electrodes, resulting in potential of opposite sign as the bunch is leaving the vicinity of the electrode. The resulting signal consists of a series of bipolar pulses, each of less than one nanosecond duration

Reducing GBA2 Activity Ameliorates Neuropathology in Niemann-Pick Type C Mice.

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André R A Marques

Full Text Available The enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GBA hydrolyses glucosylceramide (GlcCer in lysosomes. Markedly reduced GBA activity is associated with severe manifestations of Gaucher disease including neurological involvement. Mutations in the GBA gene have recently also been identified as major genetic risk factor for Parkinsonism. Disturbed metabolism of GlcCer may therefore play a role in neuropathology. Besides lysosomal GBA, cells also contain a non-lysosomal glucosylceramidase (GBA2. Given that the two β-glucosidases share substrates, we speculated that over-activity of GBA2 during severe GBA impairment might influence neuropathology. This hypothesis was studied in Niemann-Pick type C (Npc1-/- mice showing secondary deficiency in GBA in various tissues. Here we report that GBA2 activity is indeed increased in the brain of Npc1-/- mice. We found that GBA2 is particularly abundant in Purkinje cells (PCs, one of the most affected neuronal populations in NPC disease. Inhibiting GBA2 in Npc1-/- mice with a brain-permeable low nanomolar inhibitor significantly improved motor coordination and extended lifespan in the absence of correction in cholesterol and ganglioside abnormalities. This trend was recapitulated, although not to full extent, by introducing a genetic loss of GBA2 in Npc1-/- mice. Our findings point to GBA2 activity as therapeutic target in NPC.

Niemann-Pick disease Type C - Sea-blue histiocytosis: Phenotypic and imaging observations and mini review

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Praveen K

2007-01-01

Full Text Available We present a report on an 18-year-old boy with Niemann-Pick disease Type C (NP-C who presented with progressive decline in scholastic performance since 9 years of age. At 12 years, he developed abnormal behavior and after 2 years had insidious onset, progressive gait ataxia and dysarthria followed by dystonia of the right upper extremity, excessive drooling, dysphagia and nasal regurgitation. He had coarse facies, depressed nasal bridge, high arched palate, crowded teeth, splenomegaly and peculiar facial grin. In addition, impaired vertical saccadic and pursuit eye movements, brisk muscle stretch reflexes and limb and gait ataxia were observed. He had a low IQ of 47 on Binet-Kamat test. The ultrasound examination of the abdomen confirmed the presence of moderate splenomegaly. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed symmetrical leucoencephalopathy and mild cerebellar atrophy. Bone marrow aspiration showed numerous foamy macrophages and sea-blue histiocytes suggesting the diagnosis of NP-C.

Easily configured real-time CPOE Pick Off Tool supporting focused clinical research and quality improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenbaum, Benjamin P; Silkin, Nikolay; Miller, Randolph A

2014-01-01

Real-time alerting systems typically warn providers about abnormal laboratory results or medication interactions. For more complex tasks, institutions create site-wide 'data warehouses' to support quality audits and longitudinal research. Sophisticated systems like i2b2 or Stanford's STRIDE utilize data warehouses to identify cohorts for research and quality monitoring. However, substantial resources are required to install and maintain such systems. For more modest goals, an organization desiring merely to identify patients with 'isolation' orders, or to determine patients' eligibility for clinical trials, may adopt a simpler, limited approach based on processing the output of one clinical system, and not a data warehouse. We describe a limited, order-entry-based, real-time 'pick off' tool, utilizing public domain software (PHP, MySQL). Through a web interface the tool assists users in constructing complex order-related queries and auto-generates corresponding database queries that can be executed at recurring intervals. We describe successful application of the tool for research and quality monitoring.

CFD Analysis for Assessing the Effect of Wind on the Thermal Control of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandari, Pradeep; Anderson, Kevin

2013-01-01

The challenging range of landing sites for which the Mars Science Laboratory Rover was designed, requires a rover thermal management system that is capable of keeping temperatures controlled across a wide variety of environmental conditions. On the Martian surface where temperatures can be as cold as -123 C and as warm as 38 C, the rover relies upon a Mechanically Pumped Fluid Loop (MPFL) Rover Heat Rejection System (RHRS) and external radiators to maintain the temperature of sensitive electronics and science instruments within a -40 C to 50 C range. The RHRS harnesses some of the waste heat generated from the rover power source, known as the Multi Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), for use as survival heat for the rover during cold conditions. The MMRTG produces 110 W of electrical power while generating waste heat equivalent to approximately 2000 W. Heat exchanger plates (hot plates) positioned close to the MMRTG pick up this survival heat from it by radiative heat transfer. Winds on Mars can be as fast as 15 m/s for extended periods. They can lead to significant heat loss from the MMRTG and the hot plates due to convective heat pick up from these surfaces. Estimation of this convective heat loss cannot be accurately and adequately achieved by simple textbook based calculations because of the very complicated flow fields around these surfaces, which are a function of wind direction and speed. Accurate calculations necessitated the employment of sophisticated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer codes. This paper describes the methodology and results of these CFD calculations. Additionally, these results are compared to simple textbook based calculations that served as benchmarks and sanity checks for them. And finally, the overall RHRS system performance predictions will be shared to show how these results affected the overall rover thermal performance.

Modeling Niemann Pick type C1 using human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ordoñez, M Paulina; Steele, John W

2017-02-01

Data generated in Niemann Pick type C1 (NPC1) human embryonic and human induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons complement on-going studies in animal models and provide the first example, in disease-relevant human cells, of processes that underlie preferential neuronal defects in a NPC1. Our work and that of other investigators in human neurons derived from stem cells highlight the importance of performing rigorous mechanistic studies in relevant cell types to guide drug discovery and therapeutic development, alongside of existing animal models. Through the use of human stem cell-derived models of disease, we can identify and discover or repurpose drugs that revert early events that lead to neuronal failure in NPC1. Together with the study of disease pathogenesis and efficacy of therapies in animal models, these strategies will fulfill the promise of stem cell technology in the development of new treatments for human diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Exploiting human neurons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cation distribution in spinels and its effect on activity pick-up and passivation behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subramanian, H.; Velmurugan, S.; Narasimhan, S.V.

2000-01-01

Spinels are found to be the major corrosion products in the primary heat transport system or nuclear reactors. These corrosion products are activated in the core and are picked up on the deposited corrosion product oxides, which lead to the radiation field buildup on out of core surfaces. In order to mitigate this phenomenon, it is extremely important to understand the structural changes that take place in a spinel in the primary heat transport system. Most of the spinels found in reactor systems are mixed spinels. Cation distribution in tetrahedral and octahedral sites of these spinels, which is temperature dependent, will affect the pickup of active metal ions from solution into these spinels. Distribution of cations in simple spinels was estimated by minimising the Gibbs energy change for the migration of ions between tetrahedral and octahedral sites, based on the assumption that it is the configurational entropy change for the process that dominates the distribution. Cation distribution for mixed spinels was also calculated using the same method. Energy demand for the exchange of an aqueous ion with these spinels has been estimated. (author)

Integrating Soft Robotics with the Robot Operating System: A Hybrid Pick and Place Arm

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Ross M. McKenzie

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Soft robotic systems present a variety of new opportunities for solving complex problems. The use of soft robotic grippers, for example, can simplify the complexity in tasks such as the grasping of irregular and delicate objects. Adoption of soft robotics by the informatics community and industry, however, has been slow and this is, in-part, due to the amount of hardware and software that must be developed from scratch for each use of soft system components. In this paper, we detail the design, fabrication, and validation of an open-source framework that we designed to lower the barrier to entry for integrating soft robotic subsystems. This framework is built on the robot operating system (ROS, and we use it to demonstrate a modular, soft–hard hybrid system, which is capable of completing pick and place tasks. By lowering this barrier to entry through our open sourced hardware and software, we hope that system designers and Informatics researchers will find it easy to integrate soft components into their existing ROS-enabled robotic systems.

Comparing "pick and place" task in spatial Augmented Reality versus non-immersive Virtual Reality for rehabilitation setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Khademi, Maryam; Hondori, Hossein Mousavi; Dodakian, Lucy; Cramer, Steve; Lopes, Cristina V

2013-01-01

Introducing computer games to the rehabilitation market led to development of numerous Virtual Reality (VR) training applications. Although VR has provided tremendous benefit to the patients and caregivers, it has inherent limitations, some of which might be solved by replacing it with Augmented Reality (AR). The task of pick-and-place, which is part of many activities of daily living (ADL's), is one of the major affected functions stroke patients mainly expect to recover. We developed an exercise consisting of moving an object between various points, following a flash light that indicates the next target. The results show superior performance of subjects in spatial AR versus non-immersive VR setting. This could be due to the extraneous hand-eye coordination which exists in VR whereas it is eliminated in spatial AR.

Using "Making Sense of Climate Science Denial" MOOC videos in a college course

Science.gov (United States)

Schuenemann, K. C.; Cook, J.

2015-12-01

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) "Denial101x: Making Sense of Climate Science Denial" teaches students to make sense of the science and respond to climate change denial. The course is made up of a series of short, myth-debunking lecture videos that can be strategically used in college courses. The videos and the visuals within have proven a great resource for an introductory college level climate change course. Methods for using the videos in both online and in-classroom courses will be presented, as well as student reactions and learning from the videos. The videos introduce and explain a climate science topic, then paraphrase a common climate change myth, explain why the myth is wrong by identifying the characteristic of climate denial used, and concludes by reinforcing the correct science. By focusing on common myths, the MOOC has made an archive of videos that can be used by anyone in need of a 5-minute response to debunk a myth. By also highlighting five characteristics of climate denial: fake experts, logical fallacies, impossible expectations, cherry picking, and conspiracy theories (FLICC), the videos also teach the viewer the skills they need to critically examine myths they may encounter in the real world on a variety of topics. The videos also include a series of expert scientist interviews that can be used to drive home points, as well as put some faces to the science. These videos are freely available outside of the MOOC and can be found under the relevant "Most used climate myths" section on the skepticalscience.com webpage, as well as directly on YouTube. Discover ideas for using videos in future courses, regardless of discipline.

Olfactory deficits in Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1 disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Hovakimyan

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disease characterized by progressive neurodegeneration. As only a few studies have been conducted on the impact of NPC on sensory systems, we used a mutant mouse model (NPC1(-/- to examine the effects of this disorder to morphologically distinct regions of the olfactory system, namely the olfactory epithelium (OE and olfactory bulb (OB. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: For structural and functional analysis immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, western blotting, and electrophysiology have been applied. For histochemistry and western blotting, we used antibodies against a series of neuronal and glia marker proteins, as well as macrophage markers. NPC1(-/- animals present myelin-like lysosomal deposits in virtually all types of cells of the peripheral and central olfactory system. Especially supporting cells of the OE and central glia cells are affected, resulting in pronounced astrocytosis and microgliosis in the OB and other olfactory cortices. Up-regulation of Galectin-3, Cathepsin D and GFAP in the cortical layers of the OB underlines the critical role and location of the OB as a possible entrance gate for noxious substances. Unmyelinated olfactory afferents of the lamina propria seem less affected than ensheathing cells. Supporting the structural findings, electro-olfactometry of the olfactory mucosa suggests that NPC1(-/- animals exhibit olfactory and trigeminal deficits. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data demonstrate a pronounced neurodegeneration and glia activation in the olfactory system of NPC1(-/-, which is accompanied by sensory deficits.

Prenatal-Onset Niemann–Pick Type C Disease with Nonimmune Hydrops Fetalis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozge Surmeli-Onay

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Niemann–Pick type C (NPC; OMIM 257219 disease is a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder characterized by accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in the lysosomal/late endosomal system. This autosomal recessive disorder occurs in approximately 1/150,000 births. The broad clinical spectrum ranges from a prenatal severe presentation to an adult-onset chronic neurodegenerative disease. Data about prenatal presentation of NPC are limited. A female newborn was born at 342 weeks' gestation with a birth weight of 3070 g, and transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit because of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF and respiratory distress. On admission, a physical examination revealed skin edema, mild respiratory distress, and abdominal distention due to massive ascites. Hepatosplenomegaly and cholestasis increased progressively and bleeding diathesis occurred. Results of an abdominal ultrasonography showed hepatosplenomegaly and segmental multicystic dysplastic left kidney. Foamy cells with a lysosomal phospholipid storage pattern compatible with NPC were found in the bone marrow smear. Cultured fibroblasts showed a strongly elevated filipin staining (classical NPC cellular phenotype, establishing the diagnosis of NPC. The infant died on the 52nd day of life because of respiratory distress due to lung involvement of NPC, massive ascites, and progressive liver failure. Results of an autopsy showed multiorgan storage disease involving the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, lungs, and brain. Here, we present a preterm infant with NIHF as a sign of severe prenatal-onset NPC and review the literature.

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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

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Niemann-Pick C1-deficient mice lacking sterol O-acyltransferase 2 have less hepatic cholesterol entrapment and improved liver function.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Adam M; Jones, Ryan Dale; Repa, Joyce J; Turley, Stephen D

2018-06-07

Cholesteryl esters are generated at multiple sites in the body by sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1) or sterol O-acyltransferase 2 (SOAT2) in various cell types, and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in plasma. Esterified cholesterol (EC) and triacylglycerol (TAG) contained in lipoproteins cleared from the circulation via receptor-mediated or bulk-phase endocytosis are hydrolyzed by lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) within the late endosomal/lysosomal (E/L) compartment. Then, through the successive actions of Niemann-Pick C2 (NPC2) and Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), unesterified cholesterol (UC) is exported from the E/L compartment to the cytosol. Mutations in either NPC1 or NPC2 lead to continuing entrapment of UC in all organs, resulting in multisystem disease which includes hepatic dysfunction and in some cases liver failure. These studies investigated primarily whether elimination of SOAT2 in NPC1-deficient mice impacted hepatic UC sequestration, inflammation, and transaminase activities. Measurements were made in 7 wk-old mice fed a low-cholesterol chow diet or one enriched with cholesterol starting 2 wk before study. In the chow-fed mice, NPC1:SOAT2 double knockouts, compared to their littermates lacking only NPC1, had 20% less liver mass, 28% lower hepatic UC concentrations, and plasma ALT and AST activities that were decreased by 48% and 36%, respectively. mRNA expression levels for several markers of inflammation were all significantly lower in the NPC1 mutants lacking SOAT2. The existence of a new class of potent and selective SOAT2 inhibitors provides an opportunity for exploring if suppression of this enzyme could potentially become an adjunctive therapy for liver disease in NPC1 deficiency.

Are Niemann-Pick type C proteins key players in cnidarian-dinoflagellate endosymbioses?

Science.gov (United States)

Dani, Vincent; Ganot, Philippe; Priouzeau, Fabrice; Furla, Paola; Sabourault, Cecile

2014-09-01

The symbiotic interaction between cnidarians, such as corals and sea anemones, and the unicellular algae Symbiodinium is regulated by yet poorly understood cellular mechanisms, despite the ecological importance of coral reefs. These mechanisms, including host-symbiont recognition and metabolic exchange, control symbiosis stability under normal conditions, but also lead to symbiosis breakdown (bleaching) during stress. This study describes the repertoire of the sterol-trafficking proteins Niemann-Pick type C (NPC1 and NPC2) in the symbiotic sea anemone Anemonia viridis. We found one NPC1 gene in contrast to the two genes (NPC1 and NPC1L1) present in vertebrate genomes. While only one NPC2 gene is present in many metazoans, this gene has been duplicated in cnidarians, and we detected four NPC2 genes in A. viridis. However, only one gene (AvNPC2-d) was upregulated in symbiotic relative to aposymbiotic sea anemones and displayed higher expression in the gastrodermis (symbiont-containing tissue) than in the epidermis. We performed immunolabelling experiments on tentacle cross sections and demonstrated that the AvNPC2-d protein was closely associated with symbiosomes. In addition, AvNPC1 and AvNPC2-d gene expression was strongly downregulated during stress. These data suggest that AvNPC2-d is involved in both the stability and dysfunction of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbioses. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Semi-Automated Digital Image Analysis of Pick's Disease and TDP-43 Proteinopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, David J; Byrne, Matthew D; McMillan, Corey T; Cooper, Felicia; Arnold, Steven E; Lee, Edward B; Van Deerlin, Vivianna M; Xie, Sharon X; Lee, Virginia M-Y; Grossman, Murray; Trojanowski, John Q

2016-01-01

Digital image analysis of histology sections provides reliable, high-throughput methods for neuropathological studies but data is scant in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), which has an added challenge of study due to morphologically diverse pathologies. Here, we describe a novel method of semi-automated digital image analysis in FTLD subtypes including: Pick's disease (PiD, n=11) with tau-positive intracellular inclusions and neuropil threads, and TDP-43 pathology type C (FTLD-TDPC, n=10), defined by TDP-43-positive aggregates predominantly in large dystrophic neurites. To do this, we examined three FTLD-associated cortical regions: mid-frontal gyrus (MFG), superior temporal gyrus (STG) and anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) by immunohistochemistry. We used a color deconvolution process to isolate signal from the chromogen and applied both object detection and intensity thresholding algorithms to quantify pathological burden. We found object-detection algorithms had good agreement with gold-standard manual quantification of tau- and TDP-43-positive inclusions. Our sampling method was reliable across three separate investigators and we obtained similar results in a pilot analysis using open-source software. Regional comparisons using these algorithms finds differences in regional anatomic disease burden between PiD and FTLD-TDP not detected using traditional ordinal scale data, suggesting digital image analysis is a powerful tool for clinicopathological studies in morphologically diverse FTLD syndromes. © The Author(s) 2015.

Niemann-pick type C1 (NPC1) overexpression alters cellular cholesterol homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Millard, E E; Srivastava, K; Traub, L M; Schaffer, J E; Ory, D S

2000-12-08

The Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) protein is a key participant in intracellular trafficking of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, but its role in regulation of sterol homeostasis is not well understood. To characterize further the function of NPC1, we generated stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines overexpressing the human NPC1 protein (CHO/NPC1). NPC1 overexpression increases the rate of trafficking of low density lipoprotein cholesterol to the endoplasmic reticulum and the rate of delivery of endosomal cholesterol to the plasma membrane (PM). CHO/NPC1 cells exhibit a 1.5-fold increase in total cellular cholesterol and up to a 2.9-fold increase in PM cholesterol. This increase in PM cholesterol is closely paralleled by a 3-fold increase in de novo cholesterol synthesis. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis results in marked redistribution of PM cholesterol to intracellular sites, suggesting an unsuspected role for NPC1 in internalization of PM cholesterol. Despite elevated total cellular cholesterol, CHO/NPC1 cells exhibit increased cholesterol synthesis, which may be attributable to both resistance to oxysterol suppression of sterol-regulated gene expression and to reduced endoplasmic reticulum cholesterol levels under basal conditions. Taken together, these studies provide important new insights into the role of NPC1 in the determination of the levels and distribution of cellular cholesterol.

What influence have science blogs had, and on whom?

Science.gov (United States)

Steig, E. J.

2012-12-01

Blogs are perhaps the most influential of the "new media" when it comes to the communication (and miscommunication) of climate change (and other science) with the public. Have blogs significantly influenced the way that public understanding of science is reached? Have they blurred the distinction between scientist and layperson? Have they fundamentally changed the way science is conducted? As one of the co-founders of RealClimate.org, I have had the good fortune of experiencing one of the most prominent scientific blogs in the world from the inside. My experiences as a participant in RealClimate -- and as an actively publishing scientist in the climate change research -- lead me to answer each of these question largely in the negative. Certainly, the directness with which scientists can reach the public has changed, but the scientific findings that have the most influence are still largely those that are published in traditional peer-reviewed journals, and picked up by the mainstream media. While some people may read blogs regularly, the vast majority of people still get their science news the old fashioned way. Business people, policy-makers and other professional consumers of science may get some of their information from blogs, but for anything requiring serious documentation, the published literature remains the standard. Similarly, while the idea of the "citizen-scientist" doing important research is appealing, the number of people actually involved in such work at a high level -- that is, getting their work to the stage that it is publishable -- is very few, and is dwarfed by the full-time research of academic and government scientists. Science -- and public understanding of science -- has thus proceeded largely as it would have without the blogs, without any fundamental change. That said, there are two area where I think that blogs have changed the way that science is conducted and communicated. First, communication among scientists -- particularly those

Conceptual design and kinematic analysis of a novel parallel robot for high-speed pick-and-place operations

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Qizhi; Xie, Fugui; Liu, Xin-Jun

2018-06-01

This paper deals with the conceptual design, kinematic analysis and workspace identification of a novel four degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) high-speed spatial parallel robot for pick-and-place operations. The proposed spatial parallel robot consists of a base, four arms and a 1½ mobile platform. The mobile platform is a major innovation that avoids output singularity and offers the advantages of both single and double platforms. To investigate the characteristics of the robot's DOFs, a line graph method based on Grassmann line geometry is adopted in mobility analysis. In addition, the inverse kinematics is derived, and the constraint conditions to identify the correct solution are also provided. On the basis of the proposed concept, the workspace of the robot is identified using a set of presupposed parameters by taking input and output transmission index as the performance evaluation criteria.

3.3 Å structure of Niemann–Pick C1 protein reveals insights into the function of the C-terminal luminal domain in cholesterol transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiaochun; Lu, Feiran; Trinh, Michael N.; Schmiege, Philip; Seemann, Joachim; Wang, Jiawei; Blobel, Günter

2017-08-07

Niemann–Pick C1 (NPC1) and NPC2 proteins are indispensable for the export of LDL-derived cholesterol from late endosomes. Mutations in these proteins result in Niemann–Pick type C disease, a lysosomal storage disease. Despite recent reports of the NPC1 structure depicting its overall architecture, the function of its C-terminal luminal domain (CTD) remains poorly understood even though 45% of NPC disease-causing mutations are in this domain. Here, we report a crystal structure at 3.3 Å resolution of NPC1* (residues 314–1,278), which—in contrast to previous lower resolution structures—features the entire CTD well resolved. Notably, all eight cysteines of the CTD form four disulfide bonds, one of which (C909–C914) enforces a specific loop that in turn mediates an interaction with a loop of the N-terminal domain (NTD). Importantly, this loop and its interaction with the NTD were not observed in any previous structures due to the lower resolution. Our mutagenesis experiments highlight the physiological relevance of the CTD–NTD interaction, which might function to keep the NTD in the proper orientation for receiving cholesterol from NPC2. Additionally, this structure allows us to more precisely map all of the disease-causing mutations, allowing future molecular insights into the pathogenesis of NPC disease.

INTERSTELLAR PICK-UP IONS OBSERVED BETWEEN 11 AND 22 AU BY NEW HORIZONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randol, B. M.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N. A.

2013-01-01

We report new observations by the Solar Wind Around Pluto instrument on the New Horizons spacecraft, which measures energy per charge (E/q) spectra of solar wind and interstellar pick-up ions (PUIs) between 11 AU and 22 AU from the Sun. The data provide an unprecedented look at PUIs as there have been very few measurements of PUIs beyond 10 AU. We analyzed the PUI part of the spectra by comparing them to the classic Vasyliunas and Siscoe PUI model. Our analysis indicates that PUIs are usually well-described by this distribution. We derive parameters relevant to PUI studies, such as the ionization rate normalized to 1 AU. Our result for the average ionization rate between 11 and 12 AU agrees with an independently derived average value found during the same time. Later, we find a general increase in the ionization rate, which is consistent with the increase in solar activity. We also calculate the PUI thermal pressure, which appears to be roughly consistent with previous results. Through fitting of the solar wind proton peaks in our spectra, we derive solar wind thermal pressures. Based on our analysis, we predict a ratio of PUI thermal pressure to solar wind thermal pressure just inside the termination shock to be between 100 and >1000.

Probable Diagnosis of a Patient with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C: Managing Pitfalls of Exome Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeiger, William A; Jamal, Nasheed I; Scheuner, Maren T; Pittman, Patricia; Raymond, Kimiyo M; Morra, Massimo; Mishra, Shri K

2018-02-17

Here, we present a case of a 31-year-old man with progressive cognitive decline, ataxia, and dystonia. Extensive laboratory, radiographic, and targeted genetic studies over the course of several years failed to yield a diagnosis. Initial whole exome sequencing through a commercial laboratory identified several variants of uncertain significance; however, follow-up clinical examination and testing ruled each of these out. Eventually, repeat whole exome sequencing identified a known pathogenic intronic variant in the NPC1 gene (NM_000271.4, c.1554-1009G>A) and an additional heterozygous exonic variant of uncertain significance in the NPC1 gene (NM_000271.4, c.2524T>C). Follow-up biochemical testing was consistent with a diagnosis of probable Niemann-Pick disease Type C (NP-C). This case illustrates the potential of whole exome sequencing for diagnosing rare complex neurologic diseases. It also identifies several potential common pitfalls that must be navigated by clinicians when interpreting commercial whole exome sequencing results.

CONTENT OF CS-137 IN HOMEMADE PRESERVES OF MUSHROOMS PICKED IN 2014 BY LOCAL RESIDENTS IN AREAS AFFECTED BY RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AFTER CHERNOBYL NPP ACCIDENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Varfolomeeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents results of the study made in 2014 on evaluation of the content of Cs-137 in different homemade dried and pickled mushrooms picked by residents of most contaminated areas of the Bryansk region. The aim of the study was to evaluate actual content levels of Cs-137 in homemade preserves of dried and pickled mushrooms picked in the Bryansk region areas with high level of radioactive contamination after Chernobyl accident. Sampling was conducted in residential settlements in proximity to most visited forest areas located at different distances to residential settlements in the range from 0.3 to 5 kilometers, with different forest types, with different soil surface contamination density by Cs-137 in the range from 33 to 944 kBq/m2 (Tentative levels of surface contamination of forest soil are evaluated based on the results of gammaspectrometry measurements in soil samples. The sampling was done at voluntary consent of local residents. In the frameworks of the research in ten settlements with 6112 residents altogether 25 samples were selected (8 samples of dried and 17 of pickled mushrooms.The analyses of study results resulted in the following conclusions: specific activity in samples of different kinds of dry and pickled mushrooms picked by residents of south-west areas of the Bryansk region vary in broad range from 32 to 34000 Bq/kg. The most part of homemade preserves of dried and pickled mushrooms of the local residents exceeds normative levels of permissible mushroom contamination. Cs-137 content in pickled mushrooms is not explicitly dependent on the level of soil surface contamination whereas specific activity of dry mushrooms increases along with the level of surface contamination increase. In the process of mushroom pickling, the additional reduction of Cs-137 content is observed: from 17% to 67% which averages to 37%. Due to the gradual reduction of transfer coefficients for Cs-137 into forest mushrooms and significant

Capacitive beam position monitors for the low-β beam of the Chinese ADS proton linac

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong; Wu, Jun-Xia; Zhu, Guang-Yu; Jia, Huan; Xue, Zong-Heng; Zheng, Hai; Xie, Hong-Ming; Kang, Xin-Cai; He, Yuan; Li, Lin; Denard, Jean Claude

2016-02-01

Beam Position Monitors (BPMs) for the low-β beam of the Chinese Accelerator Driven Subcritical system (CADS) Proton linac are of the capacitive pick-up type. They provide higher output signals than that of the inductive type. This paper will describe the design and tests of the capacitive BPM system for the low-β proton linac, including the pick-ups, the test bench and the read-out electronics. The tests done with an actual proton beam show a good agreement between the measurements and the simulations in the time domain. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11405240) and “Western Light” Talents Training Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Assessment of work-related muscle strain by using surface EMG during test contractions interposed between work periods of simulateted mushroom picking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ohashi, Jun-Ya; Blangsted, Anne Katrine; Nielsen, Pernille Kofoed

2010-01-01

Surface electromyograms(EMG) during test contractions (TCs) were studied to assess the muscle strain in simulated mushroom picking. Additionally, the duration of the TC for the effective assessment was investigated. Nine female subjects performed standardized shoulder abduction and a stooped...... posture for one minute as TCs. Each experiment consisted of a 60-min rest, three work periods (W1-W3), a 30-min rest, and two work periods (W4 and W5) separated by a 30-min rest period. The duration of each work period was about 20 min. A total of 18 TCs was performed between the work periods and every 10...

Design of a PC Based Pressure Indicator Using Inductive Pick-up Type Transducer and Bourdon Tube Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. C. BERA

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Bourdon tube is a mechanical type pressure sensor and the bourdon gauge measures gauge pressure of a process pipe line or a process tank. But it is a local indicator and special costlier techniques are required to transmit the reading of bourdon gauge to a remote distance. In the present paper, a very simple inductive pick-up type technique has been developed to transmit the reading of bourdon gauge to a remote distance in the form of 1-5 Volt D.C. signal. This signal has been optically isolated to design a PC based pressure indicator using Labtech Note Book Pro software. The theoretical analysis of the whole technique has been presented in the paper. The instrument developed using this technique has been experimentally tested and the experimental results are reported in the paper. A good linearity and repeatability of the instrument has been observed.

Niemann-Pick C1 like 1 gene expression is down-regulated by LXR activators in the intestine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duval, Caroline; Touche, Veronique; Tailleux, Anne; Fruchart, Jean-Charles; Fievet, Catherine; Clavey, Veronique; Staels, Bart; Lestavel, Sophie

2006-01-01

Niemann-Pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L1) is a protein critical for intestinal cholesterol absorption. The nuclear receptors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and liver X receptors (LXRα and LXRβ) are major regulators of cholesterol homeostasis and their activation results in a reduced absorption of intestinal cholesterol. The goal of this study was to define the role of PPARα and LXR nuclear receptors in the regulation of NPC1L1 gene expression. We show that LXR activators down-regulate NPC1L1 mRNA levels in the human enterocyte cell line Caco-2/TC7, whereas PPARα ligands have no effect. Furthermore, NPC1L1 mRNA levels are decreased in vivo, in duodenum of mice treated with the LXR agonist T0901317. In conclusion, the present study identifies NPC1L1 as a novel LXR target gene further supporting a crucial role of LXR in intestinal cholesterol homeostasis

Modernisation picks up in commodities exchange market%中国商品交易市场现代化步伐提速

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2005-01-01

@@ With changes in the market circulation environment and the end of a theree-year protection after its accession to the World Trade Organisation, China's commodities trade aggregate has been growing steadily and the size of individual markets has been increasing gradually.In 2004, the number of commodity markets with annual turnover exceeding RMB 100 million jumped to 3,365,100 more than in the previous year; their turnover, at RMB2.61027 trillion, surged. 21.3%. The pace of modernisation of the country's commodity markets has picked up, with their business operations becoming more international, more information-based, larger in scale and functioning as groups.

Structural Insights into the Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1)-Mediated Cholesterol Transfer and Ebola Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Xin; Qian, Hongwu; Zhou, Xinhui; Wu, Jianping; Wan, Tao; Cao, Pingping; Huang, Weiyun; Zhao, Xin; Wang, Xudong; Wang, Peiyi; Shi, Yi; Gao, George F; Zhou, Qiang; Yan, Nieng

2016-06-02

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is associated with mutations in NPC1 and NPC2, whose gene products are key players in the endosomal/lysosomal egress of low-density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol. NPC1 is also the intracellular receptor for Ebola virus (EBOV). Here, we present a 4.4 Å structure of full-length human NPC1 and a low-resolution reconstruction of NPC1 in complex with the cleaved glycoprotein (GPcl) of EBOV, both determined by single-particle electron cryomicroscopy. NPC1 contains 13 transmembrane segments (TMs) and three distinct lumenal domains A (also designated NTD), C, and I. TMs 2-13 exhibit a typical resistance-nodulation-cell division fold, among which TMs 3-7 constitute the sterol-sensing domain conserved in several proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism and signaling. A trimeric EBOV-GPcl binds to one NPC1 monomer through the domain C. Our structural and biochemical characterizations provide an important framework for mechanistic understanding of NPC1-mediated intracellular cholesterol trafficking and Ebola virus infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gpnmb Is a Potential Marker for the Visceral Pathology in Niemann-Pick Type C Disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André R A Marques

Full Text Available Impaired function of NPC1 or NPC2 lysosomal proteins leads to the intracellular accumulation of unesterified cholesterol, the primary defect underlying Niemann-Pick type C (NPC disease. In addition, glycosphingolipids (GSLs accumulate in lysosomes as well. Intralysosomal lipid accumulation triggers the activation of a set of genes, including potential biomarkers. Transcript levels of Gpnmb have been shown to be elevated in various tissues of an NPC mouse model. We speculated that Gpnmb could serve as a marker for visceral lipid accumulation in NPC disease. We report that Gpnmb expression is increased at protein level in macrophages in the viscera of Npc1nih/nih mice. Interestingly, soluble Gpnmb was also found to be increased in murine and NPC patient plasma. Exposure of RAW264.7 macrophages to the NPC-phenotype-inducing drug U18666A also upregulated Gpnmb expression. Inhibition of GSL synthesis with the glucosylceramide synthase (GCS inhibitor N-butyl-1-deoxynojirimycin prevented U18666A-induced Gpnmb induction and secretion. In summary, we show that Gpnmb is upregulated in NPC mice and patients, most likely due to GSL accumulation.

76 FR 62457 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meeting

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2011-10-07

... available for the public and NSF staff to listen-in on this teleconference meeting. All visitors must... the room number. Call 703-292- 7000 to request your badge, which will be ready for pick-up at the...

76 FR 50759 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-16

... the public and NSF staff to listen-in on this teleconference meeting. All visitors must contact the... number. Call 703-292- 7000 to request your badge, which will be ready for pick-up at the visitor's desk...

Possible origin and roles of nano-porosity in ZrO2 scales for hydrogen pick-up in Zr alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Lindgren, Mikaela; Geers, Christine; Panas, Itai

2017-08-01

A mechanistic understanding of Wagnerian build-up and subsequent non-Wagnerian break-down of barrier oxide upon oxidation of zirconium alloys by water is reiterated. Hydrogen assisted build-up of nano-porosity is addressed. Growth of sub-nanometer wide stalactitic pores owing to increasing aggregation of neutral oxygen vacancies offering a means to permeate hydrogen into the alloy is explored by density functional theory. The Wagnerian channel utilizes charge separation allowing charged oxygen vacancies and electrons to move separately from nominal anode to nominal cathode. This process becomes increasingly controlled by the charging of the barrier oxide resulting in sub-parabolic rate law for oxide growth. The break-down of the barrier oxide is understood to be preceded by avalanching hydrogen pick-up in the alloy. Pore mediated diffusion allows water to effectively short circuit the barrier oxide.

AIAA Educator Academy - Mars Rover Curriculum: A 6 week multidisciplinary space science based curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Henriquez, E.; Bering, E. A.; Slagle, E.; Nieser, K.; Carlson, C.; Kapral, A.

2013-12-01

The Curiosity mission has captured the imagination of children, as NASA missions have done for decades. The AIAA and the University of Houston have developed a flexible curriculum program that offers children in-depth science and language arts learning culminating in the design and construction of their own model rover. The program is called the Mars Rover Model Celebration. It focuses on students, teachers and parents in grades 3-8. Students learn to research Mars in order to pick a science question about Mars that is of interest to them. They learn principles of spacecraft design in order to build a model of a Mars rover to carry out their mission on the surface of Mars. The model is a mock-up, constructed at a minimal cost from art supplies. This project may be used either informally as an after school club or youth group activity or formally as part of a class studying general science, earth science, solar system astronomy or robotics, or as a multi-disciplinary unit for a gifted and talented program. The project's unique strength lies in engaging students in the process of spacecraft design and interesting them in aerospace engineering careers. The project is aimed at elementary and secondary education. Not only will these students learn about scientific fields relevant to the mission (space science, physics, geology, robotics, and more), they will gain an appreciation for how this knowledge is used to tackle complex problems. The low cost of the event makes it an ideal enrichment vehicle for low income schools. It provides activities that provide professional development to educators, curricular support resources using NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) content, and provides family opportunities for involvement in K-12 student learning. This paper will describe the structure and organization of the 6 week curriculum. A set of 30 new 5E lesson plans have been written to support this project as a classroom activity. The challenge of developing interactive

Position Control Method For Pick And Place Robot Arm For Object Sorting System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khin Moe Myint

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The more increase the number of industries in developing countries the more require labourers or workers in that. To reduce the cost of labour force and to increase the manufacturing capacity of industries the advanced robot arms are more needed. The aim of this journal is to eliminate the manual control for object sorting system.Robot arm design in this research uses two joints three links and servo motors to drive. Microcontroller is used to generate required PWM signal for servo motors. In this research the position control of robot arm was designed by using kinematic control methods. There are two types of kinematic control methods which are forward and reverse kinematic methods. In forward kinematic method the input parameters are the joint angles and link length of robot arm and then the output is the position at XYZ coordinate of tool or gripper. In inverse kinematic the input parameters are position at XYZ coordinate of gripper and the link length of robot arm and then the output parameters are the joint angles. So kinematic methods can explain the analytical description of the geometry motion of the manipulator with reference to a robot coordinate system fixed to a frame without consideration of the forces or the moments causing the movements. For sorting system Metal detector is used to detect the metal or non-metal. This position control of pick and place robot arm is fully tested and the result is obtained more precisely.

76 FR 70168 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings

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2011-11-10

...., Arlington, VA 22230. A room will be available for the public and NSF staff to listen-in on this... will be ready for pick-up at the visitor's desk on the day of the meeting. All visitors must report to...

Restarting stalled autophagy a potential therapeutic approach for the lipid storage disorder, Niemann-Pick type C1 disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Sovan; Maetzel, Dorothea; Korolchuk, Viktor I; Jaenisch, Rudolf

2014-06-01

Autophagy is essential for cellular homeostasis and its dysfunction in human diseases has been implicated in the accumulation of misfolded protein and in cellular toxicity. We have recently shown impairment in autophagic flux in the lipid storage disorder, Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease associated with abnormal cholesterol sequestration, where maturation of autophagosomes is impaired due to defective amphisome formation caused by failure in SNARE machinery. Abrogation of autophagy also causes cholesterol accumulation, suggesting that defective autophagic flux in NPC1 disease may act as a primary causative factor not only by imparting its deleterious effects, but also by increasing cholesterol load. However, cholesterol depletion treatment with HP-β-cyclodextrin impedes autophagy, whereas pharmacologically stimulating autophagy restores its function independent of amphisome formation. Of potential therapeutic relevance is that a low dose of HP-β-cyclodextrin that does not perturb autophagy, coupled with an autophagy inducer, may rescue both the cholesterol and autophagy defects in NPC1 disease.

PONDEROSA, an automated 3D-NOESY peak picking program, enables automated protein structure determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Woonghee; Kim, Jin Hae; Westler, William M; Markley, John L

2011-06-15

PONDEROSA (Peak-picking Of Noe Data Enabled by Restriction of Shift Assignments) accepts input information consisting of a protein sequence, backbone and sidechain NMR resonance assignments, and 3D-NOESY ((13)C-edited and/or (15)N-edited) spectra, and returns assignments of NOESY crosspeaks, distance and angle constraints, and a reliable NMR structure represented by a family of conformers. PONDEROSA incorporates and integrates external software packages (TALOS+, STRIDE and CYANA) to carry out different steps in the structure determination. PONDEROSA implements internal functions that identify and validate NOESY peak assignments and assess the quality of the calculated three-dimensional structure of the protein. The robustness of the analysis results from PONDEROSA's hierarchical processing steps that involve iterative interaction among the internal and external modules. PONDEROSA supports a variety of input formats: SPARKY assignment table (.shifts) and spectrum file formats (.ucsf), XEASY proton file format (.prot), and NMR-STAR format (.star). To demonstrate the utility of PONDEROSA, we used the package to determine 3D structures of two proteins: human ubiquitin and Escherichia coli iron-sulfur scaffold protein variant IscU(D39A). The automatically generated structural constraints and ensembles of conformers were as good as or better than those determined previously by much less automated means. The program, in the form of binary code along with tutorials and reference manuals, is available at http://ponderosa.nmrfam.wisc.edu/.

Convolutional neural network guided blue crab knuckle detection for autonomous crab meat picking machine

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dongyi; Vinson, Robert; Holmes, Maxwell; Seibel, Gary; Tao, Yang

2018-04-01

The Atlantic blue crab is among the highest-valued seafood found in the American Eastern Seaboard. Currently, the crab processing industry is highly dependent on manual labor. However, there is great potential for vision-guided intelligent machines to automate the meat picking process. Studies show that the back-fin knuckles are robust features containing information about a crab's size, orientation, and the position of the crab's meat compartments. Our studies also make it clear that detecting the knuckles reliably in images is challenging due to the knuckle's small size, anomalous shape, and similarity to joints in the legs and claws. An accurate and reliable computer vision algorithm was proposed to detect the crab's back-fin knuckles in digital images. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can localize rough knuckle positions with 97.67% accuracy, transforming a global detection problem into a local detection problem. Compared to the rough localization based on human experience or other machine learning classification methods, the CNN shows the best localization results. In the rough knuckle position, a k-means clustering method is able to further extract the exact knuckle positions based on the back-fin knuckle color features. The exact knuckle position can help us to generate a crab cutline in XY plane using a template matching method. This is a pioneering research project in crab image analysis and offers advanced machine intelligence for automated crab processing.

Small molecule inhibitors reveal Niemann-Pick C1 is essential for Ebola virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Côté, Marceline; Misasi, John; Ren, Tao; Bruchez, Anna; Lee, Kyungae; Filone, Claire Marie; Hensley, Lisa; Li, Qi; Ory, Daniel; Chandran, Kartik; Cunningham, James

2011-08-24

Ebola virus (EboV) is a highly pathogenic enveloped virus that causes outbreaks of zoonotic infection in Africa. The clinical symptoms are manifestations of the massive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to infection and in many outbreaks, mortality exceeds 75%. The unpredictable onset, ease of transmission, rapid progression of disease, high mortality and lack of effective vaccine or therapy have created a high level of public concern about EboV. Here we report the identification of a novel benzylpiperazine adamantane diamide-derived compound that inhibits EboV infection. Using mutant cell lines and informative derivatives of the lead compound, we show that the target of the inhibitor is the endosomal membrane protein Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1). We find that NPC1 is essential for infection, that it binds to the virus glycoprotein (GP), and that antiviral compounds interfere with GP binding to NPC1. Combined with the results of previous studies of GP structure and function, our findings support a model of EboV infection in which cleavage of the GP1 subunit by endosomal cathepsin proteases removes heavily glycosylated domains to expose the amino-terminal domain, which is a ligand for NPC1 and regulates membrane fusion by the GP2 subunit. Thus, NPC1 is essential for EboV entry and a target for antiviral therapy.

76 FR 6828 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-08

... place of business to request your badge, which will be ready for pick-up at the visitor's desk on the... with NSF Staff Summary of January 26, 2011 Task Force Teleconference Discussion of Task Force Future...

Eksperimentasi Model Pembelajaran Kooperatif Tipe Teams Games Tournament (Tgt) dan Fan-n-pick pada Prestasi Belajar Matematika Ditinjau dari Kecemasan pada Matematika Siswa SMP Negeri di Kabupaten Magelang

OpenAIRE

Setyowati, Anna; Budiyono, Budiyono; Riyadi, Riyadi

2013-01-01

The aim of the research was to determine the effect of learning models on mathematics achievement viewed from the student's mathematics anxiety. The learning model compared were Teams Games Tournament of cooperative learning model, Fan-N-Pick of coopeartive learning model, and direct instruction model The method which was applied in this research was quasi-experimental with 3×3 factorial design done in class VIII second semester of Junior High School (SMP) In Magelang Regency Academic Year 20...

Gamma irradiation testing of prototype ITER in-vessel magnetic pick-up coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vermeeren, Ludo; Leysen, Willem

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We tested five prototype ITER in-vessel coils up to a gamma dose of 72 MGy. ► Before and after irradiation thermal tests were also performed from 30 °C till 130 °C. ► The continuity resistances and the insulation resistances were continuously monitored. ► The observed behavior of all coils was satisfactory in all conditions. ► For the further design the mechanical robustness should be taken into account. -- Abstract: To fulfill the requirements for ITER in-vessel magnetic diagnostics, several coil prototypes have been developed, aiming at minimizing the disturbing effects of temperature gradients and radiation induced phenomena. As a first step in the radiation resistance testing of these prototypes, an in-situ high dose rate gamma radiation test on a selection of prototypes was performed. The aim of this test was to get a first experimental feedback regarding the behavior of the pick-up coil prototypes under radiation. Five prototypes (a coil wound with glass-insulated copper wire, two LTCC coils and two HTCC coils) were irradiated at a dose rate of 46 kGy/h up to a total dose of 72 MGy and at a temperature of 50 °C. During the irradiation, the continuity resistances and the insulation resistances were continuously measured. Before and after irradiation reference data were recorded as a function of temperature (from 30 °C to 130 °C). This paper includes the results of the temperature and irradiation tests and a discussion of the behavior of the prototype coils in terms of electrical and mechanical properties

Cholesterol pathways affected by small molecules that decrease sterol levels in Niemann-Pick type C mutant cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madalina Rujoi

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick type C (NPC disease is a genetically inherited multi-lipid storage disorder with impaired efflux of cholesterol from lysosomal storage organelles.The effect of screen-selected cholesterol lowering compounds on the major sterol pathways was studied in CT60 mutant CHO cells lacking NPC1 protein. Each of the selected chemicals decreases cholesterol in the lysosomal storage organelles of NPC1 mutant cells through one or more of the following mechanisms: increased cholesterol efflux from the cell, decreased uptake of low-density lipoproteins, and/or increased levels of cholesteryl esters. Several chemicals promote efflux of cholesterol to extracellular acceptors in both non-NPC and NPC1 mutant cells. The uptake of low-density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol is inhibited by some of the studied compounds.Results herein provide the information for prioritized further studies in identifying molecular targets of the chemicals. This approach proved successful in the identification of seven chemicals as novel inhibitors of lysosomal acid lipase (Rosenbaum et al, Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 2009, 1791:1155-1165.

Pramana – Journal of Physics | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The present paper reports the correlation between deformation bleaching of coloration and mechanoluminescence (ML) in coloured alkali halide crystals. When the -centre electrons captured by moving dislocations are picked up by holes, deep traps and other compatible traps, then deformation bleaching occurs.

A case of variant biochemical phenotype of Niemann-Pick disease type C accompanying savant syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamatani, Mio; Jingami, Naoto; Uemura, Kengo; Nakasone, Naoe; Kinoshita, Hisanori; Yamakado, Hodaka; Ninomiya, Haruaki; Takahashi, Ryosuke

2016-06-22

A 40-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, frequent sudden loss of muscle tonus and ataxia for several years. He had a history of prolonged neonatal jaundice. He was given a diagnosis of autism in his childhood, followed by a diagnosis of schizophrenia in his teenage. He also developed a savant skill of calendar calculating. (123)I-IMP-SPECT showed decreased cerebral blood flow in the left frontotemporal lobe as often seen in savant syndrome. Although genetic analysis of NPC1 and NPC2 revealed no pathogenic mutation, filipin staining of cultured fibroblasts from his biopsied skin revealed a certain amount of intracellular cholesterol storage pattern, indicating a variant biochemical phenotype of Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC). The diagnosis of adulthood onset NPC is difficult and challenging, especially for neurologists, because the symptoms and signs are not as clear as those in the classical childhood onset NPC and this subtype is not yet widely known. However, the diagnosis can be made by a combination of filipin staining of fibroblast and/or gene analysis. As a disease-specific therapy for NPC has been approved in Japan, the diagnosis of NPC is of significance.

Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1/NPC1-like1 Chimeras Define Sequences Critical for NPC1’s Function as a Filovirus Entry Receptor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther Ndungo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available We recently demonstrated that Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1, a ubiquitous 13-pass cellular membrane protein involved in lysosomal cholesterol transport, is a critical entry receptor for filoviruses. Here we show that Niemann-Pick C1-like1 (NPC1L1, an NPC1 paralog and hepatitis C virus entry factor, lacks filovirus receptor activity. We exploited the structural similarity between NPC1 and NPC1L1 to construct and analyze a panel of chimeras in which NPC1L1 sequences were replaced with cognate sequences from NPC1. Only one chimera, NPC1L1 containing the second luminal domain (C of NPC1 in place of its own, bound to the viral glycoprotein, GP. This engineered protein mediated authentic filovirus infection nearly as well as wild-type NPC1, and more efficiently than did a minimal NPC1 domain C-based receptor recently described by us. A reciprocal chimera, NPC1 containing NPC1L1’s domain C, was completely inactive. Remarkably, an intra-domain NPC1L1-NPC1 chimera bearing only a ~130-amino acid N–terminal region of NPC1 domain C could confer substantial viral receptor activity on NPC1L1. Taken together, these findings account for the failure of NPC1L1 to serve as a filovirus receptor, highlight the central role of the luminal domain C of NPC1 in filovirus entry, and reveal the direct involvement of N–terminal domain C sequences in NPC1’s function as a filovirus receptor.

Case Report: Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in Niemann-Pick disease type C; clinical experience in four cases

Science.gov (United States)

Movsesyan, Nina; Platt, Frances M.

2017-01-01

In this case series, we demonstrate that Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves liver dysfunction in Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) and may restore a suppressed cytochrome p450 system. NPC disease is a progressive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in either the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. Liver disease is a common feature presenting either acutely as cholestatic jaundice in the neonatal period, or in later life as elevated liver enzymes indicative of liver dysfunction. Recently, an imbalance in bile acid synthesis in a mouse model of NPC disease was linked to suppression of the P450 detoxification system and was corrected by UDCA treatment. UDCA (3α, 7β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanic acid), a hydrophilic bile acid, is used to treat various cholestatic disorders. In this report we summarise the findings from four independent cases of NPC, three with abnormal liver enzyme levels at baseline, that were subsequently treated with UDCA. The patients differed in age and clinical features, they all tolerated the drug well, and in those with abnormal liver function, there were significant improvements in their liver enzyme parameters. PMID:29119141

Clinic Attendance for Antiretroviral Pills Pick-Up among HIV-Positive People in Nepal: Roles of Perceived Family Support and Associated Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayer, Rakesh; Kikuchi, Kimiyo; Ghimire, Mamata; Shibanuma, Akira; Pant, Madhab Raj; Poudel, Krishna C; Jimba, Masamine

2016-01-01

HIV-positive people's clinic attendance for medication pick-up is critical for successful HIV treatment. However, limited evidence exists on it especially in low-income settings such as Nepal. Moreover, the role of family support in clinic attendance remains under-explored. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the association between perceived family support and regular clinic attendance and to assess factors associated with regular clinic attendance for antiretroviral pills pick-up among HIV-positive individuals in Nepal. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 HIV-positive people in three districts of Nepal. Clinic attendance was assessed retrospectively for the period of 12 months. To assess the factors associated, an interview survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire from July to August, 2015. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the factors associated with regular clinic attendance. Of 423 HIV-positive people, only 32.6% attended the clinics regularly. They were more likely to attend them regularly when they received high family support (AOR = 3.98, 95% CI = 2.29, 6.92), participated in support programs (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.00, 2.82), and had knowledge on the benefits of antiretroviral therapy (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.15, 5.99). In contrast, they were less likely to attend them regularly when they commuted more than 60 minutes to the clinics (AOR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30, 0.93), when they self-rated their health status as being very good (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.44), good (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.46), and fair (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.06, 0.70). HIV-positive individuals are more likely to attend the clinics regularly when they receive high family support, know the benefits of antiretroviral therapy, and participate in support programs. To improve clinic attendance, family support should be incorporated with HIV care programs in resource limited settings. Service providers should also consider

Clinic Attendance for Antiretroviral Pills Pick-Up among HIV-Positive People in Nepal: Roles of Perceived Family Support and Associated Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Kimiyo; Ghimire, Mamata; Shibanuma, Akira; Pant, Madhab Raj; Poudel, Krishna C.; Jimba, Masamine

2016-01-01

Introduction HIV-positive people’s clinic attendance for medication pick-up is critical for successful HIV treatment. However, limited evidence exists on it especially in low-income settings such as Nepal. Moreover, the role of family support in clinic attendance remains under-explored. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the association between perceived family support and regular clinic attendance and to assess factors associated with regular clinic attendance for antiretroviral pills pick-up among HIV-positive individuals in Nepal. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 HIV-positive people in three districts of Nepal. Clinic attendance was assessed retrospectively for the period of 12 months. To assess the factors associated, an interview survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire from July to August, 2015. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the factors associated with regular clinic attendance. Results Of 423 HIV-positive people, only 32.6% attended the clinics regularly. They were more likely to attend them regularly when they received high family support (AOR = 3.98, 95% CI = 2.29, 6.92), participated in support programs (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.00, 2.82), and had knowledge on the benefits of antiretroviral therapy (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.15, 5.99). In contrast, they were less likely to attend them regularly when they commuted more than 60 minutes to the clinics (AOR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30, 0.93), when they self-rated their health status as being very good (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.44), good (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.46), and fair (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.06, 0.70). Conclusion HIV-positive individuals are more likely to attend the clinics regularly when they receive high family support, know the benefits of antiretroviral therapy, and participate in support programs. To improve clinic attendance, family support should be incorporated with HIV care programs in resource limited settings

Instruments of Science and Citizenship: Science Education for Dutch Orphans During the Late Eighteenth Century

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Lissa L.

2012-01-01

One of the two most extensive instrument collections in the Netherlands during the second half of the eighteenth century—rivaling the much better known collection at the University of Leiden—belonged to an orphanage in The Hague that was specially established to mold hand-picked orphans into productive citizens. (The other was housed at the Mennonite Seminary in Amsterdam, for use in the education of its students.) The educational program at this orphanage, one of three established by the Fundatie van Renswoude, grew out of a marriage between the socially-oriented generosity of the wealthy Baroness van Renswoude and the pedagogical vision of the institute's director and head teacher—a vision that fit with the larger movement of oeconomic patriotism. Oeconomic patriotism, similar to `improvement' and oeconomic movements in other European countries and their colonies, sought to tie the investigation of nature to an improvement of society's material and moral well-being. Indeed, it was argued that these two facets of society should be viewed as inseparable from each other, distinguishing the movement from more modern conceptions of economics. While a number of the key figures in this Dutch movement also became prominent Patriots during the revolutionary period at the end of the century, fighting against the House of Orange, they did not have a monopoly on oeconomic ideas of societal improvement. This is demonstrated by the fact that an explicitly pro-Orangist society, Mathesis Scientiarum Genitrix, was organized in 1785 to teach science and mathematics to poor boys and orphans for very similar reasons: to turn them into productive and useful citizens. As was the case with the Fundatie van Renswoude, a collection of instruments was assembled to help make this possible. This story is of interest because it discusses a hitherto under-examined use to which science education was put during this period, by revealing the link between such programs and the highly

76 FR 35481 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

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2011-06-17

... 22230. A room will be available for the public and NSF staff to listen-in on this teleconference meeting... for pick-up at the visitor's desk on the day of the meeting. All visitors must report to the NSF...

Optimization of pick-up coils for weakly damped SQUID gradiometers

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Kang; Wang, Jialei; Kong, Xiangyan; Yang, Ruihu; Chen, Hua

2018-05-01

Not Available Project supported by the Key Project of Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone of the Special Development Fund, China (Grant No. 2015-JD-C104-060) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61741122).

76 FR 69769 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

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2011-11-09

...., Arlington, VA 22230. A room will be available for the public and NSF staff to listen-in on this... will be ready for pick-up at the visitor's desk on the day of the meeting. All visitors must report to...

76 FR 72450 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

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2011-11-23

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76 FR 36938 - National Science Board; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

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2011-06-23

... of the meeting, a room will be available for the public and NSF staff to listen-in on this... will be ready for pick-up at the visitor's desk on the day of the meeting. All visitors must report to...

Why are modern scientists so dull? How science selects for perseverance and sociability at the expense of intelligence and creativity.

Science.gov (United States)

Charlton, Bruce G

2009-03-01

why are so many leading modern scientists so dull and lacking in scientific ambition? because the science selection process ruthlessly weeds-out interesting and imaginative people. At each level in education, training and career progression there is a tendency to exclude smart and creative people by preferring Conscientious and Agreeable people. The progressive lengthening of scientific training and the reduced independence of career scientists have tended to deter vocational 'revolutionary' scientists in favour of industrious and socially adept individuals better suited to incremental 'normal' science. High general intelligence (IQ) is required for revolutionary science. But educational attainment depends on a combination of intelligence and the personality trait of Conscientiousness; and these attributes do not correlate closely. Therefore elite scientific institutions seeking potential revolutionary scientists need to use IQ tests as well as examination results to pick-out high IQ 'under-achievers'. As well as high IQ, revolutionary science requires high creativity. Creativity is probably associated with moderately high levels of Eysenck's personality trait of 'Psychoticism'. Psychoticism combines qualities such as selfishness, independence from group norms, impulsivity and sensation-seeking; with a style of cognition that involves fluent, associative and rapid production of many ideas. But modern science selects for high Conscientiousness and high Agreeableness; therefore it enforces low Psychoticism and low creativity. Yet my counter-proposal to select elite revolutionary scientists on the basis of high IQ and moderately high Psychoticism may sound like a recipe for disaster, since resembles a formula for choosing gifted charlatans and confidence tricksters. A further vital ingredient is therefore necessary: devotion to the transcendental value of Truth. Elite revolutionary science should therefore be a place that welcomes brilliant, impulsive, inspired

AIMANTS PS CIRCUITS AUXILIAIRES DES PFW : UTILISATION DES PICK-UPS ET BOUCLES DE TOURS SELON LES TYPES DE CORRECTION

CERN Document Server

Ottaviani, J

2005-01-01

Les PFW sont des nappes polaires installées sur les pôles des aimants du PS. Elles sont au nombre de 4 par unité d’aimant et constituées d’un circuit principal (dans lequel circule le courant désiré selon le cycle magnétique utilisé) et de circuits auxiliaires. Les circuits auxiliaires sont des enroulements de correction (“pick-ups” brasés sur les enroulements principaux et boucles de tours). Pendant la variation du champ magnétique de l’aimant PS, on utilise des tensions induites dans ces circuits auxiliaires pour corriger les erreurs de champ dues aux pertes par courants de Foucault dans la chambre à vide. Les corrections à amener pour uniformiser le champ magnétique tout au long de la machine PS sont fonction des différents types de chambres à vide. A ce jour, nous utilisons 18 types de correction différents.

Increased Regenerative Capacity of the Olfactory Epithelium in Niemann–Pick Disease Type C1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anja Meyer

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Niemann–Pick disease type C1 (NPC1 is a fatal neurovisceral lysosomal lipid storage disorder. The mutation of the NPC1 protein affects the homeostasis and transport of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids from late endosomes/lysosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum resulting in progressive neurodegeneration. Since olfactory impairment is one of the earliest symptoms in many neurodegenerative disorders, we focused on alterations of the olfactory epithelium in an NPC1 mouse model. Previous findings revealed severe morphological and immunohistochemical alterations in the olfactory system of NPC1−/− mutant mice compared with healthy controls (NPC1+/+. Based on immunohistochemical evaluation of the olfactory epithelium, we analyzed the impact of neurodegeneration in the olfactory epithelium of NPC1−/− mice and observed considerable loss of mature olfactory receptor neurons as well as an increased number of proliferating and apoptotic cells. Additionally, after administration of two different therapy approaches using either a combination of miglustat, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD and allopregnanolone or a monotherapy with HPβCD, we recorded a remarkable reduction of morphological damages in NPC1−/− mice and an up to four-fold increase of proliferating cells within the olfactory epithelium. Numbers of mature olfactory receptor neurons doubled after both therapy approaches. Interestingly, we also observed therapy-induced alterations in treated NPC1+/+ controls. Thus, olfactory testing may provide useful information to monitor pharmacologic treatment approaches in human NPC1.

estimation of background radiation at rivers state university

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DJFLEX

State University of Science and Technology was measured using a specialize digital, radiation meter type, radalert ... KEYWORDS: Radiation, Radalert-50, electronic devices, radiation limit ... electron gun and the back of CRT (Philip and pick,.

Information Science: Science or Social Science?

OpenAIRE

Sreeramana Aithal; Paul P.K.,; Bhuimali A.

2017-01-01

Collection, selection, processing, management, and dissemination of information are the main and ultimate role of Information Science and similar studies such as Information Studies, Information Management, Library Science, and Communication Science and so on. However, Information Science deals with some different characteristics than these subjects. Information Science is most interdisciplinary Science combines with so many knowledge clusters and domains. Information Science is a broad disci...

Traitement des diagraphies acoustiques. Première partie : application de techniques issues de l'intelligence artificielle au pointe des diagraphies acoustiques Full Waveform Acoustic Data Processing. Part One: an Artificial Intelligence Approach for the Picking of Waves on Full-Waveform Acoustic Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari J. L.

2006-11-01

. The different waves and the effects of interferences, lithological variations and reflections of waves, are illustrated for common-offset trace collections (Figs. 4 to 8. Full waveform acoustic data processing mainly involves wave arrival-time picking and wavefield separation. The first part of this paper is devoted to arrival-time picking. The second part will be devoted to wave separation. The third part will present a case history on the use of acoustic logs. The great amount of full-waveform sonic data leads geophysicists and log analysts to implement automatic algorithms for picking the wave arrival times. After a review of the main conventional picking methods (Figs. 9 to 12, an automatic routine based on an Artificial Intelligence approach is described. In this routine, which is a stand-alone multichannel algorithm, the reasoning of the geophysicists picking a particular wave on common-offset trace collections of fullwaveform data is expressed in the form of rules. Identification of arrivals is based on criteria of similarity of shape and lateral continuity of the waves in contiguous traces. The main parameters used are amplitude, frequency and lateral correlation. A positive or negative peak is picked, depending on the polarity of the wave. The geophysicist indicates on the first record the particular wave to be picked by giving its approximate arrival time. Then the algorithm automatically picks the wave arrival-times on all the other records. When picking is performed on one common-offset trace collection, the A algorithm is used to search for the optimal path in the graph where the nodes are extrema on the traces and rows are the possible links between the extrema on contiguous traces. The principle of the A algorithm is shown in Fig. 13 for a simple example. Since picking for one common-offset trace collection must be coherent with picking for the others, rules expressing the coherency conditions are added to the algorithm for a more robust selection of

Annexins as organizers of cholesterol- and sphingomyelin-enriched membrane microdomains in Niemann-Pick type C disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Domon, Magdalena; Nasir, Mehmet Nail; Matar, Gladys; Pikula, Slawomir; Besson, Françoise; Bandorowicz-Pikula, Joanna

2012-06-01

Growing evidence suggests that membrane microdomains enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin are sites for numerous cellular processes, including signaling, vesicular transport, interaction with pathogens, and viral infection, etc. Recently some members of the annexin family of conserved calcium and membrane-binding proteins have been recognized as cholesterol-interacting molecules and suggested to play a role in the formation, stabilization, and dynamics of membrane microdomains to affect membrane lateral organization and to attract other proteins and signaling molecules onto their territory. Furthermore, annexins were implicated in the interactions between cytosolic and membrane molecules, in the turnover and storage of cholesterol and in various signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms of interaction of annexins with lipid microdomains and the role of annexins in membrane microdomains dynamics including possible participation of the domain-associated forms of annexins in the etiology of human lysosomal storage disease called Niemann-Pick type C disease, related to the abnormal storage of cholesterol in the lysosome-like intracellular compartment. The involvement of annexins and cholesterol/sphingomyelin-enriched membrane microdomains in other pathologies including cardiac dysfunctions, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cancer is likely, but is not supported by substantial experimental observations, and therefore awaits further clarification.

COSTECH - HURIA JOURNAL VOL. 24 (2) COSTECH FINAL_NEW

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof Kigadye

consecutive days; finally 6 animals were randomly picked from each treatment and slaughtered ... Organoleptic test was conducted and samples of the mutton, goat meat and ..... Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 27(1): 55 –. 60.

Natural Hazard Resilience - A Large-scale Transdisciplinary "National Science Challenge" for New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, S. J.

2017-12-01

The National Science Challenges are initiatives to address the most important public science issues that face New Zealand with long-term funding and the combined strength of a coordinated science-sector behind them. Eleven major topics are tackled, across our human, natural and built environments. In the "Resilience Challenge" we address New Zealand's natural hazards. Alongside severe metrological threats, New Zealand also faces one of the highest levels of earthquake and volcanic hazard in the world. Resilience is a hotly discussed concept, here, we take the view: Resilience encapsulates the features of a system to anticipate threats, acknowledge there will be impacts (no matter how prepared we are), quickly pick up the pieces, as well as learn and adapt from the experience to better absorb and rebound from future shocks. Our research must encompass innovation in building and lifelines engineering, planning and regulation, emergency management practice, alongside understanding how our natural hazard systems work, how we monitor them and how our communities/governance/industries can be influenced and encouraged (e.g., via economic incentives) to develop and implement resilience practice. This is a complex interwoven mix of areas and is best addressed through case-study areas where researchers and the users of the research can jointly identify problems and co-develop science solutions. I will highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses of this coordinated approach to an all-hazard, all-country problem, using the example of the Resilience Challenge approach after its first two and a half years of operation. Key issues include balancing investment into high-profile (and often high consequence), but rare hazards against the frequent "monthly" hazards that collectively occupy regional and local governance. Also, it is clear that despite increasingly sophisticated hazard and hazard mitigation knowledge being generated in engineering and social areas, a range of policy

Effect of frequency of clinic visits and medication pick-up on antiretroviral treatment outcomes: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutasa-Apollo, Tsitsi; Ford, Nathan; Wiens, Matthew; Socias, Maria Eugenia; Negussie, Eyerusalem; Wu, Ping; Popoff, Evan; Park, Jay; Mills, Edward J; Kanters, Steve

2017-07-21

Expanding and sustaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage may require simplified HIV service delivery strategies that concomitantly reduce the burden of care on the health system and patients while ensuring optimal outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to assess the impact of reduced frequency of clinic visits and drug dispensing on patient outcomes. As part of the development process of the World Health Organization antiretroviral (ARV) guidelines, we systematically searched medical literature databases for publications up to 30 August 2016. Information was extracted on trial characteristics, patient characteristics and the following outcomes: mortality, morbidity, treatment adherence, retention, patient and provider acceptability, cost and patients exiting the programme. When feasible, conventional pairwise meta-analyses were conducted. Results and discussion Of 6443 identified citations, 21 papers, pertaining to 16 studies, were included in this review, with 11 studies contributing to analyses. Although analyses were feasible, they were limited by the sparse evidence base, despite the importance of the research area, and relatively low quality. Comparative analyses of eight studies reporting on frequency of clinic visits showed that less frequent clinic visits led to higher odds of being retained in care (odds ratio [OR]: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.21-2.99). No differences were found with respect to viral failure, morbidity or mortality; however, most estimates were favourable to reduced clinic visits. Reduced frequency of ARVs pick-ups showed a trend towards better retention (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 0.62-6.04). Strategies using community support tended to have better outcomes; however, their implementation varied, particularly by location. External validity may be questionable. Our systematic review suggests that reduction of clinical visits (and likely ARVs pick-ups) may improve clinical outcomes, and that they are a viable option to relieve health systems and reduce

Pramana – Journal of Physics | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In this talk, I shall first discuss the Standard Model Higgs mechanism and then highlight some of its deficiencies making a case for the need to go beyond the Standard Model (BSM). The BSM tour will be guided by symmetry arguments. I shall pick up four specific BSM scenarios, namely, supersymmetry, little Higgs, ...

OMI/Aura TOMS-Like Ozone and Radiative Cloud Fraction Daily L3 Global 0.25x0.25 deg V003

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Version-003 of Level-3 Aura/OMI daily global TOMS-Like Total Column Ozone gridded product (OMTO3e) is generated by the NASA OMI science team by picking the best...

Genetic dissection of a cell-autonomous neurodegenerative disorder: lessons learned from mouse models of Niemann-Pick disease type C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel E. Lopez

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Understanding neurodegenerative disease progression and its treatment requires the systematic characterization and manipulation of relevant cell types and molecular pathways. The neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC is highly amenable to genetic approaches that allow exploration of the disease biology at the organismal, cellular and molecular level. Although NPC is a rare disease, genetic analysis of the associated neuropathology promises to provide insight into the logic of disease neural circuitry, selective neuron vulnerability and neural-glial interactions. The ability to control the disorder cell-autonomously and in naturally occurring spontaneous animal models that recapitulate many aspects of the human disease allows for an unparalleled dissection of the disease neurobiology in vivo. Here, we review progress in mouse-model-based studies of NPC disease, specifically focusing on the subtype that is caused by a deficiency in NPC1, a sterol-binding late endosomal membrane protein involved in lipid trafficking. We also discuss recent findings and future directions in NPC disease research that are pertinent to understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in general.

Radiological Protection Science and Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janssens, Augustin; ); Mossman, Ken; Morgan, Bill

2016-01-01

Since the discovery of radiation at the end of the 19. century, the health effects of exposure to radiation have been studied more than almost any other factor with potential effects on human health. The NEA has long been involved in discussions on the effects of radiation exposure, releasing two reports in 1994 and 2007 on radiological protection science. This report is the third in this state-of-the-art series, examining recent advances in the understanding of radiation risks and effects, particularly at low doses. It focuses on radiobiology and epidemiology, and also addresses the social science aspects of stakeholder involvement in radiological protection decision making. The report summarises the status of, and issues arising from, the application of the International System of Radiological Protection to different types of prevailing circumstances. Reports published by the NEA Committee on Radiation Protection and Public Health (CRPPH) in 1998 and 2007 provided an overview of the scientific knowledge available at that time, as well as the expected results from further research. They also discussed the policy implications that these results could have for the radiological protection system. The 2007 report highlighted challenges posed by developments in relation to medical exposure and by intentions to include the environment (i.e. non-human species), within the scope of the radiological protection system. It also addressed the need to be able to respond to a radiological terrorist attack. This report picks up on where the 1998 and 2007 reports left off, and addresses the state of the art in radiological prevention science and application today. It is divided into five chapters. Firstly, following broadly the structural topics from the 1998 and 2007 reports, the more purely scientific aspects of radiological protection are presented. These include cancer risk of low dose and dose rates, non-cancer effects and individual sensitivity. In view of the increasing

Distraction-related road traffic collisions | Eid | African Health Sciences

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nineteen (5.8%) drivers were distracted by using mobile phones, 12 (3.6%) were pre-occupied with deep thinking, six (1.8%) were talking with other passengers, four (1.2%) were picking things in the vehicle, and three (0.9%) were using entertainment systems. The maximum distraction occurred during the time of 6 am - 12 ...

Ataxia, dystonia and myoclonus in adult patients with Niemann-Pick type C.

Science.gov (United States)

Koens, L H; Kuiper, A; Coenen, M A; Elting, J W J; de Vries, J J; Engelen, M; Koelman, J H T M; van Spronsen, F J; Spikman, J M; de Koning, T J; Tijssen, M A J

2016-09-01

Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) is a rare autosomal recessive progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the NP-C 1 or 2 gene. Besides visceral symptoms, presentation in adolescent and adult onset variants is often with neurological symptoms. The most frequently reported presenting symptoms of NP-C in adulthood are psychiatric symptoms (38 %), cognitive decline (23 %) and ataxia (20 %). Myoclonus can be present, but its value in early diagnosis and the evolving clinical phenotype in NP-C is unclear. In this paper we present eight Dutch cases of NP-C of whom five with myoclonus. Eight patients with genetically confirmed NP-C were recruited from two Dutch University Medical Centers. A structured interview and neuropsychological tests (for working and verbal memory, attention and emotion recognition) were performed. Movement disorders were assessed using a standardized video protocol. Quality of life was evaluated by questionnaires (Rand-36, SIP-68, HAQ). In four of the five patients with myoclonic jerks simultaneous EEG with EMG was performed. A movement disorder was the initial neurological symptom in six patients: three with myoclonus and three with ataxia. Two others presented with psychosis. Four experienced cognitive deficits early in the course of the disease. Patients showed cognitive deficits in all investigated domains. Five patients showed myoclonic jerks, including negative myoclonus. In all registered patients EEG-EMG coherence analysis and/or back-averaging proved a cortical origin of myoclonus. Patients with more severe movement disorders experienced significantly more physical disabilities. Presenting neurological symptoms of NP-C include movement disorders, psychosis and cognitive deficits. At current neurological examination movement disorders were seen in all patients. The incidence of myoclonus in our cohort was considerably higher (63 %) than in previous publications and it was the presenting symptom in 38 %. A cortical origin

Changes in Caries Risk and Activity of a 9-Year-Old Patient with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Késsia Suênia Fidelis Mesquita-Guimarães

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. This case report describes the changes in caries risk and activity and dental treatment of a 9-year-old patient who presented with signs and symptoms of Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC. Treatment. The preventive dental treatment included instructions to caregivers for oral hygiene and diet. A calcium hydroxide pulpotomy and restorative dental treatments were performed in a dental office with desensitization techniques and behavioral management. The patient was attended every 3 months for the control of dental plaque biofilm, for topical fluoride application, and for observing the pulpotomized tooth. Results. The bacterial plaque biofilm was being adequately controlled by the caregiver. After 2 years, the clinical and radiographic examination of the pulpotomized tooth showed the absence of internal root resorption and bone rarefaction, and clinical examination showed tooth sensitivity, dental pain, and gingival swelling. Conclusion. The pulpotomy prevented clinical and radiographic success. Dentists must be aware of and be able to identify systemic and local aspects associated with caries risk of children with NPC disease. Furthermore, dentists must employ stringent preventive measures and provide instructions to caregivers to reduce caries risk.

Risk profile and health vulnerability of female workers who pick cotton by organanochlorine pesticides from southern Punjab, Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasmeen, Humaira; Qadir, Abdul; Mumtaz, Mehvish; Eqani, Syed Ali Musstjab Akber Shah; Syed, Jabbir Hussain; Mahmood, Adeel; Jamil, Nadia; Nazar, Farva; Ali, Habib; Ahmad, Muhammad Shafiq; Tanveer, Zafar Iqbal; Zhang, Gan

2017-05-01

The present study was conducted to highlight the existing level of organochlorine-pesticides (OCPs) from human milk (n = 45) and blood serum (n = 40) of female workers who pick cotton in Khanewal District, southern Punjab, Pakistan. Source apportionment, congener-specific analysis, and risk surveillance of OCPs are reported from human milk and blood samples. Levels of OCPs in milk and blood serum samples ranged from 15.7 ppb to 538.3 ppb and from 16.4 ppb to 747.1 ppb, respectively, and were lower than previously published reports from other regions of the globe. Congener-specific analysis revealed that DDTs were predominant, followed by hexachlorocyclohexane, chlordane, and hexachlorobenzene. Calculated results for source apportionment analysis suggested that contamination load was a new input of DDTs as well as the historic use of lindane in the study area. Levels of OCPs in milk and blood serum were significantly (p risk revealed that female workers had risk of cancer among 1 per million; however, noncarcinogenic risks were not considerable. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1193-1201. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Picking or nibbling: frequency and associated clinical features in bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Conceição, Eva M; Crosby, Ross; Mitchell, James E; Engel, Scott G; Wonderlich, Stephen A; Simonich, Heather K; Peterson, Caroline B; Crow, Scott J; Le Grange, Daniel

2013-12-01

Picking or ribbling (P&N) is a newly studied eating behavior characterized by eating in an unplanned and repetitious manner in between meals and snacks. This behavior seems to be related to poorer weight loss outcomes after bariatric surgery for weight loss in severely obese patients, but clarification is still required regarding its value in other clinical samples. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of P&N across different eating disorder samples, as well as to examine its association with psychopathological eating disorder features. Our sample included treatment-seeking adult participants, recruited for five different clinical trials: 259 binge eating disorder (BED); 264 bulimia nervosa (BN), and 137 anorexia nervosa (AN). Participants were assessed using the Eating Disorders Examination interview before entering the clinical trials. P&N was reported by 44% of the BED; 57.6% of the BN; and 34.3% of the AN participants. No association was found between P&N and BMI, the presence of compensatory behaviors, binge eating, or any of the eating disorder examination subscales. This study suggests that P&N behavior is highly prevalent across eating disorder diagnoses, but it is not associated with psychopathology symptoms or other eating disordered behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reduction of VLDL secretion decreases cholesterol excretion in niemann-pick C1-like 1 hepatic transgenic mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie M Marshall

Full Text Available An effective way to reduce LDL cholesterol, the primary risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is to increase cholesterol excretion from the body. Our group and others have recently found that cholesterol excretion can be facilitated by both hepatobiliary and transintestinal pathways. However, the lipoprotein that moves cholesterol through the plasma to the small intestine for transintestinal cholesterol efflux (TICE is unknown. To test the hypothesis that hepatic very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL support TICE, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO were used to knockdown hepatic expression of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP, which is necessary for VLDL assembly. While maintained on a high cholesterol diet, Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 hepatic transgenic (L1Tg mice, which predominantly excrete cholesterol via TICE, and wild type (WT littermates were treated with control ASO or MTP ASO. In both WT and L1Tg mice, MTP ASO decreased VLDL triglyceride (TG and cholesterol secretion. Regardless of treatment, L1Tg mice had reduced biliary cholesterol compared to WT mice. However, only L1Tg mice treated with MTP ASO had reduced fecal cholesterol excretion. Based upon these findings, we conclude that VLDL or a byproduct such as LDL can move cholesterol from the liver to the small intestine for TICE.

O-6 Optical Property Degradation of the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera-2 Pick Off Mirror

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Karen M.; Hughes, D. W.; Lauer, H. V.; Burkett, P. J.; Reed, B. B.

2011-01-01

Degradation in the performance of optical components can be greatly affected by exposure to the space environment. Many factors can contribute to such degradation including surface contaminants; outgassing; vacuum, UV, and atomic oxygen exposure; temperature cycling; or combinations of parameters. In-situ observations give important clues to degradation processes, but there are relatively few opportunities to correlate those observations with post-flight ground analyses. The return of instruments from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) after its final servicing mission in May 2009 provided such an opportunity. Among the instruments returned from HST was the Wide-Field Planetary Camera-2 (WFPC-2), which had been exposed to the space environment for 16 years. This work focuses on the identifying the sources of degradation in the performance of the Pick-off mirror (POM) from WFPC-2. Techniques including surface reflectivity measurements, spectroscopic ellipsometry, FTIR (and ATR-FTIR) analyses, SEM/EDS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with and without ion milling, and wet and dry physical surface sampling were performed. Destructive and contact analyses took place only after completion of the non-destructive measurements. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was then repeated to determine the extent of contaminant removal by the destructive techniques, providing insight into the nature and extent of polymerization of the contaminant layer.

Parametric Factors for the Tangential-Rotary Picks Quality Assessment / Wskaźniki Parametryczne Oceny Jakości Noży Styczno-Obrotowych

Science.gov (United States)

Krauze, Krzysztof; Bołoz, Łukasz; Wydro, Tomasz

2015-03-01

Procedure of the quality assessment of tangential-rotary picks used in various types of mining machines, has been described in the present study. Authorial method of the quality assessment of tangential- -rotary picks based on examination of geometrical and material factors, including pick wear rate, has been discussed. The method is based on parametrical factors and the described examinations tailored to determined conditions of the machine operations, including user requirements. Testing results collected in form of measurement cards allow selection of the optimal pick, including the influence of chosen parameters into the pick wear rate. Frezujące organy są elementami roboczymi wielu maszyn takich jak górnicze kombajny ścianowe i chodnikowe, frezarki pracujące w przemyśle skalnym oraz frezarki drogowe i spągowe. Urabianie organami wyposażonymi w noże styczno-obrotowe znajduje obecnie wiele zastosowań do skrawania węgla, rud metali, skał, betonu oraz asfaltu. Noże te wyparły starsze rozwiązania, czyli noże styczne oraz promieniowe, dzięki większej trwałości oraz zachowaniu podczas eksploatacji odpowiedniego kształtu ostrza czyli prawidłowych kątów skrawania. Maszynom urabiającym, a w szczególności kombajnom ścianowym oraz chodnikowym stawia się coraz bardziej restrykcyjne wymagania dotyczące wydajności, niezawodności, bezpieczeństwa i komfortu pracy załogi. W celu zapewnienia prawidłowej pracy maszyny należy w pierwszym rzędzie zadbać o prawidłowy dobór narzędzi skrawających wraz z uchwytami nożowymi oraz organem urabiającym. Mając na uwadze procedury przetargowe oraz prawo zamówień publicznych obowiązujące w Polsce opracowano taki sposób badania noży, aby możliwe było jednoznaczne wybranie najlepszej oferty przy zachowaniu jak najniższej ceny. Wskaźniki oceny jakości noży zostały sparametryzowane, dzięki czemu możliwe jest dostosowanie opracowanych procedur do badania noży styczno

EDITORIAL: Announcing the 2007 Measurement Science and Technology Outstanding Paper Awards

Science.gov (United States)

Foss, John; Dewhurst, Richard; Fujii, Kenichi; Regtien, Paul

2008-05-01

Since 1991, Measurement Science and Technology has awarded a Best Paper prize. The Editorial Board of this journal believes that such a prize is an opportunity to thank authors for submitting their work, and serves as an integral part of the on-going quality review of the journal. The current breadth of topical areas that are covered by MST has made it advisable to expand the recognition of excellent publications. Hence, since 2005 the Editorial Board have presented 'Outstanding Paper Awards' in four subject categories: Fluid Mechanics; Measurement Science; Precision Measurements; and Sensors and Sensing Systems. 2007 Award Winners—Fluid Mechanics An adaptive sampling and windowing interrogation method in PIV R Theunissen, F Scarano and M L Riethmuller von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Chaussée de Waterloo 72, 1640 Sint-Genesius Rode, Belgium and Department of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, PO Box 5058, 2600 GB Delft, The Netherlands The co-authored paper [1] has been selected as the Outstanding Paper in Fluid Mechanics for 2007. This paper provides a strategy whereby the placement and the size of the interrogation regions are adapted to the image signal strength (seeding density) and the spatial variations of the velocity magnitudes. Two, quite distinct, test cases demonstrate the efficacy of their method: a shockwave- boundary layer interaction and an aircraft vortex wake. The Selection Committee—Drs T Fansler, J Foss, I Marusic, S Morris, K Okamoto and M Wernet—selected this paper from a strongly competitive shortlist of four candidates. Their selection process was influenced by the perceived utility of the contribution to the numerous investigators who utilize PIV methods. 2007 Award Winners—Measurement Science Broadband single cell impedance spectroscopy using maximum length sequences: theoretical analysis and practical considerations Tao Sun, Shady Gawad, Catia Bernabini, Nicolas G Green and Hywel Morgan

Mitochondrial GSH replenishment as a potential therapeutic approach for Niemann Pick type C disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Torres

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Niemann Pick type C (NPC disease is a progressive lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in genes encoding NPC1/NPC2 proteins, characterized by neurological defects, hepatosplenomegaly and premature death. While the primary biochemical feature of NPC disease is the intracellular accumulation of cholesterol and gangliosides, predominantly in endolysosomes, mitochondrial cholesterol accumulation has also been reported. As accumulation of cholesterol in mitochondria is known to impair the transport of GSH into mitochondria, resulting in mitochondrial GSH (mGSH depletion, we investigated the impact of mGSH recovery in NPC disease. We show that GSH ethyl ester (GSH-EE, but not N-acetylcysteine (NAC, restored the mGSH pool in liver and brain of Npc1-/- mice and in fibroblasts from NPC patients, while both GSH-EE and NAC increased total GSH levels. GSH-EE but not NAC increased the median survival and maximal life span of Npc1-/- mice. Moreover, intraperitoneal therapy with GSH-EE protected against oxidative stress and oxidant-induced cell death, restored calbindin levels in cerebellar Purkinje cells and reversed locomotor impairment in Npc1-/- mice. High-resolution respirometry analyses revealed that GSH-EE improved oxidative phosphorylation, coupled respiration and maximal electron transfer in cerebellum of Npc1-/- mice. Lipidomic analyses showed that GSH-EE treatment had not effect in the profile of most sphingolipids in liver and brain, except for some particular species in brain of Npc1-/- mice. These findings indicate that the specific replenishment of mGSH may be a potential promising therapy for NPC disease, worth exploring alone or in combination with other options.

Treatment of cataplexy in Niemann-Pick disease type C with the use of miglustat.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarowski, Marcin; Steinborn, Barbara; Gurda, Barbara; Dvorakova, Lenka; Vlaskova, Hana; Kothare, Sanjeev V

2011-01-01

Cataplexy is the sudden muscle weakness brought on by strong emotions, particularly joking, laughter, or anger. Cataplexy may involve only certain group of muscles or the entire voluntary musculature. In rare cases, symptoms of cataplexy can be seen during the course of some inherited diseases (Niemann-Pick type C (NPC), Prader-Willi syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, Norrie disease). We report the successful use of miglustat, a reversible inhibitor of the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase, approved for use in Gaucher's disease, and which catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of most glycosphingolipid, in a boy with NPC with cataplexy. A 9-year-old boy was admitted for assessments of frequent "drop attacks" while laughing. The filipin fluorescence tests of cultured skin fibroblasts revealed massive accumulation of unesterified cholesterol, confirming the diagnosis of NPC disease. Molecular studies confirmed the diagnosis of NPC too. After approval from the bioethics committee, miglustat was initiated on the child at 100mg three times a day. Cataplectic attacks disappeared completely after 6 months on treatment, and patient continues to be in remission from the cataplectic attacks at 16 months follow-up. There was no further progression of neurological signs or symptoms or splenomegaly, with some improvement in cognitive function as well as social, affective and attention problems, up-gaze, and gait. Miglustat was well tolerated with no side effects observed. In summary, this is the first report of miglustat treatment of cataplexy in NPC. Long-term follow-up for continuing efficacy and tolerability in a larger cohort with NPC is needed to substantiate our observation. © 2010 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trends in academic health sciences libraries and their emergence as the "knowledge nexus" for their academic health centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kronenfeld, Michael R

2005-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify trends in academic health sciences libraries (AHSLs) as they adapt to the shift from a print knowledgebase to an increasingly digital knowledgebase. This research was funded by the 2003 David A. Kronick Traveling Fellowship. The author spent a day and a half interviewing professional staff at each library. The questionnaire used was sent to the directors of each library in advance of the visit, and the directors picked the staff to be interviewed and set up the schedule. Seven significant trends were identified. These trends are part of the shift of AHSLs from being facility and print oriented with a primary focus on their role as repositories of a print-based knowledgebase to a new focus on their role as the center or "nexus" for the organization, access, and use of an increasingly digital-based knowledgebase. This paper calls for a national effort to develop a new model or structure for health sciences libraries to more effectively respond to the challenges of access and use of a digital knowledgebase, much the same way the National Library of Medicine did in the 1960s and 1970s in developing and implementing the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. The paper then concludes with some examples or ideas for research to assist in this process.

Liver and Skin Histopathology in Adults with Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (Niemann-Pick Disease Type B)

Science.gov (United States)

Thurberg, Beth L.; Wasserstein, Melissa P.; Schiano, Thomas; O’Brien, Fanny; Richards, Susan; Cox, Gerald F.; McGovern, Margaret M.

2012-01-01

Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by the pathologic accumulation of sphingomyelin in multiple cells types, and occurs most prominently within the liver, spleen and lungs, leading to significant clinical disease. Seventeen ASMD patients underwent a liver biopsy during baseline screening for a Phase 1 trial of recombinant human acid sphingomyelinase (rhASM) in adults with Niemann-Pick disease type B. Eleven of the 17 were enrolled in the trial and each received a single dose of rhASM and underwent a repeat liver biopsy on Day 14. Biopsies were evaluated for fibrosis, sphingomyelin accumulation and macrophage infiltration by light and electron microscopy. When present, fibrosis was periportal and pericellular, predominantly surrounding affected Kupffer cells. Two baseline biopsies exhibited frank cirrhosis. Sphingomyelin was localized to isolated Kupffer cells in mildly affected biopsies and was present in both Kupffer cells and hepatocytes in more severely affected cases. Morphometric quantification of sphingomyelin storage in liver biopsies ranged from 4–44% of the microscopic field. Skin biopsies were also performed at baseline and Day 14 in order to compare the sphingomyelin distribution in a peripheral tissue to that of liver. Sphingomyelin storage was present at lower levels in multiple cell types of the skin, including dermal fibroblasts, macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and Schwann cells. This Phase 1 trial of rhASM in adults with ASMD provided a unique opportunity for a prospective assessment of hepatic and skin pathology in this rare disease and their potential usage as pharmacodynamic biomarkers. PMID:22613999

The hidden Niemann-Pick type C patient: clinical niches for a rare inherited metabolic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendriksz, Christian J; Anheim, Mathieu; Bauer, Peter; Bonnot, Olivier; Chakrapani, Anupam; Corvol, Jean-Christophe; de Koning, Tom J; Degtyareva, Anna; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; Doss, Sarah; Duning, Thomas; Giunti, Paola; Iodice, Rosa; Johnston, Tracy; Kelly, Dierdre; Klünemann, Hans-Hermann; Lorenzl, Stefan; Padovani, Alessandro; Pocovi, Miguel; Synofzik, Matthis; Terblanche, Alta; Then Bergh, Florian; Topçu, Meral; Tranchant, Christine; Walterfang, Mark; Velten, Christian; Kolb, Stefan A

2017-05-01

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease of impaired intracellular lipid trafficking. Clinical symptoms are highly heterogeneous, including neurological, visceral, or psychiatric manifestations. The incidence of NP-C is under-estimated due to under-recognition or misdiagnosis across a wide range of medical fields. New screening and diagnostic methods provide an opportunity to improve detection of unrecognized cases in clinical sub-populations associated with a higher risk of NP-C. Patients in these at-risk groups ("clinical niches") have symptoms that are potentially related to NP-C, but go unrecognized due to other, more prevalent clinical features, and lack of awareness regarding underlying metabolic causes. Twelve potential clinical niches identified by clinical experts were evaluated based on a comprehensive, non-systematic review of literature published to date. Relevant publications were identified by targeted literature searches of EMBASE and PubMed using key search terms specific to each niche. Articles published in English or other European languages up to 2016 were included. Several niches were found to be relevant based on available data: movement disorders (early-onset ataxia and dystonia), organic psychosis, early-onset cholestasis/(hepato)splenomegaly, cases with relevant antenatal findings or fetal abnormalities, and patients affected by family history, consanguinity, and endogamy. Potentially relevant niches requiring further supportive data included: early-onset cognitive decline, frontotemporal dementia, parkinsonism, and chronic inflammatory CNS disease. There was relatively weak evidence to suggest amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or progressive supranuclear gaze palsy as potential niches. Several clinical niches have been identified that harbor patients at increased risk of NP-C.

Trends in academic health sciences libraries and their emergence as the “knowledge nexus” for their academic health centers*

Science.gov (United States)

Kronenfeld, Michael R.

2005-01-01

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify trends in academic health sciences libraries (AHSLs) as they adapt to the shift from a print knowledgebase to an increasingly digital knowledgebase. This research was funded by the 2003 David A. Kronick Traveling Fellowship. Methods: The author spent a day and a half interviewing professional staff at each library. The questionnaire used was sent to the directors of each library in advance of the visit, and the directors picked the staff to be interviewed and set up the schedule. Results: Seven significant trends were identified. These trends are part of the shift of AHSLs from being facility and print oriented with a primary focus on their role as repositories of a print-based knowledgebase to a new focus on their role as the center or “nexus” for the organization, access, and use of an increasingly digital-based knowledgebase. Conclusion: This paper calls for a national effort to develop a new model or structure for health sciences libraries to more effectively respond to the challenges of access and use of a digital knowledgebase, much the same way the National Library of Medicine did in the 1960s and 1970s in developing and implementing the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. The paper then concludes with some examples or ideas for research to assist in this process. PMID:15685271

Pico Lantern: Surface reconstruction and augmented reality in laparoscopic surgery using a pick-up laser projector.

Science.gov (United States)

Edgcumbe, Philip; Pratt, Philip; Yang, Guang-Zhong; Nguan, Christopher; Rohling, Robert

2015-10-01

The Pico Lantern is a miniature projector developed for structured light surface reconstruction, augmented reality and guidance in laparoscopic surgery. During surgery it will be dropped into the patient and picked up by a laparoscopic tool. While inside the patient it projects a known coded pattern and images onto the surface of the tissue. The Pico Lantern is visually tracked in the laparoscope's field of view for the purpose of stereo triangulation between it and the laparoscope. In this paper, the first application is surface reconstruction. Using a stereo laparoscope and an untracked Pico Lantern, the absolute error for surface reconstruction for a plane, cylinder and ex vivo kidney, is 2.0 mm, 3.0 mm and 5.6 mm, respectively. Using a mono laparoscope and a tracked Pico Lantern for the same plane, cylinder and kidney the absolute error is 1.4 mm, 1.5 mm and 1.5 mm, respectively. These results confirm the benefit of the wider baseline produced by tracking the Pico Lantern. Virtual viewpoint images are generated from the kidney surface data and an in vivo proof-of-concept porcine trial is reported. Surface reconstruction of the neck of a volunteer shows that the pulsatile motion of the tissue overlying a major blood vessel can be detected and displayed in vivo. Future work will integrate the Pico Lantern into standard and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intracellular transport of low density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol is defective in Niemann-Pick type C fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liscum, L.; Ruggiero, R.M.; Faust, J.R.

1989-01-01

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is characterized by substantial intracellular accumulation of unesterified cholesterol. The accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in NPC fibroblasts cultured with low density lipoprotein (LDL) appears to result from the inability of LDL to stimulate cholesterol esterification in addition to impaired LDL-mediated downregulation of LDL receptor activity and cellular cholesterol synthesis. Although a defect in cholesterol transport in NPC cells has been inferred from previous studies, no experiments have been reported that measure the intracellular movement of LDL-cholesterol specifically. We have used four approaches to assess intracellular cholesterol transport in normal and NPC cells and have determined the following: (a) mevinolin-inhibited NPC cells are defective in using LDL-cholesterol for growth. However, exogenously added mevalonate restores cell growth equally in normal and NPC cells; (b) the transport of LDL-derived [3H]cholesterol to the plasma membrane is slower in NPC cells, while the rate of appearance of [3H]acetate-derived, endogenously synthesized [3H]cholesterol at the plasma membrane is the same for normal and NPC cells; (c) in NPC cells, LDL-derived [3H]cholesterol accumulates in lysosomes to higher levels than normal, resulting in defective movement to other cell membranes; and (d) incubation of cells with LDL causes an increase in cholesterol content of NPC lysosomes that is threefold greater than that observed in normal lysosomes. Our results indicate that a cholesterol transport defect exists in NPC that is specific for LDL-derived cholesterol

Phenotypic correlations between ovum pick-up in vitro production traits and pregnancy rates in Zebu cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, W H O; Quirino, C R; Serapião, R V; Oliveira, C S; Pacheco, A

2015-07-03

The growth of the Gyr breed in Brazil in terms of genetic gain for milk, along with conditions for market, has led to the use of ovum pick-up in vitro production (OPU-IVP) as a leader in biotechnology for the multiplication of genetic material. The aim of this study was to investigate phenotypic correlations between OPU-IVP-linked characteristics and pregnancy rates registered in an embryo transfer program using Gyr cows as oocyte donors. Data collected from 211 OPU sessions and 298 embryo transfers during the years 2012 and 2013 were analyzed and statistical analysis was performed. Estimates of simple Pearson correlations were calculated for NVcoc and PVcoc (number and proportion of viable cumulus-oocyte complexes, respectively); NcleavD4 and PcleavD4 (number and proportion of cleaved embryos on day 4 of culture, respectively); NTembD7 and PTembD7 (number and proportion of transferable embryos on day 7 of culture, respectively); NPrD30 and PPrD30 (number and proportion of pregnancies 30 days after transfer, respectively); and NPrD60 and PPrD60 (number and proportion of pregnancies 60 days after transfer, respectively). Moderate to moderately high correlations were found for all numerical characteristics, suggesting these as the most suitable parameters for selection of oocyte donors in Gyr programs. NVcoc is proposed as a selection trait due to positive correlations with percentage traits and pregnancy rates 30 and 60 days after transfer.

Science and Science Fiction

Science.gov (United States)

Oravetz, David

2005-01-01

This article is for teachers looking for new ways to motivate students, increase science comprehension, and understanding without using the old standard expository science textbook. This author suggests reading a science fiction novel in the science classroom as a way to engage students in learning. Using science fiction literature and language…

Solar cycle variation of interstellar neutral He, Ne, O density and pick-up ions along the Earth's orbit

Science.gov (United States)

Sokół, Justyna M.; Bzowski, Maciej; Kubiak, Marzena A.; Möbius, Eberhard

2016-06-01

We simulated the modulation of the interstellar neutral (ISN) He, Ne, and O density and pick-up ion (PUI) production rate and count rate along the Earth's orbit over the solar cycle (SC) from 2002 to 2013 to verify if SC-related effects may modify the inferred ecliptic longitude of the ISN inflow direction. We adopted the classical PUI model with isotropic distribution function and adiabatic cooling, modified by time- and heliolatitude-dependent ionization rates and non-zero injection speed of PUIs. We found that the ionization losses have a noticeable effect on the derivation of the ISN inflow longitude based on the Gaussian fit to the crescent and cone peak locations. We conclude that the non-zero radial velocity of the ISN flow and the energy range of the PUI distribution function that is accumulated are of importance for a precise reproduction of the PUI count rate along the Earth orbit. However, the temporal and latitudinal variations of the ionization in the heliosphere, and particularly their variation on the SC time-scale, may significantly modify the shape of PUI cone and crescent and also their peak positions from year to year and thus bias by a few degrees the derived longitude of the ISN gas inflow direction.

"Shool Biotope" as science and environment educational tools in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, K.; Matsumoto, I.

2011-12-01

We have very small artificial pond in elementary school and junior high school in Japan. There are small fish, aquatic insect, and plant, and we can easily check and study. Recently, this type very small artificial pond that we call "Biotope" has been reconsidered as educational tool for study about biology and ecology. We introduce the some cases of the elementary school in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. And then, we pick up some important good educational materials and methods and their problems. Shimane prefecture is the place where relatively much nature is left even in Japan, and children are favored in the opportunity which usually touches nature and study it. It thought about use for Biotope in the inside of school of such from the viewpoint of science and environment education. It is possible with Biotope in the inside of school that a fish, aquatic insect, and plant in Biotope and that's environment are observed for every day and for a long time. As for the teacher of the elementary and junior high schools, it is important to make a plan of Biotope corresponding to the subject and those contents of learning through the year. We define School-Biotope as a thing that a teacher recognizes that educational importance and to make the most of as an education subject intentionally.

Improvement of a picking algorithm real-time P-wave detection by kurtosis

Science.gov (United States)

Ishida, H.; Yamada, M.

2016-12-01

Earthquake early warning (EEW) requires fast and accurate P-wave detection. The current EEW system in Japan uses the STA/LTAalgorithm (Allen, 1978) to detect P-wave arrival.However, some stations did not trigger during the 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake due to the emergent onset. In addition, accuracy of the P-wave detection is very important: on August 1, 2016, the EEW issued a false alarm with M9 in Tokyo region due to a thunder noise.To solve these problems, we use a P-wave detection method using kurtosis statistics. It detects the change of statistic distribution of the waveform amplitude. This method was recently developed (Saragiotis et al., 2002) and used for off-line analysis such as making seismic catalogs. To apply this method for EEW, we need to remove an acausal calculation and enable a real-time processing. Here, we propose a real-time P-wave detection method using kurtosis statistics with a noise filter.To avoid false triggering by a noise, we incorporated a simple filter to classify seismic signal and noise. Following Kong et al. (2016), we used the interquartilerange and zero cross rate for the classification. The interquartile range is an amplitude measure that is equal to the middle 50% of amplitude in a certain time window. The zero cross rate is a simple frequency measure that counts the number of times that the signal crosses baseline zero. A discriminant function including these measures was constructed by the linear discriminant analysis.To test this kurtosis method, we used strong motion records for 62 earthquakes between April, 2005 and July, 2015, which recorded the seismic intensity greater equal to 6 lower in the JMA intensity scale. The records with hypocentral distance picks. It shows that the median error is 0.13 sec and 0.035 sec for STA/LTA and kurtosis method. The kurtosis method tends to be more sensitive to small changes in amplitude.Our approach will contribute to improve the accuracy of source location determination of

Experimental investigation of highly excited states of the 5,6He and 5,6Li nuclei in the (6Li, 7Be) and (6Li, 7Li) one-nucleon-pick-up reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakuta, S.B.; Novatskij, B.G.; Stepanov, D.N.; Aleksandrov, D.V.; Glukhov, Yu.A.; Nikol'skij, E.Yu.

2002-01-01

( 6 Li, 7 Be) and ( 6 Li, 7 Li) reactions on the 6 Li, 7 Li nuclei have been investigated in the angular range of 0-20 deg in laboratory system at the 93-MeV 6 Li energy. Besides low-lying states of 5,6 He and 5,6 Li nuclei, broad structures have been observed in the measured spectra close to the t( 3 He) + d and t( 3 He) + t threshold at excitation energies of 16.75 (3/2 + ) and ∼ 20 MeV ( 5 He), 16.66 (3/2 + ) and ∼ 20 MeV ( 5 Li), 14.0 and 25 MeV ( 6 He), and ∼ 20 MeV ( 6 Li). Angular distributions, which have been measured for transitions to the ground (0 + ) and exited states at E x =1.8 MeV (2 + ) and 14.0 MeV of the 6 He nucleus in the 7 Li( 6 Li, 7 Be) 6 He reaction, have been analyzed in the framework of the finite-range distorted-waves method assuming the 1p- and 1s-proton pick-up mechanism. It has been shown that ( 6 Li, 7 Be) and ( 6 Li, 7 Li) reactions predominately proceed by one-step pick-up mechanism and broad structures which are observed at high excitation energies should be considered as quasimolecular states of the t( 3 He) + d and t( 3 He) + t type [ru

Do Gender-Science Stereotypes Predict Science Identification and Science Career Aspirations among Undergraduate Science Majors?

Science.gov (United States)

Cundiff, Jessica L.; Vescio, Theresa K.; Loken, Eric; Lo, Lawrence

2013-01-01

The present research examined whether gender-science stereotypes were associated with science identification and, in turn, science career aspirations among women and men undergraduate science majors. More than 1,700 students enrolled in introductory science courses completed measures of gender-science stereotypes (implicit associations and…

An urban area minority outreach program for K-6 children in space science

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, P.; Garza, O.; Lindstrom, M.; Allen, J.; Wooten, J.; Sumners, C.; Obot, V.

The Houston area has minority populations with significant school dropout rates. This is similar to other major cities in the United States and elsewhere in the world where there are significant minority populations from rural areas. The student dropout rates are associated in many instances with the absence of educational support opportuni- ties either from the school and/or from the family. This is exacerbated if the student has poor English language skills. To address this issue, a NASA minority university initiative enabled us to develop a broad-based outreach program that includes younger children and their parents at a primarily Hispanic inner city charter school. The pro- gram at the charter school was initiated by teaching computer skills to the older chil- dren, who in turn taught parents. The older children were subsequently asked to help teach a computer literacy class for mothers with 4-5 year old children. The computers initially intimidated the mothers as most had limited educational backgrounds and En- glish language skills. To practice their newly acquired computer skills and learn about space science, the mothers and their children were asked to pick a space project and investigate it using their computer skills. The mothers and their children decided to learn about black holes. The project included designing space suits for their children so that they could travel through space and observe black holes from a closer proxim- ity. The children and their mothers learned about computers and how to use them for educational purposes. In addition, they learned about black holes and the importance of space suits in protecting astronauts as they investigated space. The parents are proud of their children and their achievements. By including the parents in the program, they have a greater understanding of the importance of their children staying in school and the opportunities for careers in space science and technology. For more information on our overall

Selection of Leafy Green Vegetable Varieties for a Pick-and-Eat Diet Supplement on ISS

Science.gov (United States)

Massa, Gioia D.; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Stutte, Gary W.; Richards, Jeffrey T.; Spencer, LaShelle E.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Douglas, Grace L.; Sirmons, Takiyah

2015-01-01

Several varieties of leafy vegetables were evaluated with the goal of selecting those with the best growth, nutrition, and organoleptic acceptability for ISS. Candidate species were narrowed to commercially available cultivars with desirable growth attributes for space (e.g., short stature and rapid growth). Seeds were germinated in controlled environment chambers under conditions similar to what might be found in the Veggie plant growth chamber on ISS. Eight varieties of leafy greens were grown: 'Tyee' spinach, 'Flamingo' spinach, 'Outredgeous' Red Romaine lettuce, 'Waldmann's Dark Green' leaf lettuce, 'Bull's Blood' beet, 'Rhubarb' Swiss chard, 'Tokyo Bekana' Chinese cabbage, and Mizuna. Plants were harvested at maturity and biometric data on plant height, diameter, chlorophyll content, and fresh mass were obtained. Tissue was ground and extractions were performed to determine the tissue elemental content of Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) and Iron (Fe). Following the biometric/elemental evaluation, four of the eight varieties were tested further for levels of anthocyanins, antioxidant (ORAC-fluorescein) capacity, lutein, zeaxanthin, and Vitamin K. For sensory evaluation, 'Outredgeous' lettuce, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, and Mizuna plants were grown, harvested when mature, packaged under refrigerated conditions, and sent to the JSC Space Food Systems Laboratory. Tasters evaluated overall acceptability, appearance, color intensity, bitterness, flavor, texture, crispness and tenderness. All varieties received acceptable scores with overall ratings greater than 6 on a 9-point hedonic scale. Chinese cabbage was the highest rated, followed by Mizuna, 'Outredgeous' lettuce, and Swiss chard. Based on our results, the selected varieties of Chinese cabbage, lettuce, Swiss chard and Mizuna seem suitable for a pick-and-eat scenario on ISS with a ranking based on all factors analyzed to help establish priority.

Science of science.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortunato, Santo; Bergstrom, Carl T; Börner, Katy; Evans, James A; Helbing, Dirk; Milojević, Staša; Petersen, Alexander M; Radicchi, Filippo; Sinatra, Roberta; Uzzi, Brian; Vespignani, Alessandro; Waltman, Ludo; Wang, Dashun; Barabási, Albert-László

2018-03-02

Identifying fundamental drivers of science and developing predictive models to capture its evolution are instrumental for the design of policies that can improve the scientific enterprise-for example, through enhanced career paths for scientists, better performance evaluation for organizations hosting research, discovery of novel effective funding vehicles, and even identification of promising regions along the scientific frontier. The science of science uses large-scale data on the production of science to search for universal and domain-specific patterns. Here, we review recent developments in this transdisciplinary field. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Science and data science.

Science.gov (United States)

Blei, David M; Smyth, Padhraic

2017-08-07

Data science has attracted a lot of attention, promising to turn vast amounts of data into useful predictions and insights. In this article, we ask why scientists should care about data science. To answer, we discuss data science from three perspectives: statistical, computational, and human. Although each of the three is a critical component of data science, we argue that the effective combination of all three components is the essence of what data science is about.

The trouble with multi-methodism

OpenAIRE

Lohmann, Susanne

2007-01-01

Quick, pick the statement that best represents practice in political science: (1) To the political scientist who comes equipped with a hammer, everything in the world presents itself as a nail; (2) the political scientist employs multiple methods, tailoring the mix to illuminate from various angles the phenomenon to be explained. The first statement rings true; not so the second statement. Political science favors the deeply specialized over the multi-methodist. The specialized political scie...

Trafficking of cholesterol from cell bodies to distal axons in Niemann Pick C1-deficient neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Karten, Barbara; Vance, Dennis E; Campenot, Robert B; Vance, Jean E

2003-02-07

Niemann Pick type C (NPC) disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In cells lacking functional NPC1 protein, endocytosed cholesterol accumulates in late endosomes/lysosomes. We utilized primary neuronal cultures in which cell bodies and distal axons reside in separate compartments to investigate the requirement of NPC1 protein for transport of cholesterol from cell bodies to distal axons. We have recently observed that in NPC1-deficient neurons compared with wild-type neurons, cholesterol accumulates in cell bodies but is reduced in distal axons (Karten, B., Vance, D. E., Campenot, R. B., and Vance, J. E. (2002) J. Neurochem. 83, 1154-1163). We now show that NPC1 protein is expressed in both cell bodies and distal axons. In NPC1-deficient neurons, cholesterol delivered to cell bodies from low density lipoproteins (LDLs), high density lipoproteins, or cyclodextrin complexes was transported into axons in normal amounts, whereas transport of endogenously synthesized cholesterol was impaired. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis with pravastatin in wild-type and NPC1-deficient neurons reduced axonal growth. However, LDLs restored a normal rate of growth to wild-type but not NPC1-deficient neurons treated with pravastatin. Thus, although LDL cholesterol is transported into axons of NPC1-deficient neurons, this source of cholesterol does not sustain normal axonal growth. Over the lifespan of NPC1-deficient neurons, these defects in cholesterol transport might be responsible for the observed altered distribution of cholesterol between cell bodies and axons and, consequently, might contribute to the neurological dysfunction in NPC disease.

Primary Science Interview: Science Sparks

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Lynne

2016-01-01

In this "Primary Science" interview, Lynne Bianchi talks with Emma Vanstone about "Science Sparks," which is a website full of creative, fun, and exciting science activity ideas for children of primary-school age. "Science Sparks" started with the aim of inspiring more parents to do science at home with their…

Caring Science or Science of Caring.

Science.gov (United States)

Turkel, Marian C; Watson, Jean; Giovannoni, Joseph

2018-01-01

The concepts caring science and science of caring have different meanings; however, they are often used interchangeably. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the synthesis of the scholarly literature on the definitions of the science of caring and caring science and to affirm the authors' perspective relating to the language of caring science. Caring science advances the epistemology and ontology of caring. Ideas related to caring science inquiry are presented, and the authors acknowledge the future of caring science as unitary caring science.

Rube Goldberg Contraptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Jim

1994-01-01

Describes a nine-week unit that focuses on student development of science-based contraptions that work. Students are allowed to design, construct, and test a device of interest that performs a simple task, such as picking up a paper towel or turning a page in a book. (ZWH)

PEG-lipid micelles enable cholesterol efflux in Niemann-Pick Type C1 disease-based lysosomal storage disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Anna; Patel, Siddharth; Ward, Carl; Lorenz, Anna; Ortiz, Mauren; Duross, Allison; Wieghardt, Fabian; Esch, Amanda; Otten, Elsje G.; Heiser, Laura M.; Korolchuk, Viktor I.; Sun, Conroy; Sarkar, Sovan; Sahay, Gaurav

2016-08-01

2-Hydroxy-propyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), a cholesterol scavenger, is currently undergoing Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for treatment of Niemann Pick Type C-1 (NPC1), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that stems from abnormal cholesterol accumulation in the endo/lysosomes. Unfortunately, the extremely high doses of HPβCD required to prevent progressive neurodegeneration exacerbates ototoxicity, pulmonary toxicity and autophagy-based cellular defects. We present unexpected evidence that a poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-lipid conjugate enables cholesterol clearance from endo/lysosomes of Npc1 mutant (Npc1-/-) cells. Herein, we show that distearyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-PEG (DSPE-PEG), which forms 12-nm micelles above the critical micelle concentration, accumulates heavily inside cholesterol-rich late endosomes in Npc1-/- cells. This potentially results in cholesterol solubilization and leakage from lysosomes. High-throughput screening revealed that DSPE-PEG, in combination with HPβCD, acts synergistically to efflux cholesterol without significantly aggravating autophagy defects. These well-known excipients can be used as admixtures to treat NPC1 disorder. Increasing PEG chain lengths from 350 Da-30 kDa in DSPE-PEG micelles, or increasing DSPE-PEG content in an array of liposomes packaged with HPβCD, improved cholesterol egress, while Pluronic block copolymers capable of micelle formation showed slight effects at high concentrations. We postulate that PEG-lipid based nanocarriers can serve as bioactive drug delivery systems for effective treatment of lysosomal storage disorders.

PEG-lipid micelles enable cholesterol efflux in Niemann-Pick Type C1 disease-based lysosomal storage disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Anna; Patel, Siddharth; Ward, Carl; Lorenz, Anna; Ortiz, Mauren; DuRoss, Allison; Wieghardt, Fabian; Esch, Amanda; Otten, Elsje G.; Heiser, Laura M.; Korolchuk, Viktor I.; Sun, Conroy; Sarkar, Sovan; Sahay, Gaurav

2016-01-01

2-Hydroxy-propyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), a cholesterol scavenger, is currently undergoing Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for treatment of Niemann Pick Type C-1 (NPC1), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that stems from abnormal cholesterol accumulation in the endo/lysosomes. Unfortunately, the extremely high doses of HPβCD required to prevent progressive neurodegeneration exacerbates ototoxicity, pulmonary toxicity and autophagy-based cellular defects. We present unexpected evidence that a poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-lipid conjugate enables cholesterol clearance from endo/lysosomes of Npc1 mutant (Npc1−/−) cells. Herein, we show that distearyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-PEG (DSPE-PEG), which forms 12-nm micelles above the critical micelle concentration, accumulates heavily inside cholesterol-rich late endosomes in Npc1−/− cells. This potentially results in cholesterol solubilization and leakage from lysosomes. High-throughput screening revealed that DSPE-PEG, in combination with HPβCD, acts synergistically to efflux cholesterol without significantly aggravating autophagy defects. These well-known excipients can be used as admixtures to treat NPC1 disorder. Increasing PEG chain lengths from 350 Da-30 kDa in DSPE-PEG micelles, or increasing DSPE-PEG content in an array of liposomes packaged with HPβCD, improved cholesterol egress, while Pluronic block copolymers capable of micelle formation showed slight effects at high concentrations. We postulate that PEG-lipid based nanocarriers can serve as bioactive drug delivery systems for effective treatment of lysosomal storage disorders. PMID:27572704

Role of Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Prognostication and Treatment Monitoring in Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meghann W. Lau

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick Disease, type C1 (NPC1 is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cholesterol sequestration within late endosomes and lysosomes, for which no reliable imaging marker exists for prognostication and management. Cerebellar volume deficits are found to correlate with disease severity and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI of the corpus callosum and brainstem, which has shown that microstructural disorganization is associated with NPC1 severity. This study investigates the utility of cerebellar DTI in clinical severity assessment. We hypothesize that cerebellar volume, fractional anisotropy (FA and mean diffusivity (MD negatively correlate with NIH NPC neurological severity score (NNSS and motor severity subscores. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI was obtained for thirty-nine NPC1 subjects, ages 1–21.9 years (mean = 11.1, SD = 6.1. Using an atlas-based automated approach, the cerebellum of each patient was measured for FA, MD and volume. Additionally, each patient was given an NNSS. Decreased cerebellar FA and volume, and elevated MD correlate with higher NNSS. The cognition subscore and motor subscores for eye movement, ambulation, speech, swallowing, and fine motor skills were also statistically significant. Microstructural disorganization negatively correlated with motor severity in subjects. Additionally, Miglustat therapy correlated with lower severity scores across ranges of FA, MD and volume in all regions except the inferior peduncle, where a paradoxical effect was observed at high FA values. These findings suggest that DTI is a promising prognostication tool.

Delivery of acid sphingomyelinase in normal and niemann-pick disease mice using intercellular adhesion molecule-1-targeted polymer nanocarriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Garnacho, Carmen; Dhami, Rajwinder; Simone, Eric; Dziubla, Thomas; Leferovich, John; Schuchman, Edward H; Muzykantov, Vladimir; Muro, Silvia

2008-05-01

Type B Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) is a multiorgan system disorder caused by a genetic deficiency of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), for which lung is an important and challenging therapeutic target. In this study, we designed and evaluated new delivery vehicles for enzyme replacement therapy of type B NPD, consisting of polystyrene and poly(lactic-coglycolic) acid polymer nanocarriers targeted to intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, an endothelial surface protein up-regulated in many pathologies, including type B NPD. Real-time vascular imaging using intravital microscopy and postmortem imaging of mouse organs showed rapid, uniform, and efficient binding of fluorescently labeled ICAM-1-targeted ASM nanocarriers (anti-ICAM/ASM nanocarriers) to endothelium after i.v. injection in mice. Fluorescence microscopy of lung alveoli actin, tissue histology, and 125I-albumin blood-to-lung transport showed that anti-ICAM nanocarriers cause neither detectable lung injury, nor abnormal vascular permeability in animals. Radioisotope tracing showed rapid disappearance from the circulation and enhanced accumulation of anti-ICAM/125I-ASM nanocarriers over the nontargeted naked enzyme in kidney, heart, liver, spleen, and primarily lung, both in wild-type and ASM knockout mice. These data demonstrate that ICAM-1-targeted nanocarriers may enhance enzyme replacement therapy for type B NPD and perhaps other lysosomal storage disorders.

Lycopene reduces cholesterol absorption through the downregulation of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 in Caco-2 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Jun; Feng, Dan

2015-11-01

Elevated blood cholesterol is an important risk factor associated with atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Tomato lycopene has been found to have a hypocholesterolemic effect, and the effect was considered to be related to inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. However, since plasma cholesterol levels are also influenced by the absorption of cholesterol in the gut, the present study is to investigate whether lycopene affects cholesterol absorption in the intestinal Caco-2 cells. The Caco-2 cells were pretreated with lycopene at different concentrations for 24 h and then incubated with radioactive micellar cholesterol for 2 h. The absorption of radioactive cholesterol was quantified by liquid scintillation. The expression of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) and liver X receptor α (LXRα) was analyzed by Western blot and qPCR. We found that lycopene dose dependently inhibited cholesterol absorption and the expression of NPC1L1 protein and NPC1L1 mRNA. The inhibitory effects of lycopene on cholesterol absorption and NPC1L1 expression could be prevented by blockade of the LXRα pathway. This study provides the first evidence that lycopene inhibits cholesterol absorption in the intestinal cells and this inhibitory effect of lycopene is mediated, at least in part, by LXRα-NPC1L1 signaling pathway. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

What's science? Where's science? Science journalism in German print media.

Science.gov (United States)

Summ, Annika; Volpers, Anna-Maria

2016-10-01

This article examines the current state of science coverage in German print media. It deals with the following questions: (1) how the main characteristics of science journalism can be described, (2) whether there is a difference between various scientific fields, and (3) how different definitions of science journalism lead to differing findings. Two forms of science coverage were analyzed in a standardized, two-part content analysis of German newspapers (N = 1730 and N = 1640). The results show a significant difference between a narrow and a broad definition of science journalism. In the classic understanding, science journalism is prompted by scientific events and is rather noncritical. Science coverage in a broad sense is defined by a wider range of journalistic styles, driven by non-scientific events, and with a focus on the statements of scientific experts. Furthermore, the study describes the specific role of the humanities and social sciences in German science coverage. © The Author(s) 2015.

Pathogenic mycobacteria achieve cellular persistence by inhibiting the Niemann-Pick Type C disease cellular pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Fineran, Paul; Lloyd-Evans, Emyr; Lack, Nathan A; Platt, Nick; Davis, Lianne C; Morgan, Anthony J; Höglinger, Doris; Tatituri, Raju Venkata V; Clark, Simon; Williams, Ian M; Tynan, Patricia; Al Eisa, Nada; Nazarova, Evgeniya; Williams, Ann; Galione, Antony; Ory, Daniel S; Besra, Gurdyal S; Russell, David G; Brenner, Michael B; Sim, Edith; Platt, Frances M

2016-11-18

Tuberculosis remains a major global health concern. The ability to prevent phagosome-lysosome fusion is a key mechanism by which intracellular mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis , achieve long-term persistence within host cells. The mechanisms underpinning this key intracellular pro-survival strategy remain incompletely understood. Host macrophages infected with persistent mycobacteria share phenotypic similarities with cells taken from patients suffering from Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC), a rare lysosomal storage disease in which endocytic trafficking defects and lipid accumulation within the lysosome lead to cell dysfunction and cell death. We investigated whether these shared phenotypes reflected an underlying mechanistic connection between mycobacterial intracellular persistence and the host cell pathway dysfunctional in NPC. The induction of NPC phenotypes in macrophages from wild-type mice or obtained from healthy human donors was assessed via infection with mycobacteria and subsequent measurement of lipid levels and intracellular calcium homeostasis. The effect of NPC therapeutics on intracellular mycobacterial load was also assessed. Macrophages infected with persistent intracellular mycobacteria phenocopied NPC cells, exhibiting accumulation of multiple lipid types, reduced lysosomal Ca 2+ levels, and defects in intracellular trafficking. These NPC phenotypes could also be induced using only lipids/glycomycolates from the mycobacterial cell wall. These data suggest that persistent intracellular mycobacteria inhibit the NPC pathway, likely via inhibition of the NPC1 protein, and subsequently induce altered acidic store Ca 2+ homeostasis. Reduced lysosomal calcium levels may provide a mechanistic explanation for the reduced levels of phagosome-lysosome fusion in mycobacterial infection. Treatments capable of correcting defects in NPC mutant cells via modulation of host cell calcium were of benefit in promoting clearance of mycobacteria

Solar wind heating by an embedded quasi-isothermal pick-up ion fluid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Fahr

Full Text Available It is well known that the solar wind plasma consists of primary ions of solar coronal origin and secondary ions of interstellar origin. Interstellar H-atoms penetrate into the inner heliosphere and when ionized there are converted into secondary ions. These are implanted into the magnetized solar wind flow and are essentially enforced to co-move with this flow. By nonlinear interactions with wind-entrained Alfvén waves the latter are processed in the co-moving velocity space. This pick-up process, however, also causes actions back upon the original solar wind flow, leading to a deceleration, as well as a heating of the solar wind plasma. The resulting deceleration is not only due to the loading effect, but also due to the action of the pressure gradient. To calculate the latter, it is important to take into account the stochastic acceleration that suffers at their convection out of the inner heliosphere by the quasi-linear interactions with MHD turbulences. Only then can the presently reported VOYAGER observations of solar wind decelerations and heatings in the outer heliosphere be understood in terms of the current, most likely values of interstellar gas parameters. In a consistent view of the thermodynamics of the solar wind plasma, which is composed of secondary ions and solar wind protons, we also derive that the latter are globally heated at their motion to larger solar distances. The arising heat transfer is due to the action of suprathermal ions which drive MHD waves that are partially absorbed by solar wind protons and thereby establish their observed quasi-polytropy. We obtain a quantitative expression for the solar wind proton pressure as a function of solar distance. This expression clearly shows the change from an adiabatic to a quasi-polytropic behaviour with a decreasing polytropic index at increasing distances, as has been observed by the VOYAGERS. This also allows one to calculate the average percentage of the intitial energy

Solar wind heating by an embedded quasi-isothermal pick-up ion fluid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Fahr

2002-10-01

Full Text Available It is well known that the solar wind plasma consists of primary ions of solar coronal origin and secondary ions of interstellar origin. Interstellar H-atoms penetrate into the inner heliosphere and when ionized there are converted into secondary ions. These are implanted into the magnetized solar wind flow and are essentially enforced to co-move with this flow. By nonlinear interactions with wind-entrained Alfvén waves the latter are processed in the co-moving velocity space. This pick-up process, however, also causes actions back upon the original solar wind flow, leading to a deceleration, as well as a heating of the solar wind plasma. The resulting deceleration is not only due to the loading effect, but also due to the action of the pressure gradient. To calculate the latter, it is important to take into account the stochastic acceleration that suffers at their convection out of the inner heliosphere by the quasi-linear interactions with MHD turbulences. Only then can the presently reported VOYAGER observations of solar wind decelerations and heatings in the outer heliosphere be understood in terms of the current, most likely values of interstellar gas parameters. In a consistent view of the thermodynamics of the solar wind plasma, which is composed of secondary ions and solar wind protons, we also derive that the latter are globally heated at their motion to larger solar distances. The arising heat transfer is due to the action of suprathermal ions which drive MHD waves that are partially absorbed by solar wind protons and thereby establish their observed quasi-polytropy. We obtain a quantitative expression for the solar wind proton pressure as a function of solar distance. This expression clearly shows the change from an adiabatic to a quasi-polytropic behaviour with a decreasing polytropic index at increasing distances, as has been observed by the VOYAGERS. This also allows one to calculate the average percentage of the intitial energy

Science Fiction and Science Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavanaugh, Terence

2002-01-01

Uses science fiction films such as "Jurassic Park" or "Anaconda" to teach science concepts while fostering student interest. Advocates science fiction as a teaching tool to improve learning and motivation. Describes how to use science fiction in the classroom with the sample activity Twister. (YDS)

Preservice Science Teachers' Science Teaching Orientations and Beliefs about Science

Science.gov (United States)

Kind, Vanessa

2016-01-01

This paper offers clarification of science teacher orientations as a potential component of pedagogical content knowledge. Science teaching orientations and beliefs about science held by 237 preservice science teachers were gathered via content-specific vignettes and questionnaire, respectively, prior to participation in a UK-based teacher…

Formative science and indicial science: epistemological proposal for information science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliany Alvarenga de Araújo

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Epistemological reflections on the Information Science as scientific field that if structure in the context of modern science, in theoretical and methodological terms and technologies of the information in applied terms. Such configuration made possible the sprouting of this science; however we consider that the same one will not guarantee to this science the full development as field of consistent and modern knowledge. Modern Science, while scientific practical vision and meets depleted and the information technologies are only auto-regulated mechanisms that function according to principles of automatisms. To leave of these considerations we propols the concept of Formative Science (Bachelard, 1996 and the Indiciario Paradigm (1991 with epistemological basis for the Information Science. The concept of formative science if a base on the principles of tree states of the scientific spirit and the psychological condition of the scientific progress and the indiciario paradigm it considers the intuição (empirical and rational as methodological base to make it scientific.

Everyday science & science every day: Science-related talk & activities across settings

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Heather

To understand the development of science-related thinking, acting, and learning in middle childhood, I studied youth in schools, homes, and other neighborhood settings over a three-year period. The research goal was to analyze how multiple everyday experiences influence children's participation in science-related practices and their thinking about science and scientists. Ethnographic and interaction analysis methodologies were to study the cognition and social interactions of the children as they participated in activities with peers, family, and teachers (n=128). Interviews and participant self-documentation protocols elucidated the participants' understandings of science. An Everyday Expertise (Bell et al., 2006) theoretical framework was employed to study the development of science understandings on three analytical planes: individual learner, social groups, and societal/community resources. Findings came from a cross-case analysis of urban science learners and from two within-case analyses of girls' science-related practices as they transitioned from elementary to middle school. Results included: (1) children participated actively in science across settings---including in their homes as well as in schools, (2) children's interests in science were not always aligned to the school science content, pedagogy, or school structures for participation, yet children found ways to engage with science despite these differences through crafting multiple pathways into science, (3) urban parents were active supporters of STEM-related learning environments through brokering access to social and material resources, (4) the youth often found science in their daily activities that formal education did not make use of, and (5) children's involvement with science-related practices can be developed into design principles to reach youth in culturally relevant ways.

WikiScience: Wikipedia for science and technology

OpenAIRE

Aibar Puentes, Eduard

2015-01-01

Peer-reviewed Presentació de la conferència "WikiScience: Wikipedia for science and technology". Presentación de la conferencia "WikiScience: Wikipedia for science and technology". Presentation of the conference "Science Wiki: Wikipedia for science and technology".

PREVALENCE OF BIRD LOUSE, MENACANTHUS CORNUTUS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADMIN

2014-06-01

Jun 1, 2014 ... Department of Biological Sciences, Bayero University P.M.B 3011 Kano, Nigeria ... Birds were randomly picked and viewed under day light with the aid of hand lens and dissecting forceps to facilitate ... another when birds are kept in close contact (Price et al., 2003). They are ... MATERIALS AND METHODS.

Information Ethics for Librarians and Librarianship.

Science.gov (United States)

Murgai, Sarla

This paper focuses on ethics for librarians and library science in the age of electronic information. First outlined is the "public relations nightmare" that the Internet is creating for the administrators and the library staff. It is suggested that libraries pick a common sense approach that involves the library staff and community and…

Neuronal and epithelial cell rescue resolves chronic systemic inflammation in the lipid storage disorder Niemann-Pick C.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Manuel E; Klein, Andrés D; Hong, Jennifer; Dimbil, Ubah J; Scott, Matthew P

2012-07-01

Chronic systemic inflammation is thought to be a major contributor to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Since inflammatory components are shared among different disorders, targeting inflammation is an attractive option for mitigating disease. To test the significance of inflammation in the lipid storage disorder (LSD) Niemann-Pick C (NPC), we deleted the macrophage inflammatory gene Mip1a/Ccl3 from NPC diseased mice. Deletion of Ccl3 had been reported to delay neuronal loss in Sandhoff LSD mice by inhibiting macrophage infiltration. For NPC mice, in contrast, deleting Ccl3 did not retard neurodegeneration and worsened the clinical outcome. Depletion of visceral tissue macrophages also did not alter central nervous system (CNS) pathology and instead increased liver injury, suggesting a limited macrophage infiltration response into the CNS and a beneficial role of macrophage activity in visceral tissue. Prevention of neuron loss or liver injury, even at late stages in the disease, was achieved through specific rescue of NPC disease in neurons or in liver epithelial cells, respectively. Local epithelial cell correction was also sufficient to reduce the macrophage-associated pathology in lung tissue. These results demonstrate that elevated inflammation and macrophage activity does not necessarily contribute to neurodegeneration and tissue injury, and LSD defects in immune cells may not preclude an appropriate inflammatory response. We conclude that inflammation remains secondary to neuronal and epithelial cell dysfunction and does not irreversibly contribute to the pathogenic cascade in NPC disease. Without further exploration of possible beneficial roles of inflammatory mediators, targeting inflammation may not be therapeutically effective at ameliorating disease severity.

Where civics meets science: building science for the public good through Civic Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Garlick, J A; Levine, P

2017-09-01

Public understanding of science and civic engagement on science issues that impact contemporary life matter more today than ever. From the Planned Parenthood controversy, to the Flint water crisis and the fluoridation debate, societal polarization about science issues has reached dramatic levels that present significant obstacles to public discussion and problem solving. This is happening, in part, because systems built to support science do not often reward open-minded thinking, inclusive dialogue, and moral responsibility regarding science issues. As a result, public faith in science continues to erode. This review explores how the field of Civic Science can impact public work on science issues by building new understanding of the practices, influences, and cultures of science. Civic Science is defined as a discipline that considers science practice and knowledge as resources for civic engagement, democratic action, and political change. This review considers how Civic Science informs the roles that key participants-scientists, public citizens and institutions of higher education-play in our national science dialogue. Civic Science aspires to teach civic capacities, to inform the responsibilities of scientists engaged in public science issues and to inspire an open-minded, inclusive dialogue where all voices are heard and shared commitments are acknowledged. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Portraying Real Science in Science Communication

Science.gov (United States)

van Dijk, Esther M.

2011-01-01

In both formal and informal settings, not only science but also views on the nature of science are communicated. Although there probably is no singular nature shared by all fields of science, in the field of science education it is commonly assumed that on a certain level of generality there is a consensus on many features of science. In this…

Effects of intracerebroventricular administration of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in a patient with Niemann–Pick Type C disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muneaki Matsuo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Niemann–Pick Type C disease (NPC is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive neurological deterioration. Previously, we reported that intravenous administration of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPB-CD in two patients with NPC had only partial and transient beneficial effects on neurological function. The most likely reason for HPB-CD not significantly improving the neurological deficits of NPC is its inability to cross the blood–brain barrier. Herein, we describe the effects of intrathecal HPB-CD in an eight-year-old patient with a perinatal onset of NPC, administered initially at a dose of 10 mg/kg every other week and increased up to 10 mg/kg twice a week. Clinically, the patient maintained residual neurological functions for two years, at which time nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed a decreased choline to creatine ratio and increased N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio, and positron emission tomography revealed increased standardized uptake values. Total-tau in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF was also decreased after two years. No adverse effects were observed over the course of treatment. The CSF concentrations of HPB-CD during the distribution phase after the injections were comparable with those at which HPB-CD could normalize cellular cholesterol abnormality in vitro. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of action of HPB-CD in NPC, and to determine the optimal dose and intervals of HPB-CD injection.

Quantitative comparison of the efficacy of various compounds in lowering intracellular cholesterol levels in Niemann-Pick type C fibroblasts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zachary T Wehrmann

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick Type C disease (NPC is a lethal, autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the NPC1 and NPC2 cholesterol transport proteins. NPC's hallmark symptoms include an accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and other lipids in the late endosomal and lysosomal cellular compartments, causing progressive neurodegeneration and death. Although the age of onset may vary in those affected, NPC most often manifests in juveniles, and is usually fatal before adolescence. In this study, we investigated the effects of various drugs, many of which modify the epigenetic control of NPC1/NPC2 gene expression, in lowering the otherwise harmful elevated intracellular cholesterol levels in NPC cells. Our studies utilized a previously described image analysis technique, which allowed us to make quantitative comparisons of the efficacy of these drugs in lowering cholesterol levels in a common NPC1 mutant model. Of the drugs analyzed, several that have been previously studied (vorinostat, panobinostat, and β-cyclodextrin significantly lowered the relative amount of unesterified cellular cholesterol, consistent with earlier observations. In addition, a novel potential treatment, rapamycin, likewise alleviated the NPC phenotype. We also studied combinations of effective compounds with β-cyclodextrin; the addition of β-cyclodextrin significantly enhanced the cholesterol-lowering activity of vorinostat and panobinostat, but had mixed effects with rapamycin. Collectively, these results may provide a basis for the eventual development of improved NPC therapies.

Science teaching in science education

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan, Brendan E.; Dopico, Eduardo

2016-06-01

Reading the interesting article Discerning selective traditions in science education by Per Sund , which is published in this issue of CSSE, allows us to open the discussion on procedures for teaching science today. Clearly there is overlap between the teaching of science and other areas of knowledge. However, we must constantly develop new methods to teach and differentiate between science education and teaching science in response to the changing needs of our students, and we must analyze what role teachers and teacher educators play in both. We must continually examine the methods and concepts involved in developing pedagogical content knowledge in science teachers. Otherwise, the possibility that these routines, based on subjective traditions, prevent emerging processes of educational innovation. Modern science is an enormous field of knowledge in its own right, which is made more expansive when examined within the context of its place in society. We propose the need to design educative interactions around situations that involve science and society. Science education must provide students with all four dimensions of the cognitive process: factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. We can observe in classrooms at all levels of education that students understand the concepts better when they have the opportunity to apply the scientific knowledge in a personally relevant way. When students find value in practical exercises and they are provided opportunities to reinterpret their experiences, greater learning gains are achieved. In this sense, a key aspect of educational innovation is the change in teaching methodology. We need new tools to respond to new problems. A shift in teacher education is needed to realize the rewards of situating science questions in a societal context and opening classroom doors to active methodologies in science education to promote meaningful learning through meaningful teaching.

Secondary science teachers' attitudes toward and beliefs about science reading and science textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Yore, Larry D.

Science textbooks are dominant influences behind most secondary science instruction but little is known about teachers' approach to science reading. The purpose of this naturalistic study was to develop and validate a Science and Reading Questionnaire to assess secondary science teachers' attitudes toward science reading and their beliefs or informed opinions about science reading. A survey of 428 British Columbia secondary science teachers was conducted and 215 science teachers responded. Results on a 12-item Likert attitude scale indicated that teachers place high value on reading as an important strategy to promote learning in science and that they generally accept responsibility for teaching content reading skills to science students. Results on a 13-item Likert belief scale indicated that science teachers generally reject the text-driven model of reading, but they usually do not have well-formulated alternative models to guide their teaching practices. Teachers have intuitive beliefs about science reading that partially agree with many research findings, but their beliefs are fragmented and particularly sketchy in regard to the cognitive and metacognitive skills required by readers to learn from science texts. The findings for attitude, belief, and total scales were substantiated by further questions in the Science and Reading Questionnaire regarding classroom practice and by individual interviews and classroom observations of a 15-teacher subsample of the questionnaire respondents.

77 FR 55863 - NASA Advisory Council; Science Committee; Earth Science Subcommittee; Applied Sciences Advisory...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-11

... Committee; Earth Science Subcommittee; Applied Sciences Advisory Group Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics... the Applied Science Advisory Group. This Subcommittee reports to the Earth Science Subcommittee... following topics: --Applied Sciences Program Update --Earth Science Data Latency Study Preliminary Update...

Serious Learning with Science Comics: "Antarctic Log" as a Tool for Understanding Climate Research in AntarcticaScience comics open doors, providing multiple entry points for diverse learners. Karen Romano Young, award-winning author, presents "Antarctic Log", a comic about her spring 2018 Palmer Station tour, a tool for teaching and inspiration.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, K. R.

2017-12-01

Graphic nonfiction: what is it? Some call these books and articles science comics, but they're no joke: created through research and direct experience by artists invested in creating multiple entry points for new learners, comics can open doors for discovery as introduction, enrichment, or as a vital center point to teaching. Find out what educational pedagogists, scientists, and - yes! - students themselves think about reading, viewing, learning from, and creating science comics in the classroom. Karen Romano Young is the award-winning author of traditional and graphic fiction and nonfiction for children, including Doodlebug, the forthcoming Diving for Deep-Sea Dragons, and the Odyssey/Muse magazine comics feature Humanimal Doodles. In spring 2018 (Antarctic autumn) Young will work as part of a Bigelow Laboratory team studying the production of DMSP by phytoplankton, and the resulting cloud formation. This is invisible stuff, difficult for lay audiences to envision and comprehend. But the audience is already forming around "Antarctic Log," a science comic that tells the story of the science and the experience of doing climate research at Palmer Station as winter draws near. Science comics aren't just for enrichment. They're an invitation, providing multiple entry points for diverse learners. I have received unanticipated support from education groups (including NSTA and IRA), parenting groups, and special educators because these highly visual presentations of middle grade and middle school level material makes the stories and concepts accessible to atypical fiction- and science-reading audiences. As a result, I've learned a great deal about the underlying differences between my material and traditional, text-oriented materials in which visuals may be highly coordinated but are still ancillary. An article that might seem forbidding as text appears open to interpretation in my format, so that readers can pick where to begin reading and how to proceed through the

Interfacial and Surface Science | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Science group within the Material Science Center. He oversees research studies of surfaces and interfaces Interfacial and Surface Science Interfacial and Surface Science Image of irregular-outlined, light address a broad range of fundamental and applied issues in surface and interfacial science that are

Science Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & ; Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations Science Programs Applied

Science Olympiad students' nature of science understandings

Science.gov (United States)

Philpot, Cindy J.

2007-12-01

Recent reform efforts in science education focus on scientific literacy for all citizens. In order to be scientifically literate, an individual must have informed understandings of nature of science (NOS), scientific inquiry, and science content matter. This study specifically focused on Science Olympiad students' understanding of NOS as one piece of scientific literacy. Research consistently shows that science students do not have informed understandings of NOS (Abd-El-Khalick, 2002; Bell, Blair, Crawford, and Lederman, 2002; Kilcrease and Lucy, 2002; Schwartz, Lederman, and Thompson, 2001). However, McGhee-Brown, Martin, Monsaas and Stombler (2003) found that Science Olympiad students had in-depth understandings of science concepts, principles, processes, and techniques. Science Olympiad teams compete nationally and are found in rural, urban, and suburban schools. In an effort to learn from students who are generally considered high achieving students and who enjoy science, as opposed to the typical science student, the purpose of this study was to investigate Science Olympiad students' understandings of NOS and the experiences that formed their understandings. An interpretive, qualitative, case study method was used to address the research questions. The participants were purposefully and conveniently selected from the Science Olympiad team at a suburban high school. Data collection consisted of the Views of Nature of Science -- High School Questionnaire (VNOS-HS) (Schwartz, Lederman, & Thompson, 2001), semi-structured individual interviews, and a focus group. The main findings of this study were similar to much of the previous research in that the participants had informed understandings of the tentative nature of science and the role of inferences in science, but they did not have informed understandings of the role of human imagination and creativity, the empirical nature of science, or theories and laws. High level science classes and participation in

Multiple cationic amphiphiles induce a Niemann-Pick C phenotype and inhibit Ebola virus entry and infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles J Shoemaker

Full Text Available Ebola virus (EBOV is an enveloped RNA virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. Infection requires internalization from the cell surface and trafficking to a late endocytic compartment, where viral fusion occurs, providing a conduit for the viral genome to enter the cytoplasm and initiate replication. In a concurrent study, we identified clomiphene as a potent inhibitor of EBOV entry. Here, we screened eleven inhibitors that target the same biosynthetic pathway as clomiphene. From this screen we identified six compounds, including U18666A, that block EBOV infection (IC(50 1.6 to 8.0 µM at a late stage of entry. Intriguingly, all six are cationic amphiphiles that share additional chemical features. U18666A induces phenotypes, including cholesterol accumulation in endosomes, associated with defects in Niemann-Pick C1 protein (NPC1, a late endosomal and lysosomal protein required for EBOV entry. We tested and found that all six EBOV entry inhibitors from our screen induced cholesterol accumulation. We further showed that higher concentrations of cationic amphiphiles are required to inhibit EBOV entry into cells that overexpress NPC1 than parental cells, supporting the contention that they inhibit EBOV entry in an NPC1-dependent manner. A previously reported inhibitor, compound 3.47, inhibits EBOV entry by blocking binding of the EBOV glycoprotein to NPC1. None of the cationic amphiphiles tested had this effect. Hence, multiple cationic amphiphiles (including several FDA approved agents inhibit EBOV entry in an NPC1-dependent fashion, but by a mechanism distinct from that of compound 3.47. Our findings suggest that there are minimally two ways of perturbing NPC1-dependent pathways that can block EBOV entry, increasing the attractiveness of NPC1 as an anti-filoviral therapeutic target.

Applications of Nuclear Science for Stewardship Science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cizewski, Jolie A

2013-01-01

Stewardship science is research important to national security interests that include stockpile stewardship science, homeland security, nuclear forensics, and non-proliferation. To help address challenges in stewardship science and workforce development, the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) was inaugurated ten years ago by the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U. S. Department of Energy. The goal was to enhance connections between NNSA laboratories and the activities of university scientists and their students in research areas important to NNSA, including low-energy nuclear science. This paper presents an overview of recent research in low-energy nuclear science supported by the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances and the applications of this research to stewardship science.

Fascinating! Popular Science Communication and Literary Science Fiction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Gitte

2017-01-01

Some see literary Science Fiction as a possible vehicle for critical discussions about the future development and the ethical implications of science-based technologies. According to that understanding, literary Science Fiction constitutes a variety of science communication. Along related lines, ......, popular science communication with science fiction features might be expected to serve a similar purpose. Only, it is far from obvious that it actually works that way.......Some see literary Science Fiction as a possible vehicle for critical discussions about the future development and the ethical implications of science-based technologies. According to that understanding, literary Science Fiction constitutes a variety of science communication. Along related lines...

Exploring science through science fiction

CERN Document Server

Luokkala, Barry B

2014-01-01

How does Einstein’s description of space and time compare with Dr. Who? Can James Bond really escape from an armor-plated railroad car by cutting through the floor with a laser concealed in a wristwatch? What would it take to create a fully-intelligent android, such as Star Trek’s Commander Data? How might we discover intelligent civilizations on other planets in the galaxy? Is human teleportation possible? Will our technological society ever reach the point at which it becomes lawful to discriminate on the basis of genetic information, as in the movie GATTACA? Exploring Science Through Science Fiction addresses these and other interesting questions, using science fiction as a springboard for discussing fundamental science concepts and cutting-edge science research. The book is designed as a primary text for a college-level course which should appeal to students in the fine arts and humanities as well as to science and engineering students. It includes references to original research papers, landmark scie...

Science & Technology Review January/February 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bearinger, J P

2009-11-30

This month's issue has the following articles: (1) Innovative Materials Rise to the Radiation Challenge - Commentary by Bruce Warner; (2) The Hunt for Better Radiation Detection - New materials will help radiation detectors pick up weak signals and accurately identify illicit radioactive sources; (3) Time-Critical Technology Identifies Deadly Bloodborne Pathogens - A portable device can simultaneously distinguish up to five bloodborne pathogens in just minutes; (4) Defending Computer Networks against Attack - A Laboratory effort takes a new approach to detecting increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks; and (5) Imaging Cargo's Inner Secrets - Livermore-University of California collaborators are modeling a new radiographic technique for identifying nuclear materials concealed inside cargo containers.

EDITORIAL: Dialog on Science and Policy to Address the Climate Crisis to conclude the International Association of Research Universities Climate Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark Dialog on Science and Policy to Address the Climate Crisis to conclude the International Association of Research Universities Climate Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark

Science.gov (United States)

Baer, Paul; Kammen, Daniel M.

2009-06-01

This is not the usual Editor-in-Chief letter, namely one that focuses on the accomplishments of the journal—and for ERL they have been numerous this year—but a recognition of the critical time that we are now in when it comes to addressing not only global climate change, but also the dialog between science and politics. In recognition of the many 'tipping points' that we now confront—ideally some of them positive social moments—as well as the clear scientific conclusion that environmental tipping points are points of long-lasting disruption, this paper takes a different form than I might have otherwise written. While the scientific body of knowledge around global environmental change mounts, so too, do the hopeful signs that change can happen. The election of Barack Obama is unquestionably one such sign, witnessed by the exceptional interest that his story has brought not only to US politics, but also to global views of the potential of the United States, as well as to the potential role of science and investigation in addressing pressing issues. In light of these inter-related issues, reproduced here—largely due to the efforts of Paul Baer to transcribe a remarkable conversation—is a dialog not only on the science of global warming and the potential set of means to address this issue, but also on the interaction between research, science and the political process. The dialog itself is sufficiently important that I will dispense with the usual discussion of the exciting recognition that ERL has received with an ISI rating (a factor rapidly increasing), the high levels of downloads of our papers (for some articles over 5000 and counting), and the many news and scientific publications picking up ERL articles (in recent days alone Science, Environmental Science and Technology, and The Economist). This conversation was the concluding plenary session of the 10-12 March International Association of Research Universities (IARU) Conference on Climate Change

Science Song Project: Integration of Science, Technology and Music to Learn Science and Process Skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiyoon Yoon

2017-07-01

Full Text Available It has been critical to find a way for teachers to motivate their young children to learn science and improve science achievement. Since music has been used as a tool for educating young students, this study introduces the science song project to teacher candidates that contains science facts, concepts, laws and theories, and combines them with music for motivating their young children to learn science and improve science achievement. The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of the science song project on teacher candidates’ understanding of science processing skills and their attitudes toward science. The participants were 45 science teacher candidates who were enrolled in an EC-6 (Early Childhood through Grade 6 program in the teacher certification program at a racially diverse Texas public research university. To collect data, this study used two instruments: pre-and post-self efficacy tests before and after the science teacher candidates experienced the science song project and final reflective essay at the end of the semester. The results show that while developing their songs, the participating teacher candidates experienced a process for science practice, understood science concepts and facts, and positively improved attitudes toward science. This study suggests that the science song project is a science instruction offering rich experiences of process-based learning and positive attitudes toward science.

The Double Helix: Why Science Needs Science Fiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreadis, Athena

2003-01-01

Discusses why science needs science fiction, commenting on the author's book about science that draws heavily on the "Star Trek" series. The best science, in spite of popular thinking, comes from leaps of intuition, and science fiction provides a creative spark that encourages participation in science. (SLD)

Pick and Eat Crop Testing: Dwarf Tomato and Pepper as Candidate Space Crops

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, R. M.; Massa, G. D.; Stutte, G. W.; Spencer, L. E.; Hummerick, M. E.; Sirmons, T.; Douglas, G. L.

2016-01-01

Several dwarf tomato and pepper varieties were evaluated under International Space Station (ISS)-simulated growth conditions (22 degrees Centigrade, 50 percent relative humidity, 1500 parts per million CO2, and 300 micromoles per square meter per second of light for 16 hours per day) with the goal of selecting those with the best growth, nutrition, and organoleptic potential for use in a pick and eat salad crop system on ISS and future exploration flights. Testing included six cultivars of tomato (Red Robin, Scarlet Sweet 'N' Neat, Tiny Tim, Mohamed, Patio Princess, and Tumbler) and six cultivars of pepper (Red Skin, Fruit Basket, Cajun Belle, Chablis, Sweet Pickle, and Pompeii). Plants were grown to an age sufficient to produce fruit (up to 106 days for tomato and 109 days for pepper) using Turface (arcillite) potting media with 18-6-8 control-release fertilizer and supplemental nutrient solution beginning around 60-days-age. Tomato fruits were harvested when they showed full red color, beginning around 70-days age and then at weekly intervals thereafter, while peppers were grown until fruits showed color and were harvested twice (first test) and just once at the end of the second test, with the final harvests including colored and green fruit. Plant sizes, yields, and nutritional attributes were measured and used to down-select to three cultivars for each species. In particular, we were interested in cultivars that were short (dwarf) but still produced high yields. Nutritional data included elemental (Ca, Mg, Fe, and K) content, vitamin K, phenolics, lycopene (for tomato), anthocyanin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The three down-selected cultivars for each species were grown again and the harvested fruit sent to NASA's Johnson Space Center for sensory evaluation, which included overall acceptability, appearance, color intensity, aroma, flavor and texture. The combined data were compared and given weighting factors to rank the cultivars as candidates for testing in

Comparative pick-up ion distributions at Mars and Venus: Consequences for atmospheric deposition and escape

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Shannon M.; Luhmann, Janet; Ma, Yingjuan; Liemohn, Michael; Dong, Chuanfei; Hara, Takuya

2015-09-01

Without the shielding of a substantial intrinsic dipole magnetic field, the atmospheres of Mars and Venus are particularly susceptible to similar atmospheric ion energization and scavenging processes. However, each planet has different attributes and external conditions controlling its high altitude planetary ion spatial and energy distributions. This paper describes analogous test particle simulations in background MHD fields that allow us to compare the properties and fates, precipitation or escape, of the mainly O+ atmospheric pick-up ions at Mars and Venus. The goal is to illustrate how atmospheric and planetary scales affect the upper atmospheres and space environments of our terrestrial planet neighbors. The results show the expected convection electric field-related hemispheric asymmetries in both precipitation and escape, where the degree of asymmetry at each planet is determined by the planetary scale and local interplanetary field strength. At Venus, the kinetic treatment of O+ reveals a strong nightside source of precipitation while Mars' crustal fields complicate the simple asymmetry in ion precipitation and drive a dayside source of precipitation. The pickup O+ escape pattern at both Venus and Mars exhibits low energy tailward escape, but Mars exhibits a prominent, high energy 'polar plume' feature in the hemisphere of the upward convection electric field while the Venus ion wake shows only a modest poleward concentration. The overall escape is larger at Venus than Mars (2.1 ×1025 and 4.3 ×1024 at solar maximum, respectively), but the efficiency (likelihood) of O+ escaping is 2-3 times higher at Mars. The consequences of these comparisons for pickup ion related atmospheric energy deposition, loss rates, and detection on spacecraft including PVO, VEX, MEX and MAVEN are considered. In particular, both O+ precipitation and escape show electric field controlled asymmetries that grow with energy, while the O+ fluxes and energy spectra at selected spatial

Science Teaching in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan, Brendan E.; Dopico, Eduardo

2016-01-01

Reading the interesting article "Discerning selective traditions in science education" by Per Sund, which is published in this issue of "CSSE," allows us to open the discussion on procedures for teaching science today. Clearly there is overlap between the teaching of science and other areas of knowledge. However, we must…

Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of pluronic-based β-cyclodextrin polyrotaxanes for mobilization of accumulated cholesterol from Niemann-Pick type C fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Christopher J; McCauliff, Leslie A; Hyun, Seok-Hee; Zhang, Zhaorui; Paul, Lake N; Kulkarni, Aditya; Zick, Klaus; Wirth, Mary; Storch, Judith; Thompson, David H

2013-05-14

Several lines of evidence suggest that β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) derivatives initiate the efflux of accumulated, unesterified cholesterol from the late endosomal/lysosomal compartment in Niemann Pick C (NPC) disease models. Unfortunately, repeated injections or continuous infusions of current β-CD therapies are required to sustain suppression of symptoms and prolong life. In an effort to make CD treatment a more viable option by boosting efficacy and improving pharmacokinetics, a library of Pluronic surfactant-based β-CD polyrotaxanes has been developed using biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-polypropylene glycol (PPG)-PEG triblock copolymers. These compounds carry multiple copies of β-CD as shown by (1)H NMR, 2D nuclear Overhouser effect spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography/multiangle light scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation analysis, matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, and diffusion-ordered spectroscopy. Analyses of free β-cyclodextrin contamination in the compounds were made by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. Dethreading kinetics were studied by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography, UV/vis, and (1)H NMR analysis. Filipin staining studies using npc2(-/-) fibroblasts show significant reversal of cholesterol accumulation after treatment with polyrotaxane compounds. The rate and efficacy of reversal is similar to that achieved by equivalent amounts of monomeric β-CD alone.

Science and Technology Review January/February 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bearinger, J.P.

2009-01-01

This month's issue has the following articles: (1) Innovative Materials Rise to the Radiation Challenge - Commentary by Bruce Warner; (2) The Hunt for Better Radiation Detection - New materials will help radiation detectors pick up weak signals and accurately identify illicit radioactive sources; (3) Time-Critical Technology Identifies Deadly Bloodborne Pathogens - A portable device can simultaneously distinguish up to five bloodborne pathogens in just minutes; (4) Defending Computer Networks against Attack - A Laboratory effort takes a new approach to detecting increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks; and (5) Imaging Cargo's Inner Secrets - Livermore-University of California collaborators are modeling a new radiographic technique for identifying nuclear materials concealed inside cargo containers.

How to Motivate Science Teachers to Use Science Experiments

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Josef Trna

2012-10-01

Full Text Available A science experiment is the core tool in science education. This study describes the science teachers' professional competence to implement science experiments in teaching/learning science. The main objective is the motivation of science teachers to use science experiments. The presented research tries to answer questions aimed at the science teachers' skills to use science experiments in teaching/learning science. The research discovered the following facts: science teachers do not include science experiments in teaching/learning in a suitable way; are not able to choose science experiments corresponding to the teaching phase; prefer teachers' demonstration of science experiments; are not able to improvise with the aids; use only a few experiments. The important research result is that an important motivational tool for science teachers is the creation of simple experiments. Examples of motivational simple experiments used into teachers' training for increasing their own creativity and motivation are presented.

Management of science policy, sociology of science policy and economics of science policy

CERN Document Server

Ruivo, Beatriz

2017-01-01

'Management of science policy, sociology of science policy and economics of science policy' is a theoretical essay on the scientific foundation of science policy (formulation, implementation, instruments and procedures). It can be also used as a textbook.

Pharmacologic Treatment Assigned for Niemann Pick Type C1 Disease Partly Changes Behavioral Traits in Wild-Type Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlegel, Victoria; Thieme, Markus; Holzmann, Carsten; Witt, Martin; Grittner, Ulrike; Rolfs, Arndt; Wree, Andreas

2016-11-09

Niemann-Pick Type C1 (NPC1) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by accumulation of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids. Previously, we demonstrated that BALB/c-npc1 nih Npc1 -/- mice treated with miglustat, cyclodextrin and allopregnanolone generally performed better than untreated Npc1 -/- animals. Unexpectedly, they also seemed to accomplish motor tests better than their sham-treated wild-type littermates. However, combination-treated mutant mice displayed worse cognition performance compared to sham-treated ones. To evaluate effects of these drugs in healthy BALB/c mice, we here analyzed pharmacologic effects on motor and cognitive behavior of wild-type mice. For combination treatment mice were injected with allopregnanolone/cyclodextrin weekly, starting at P7. Miglustat injections were performed daily from P10 till P23. Starting at P23, miglustat was embedded in the chow. Other mice were treated with miglustat only, or sham-treated. The battery of behavioral tests consisted of accelerod, Morris water maze, elevated plus maze, open field and hot-plate tests. Motor capabilities and spontaneous motor behavior were unaltered in both drug-treated groups. Miglustat-treated wild-type mice displayed impaired spatial learning compared to sham- and combination-treated mice. Both combination- and miglustat-treated mice showed enhanced anxiety in the elevated plus maze compared to sham-treated mice. Additionally, combination treatment as well as miglustat alone significantly reduced brain weight, whereas only combination treatment reduced body weight significantly. Our results suggest that allopregnanolone/cyclodextrin ameliorate most side effects of miglustat in wild-type mice.

Pharmacologic Treatment Assigned for Niemann Pick Type C1 Disease Partly Changes Behavioral Traits in Wild-Type Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria Schlegel

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick Type C1 (NPC1 is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by accumulation of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids. Previously, we demonstrated that BALB/c-npc1nihNpc1−/− mice treated with miglustat, cyclodextrin and allopregnanolone generally performed better than untreated Npc1−/− animals. Unexpectedly, they also seemed to accomplish motor tests better than their sham-treated wild-type littermates. However, combination-treated mutant mice displayed worse cognition performance compared to sham-treated ones. To evaluate effects of these drugs in healthy BALB/c mice, we here analyzed pharmacologic effects on motor and cognitive behavior of wild-type mice. For combination treatment mice were injected with allopregnanolone/cyclodextrin weekly, starting at P7. Miglustat injections were performed daily from P10 till P23. Starting at P23, miglustat was embedded in the chow. Other mice were treated with miglustat only, or sham-treated. The battery of behavioral tests consisted of accelerod, Morris water maze, elevated plus maze, open field and hot-plate tests. Motor capabilities and spontaneous motor behavior were unaltered in both drug-treated groups. Miglustat-treated wild-type mice displayed impaired spatial learning compared to sham- and combination-treated mice. Both combination- and miglustat-treated mice showed enhanced anxiety in the elevated plus maze compared to sham-treated mice. Additionally, combination treatment as well as miglustat alone significantly reduced brain weight, whereas only combination treatment reduced body weight significantly. Our results suggest that allopregnanolone/cyclodextrin ameliorate most side effects of miglustat in wild-type mice.

Is normal science good science?

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Adrianna Kępińska

2015-09-01

Full Text Available “Normal science” is a concept introduced by Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962. In Kuhn’s view, normal science means “puzzle solving”, solving problems within the paradigm—framework most successful in solving current major scientific problems—rather than producing major novelties. This paper examines Kuhnian and Popperian accounts of normal science and their criticisms to assess if normal science is good. The advantage of normal science according to Kuhn was “psychological”: subjective satisfaction from successful “puzzle solving”. Popper argues for an “intellectual” science, one that consistently refutes conjectures (hypotheses and offers new ideas rather than focus on personal advantages. His account is criticized as too impersonal and idealistic. Feyerabend’s perspective seems more balanced; he argues for a community that would introduce new ideas, defend old ones, and enable scientists to develop in line with their subjective preferences. The paper concludes that normal science has no one clear-cut set of criteria encompassing its meaning and enabling clear assessment.

Psychiatric and neurological symptoms in patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C): Findings from the International NPC Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnot, Olivier; Gama, Clarissa S; Mengel, Eugen; Pineda, Mercè; Vanier, Marie T; Watson, Louise; Watissée, Marie; Schwierin, Barbara; Patterson, Marc C

2017-10-09

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare inherited neurovisceral disease that should be recognised by psychiatrists as a possible underlying cause of psychiatric abnormalities. This study describes NP-C patients who had psychiatric manifestations at enrolment in the international NPC Registry, a unique multicentre, prospective, observational disease registry. Treating physicians' data entries describing psychiatric manifestations in NPC patients were coded and grouped by expert psychiatrists. Out of 386 NP-C patients included in the registry as of October 2015, psychiatric abnormalities were reported to be present in 34% (94/280) of those with available data. Forty-four patients were confirmed to have identifiable psychiatric manifestations, with text describing these psychiatric manifestations. In these 44 patients, the median (range) age at onset of psychiatric manifestations was 17.9 years (2.5-67.9; n = 15), while the median (range) age at NP-C diagnosis was 23.7 years (0.2-69.8; n = 34). Almost all patients (43/44; 98%) had an occurrence of ≥1 neurological manifestation at enrolment. These data show that substantial delays in diagnosis of NP-C are long among patients with psychiatric symptoms and, moreover, patients presenting with psychiatric features and at least one of cognitive impairment, neurological manifestations, and/or visceral symptoms should be screened for NP-C.

Cyclodextrin alleviates neuronal storage of cholesterol in Niemann-Pick C disease without evidence of detectable blood-brain barrier permeability.

Science.gov (United States)

Pontikis, Charles C; Davidson, Cristin D; Walkley, Steven U; Platt, Frances M; Begley, David J

2013-05-01

Niemann-Pick type C disease is an inherited autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and sphingolipids within the endosomal/lysosomal compartments. It has been observed that the administration of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) delays onset of clinical symptoms and reduces accumulation of cholesterol and gangliosides within neuronal cells. It was assumed that HPBCD exerts its action by readily entering the CNS and directly interacting with neurones and other brain cells to facilitate removal of stored cholesterol from the late endosomal/lysosomal compartment. Here, we present evidence that refutes this hypothesis. We use two well established techniques for accurately measuring brain uptake of solutes from blood and show that there is no significant crossing of HPBCD into the brain. The two techniques are brain in situ perfusion and intraperitoneal injection followed by multi-time-point regression analysis. Neither study demonstrates significant, time-dependent uptake of HPBCD in either adult or neonatal mice. However, the volume of distribution available to HPBCD (0.113 ± 0.010 ml/g) exceeds the accepted values for plasma and vascular volume of the brain. In fact, it is nearly three times larger than that for sucrose (0.039 ± 0.006 ml/g). We propose that this indicates cell surface binding of HPBCD to the endothelium of the cerebral vasculature and may provide a mechanism for the mobilisation and clearance of cholesterol from the CNS.

Cholesterol accumulation in Niemann Pick type C (NPC) model cells causes a shift in APP localization to lipid rafts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosicek, Marko; Malnar, Martina; Goate, Alison; Hecimovic, Silva

2010-01-01

It has been suggested that cholesterol may modulate amyloid-β (Aβ) formation, a causative factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD), by regulating distribution of the three key proteins in the pathogenesis of AD (β-amyloid precursor protein (APP), β-secretase (BACE1) and/or presenilin 1 (PS1)) within lipid rafts. In this work we tested whether cholesterol accumulation upon NPC1 dysfunction, which causes Niemann Pick type C disease (NPC), causes increased partitioning of APP into lipid rafts leading to increased CTF/Aβ formation in these cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains. To test this we used CHO NPC1 -/- cells (NPC cells) and parental CHOwt cells. By sucrose density gradient centrifugation we observed a shift in fl-APP/CTF compartmentalization into lipid raft fractions upon cholesterol accumulation in NPC vs. wt cells. Furthermore, γ-secretase inhibitor treatment significantly increased fl-APP/CTF distribution in raft fractions in NPC vs. wt cells, suggesting that upon cholesterol accumulation in NPC1-null cells increased formation of APP-CTF and its increased processing towards Aβ occurs in lipid rafts. Our results support that cholesterol overload, such as in NPC disease, leads to increased partitioning of APP/CTF into lipid rafts resulting in increased amyloidogenic processing of APP in these cholesterol-rich membranes. This work adds to the mechanism of the cholesterol-effect on APP processing and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and supports the role of lipid rafts in these processes.

75 FR 10845 - Subcommittee on Forensic Science; Committee on Science; National Science and Technology Council

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-09

... OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY Subcommittee on Forensic Science; Committee on Science... participants. SUMMARY: The Subcommittee on Forensic Science of the National Science and Technology Council's... . Kenneth E. Melson, Co-Chair, Subcommittee on Forensic Science. [FR Doc. 2010-4899 Filed 3-8-10; 8:45 am...

Science in Science Fiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Allday, Jonathan

2003-01-01

Offers some suggestions as to how science fiction, especially television science fiction programs such as "Star Trek" and "Star Wars", can be drawn into physics lessons to illuminate some interesting issues. (Author/KHR)

Hollywood Science: Good for Hollywood, Bad for Science?

Science.gov (United States)

Perkowitz, Sidney

2009-03-01

Like it or not, most science depicted in feature films is in the form of science fiction. This isn't likely to change any time soon, if only because science fiction films are huge moneymakers for Hollywood. But beyond that, these films are a powerful cultural force. They reach millions as they depict scientific ideas from DNA and cloning to space science, whether correctly or incorrectly; reflect contemporary issues of science and society like climate change, nuclear power and biowarfare; inspire young people to become scientists; and provide defining images -- or stereotypes -- of scientists for the majority of people who've never met a real one. Certainly, most scientists feel that screen depictions of science and scientists are badly distorted. Many are, but not always. In this talk, based on my book Hollywood Science [1], I'll show examples of good and bad screen treatments of science, scientists, and their impact on society. I'll also discuss efforts to improve how science is treated in film and ways to use even bad movie science to convey real science. [4pt] [1] Sidney Perkowitz, Hollywood Science: Movies, Science, and the End of the World (Columbia University Press, New York, 2007). ISBN: 978-0231142809

Communicating Science

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Nicholas

2009-10-01

Introduction: what this book is about and why you might want to read it; Prologue: three orphans share a common paternity: professional science communication, popular journalism, and literary fiction are not as separate as they seem; Part I. Professional Science Communication: 1. Spreading the word: the endless struggle to publish professional science; 2. Walk like an Egyptian: the alien feeling of professional science writing; 3. The future's bright? Professional science communication in the age of the internet; 4. Counting the horse's teeth: professional standards in science's barter economy; 5. Separating the wheat from the chaff: peer review on trial; Part II. Science for the Public: What Science Do People Need and How Might They Get It?: 6. The Public Understanding of Science (PUS) movement and its problems; 7. Public engagement with science and technology (PEST): fine principle, difficult practice; 8. Citizen scientists? Democratic input into science policy; 9. Teaching and learning science in schools: implications for popular science communication; Part III. Popular Science Communication: The Press and Broadcasting: 10. What every scientist should know about mass media; 11. What every scientist should know about journalists; 12. The influence of new media; 13. How the media represents science; 14. How should science journalists behave?; Part IV. The Origins of Science in Cultural Context: Five Historic Dramas: 15. A terrible storm in Wittenberg: natural knowledge through sorcery and evil; 16. A terrible storm in the Mediterranean: controlling nature with white magic and religion; 17. Thieving magpies: the subtle art of false projecting; 18. Foolish virtuosi: natural philosophy emerges as a distinct discipline but many cannot take it seriously; 19. Is scientific knowledge 'true' or should it just be 'truthfully' deployed?; Part V. Science in Literature: 20. Science and the Gothic: the three big nineteenth-century monster stories; 21. Science fiction: serious

Genetic and Chemical Correction of Cholesterol Accumulation and Impaired Autophagy in Hepatic and Neural Cells Derived from Niemann-Pick Type C Patient-Specific iPS Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorothea Maetzel

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick type C (NPC disease is a fatal inherited lipid storage disorder causing severe neurodegeneration and liver dysfunction with only limited treatment options for patients. Loss of NPC1 function causes defects in cholesterol metabolism and has recently been implicated in deregulation of autophagy. Here, we report the generation of isogenic pairs of NPC patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs using transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs. We observed decreased cell viability, cholesterol accumulation, and dysfunctional autophagic flux in NPC1-deficient human hepatic and neural cells. Genetic correction of a disease-causing mutation rescued these defects and directly linked NPC1 protein function to impaired cholesterol metabolism and autophagy. Screening for autophagy-inducing compounds in disease-affected human cells showed cell type specificity. Carbamazepine was found to be cytoprotective and effective in restoring the autophagy defects in both NPC1-deficient hepatic and neuronal cells and therefore may be a promising treatment option with overall benefit for NPC disease.