Environmental radiological studies downstream from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Wong, K.M.; Eagle, R.J.; Brunk, J.L.; Jokela, T.A.

1986-01-01

Information compiled in 1985 while assessing the environmental impact of radionuclides previously discharged with aqueous releases from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Plant is presented. In October 1984, the quantities of gamma-emitting radionuclides in water discharged to Clay Creek from the plant were reduced below operationally defined detection limits for liquid effluents. However, radionuclides previously discharged persist in the downstream environment and are found in many aquatic dietary components. 134 Cs and 137 Cs are the primary gamma-emitting radionuclides detected in the edible flesh of different fish, crayfish, and frogs. Coefficients for exponential equations are generated, from a least square analysis, that relate the change in concentration of 137 Cs in fish to distance downstream and time between March and October 1985. Concentrations of 137 Cs in surface creek sediments also decreased in the downstream direction much in the same manner as concentrations decreased in fish. However, there was no significant difference in the radiocesium concentrations in surface sediements collected from comparable locations during both 1984 and 1985

Concentration of radionuclides in fresh water fish downstream of Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Eagle, R.J.; Dawson, J.M.; Brunk, J.L.; Wong, X.M.

1984-01-01

Fish were collected for radionuclide analysis over a 5-month period in 1984 from creeks downstream of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Plant, which has been discharging quantities of some fission and activation products to the waterway since 1981. Among the fish, the bluegill was selected for intensive study because it is very territorial and the radionuclide concentrations detected should be representative of the levels in the local environment at the downstream locations sampled. Among the gamma-emitting radionuclides routinely released, only 134 Cs and 137 Cs were detected in the edible flesh of fish. Concentrations in the flesh of fish decreased with distance from the plant. The relationship between concentration and distance was determined to be exponential. Exponential equations were generated to estimate concentrations in fish at downstream locations where no site-specific information was available. Mean concentrations of 137 Cs in bluegill collected during April, May, July and August from specific downstream stations were not significantly different in spite of the release of 131 mCi to the creeks between April and August. The concentrations in fish are not responding to changes in water concentrations brought about by plant discharges. Diet appears to be a more significant factor than size or weight or water concentration in regulating body burdens of 137 Cs in these fish

SGLT2 Inhibitors: Glucotoxicity and Tumorigenesis Downstream the Renal Proximal Tubule?

Science.gov (United States)

Bertinat, Romina; Nualart, Francisco; Yáñez, Alejandro J

2016-08-01

At present, diabetes mellitus is the main cause of end-stage renal disease. Effective glycaemic management is the most powerful tool to delay the establishment of diabetic complications, such as diabetic kidney disease. Together with reducing blood glucose levels, new anti-diabetic agents are expected not only to control the progression but also to restore known defects of the diabetic kidney. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are promising anti-diabetic agents that reduce hyperglycaemia by impairing glucose reabsorption in proximal tubule of the kidney and increasing glucosuria. SGLT2 inhibitors have shown to reduce glucotoxicity in isolated proximal tubule cells and also to attenuate expression of markers of overall kidney damage in experimental animal models of diabetes, but the actual renoprotective effect for downstream nephron segments is still unknown and deserves further attention. Here, we briefly discuss possible undesired effects of enhanced glucosuria and albuminuria in nephron segments beyond the proximal tubule after SGLT2 inhibitor treatment, offering new lines of research to further understand the renoprotective action of these anti-diabetic agents. Strategies blocking glucose reabsorption by renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTEC) may be protective for RPTEC, but downstream nephron segments will still be exposed to high glucose and albumin levels through the luminal face. The actual effect of constant enhanced glucosuria over distal nephron segments remains to be established. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 1635-1637, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Energy-saving scheme based on downstream packet scheduling in ethernet passive optical networks

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lincong; Liu, Yejun; Guo, Lei; Gong, Xiaoxue

2013-03-01

With increasing network sizes, the energy consumption of Passive Optical Networks (PONs) has grown significantly. Therefore, it is important to design effective energy-saving schemes in PONs. Generally, energy-saving schemes have focused on sleeping the low-loaded Optical Network Units (ONUs), which tends to bring large packet delays. Further, the traditional ONU sleep modes are not capable of sleeping the transmitter and receiver independently, though they are not required to transmit or receive packets. Clearly, this approach contributes to wasted energy. Thus, in this paper, we propose an Energy-Saving scheme that is based on downstream Packet Scheduling (ESPS) in Ethernet PON (EPON). First, we design both an algorithm and a rule for downstream packet scheduling at the inter- and intra-ONU levels, respectively, to reduce the downstream packet delay. After that, we propose a hybrid sleep mode that contains not only ONU deep sleep mode but also independent sleep modes for the transmitter and the receiver. This ensures that the energy consumed by the ONUs is minimal. To realize the hybrid sleep mode, a modified GATE control message is designed that involves 10 time points for sleep processes. In ESPS, the 10 time points are calculated according to the allocated bandwidths in both the upstream and the downstream. The simulation results show that ESPS outperforms traditional Upstream Centric Scheduling (UCS) scheme in terms of energy consumption and the average delay for both real-time and non-real-time packets downstream. The simulation results also show that the average energy consumption of each ONU in larger-sized networks is less than that in smaller-sized networks; hence, our ESPS is better suited for larger-sized networks.

Hydrological Effects of Chashm Dam on the Downstream of Talar River Watershed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Khaleghi

2017-02-01

rights users' requirement and downstream environmental requirements are 4.54, 2.164 and 2.448 million m3, respectively. This is despite the fact that the volume of annual input water is slightly lower than this figure in normal. Conclusion: Simulation of the study area hydrological behavior shows that the Chashm Dam average water discharge is near to 8.6 million m3. This figure will be significant changes during wet and drought periods. The minimum and maximum monthly discharge of the Chashm Dam watershed in August and February is equal to 0.31 and 0.55 m3/s respectively. The minimum and maximum monthly water demand in turn in October and August is equal to 0.015 and 0.4 m3/s respectively, and this shows that the river discharge in June is lower than the downstream water demand. Based on confirmed studies of the Kamandab Consulting Engineers, drinking water requirement of Semnan province, water rights users' requirement and downstream environmental requirements are 4.54, 2.164 and 2.448 million m3, respectively. This is despite the fact that the volume of annual input water is slightly lower than this figure in normal. In addition, the Chashm Dam area is about 110 hectares and given the minimum annual actual evaporation equal to 700 mm, about seven hundred thousand cubic meters of water stored in the reservoir will be lost. Due to the simultaneous occurrence of the maximum water requirement, maximum evaporation and a minimum of water inlet to the Chashm Dam reservoir in warm seasons, it seemsthat, it is not possible to provide needs based on these studies and no doubt, in the case of water supply in Semnan province, we have to stop the flow of the river in downstream of the dam. The results of this study suggest that on many rivers large headwater dams have reduced the frequency and duration of floodplain inundation downstream and these changes lead to changes in downstream ecosystems. The results from the simulation and analysis of the Chashm Dam in downstream are as

Control of Delta Avulsion by Downstream Sediment Sinks

Science.gov (United States)

Salter, Gerard; Paola, Chris; Voller, Vaughan R.

2018-01-01

Understanding how fluxes are partitioned at delta bifurcations is critical for predicting patterns of land loss and gain in deltas worldwide. Although the dynamics of river deltas are influenced from both upstream and downstream, previous studies of bifurcations have focused on upstream controls. Using a quasi-1-D bifurcation model, we show that flow switching in bifurcations is strongly influenced by downstream sediment sinks. We find that coupling between upstream and downstream feedbacks can lead to oscillations in water and sediment flux partitioning. The frequency and initial rate of growth/decay of the oscillations depend on both upstream and downstream conditions, with dimensionless bifurcate length and bypass fraction emerging as key downstream parameters. With a strong offshore sink, causing bypass in the bifurcate branches, we find that bifurcation dynamics become "frozen"; that is, the bifurcation settles on a permanent discharge ratio. In contrast, under depositional conditions, we identify three dynamical regimes: symmetric; soft avulsion, where both branches remain open but the dominant branch switches; and full avulsion. Finally, we show that differential subsidence alters these regimes, with the difference in average sediment supply to each branch exactly compensating for the difference in accommodation generation. Additionally, the model predicts that bifurcations with shorter branches are less asymmetric than bifurcations with longer branches, all else equal, providing a possible explanation for the difference between backwater length distributaries, which tend to be avulsive, and relatively stable mouth-bar-scale networks. We conclude that bifurcations are sensitive both quantitatively and qualitatively to downstream sinks.

Social polyandry, parental investment, sexual selection, and evolution of reduced female gamete size.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Malte

2004-01-01

Sexual selection in the form of sperm competition is a major explanation for small size of male gametes. Can sexual selection in polyandrous species with reversed sex roles also lead to reduced female gamete size? Comparative studies show that egg size in birds tends to decrease as a lineage evolves social polyandry. Here, a quantitative genetic model predicts that female scrambles over mates lead to evolution of reduced female gamete size. Increased female mating success drives the evolution of smaller eggs, which take less time to produce, until balanced by lowered offspring survival. Mean egg size is usually reduced and polyandry increased by increasing sex ratio (male bias) and maximum possible number of mates. Polyandry also increases with the asynchrony (variance) in female breeding start. Opportunity for sexual selection increases with the maximum number of mates but decreases with increasing sex ratio. It is well known that parental investment can affect sexual selection. The model suggests that the influence is mutual: owing to a coevolutionary feedback loop, sexual selection in females also shapes initial parental investment by reducing egg size. Feedback between sexual selection and parental investment may be common.

Philippines' downstream sector poised for growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the Philippines' downstream sector is poised for sharp growth. Despite a slip in refined products demand in recent years, Philippines products demand will rebound sharply by 2000, East-West Center (EWC), Honolulu, predicts. Philippines planned refinery expansions are expected to meet that added demand, EWC Director Fereidun Fesharaki says. Like the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, product specifications are changing, but major refiners in the area expect to meet the changes without major case outlays. At the same time, Fesharaki says, push toward deregulation will further bolster the outlook for the Philippines downstream sector

Postcopulatory sexual selection is associated with reduced variation in sperm morphology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Calhim

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The evolutionary role of postcopulatory sexual selection in shaping male reproductive traits, including sperm morphology, is well documented in several taxa. However, previous studies have focused almost exclusively on the influence of sperm competition on variation among species. In this study we tested the hypothesis that intraspecific variation in sperm morphology is driven by the level of postcopulatory sexual selection in passerine birds.Using two proxy measures of sperm competition level, (i relative testes size and (ii extrapair paternity level, we found strong evidence that intermale variation in sperm morphology is negatively associated with the degree of postcopulatory sexual selection, independently of phylogeny.Our results show that the role of postcopulatory sexual selection in the evolution of sperm morphology extends to an intraspecific level, reducing the variation towards what might be a species-specific 'optimum' sperm phenotype. This finding suggests that while postcopulatory selection is generally directional (e.g., favouring longer sperm across avian species, it also acts as a stabilising evolutionary force within species under intense selection, resulting in reduced variation in sperm morphology traits. We discuss some potential evolutionary mechanisms for this pattern.

A floating trap for sampling downstream migrant fishes.

Science.gov (United States)

Carl E. McLemore; Fred H. Everest; William R. Humphreys; Mario F. Solazzi

1989-01-01

Fishery scientists and managers are interested in obtaining information about downstream movements of fish species for biological and economic reasons. Different types of nets and traps have been used for this purpose with only partial success. The floating, self-cleaning downstream migrant trap described here proved successful for sampling several salmoniform and...

Influence of peak flow changes on the macroinvertebrate drift downstream of a Brazilian hydroelectric dam.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, D M P; Hughes, R M; Callisto, M

2013-11-01

Successive daily peak flows from hydropower plants can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and alter the composition and structure of macroinvertebrates downstream. We evaluated the influence of peak flow changes on macroinvertebrate drift downstream of a hydroelectric plant as a basis for determining ecological flows that might reduce the disturbance of aquatic biota. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of flow fluctuations on the seasonal and daily drift patterns of macroinvertebrates. We collected macroinvertebrates during fixed flow rates (323 m3.s-1 in the wet season and 111 m3.s-1 in the dry season) and when peak flows fluctuated (378 to 481 m3.s-1 in the wet season, and 109 to 173 m3.s-1 in the dry season) in 2010. We collected 31,924 organisms belonging to 46 taxa in the four sampling periods. Taxonomic composition and densities of drifting invertebrates differed between fixed and fluctuating flows, in both wet and dry seasons, but family richness varied insignificantly. We conclude that macroinvertebrate assemblages downstream of dams are influenced by daily peak flow fluctuations. When making environmental flow decisions for dams, it would be wise to consider drifting macroinvertebrates because they reflect ecological changes in downstream biological assemblages.

Downstream reduction of rural channel size with contrasting urban effects in small coastal streams of southeastern Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Nanson, G. C.; Young, R. W.

1981-07-01

Although most streams show a downstream increase in channel size corresponding to a downstream increase in flood discharges, those flowing off the Illawarra escarpment of New South Wales show a marked reduction of channel size, accompanied by a down-stream increase in flood frequency in their lower reaches. Within the confined and steeply sloping valleys of the escarpment foothills, bed and bank sediments are relatively coarse and uncohesive, and channels increase in size, corresponding to increasing discharge downstream. However, once these streams emerge into more open rural valleys at lower slopes and are accompanied by extensive floodplains formed of fine cohesive sediment, there is a dramatic reduction in channel size. This decrease in channel size apparently results from a sudden decline in channel slope and associated stream power, the cohesive nature of downstream alluvium, its retention on the channel banks by a dense cover of pasture grasses, and the availability of an extensive floodplain to carry displaced floodwater. Under these conditions floodwaters very frequently spill out over the floodplain and the downstream channel-flow becomes a relatively unimportant component of the total peak discharge. This emphasizes the importance of these floodplains as a part of the total channel system. In situations where urban development has increased peak runoff and reduced the available area of effective floodplain, stream channels formed in this fine alluvium rapidly entrench and increase in cross-sectional area by 2-3 times. Minor man-induced channel alteration and maintenance appears to trigger this enlargement.

Evolutionary Feature Selection for Big Data Classification: A MapReduce Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Peralta

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, many disciplines have to deal with big datasets that additionally involve a high number of features. Feature selection methods aim at eliminating noisy, redundant, or irrelevant features that may deteriorate the classification performance. However, traditional methods lack enough scalability to cope with datasets of millions of instances and extract successful results in a delimited time. This paper presents a feature selection algorithm based on evolutionary computation that uses the MapReduce paradigm to obtain subsets of features from big datasets. The algorithm decomposes the original dataset in blocks of instances to learn from them in the map phase; then, the reduce phase merges the obtained partial results into a final vector of feature weights, which allows a flexible application of the feature selection procedure using a threshold to determine the selected subset of features. The feature selection method is evaluated by using three well-known classifiers (SVM, Logistic Regression, and Naive Bayes implemented within the Spark framework to address big data problems. In the experiments, datasets up to 67 millions of instances and up to 2000 attributes have been managed, showing that this is a suitable framework to perform evolutionary feature selection, improving both the classification accuracy and its runtime when dealing with big data problems.

Downstream-based Scheduling for Energy Conservation in Green EPONs

KAUST Repository

Chen, Shen; Dhaini, Ahmad R.; Ho, Pin-Han; Shihada, Basem; Shen, Gangxiang; Lin, Chih-Hao

2012-01-01

the ONU sleep time, it jeopardizes the quality of service (QoS) performance of the network, especially for downstream traffic in case the overlapping is based on the upstream time slot. In this paper, we study the downstream traffic performance in green

Downstream approaches to phosphorus management in agricultural landscapes: regional applicability and use.

Science.gov (United States)

Kröger, R; Dunne, E J; Novak, J; King, K W; McLellan, E; Smith, D R; Strock, J; Boomer, K; Tomer, M; Noe, G B

2013-01-01

This review provides a critical overview of conservation practices that are aimed at improving water quality by retaining phosphorus (P) downstream of runoff genesis. The review is structured around specific downstream practices that are prevalent in various parts of the United States. Specific practices that we discuss include the use of controlled drainage, chemical treatment of waters and soils, receiving ditch management, and wetlands. The review also focuses on the specific hydrology and biogeochemistry associated with each of those practices. The practices are structured sequentially along flowpaths as you move through the landscape, from the edge-of-field, to adjacent aquatic systems, and ultimately to downstream P retention. Often practices are region specific based on geology, cropping practices, and specific P related problems and thus require a right practice, and right place mentality to management. Each practice has fundamental P transport and retention processes by systems that can be optimized by management with the goal of reducing downstream P loading after P has left agricultural fields. The management of P requires a system-wide assessment of the stability of P in different biogeochemical forms (particulate vs. dissolved, organic vs. inorganic), in different storage pools (soil, sediment, streams etc.), and under varying biogeochemical and hydrological conditions that act to convert P from one form to another and promote its retention in or transport out of different landscape components. There is significant potential of hierarchically placing practices in the agricultural landscape and enhancing the associated P mitigation. But an understanding is needed of short- and long-term P retention mechanisms within a certain practice and incorporating maintenance schedules if necessary to improve P retention times and minimize exceeding retention capacity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of wall mass transfer characteristics downstream of an orifice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Gammal, M.; Ahmed, W.H.; Ching, C.Y.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Numerical simulations were performed for the mass transfer downstream of an orifice. ► The Low Reynolds Number K-ε turbulence model was used. ► The numerical results were in good agreement with existing experimental results. ► The maximum Sherwood number downstream of the orifice was significantly affected by the Reynolds number. ► The Sherwood number profile was well correlated with the turbulence kinetic energy profile close to the wall. - Abstract: Numerical simulations were performed to determine the effect of Reynolds number and orifice to pipe diameter ratio (d o /d) on the wall mass transfer rate downstream of an orifice. The simulations were performed for d o /d of 0.475 for Reynolds number up to 70,000. The effect of d o /d was determined by performing simulations at a Reynolds number of 70,000 for d o /d of 0.375, 0.475 and 0.575. The momentum and mass transport equations were solved using the Low Reynolds Number (LRN) K-ε turbulence model. The Sherwood number (Sh) profile downstream of the orifice was in relatively good agreement with existing experimental results. The Sh increases sharply downstream of the orifice, reaching a maximum within 1–2 diameters downstream of the orifice, before relaxing back to the fully developed pipe flow value. The Sh number well downstream of the orifice was in good agreement with results for fully developed pipe flow estimated from the correlation of . The peak Sh numbers from the simulations were higher than that predicted from and .

Selective catalytic reduction system and process for control of NO.sub.x emissions in a sulfur-containing gas stream

Science.gov (United States)

Sobolevskiy, Anatoly

2015-08-11

An exhaust gas treatment process, apparatus, and system for reducing the concentration of NOx, CO and hydrocarbons in a gas stream, such as an exhaust stream (29), via selective catalytic reduction with ammonia is provided. The process, apparatus and system include a catalytic bed (32) having a reducing only catalyst portion (34) and a downstream reducing-plus-oxidizing portion (36). Each portion (34, 36) includes an amount of tungsten. The reducing-plus-oxidizing catalyst portion (36) advantageously includes a greater amount of tungsten than the reducing catalyst portion (36) to markedly limit ammonia salt formation.

Corporate Governance and Human Resource Management in Nigeria’s Downstream Petroleum Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oyewunmi Olabode A.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The emergence of a ‘new world economy’ makes it imperative for corporate entities to adjust their corporate values, practices and internal processes. This paper explored the interrelatedness of selected corporate governance practices and human resource management outcomes. The paper relied on established corporate management theories as a platform for empirical consideration of selected issues relative to four established players in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector. A descriptive method was adopted and data was collected via a survey of 112 respondents. Contextual arguments were captured to achieve a robust appreciation of issues affecting individual participation and operations of corporate entities. The study found that there is a significant relationship between corporate governance practices and human resource management outcomes. Requisite conclusions and recommendations were provided in the light of empirical and theoretical findings.

DARHT-II Downstream Transport Beamline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westenskow, G A; Bertolini, L R; Duffy, P T; Paul, A C

2001-01-01

This paper describes the mechanical design of the downstream beam transport line for the second axis of the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT II) Facility. The DARHT-II project is a collaboration between LANL, LBNL and LLNL. DARHT II is a 18.4-MeV, 2000-Amperes, 2-(micro)sec linear induction accelerator designed to generate short bursts of x-rays for the purpose of radiographing dense objects. The downstream beam transport line is approximately 22-meter long region extending from the end of the accelerator to the bremsstrahlung target. Within this proposed transport line there are 12 conventional solenoid, quadrupole and dipole magnets; as well as several specialty magnets, which transport and focus the beam to the target and to the beam dumps. There are two high power beam dumps, which are designed to absorb 80-kJ per pulse during accelerator start-up and operation. Aspects of the mechanical design of these elements are presented

System and method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Uhm, Jong Ho; Ziminsky, Willy Steve; Johnson, Thomas Edward; Srinivasan, Shiva; York, William David

2016-11-29

A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap that extends radially across the combustor and includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A combustion chamber is downstream of the end cap, and tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. Each tube provides fluid communication through the end cap to the combustion chamber. The system further includes means for reducing combustion dynamics in the combustor. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through tubes that extend axially through an end cap that extends radially across the combustor and obstructing at least a portion of the working fluid flowing through a first set of the tubes.

India's Downstream Petroleum Sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

This study provides a holistic examination of pricing and investment dynamics in India's downstream petroleum sector. It analyses the current pricing practices, highlights the tremendous fiscal cost of current pricing and regulatory arrangements, and examines the sectoral investment dynamics. It also looks at potential paths towards market-based reform along which the Indian government may move, while at the same time protecting energy market access for India's large poor population.

Downstream ecological effects of dams: A geomorphic perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ligon, F.K.; Dietrich, W.E.; Trush, W.J.

1995-01-01

The damming of a river changes the flow of water, sediment, nutrients, energy, and biota, interrupting and altering most of a river's ecological processes. This article discusses the importance of geomorphological analysis in river conservation and management. To illustrate how subtle geomorphological adjustments may profoundly influence the ecological relationships downstream from dames, three case studies are presented. Then a geomorphically based approach for assessing and possibly mitigating some of the environmental effects of dams by tailoring dam designed and operation is outlined. The cases are as follows: channel simplification and salmon decline on the McKenzie River in Oregon; Channel incision and reduced floodplain inundation on the Oconee river in Georgia; Increased stability of a braided river in New Zealand's south island. 41 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab

Non-selective beta-blockers may reduce risk of hepatocellular carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thiele, Maja; Albillos, Agustín; Abazi, Rozeta

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) are used in patients with cirrhosis and oesophageal varices. Experimental data suggest that NSBB inhibit angiogenesis and reduce bacterial translocation, which may prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We therefore assessed the effect of NSBB...

Climate change issue table : petroleum downstream sector industry foundation paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crandall, G.R.; Kelly, S.J.; Kromm, R.B.; Prime, M.G.

1999-01-01

An analysis of the impact of the Kyoto Protocol on the Canadian downstream petroleum industry is presented. The downstream sector includes petroleum refining, plus all activities regarding distribution, marketing and retailing of petroleum products. In 1990, the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions resulting from the production and consumption of petroleum products were about 207 megatons which is about 45 per cent of total Canadian CO 2 emissions. This report includes the analysis of the Base Case and the Kyoto Case. The Base Case is premised on the implementation of fuel sulphur reductions to meet cleaner fuels requirements and an enhanced program of refinery efficiency initiatives. Under the Base Case assumptions the CO 2 emissions from refinery operations in 2010 would be about 3.4 below 1990 levels. The Kyoto Case was developed on the basis of reductions in Canadian petroleum product demand that would be sufficient to achieve a 6 per cent reduction in GHG emissions from the production and consumption of petroleum products relative to 1990 levels. The model demonstrates the dramatic economic impact of the Kyoto Case reductions on the Canadian downstream petroleum sector. Investment requirements for capital improvements to further distillate production and to further desulphurization are estimated at $ 1.5 billion between 2005 and 2015. The reduced volume of gasoline sales would be expected to result in rationalization of retail outlets, resulting in the closure of some 2,000 retail outlets with a combined loss of about 12,000 jobs. It is suggested that similar impact in other countries that are signatory to the Kyoto Protocol could result in the shift of refining, refining industry jobs and related economic benefits to countries which are not participants in the Kyoto Protocol. 14 tabs., 6 figs., 5 appendices

The role of headwater streams in downstream water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, R.B.; Boyer, E.W.; Smith, R.A.; Schwarz, G.E.; Moore, R.B.

2007-01-01

Knowledge of headwater influences on the water-quality and flow conditions of downstream waters is essential to water-resource management at all governmental levels; this includes recent court decisions on the jurisdiction of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) over upland areas that contribute to larger downstream water bodies. We review current watershed research and use a water-quality model to investigate headwater influences on downstream receiving waters. Our evaluations demonstrate the intrinsic connections of headwaters to landscape processes and downstream waters through their influence on the supply, transport, and fate of water and solutes in watersheds. Hydrological processes in headwater catchments control the recharge of subsurface water stores, flow paths, and residence times of water throughout landscapes. The dynamic coupling of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in upland streams further controls the chemical form, timing, and longitudinal distances of solute transport to downstream waters. We apply the spatially explicit, mass-balance watershed model SPARROW to consider transport and transformations of water and nutrients throughout stream networks in the northeastern United States. We simulate fluxes of nitrogen, a primary nutrient that is a water-quality concern for acidification of streams and lakes and eutrophication of coastal waters, and refine the model structure to include literature observations of nitrogen removal in streams and lakes. We quantify nitrogen transport from headwaters to downstream navigable waters, where headwaters are defined within the model as first-order, perennial streams that include flow and nitrogen contributions from smaller, intermittent and ephemeral streams. We find that first-order headwaters contribute approximately 70% of the mean-annual water volume and 65% of the nitrogen flux in second-order streams. Their contributions to mean water volume and nitrogen flux decline only marginally to about 55% and

Environmental hedging: A theory and method for reconciling reservoir operations for downstream ecology and water supply

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, L. E.; Lund, J. R.; Moyle, P. B.; Quiñones, R. M.; Herman, J. D.; O'Rear, T. A.

2017-09-01

Building reservoir release schedules to manage engineered river systems can involve costly trade-offs between storing and releasing water. As a result, the design of release schedules requires metrics that quantify the benefit and damages created by releases to the downstream ecosystem. Such metrics should support making operational decisions under uncertain hydrologic conditions, including drought and flood seasons. This study addresses this need and develops a reservoir operation rule structure and method to maximize downstream environmental benefit while meeting human water demands. The result is a general approach for hedging downstream environmental objectives. A multistage stochastic mixed-integer nonlinear program with Markov Chains, identifies optimal "environmental hedging," releases to maximize environmental benefits subject to probabilistic seasonal hydrologic conditions, current, past, and future environmental demand, human water supply needs, infrastructure limitations, population dynamics, drought storage protection, and the river's carrying capacity. Environmental hedging "hedges bets" for drought by reducing releases for fish, sometimes intentionally killing some fish early to reduce the likelihood of large fish kills and storage crises later. This approach is applied to Folsom reservoir in California to support survival of fall-run Chinook salmon in the lower American River for a range of carryover and initial storage cases. Benefit is measured in terms of fish survival; maintaining self-sustaining native fish populations is a significant indicator of ecosystem function. Environmental hedging meets human demand and outperforms other operating rules, including the current Folsom operating strategy, based on metrics of fish extirpation and water supply reliability.

Novel Strategies for Upstream and Downstream Processing of Tannin Acyl Hydrolase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis V. Rodríguez-Durán

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Tannin acyl hydrolase also referred as tannase is an enzyme with important applications in several science and technology fields. Due to its hydrolytic and synthetic properties, tannase could be used to reduce the negative effects of tannins in beverages, food, feed, and tannery effluents, for the production of gallic acid from tannin-rich materials, the elucidation of tannin structure, and the synthesis of gallic acid esters in nonaqueous media. However, industrial applications of tannase are still very limited due to its high production cost. Thus, there is a growing interest in the production, recovery, and purification of this enzyme. Recently, there have been published a number of papers on the improvement of upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme. These papers dealt with the search for new tannase producing microorganisms, the application of novel fermentation systems, optimization of culture conditions, the production of the enzyme by recombinant microorganism, and the design of efficient protocols for tannase recovery and purification. The present work reviews the state of the art of basic and biotechnological aspects of tannin acyl hydrolase, focusing on the recent advances in the upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme.

Novel strategies for upstream and downstream processing of tannin acyl hydrolase.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Durán, Luis V; Valdivia-Urdiales, Blanca; Contreras-Esquivel, Juan C; Rodríguez-Herrera, Raúl; Aguilar, Cristóbal N

2011-01-01

Tannin acyl hydrolase also referred as tannase is an enzyme with important applications in several science and technology fields. Due to its hydrolytic and synthetic properties, tannase could be used to reduce the negative effects of tannins in beverages, food, feed, and tannery effluents, for the production of gallic acid from tannin-rich materials, the elucidation of tannin structure, and the synthesis of gallic acid esters in nonaqueous media. However, industrial applications of tannase are still very limited due to its high production cost. Thus, there is a growing interest in the production, recovery, and purification of this enzyme. Recently, there have been published a number of papers on the improvement of upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme. These papers dealt with the search for new tannase producing microorganisms, the application of novel fermentation systems, optimization of culture conditions, the production of the enzyme by recombinant microorganism, and the design of efficient protocols for tannase recovery and purification. The present work reviews the state of the art of basic and biotechnological aspects of tannin acyl hydrolase, focusing on the recent advances in the upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme.

DENSITY FLUCTUATIONS UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF INTERPLANETARY SHOCKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pitňa, A.; Šafránková, J.; Němeček, Z.; Goncharov, O.; Němec, F.; Přech, L. [Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holešovičkách 2, 180 00 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Chen, C. H. K. [Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Zastenker, G. N., E-mail: jana.safrankova@mff.cuni.cz [Space Research Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, Profsoyuznaya ul. 84/32, Moscow 117997 (Russian Federation)

2016-03-01

Interplanetary (IP) shocks as typical large-scale disturbances arising from processes such as stream–stream interactions or Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection (ICME) launching play a significant role in the energy redistribution, dissipation, particle heating, acceleration, etc. They can change the properties of the turbulent cascade on shorter scales. We focus on changes of the level and spectral properties of ion flux fluctuations upstream and downstream of fast forward oblique shocks. Although the fluctuation level increases by an order of magnitude across the shock, the spectral slope in the magnetohydrodynamic range is conserved. The frequency spectra upstream of IP shocks are the same as those in the solar wind (if not spoiled by foreshock waves). The spectral slopes downstream are roughly proportional to the corresponding slopes upstream, suggesting that the properties of the turbulent cascade are conserved across the shock; thus, the shock does not destroy the shape of the spectrum as turbulence passes through it. Frequency spectra downstream of IP shocks often exhibit “an exponential decay” in the ion kinetic range that was earlier reported at electron scales in the solar wind or at ion scales in the interstellar medium. We suggest that the exponential shape of ion flux spectra in this range is caused by stronger damping of the fluctuations in the downstream region.

Dissection of Signaling Events Downstream of the c-Mpl Receptor in Murine Hematopoietic Stem Cells Via Motif-Engineered Chimeric Receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Saka, Koichiro; Lai, Chen-Yi; Nojima, Masanori; Kawahara, Masahiro; Otsu, Makoto; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu; Nagamune, Teruyuki

2018-02-01

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a valuable resource in transplantation medicine. Cytokines are often used to culture HSCs aiming at better clinical outcomes through enhancement of HSC reconstitution capability. Roles for each signal molecule downstream of receptors in HSCs, however, remain puzzling due to complexity of the cytokine-signaling network. Engineered receptors that are non-responsive to endogenous cytokines represent an attractive tool for dissection of signaling events. We here tested a previously developed chimeric receptor (CR) system in primary murine HSCs, target cells that are indispensable for analysis of stem cell activity. Each CR contains tyrosine motifs that enable selective activation of signal molecules located downstream of the c-Mpl receptor upon stimulation by an artificial ligand. Signaling through a control CR with a wild-type c-Mpl cytoplasmic tail sufficed to enhance HSC proliferation and colony formation in cooperation with stem cell factor (SCF). Among a series of CRs, only one compatible with selective Stat5 activation showed similar positive effects. The HSCs maintained ex vivo in these environments retained long-term reconstitution ability following transplantation. This ability was also demonstrated in secondary recipients, indicating effective transmission of stem cell-supportive signals into HSCs via these artificial CRs during culture. Selective activation of Stat5 through CR ex vivo favored preservation of lymphoid potential in long-term reconstituting HSCs, but not of myeloid potential, exemplifying possible dissection of signals downstream of c-Mpl. These CR systems therefore offer a useful tool to scrutinize complex signaling pathways in HSCs.

System and method for reducing combustion dynamics and NO.sub.x in a combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Uhm, Jong H.; Johnson, Thomas Edward

2015-11-20

A system for reducing combustion dynamics and NO.sub.x in a combustor includes a tube bundle that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor, wherein the tube bundle comprises an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A shroud circumferentially surrounds the upstream and downstream surfaces. A plurality of tubes extends through the tube bundle from the upstream surface through the downstream surface, wherein the downstream surface is stepped to produce tubes having different lengths through the tube bundle. A method for reducing combustion dynamics and NO.sub.x in a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through a plurality of tubes radially arranged between an upstream surface and a downstream surface of an end cap that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor, wherein the downstream surface is stepped.

Critical effects of downstream boundary conditions on vortex breakdown

Science.gov (United States)

Kandil, Osama; Kandil, Hamdy A.; Liu, C. H.

1992-01-01

The unsteady, compressible, full Navier-Stokes (NS) equations are used to study the critical effects of the downstream boundary conditions on the supersonic vortex breakdown. The present study is applied to two supersonic vortex breakdown cases. In the first case, quasi-axisymmetric supersonic swirling flow is considered in a configured circular duct, and in the second case, quasi-axisymmetric supersonic swirling jet, that is issued from a nozzle into a supersonic jet of lower Mach number, is considered. For the configured duct flow, four different types of downstream boundary conditions are used, and for the swirling jet flow from the nozzle, two types of downstream boundary conditions are used. The solutions are time accurate which are obtained using an implicit, upwind, flux-difference splitting, finite-volume scheme.

THE INFLUENCE OF SPECIFIC EXPENSES OF SPILLWAY DAM ON NOT ROCK THE BASIS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EROSION OF THE RIVERBED DOWNSTREAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. A. Kurbanova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available When you select a specific consumption of the dam, the corresponding minimum Noah value crest front of the dam, it is necessary to take into account possible changes of the water level regime due to a General erosion of the river channel for attaching in the downstream. Considering this circumstance, has developed a methodology and computer program for calculation of total washout of the bottom of the riverbed downstream waterworks depending on the specific consumption of the dam. In the course of the research were graphic and analytical depending on the impact of specific economical expenditure on the depth of the total washout for fastening downstream of the spillway dam.

Cladding Heatup Prediction between Spacer Grids for the Downstream Effect Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J. Y.; Kim, M. W.

2009-01-01

Since a recirculation sump clogging issue by debris generated from high energy pipe line break had been invoked as GSI-191 in the US, many researches on this issue have been undertaken. Previous researches on this topic are well summarized in Bang et al. Due to comprehensive nature of the issue, it includes many area of research and one of them is the area of downstream effect evaluation. The downstream effect is involved with adverse effects of debris passing the sump screen on the downstream systems, components and piping including core and it can be further divided into an ex-vessel downstream effect and an in-vessel downstream effect. In the ex-vessel downstream effect, focus is laid on plugging of spray nozzle, wearing and abrasion of moving parts of pump and valve and etc. Otherwise, a debris effect on reactor core is focused in the in-vessel downstream effect. Since debris can be ingested in the core or the systems of downstream of sump screen during recirculation, basically the downstream effect influences long-term core cooling phase. With respect to the in-vessel downstream effect, an up-to-date evaluation methodology is well summarized in a topical report submitted to the US nuclear regulatory commission by the pressurized water reactor owners group (PWROG). The report evaluates various aspects of debris ingestion in the core such as blockage at the core inlet, collection of debris on fuel grids, plating-out of fuel, chemical precipitants, protective coatings effect and etc. Most of them are evaluated qualitative manner based on previous research results and geometrical consideration on fuel rod bundles but some of them are also backed up by quantitative calculations to corroborate the qualitative decisions. One of them is a cladding heatup calculation between spacer grids. This is done to demonstrate that the cladding temperature of a fuel rod between grids with debris deposited on the clad surface in a post- LOCA recirculation environment is below

Mortality of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, veligers during downstream transport

Science.gov (United States)

Horvath, T.G.; Lamberti, G.A.

1999-01-01

1. Streams flowing from lakes which contain zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, provide apparently suitable habitats for mussel colonization and downstream range expansion, yet most such streams contain few adult mussels. We postulated that mussel veligers experience high mortality during dispersal via downstream transport. They tested this hypothesis in Christiana Creek, a lake-outlet stream in south-western Michigan, U.S.A., in which adult mussel density declined exponentially with distance downstream. 2. A staining technique using neutral red was developed and tested to distinguish quickly live and dead veligers. Live and dead veligers were distinguishable after an exposure of fresh samples to 13.3 mg L-1 of neutral red for 3 h. 3. Neutral red was used to determine the proportion of live veligers in samples taken longitudinally along Christiana Creek. The proportion of live veligers (mean ?? SE) declined from 90 ?? 3% at the lake outlet to 40 ?? 8% 18 km downstream. 4. Veligers appear to be highly susceptible to damage by physical forces (e.g. shear), and therefore, mortality in turbulent streams could be an important mechanism limiting zebra mussel dispersal to downstream reaches. Predictions of zebra mussel spread and population growth should consider lake-stream linkages and high mortality in running waters.

Mercury exposure in terrestrial birds far downstream of an historical point source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, Allyson K., E-mail: allyson.jackson@briloon.org [Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038 (United States); Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States); Evers, David C.; Folsom, Sarah B. [Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038 (United States); Condon, Anne M. [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6669 Short Lane, Gloucester, VA 23061 (United States); Diener, John; Goodrick, Lizzie F. [Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038 (United States); McGann, Andrew J. [Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States); Schmerfeld, John [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6669 Short Lane, Gloucester, VA 23061 (United States); Cristol, Daniel A. [Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States)

2011-12-15

Mercury (Hg) is a persistent environmental contaminant found in many freshwater and marine ecosystems. Historical Hg contamination in rivers can impact the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem, but there is little known about how far downstream this contamination persists. In 2009, we sampled terrestrial forest songbirds at five floodplain sites up to 137 km downstream of an historical source of Hg along the South and South Fork Shenandoah Rivers (Virginia, USA). We found that blood total Hg concentrations remained elevated over the entire sampling area and there was little evidence of decline with distance. While it is well known that Hg is a pervasive and long-lasting aquatic contaminant, it has only been recently recognized that it also biomagnifies effectively in floodplain forest food webs. This study extends the area of concern for terrestrial habitats near contaminated rivers for more than 100 km downstream from a waterborne Hg point source. - Highlights: > We report blood mercury levels for terrestrial songbirds downstream of contamination. > Blood mercury levels remain elevated above reference for at least 137 km downstream. > Trends vary based on foraging guild and migration strategy. > Mercury affects terrestrial biota farther downstream than previously documented. - Blood mercury levels of forest songbirds remain elevated above reference levels for at least 137 km downstream of historical point source.

Model Insensitive and Calibration Independent Method for Determination of the Downstream Neutral Hydrogen Density Through Ly-alpha Glow Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Gangopadhyay, P.; Judge, D. L.

1996-01-01

Our knowledge of the various heliospheric phenomena (location of the solar wind termination shock, heliopause configuration and very local interstellar medium parameters) is limited by uncertainties in the available heliospheric plasma models and by calibration uncertainties in the observing instruments. There is, thus, a strong motivation to develop model insensitive and calibration independent methods to reduce the uncertainties in the relevant heliospheric parameters. We have developed such a method to constrain the downstream neutral hydrogen density inside the heliospheric tail. In our approach we have taken advantage of the relative insensitivity of the downstream neutral hydrogen density profile to the specific plasma model adopted. We have also used the fact that the presence of an asymmetric neutral hydrogen cavity surrounding the sun, characteristic of all neutral densities models, results in a higher multiple scattering contribution to the observed glow in the downstream region than in the upstream region. This allows us to approximate the actual density profile with one which is spatially uniform for the purpose of calculating the downstream backscattered glow. Using different spatially constant density profiles, radiative transfer calculations are performed, and the radial dependence of the predicted glow is compared with the observed I/R dependence of Pioneer 10 UV data. Such a comparison bounds the large distance heliospheric neutral hydrogen density in the downstream direction to a value between 0.05 and 0.1/cc.

Long term selection for reduced or increased pecking behaviour in laying hens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buitenhuis, A J; Kjaer, J B

2008-01-01

Feather pecking in laying hens is an important issue in animal welfare. Four studies in laying hens were selected which investigated increased or reduced pecking behaviour using direct or indirect measures of feather pecking behaviour. Direct comparison of the selected experiments is difficult......, as the selection criteria and even the selection procedures varied. Keeping these differences in mind, the results of the experiments showed that a) It is possible to change pecking behaviour in the desired direction using selection, b) Aggressive pecking is not related to feather pecking, c) There is no clear...... that dopamine also plays a role in the regulation of pecking behaviour, and finally e) There are differences between the selected lines and their control lines with regard to the immune parameters both in the individual selected lines as the group selected lines, indicating that direct as well as indirect...

System and method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Uhm, Jong Ho; Johnson, Thomas Edward; Zuo, Baifang; York, William David

2013-08-20

A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap having an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface, and tube bundles extend through the end cap. A diluent supply in fluid communication with the end cap provides diluent flow to the end cap. Diluent distributors circumferentially arranged inside at least one tube bundle extend downstream from the downstream surface and provide fluid communication for the diluent flow through the end cap. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing fuel through tube bundles that extend axially through an end cap, flowing a diluent through diluent distributors into a combustion chamber, wherein the diluent distributors are circumferentially arranged inside at least one tube bundle and each diluent distributor extends downstream from the end cap, and forming a diluent barrier in the combustion chamber between at least one pair of adjacent tube bundles.

Energy deposition in a thin copper target downstream and off-axis of a proton-radiography target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, G.A.; Finfrock, C.C.; Snead, C.L.; Hanson, A.L.; Murray, M.M.

2002-01-01

A series of proton energy-deposition experiments was conducted to measure the energy deposited in a copper target located downstream and off-axis of a high-energy proton-radiography target. The proton/target interactions involved low-intensity bunches of protons at 24 GeV/c onto a spherical target consisting of concentric shells of tungsten and copper. The energy-deposition target was placed at five locations downstream of the proton-radiography target, off-axis of the primary beam transport, and was either unshielded or shielded by 5 or 10 cm of lead. Maximum temperature rises measured in the energy-deposition target due to single bunches of 5x10 10 protons on the proton-radiography target were approximately 20 mK per bunch. The data indicated that the scattered radiation was concentrated close to the primary transport axis of the beam line. The energy deposited in the energy-deposition target was reduced by moving the target radially away from the primary transport axis. Placing lead shielding in front of the target further reduced the energy deposition. The measured temperature rises of the energy-deposition target were empirically correlated with the distance from the source, the number of protons incident on the proton-radiography target, the thickness of the lead shielding, and the angle of the energy-deposition target off-axis of the beam line from the proton-radiography target. The correlation of the experimental data that was developed provides a starting point for the evaluation of the shielding requirements for devices downstream of proton-radiography targets such as superconducting magnets

Mercury exposure in terrestrial birds far downstream of an historical point source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, Allyson K.; Evers, David C.; Folsom, Sarah B.; Condon, Anne M.; Diener, John; Goodrick, Lizzie F.; McGann, Andrew J.; Schmerfeld, John; Cristol, Daniel A.

2011-01-01

Mercury (Hg) is a persistent environmental contaminant found in many freshwater and marine ecosystems. Historical Hg contamination in rivers can impact the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem, but there is little known about how far downstream this contamination persists. In 2009, we sampled terrestrial forest songbirds at five floodplain sites up to 137 km downstream of an historical source of Hg along the South and South Fork Shenandoah Rivers (Virginia, USA). We found that blood total Hg concentrations remained elevated over the entire sampling area and there was little evidence of decline with distance. While it is well known that Hg is a pervasive and long-lasting aquatic contaminant, it has only been recently recognized that it also biomagnifies effectively in floodplain forest food webs. This study extends the area of concern for terrestrial habitats near contaminated rivers for more than 100 km downstream from a waterborne Hg point source. - Highlights: → We report blood mercury levels for terrestrial songbirds downstream of contamination. → Blood mercury levels remain elevated above reference for at least 137 km downstream. → Trends vary based on foraging guild and migration strategy. → Mercury affects terrestrial biota farther downstream than previously documented. - Blood mercury levels of forest songbirds remain elevated above reference levels for at least 137 km downstream of historical point source.

Density dependence triggers runaway selection of reduced senescence.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert M Seymour

2007-12-01

Full Text Available In the presence of exogenous mortality risks, future reproduction by an individual is worth less than present reproduction to its fitness. Senescent aging thus results inevitably from transferring net fertility into younger ages. Some long-lived organisms appear to defy theory, however, presenting negligible senescence (e.g., hydra and extended lifespans (e.g., Bristlecone Pine. Here, we investigate the possibility that the onset of vitality loss can be delayed indefinitely, even accepting the abundant evidence that reproduction is intrinsically costly to survival. For an environment with constant hazard, we establish that natural selection itself contributes to increasing density-dependent recruitment losses. We then develop a generalized model of accelerating vitality loss for analyzing fitness optima as a tradeoff between compression and spread in the age profile of net fertility. Across a realistic spectrum of senescent age profiles, density regulation of recruitment can trigger runaway selection for ever-reducing senescence. This novel prediction applies without requirement for special life-history characteristics such as indeterminate somatic growth or increasing fecundity with age. The evolution of nonsenescence from senescence is robust to the presence of exogenous adult mortality, which tends instead to increase the age-independent component of vitality loss. We simulate examples of runaway selection leading to negligible senescence and even intrinsic immortality.

Potential GLOF Hazards and Initiatives taken to minimize its Impacts on Downstream Communities and Infrastructures in Nepal Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, D.; Kargel, J. S.; Leonard, G. J.; Haritashya, U. K.; Karki, A.; Poudyal, S.

2017-12-01

With long-term temperature increases due to climate change, glacier lakes in several parts of the world are a fast-developing threat to infrastructure and downstream communities. There are more than 2000 glacier lakes in Nepal; while most pose no significant hazard to people, a comparative few are very dangerous, such as Tso Rolpa, Imja, Barun and Thulagi glacier lakes. The objectives of this study are to present 1) a review of prior glacier lake studies that have been carried out in the Nepal Himalaya; 2) recent research results, including bathymetric studies of the lakes; 3) a summary of possible infrastructure damages, especially multi-million-dollar hydropower projects, that are under threat of glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs); 4) to present the outcome of the recently completed Imja lake lowering project, which is the highest altitude lake ever controlled by lowering the water level. This project is being undertaken as a response to a scientific ground-based bathymetric and geophysical survey funded by the United Nations Development Program and a satellite-based study of the long-term development of the lake (funded by NASA's SERVIR program, J. Kargel, PI). The objective of the Imja Lake GLOF mitigation project is to lower the water level by three meters to reduce the lake volume, increase the freeboard, and improve the safety of tourism, downstream communities, and the infrastructure of Nepal's Everest region. This GLOF mitigation step taken by Nepal's government to reduce the risk of an outburst flood is a good step to reduce the chances of a GLOF, and to reduce the magnitude of a disaster if a GLOF nonetheless occurs despite our best efforts. We will also present the prospects for the future of Imja Lake, including an outline of possible steps that could further reduce the hazards faced by downstream communities and infrastructure. Key words: Glacier Lakes; GLOF; Hydropower; Imja lake; lake lowering

MicroRNA-145 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting IRS1 and its downstream Akt signaling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yelin [Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Hu, Chen; Cheng, Jun [Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Chen, Binquan [Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Ke, Qinghong; Lv, Zhen; Wu, Jian [Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Zhou, Yanfeng, E-mail: zyfhdj@yahoo.com [Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China)

2014-04-18

Highlights: • MiR-145 expression is down-regulated in HCC tissues and inversely related with IRS1 levels. • MiR-145 directly targets IRS1 in HCC cells. • Restored expression of miR-145 suppressed HCC cell proliferation and growth. • MiR-145 induced IRS1 under-expression potentially reduced downstream AKT signaling. - Abstract: Accumulating evidences have proved that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is involved in cancer initiation and progression. In this study, we showed that miRNA-145 level was significantly decreased in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) tissues and cell lines, and its low expression was inversely associated with the abundance of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), a key mediator in oncogenic insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling. We verified IRS1 as a direct target of miR-145 using Western blotting and luciferase reporter assay. Further, the restoration of miR-145 in HCC cell lines suppressed cancer cell growth, owing to down-regulated IRS1 expression and its downstream Akt/FOXO1 signaling. Our results demonstrated that miR-145 could inhibit HCC through targeting IRS1 and its downstream signaling, implicating the loss of miR-145 regulation may be a potential molecular mechanism causing aberrant oncogenic signaling in HCC.

Marker Assisted Selection can Reduce True as well as Pedigree Estimated Inbreeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, L D; Sørensen, A C; Berg, P

2009-01-01

This study investigated whether selection using genotype information reduced the rate and level of true inbreeding, that is, identity by descent, at a selectively neutral locus as well as a locus under selection compared with traditional BLUP selection. In addition, the founder representation...... each of 40 herds. Selection was performed using BLUP, marker-assisted, or gene-assisted selection for a trait with low heritability (h2 = 0.04) only expressed in females, mimicking a health trait. The simulated genome consisted of 2 chromosomes. One biallelic quantitative trait loci (QTL......) with an initial frequency of the favorable allele of 0.1, and initially explaining 25% of the genetic variance as well as 4 markers were simulated in linkage disequilibrium, all positioned at chromosome 1. Chromosome 2 was selectively neutral, and consisted of a single neutral locus. The results showed...

Influence of Upstream and Downstream Compressor Stators on Rotor Exit Flow Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole L. Key

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Measurements acquired at the rotor exit plane illuminate the interaction of the rotor with the upstream vane row and the downstream vane row. The relative phase of the upstream and downstream vane rows is adjusted using vane clocking so that the effect of the upstream propagating potential field from the downstream stator can be distinguished from the effects associated with the wakes shed from the upstream stator. Unsteady absolute flow angle information shows that the downstream potential field causes the absolute flow angle to increase in the vicinity of the downstream stator leading edge. The presence of Stator 1 wake is also detected at this measurement plane using unsteady total pressure data. The rotor wakes are measured at different circumferential locations across the vane passage, and the influence of Stator 1 wake on the suction side of the rotor wake is evident. Also, the influence of the downstream stator is detected on the pressure side of the rotor wake for a particular clocking configuration. Understanding the role of the surrounding vane rows on rotor wake development will lead to improved comparison between experimental data and results from computational models.

Influence of Copper Ore Comminution in HPGR on Downstream Minerallurgical Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saramak D.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Crushing processes taking place in high-pressure grinding rolls devices (HPGR are currently one of the most efficient methods of hard ore size reduction in terms of the energy consumption. The HPGR products are characterized by a fine particle size and the micro-cracks formation in individual particles, which appears in downstream grinding processes, decreasing their energy consumption. The purpose of the paper was to analyze the effectiveness of a ball mill grinding process and flotation operations depending on the changeable conditions of run of the HPGR crushing process. The research programme carried out included crushing tests in the laboratory scale HPGR device at various settings of the operating pressure volume and selected qualitative properties of the feed material (i.e. particle size distribution. On the basis of obtained results the models, defining the grinding process effectiveness as a function of changeable conditions of HPGR process run, were determined. Based on these models the optimal grinding time in a ball mill was specified which is, in turn, the basis for optimization of operation the technological comminution circuits for a given material type. The obtained results proved that the application of HPGR devices in given copper ore comminution circuit may improve the effectiveness of downstream grinding process what leads to improvement of the entire circuit work efficiency through decreasing the process energy consumption and enhancing the product size reduction.

Downstream anastomotic hyperplasia. A mechanism of failure in Dacron arterial grafts.

Science.gov (United States)

LoGerfo, F W; Quist, W C; Nowak, M D; Crawshaw, H M; Haudenschild, C C

1983-01-01

The precise location and progression of anastomotic hyperplasia and its possible relationship to flow disturbances was investigated in femoro-femoral Dacron grafts in 28 dogs. In 13 grafts, the outflow from the end-to-side downstream anastomosis was bidirectional (BDO), and in 15 it was unidirectional (UDO) (distally). Grafts were electively removed at intervals of two to 196 days or at the time of thrombosis. Each anastomosis and adjacent artery was perfusion-fixed and sectioned sagittally. The mean sagittal section was projected onto a digitized pad, and the total area of hyperplasia internal to the arterial internal elastic lamina and within the adjacent graft was integrated by computer. The location of the hyperplasia was compared with previously established sites of flow separation and stagnation. The observation was made that hyperplasia is significantly greater at the downstream, as compared with the upstream, anastomosis in both groups (BDO = p less than 0.001 and UDO = p less than 0.001) (analysis of variance for independent groups). Furthermore, this downstream hyperplasia was progressive with time (BDO p less than 0.01) (UDO p less than 0.01); Spearman Rank Correlation. There was no significant increase in the extent of downstream hyperplasia where flow separation was known to be greater (BDO). Five grafts failed (three BDO, two UDO), as a result of complete occlusion of the downstream anastomosis by fibrous hyperplasia. Transmission electron microscopy showed the hyperplasia to consist of collagen-producing smooth muscle cells. Anastomotic hyperplasia is significantly greater at the downstream anastomosis, is progressive with time, and is the primary cause of failure of Dacron arterial grafts in this model. Quantitative analysis of downstream anastomotic hyperplasia may be a valuable measure of the biocompatibility of Dacron grafts. Images Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. Fig. 7. Fig. 8. PMID:6219641

Propagation of temperature disturbances in bounded flows downstream of a nozzle block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krebs, L.

1979-12-01

The early detection of cooling disturbances in a fuel element of a sodium cooled reactor is a must for safety reasons. One possibility of achieving this goal is by measuring and analyzing the coolant temperature at the fuel element outlet. Assessment of the potential of this method requires knowledge of the flow phenomena downstream of the fuel element. As a fluid dynamics model of a fuel element a nozzle block is used, the bores of which correspond to the subchannels between the fuel rods. The studies are conducted in water which has kinematic properties comparable to those of sodium. The velocity and temperature fields downstream of the nozzle block are examined for two REYNOLDS numbers. To simulate a disturbed cooling condition, water with a temperature higher by ΔT anti T = 10 K is injected through one subchannel of the nozzle block. At the same time, the volume injected is varied. The central channel and one side channel close to the wall are selected as injection sites. Statisticl analysis of the measured velocity and temperature signals covers the following parameters: Linear averages, intensities, probability densities, spectral power densities, autocorrelation functions, integral turbulence lengths, dissipation lengths, dissipation, skewness and flatness values. On the basis of FOURIER's differential equation of heat conduction a theoretical model is developed to describe both the average temperature field and the intensity field in the flow downstream of the nozzle block. Comparison of measurements and calculations furnishes good agreement and indicates that extrapolation of the model to sodium as a fluid is possible. Supplementary to the measurements and calculations details of the water test rig and the anemometer measuring system used for velocity and temperature measurements are shown in the Appendix. (orig.) 891 GL/orig. 892 KN [de

Optogenetic analysis of a nociceptor neuron and network reveals ion channels acting downstream of primary sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Husson, Steven J.; Costa, Wagner Steuer; Wabnig, Sebastian; Stirman, Jeffrey N.; Watson, Joseph D.; Spencer, W. Clay; Akerboom, Jasper; Looger, Loren L.; Treinin, Millet; Miller, David M.; Lu, Hang; Gottschalk, Alexander

2012-01-01

Summary Background Nociception generally evokes rapid withdrawal behavior in order to protect the tissue from harmful insults. Most nociceptive neurons responding to mechanical insults display highly branched dendrites, an anatomy shared by Caenorhabditis elegans FLP and PVD neurons, which mediate harsh touch responses. Although several primary molecular nociceptive sensors have been characterized, less is known about modulation and amplification of noxious signals within nociceptor neurons. First, we analyzed the FLP/PVD network by optogenetics and studied integration of signals from these cells in downstream interneurons. Second, we investigated which genes modulate PVD function, based on prior single neuron mRNA profiling of PVD. Results Selectively photoactivating PVD, FLP and downstream interneurons using Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) enabled functionally dissecting this nociceptive network, without interfering signals by other mechanoreceptors. Forward or reverse escape behaviors were determined by PVD and FLP, via integration by command interneurons. To identify mediators of PVD function, acting downstream of primary nocisensor molecules, we knocked down PVD-specific transcripts by RNAi and quantified light-evoked PVD-dependent behavior. Cell-specific disruption of synaptobrevin or voltage-gated Ca2+-channels (VGCCs) showed that PVD signals chemically to command interneurons. Knocking down the DEG/ENaC channel ASIC-1 and the TRPM channel GTL-1 indicated that ASIC-1 may extend PVD’s dynamic range and that GTL-1 may amplify its signals. These channels act cell-autonomously in PVD, downstream of primary mechanosensory molecules. Conclusions Our work implicates TRPM channels in modifying excitability of, and DEG/ENaCs in potentiating signal output from a mechano-nociceptor neuron. ASIC-1 and GTL-1 homologues, if functionally conserved, may denote valid targets for novel analgesics. PMID:22483941

Sparse Reduced-Rank Regression for Simultaneous Dimension Reduction and Variable Selection

KAUST Repository

Chen, Lisha; Huang, Jianhua Z.

2012-01-01

and hence improves predictive accuracy. We propose to select relevant variables for reduced-rank regression by using a sparsity-inducing penalty. We apply a group-lasso type penalty that treats each row of the matrix of the regression coefficients as a group

On the benefits of location-based relay selection in mobile wireless networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jimmy Jessen; Madsen, Tatiana Kozlova; Schwefel, Hans-Peter

2016-01-01

We consider infrastructure-based mobile networks that are assisted by a single relay transmission where both the downstream destination and relay nodes are mobile. Selecting the optimal transmission path for a destination node requires up-to-date link quality estimates of all relevant links....... If the relay selection is based on link quality measurements, the number of links to update grows quadratically with the number of nodes, and measurements need to be updated frequently when nodes are mobile. In this paper, we consider a location-based relay selection scheme where link qualities are estimated...... from node positions; in the scenario of a node-based location system such as GPS, the location-based approach reduces signaling overhead, which in this case only grows linearly with the number of nodes. This paper studies these two relay selection approaches and investigates how they are affected...

Photoperiod control of downstream movements of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts

Science.gov (United States)

Zydlewski, Gayle B.; Stich, Daniel S.; McCormick, Stephen D.

2014-01-01

This study provides the first direct observations that photoperiod controls the initiation of downstream movement in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts. Under simulated natural day length (LDN) conditions and seasonal increases in temperature, smolts increased their downstream movements five-fold for a period of 1 month in late spring. Under the same conditions, parr did not show changes in downstream movement behaviour. When given a shortened day length (10L:14D) beginning in late winter, smolts did not increase the number of downstream movements. An early increase in day length (16L:8D) in late winter resulted in earlier initiation and termination of downstream movements compared to the LDN group. Physiological status and behaviour were related but not completely coincident: gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity increased in all treatments and thyroid hormone was elevated prior to movement in 16L:8D treatment. The most parsimonious model describing downstream movement of smolts included synergistic effects of photoperiod treatment and temperature, indicating that peak movements occurred at colder temperatures in the 16L:8D treatment than in LDN, and temperature did not influence movement of smolts in the 10L:14D treatment. The complicated interactions of photoperiod and temperature are not surprising since many organisms have evolved to rely on correlations among environmental cues and windows of opportunity to time behaviours associated with life-history transitions. These complicated interactions, however, have serious implications for phenological adjustments and persistence ofS. salar populations in response to climate change.

Operational optimization in the downstream; Otimizacao operacional no downstream

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silberman, Luis; Cunha, Filipe Silveira Ramos da [Petroleo Ipiranga, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

2004-07-01

On the present competitive down stream's market, there is a great necessity of optimization aiming to guarantee the best price and quality of our clients. Our goal is to attend these expectations while we guarantee an efficient operation. The greatest question is how far we are from the ideal model. This way, a lot of projects have been executed during the last years aiming the operational optimization of all our activities. We divide the projects in 4 areas: Logistic (new modals distribution), Transport (transport optimization - quality and more deliveries with less trucks), Client Support (Internet Ipiranga and Support Center), Distribution Terminals Productivity (automation and environment). This work intend to present our ideal, perfect and complete Downstream Operation model. We will talk about how close we are of this ideal model and we will present the projects that we had already developed and implanted on the automation of the terminals and the logistics area. (author)

Downstream Processability of Crystal Habit-Modified Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pudasaini, Nawin; Upadhyay, Pratik Pankaj; Parker, Christian Richard

2017-01-01

Efficient downstream processing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can depend strongly on their particulate properties, such as size and shape distributions. Especially in drug products with high API content, needle-like crystal habit of an API may show compromised flowability and tablet......Efficient downstream processing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can depend strongly on their particulate properties, such as size and shape distributions. Especially in drug products with high API content, needle-like crystal habit of an API may show compromised flowability...

Upstream-downstream cooperation approach in Guanting Reservoir watershed.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhi-Feng; Zhang, Wen-Guo

2005-01-01

A case study is introduced and discussed concerning water dispute of misuse and pollution between up- and down-stream parts. The relations between water usage and local industrial structures are analyzed. Results show it is important to change industrial structures of the target region along with controlling water pollution by technical and engineering methods. Three manners of upstream-downstream cooperation are presented and discussed based on the actual conditions of Guangting Reservoir watershed. Two typical scenarios are supposed and studied along with the local plan on water resources development. The best solution for this cooperation presents a good way to help the upstream developing in a new pattern of eco-economy.

Analysis of Petroleum Downstream Industry Potential in Riau Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomi Erfando

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Petroleum downstream industry in Riau Province is still not optimal. The data shows that from 98,892,755 barrels lifting oil each year only 62,050,000 barrels could be processed in refinery unit II Dumai operated by PT Pertamina. There is a potential of 35-40% of downstream industry. Indonesian Government through The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources declared the construction of a mini refinery to boost oil processing output in the downstream sector. A feasibility study of development plan mini refinery is needed. The study includes production capacity analysis, product analysis, development & operational refinery  analysis and economic analysis. The results obtained by the mini refinery capacity is planned to process crude oil 6000 BOPD with the products produced are gasoline, kerosene, diesel and oil. Investment cost consist of is capital cost US $ 104419784 and operating cost US $ 13766734 each year with net profit earned US $ 12330063/year and rate of return from investment 11.63%

Modulation of Extreme Flood Levels by Impoundment Significantly Offset by Floodplain Loss Downstream of the Three Gorges Dam

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Xuefei; Dai, Zhijun; Darby, Stephen E.; Gao, Shu; Wang, Jie; Jiang, Weiguo

2018-04-01

River flooding—the world's most significant natural hazard—is likely to increase under anthropogenic climate change. Most large rivers have been regulated by damming, but the extent to which these impoundments can mitigate extreme flooding remains uncertain. Here the catastrophic 2016 flood on the Changjiang River is first analyzed to assess the effects of both the Changjiang's reservoir cascade and the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), the world's largest hydraulic engineering project on downstream flood discharge and water levels. We show that the Changjiang's reservoir cascade impounded over 30.0 × 103 m3/s of flow at the peak of the flood on 25 July 2016, preventing the occurrence of what would otherwise have been the second largest flood ever recorded in the reach downstream of the TGD. Half of this flood water storage was retained by the TGD alone, meaning that impoundment by the TGD reduced peak water levels at the Datong hydrometric station (on 25 July) by 1.47 m, compared to pre-TGD conditions. However, downstream morphological changes, in particular, extensive erosion of the natural floodplain, offset this reduction in water level by 0.22 m, so that the full beneficial impact of floodwater retention by the TGD was not fully realized. Our results highlight how morphological adjustments downstream of large dams may inhibit their full potential to mitigate extreme flood risk.

Transport of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from an arctic glacier to downstream locations: implications for sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwok, Karen Y; Yamazaki, Eriko; Yamashita, Nobuyoshi; Taniyasu, Sachi; Murphy, Margaret B; Horii, Yuichi; Petrick, Gert; Kallerborn, Roland; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Murano, Kentaro; Lam, Paul K S

2013-03-01

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been globally detected in various environmental matrices, yet their fate and transport to the Arctic is still unclear, especially for the European Arctic. In this study, concentrations of 17 PFAS were quantified in two ice cores (n=26), surface snow (n=9) and surface water samples (n=14) collected along a spatial gradient in Svalbard, Norway. Concentrations of selected ions (Na(+), SO4(2-), etc.) were also determined for tracing the origins and sources of PFAS. Perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were the dominant compounds found in ice core samples. Taking PFOA, PFNA and perfluorooctane-sulfonate (PFOS) as examples, higher concentrations were detected in the middle layers of the ice cores representing the period of 1997-2000. Lower concentrations of C8-C12 perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) were detected in comparison with concentrations measured previously in an ice core from the Canadian Arctic, indicating that contamination levels in the European Arctic are lower. Average PFAS concentrations were found to be lower in surface snow and melted glacier water samples, while increased concentrations were observed in river water downstream near the coastal area. Perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) was detected in the downstream locations, but not in the glacier, suggesting existence of local sources of this compound. Long-range atmospheric transport of PFAS was the major deposition pathway for the glaciers, while local sources (e.g., skiing activities) were identified in the downstream locations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrodynamic properties and distribution of bait downstream of a zooplankton trap

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selander, Erik; Heuschele, Jan; Larsson, Ann I.

2017-01-01

The flow regime around a chemically baited trap is crucial for the trapping process and distribution of bait downstream of traps. We measured the flow field downstream of a trap prototype in flume experiments and mapped the distribution of bait using laser induced fluorescence. The trap produced ...

Selective population rate coding: a possible computational role of gamma oscillations in selective attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Naoki

2009-12-01

Selective attention is often accompanied by gamma oscillations in local field potentials and spike field coherence in brain areas related to visual, motor, and cognitive information processing. Gamma oscillations are implicated to play an important role in, for example, visual tasks including object search, shape perception, and speed detection. However, the mechanism by which gamma oscillations enhance cognitive and behavioral performance of attentive subjects is still elusive. Using feedforward fan-in networks composed of spiking neurons, we examine a possible role for gamma oscillations in selective attention and population rate coding of external stimuli. We implement the concept proposed by Fries ( 2005 ) that under dynamic stimuli, neural populations effectively communicate with each other only when there is a good phase relationship among associated gamma oscillations. We show that the downstream neural population selects a specific dynamic stimulus received by an upstream population and represents it by population rate coding. The encoded stimulus is the one for which gamma rhythm in the corresponding upstream population is resonant with the downstream gamma rhythm. The proposed role for gamma oscillations in stimulus selection is to enable top-down control, a neural version of time division multiple access used in communication engineering.

The effect of CD4 receptor downregulation and its downstream signaling molecules on HIV-1 latency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung-Chang; Kim, Hyeon Guk; Roh, Tae-Young; Park, Jihwan; Jung, Kyung-Min; Lee, Joo-Shil; Choi, Sang-Yun; Kim, Sung Soon; Choi, Byeong-Sun

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → CD4 receptors were downregulated on the surface of HIV-1 latently infected cells. → CD4 downstream signaling molecules were suppressed in HIV-1 latently infected cells. → HIV-1 progeny can be reactivated by induction of T-cell activation signal molecules. → H3K4me3 and H3K9ac were highly enriched in CD4 downstream signaling molecules. → HIV-1 latency can be maintained by the reduction of downstream signaling molecules. -- Abstract: HIV-1 can establish a latent infection in memory CD4 + T cells to evade the host immune response. CD4 molecules can act not only as the HIV-1 receptor for entry but also as the trigger in an intracellular signaling cascade for T-cell activation and proliferation via protein tyrosine kinases. Novel chronic HIV-1-infected A3.01-derived (NCHA) cells were used to examine the involvement of CD4 downstream signaling in HIV-1 latency. CD4 receptors in NCHA cells were dramatically downregulated on its surface but were slightly decreased in whole-cell lysates. The expression levels of CD4 downstream signaling molecules, including P56 Lck , ZAP-70, LAT, and c-Jun, were sharply decreased in NCHA cells. The lowered histone modifications of H3K4me3 and H3K9ac correlated with the downregulation of P56 Lck , ZAP-70, and LAT in NCHA cells. AP-1 binding activity was also reduced in NCHA cells. LAT and c-Jun suppressed in NCHA cells were highly induced after PMA treatment. In epigenetic analysis, other signal transduction molecules which are associated with active and/or latent HIV-1 infection showed normal states in HIV-1 latently infected cells compared to A3.01 cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the HIV-1 latent state is sustained by the reduction of downstream signaling molecules via the downregulation of CD4 and the attenuated activity of transcription factor as AP-1. The HIV-1 latency model via T-cell deactivation may provide some clues for the development of the new antireservoir therapy.

The effect of CD4 receptor downregulation and its downstream signaling molecules on HIV-1 latency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyung-Chang [National Institute of Health, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of); School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyeon Guk [National Institute of Health, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of); Roh, Tae-Young [Division of Molecular and Life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk (Korea, Republic of); Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jihwan [Division of Molecular and Life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Kyung-Min; Lee, Joo-Shil [National Institute of Health, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Sang-Yun [School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sung Soon [National Institute of Health, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Byeong-Sun, E-mail: byeongsun@korea.kr [National Institute of Health, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of)

2011-01-14

Research highlights: {yields} CD4 receptors were downregulated on the surface of HIV-1 latently infected cells. {yields} CD4 downstream signaling molecules were suppressed in HIV-1 latently infected cells. {yields} HIV-1 progeny can be reactivated by induction of T-cell activation signal molecules. {yields} H3K4me3 and H3K9ac were highly enriched in CD4 downstream signaling molecules. {yields} HIV-1 latency can be maintained by the reduction of downstream signaling molecules. -- Abstract: HIV-1 can establish a latent infection in memory CD4 + T cells to evade the host immune response. CD4 molecules can act not only as the HIV-1 receptor for entry but also as the trigger in an intracellular signaling cascade for T-cell activation and proliferation via protein tyrosine kinases. Novel chronic HIV-1-infected A3.01-derived (NCHA) cells were used to examine the involvement of CD4 downstream signaling in HIV-1 latency. CD4 receptors in NCHA cells were dramatically downregulated on its surface but were slightly decreased in whole-cell lysates. The expression levels of CD4 downstream signaling molecules, including P56{sup Lck}, ZAP-70, LAT, and c-Jun, were sharply decreased in NCHA cells. The lowered histone modifications of H3K4me3 and H3K9ac correlated with the downregulation of P56{sup Lck}, ZAP-70, and LAT in NCHA cells. AP-1 binding activity was also reduced in NCHA cells. LAT and c-Jun suppressed in NCHA cells were highly induced after PMA treatment. In epigenetic analysis, other signal transduction molecules which are associated with active and/or latent HIV-1 infection showed normal states in HIV-1 latently infected cells compared to A3.01 cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the HIV-1 latent state is sustained by the reduction of downstream signaling molecules via the downregulation of CD4 and the attenuated activity of transcription factor as AP-1. The HIV-1 latency model via T-cell deactivation may provide some clues for the development of the new

The downstream externalities of harvesting rainwater in semi-arid watersheds: an Indian case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouma, J.A.; Biggs, T.W.; Bouwer, L.M.

2011-01-01

Water-related investment projects affect downstream water availability, and therefore should account for these externalities. Few projects do, however, owing to lack of awareness, lack of data and difficulty in linking upstream investments to downstream effects. This article assesses the downstream

Methylation of Hg downstream from the Bonanza Hg mine, Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, John E.; Hines, Mark E.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Thoms, Bryn

2012-01-01

Speciation of Hg and conversion to methyl-Hg were evaluated in stream sediment, stream water, and aquatic snails collected downstream from the Bonanza Hg mine, Oregon. Total production from the Bonanza mine was >1360t of Hg, during mining from the late 1800s to 1960, ranking it as an intermediate sized Hg mine on an international scale. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution, transport, and methylation of Hg downstream from a Hg mine in a coastal temperate climatic zone. Data shown here for methyl-Hg, a neurotoxin hazardous to humans, are the first reported for sediment and water from this area. Stream sediment collected from Foster Creek flowing downstream from the Bonanza mine contained elevated Hg concentrations that ranged from 590 to 71,000ng/g, all of which (except the most distal sample) exceeded the probable effect concentration (PEC) of 1060ng/g, the Hg concentration above which harmful effects are likely to be observed in sediment-dwelling organisms. Concentrations of methyl-Hg in stream sediment collected from Foster Creek varied from 11 to 62ng/g and were highly elevated compared to regional baseline concentrations (0.11-0.82ng/g) established in this study. Methyl-Hg concentrations in stream sediment collected in this study showed a significant correlation with total organic C (TOC, R2=0.62), generally indicating increased methyl-Hg formation with increasing TOC in sediment. Isotopic-tracer methods indicated that several samples of Foster Creek sediment exhibited high rates of Hg-methylation. Concentrations of Hg in water collected downstream from the mine varied from 17 to 270ng/L and were also elevated compared to baselines, but all were below the 770ng/L Hg standard recommended by the USEPA to protect against chronic effects to aquatic wildlife. Concentrations of methyl-Hg in the water collected from Foster Creek ranged from 0.17 to 1.8ng/L, which were elevated compared to regional baseline sites upstream and downstream

The downstream industry compared to market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevallier, B.

2010-01-01

J.L. Schilansky introduces here the difficult question of the downstream industry compared to market in recalling the recent structural changes (behaviour of customers, behaviour of the USA- and China-governments), the increase of the European and French regulations, the climatic change and the conjectural impact of the crisis on the refining industry. (O.M.)

From gravel to sand. Downstream fining of bed sediments in the lower river Rhine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frings, R.M.

2007-01-01

A common characteristic of many rivers is the tendency for bed sediments to become finer in downstream direction. This phenomenon, which is generally known as downstream fining, has a strong effect on the morphologic and hydrodynamic behaviour of a river. The fundamental causes of downstream

Ion energy characteristics downstream of a high power helicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prager, James; Winglee, Robert; Ziemba, Tim; Roberson, B Race; Quetin, Gregory

2008-01-01

The High Power Helicon eXperiment operates at higher powers (37 kW) and lower background neutral pressure than other helicon experiments. The ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) has been measured at multiple locations downstream of the helicon source and a mach 3-6 flowing plasma was observed. The helicon antenna has a direct effect in accelerating the plasma downstream of the source. Also, the IVDF is affected by the cloud of neutrals from the initial gas puff, which keeps the plasma speed low at early times near the source.

Ion energy characteristics downstream of a high power helicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prager, James; Winglee, Robert; Ziemba, Tim; Roberson, B Race; Quetin, Gregory [University of Washington, Johnson Hall 070, Box 351310, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195-1310 (United States)], E-mail: jprager@u.washington.edu

2008-05-01

The High Power Helicon eXperiment operates at higher powers (37 kW) and lower background neutral pressure than other helicon experiments. The ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) has been measured at multiple locations downstream of the helicon source and a mach 3-6 flowing plasma was observed. The helicon antenna has a direct effect in accelerating the plasma downstream of the source. Also, the IVDF is affected by the cloud of neutrals from the initial gas puff, which keeps the plasma speed low at early times near the source.

Frontline diagnostic evaluation of patients suspected of angina by coronary computed tomography reduces downstream resource utilization when compared to conventional ischemia testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, L. H.; Markenvard, John; Jensen, Jesper Møller

2011-01-01

It has been proposed that the increasing use of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) may introduce additional unnecessary diagnostic procedures. However, no previous study has assessed the impact on downstream test utilization of conventional diagnostic testing relative to CTA in patie...... prospective trials are needed in order to define the most cost-effective diagnostic use of CTA relative to conventional ischemia testing....

Reduced expression of N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 in human thyroid cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma Jianjun

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background NDRG2 (N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 was initially cloned in our laboratory. Previous results have shown that NDRG2 expressed differentially in normal and cancer tissues. Specifically, NDRG2 mRNA was down-regulated or undetectable in several human cancers, and over-expression of NDRG2 inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells. NDRG2 also exerts important functions in cell differentiation and tumor suppression. However, it remains unclear whether NDRG2 participates in carcinogenesis of the thyroid. Methods In this study, we investigated the expression profile of human NDRG2 in thyroid adenomas and carcinomas, by examining tissues from individuals with thyroid adenomas (n = 40 and carcinomas (n = 35, along with corresponding normal tissues. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative RT-PCR and western blot methods were utilized to determine both the protein and mRNA expression status of Ndrg2 and c-Myc. Results The immunostaining analysis revealed a decrease of Ndrg2 expression in thyroid carcinomas. When comparing adenomas or carcinomas with adjacent normal tissue from the same individual, the mRNA expression level of NDRG2 was significantly decreased in thyroid carcinoma tissues, while there was little difference in adenoma tissues. This differential expression was confirmed at the protein level by western blotting. However, there were no significant correlations of NDRG2 expression with gender, age, different histotypes of thyroid cancers or distant metastases. Conclusion Our data indicates that NDRG2 may participate in thyroid carcinogenesis. This finding provides novel insight into the important role of NDRG2 in the development of thyroid carcinomas. Future studies are needed to address whether the down-regulation of NDRG2 is a cause or a consequence of the progression from a normal thyroid to a carcinoma.

Reduced expression of N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 in human thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Huadong; Chen, Suning; Lin, Wei; Shi, Hai; Ma, Jianjun; Liu, Xinping; Ma, Qingjiu; Yao, Libo; Zhang, Jian; Lu, Jianguo; He, Xianli; Chen, Changsheng; Li, Xiaojun; Gong, Li; Bao, Guoqiang; Fu, Qiang

2008-01-01

NDRG2 (N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2) was initially cloned in our laboratory. Previous results have shown that NDRG2 expressed differentially in normal and cancer tissues. Specifically, NDRG2 mRNA was down-regulated or undetectable in several human cancers, and over-expression of NDRG2 inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells. NDRG2 also exerts important functions in cell differentiation and tumor suppression. However, it remains unclear whether NDRG2 participates in carcinogenesis of the thyroid. In this study, we investigated the expression profile of human NDRG2 in thyroid adenomas and carcinomas, by examining tissues from individuals with thyroid adenomas (n = 40) and carcinomas (n = 35), along with corresponding normal tissues. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative RT-PCR and western blot methods were utilized to determine both the protein and mRNA expression status of Ndrg2 and c-Myc. The immunostaining analysis revealed a decrease of Ndrg2 expression in thyroid carcinomas. When comparing adenomas or carcinomas with adjacent normal tissue from the same individual, the mRNA expression level of NDRG2 was significantly decreased in thyroid carcinoma tissues, while there was little difference in adenoma tissues. This differential expression was confirmed at the protein level by western blotting. However, there were no significant correlations of NDRG2 expression with gender, age, different histotypes of thyroid cancers or distant metastases. Our data indicates that NDRG2 may participate in thyroid carcinogenesis. This finding provides novel insight into the important role of NDRG2 in the development of thyroid carcinomas. Future studies are needed to address whether the down-regulation of NDRG2 is a cause or a consequence of the progression from a normal thyroid to a carcinoma

A novel virtual hub approach for multisource downstream service integration

Science.gov (United States)

Previtali, Mattia; Cuca, Branka; Barazzetti, Luigi

2016-08-01

A large development of downstream services is expected to be stimulated starting from earth observations (EO) datasets acquired by Copernicus satellites. An important challenge connected with the availability of downstream services is the possibility for their integration in order to create innovative applications with added values for users of different categories level. At the moment, the world of geo-information (GI) is extremely heterogeneous in terms of standards and formats used, thus preventing a facilitated access and integration of downstream services. Indeed, different users and data providers have also different requirements in terms of communication protocols and technology advancement. In recent years, many important programs and initiatives have tried to address this issue even on trans-regional and international level (e.g. INSPIRE Directive, GEOSS, Eye on Earth and SEIS). However, a lack of interoperability between systems and services still exists. In order to facilitate the interaction between different downstream services, a new architectural approach (developed within the European project ENERGIC OD) is proposed in this paper. The brokering-oriented architecture introduces a new mediation layer (the Virtual Hub) which works as an intermediary to bridge the gaps linked to interoperability issues. This intermediation layer de-couples the server and the client allowing a facilitated access to multiple downstream services and also Open Data provided by national and local SDIs. In particular, in this paper an application is presented integrating four services on the topic of agriculture: (i) the service given by Space4Agri (providing services based on MODIS and Landsat data); (ii) Gicarus Lab (providing sample services based on Landsat datasets) and (iii) FRESHMON (providing sample services for water quality) and services from a several regional SDIs.

Age-ordered shirt numbering reduces the selection bias associated with the relative age effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, David L; van Ginneken, Pleun J M A

2017-04-01

When placed into age groups for junior sporting competition, the relative differences in age between children leads to a bias in who is evaluated as being talented. While the impact of this relative age effect (RAE) is clear, until now there has been no evidence to show how to reduce it. The aim of this study was to determine whether the selection bias associated with the RAE could be reduced. Talent scouts from an elite football club watched junior games and ranked players on the basis of their potential. Scouts were allocated to one of three groups provided with contrasting information about the age of the players: (1) no age information, (2) players' birthdates or (3) knowledge that the numbers on the playing shirts corresponded to the relative age of the players. Results revealed a significant selection bias for the scouts in the no-age information group, and that bias remained when scouts knew the players' dates-of-birth. Strikingly though, the selection bias was eliminated when scouts watched the games knowing the shirt numbers corresponded to the relative ages of the players. The selection bias associated with the RAE can be reduced if information about age is presented appropriately.

Advances in downstream processing of biologics - Spectroscopy: An emerging process analytical technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rüdt, Matthias; Briskot, Till; Hubbuch, Jürgen

2017-03-24

Process analytical technologies (PAT) for the manufacturing of biologics have drawn increased interest in the last decade. Besides being encouraged by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) PAT initiative, PAT promises to improve process understanding, reduce overall production costs and help to implement continuous manufacturing. This article focuses on spectroscopic tools for PAT in downstream processing (DSP). Recent advances and future perspectives will be reviewed. In order to exploit the full potential of gathered data, chemometric tools are widely used for the evaluation of complex spectroscopic information. Thus, an introduction into the field will be given. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lateral and vertical distribution of downstream migrating juvenile sea lamprey

Science.gov (United States)

Sotola, V. Alex; Miehls, Scott M.; Simard, Lee G.; Marsden, J. Ellen

2018-01-01

Sea lamprey is considered an invasive and nuisance species in the Laurentian Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, and the Finger Lakes of New York and is a major focus of control efforts. Currently, management practices focus on limiting the area of infestation using barriers to block migratory adults, and lampricides to kill ammocoetes in infested tributaries. No control efforts currently target the downstream-migrating post-metamorphic life stage which could provide another management opportunity. In order to apply control methods to this life stage, a better understanding of their downstream movement patterns is needed. To quantify spatial distribution of downstream migrants, we deployed fyke and drift nets laterally and vertically across the stream channel in two tributaries of Lake Champlain. Sea lamprey was not randomly distributed across the stream width and lateral distribution showed a significant association with discharge. Results indicated that juvenile sea lamprey is most likely to be present in the thalweg and at midwater depths of the stream channel. Further, a majority of the catch occurred during high flow events, suggesting an increase in downstream movement activity when water levels are higher than base flow. Discharge and flow are strong predictors of the distribution of out-migrating sea lamprey, thus managers will need to either target capture efforts in high discharge areas of streams or develop means to guide sea lamprey away from these areas.

Msx genes are important apoptosis effectors downstream of the Shh/Gli3 pathway in the limb.

Science.gov (United States)

Lallemand, Yvan; Bensoussan, Vardina; Cloment, Cécile Saint; Robert, Benoît

2009-07-15

In tetrapods, the anteroposterior (AP) patterning of the limb is under the control of the antagonistic activities of the secreted factor Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Gli3R, the truncated repressor form of the transcription factor Gli3. In this report, we show that Msx1 and Msx2 are targets and downstream effectors of Gli3R. Consequently, in Shh null mutants, Msx genes are overexpressed and, furthermore, partially responsible for the limb phenotype. This is exemplified by the fact that reducing Msx activity in Shh mutants partially restores a normal limb development. Finally, we show that the main action of the Msx genes, in both normal and Shh(-/-) limb development, is to control cell death in the mesenchyme. We propose that, in the limb, Msx genes act downstream of the Shh/Gli3 pathway by transducing BMP signaling and that, in the absence of Shh signaling, their deregulation contributes to the extensive apoptosis that impairs limb development.

Analytical prediction of the unsteady lift on a rotor caused by downstream struts

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, A. C., III; Ng, W. F.

1987-01-01

A two-dimensional, inviscid, incompressible procedure is presented for predicting the unsteady lift on turbomachinery blades caused by the upstream potential disturbance of downstream flow obstructions. Using the Douglas-Neumann singularity superposition potential flow computer program to model the downstream flow obstructions, classical equations of thin airfoil theory are then employed, to compute the unsteady lift on the upstream rotor blades. The method is applied to a particular geometry which consists of a rotor, a downstream stator, and downstream struts which support the engine casing. Very good agreement between the Douglas-Neumann program and experimental measurements was obtained for the downstream stator-strut flow field. The calculations for the unsteady lift due to the struts were in good agreement with the experiments in showing that the unsteady lift due to the struts decays exponentially with increased axial separation of the rotor and the struts. An application of the method showed that for a given axial spacing between the rotor and the strut, strut-induced unsteady lift is a very weak function of the axial or circumferential position of the stator.

40 CFR 80.220 - What are the downstream standards for GPA gasoline?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the downstream standards for GPA gasoline? 80.220 Section 80.220 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... downstream location other than at a retail outlet or wholesale purchaser-consumer facility, and during the...

Investigation on the intense fringe formation phenomenon downstream hot-image plane.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yonghua; Li, Guohui; Zhang, Lifu; Huang, Wenti; Chen, Shuming

2015-11-30

The propagation of a high-power flat-topped Gaussian beam, which is modulated by three parallel wirelike scatterers, passing through a downstream Kerr medium slab and free spaces is investigated. A new phenomenon is found that a kind of intense fringe with intensity several times that of the incident beam can be formed in a plane downstream the Kerr medium. This kind of intense fringe is another result in the propagation process of nonlinear imaging and it locates scores of centimeters downstream the predicted hot image plane. Moreover, the intensity of this fringe can achieve the magnitude of that of hot image in corresponding single-scatterer case, and this phenomenon can arise only under certain conditions. As for the corresponding hot images, they are also formed but largely suppressed. The cause of the formation of such an intense fringe is analyzed and found related to interference in the free space downstream the Kerr medium. Moreover, the ways it is influenced by some important factors such as the wavelength of incident beam and the properties of scatterers and Kerr medium are discussed, and some important properties and relations are revealed.

Downstream Processing of Synechocystis for Biofuel Production

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Jie

release of lipid into the medium, which may increase solvent usage and make medium recycling difficult. Production of excreted FFA by mutant Synechocystis has the potential of reducing the complexity of downstream processing. Major problems, such as FFA precipitation and biodegradation by scavengers, account for FFA loss in operation. Even a low concentration of FFA scavengers could consume FFA at a high rate that outpaced FFA production rate. Potential strategies to overcome FFA loss include high pH, adsorptive resin, and sterilization techniques.

Supplementation of Nucleosides During Selection can Reduce Sequence Variant Levels in CHO Cells Using GS/MSX Selection System.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Danming; Lam, Cynthia; Louie, Salina; Hoi, Kam Hon; Shaw, David; Yim, Mandy; Snedecor, Brad; Misaghi, Shahram

2018-01-01

In the process of generating stable monoclonal antibody (mAb) producing cell lines, reagents such as methotrexate (MTX) or methionine sulfoximine (MSX) are often used. However, using such selection reagent(s) increases the possibility of having higher occurrence of sequence variants in the expressed antibody molecules due to the effects of MTX or MSX on de novo nucleotide synthesis. Since MSX inhibits glutamine synthase (GS) and results in both amino acid and nucleoside starvation, it is questioned whether supplementing nucleosides into the media could lower sequence variant levels without affecting titer. The results show that the supplementation of nucleosides to the media during MSX selection decreased genomic DNA mutagenesis rates in the selected cells, probably by reducing nucleotide mis-incorporation into the DNA. Furthermore, addition of nucleosides enhance clone recovery post selection and does not affect antibody expression. It is further observed that nucleoside supplements lowered DNA mutagenesis rates only at the initial stage of the clone selection and do not have any effect on DNA mutagenesis rates after stable cell lines are established. Therefore, the data suggests that addition of nucleosides during early stages of MSX selection can lower sequence variant levels without affecting titer or clone stability in antibody expression. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Reducing wrong patient selection errors: exploring the design space of user interface techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Sopan, Awalin; Plaisant, Catherine; Powsner, Seth; Shneiderman, Ben

2014-01-01

Wrong patient selection errors are a major issue for patient safety; from ordering medication to performing surgery, the stakes are high. Widespread adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems makes patient selection using a computer screen a frequent task for clinicians. Careful design of the user interface can help mitigate the problem by helping providers recall their patients' identities, accurately select their names, and spot errors before orders are submitted. We propose a catalog of twenty seven distinct user interface techniques, organized according to a task analysis. An associated video demonstrates eighteen of those techniques. EHR designers who consider a wider range of human-computer interaction techniques could reduce selection errors, but verification of efficacy is still needed.

Modelling the role of transmission companies in the downstream European gas market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boots, M.A.; Rijkers, F.A.M.

2000-07-01

This paper describes the empirical model GASTALE and shows several analyses of the European gas market using this model. These analyses are mainly focused on the role of the downstream transmission companies. Producers of natural gas are assumed to form an oligopoly throughout the paper. Considering an oligopolistic transmission structure our model results show that the level of transmitters' profits strongly depends on the possibilities of discrimination on the border prices. If price discrimination by producers is allowed, these producers collect the main part of the margins on end-use prices. Without price discrimination the transmission companies collect most of the margins. Assuming an oligopolistic downstream structure, end-use prices converge to prices corresponding to perfect competition when the number of transmitters increases. Given the oligopolistic structure of the upstream industry, it is of importance to prevent (or abolish) monopolistic structures in the downstream gas market. In the case where oligopolistic competition between downstream gas companies cannot be prevented, vertical integration should be supported (or at least not be discouraged). 14 refs

Simulating potential structural and operational changes for Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River, Oregon, for downstream temperature management

Science.gov (United States)

Buccola, Norman L.; Rounds, Stewart A.; Sullivan, Annett B.; Risley, John C.

2012-01-01

structural options were explored with the model scenarios. Multiple downstream temperature targets were used along with three sets of environmental forcing conditions representing cool/wet, normal, and hot/dry conditions. Five structural options at Detroit Dam were modeled, including the use of existing outlets, one hypothetical variable-elevation outlet such as a sliding gate, a hypothetical combination of a floating outlet and a fixed-elevation outlet, and a hypothetical combination of a floating outlet and a sliding gate. Finally, 14 sets of operational guidelines for Detroit Dam were explored to gain an understanding of the effects of imposing different downstream minimum streamflows, imposing minimum outflow rules to specific outlets, and managing the level of the lake with different timelines through the year. Selected subsets of these combinations of operational and structural scenarios were run through the downstream models of Big Cliff Reservoir and the North Santiam and Santiam Rivers to explore how hypothetical changes at Detroit Dam might provide improved temperatures for endangered salmonids downstream of the Detroit-Big Cliff Dam complex. Conclusions that can be drawn from these model scenarios include: *The water-temperature targets set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for releases from Detroit Dam can be met through a combination of new dam outlets or a delayed drawdown of the lake in autumn. *Spring and summer dam operations greatly affect the available release temperatures and operational flexibility later in the autumn. Releasing warm water during midsummer tends to keep more cool water available for release in autumn. *The ability to meet downstream temperature targets during spring depends on the characteristics of the available outlets. Under existing conditions, although warm water sometimes is present at the lake surface in spring and early summer, such water may not be available for release if the lake level is either well below or well above the

Selective chloroform sensor using thiol functionalized reduced graphene oxide at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Midya, Anupam; Mukherjee, Subhrajit; Roy, Shreyasee; Santra, Sumita; Manna, Nilotpal; Ray, Samit K.

2018-02-01

This paper presents a highly selective chloroform sensor using functionalised reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as a sensing layer. Thiol group is covalently attached on the basal plan of RGO film by a simple one-step aryl diazonium chemistry to improve its selectivity. Several spectroscopic techniques like X-ray photoelectron, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm successful thiol functionalization of RGO. Finally, the fabricated chemiresistor type sensor is exposed to chloroform in the concentration range 200-800 ppm (parts per million). The sensor shows a 4.3% of response towards 800 ppm chloroform. The selectivity of the sensor is analyzed using various volatile organic compounds as well. The devices show enhanced response and faster recovery attributed to the physiosorption of chloroform onto thiol functionalized graphene making them attractive for 2D materials based sensing applications.

India's Downstream Petroleum Sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

This study provides a holistic examination of pricing and investment dynamics in India's downstream petroleum sector. It analyses the current pricing practices, highlights the tremendous fiscal cost of current pricing and regulatory arrangements, and examines the sectoral investment dynamics. It also looks at potential paths towards market-based reform along which the Indian government may move, while at the same time protecting energy market access for India's large poor population.

Morphine Reduces Myocardial Infarct Size via Heat Shock Protein 90 in Rodents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryce A. Small

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Opioids reduce injury from myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in humans. In experimental models, this mechanism involves GSK3β inhibition. HSP90 regulates mitochondrial protein import, with GSK3β inhibition increasing HSP90 mitochondrial content. Therefore, we determined whether morphine-induced cardioprotection is mediated by HSP90 and if the protective effect is downstream of GSK3β inhibition. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8–10 weeks, were subjected to an in vivo myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury protocol involving 30 minutes of ischemia followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Hemodynamics were continually monitored and myocardial infarct size determined. Rats received morphine (0.3 mg/kg, the GSK3β inhibitor, SB216763 (0.6 mg/kg, or saline, 10 minutes prior to ischemia. Some rats received selective HSP90 inhibitors, radicicol (0.3 mg/kg, or deoxyspergualin (DSG, 0.6 mg/kg alone or 5 minutes prior to morphine or SB216763. Morphine reduced myocardial infarct size when compared to control (42 ± 2% versus 60 ± 1%. This protection was abolished by prior treatment of radicicol or DSG (59 ± 1%, 56 ± 2%. GSK3β inhibition also reduced myocardial infarct size (41 ± 2% with HSP90 inhibition by radicicol or DSG partially inhibiting SB216763-induced infarct size reduction (54 ± 3%, 47 ± 1%, resp.. These data suggest that opioid-induced cardioprotection is mediated by HSP90. Part of this protection afforded by HSP90 is downstream of GSK3β, potentially via the HSP-TOM mitochondrial import pathway.

Imaging for monitoring downstream processing of fermentation broths

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moiseyenko, Rayisa; Baum, Andreas; Jørgensen, Thomas Martini

In relation to downstream processing of a fermentation broth coagulation/flocculation is a typical pretreatment method for separating undesirable particles/impurities from the wanted product. In the coagulation process the negatively charged impurities are destabilized by adding of a clarifying...

Microbial production of scleroglucan and downstream processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Alejandra Castillo

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Synthetic petroleum-based polymers and natural plant polymers have the disadvantage of restricted sources, in addition to the non-biodegradability of the former ones. In contrast, eco-sustainable microbial polysaccharides, of low-cost and standardized production, represent an alternative to address this situation. With a strong global market, they attracted worldwide attention because of their novel and unique physico-chemical properties as well as varied industrial applications, and many of them are promptly becoming economically competitive. Scleroglucan, a beta-1,3-beta-1,6-glucan secreted by Sclerotium fungi, exhibits high potential for commercialization and may show different branching frequency, side-chain length and/or molecular weight depending on the producing strain or culture conditions. Water-solubility, viscosifying ability and wide stability over temperature, pH and salinity make scleroglucan useful for different biotechnological (enhanced oil recovery, food additives, drug delivery, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, biocompatible materials, etc., and biomedical (immunoceutical, antitumor, etc. applications. It can be copiously produced at bioreactor scale under standardized conditions, where a high EPS concentration normally governs the process optimization. Operative and nutritional conditions, as well as the incidence of scleroglucan downstream processing will be discussed in this chapter. The relevance of using standardized inocula from selected strains and experiences concerning the intricate scleroglucan scaling-up will be also herein outlined.

Scleroglucan: Fermentative Production, Downstream Processing and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shrikant A. Survase

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Exopolysaccharides produced by a variety of microorganisms find multifarious industrial applications in foods, pharmaceutical and other industries as emulsifiers, stabilizers, binders, gelling agents, lubricants, and thickening agents. One such exopolysaccharide is scleroglucan, produced by pure culture fermentation from filamentous fungi of genus Sclerotium. The review discusses the properties, fermentative production, downstream processing and applications of scleroglucan.

A mathematical model for erosion-corrosion downstream of an orifice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.M.

1989-08-01

In certain types of nuclear plant, the internal surfaces of the steel high-pressure boiler tubes become covered with magnetite. This normal growth of protective magnetite may, in unfavourable circumstances, be replaced by rapid attack on the tube wall. Particularly at risk are the regions downstream of the orifice plates commonly fitted near the boiler inlet. An attempt is made to construct a mathematical model for this erosion-corrosion which is considerably more complete than those available hitherto. A systematic synthesis is developed of the various aspects of the phenomenon, namely the mechanism of the topotactic oxidation at the interface between magnetite and metal, the kinetics of the electrode reactions at the magnetite/solution interface, the thermodynamics of magnetite solubility and the calculation of mass transfer in solution. With one choice of parameters and some simplification, the treatment reduces to the original theory of Bignold. (author)

Downstream Antisense Transcription Predicts Genomic Features That Define the Specific Chromatin Environment at Mammalian Promoters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher A Lavender

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Antisense transcription is a prevalent feature at mammalian promoters. Previous studies have primarily focused on antisense transcription initiating upstream of genes. Here, we characterize promoter-proximal antisense transcription downstream of gene transcription starts sites in human breast cancer cells, investigating the genomic context of downstream antisense transcription. We find extensive correlations between antisense transcription and features associated with the chromatin environment at gene promoters. Antisense transcription downstream of promoters is widespread, with antisense transcription initiation observed within 2 kb of 28% of gene transcription start sites. Antisense transcription initiates between nucleosomes regularly positioned downstream of these promoters. The nucleosomes between gene and downstream antisense transcription start sites carry histone modifications associated with active promoters, such as H3K4me3 and H3K27ac. This region is bound by chromatin remodeling and histone modifying complexes including SWI/SNF subunits and HDACs, suggesting that antisense transcription or resulting RNA transcripts contribute to the creation and maintenance of a promoter-associated chromatin environment. Downstream antisense transcription overlays additional regulatory features, such as transcription factor binding, DNA accessibility, and the downstream edge of promoter-associated CpG islands. These features suggest an important role for antisense transcription in the regulation of gene expression and the maintenance of a promoter-associated chromatin environment.

Feeding by whiteflies suppresses downstream jasmonic acid signaling by eliciting salicylic acid signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng-Jun; Li, Wei-Di; Huang, Fang; Zhang, Jin-Ming; Xu, Fang-Cheng; Lu, Yao-Bin

2013-05-01

Phloem-feeding whiteflies in the species complex Bemisia tabaci cause extensive crop damage worldwide. One of the reasons for their "success" is their ability to suppress the effectual jasmonic acid (JA) defenses of the host plant. However, little is understood about the mechanisms underlying whitefly suppression of JA-regulated defenses. Here, we showed that the expression of salicylic acid (SA)-responsive genes (EDS1 and PR1) in Arabidopsis thaliana was significantly enhanced during feeding by whitefly nymphs. Whereas upstream JA-responsive genes (LOX2 and OPR3) also were induced, the downstream JA-responsive gene (VSP1) was repressed, i.e., whiteflies only suppressed downstream JA signaling. Gene-expression analyses with various Arabidopsis mutants, including NahG, npr-1, ein2-1, and dde2-2, revealed that SA signaling plays a key role in the suppression of downstream JA defenses by whitefly feeding. Assays confirmed that SA activation enhanced whitefly performance by suppressing downstream JA defenses.

Reservoir stratification affects methylmercury levels in river water, plankton, and fish downstream from Balbina hydroelectric dam, Amazonas, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasper, Daniele; Forsberg, Bruce R; Amaral, João H F; Leitão, Rafael P; Py-Daniel, Sarah S; Bastos, Wanderley R; Malm, Olaf

2014-01-21

The river downstream from a dam can be more contaminated by mercury than the reservoir itself. However, it is not clear how far the contamination occurs downstream. We investigated the seasonal variation of methylmercury levels in the Balbina reservoir and how they correlated with the levels encountered downstream from the dam. Water, plankton, and fishes were collected upstream and at sites between 0.5 and 250 km downstream from the dam during four expeditions in 2011 and 2012. Variations in thermal stratification of the reservoir influenced the methylmercury levels in the reservoir and in the river downstream. Uniform depth distributions of methylmercury and oxygen encountered in the poorly stratified reservoir during the rainy season collections coincided with uniformly low methylmercury levels along the river downstream from the dam. During dry season collections, the reservoir was strongly stratified, and anoxic hypolimnion water with high methylmercury levels was exported downstream. Methylmercury levels declined gradually to 200 km downstream. In general, the methylmercury levels in plankton and fishes downstream from the dam were higher than those upstream. Higher methylmercury levels observed 200-250 km downstream from the dam during flooding season campaigns may reflect the greater inflow from tributaries and flooding of natural wetlands that occurred at this time.

Interactions between Channel Morphology and the Propagation of Coarse Sediment Augmentations Downstream from Dams

Science.gov (United States)

Gaeuman, D. A.; Dickenson, S.; Pyles, M.

2009-12-01

Gravel augmentations are being implemented in a number of streams where natural recruitment of gravel is impeded by dams. Uncertainties relevant to the management of gravel augmentations include the quantities of gravel needed to achieve habitat benefits at downstream locations and the temporal and spatial scales over which those benefits that will be realized. The solution to such questions depends to a large extent on how gravel slugs evolve as the material is transported downstream, i.e., whether the gravel translates downstream as a coherent wave or whether it tends to disperse. A number of recent studies conducted in laboratory flumes or by numerical simulation that gravels slugs tend to disperse rather than translate. However, these studies do not consider the influence of channel morphology on slug behavior. Initial monitoring results based from 2 California streams suggest that natural channel morphology suppresses slug dispersion because the gravel tends to accumulate in discrete deposition zones. Field mapping and about 200 tracer stones implanted with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags show that gravel recruitment piles of about 80 tons each placed in Grass Valley Creek in 2007 and 2008 were deposited as 2 new bars immediately downstream. The more upstream of the 2 bars formed during the 2007 winter and spring flood season, whereas the more downstream bar did not appear until the following year. A sharp deposition front and an absence of tracers in the reaches downstream strongly suggest that none of the added gravel was transported downstream beyond the area of bar formation in either year. A relatively small proportion of the mobilized tracer particles (59%) were located following the 2007 flood season, probably due to deep burial in the newly deposited bar and to radio interference caused by the high concentration of tracers in a small area. The proportion of newly introduced or previously-located tracers that were relocated in 2009 was

Highly selective gas sensor arrays based on thermally reduced graphene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipatov, Alexey; Varezhnikov, Alexey; Wilson, Peter; Sysoev, Victor; Kolmakov, Andrei; Sinitskii, Alexander

2013-06-21

The electrical properties of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been previously shown to be very sensitive to surface adsorbates, thus making rGO a very promising platform for highly sensitive gas sensors. However, poor selectivity of rGO-based gas sensors remains a major problem for their practical use. In this paper, we address the selectivity problem by employing an array of rGO-based integrated sensors instead of focusing on the performance of a single sensing element. Each rGO-based device in such an array has a unique sensor response due to the irregular structure of rGO films at different levels of organization, ranging from nanoscale to macroscale. The resulting rGO-based gas sensing system could reliably recognize analytes of nearly the same chemical nature. In our experiments rGO-based sensor arrays demonstrated a high selectivity that was sufficient to discriminate between different alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol and isopropanol, at a 100% success rate. We also discuss a possible sensing mechanism that provides the basis for analyte differentiation.

Review of pump suction reducer selection: Eccentric or concentric reducers

OpenAIRE

Mahaffey, R M; van Vuuren, S J

2014-01-01

Eccentric reducers are traditionally recommended for the pump suction reducer fitting to allow for transportation of air through the fitting to the pump. The ability of a concentric reducer to provide an improved approach flow to the pump while still allowing air to be transported through the fitting is investigated. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were utilised to analyse six concentric and six eccentric reducer geometries at four different inlet velocities to determine the flow velocity ...

DOWNSTREAM ECOCIDE FROM UPSTREAM WATER PIRACY

OpenAIRE

Miah Muhammad Adel

2012-01-01

Upstream India and downstream Bangladesh share more than 50 international rivers. India has set up water diversion constructions in more than 50% of these rivers, the largest one being on the Bangladeshâs northwest upon the Ganges River, puts Bangladeshâs Gangetic ecosystem at stake. In some border rivers, India has set up groins on her side of river banks. Also, Indian side pumps Bangladesh river water stealthily from border-rivers. Further, India is constructing another dam and reservoir up...

optimal selection of hydraulic turbines for small hydro electric power

African Journals Online (AJOL)

eobe

Keywords: optimal selection, SHP turbine, flow duration curve, energy efficiency, annual capacity factor. 1. INTRODUCTION ... depleted, with adverse environmental impacts downstream ..... Technologies, Financing Cogeneration and Small -.

Selective pruning in pineapple plants as means to reduce heterogeneity in fruit quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fassinou Hotegni, V.N.; Lommen, W.J.M.; Struik, P.C.; Agbossou, E.K.

2015-01-01

Heterogeneity in fruit quality (size and taste) is a major problem in pineapple production chains. The possibilities were investigated of reducing the heterogeneity in pineapple in the field by pruning slips on selected plants, in order to promote the fruit growth on these plants. Slips are side

Patents and Downstream Innovation Suppression - Facts or Fiction?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Howells, John

the value of Kitch's prospect theory of patents, a theory that the social value of patents is that they enable the efficient coordination of technological development.    I re-examine history and legal sources bearing on Merges and Nelson's illustrative cases and find no case to illustrate downstream...

Physicochemical Characteristics of River Water Downstream of a Large Tropical Hydroelectric Dam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teck-Yee Ling

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Water quality in the downstream river of a hydroelectric dam may be affected by the structural design and operation. To date, little is known about the water quality downstream of the largest dam in Malaysia, the Bakun hydroelectric dam. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine the water quality downstream of the dam when the spillway was closed and when it was opened. Results of the study indicate that the dam plays a significant role in regulating the water quality downstream of it. When the spillway was closed, pH and oxygen were lower in the river where DO was below 5 mg/L. When the spillway was opened, the water quality improved in terms of oxygen content (>8.0 mg/L, total sulphide (TS, and chemical oxygen demand (COD but deteriorated in terms of five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN, and total phosphorus (TP. Additionally, the intensity of the impacts, particularly BOD5, COD, and TAN, shows a declining trend as distance from the dam increases. This study shows that impacts on the water quality extend to a distance of 32 km from the dam particularly turbidity and DO and opening the spillway changes the water quality significantly.

Favorable fragmentation: river reservoirs can impede downstream expansion of riparian weeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Rood, Stewart B; Braatne, Jeffrey H; Goater, Lori A

2010-09-01

River valleys represent biologically rich corridors characterized by natural disturbances that create moist and barren sites suitable for colonization by native riparian plants, and also by weeds. Dams and reservoirs interrupt the longitudinal corridors and we hypothesized that this could restrict downstream weed expansion. To consider this "reservoir impediment" hypothesis we assessed the occurrences and abundances of weeds along a 315-km river valley corridor that commenced with an unimpounded reach of the Snake River and extended through Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon reservoirs and dams, and downstream along the Snake River. Sampling along 206 belt transects with 3610 quadrats revealed 16 noxious and four invasive weed species. Ten weeds were upland plants, with Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) restricted to the upstream reaches, where field morning glory (Convolvulus arvensis) was also more common. In contrast, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) was more abundant below the dams, and medusahead wildrye (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) occurred primarily along the reservoirs. All seven riparian species were abundant in the upstream zones but sparse or absent below the dams. This pattern was observed for the facultative riparian species, poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium), the obligate riparian, yellow nut sedge (Cyperus esculentus), the invasive perennial, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and three invasive riparian trees, Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), and tamarisk (Tamarix spp.). The hydrophyte purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) was also restricted to the upstream zone. These longitudinal patterns indicate that the reservoirs have impeded the downstream expansion of riparian weeds, and this may especially result from the repetitive draw-down and refilling of Brownlee Reservoir that imposes a lethal combination of drought and flood stress. The dams and

Reduced and selective integration techniques in the finite element analysis of plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, T.J.R.; Cohen, M.; Haroun, M.

1978-01-01

Efforts to develop effective plate bending finite elements by reduced integration techniques are described. The basis for the development is a 'thick' plate theory in which transverse shear strains are accounted for. The variables in the theory are all kinematic, namely, displacements and independent rotations. As only C 0 continuity is required, isoparametric elements may be employed, which result in several advantages over thin plate elements. It is shown that the avoidance of shear 'locking' may be facilitated by reduced integration techniques. Both uniform and selective schemes are considered. Conditions under which selective schemes are invariant are identified, and they are found to have an advantage over uniform schemes in the present situation. It is pointed out that the present elements are not subject to the difficulties encountered by thin plate theory elements, concerning boundary conditions. For example, the polygonal approximation of curved, simply supported edges is convergent. Other topics discussed are the equivalence with mixed methods, rank deficiency, convergence criteria and useful mass 'lumping' schemes for dynamics. Numerical results for several thin plate problems indicate the high degree of accuracy attainable by the present elements. (Auth.)

Coarse and fine sediment transportation patterns and causes downstream of the Three Gorges Dam

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Songzhe; Yang, Yunping; Zhang, Mingjin; Sun, Zhaohua; Zhu, Lingling; You, Xingying; Li, Kanyu

2017-11-01

Reservoir construction within a basin affects the process of water and sediment transport downstream of the dam. The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) affects the sediment transport downstream of the dam. The impoundment of the TGR reduced total downstream sediment. The sediment group d≤0.125 mm (fine particle) increased along the path, but the average was still below what existed before the reservoir impoundment. The sediments group d>0.125 mm (coarse particle) was recharged in the Yichang to Jianli reach, but showed a deposition trend downstream of Jianli. The coarse sediment in the Yichang to Jianli section in 2003 to 2007 was above the value before the TGR impoundment. However, the increase of both coarse and fine sediments in 2008 to 2014 was less than that in 2003 to 2007. The sediment retained in the dam is the major reason for the sediment reduction downstream. However, the retention in different river reaches is affected by riverbed coarsening, discharge, flow process, and conditions of lake functioning and recharging from the tributaries. The main conclusions derived from our study are as follows: 1) The riverbed in the Yichang to Shashi section was relatively coarse, thereby limiting the supply of fine and coarse sediments. The fine sediment supply was mainly controlled by TGR discharge, whereas the coarse sediment supply was controlled by the duration of high flow and its magnitude. 2) The supply of both coarse and fine sediments in the Shashi to Jianli section was controlled by the amount of total discharge. The sediment supply from the riverbed was higher in flood years than that in the dry years. The coarse sediment tended to deposit, and the deposition in the dry years was larger than that in the flood years. 3) The feeding of the fine sediment in the Luoshan to Hankou section was mainly from the riverbed. The supply in 2008 to 2014 was more than that in 2003 to 2007. Around 2010, the coarse sediments transited from depositing to scouring that was

Enhanced and selective ammonia sensing of reduced graphene oxide based chemo resistive sensor at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ramesh; Kaur, Amarjeet

2016-05-01

The reduced graphene oxide thin films were fabricated by using the spin coating method. The reduced graphene oxide samples were characterised by Raman studies to obtain corresponding D and G bands at 1360 and 1590 cm-1 respectively. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectra consists of peak corresponds to sp2 hybridisation of carbon atoms at 1560 cm-1. The reduced graphene oxide based chemoresistive sensor exhibited a p-type semiconductor behaviour in ambient conditions and showed good sensitivity to different concentration of ammonia from 25 ppm to 500 ppm and excellent selectivity at room temperature. The sensor displays selectivity to several hazardous vapours such as methanol, ethanol, acetone and hydrazine hydrate. The sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 9.8 at 25 ppm concentration of ammonia with response time of 163 seconds.

Educational Research with Real-World Data: Reducing Selection Bias with Propensity Scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jill L. Adelson

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Often it is infeasible or unethical to use random assignment in educational settings to study important constructs and questions. Hence, educational research often uses observational data, such as large-scale secondary data sets and state and school district data, and quasi-experimental designs. One method of reducing selection bias in estimations of treatment effects is propensity score analysis. This method reduces a large number of pretreatment covariates to a single scalar function and allows researchers to compare subjects with similar probability to receive the treatment. This article provides an introduction to propensity score analysis and stratification, an example illustrating its use, and suggestions for using propensity score analysis in educational research.

Downstream processing and chromatography based analytical methods for production of vaccines, gene therapy vectors, and bacteriophages

Science.gov (United States)

Kramberger, Petra; Urbas, Lidija; Štrancar, Aleš

2015-01-01

Downstream processing of nanoplexes (viruses, virus-like particles, bacteriophages) is characterized by complexity of the starting material, number of purification methods to choose from, regulations that are setting the frame for the final product and analytical methods for upstream and downstream monitoring. This review gives an overview on the nanoplex downstream challenges and chromatography based analytical methods for efficient monitoring of the nanoplex production. PMID:25751122

Flow behavior of droplets downstream of the spacer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodama, Eiichiro; Morishita, Kiyohide; Aritomi, Masanori; Yano, Takashi

1998-01-01

The fuel spacer, of which role is to maintain an appropriate rod-to-rod clearance, is one of the components of a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) fuel rod bundles. The fuel spacer influences flow characteristics of the liquid film in fuel rod bundles, so that its geometry influences greatly thermal hydraulics such as critical power and pressure drop therein. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of the spacer geometry on the core flow split downstream of the spacer. Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA) was used for their meausrement under the conditions of a small amount of droplets in mist flows. From the experimental results, the normalized droplet velocity profiles with a spacer were split by the spacer and were different between a wider and a narrower regions in the channel, however, they became uniform at the distance far 100mm from the spacer. In the case without a spacer, the velocity was monotonously increasing nearer the rod surface with going toward the center of the channel. In the case with a spacer, the velocity profile downstream of the spacer changed in the narrower region of the channel. This tendency became more remarkable with thickening the spacer and widening clearance between the spacer and the wall. In this paper, 'drift' velocity effect was applied for the spacer model, due to the gas flows were split by the spacer which is based on the momentum balance between the narrower and wider channels. This model was confirmed from the experimental results that the droplet flowed from a wider region to a narrower one. This drift effect appeared more strongly as the spacer became thicker and the clearance did narrower. The analytical results explained qualitatively the measured ones. It is clarified that the drift effect proposed in this work was a dominant factor on droplet deposition downstream of the spacer

Natural Origin Lycopene and Its "Green" Downstream Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Papaioannou, Emmanouil H; Liakopoulou-Kyriakides, Maria; Karabelas, Anastasios J

2016-01-01

Lycopene is an abundant natural carotenoid pigment with several biological functions (well-known for its antioxidant properties) which is under intensive investigation in recent years. Lycopene chemistry, its natural distribution, bioavailability, biological significance, and toxicological effects are briefly outlined in the first part of this review. The second, major part, deals with various modern downstream processing techniques, which are assessed in order to identify promising approaches for the recovery of lycopene and of similar lipophilic compounds. Natural lycopene is synthesized in plants and by microorganisms, with main representatives of these two categories (for industrial production) tomato and its by-products and the fungus Blakeslea trispora, respectively. Currently, there is a great deal of effort to develop efficient downstream processing for large scale production of natural-origin lycopene, with trends strongly indicating the necessity for "green" and mild extraction conditions. In this review, emphasis is placed on final product safety and ecofriendly processing, which are expected to totally dominate in the field of natural-origin lycopene extraction and purification.

Flow and mass transfer downstream of an orifice under flow accelerated corrosion conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Wael H.; Bello, Mufatiu M.; El Nakla, Meamer; Al Sarkhi, Abdelsalam

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Mass transfer downstream of orifices was numerically and experimentally investigated. ► The surface wear pattern is measured and used to validate the present numerical results. ► The maximum mass transfer coefficient found to occur at approximately 2–3 pipe diameters downstream of the orifice. ► The FAC wear rates were correlated with the turbulence kinetic energy and wall mass transfer in terms of Sherwood number. ► The current study offered very useful information for FAC engineers for better preparation of nuclear plant inspection scope. - Abstract: Local flow parameters play an important role in characterizing flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) downstream of sudden area change in power plant piping systems. Accurate prediction of the highest FAC wear rate locations enables the mitigation of sudden and catastrophic failures, and the improvement of the plant capacity factor. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of the local flow and mass transfer parameters on flow accelerated corrosion downstream of an orifice. In the present study, orifice to pipe diameter ratios of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.74 were investigated numerically by solving the continuity and momentum equations at Reynolds number of Re = 20,000. Laboratory experiments, using test sections made of hydrocal (CaSO 4 ·½H 2 O) were carried out in order to determine the surface wear pattern and validate the present numerical results. The numerical results were compared to the plants data as well as to the present experiments. The maximum mass transfer coefficient found to occur at approximately 2–3 pipe diameters downstream of the orifice. This location was also found to correspond to the location of elevated turbulent kinetic energy generated within the flow separation vortices downstream of the orifice. The FAC wear rates were correlated with the turbulence kinetic energy and wall mass transfer in terms of Sherwood number. The current study found to offer very

Enhanced and selective ammonia sensing of reduced graphene oxide based chemo resistive sensor at room temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Ramesh, E-mail: rameshphysicsdu@gmail.com; Kaur, Amarjeet, E-mail: amarkaur@physics.du.ac.in [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 (India)

2016-05-06

The reduced graphene oxide thin films were fabricated by using the spin coating method. The reduced graphene oxide samples were characterised by Raman studies to obtain corresponding D and G bands at 1360 and 1590 cm{sup −1} respectively. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectra consists of peak corresponds to sp{sup 2} hybridisation of carbon atoms at 1560 cm{sup −1}. The reduced graphene oxide based chemoresistive sensor exhibited a p-type semiconductor behaviour in ambient conditions and showed good sensitivity to different concentration of ammonia from 25 ppm to 500 ppm and excellent selectivity at room temperature. The sensor displays selectivity to several hazardous vapours such as methanol, ethanol, acetone and hydrazine hydrate. The sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 9.8 at 25 ppm concentration of ammonia with response time of 163 seconds.

Dead zone area at the downstream flow of barrages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed F. Sauida

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Flow separation is a natural phenomenon encountered at some cases downstream of barrages. The main flow is divided into current and dead zone flows. The percentage area of dead zone flow must be taken into consideration downstream of barrages, due to its negative effect on flow characteristics. Experimental studies were conducted in the Hydraulic Research Institute (HRI, on a physical regulator model with five vents. Theoretically the separation zone is described as a part of an ellipse which is practically verified by plotting velocity vectors. The results show that the percentage area of dead zone to the area through length of separation depends mainly on the expansion ratio [channel width to width of opened vents], with maximum value of 81% for operated side gates. A statistical analysis was derived, to predict the percentage area of dead zone flow to the area through length of separation.

Downstream management practices of transnational companies in institutionally vulnerable countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Michael Søgaard; Milanez, Bruno

2017-01-01

Analyses of social and environmental management in transnational product chains focus often upstream on suppliers in socially and institutionally vulnerable countries and these suppliers' hazardous processes. Furthermore focus is on transnational companies' responsibility when they source from...... such suppliers. On the contrary, not much focus has been on transnational companies' downstream export of hazardous products to vulnerable countries and the product use in those countries. The article uses pesticides as case of hazardous products and identifies mechanisms in the downstream social...... and environmental management of a Danish pesticide company in vulnerable countries and especially in Brazil. The identified mechanisms are: the transnational company's on-going interpretation of the regulatory and ethical obligations for development and use of its hazardous products in vulnerable countries, path...

Alfven waves and associated energetic ions downstream from Uranus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ming; Belcher, J.W.; Richardson, J.D.; Smith, C.W.

1991-01-01

The authors report the observation of low-frequency waves in the solar wind downstream from Uranus. These waves are observed by the Voyager spacecraft for more than 2 weeks after the encounter with Uranus and are present during this period whenever the interplanetary magnetic field is oriented such that the field lines intersect the Uranian bow shock. The magnetic field and velocity components transverse to the background field are strongly correlated, consistent with the interpretation that these waves are Alfvenic and/or fast-mode waves. The waves have a spacecraft frame frequency of about 10 -3 Hz, and when first observed near the bow shock have an amplitude comparable to the background field. As the spacecraft moves farther from Uranus, the amplitude decays. The waves appear to propagate along the magnetic field lines outward from Uranus and are right-hand polarized. Theory suggests that these waves are generated in the upstream region by a resonant instability with a proton beam streaming along the magnetic field lines. The solar wind subsequently carries these waves downstream to the spacecraft location. These waves are associated with the presence of energetic (> 28 keV) ions observed by the low-energy charged particle instrument. These ions appear two days after the start of the wave activity and occur thereafter whenever the Alfven waves occur, increasing in intensity away from Uranus. The ions are argued to originate in the Uranian magnetosphere, but pitch-angle scattering in the upstream region is required to bring them downstream to the spacecraft location

Kindled seizures selectively reduce a subpopulation of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites in rat dentate gyrus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savage, D.D.; McNamara, J.O.

1982-01-01

Amygdala-kindled seizures reduced significantly the total number of [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites in both dentate and hippocampal gyri compared to electrode implanted unstimulated controls. Both high and low affinity carbachol displaceable binding site populations were significantly reduced in hippocampal gyrus. By contrast, a selective decline of low affinity sites was found in dentate gyrus membranes. The selectivity of the decline in dentate but not hippocampus gyrus underscores the specificity of this molecular response to amygdala-kindled seizures. We suggest that these receptor alterations underlie adaptive mechanisms which antagonize kindled epileptogenesis

Downstream behavior of fission products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, I.; Farahat, M.K.; Settle, J.L.; Johnson, C.E.; Ritzman, R.

1986-01-01

The downstream behavior of fission products has been investigated by injecting mixtures of CsOH, CsI, and Te into a flowing steam/hydrogen stream and determining the physical and chemical changes that took place as the gaseous mixture flowed down a reaction duct on which a temperature gradient (1000 0 to 200 0 C) had been imposed. Deposition on the wall of the duct occurred by vapor condensation in the higher temperature regions and by aerosol deposition in the remainder of the duct. Reactions in the gas stream between CsOH and CsI and between CsOH and Te had an effect on the vapor condensation. The aerosol was characterized by the use of impingement tabs placed in the gas stream

Comparison of pitot traverses taken at varying distances downstream of obstructions.

Science.gov (United States)

Guffey, S E; Booth, D W

1999-01-01

This study determined the deviations between pitot traverses taken under "ideal" conditions--at least seven duct diameter's lengths (i.e., distance = 7D) from obstructions, elbows, junction fittings, and other disturbances to flows--with those taken downstream from commonplace disturbances. Two perpendicular 10-point, log-linear velocity pressure traverses were taken at various distances downstream of tested upstream conditions. Upstream conditions included a plain duct opening, a junction fitting, a single 90 degrees elbow, and two elbows rotated 90 degrees from each other into two orthogonal planes. Airflows determined from those values were compared with the values measured more than 40D downstream of the same obstructions under ideal conditions. The ideal measurements were taken on three traverse diameters in the same plane separated by 120 degrees in honed drawn-over-mandrel tubing. In all cases the pitot tubes were held in place by devices that effectively eliminated alignment errors and insertion depth errors. Duct velocities ranged from 1500 to 4500 ft/min. Results were surprisingly good if one employed two perpendicular traverses. When the averages of two perpendicular traverses was taken, deviations from ideal value were 6% or less even for traverses taken as close as 2D distance from the upstream disturbances. At 3D distance, deviations seldom exceeded 5%. With single diameter traverses, errors seldom exceeded 5% at 6D or more downstream from the disturbance. Interestingly, percentage deviations were about the same at high and low velocities. This study demonstrated that two perpendicular pitot traverses can be taken as close as 3D from these disturbances with acceptable (< or = 5%) deviations from measurements taken under ideal conditions.

Power Plant Bromide Discharges and Downstream Drinking Water Systems in Pennsylvania.

Science.gov (United States)

Good, Kelly D; VanBriesen, Jeanne M

2017-10-17

Coal-fired power plants equipped with wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems have been implicated in increasing bromide levels and subsequent increases in disinfection byproducts at downstream drinking water plants. Bromide was not included as a regulated constituent in the recent steam electric effluent limitations guidelines and standards (ELGs) since the U.S. EPA analysis suggested few drinking water facilities would be affected by bromide discharges from power plants. The present analysis uses a watershed approach to identify Pennsylvania drinking water intakes downstream of wet FGD discharges and to assess the potential for bromide discharge effects. Twenty-two (22) public drinking water systems serving 2.5 million people were identified as being downstream of at least one wet FGD discharge. During mean August conditions (generally low-flow, minimal dilution) in receiving rivers, the median predicted bromide concentrations contributed by wet FGD at Pennsylvania intake locations ranged from 5.2 to 62 μg/L for the Base scenario (including only natural bromide in coal) and from 16 to 190 μg/L for the Bromide Addition scenario (natural plus added bromide for mercury control); ranges depend on bromide loads and receiving stream dilution capacity.

Gene expression programming for prediction of scour depth downstream of sills

Science.gov (United States)

Azamathulla, H. Md.

2012-08-01

SummaryLocal scour is crucial in the degradation of river bed and the stability of grade control structures, stilling basins, aprons, ski-jump bucket spillways, bed sills, weirs, check dams, etc. This short communication presents gene-expression programming (GEP), which is an extension to genetic programming (GP), as an alternative approach to predict scour depth downstream of sills. Published data were compiled from the literature for the scour depth downstream of sills. The proposed GEP approach gives satisfactory results (R2 = 0.967 and RMSE = 0.088) compared to the existing predictors (Chinnarasri and Kositgittiwong, 2008) with R2 = 0.87 and RMSE = 2.452 for relative scour depth.

Biphasic Modulation of NOS Expression, Protein and Nitrite Products by Hydroxocobalamin Underlies Its Protective Effect in Endotoxemic Shock: Downstream Regulation of COX-2, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and HMGB1 Expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André L. F. Sampaio

2013-01-01

mice Conclusions. HOCbl produces a complex, time- and organ-dependent, selective regulation of NOS/•NO during endotoxaemia, corollary regulation of downstream inflammatory mediators, and increased survival. This merits clinical evaluation.

Extreme wave phenomena in down-stream running modulated waves

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andonowati, A.; Karjanto, N.; van Groesen, Embrecht W.C.

Modulational, Benjamin-Feir, instability is studied for the down-stream evolution of surface gravity waves. An explicit solution, the soliton on finite background, of the NLS equation in physical space is used to study various phenomena in detail. It is shown that for sufficiently long modulation

Spawning chronology, nest site selection and nest success of smallmouth bass during benign streamflow conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Dauwalter, D.C.; Fisher, W.L.

2007-01-01

We documented the nesting chronology, nest site selection and nest success of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu in an upstream (4th order) and downstream (5th order) reach of Baron Fork Creek, Oklahoma. Males started nesting in mid-Apr. when water temperatures increased to 16.9 C upstream, and in late-Apr. when temperatures increased to 16.2 C downstream. Streamflows were low (77% upstream to 82% downstream of mean Apr. streamflow, and 12 and 18% of meanjun. streamflow; 47 and 55 y of record), and decreased throughout the spawning period. Larger males nested first upstream, as has been observed in other populations, but not downstream. Upstream, progeny in 62 of 153 nests developed to swim-up stage. Downstream, progeny in 31 of 73 nests developed to swim-up. Nesting densities upstream (147/km) and downstream (100/km) were both higher than any densities previously reported. Males selected nest sites with intermediate water depths, low water velocity and near cover, behavior that is typical of smallmouth bass. Documented nest failures resulted from human disturbance, angling, and longear sunfish predation. Logistic exposure models showed that water velocity at the nest was negatively related and length of the guarding male was positively related to nest success upstream. Male length and number of degree days were both positively related to nest success downstream. Our results, and those of other studies, suggest that biological factors account for most nest failures during benign (stable, low flow) streamflow conditions, whereas nest failures attributed to substrate mobility or nest abandonment dominate when harsh streamflow conditions (spring floods) coincide with the spawning season.

Suspended sediments from upstream tributaries as the source of downstream river sites

Science.gov (United States)

Haddadchi, Arman; Olley, Jon

2014-05-01

Understanding the efficiency with which sediment eroded from different sources is transported to the catchment outlet is a key knowledge gap that is critical to our ability to accurately target and prioritise management actions to reduce sediment delivery. Sediment fingerprinting has proven to be an efficient approach to determine the sources of sediment. This study examines the suspended sediment sources from Emu Creek catchment, south eastern Queensland, Australia. In addition to collect suspended sediments from different sites of the streams after the confluence of tributaries and outlet of the catchment, time integrated suspended samples from upper tributaries were used as the source of sediment, instead of using hillslope and channel bank samples. Totally, 35 time-integrated samplers were used to compute the contribution of suspended sediments from different upstream waterways to the downstream sediment sites. Three size fractions of materials including fine sand (63-210 μm), silt (10-63 μm) and fine silt and clay (<10 μm) were used to find the effect of particle size on the contribution of upper sediments as the sources of sediment after river confluences. And then samples were analysed by ICP-MS and -OES to find 41 sediment fingerprints. According to the results of Student's T-distribution mixing model, small creeks in the middle and lower part of the catchment were major source in different size fractions, especially in silt (10-63 μm) samples. Gowrie Creek as covers southern-upstream part of the catchment was a major contributor at the outlet of the catchment in finest size fraction (<10 μm) Large differences between the contributions of suspended sediments from upper tributaries in different size fractions necessitate the selection of appropriate size fraction on sediment tracing in the catchment and also major effect of particle size on the movement and deposition of sediments.

Measurement of velocity deficit at the downstream of a 1:10 axial hydrokinetic turbine model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gunawan, Budi [ORNL; Neary, Vincent S [ORNL; Hill, Craig [St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, 2 Third Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414; Chamorro, Leonardo [St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, 2 Third Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

2012-01-01

Wake recovery constrains the downstream spacing and density of turbines that can be deployed in turbine farms and limits the amount of energy that can be produced at a hydrokinetic energy site. This study investigates the wake recovery at the downstream of a 1:10 axial flow turbine model using a pulse-to-pulse coherent Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP). In addition, turbine inflow and outflow velocities were measured for calculating the thrust on the turbine. The result shows that the depth-averaged longitudinal velocity recovers to 97% of the inflow velocity at 35 turbine diameter (D) downstream of the turbine.

An essential regulatory role of downstream of kinase-1 in the ovalbumin-induced murine model of asthma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang-Min Lee

Full Text Available The downstream of kinase (DOK-1 is involved in the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK pathway in mast cells, but the role of DOK-1 in the pathogenesis of asthma has not been defined. In this study, we have demonstrated a novel regulatory role of DOK-1 in airway inflammation and physiologic responses in a murine model of asthma using lentiviral vector containing DOK-1 cDNA or DOK-1-specific ShRNA. The OVA-induced inflammatory cells, airway hyperresponsiveness, Th2 cytokine expression, and mucus response were significantly reduced in DOK-1 overexpressing mice compared to OVA-challenged control mice. The transgenic introduction of DOK-1 significantly stimulated the activation and expression of STAT-4 and T-bet, while impressively inhibiting the activation and expression of STAT-6 and GATA-3 in airway epithelial cells. On the other hand, DOK-1 knockdown mice enhanced STAT-6 expression and its nuclear translocation compared to OVA-challenged control mice. When viewed in combination, our studies demonstrate DOK-1 regulates allergen-induced Th2 immune responses by selective stimulation and inhibition of STAT-4 and STAT-6 signaling pathways, respectively. These studies provide a novel insight on the regulatory role of DOK-1 in allergen-induced Th2 inflammation and airway responses, which has therapeutic potential for asthma and other allergic diseases.

Re-modulated technology of WDM-PON employing different DQPSK downstream signals

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Chao; Xin, Xiang-jun; Yu, Chong-xiu

2012-11-01

This paper proposes a kind of modulation architecture for wavelength-division-multiplexing passive optical network (WDMPON) employing optical differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) downstream signals and two different modulation formats of re-modulated upstream signals. At the optical line terminal (OLT), 10 Gbit/s signal is modulated with DQPSK. At the optical network unit (ONU), part of the downstream signal is re-modulated with on-off keying (OOK) or inverse-return-to-zero (IRZ). Simulation results show the impact on the system employing NRZ, RZ and carrier-suppressed return-to-zero (CSRZ). The analyses also reflect that the architecture can restrain chromatic dispersion and channel crosstalk, which makes it the best architecture of access network in the future.

Simulation-Optimization Framework for Synthesis and Design of Natural Gas Downstream Utilization Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saad A. Al-Sobhi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Many potential diversification and conversion options are available for utilization of natural gas resources, and several design configurations and technology choices exist for conversion of natural gas to value-added products. Therefore, a detailed mathematical model is desirable for selection of optimal configuration and operating mode among the various options available. In this study, we present a simulation-optimization framework for the optimal selection of economic and environmentally sustainable pathways for natural gas downstream utilization networks by optimizing process design and operational decisions. The main processes (e.g., LNG, GTL, and methanol production, along with different design alternatives in terms of flow-sheeting for each main processing unit (namely syngas preparation, liquefaction, N2 rejection, hydrogen, FT synthesis, methanol synthesis, FT upgrade, and methanol upgrade units, are used for superstructure development. These processes are simulated using ASPEN Plus V7.3 to determine the yields of different processing units under various operating modes. The model has been applied to maximize total profit of the natural gas utilization system with penalties for environmental impact, represented by CO2eq emission obtained using ASPEN Plus for each flowsheet configuration and operating mode options. The performance of the proposed modeling framework is demonstrated using a case study.

Downstream passage and impact of turbine shutdowns on survival of silver American Eels at five hydroelectric dams on the Shenandoah River

Science.gov (United States)

Eyler, Sheila; Welsh, Stuart A.; Smith, David R.; Rockey, Mary

2016-01-01

Hydroelectric dams impact the downstream migrations of silver American Eels Anguilla rostrata via migratory delays and turbine mortality. A radiotelemetry study of American Eels was conducted to determine the impacts of five run-of-the-river hydroelectric dams located over a 195-km stretch of the Shenandoah River, Virginia–West Virginia, during fall 2007–summer 2010. Overall, 96 radio-tagged individuals (mean TL = 85.4 cm) migrated downstream past at least one dam during the study. Most American Eels passed dams relatively quickly; over half (57.9%) of the dam passage events occurred within 1 h of reaching a dam, and most (81.3%) occurred within 24 h of reaching the dam. Two-thirds of the dam passage events occurred via spill, and the remaining passage events were through turbines. Migratory delays at dams were shorter and American Eels were more likely to pass via spill over the dam during periods of high river discharge than during low river discharge. The extent of delay in migration did not differ between the passage routes (spill versus turbine). Twenty-eight American Eels suffered turbine-related mortality, which occurred at all five dams. Mortality rates for eels passing through turbines ranged from 15.8% to 40.7% at individual dams. Overall project-specific mortality rates (with all passage routes combined) ranged from 3.0% to 14.3%. To protect downstream-migrating American Eels, nighttime turbine shutdowns (1800–0600 hours) were implemented during September 15–December 15. Fifty percent of all downstream passage events in the study occurred during the turbine shutdown period. Implementation of the seasonal turbine shutdown period reduced cumulative mortality from 63.3% to 37.3% for American Eels passing all five dams. Modifying the turbine shutdown period to encompass more dates in the spring and linking the shutdowns to environmental conditions could provide greater protection to downstream-migrating American Eels.

Regulation of notochord-specific expression of Ci-Bra downstream genes in Ciona intestinalis embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Hiroki; Hotta, Kohji; Takagi, Chiyo; Ueno, Naoto; Satoh, Nori; Shoguchi, Eiichi

2010-02-01

Brachyury, a T-box transcription factor, is expressed in ascidian embryos exclusively in primordial notochord cells and plays a pivotal role in differentiation of notochord cells. Previously, we identified approximately 450 genes downstream of Ciona intestinalis Brachyury (Ci-Bra), and characterized the expression profiles of 45 of these in differentiating notochord cells. In this study, we looked for cisregulatory sequences in minimal enhancers of 20 Ci-Bra downstream genes by electroporating region within approximately 3 kb upstream of each gene fused with lacZ. Eight of the 20 reporters were expressed in notochord cells. The minimal enchancer for each of these eight genes was narrowed to a region approximately 0.5-1.0-kb long. We also explored the genome-wide and coordinate regulation of 43 Ci-Bra-downstream genes. When we determined their chromosomal localization, it became evident that they are not clustered in a given region of the genome, but rather distributed evenly over 13 of the 14 pairs of chromosomes, suggesting that gene clustering does not contribute to coordinate control of the Ci-Bra downstream gene expression. Our results might provide Insights Into the molecular mechanisms underlying notochord formation in chordates.

Phenotypic selection in natural populations: what limits directional selection?

Science.gov (United States)

Kingsolver, Joel G; Diamond, Sarah E

2011-03-01

Studies of phenotypic selection document directional selection in many natural populations. What factors reduce total directional selection and the cumulative evolutionary responses to selection? We combine two data sets for phenotypic selection, representing more than 4,600 distinct estimates of selection from 143 studies, to evaluate the potential roles of fitness trade-offs, indirect (correlated) selection, temporally varying selection, and stabilizing selection for reducing net directional selection and cumulative responses to selection. We detected little evidence that trade-offs among different fitness components reduced total directional selection in most study systems. Comparisons of selection gradients and selection differentials suggest that correlated selection frequently reduced total selection on size but not on other types of traits. The direction of selection on a trait often changes over time in many temporally replicated studies, but these fluctuations have limited impact in reducing cumulative directional selection in most study systems. Analyses of quadratic selection gradients indicated stabilizing selection on body size in at least some studies but provided little evidence that stabilizing selection is more common than disruptive selection for most traits or study systems. Our analyses provide little evidence that fitness trade-offs, correlated selection, or stabilizing selection strongly constrains the directional selection reported for most quantitative traits.

5 X 5 rod bundle flow field measurements downstream a PWR spacer grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, Higor F.P.; Silva, Vitor V A.; Santos, André A.C.; Veloso, Maria A.F., E-mail: higorfabiano@gmail.com, E-mail: mdora@nuclear.ufmg.br, E-mail: vitors@cdtn.br, E-mail: aacs@cdtn.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2017-07-01

The spacer grids are structures present in nuclear fuel assembly of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). They play an important structural role and also assist in heat removal through the assembly by promoting increased turbulence of the flow. Understanding the flow dynamics downstream the spacer grid is paramount for fuel element design and analysis. This paper presents water flow velocity profiles measurements downstream a spacer grid in a 5 x 5 rod bundle test rig with the objective of highlighting important fluid dynamic behavior near the grid and supplying data for CFD simulation validation. These velocity profiles were obtained at two different heights downstream the spacer grid using a LDV (Laser Doppler Velocimetry) through the top of test rig. The turbulence intensities and patterns of the swirl and cross flow were evaluated. The tests were conducted for Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.8 x 10{sup 4} to 5.4 x 10{sup 4}. This experimental research was carried out in thermo-hydraulics laboratory of Nuclear Technology Development Center – CDTN. Results show great repeatability and low uncertainties (< 1.24 %). Details of the flow field show how the mixture and turbulence induced by the spacer grid quickly decays downstream the spacer grid. It is shown that the developed methodology can supply high resolution low uncertainty results that can be used for validation of CFD simulations. (author)

5 X 5 rod bundle flow field measurements downstream a PWR spacer grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Higor F.P.; Silva, Vitor V A.; Santos, André A.C.; Veloso, Maria A.F.

2017-01-01

The spacer grids are structures present in nuclear fuel assembly of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). They play an important structural role and also assist in heat removal through the assembly by promoting increased turbulence of the flow. Understanding the flow dynamics downstream the spacer grid is paramount for fuel element design and analysis. This paper presents water flow velocity profiles measurements downstream a spacer grid in a 5 x 5 rod bundle test rig with the objective of highlighting important fluid dynamic behavior near the grid and supplying data for CFD simulation validation. These velocity profiles were obtained at two different heights downstream the spacer grid using a LDV (Laser Doppler Velocimetry) through the top of test rig. The turbulence intensities and patterns of the swirl and cross flow were evaluated. The tests were conducted for Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.8 x 10"4 to 5.4 x 10"4. This experimental research was carried out in thermo-hydraulics laboratory of Nuclear Technology Development Center – CDTN. Results show great repeatability and low uncertainties (< 1.24 %). Details of the flow field show how the mixture and turbulence induced by the spacer grid quickly decays downstream the spacer grid. It is shown that the developed methodology can supply high resolution low uncertainty results that can be used for validation of CFD simulations. (author)

40 CFR 80.210 - What sulfur standards apply to gasoline downstream from refineries and importers?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... combined with non-S-RGAS for the sole purpose of producing midgrade gasoline. (6) Where S-RGAS is being... of the gasoline. (f) Downstream standards applicable to S-RGAS when produced or imported. (1) The downstream standard applicable to any gasoline classified as S-RGAS when produced or imported shall be...

Cetuximab insufficiently inhibits glioma cell growth due to persistent EGFR downstream signaling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasselbalch, Benedikte; Lassen, Ulrik; Poulsen, Hans S

2010-01-01

Overexpression and/or amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is present in 35-45% of primary glioblastoma multiforme tumors and has been correlated with a poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of cetuximab and intracellular signaling pathways downstream...... of EGFR, important for cell survival and proliferation. We show insufficient EGFR downregulation and competition with endogenous EGFR ligands upon cetuximab treatment. Dose-response experiments showed inhibition of EGFR phosphorylation without affecting two of the prominent downstream signaling pathways....... Our results indicate that amplification and/or overexpression of EGFR is an unsatisfactory predictor for response to cetuximab....

Reducing cardiovascular risk factors in non-selected outpatients with schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Mette Vinther; Hjorth, Peter; Kristiansen, Christina Blanner; Vandborg, Kirsten; Gustafsson, Lea Nørgaard; Munk-Jørgensen, Povl

2016-06-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of premature death in patients with schizophrenia. We aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk factors in non-selected outpatients with schizophrenia using methods proven effective in short-term trials. Furthermore, we examined whether any baseline characteristics were associated with positive outcomes. All outpatients treated for schizophrenia at two Danish hospitals were included in this 1-year follow-up study. The patients were offered health interventions both individually and in groups. Weight, waist circumference, blood glucose, serum lipids, and information on smoking and alcohol were obtained. On average, small significant increases in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumferences were observed while small non-significant improvements in other cardiovascular risk factors were seen. Patients with high baseline BMI and patients with duration of treated illness beyond 2 years had significantly better intervention outcomes. Our results show that it was difficult to improve physical health in a group of non-selected patients with schizophrenia as part of routine care. The patients were not easily motivated to participate in the interventions, and it was difficult to monitor the recommended metabolic risk measures in the patient group. Future research should focus on simple strategies in health promotion that can be integrated into routine care. © The Author(s) 2016.

Kindled seizures selectively reduce a subpopulation of (/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites in rat dentate gyrus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savage, D.D.; McNamara, J.O.

1982-09-01

Amygdala-kindled seizures reduced significantly the total number of (/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites in both dentate and hippocampal gyri compared to electrode implanted unstimulated controls. Both high and low affinity carbachol displaceable binding site populations were significantly reduced in hippocampal gyrus. By contrast, a selective decline of low affinity sites was found in dentate gyrus membranes. The selectivity of the decline in dentate but not hippocampus gyrus underscores the specificity of this molecular response to amygdala-kindled seizures. We suggest that these receptor alterations underlie adaptive mechanisms which antagonize kindled epileptogenesis.

Comparative effects of oil palm and selective logging on erosion, river channels and water chemistry in Malaysian steeplands

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Rory; Nainar, Anand; Nurhidayu, Siti; Higton, Sam; Annammala, Kogilavani; Wall, Katy; Bidin, Kawi; Blake, William; Darling, Isabella

2017-04-01

Oil palm land-use has expanded greatly in recent decades in SE Asia and other parts of the wet tropics, including to steepland areas, where bench-terraced landscaping is involved. Retaining (and sometimes restoring) riparian forest strips and rainforest fragments on the steepest slopes have been adopted as elements of strategies designed to reduce adverse effects on runoff generation, erosion, downstream sedimentation, flooding and pollutional problems - as well as biodiversity and emissions. Results of catchment monitoring, soil erosion and sediment fingerprinting research in oil palm and selectively logged steeplands of eastern Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia are presented. The evidence indicates the greater scale and temporal persistence of effects that oil palm land-use (compared with selective logging) has had on suspended sediment dynamics, soil erosion, downstream sedimentation, channel geometry and dynamics and river pollution. The importance of (1) high densities of roads and tracks and (2) relatively impermeable bench-terraced terrain in enhancing runoff, sediment and nutrient outputs in storm events is stressed. Influences of oil palm management practices including riparian forest strips in increasing or reducing these effects are critically reviewed and ways of increasing the effectiveness of riparian forest strips are proposed. The design and rationale of current projects exploring and testing consequences of existing and proposed improved land management practices are briefly described. The key importance of involvement of people from the oil palm industry (including multinational companies, smallholders and their organizations) and Government bodies that are responsible for land-use policies and land management practices is stressed.

Persistent Hg contamination and occurrence of Hg-methylating transcript (hgcA) downstream of a chlor-alkali plant in the Olt River (Romania).

Science.gov (United States)

Bravo, Andrea G; Loizeau, Jean-Luc; Dranguet, Perrine; Makri, Stamatina; Björn, Erik; Ungureanu, Viorel Gh; Slaveykova, Vera I; Cosio, Claudia

2016-06-01

Chlor-alkali plants using mercury (Hg) cell technology are acute point sources of Hg pollution in the aquatic environment. While there have been recent efforts to reduce the use of Hg cells, some of the emitted Hg can be transformed to neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg). Here, we aimed (i) to study the dispersion of Hg in four reservoirs located downstream of a chlor-alkali plant along the Olt River (Romania) and (ii) to track the activity of bacterial functional genes involved in Hg methylation. Total Hg (THg) concentrations in water and sediments decreased successively from the initial reservoir to downstream reservoirs. Suspended fine size particles and seston appeared to be responsible for the transport of THg into downstream reservoirs, while macrophytes reflected the local bioavailability of Hg. The concentration and proportion of MeHg were correlated with THg, but were not correlated with bacterial activity in sediments, while the abundance of hgcA transcript correlated with organic matter and Cl(-) concentration, indicating the importance of Hg bioavailability in sediments for Hg methylation. Our data clearly highlights the importance of considering Hg contamination as a legacy pollutant since there is a high risk of continued Hg accumulation in food webs long after Hg-cell phase out.

Downstream processing of Isochrysis galbana: a step towards microalgal biorefinery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gilbert-López, B.; Mendiola, J.A.; Fontecha, J.; Broek, van den L.A.M.; Sijtsma, L.; Cifuentes, A.; Herrero, M.; Ibáñez, E.

2015-01-01

An algae-based biorefinery relies on the efficient use of algae biomass through its fractionation of several valuable/bioactive compounds that can be used in industry. If this biorefinery includes green platforms as downstream processing technologies able to fulfill the requirements of green

Annual and seasonal variations In the gamma activities in Sava river sediments upstream and downstream of NPP Krsko

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stipe, Lulic

2006-01-01

Results of the five years monitoring of artificial and natural occurring radionuclides in the Sava river sediments are presented. Measurements were conducted as a part of the regular Krsko Nuclear Power Plant radioactivity control and the independent supervisions of the input of radionuclides into larger environment (immission). In order to estimate seasonal variations samples were taken from seven locations (one upstream and five downstream of the Krsko NPP) during four sampling period (seasonal) in each year. Selected radionuclides in the sediment fraction less than 0.5 mm were determined with gamma spectrometer equipped with BE3830 model High Purity Ge detector with 30% relative efficiency. (authors)

Annual and seasonal variations In the gamma activities in Sava river sediments upstream and downstream of NPP Krsko

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stipe, Lulic [Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Lab. for radioecology, Zagreb (Croatia)

2006-07-01

Results of the five years monitoring of artificial and natural occurring radionuclides in the Sava river sediments are presented. Measurements were conducted as a part of the regular Krsko Nuclear Power Plant radioactivity control and the independent supervisions of the input of radionuclides into larger environment (immission). In order to estimate seasonal variations samples were taken from seven locations (one upstream and five downstream of the Krsko NPP) during four sampling period (seasonal) in each year. Selected radionuclides in the sediment fractiess than 0.5 mm were determined with gamma spectrometer equipped with BE3830 model High Purity Ge detector with 30% relative efficiency. (authors)

Multispacecraft observations of energetic ions upstream and downstream of the bow shock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scholer, M.; Mobius, E.; Kistler, L.M.; Klecker, B.; Ipavich, F.M.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park)

1989-01-01

We present simultaneous measurements of energetic protons and alpha particles inside and outside of the magnetopause, immediately upstream, and downstream as well as further upstream of the bow shock. A comparison between the intensity at the bow shock and further upstream results in an e-folding distance at 30 keV of similar to 6.2 R/sub E/. After transformation of the angular distribution into the solar wind frame a diffusion coefficeint of κ/sub parallel/similar to 3 R/sub E/ is obtained from the anisotropy and the intensity gradient. Immediately downstream of the bow shock the anisotropy in the shock frame is directed toward the magnetopause. After transformation into the plasma rest frame the distribution is isotropic. The intensity in the magnetosheath just outside the magnetopause is smaller than the intensity behind the bow shock. Thus, in the magnetosheath there is no gradient or streaming in the upstream direction. The spectra, intensities, and relative abundances in the magnetosheath and inside the magnetosphere are totally different. These observations are consistent with first order Fermi acceleration at the bow shock and subsequent downstream convection, and exclude a magnetospheric source for these particles. Copyright American Geophysical Union 1989

Analysis of the policy effects of downstream Feed-In Tariff on China’s solar photovoltaic industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Hongwei; Zheng, Shilin; Zhang, Yanhua; Zhang, Kai

2016-01-01

The Chinese government initiated the Feed-In Tariff (“FIT”) policy for downstream power generation in August 2013. The effectiveness of the downstream FIT policy has attracted the attention of academia and government. Using the quarterly data of listed solar PV companies between 2009 and 2015, this paper provides an empirical analysis regarding the effects of the downstream FIT policy. We find that (1) the FIT policy has significantly enhanced the inventory turnover of listed PV firms and improved their profitability; (2) the FIT policy has significant effects on the inventory turnover of midstream companies and mixed industry-chain companies mainly engaged in downstream operations; (3) FIT policy is more favorable towards increasing the inventory turnover of private enterprises. Our results indicate that the FIT policy can have substantial effects on the sustainable development of China's solar photovoltaic industry. - Highlights: •The article focuses on the analysis of the effect of downstream FIT policy. •We test how FIT policy affects overcapacity and profitability of solar PV companies. •We find FIT policy significantly solved the overcapacity of China’s solar PV industry. •We find FIT policy improved profitability of listed solar PV companies. •FIT policy can’t be played alone and should be combined with taxation and R&D policy.

Differences in sedge fen vegetation upstream and downstream from a managed impoundment

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalski, Kurt P.; Wilcox, Douglas A.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the restoration of wetlands impacted by a series of drainage ditches and pools located in an extensive undeveloped peatland in the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Michigan. This study examined the nature and extent of degradation to the Marsh Creek wetlands caused by alteration of natural hydrology by a water-storage pool (C-3 Pool) that intersects the Marsh Creek channel. We tested the hypothesis that a reduction in moderate-intensity disturbance associated with natural water-level fluctuations below the C-3 dike contributed to lower species richness, reduced floristic quality and a larger tree and shrub component than vegetation upstream from the pool. Wetland plant communities were sampled quantitatively and analyzed for species richness, floristic quality and physiognomy. Aerial photographs, GIS databases and GPS data contributed to the characterization and analysis of the Marsh Creek wetlands. Results showed that there was lower species richness in vegetated areas downstream from the pool, but not the anticipated growth in shrubs. Wetland vegetation upstream and downstream from the pool had similar floristic quality, except for a greater number of weedy taxa above the pool. Seepage through the pool dike and localized ground-water discharge created conditions very similar to those observed around beaver dams in Marsh Creek. In essence, the dike containing the C-3 Pool affected hydrology and wetland plant communities in a manner similar to an enormous beaver dam, except that it did not allow seasonal flooding episodes to occur. Management actions to release water from the pool into the original Marsh Creek channel at certain times and in certain amounts that mimic the natural flow regime would be expected to promote greater plant species richness and minimize the negative impacts of the dike.

Estimating Subcatchment Runoff Coefficients using Weather Radar and a Downstream Runoff Sensor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahm, Malte; Thorndahl, Søren Liedtke; Rasmussen, Michael R.

2013-01-01

This paper presents a method for estimating runoff coefficients of urban drainage subcatchments based on a combination of high resolution weather radar data and flow measurements from a downstream runoff sensor. By utilising the spatial variability of the precipitation it is possible to estimate...... the runoff coefficients of the separate subcatchments. The method is demonstrated through a case study of an urban drainage catchment (678 ha) located in the city of Aarhus, Denmark. The study has proven that it is possible to use corresponding measurements of the relative rainfall distribution over...... the catchment and downstream runoff measurements to identify the runoff coefficients at subcatchment level....

Estimating subcatchment runoff coefficients using weather radar and a downstream runoff sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahm, Malte; Thorndahl, Søren; Rasmussen, Michael R; Bassø, Lene

2013-01-01

This paper presents a method for estimating runoff coefficients of urban drainage subcatchments based on a combination of high resolution weather radar data and flow measurements from a downstream runoff sensor. By utilising the spatial variability of the precipitation it is possible to estimate the runoff coefficients of the separate subcatchments. The method is demonstrated through a case study of an urban drainage catchment (678 ha) located in the city of Aarhus, Denmark. The study has proven that it is possible to use corresponding measurements of the relative rainfall distribution over the catchment and downstream runoff measurements to identify the runoff coefficients at subcatchment level.

Introduction to sump screen downstream effect analysis of AP1000 nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qinghua; Liu Yu; Chai Guohan

2010-01-01

The design of AP1000 takes into account the potential impact of debris clogging on sump screen. In this article, the technical background of sump screen issue and the design characteristics of AP1000 to address the sump screen blockage issue are introduced. The article focuses on the 'downstream effect' analysis method, acceptance criteria and analysis result of AP1000 sump screen. Although the design of AP1000 is different with traditional PWR, the author expects to bring some reference to advance the downstream effect analysis in China through the introduction. (authors)

The Drosophila FoxA ortholog Fork head regulates growth and gene expression downstream of Target of rapamycin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margret H Bülow

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Forkhead transcription factors of the FoxO subfamily regulate gene expression programs downstream of the insulin signaling network. It is less clear which proteins mediate transcriptional control exerted by Target of rapamycin (TOR signaling, but recent studies in nematodes suggest a role for FoxA transcription factors downstream of TOR. In this study we present evidence that outlines a similar connection in Drosophila, in which the FoxA protein Fork head (FKH regulates cellular and organismal size downstream of TOR. We find that ectopic expression and targeted knockdown of FKH in larval tissues elicits different size phenotypes depending on nutrient state and TOR signaling levels. FKH overexpression has a negative effect on growth under fed conditions, and this phenotype is not further exacerbated by inhibition of TOR via rapamycin feeding. Under conditions of starvation or low TOR signaling levels, knockdown of FKH attenuates the size reduction associated with these conditions. Subcellular localization of endogenous FKH protein is shifted from predominantly cytoplasmic on a high-protein diet to a pronounced nuclear accumulation in animals with reduced levels of TOR or fed with rapamycin. Two putative FKH target genes, CG6770 and cabut, are transcriptionally induced by rapamycin or FKH expression, and silenced by FKH knockdown. Induction of both target genes in heterozygous TOR mutant animals is suppressed by mutations in fkh. Furthermore, TOR signaling levels and FKH impact on transcription of the dFOXO target gene d4E-BP, implying a point of crosstalk with the insulin pathway. In summary, our observations show that an alteration of FKH levels has an effect on cellular and organismal size, and that FKH function is required for the growth inhibition and target gene induction caused by low TOR signaling levels.

Evaluation of mixing downstream of tees in duct systems with respect to single point representative air sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Taehong; O'Neal, Dennis L; Ortiz, Carlos

2006-09-01

Air duct systems in nuclear facilities must be monitored with continuous sampling in case of an accidental release of airborne radionuclides. The purpose of this work is to identify the air sampling locations where the velocity and contaminant concentrations fall below the 20% coefficient of variation required by the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society N13.1-1999. Experiments of velocity and tracer gas concentration were conducted on a generic "T" mixing system which included combinations of three sub ducts, one main duct, and air velocities from 0.5 to 2 m s (100 to 400 fpm). The experimental results suggest that turbulent mixing provides the accepted velocity coefficients of variation after 6 hydraulic diameters downstream of the T-junction. About 95% of the cases achieved coefficients of variation below 10% by 6 hydraulic diameters. However, above a velocity ratio (velocity in the sub duct/velocity in the main duct) of 2, velocity profiles were uniform in a shorter distance downstream of the T-junction as the velocity ratio went up. For the tracer gas concentration, the distance needed for the coefficients of variation to drop 20% decreased with increasing velocity ratio due to the sub duct airflow momentum. The results may apply to other duct systems with similar geometries and, ultimately, be a basis for selecting a proper sampling location under the requirements of single point representative sampling.

miR-342-5p Regulates Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation Downstream to Notch Signaling in Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Gao

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Summary: Notch signaling is critically involved in neural development, but the downstream effectors remain incompletely understood. In this study, we cultured neurospheres from Nestin-Cre-mediated conditional Rbp-j knockout (Rbp-j cKO and control embryos and compared their miRNA expression profiles using microarray. Among differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-342-5p showed upregulated expression as Notch signaling was genetically or pharmaceutically interrupted. Consistently, the promoter of the miR-342-5p host gene, the Ena-vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein-like (Evl, was negatively regulated by Notch signaling, probably through HES5. Transfection of miR-342-5p promoted the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs into intermediate neural progenitors (INPs in vitro and reduced the stemness of NSCs in vivo. Furthermore, miR-342-5p inhibited the differentiation of neural stem/intermediate progenitor cells into astrocytes, likely mediated by targeting GFAP directly. Our results indicated that miR-342-5p could function as a downstream effector of Notch signaling to regulate the differentiation of NSCs into INPs and astrocytes commitment. : In this article, Han and colleagues show that miR-342-5p acts as a downstream effector of Notch signaling in the mouse CNS. Notch signal inhibits miR-342-5p expression by regulating its host gene Evl. And with attenuated Notch signal in NSCs, miR-342-5p is upregulated to promote NSCs transition into INPs, and to inhibit astrocyte commitment by targeting GFAP. Keywords: neural stem cells, intermediate neural progenitors, Notch, RBP-J, neuron, glia, miR-342-5p

Downstream changes in spring-fed stream invertebrate communities: the effect of increased temperature range?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Russell G. DEATH

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Reduced thermal amplitude has been highlighted as a limiting factor for aquatic invertebrate diversity in springs. Moving downstream water temperature range increases and invertebrate richness is expected to change accordingly. In the present study temperature patterns were investigated in seven spring-fed streams, between April 2001 and November 2002, and compared to five run-off-fed streams to assess the degree of crenic temperature constancy. Temperature and physico-chemical characteristics of the water, and food resource levels were measured, and the invertebrate fauna collected at 4 distances (0, 100, 500 m and 1 km from seven springs in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Temperature variability was greater for run-off-fed streams than for springs, and increased in the spring-fed streams with distance from the source. Periphyton and physico-chemical characteristics of the water did not change markedly over the 1 km studied, with the exception of water velocity and organic matter biomass, which increased and decreased, respectively. The rate of increase in temperature amplitude differed greatly for the studied springs, probably being affected by flow, altitude, and the number and type of tributaries (i.e., spring- or run-off-fed joining the spring-fed stream channel. Longitudinal changes in the number and evenness of invertebrate taxa were positively correlated to thermal amplitude (rs = 0.8. Moving downstream, invertebrate communities progressively incorporated taxa with higher mobility and taxa more common in nearby run-off-fed streams. Chironomids and non-insect taxa were denser at the sources. Chironomid larvae also numerically dominated communities 100 and 500 m downstream from the sources, together with Pycnocentria spp. and Zelolessica spp., while taxa such as Hydora sp. and Hydraenidae beetles, the mayflies Deleatidium spp. and Coloburiscus humeralis, and the Trichoptera Pycnocentrodes spp., all had greater abundances 1 km

A novel cell autolysis system for cost-competitive downstream processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajnal, Ivan; Chen, Xiangbin; Chen, Guo-Qiang

2016-11-01

The industrial production of low value-added biological products poses significant challenges due to cost pressures. In recent years, it has been argued that synthetic biology approaches will lead to breakthroughs that eliminate price bottlenecks for the production of a wide range of biological products including bioplastics and biofuels. One significant bottleneck lies in the necessity to break the tough cell walls of microbes in order to release intracellular products. We here report the implementation of the first synthetic biology standard part based on the lambda phage SRRz genes and a synthetic ribosome binding site (RBS) that works in Escherichia coli and Halomonas campaniensis, which enables the producer strains to induce lysis after the addition of small amounts (1-5 %) of solvents or to spontaneously lyse during the stresses of downstream processing, and thus has the potential to eliminate the mechanical cell disruption step as both an efficiency bottleneck and a significant capex barrier when implementing downstream bioprocesses.

Circadian rhythms in healthy aging--effects downstream from the pacemaker

Science.gov (United States)

Monk, T. H.; Kupfer, D. J.

2000-01-01

Using both previously published findings and entirely new data, we present evidence in support of the argument that the circadian dysfunction of advancing age in the healthy human is primarily one of failing to transduce the circadian signal from the circadian timing system (CTS) to rhythms "downstream" from the pacemaker rather than one of failing to generate the circadian signal itself. Two downstream rhythms are considered: subjective alertness and objective performance. For subjective alertness, we show that in both normal nychthemeral (24 h routine, sleeping at night) and unmasking (36 h of constant wakeful bed rest) conditions, advancing age, especially in men, leads to flattening of subjective alertness rhythms, even when circadian temperature rhythms are relatively robust. For objective performance, an unmasking experiment involving manual dexterity, visual search, and visual vigilance tasks was used to demonstrate that the relationship between temperature and performance is strong in the young, but not in older subjects (and especially not in older men).

Assessing the Downstream Impact of the Integrated Use of Socioeconomic and Remote Sensing Data

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, R. S.; Downs, R. R.; Schumacher, J.

2014-12-01

The interdisciplinary use of data from multiple disciplines to address both research and applied problems has received increasing attention in the sciences, but understanding remains limited on the specific modalities of data use and their impact not only in enabling new research insights but also in facilitating the application of research to societal problems. In our previous work, we used citation analysis to investigate the use of data from the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) and identify the extent of interdisciplinary use, based on the subject classifications of citing journals. We also proposed and tested a taxonomy of data integration and use on a selection of peer-reviewed scientific articles that cited both remote sensing data and socioeconomic data from SEDAC. We extend both of these analyses here. We analyze the interdisciplinary use of SEDAC data over a seven-year period including the types and topical areas of application observed. We also explore the degree to which different types of data integration and use are leading to further "downstream" research and applications, and if objective measures can be developed using bibliometric methods to quantify downstream use and impact in meaningful ways. These methods include both traditional citation analysis and searches of the informal literature and online resources. Better understanding of how disparate data and information has been utilized to address new interdisciplinary problems will help the data user and provider communities improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their efforts. It should also provide justification for further investments in linking different data resources and networks across scientific fields, in methods of interdisciplinary data integration, and in application of integrated data to societal problems.

Seasonal Changes and Spatial Variation in Water Quality of a Large Young Tropical Reservoir and Its Downstream River

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teck-Yee Ling

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined the water quality of the large young tropical Bakun hydroelectric reservoir in Sarawak, Malaysia, and the influence of the outflow on the downstream river during wet and dry seasons. Water quality was determined at five stations in the reservoir at three different depths and one downstream station. The results show that seasons impacted the water quality of the Bakun Reservoir, particularly in the deeper water column. Significantly lower turbidity, SRP, and TP were found during the wet season. At 3–6 m, the oxygen content fell below 5 mg/L and hypoxia was also recorded. Low NO2--N, NO3--N, and SRP and high BOD5, OKN, and TP were observed in the reservoir indicating organic pollution. Active logging activities and the dam construction upstream resulted in water quality deterioration. The outflow decreased the temperature, DO, and pH and increased the turbidity and TSS downstream. Elevated organic matter and nutrients downstream are attributable to domestic discharge along the river. This study shows that the downstream river was affected by the discharge through the turbines, the spillway operations, and domestic waste. Therefore, all these factors should be taken into consideration in the downstream river management for the health of the aquatic organisms.

Focal Adhesion Kinase Is Required for Intestinal Regeneration and Tumorigenesis Downstream of Wnt/c-Myc Signaling

Science.gov (United States)

Ashton, Gabrielle H.; Morton, Jennifer P.; Myant, Kevin; Phesse, Toby J.; Ridgway, Rachel A.; Marsh, Victoria; Wilkins, Julie A.; Athineos, Dimitris; Muncan, Vanesa; Kemp, Richard; Neufeld, Kristi; Clevers, Hans; Brunton, Valerie; Winton, Douglas J.; Wang, Xiaoyan; Sears, Rosalie C.; Clarke, Alan R.; Frame, Margaret C.; Sansom, Owen J.

2012-01-01

SUMMARY The intestinal epithelium has a remarkable capacity to regenerate after injury and DNA damage. Here, we show that the integrin effector protein Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is dispensable for normal intestinal homeostasis and DNA damage signaling, but is essential for intestinal regeneration following DNA damage. Given Wnt/c-Myc signaling is activated following intestinal regeneration, we investigated the functional importance of FAK following deletion of the Apc tumor suppressor protein within the intestinal epithelium. Following Apc loss, FAK expression increased in a c-Myc-dependent manner. Codeletion of Apc and Fak strongly reduced proliferation normally induced following Apc loss, and this was associated with reduced levels of phospho-Akt and suppression of intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc heterozygous mice. Thus, FAK is required downstream of Wnt Signaling, for Akt/mTOR activation, intestinal regeneration, and tumorigenesis. Importantly, this work suggests that FAK inhibitors may suppress tumorigenesis in patients at high risk of developing colorectal cancer. PMID:20708588

Assessment of the expression of mir-29c, mir-200a and mir-145 in endometrial tissue and the downstream molecules in infertile patients with endometriosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Mei Shu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the expression of mir-29c, mir-200a and mir-145 in endometrial tissue and analyze the downstream molecules in infertile patients with endometriosis. Methods: Female patients with infertility caused by endometriosis who were treated in Leshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital between May 2014 and February 2017 were selected as the infertility group of the research, and female patients with infertility caused by male factors over the same period were selected as the control group of the research. Endometrial tissue was collected to detect the expression of mir-29c, mir-200a, mir-145, HOXA-10 and HOXA-11 as well as downstream molecules and adhesion molecules. Results: mir-29c, mir-200a and mir-145 expression in endometrial tissue of infertility group were significantly higher than those of control group; HOXA-10, HOXA-11, integrin αvβ3, IGFBP-1, CD44V6, N-cadherin and FAK mRNA expression in endometrial tissue of infertility group were significantly lower than those of control group and negatively correlated with mir-29c, mir-200a and mir-145 expression while E-cadherin and FUT4 mRNA expression were significantly higher than those of control group and positively correlated with mir-29c, mir-200a and mir-145 expression. Conclusion: The highly expressed mir-29c, mir-200a and mir-145 in endometrial tissue can regulate the expression of HOXA-10 and HOXA-11 as well as downstream molecules and adhesion molecules, and influence the endometrial receptivity in infertile patients with endometriosis.

The jet membrane-experiment: downstream sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campargue, R.

1976-01-01

The invasion separation effect of the free jet structure was found in 1966 at Saclay. In the Downstream Sampling Configuration patended by Campargue (1967), the light fraction is withdrawn from the supersonic central core, by skimming the separating free jet. From experimental and theoretical results obtained for gas and isotopic mixtures, the following points linked to operation and equipment costs, are considered: system description; influence of mass ratio, expansion ratio, nature of separating gas, ratio of upflow to separating jet flow, rarefaction. Fron an uninteresting aspect of Jet Membrane (elimination of background penetration), a new principle has been discovered to produce nozzle beams which may be of great interest for other separation processes involving free jets and/or molecular beams [fr

Reestablishing the Dominance of Biogeochemical Pathways for Reducing Downstream Nutrient Losses from Aged Impounded Features

Science.gov (United States)

Shukla, S.; Shukla, A.

2017-12-01

agricultural and urban landscapes that use the SIs to meet downstream flows and water quality goals for watersheds.

Recent hydrocarbon developments in Latin America: Key issues in the downstream oil sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, K.; Pezeshki, S.

1995-01-01

This report discusses the following: (1) An overview of major issues in the downstream oil sector, including oil demand and product export availability, the changing product consumption pattern, and refineries being due for major investment; (2) Recent upstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela; (3) Recent downstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Cuba, and Venezuela; (4) Pipelines in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico; and (5) Regional energy balance. 4 figs., 5 tabs

Recent hydrocarbon developments in Latin America: Key issues in the downstream oil sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, K.; Pezeshki, S.

1995-03-01

This report discusses the following: (1) An overview of major issues in the downstream oil sector, including oil demand and product export availability, the changing product consumption pattern, and refineries being due for major investment; (2) Recent upstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela; (3) Recent downstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Cuba, and Venezuela; (4) Pipelines in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico; and (5) Regional energy balance. 4 figs., 5 tabs.

Downstream lightening and upward heavying, sorting of sediments of uniform grain size but differing in density

Science.gov (United States)

Viparelli, E.; Solari, L.; Hill, K. M.

2014-12-01

Downstream fining, i.e. the tendency for a gradual decrease in grain size in the downstream direction, has been observed and studied in alluvial rivers and in laboratory flumes. Laboratory experiments and field observations show that the vertical sorting pattern over a small Gilbert delta front is characterized by an upward fining profile, with preferential deposition of coarse particles in the lowermost part of the deposit. The present work is an attempt to answer the following questions. Are there analogous sorting patterns in mixtures of sediment particles having the same grain size but differing density? To investigate this, we performed experiments at the Hydrosystems Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During the experiments a Gilbert delta formed and migrated downstream allowing for the study of transport and sorting processes on the surface and within the deposit. The experimental results show 1) preferential deposition of heavy particles in the upstream part of the deposit associated with a pattern of "downstream lightening"; and 2) a vertical sorting pattern over the delta front characterized by a pattern of "upward heavying" with preferential deposition of light particles in the lowermost part of the deposit. The observed downstream lightening is analogous of the downstream fining with preferential deposition of heavy (coarse) particles in the upstream part of the deposit. The observed upward heavying was unexpected because, considering the particle mass alone, the heavy (coarse) particles should have been preferentially deposited in the lowermost part of the deposit. Further, the application of classical fractional bedload transport relations suggests that in the case of mixtures of particles of uniform size and different densities equal mobility is not approached. We hypothesize that granular physics mechanisms traditionally associated with sheared granular flows may be responsible for the observed upward heavying and for the

Mechanisms of stabilization and blowoff of a premixed flame downstream of a heat-conducting perforated plate

KAUST Repository

Kedia, Kushal S.

2012-03-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the flame stabilization mechanism and the conditions leading to the blowoff of a laminar premixed flame anchored downstream of a heat-conducting perforated-plate/multi-hole burner, with overall nearly adiabatic conditions. We use unsteady, fully resolved, two-dimensional simulations with detailed chemical kinetics and species transport for methane-air combustion. Results show a bell-shaped flame stabilizing above the burner plate hole, with a U-shaped section anchored between neighboring holes. The base of the positively curved U-shaped section of the flame is positioned near the stagnation point, at a location where the flame displacement speed is equal to the flow speed. This location is determined by the combined effect of heat loss and flame stretch on the flame displacement speed. As the mass flow rate of the reactants is increased, the flame displacement speed at this location varies non-monotonically. As the inlet velocity is increased, the recirculation zone grows slowly, the flame moves downstream, and the heat loss to the burner decreases, strengthening the flame and increasing its displacement speed. As the inlet velocity is raised, the stagnation point moves downstream, and the flame length grows to accommodate the reactants mass flow. Concomitantly, the radius of curvature of the flame base decreases until it reaches an almost constant value, comparable to the flame thickness. While the heat loss decreases, the higher flame curvature dominates thereby reducing the displacement speed of the flame base. For a stable flame, the gradient of the flame base displacement speed normal to the flame is higher than the gradient of the flow speed along the same direction, leading to dynamic stability. As inlet velocity is raised further, the former decreases while the latter increases until the stability condition is violated, leading to blowoff. The flame speed during blow off is determined by the feedback between the

Downstream-Conditioned Maximum Entropy Method for Exit Boundary Conditions in the Lattice Boltzmann Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier A. Dottori

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A method for modeling outflow boundary conditions in the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM based on the maximization of the local entropy is presented. The maximization procedure is constrained by macroscopic values and downstream components. The method is applied to fully developed boundary conditions of the Navier-Stokes equations in rectangular channels. Comparisons are made with other alternative methods. In addition, the new downstream-conditioned entropy is studied and it was found that there is a correlation with the velocity gradient during the flow development.

Water Stress in Global Transboundary River Basins: Significance of Upstream Water Use on Downstream Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Munia, H.; Guillaume, J. H. A.; Mirumachi, N.; Porkka,M.; Wada, Yoshihide; Kummu, M.

2016-01-01

Growing population and water demand have increased pressure on water resources in various parts of the globe, including many transboundary river basins. While the impacts of upstream water use on downstream water availability have been analyzed in many of these international river basins, this has not been systematically done at the global scale using coherent and comparable datasets. In this study, we aim to assess the change in downstream water stress due to upstream water use in the world's transboundary river basins. Water stress was first calculated considering only local water use of each sub-basin based on country-basin mesh, then compared with the situation when upstream water use was subtracted from downstream water availability. Wefound that water stress was generally already high when considering only local water use, affecting 0.95-1.44 billion people or 33%-51% of the population in transboundary river basins. After accounting for upstream water use, stress level increased by at least 1 percentage-point for 30-65 sub-basins, affecting 0.29-1.13 billion people. Altogether 288 out of 298 middle-stream and downstream sub-basin areas experienced some change in stress level. Further, we assessed whether there is a link between increased water stress due to upstream water use and the number of conflictive and cooperative events in the transboundary river basins, as captured by two prominent databases. No direct relationship was found. This supports the argument that conflicts and cooperation events originate from a combination of different drivers, among which upstream-induced water stress may play a role. Our findings contribute to better understanding of upstream-downstream dynamics in water stress to help address water allocation problems.

Forest canopy damage and recovery in reduced-impact and conventional selective logging in eastern Para, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigo Pereira Jr.; Johan Zweedea; Gregory P. Asnerb; Keller; Michael

2002-01-01

We investigated ground and canopy damage and recovery following conventional logging and reduced-impact logging (RIL) of moist tropical forest in the eastern Amazon of Brazil. Paired conventional and RIL blocks were selectively logged with a harvest intensity of approximately 23 m3 ha

A novel reduced-complexity group detection structure in MIMO frequency selective fading channels

KAUST Repository

Qaraqe, Khalid A.; Ahimian, Nariman R.; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2010-01-01

In this paper a novel reduced complexity detection method named modified symbol flipping method is introduced and its advantages on reducing the burden of the calculations at the receiver compared to the optimum maximum likelihood detection method on multiple input- multiple output frequency selective fading channels are explained. The initial concept of the symbol flipping method is derived from a preliminary detection scheme named bit flipping which was introduced in [1]. The detection structure employed in this paper is ing, detection, and cancellation. On the detection stage, the proposed method is employed and the results are compared to the group maximum likelihood detection scheme proposed in [2]. Simulation results show that a 6 dB performance gain can be achieved at the expense of a slight increase in complexity in comparison with the conventional symbol flipping scheme. © 2010 Crown.

A novel reduced-complexity group detection structure in MIMO frequency selective fading channels

KAUST Repository

Qaraqe, Khalid A.

2010-09-01

In this paper a novel reduced complexity detection method named modified symbol flipping method is introduced and its advantages on reducing the burden of the calculations at the receiver compared to the optimum maximum likelihood detection method on multiple input- multiple output frequency selective fading channels are explained. The initial concept of the symbol flipping method is derived from a preliminary detection scheme named bit flipping which was introduced in [1]. The detection structure employed in this paper is ing, detection, and cancellation. On the detection stage, the proposed method is employed and the results are compared to the group maximum likelihood detection scheme proposed in [2]. Simulation results show that a 6 dB performance gain can be achieved at the expense of a slight increase in complexity in comparison with the conventional symbol flipping scheme. © 2010 Crown.

Long-Term Downstream Effects of a Dam on a Lowland River Flow Regime: Case Study of the Upper Narew

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paweł Marcinkowski

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Most European riverine ecosystems suffer from the negative influence of impoundments on flow regime. Downstream effects of dams lead to a number of environmental and socioeconomic risks and, therefore, should be thoroughly examined in specific contexts. Our study aims to quantify the downstream effects of the Siemianówka Reservoir (Upper Narew, Poland, using statistical analysis of key elements of the river’s flow regime, such as the flow duration and recurrence of floods and droughts. In a comparative study on control catchments not influenced by impoundments (the Supraśl and Narewka Rivers, we revealed the following downstream effects of the analyzed dam: significant shortening of spring floods, reduction of the duration and depth of summer droughts, decrease of the maximum discharge, and homogenization of the discharge hydrographs. Although we determined a significant decrease in the duration of summer floods in the “before” and “after” dam function periods, we showed that this issue is regional, climate-related, and replicated in control catchments, rather than an evident downstream effect of the dam. We conclude that significant hydrological downstream effects of the Siemianówka dam–reservoir system could have been the main driver inducing the deterioration of the anastomosing stretch of the Narew River downstream of the dam.

Evaluation of a Solid Phase DNA Binding Matrix for Downstream PCR Analysis

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bader, Douglas E; Fisher, Glen R; Stratilo, Chad W

2005-01-01

A commercially available solid-phase DNA binding matrix (FTA cards) was evaluated for its ability to capture and release DNA for downstream gene amplification and detection assays using polymerase chain reaction (PCR...

Regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells by ccp1, a FGF2 downstream gene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inman Gareth J

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coiled-coil domain containing 115 (Ccdc115 or coiled coil protein-1 (ccp1 was previously identified as a downstream gene of Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2 highly expressed in embryonic and adult brain. However, its function has not been characterised to date. Here we hypothesized that ccp1 may be a downstream effecter of FGF2, promoting cell proliferation and protecting from apoptosis. Methods Forced ccp1 expression in mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF and neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cell line, as well as down-regulation of ccp1 expression by siRNA in NIH3T3, was used to characterize the role of ccp1. Results Ccp1 over-expression increased cell proliferation, whereas down-regulation of ccp1 expression reduced it. Ccp1 was able to increase cell proliferation in the absence of serum. Furthermore, ccp1 reduced apoptosis upon withdrawal of serum in SK-N-SH. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK or ERK Kinase (MEK inhibitor, U0126, only partially inhibited the ccp1-dependent BrdU incorporation, indicating that other signaling pathway may be involved in ccp1-induced cell proliferation. Induction of Sprouty (SPRY upon FGF2 treatment was accelerated in ccp1 over-expressing cells. Conclusions All together, the results showed that ccp1 regulates cell number by promoting proliferation and suppressing cell death. FGF2 was shown to enhance the effects of ccp1, however, it is likely that other mitogenic factors present in the serum can also enhance the effects. Whether these effects are mediated by FGF2 influencing the ccp1 function or by increasing the ccp1 expression level is still unclear. At least some of the proliferative regulation by ccp1 is mediated by MAPK, however other signaling pathways are likely to be involved.

Evaluation of Intracellular Signaling Downstream Chimeric Antigen Receptors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Karlsson

Full Text Available CD19-targeting CAR T cells have shown potency in clinical trials targeting B cell leukemia. Although mainly second generation (2G CARs carrying CD28 or 4-1BB have been investigated in patients, preclinical studies suggest that third generation (3G CARs with both CD28 and 4-1BB have enhanced capacity. However, little is known about the intracellular signaling pathways downstream of CARs. In the present work, we have analyzed the signaling capacity post antigen stimulation in both 2G and 3G CARs. 3G CAR T cells expanded better than 2G CAR T cells upon repeated stimulation with IL-2 and autologous B cells. An antigen-driven accumulation of CAR+ cells was evident post antigen stimulation. The cytotoxicity of both 2G and 3G CAR T cells was maintained by repeated stimulation. The phosphorylation status of intracellular signaling proteins post antigen stimulation showed that 3G CAR T cells had a higher activation status than 2G. Several proteins involved in signaling downstream the TCR were activated, as were proteins involved in the cell cycle, cell adhesion and exocytosis. In conclusion, 3G CAR T cells had a higher degree of intracellular signaling activity than 2G CARs which may explain the increased proliferative capacity seen in 3G CAR T cells. The study also indicates that there may be other signaling pathways to consider when designing or evaluating new generations of CARs.

Reducing pesticide level in wine by selective filtration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lempereur Valérie

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Wine Pesticide residues, even when below grape regulatory limit, are a concern for consumers and have an impact on the export potential of wine in certain markets. A consortium of European SMEs (www.adfimax.com has developed a product that reduces the level of mycotoxins and pesticides in wine while keeping all other wine parameter identical. The product is derived from renewable vegetable fiber. The production process includes both activation and micronisation. The usage recommendation is to substitute only the pre-coat, typically perlite, by the product at 1 or 1.5 kg⋅m−2 without changing the other layer (body feed typically kieselguhr. This paper describes the results of numerous industrial trials that were performed in France, Luxemburg, Germany and Spain. The impact of the product on the wine oenological characteristics was evaluated for different wine (white, red and rosé in different countries and for different grape variety (including Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and Gamay. Results showed a reduction of the test wine pesticide level of 50% to 60% for all pesticides compared to the blank. Level of pesticide analyzed in the cake where extremely high at a level of a 1,000 times greater than the filtered wine showing the ability of the product to selectively capture the pesticides molecules.

Downstream flow top width prediction in a river system | Choudhury ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ANFIS, ARIMA and Hybrid Multiple Inflows Muskingum models (HMIM) were applied to simulate and forecast downstream discharge and flow top widths in a river system. The ANFIS model works on a set of linguistic rules while the ARIMA model uses a set of past values to predict the next value in a time series. The HMIM ...

Enrichment: CRISLA [chemical reaction by isotope selective activation] aims to reduce costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eerkens, J.W.

1989-01-01

Every year, more than $3 billion is spent on enriching uranium. CRISLA (Chemical Reaction by Isotope Selective Activation) uses a laser-catalyzed chemical reaction which, its proponents claim, could substantially reduce these costs. In CRISLA, an infrared CO laser illuminates the intracavity reaction cell (IC) at a frequency tuned to excite primarily UF 6 . When UF 6 and co-reactant RX are passed through the IC, the tuned laser photons preferentially enhance the reaction of UF 6 with RX ten-thousand-fold over the thermal reaction rate. Thus the laser serves as an activator and the chemical energy for separation is largely chemical. (author)

Flow diagnostics downstream of a tribladed rotor model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naumov, I. V.; Rahmanov, V. V.; Okulov, Valery

2012-01-01

This paper presents results of a study of vortex wake structures and measurements of instantaneous 3D velocity fields downstream of a triblade turbine model. Two operation modes of flow around the rotor with different tip speed ratios were tested. Initially the wake structures were visualized...... and subsequently quantitative data were recorded through velocity field restoration from particle tracks using a stereo PIV system.The study supplied flow diagnostics and recovered the instantaneous 3D velocity fields in the longitudinal cross section behind a tribladed rotor at different values of tip speed ratio...

'Patents and Downstream Innovation Suppression - Fact or Fiction?'

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Howells, John

Merges and Nelson have provided an empirically grounded argument that firms use pioneer patents of 'broad' scope to block downstream technological development (Merges and Nelson 1990). If this is a regular occurrence then, as they claim, they have faulted Kitch's 'prospect theory' of patents (Kitch...... 1977), a theory that is a version of the classic justification for the award of the exclusive right - that it should protect the incentive to develop property. Merges and Nelson insist that their thesis should be supported by empirical evidence and they turn to historical accounts as an important form...

Effect of chemically reduced palladium supported catalyst on sunflower oil hydrogenation conversion and selectivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmajid Alshaibani

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Catalytic hydrogenation of sunflower oil was studied in order to improve the conversion and to reduce the trans-isomerization selectivity. The hydrogenation was performed using Pd–B/γ-Al2O3 prepared catalyst and Pd/Al2O3 commercial catalyst under similar conditions. The Pd–B/γ-Al2O3 catalyst was prepared by wet impregnation and chemical reduction processes. It was characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis (BET, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The result of sunflower oil hydrogenation on Pd–B/γ-Al2O3 catalyst showed a 17% higher conversion and a 23% lower trans-isomerization selectivity compared to the commercial Pd/Al2O3 catalyst. The chemical reduction of palladium supported catalyst using potassium borohydride (KBH4 has affected the Pd–B/γ-Al2O3 catalyst’s structure and particle size. These most likely influenced its catalytic performance toward higher conversion and lower trans-isomerization selectivity.

Willingness of upstream and downstream resource managers to engage in compensation schemes for environmental services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chapika Sangkapitux

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Providing compensation for agricultural conservation practices adopted by upstream farmers is still an alien concept in the Thai political context. The governance of common-pool natural resources, such as forest and water, has traditionally been under the control of powerful government line agencies, while the contribution of local communities to natural resource conservation have been hardly recognized by policy-makers. Drawing on a case study in Mae Sa watershed, Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, this paper discusses the potential of developing compensation schemes in a socio-political context where upland farmers – mostly belonging to ethnic minority groups – tend to be considered a threat to the natural resource base rather than providers of environmental services. Based on data obtained from 371 households in the upstream communities and 151 households in the downstream communities of the watershed, upstream resource managers’ willingness to accept compensation for the conservation measures and downstream resource managers’ willingness to pay for water resource improvements were estimated through the use of choice experiments. Results from the study suggest that downstream resource managers would be willing to provide on average nearly 1% of their annual income for a substantial improvement of the quantity and quality of water resources, which could be achieved by compensating upstream farmers’ change of their agricultural systems towards more environment-friendly practices. Both willingness to pay of downstream respondents and willingness of upstream resource managers to accept compensation were positively correlated with age, education, participation in environmental conservation activities and previous experiences with droughts and/or erosion. The paper concludes that there is a clear potential for establishing compensation schemes for provision of environmental services in northern Thai watersheds. The important policy

Hydraulic Simulation of In-vessel Downstream Effect Test Using MARS-KS Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bang, Young Seok; Lee, Joon Soo; Ryu, Seung Hoon [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

In-vessel downstream effect test (IDET) has been required to evaluate the effect of debris on long term core cooling following a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) in support of resolution of Generic Safety Issue (GSI) 191. Head loss induced by debris (fiber and particle) accumulated on prototypical fuel assembly (FA) should be compared with the available driving head to the core for the various combinations of LOCA and Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) injection. The actual simulation was conducted using MARS-KS code. Also the influence of small difference in gap size which was found in the actual experiment is evaluated using the present model. A simple model to determine the form loss factors of FA and gap in clean state and the debris laden state is discussed based on basic fluid mechanics. Those form loss factors were applied to the hydraulic simulation of a selected IDET using MARS-KS code. The result indicated that the present model can be applied to IDET simulation. The pressure drop influenced by small difference in gap size can be evaluated by the present model with practical assumption.

International Retailing Operations: Downstream Entry and Expansion via Franchising

OpenAIRE

Petersen, Bent; Welch, Lawrence S.

1999-01-01

In this article, the shift into international franchising from other forms of operation, rather than the typical home market franchising base is explored. The focus is international retail franchising, based on a study of the Danish clothing and footwear industry. In this study it was found that Danish companies were moving into international franchising as an outcome of a more general shift from upstream wholesaling and subcontracting activities to downstream involvement in retailing activit...

Cholinergic enhancement reduces functional connectivity and BOLD variability in visual extrastriate cortex during selective attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricciardi, Emiliano; Handjaras, Giacomo; Bernardi, Giulio; Pietrini, Pietro; Furey, Maura L

2013-01-01

Enhancing cholinergic function improves performance on various cognitive tasks and alters neural responses in task specific brain regions. We have hypothesized that the changes in neural activity observed during increased cholinergic function reflect an increase in neural efficiency that leads to improved task performance. The current study tested this hypothesis by assessing neural efficiency based on cholinergically-mediated effects on regional brain connectivity and BOLD signal variability. Nine subjects participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover fMRI study. Following an infusion of physostigmine (1 mg/h) or placebo, echo-planar imaging (EPI) was conducted as participants performed a selective attention task. During the task, two images comprised of superimposed pictures of faces and houses were presented. Subjects were instructed periodically to shift their attention from one stimulus component to the other and to perform a matching task using hand held response buttons. A control condition included phase-scrambled images of superimposed faces and houses that were presented in the same temporal and spatial manner as the attention task; participants were instructed to perform a matching task. Cholinergic enhancement improved performance during the selective attention task, with no change during the control task. Functional connectivity analyses showed that the strength of connectivity between ventral visual processing areas and task-related occipital, parietal and prefrontal regions reduced significantly during cholinergic enhancement, exclusively during the selective attention task. Physostigmine administration also reduced BOLD signal temporal variability relative to placebo throughout temporal and occipital visual processing areas, again during the selective attention task only. Together with the observed behavioral improvement, the decreases in connectivity strength throughout task-relevant regions and BOLD variability within stimulus

Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions and Downstream Transport of Water, Heat, and Solutes in a Hydropeaked River

Science.gov (United States)

Ferencz, S. B.; Cardenas, M. B.; Neilson, B. T.; Watson, J.

2017-12-01

A majority of the world's largest river systems are regulated by dams. In addition to being used for water resources management and flood prevention, many large dams are also used for hydroelectric power generation. In the United States, dams account for 7% of domestic electricity, and hydropower accounts for 16% of worldwide electricity production. To help meet electricity demand during peak usage times, hydropower utilities often increase their releases of water during high demand periods. This practice, termed hydropeaking, can cause large transient flow regimes downstream of hydroelectric dams. These transient flow increases can result in order of magnitude daily fluctuations in discharge, and the released water can have different thermal and chemical properties than ambient river water. As hydropeaking releases travel downstream, the temporary rise in stage and increase in discharge can enhance surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) exchange between the river and its alluvial aquifer. This dam-induced SW-GW exchange, combined with hydrodynamic attenuation and heat exchange processes, result in complex responses downstream. The dam-regulated Lower Colorado River downstream of Austin, TX was used as a natural laboratory to observe SW-GW interactions and downstream transport of water, heat, and solutes under hydropeaking conditions. To characterize SW-GW interactions, well transects were installed in the banks of the river to observe exchanges between the river and alluvial aquifer. The well transects were installed at three different distances from the dam (15km, 35km, and 80km). At each well transect conductivity, temperature, and pressure sensors were deployed in the monitoring wells and in the channel. Additional conductivity and temperature sensors were deployed along the study reach to provide a more detailed record of heat and solute transport during hydropeaking releases. The field data spans over two months of daily dam releases that were punctuated by two

Using forest carbon credits to offset emissions in the downstream business

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hein, Lars

2017-01-01

A forthcoming report by Concawe, entitled Using Forest Carbon Credits to Offset Emissions in the Downstream Business, investigated whether, and how, forest carbon credits can be used to offset emissions from the European refining and road transport sectors. Forest carbon plays a major role in the

40 CFR 80.219 - Designation and downstream requirements for GPA gasoline.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Designation and downstream requirements for GPA gasoline. 80.219 Section 80.219 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... sold or dispensed for use in motor vehicles at a retail outlet or wholesale purchaser-consumer facility...

A downstream voyage with mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, Gary

2016-01-01

Retrospective essay for the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.As I look back on my paper, “Effects of Low Dietary Levels of Methyl Mercury on Mallard Reproduction,” published in 1974 in the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, a thought sticks in my mind. I realize just how much my mercury research was not unlike a leaf in a stream, carried this way and that, sometimes stalled in an eddy, restarted, and carried downstream at a pace and path that was not completely under my control. I was hired in 1969 by the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to study the effects of environmental pollutants on the behavior of wildlife. A colleague was conducting a study on the reproductive effects of methylmercury on mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and he offered to give me some of the ducklings. I conducted a pilot study, testing how readily ducklings approached a tape-recorded maternal call. Sample sizes were small, but the results suggested that ducklings from mercury-treated parents behaved differently than controls. That’s how I got into mercury research—pretty much by chance.

Status and habitat requirements of the white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nigro, A.A.

1991-09-01

We report on our progress from April 1990 through March 1991 on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Washington Department of Fisheries (WDF), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Study objectives addressed by each agency are to describe the life history and population dynamics of subadults and adults between Bonneville and McNary dams and evaluate the need and identify potential methods for protecting, mitigating and enhancing populations downstream from NcNary Dam; to describe the white sturgeon recreational fishery between Bonneville and McNary dams, describe reproductive and early life history characteristics downstream from Bonneville Dam and describe life history and population dynamics of subadults and adults downstream from Bonneville Dam; to describe reproduction and early life history characteristics, define habitat requirements for spawning and rearing and quantify extent of habitat available between Bonneville and McNary dams; and to describe reproduction and early life history characteristics, define habitat requirements for spawning and rearing and quantify extent of habitat available downstream from Bonneville Dam. Our approach is to work concurrently downstream and upstream from Bonneville Dam. Upstream from Bonneville Dam we began work in the Dalles Reservoir in 1987 and expanded efforts to Bonneville Reservoir in 1988 and John Day Reservoir in 1989. Highlights of results of this work in the Dalles, Bonneville and John Day reservoirs are included in the four pages included in this report

Supplier Selection Using Weighted Utility Additive Method

Science.gov (United States)

Karande, Prasad; Chakraborty, Shankar

2015-10-01

Supplier selection is a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem which mainly involves evaluating a number of available suppliers according to a set of common criteria for choosing the best one to meet the organizational needs. For any manufacturing or service organization, selecting the right upstream suppliers is a key success factor that will significantly reduce purchasing cost, increase downstream customer satisfaction and improve competitive ability. The past researchers have attempted to solve the supplier selection problem employing different MCDM techniques which involve active participation of the decision makers in the decision-making process. This paper deals with the application of weighted utility additive (WUTA) method for solving supplier selection problems. The WUTA method, an extension of utility additive approach, is based on ordinal regression and consists of building a piece-wise linear additive decision model from a preference structure using linear programming (LP). It adopts preference disaggregation principle and addresses the decision-making activities through operational models which need implicit preferences in the form of a preorder of reference alternatives or a subset of these alternatives present in the process. The preferential preorder provided by the decision maker is used as a restriction of a LP problem, which has its own objective function, minimization of the sum of the errors associated with the ranking of each alternative. Based on a given reference ranking of alternatives, one or more additive utility functions are derived. Using these utility functions, the weighted utilities for individual criterion values are combined into an overall weighted utility for a given alternative. It is observed that WUTA method, having a sound mathematical background, can provide accurate ranking to the candidate suppliers and choose the best one to fulfill the organizational requirements. Two real time examples are illustrated to prove

The incentive amplifying effects of nicotine are reduced by selective and non-selective dopamine antagonists in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmatier, Matthew I; Kellicut, Marissa R; Brianna Sheppard, A; Brown, Russell W; Robinson, Donita L

2014-11-01

Nicotine is a psychomotor stimulant with 'reinforcement enhancing' effects--the actions of nicotine in the brain increase responding for non-nicotine rewards. We hypothesized that this latter effect of nicotine depends on increased incentive properties of anticipatory cues; consistent with this hypothesis, multiple laboratories have reported that nicotine increases sign tracking, i.e. approach to a conditioned stimulus (CS), in Pavlovian conditioned-approach tasks. Incentive motivation and sign tracking are mediated by mesolimbic dopamine (DA) transmission and nicotine facilitates mesolimbic DA release. Therefore, we hypothesized that the incentive-promoting effects of nicotine would be impaired by DA antagonists. To test this hypothesis, separate groups of rats were injected with nicotine (0.4mg/kg base) or saline prior to Pavlovian conditioning sessions in which a CS (30s illumination of a light or presentation of a lever) was immediately followed by a sweet reward delivered in an adjacent location. Both saline and nicotine pretreated rats exhibited similar levels of conditioned approach to the reward location (goal tracking), but nicotine pretreatment significantly increased approach to the CS (sign tracking), regardless of type (lever or light). The DAD1 antagonist SCH-23390 and the DAD2/3 antagonist eticlopride reduced conditioned approach in all rats, but specifically reduced goal tracking in the saline pretreated rats and sign tracking in the nicotine pretreated rats. The non-selective DA antagonist flupenthixol reduced sign-tracking in nicotine rats at all doses tested; however, only the highest dose of flupenthixol reduced goal tracking in both nicotine and saline groups. The reductions in conditioned approach behavior, especially those by SCH-23390, were dissociated from simple motor suppressant effects of the antagonists. These experiments are the first to investigate the effects of dopaminergic drugs on the facilitation of sign-tracking engendered by

Downstream wind flow path diversion and its effects on the performance of vertical axis wind turbine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maganhar, A.L.

2015-01-01

In the present experimental study efforts have been made to analysis path diversion effect of downstream wind flow on performance of vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). For the blockage of downstream wind flow path at various linear displaced positions, a normal erected flat wall, semi-circular and cylindrical shapes were tested for path diverting geometries. Performance of VAWT in terms of improved rotor speed up to 45% was achieved. (author)

Downstream mixing of sediment and tracers in agricultural catchments: Evidence of changing sediment sources and fluvial processes?

Science.gov (United States)

Ralph, Timothy; Wethered, Adam; Smith, Hugh; Heijnis, Henk

2014-05-01

Land clearance, soil tillage and grazing in agricultural catchments have liberated sediment and altered hydrological connectivity between hillslopes and channels, leading to increased sediment availability, mobilisation and delivery to rivers. The type and amount of sediment supplied to rivers is critical for fluvial geomorphology and aquatic ecosystem health. Contemporary sediment dynamics are routinely investigated using environmental radionuclides such as caesium-137 (Cs-137) and excess lead-210 (Pb-210ex), which can provide information regarding sediment source types and fluvial processes if sediment sources can be distinguished from one another and mixing models applied to representative samples. However, downstream transport, mixing and dilution of radionuclide-labelled sediment (especially from sources with low initial concentrations) can obliterate the tracer signal; sometimes before anything of geomorphological importance happens in the catchment. Can these findings be used as evidence of sediment source variations and fluvial processes when the limits of detection (of Cs-137 in particular) are being exceeded so rapidly downstream? Sediment sources and downstream sediment dynamics were investigated in Coolbaggie Creek, a major supplier of sediment to the Macquarie River in an agricultural catchment with temperate to semi-arid climate in Australia. Radionuclides were used to discriminate between the banks and gullies (Cs-137 1.45 +/- 0.47 Bq/kg; Pb-210ex 4.67 +/- 1.93 Bq/kg). Within the trunk stream, suspended sediment, organic matter and Cs-137 and Pb-210ex concentrations declined downstream. Results from a mixing model suggest that agricultural topsoils account for 95% of fine sediment entering the channel in the upper reach (200 m2) downstream, with channel expansion and gullies contributing fine sediment to the system. A lack of topsoil being supplied to the channel suggests minimal lateral connectivity between the catchment and the trunk stream in all

Spatial attention enhances the selective integration of activity from area MT.

Science.gov (United States)

Masse, Nicolas Y; Herrington, Todd M; Cook, Erik P

2012-09-01

Distinguishing which of the many proposed neural mechanisms of spatial attention actually underlies behavioral improvements in visually guided tasks has been difficult. One attractive hypothesis is that attention allows downstream neural circuits to selectively integrate responses from the most informative sensory neurons. This would allow behavioral performance to be based on the highest-quality signals available in visual cortex. We examined this hypothesis by asking how spatial attention affects both the stimulus sensitivity of middle temporal (MT) neurons and their corresponding correlation with behavior. Analyzing a data set pooled from two experiments involving four monkeys, we found that spatial attention did not appreciably affect either the stimulus sensitivity of the neurons or the correlation between their activity and behavior. However, for those sessions in which there was a robust behavioral effect of attention, focusing attention inside the neuron's receptive field significantly increased the correlation between these two metrics, an indication of selective integration. These results suggest that, similar to mechanisms proposed for the neural basis of perceptual learning, the behavioral benefits of focusing spatial attention are attributable to selective integration of neural activity from visual cortical areas by their downstream targets.

Impact of upstream and downstream constraints on a signaling module’s ultrasensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altszyler, Edgar; Chernomoretz, Ariel; Ventura, Alejandra; Colman-Lerner, Alejandro

2014-01-01

Much work has been done on the study of the biochemical mechanisms that result in ultrasensitive behavior of simple biochemical modules. However, in a living cell, such modules are embedded in a bigger network that constrains the range of inputs that the module will receive as well as the range of the module’s outputs that network will be able to detect. Here, we studied how the effective ultrasensitivity of a modular system is affected by these restrictions. We use a simple setup to explore to what extent the dynamic range spanned by upstream and downstream components of an ultrasensitive module impact on the effective sensitivity of the system. Interestingly, we found for some ultrasensitive motifs that dynamic range limitations imposed by downstream components can produce effective sensitivities much larger than that of the original module when considered in isolation. (paper)

Selective Cannabinoid 2 Receptor Stimulation Reduces Tubular Epithelial Cell Damage after Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Pressly, Jeffrey D; Mustafa, Suni M; Adibi, Ammaar H; Alghamdi, Sahar; Pandey, Pankaj; Roy, Kuldeep K; Doerksen, Robert J; Moore, Bob M; Park, Frank

2018-02-01

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), which is an increasing problem in the clinic and has been associated with elevated rates of mortality. Therapies to treat AKI are currently not available, so identification of new targets that can be modulated to ameliorate renal damage upon diagnosis of AKI is essential. In this study, a novel cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist, SMM-295 [3'-methyl-4-(2-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-yl)biphenyl-2,6-diol], was designed, synthesized, and tested in vitro and in silico. Molecular docking of SMM-295 into a CB2 active-state homology model showed that SMM-295 interacts well with key amino acids to stabilize the active state. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells, SMM-295 was capable of reducing cAMP production with 66-fold selectivity for CB2 versus cannabinoid receptor 1 and dose-dependently increased mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt phosphorylation. In vivo testing of the CB2 agonist was performed using a mouse model of bilateral IRI, which is a common model to mimic human AKI, where SMM-295 was immediately administered upon reperfusion of the kidneys after the ischemia episode. Histologic damage assessment 48 hours after reperfusion demonstrated reduced tubular damage in the presence of SMM-295. This was consistent with reduced plasma markers of renal dysfunction (i.e., creatinine and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) in SMM-295-treated mice. Mechanistically, kidneys treated with SMM-295 were shown to have elevated activation of Akt with reduced terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-deoxyuridine nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells compared with vehicle-treated kidneys after IRI. These data suggest that selective CB2 receptor activation could be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of AKI. Copyright © 2018 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Evaluating the Invasion of Red Cedar (Juniperus viriginiana) Downstream of Gavins Point Dam, Missouri National Recreational River

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Greene, S.; Knox, J. C.

2013-12-01

Gavins Point Dam, the final dam on the main-stem Missouri River, alters downstream river form and function. Throughout a 59-mile downstream reach, the dam reduces overbank flooding and lowers the water surface by 1-3 meters. Under the dam-created hydro-geomorphic conditions, native cottonwood trees are unable to regenerate. The limited regeneration of native riparian cottonwoods, the lowered water surface, and the reduced overbank flooding creates a terrace environment within the riparian habitat. Consequently, red cedars, a native upland tree, are invading this new terrace-like riparian environment. To this end, we apply Bayesian statistical models to investigate patterns of red cedar riparian invasion and assess ecosystem function patterns along this flow-regulated reach. We set up plots within cottonwood stands along a 59-km reach downstream of Gavins Point Dam. Within each plot, we collected soil samples, litter samples, stem densities of trees, and collected cores of the largest cottonwood and largest red cedar in each plot. To assess influences of red cedar on soil indicators of ecosystem function and general patterns of ecosystem function within the study area, we measured organic carbon, nitrogen, pH, electrical conductivity, and hydrophobicity. To determine drivers and patterns of invasion and ecosystem function we conducted Bayesian linear regressions and means comparison tests. Red cedars existed along the floodplain prior to regulation. However, according to our tree age data and stem density data red cedars existed at a lower population than today. We found that 2 out of 565 red cedars established before the dam was completed. Also, we found no significant difference in soil properties between soils with established red cedar and soils with established cottonwood. By studying soil texture data, and interpreting fluvial geomorphic surfaces in the field and via aerial photography, we found soil texture generally reflects the type of fluvial surface

An experimental study on downstream of the transition of the chemically reacting liquid round free jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, S.D.; Sugii, Y.; Okamoto, K.; Madarame, H.

2002-01-01

An experimental study was conducted on the chemically reacting liquid round free jet, Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) technique was adopted to evaluate the diffusion width of the jet into liquid streams. In the fluid engineering, it is very important to evaluate the characteristics of reacting jet for the safety of the nuclear reactor. In this study, the jet profile of downstream region far away from the transition point was evaluated, providing comparisons between reacting and non-reacting jet case. The concentration of the jet solution was varied from 0.01 mol/L to 0.5 mol/L in reacting cases. In the downstream far away from the transition point, the jet profiles between reacting cases and non-reacting cases were visualized quite different. It was concluded that the chemical reaction affects the momentum diffusion of the jet in the downstream region. (author)

Spinal muscular atrophy: Selective motor neuron loss and global defect in the assembly of ribonucleoproteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Beattie, Christine E; Kolb, Stephen J

2018-08-15

Spinal muscular atrophy is caused by deletions or mutations in the SMN1 gene that result in reduced expression of the SMN protein. The SMN protein is an essential molecular chaperone that is required for the biogenesis of multiple ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes including spliceosomal small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs). Reductions in SMN expression result in a reduced abundance of snRNPs and to downstream RNA splicing alterations. SMN is also present in axons and dendrites and appears to have important roles in the formation of neuronal mRNA-protein complexes during development or neuronal repair. Thus, SMA is an exemplar, selective motor neuron disorder that is caused by defects in fundamental RNA processing events. A detailed molecular understanding of how motor neurons fail, and why other neurons do not, in SMA will yield important principals about motor neuron maintenance and neuronal specificity in neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of sediment transport upstream and downstream from Lake Emory on the Little Tennessee River near Franklin, North Carolina, 2014–15

Science.gov (United States)

Huffman, Brad A.; Hazell, William F.; Oblinger, Carolyn J.

2017-09-06

Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations have expressed concerns regarding the detrimental effects of excessive sediment transport on aquatic resources and endangered species populations in the upper Little Tennessee River and some of its tributaries. In addition, the storage volume of Lake Emory, which is necessary for flood control and power generation, has been depleted by sediment deposition. To help address these concerns, a 2-year study was conducted in the upper Little Tennessee River Basin to characterize the ambient suspended-sediment concentrations and suspended-sediment loads upstream and downstream from Lake Emory in Franklin, North Carolina. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Duke Energy. Suspended-sediment samples were collected periodically, and time series of stage and turbidity data were measured from December 2013 to January 2016 upstream and downstream from Lake Emory. The stage data were used to compute time-series streamflow. Suspended-sediment samples, along with time-series streamflow and turbidity data, were used to develop regression models that were used to estimate time-series suspended-sediment concentrations for the 2014 and 2015 calendar years. These concentrations, along with streamflow data, were used to compute suspended-sediment loads. Selected suspended-sediment samples were collected for analysis of particle-size distribution, with emphasis on high-flow events. Bed-load samples were also collected upstream from Lake Emory.The estimated annual suspended-sediment loads (yields) for the upstream site for the 2014 and 2015 calendar years were 27,000 short tons (92 short tons per square mile) and 63,300 short tons (215 short tons per square mile), respectively. The annual suspended-sediment loads (yields) for the downstream site for 2014 and 2015 were 24,200 short tons (75 short tons per square mile) and 94,300 short tons (292 short tons per square mile), respectively. Overall, the

Kappa-Electrons Downstream of the Solar Wind Termination Shock

Science.gov (United States)

Fahr, H. J.

2017-12-01

A theoretical description of the solar wind electron distribution function downstream of the termination shock under the influence of the shock-induced injection of overshooting KeV-energetic electrons will be presented. A kinetic phasespace transport equation in the bulk frame of the heliosheath plasma flow is developed for the solar wind electrons, taking into account shock-induced electron injection, convective changes, magnetic cooling processes and whistler wave-induced energy diffusion. Assuming that the local electron distribution under the prevailing Non-LTE conditions can be represented by a local kappa function with a local kappa parameter that varies with the streamline coordinates, we determine the parameters of the resulting, initial kappa distribution for the downstream electrons. From this initial function spectral electron fluxes can be derived and can be compared with those measured by the VOYAGER-1 spacecraft in the range between 40 to 70 KeV. It can then be shown that with kappa values around kappa = 6 one can in fact fit these data very satisfactorily. In addition it is shown that for isentropic electron flows kappa-distributed electrons have to undergo simultaneous changes of both parameters, i.e. kappa and theta, of the electron kappa function. It is also shown then that under the influence of energy sinks and sources the electron flux becomes non-isentropic with electron entropies changing along the streamline.

Distribution of events of positive selection and population differentiation in a metabolic pathway: the case of asparagine N-glycosylation

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Dall’Olio Giovanni

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Asparagine N-Glycosylation is one of the most important forms of protein post-translational modification in eukaryotes. This metabolic pathway can be subdivided into two parts: an upstream sub-pathway required for achieving proper folding for most of the proteins synthesized in the secretory pathway, and a downstream sub-pathway required to give variability to trans-membrane proteins, and involved in adaptation to the environment and innate immunity. Here we analyze the nucleotide variability of the genes of this pathway in human populations, identifying which genes show greater population differentiation and which genes show signatures of recent positive selection. We also compare how these signals are distributed between the upstream and the downstream parts of the pathway, with the aim of exploring how forces of population differentiation and positive selection vary among genes involved in the same metabolic pathway but subject to different functional constraints. Results Our results show that genes in the downstream part of the pathway are more likely to show a signature of population differentiation, while events of positive selection are equally distributed among the two parts of the pathway. Moreover, events of positive selection are frequent on genes that are known to be at bifurcation points, and that are identified as being in key position by a network-level analysis such as MGAT3 and GCS1. Conclusions These findings indicate that the upstream part of the Asparagine N-Glycosylation pathway has lower diversity among populations, while the downstream part is freer to tolerate diversity among populations. Moreover, the distribution of signatures of population differentiation and positive selection can change between parts of a pathway, especially between parts that are exposed to different functional constraints. Our results support the hypothesis that genes involved in constitutive processes can be expected to show

The Effects of Dams on Downstream Channel Characteristics in Pennsylvania and Maryland: Assessing the Potential Consequences of Dam Removal

Science.gov (United States)

Skalak, K. J.; Pizzuto, J. E.; Jenkins, P.

2003-12-01

The potential downstream effects of dam removal were assessed on fifteen sites of varying dam size and characteristics in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The dams ranged in size from a 30 cm high fish weir to a water supply dam 57 m high. Stream order ranged from 1 to 4. The dams are located in watersheds with varying degrees of human disturbance and urbanization. The dams are also operated differently, with significant consequences for hydraulic residence time and downstream flow variability. Most streams were alluvial, but 6 of the reaches were clearly bedrock channels. We hypothesize that the channel upstream, which is unaffected by the dam, will provide an accurate model for the channel downstream of the dam long after dam removal. Therefore, reaches upstream and downstream of the dam were compared to determine the effects of the dam as well as the condition of the stream that will ultimately develop decades after dam removal. Surprisingly, the dams had no consistent influence on channel morphology. However, the percentage of sand is significantly lower downstream than upstream: the mean % sand downstream is 11.47%, while the mean % sand upstream is 21.39%. The coarser fractions of the bed, as represented by the 84th percentile grain diameter, are unaffected by the presence of the dam. These results imply that decades after dam removal, the percentage of sand on the bed will increase, but the coarse fraction of the bed will remain relatively unchanged.

Bioactive Carbohydrates and Peptides in Foods: An Overview of Sources, Downstream Processing Steps and Associated Bioactivities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Maria; Tiwari, Brijesh K

2015-09-17

Bioactive peptides and carbohydrates are sourced from a myriad of plant, animal and insects and have huge potential for use as food ingredients and pharmaceuticals. However, downstream processing bottlenecks hinder the potential use of these natural bioactive compounds and add cost to production processes. This review discusses the health benefits and bioactivities associated with peptides and carbohydrates of natural origin and downstream processing methodologies and novel processes which may be used to overcome these.

The Impact of Impoundment on Mercury Bioaccumulation in Fish Downstream from a Newly Constructed Reservoir, Wujiang River, Southwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sixin; Zhou, Lianfeng; Chang, Jianbo; Yang, Zhi; Hu, Juxiang; Hongjun, Wang

2017-11-01

Mercury concentrations in fish were investigated downstream from a newly impounded subtropical reservoir in August 2008. After 6-7 months of reservoir impoundment, mean mercury concentration in fish from downstream is significantly increased by 1.9 times. Not only carnivorous fish but also benthic fish had significantly higher total mercury concentrations than others. No significant correlation was found between total mercury concentrations and body length or weight of 13 fish species. Compared with the pre-impoundment, total mercury in fish from downstream is significantly increased by reservoir impoundment, but the increased rate is lower than those in subarctic and temperate areas. Fish samples surpassed the Chinese hygienic standard for tolerances of mercury in foods increased by 4.3%. More attention should be given to fish mercury levels from downstream sites to prevent possible adverse effects on the health of local people.

Exercise-Induced Catecholamines Activate the Hippo Tumor Suppressor Pathway to Reduce Risks of Breast Cancer Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dethlefsen, Christine; Hansen, Louise S; Lillelund, Christian

2017-01-01

effect of exercise-conditioned serum was found to be mediated through phosphorylation and cytoplasmic retention of YAP and reduced expression of downstream target genes, for example, ANKRD1 and CTGF. In parallel, tumor-bearing mice with access to running wheels showed reduced growth of MCF-7 (-36%, P

Performance Analysis of Long-Reach Coherent Detection OFDM-PON Downstream Transmission Using m-QAM-Mapped OFDM Signal

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Gaurav; Goel, Aditya

2017-12-01

In this paper, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-passive optical network (PON) downstream transmission is demonstrated over different lengths of fiber at remote node (RN) for different m-QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation)-mapped OFDM signal (m=4, 16, 32 and 64) transmission from the central office (CO) for different data rates (10, 20 30 and 40 Gbps) using coherent detection at the user end or optical network unit (ONU). Investigation is performed with different number of subcarriers (32, 64, 128, 512 and 1,024), back-to-back optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) along with transmitted and received constellation diagrams for m-QAM-mapped coherent OFDM downstream transmission at different speeds over different transmission distances. Received optical power is calculated for different bit error rates (BERs) at different speeds using m-QAM-mapped coherent detection OFDM downstream transmission. No dispersion compensation is utilized in between the fiber span. Simulation results suggest the different lengths and data rates that can be used for different m-QAM-mapped coherent detection OFDM downstream transmission, and the proposed system may be implemented in next-generation high-speed PONs (NG-PONs).

Digoxin derivatives with selectivity for the α2β3 isoform of Na,K-ATPase potently reduce intraocular pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Adriana; Tal, Daniel M; Heller, Dan; Habeck, Michael; Ben Zeev, Efrat; Rabah, Bilal; Bar Kana, Yaniv; Marcovich, Arie L; Karlish, Steven J D

2015-11-03

The ciliary epithelium in the eye consists of pigmented epithelial cells that express the α1β1 isoform of Na,K-ATPase and nonpigmented epithelial cells that express mainly the α2β3 isoform. In principle, a Na,K-ATPase inhibitor with selectivity for α2β3 that penetrates the cornea could effectively reduce intraocular pressure, with minimal systemic or local toxicity. We have recently synthesized perhydro-1,4-oxazepine derivatives of digoxin by NaIO4 oxidation of the third digitoxose and reductive amination with various R-NH2 substituents and identified derivatives with significant selectivity for human α2β1 over α1β1 (up to 7.5-fold). When applied topically, the most α2-selective derivatives effectively prevented or reversed pharmacologically raised intraocular pressure in rabbits. A recent structure of Na,K-ATPase, with bound digoxin, shows the third digitoxose approaching one residue in the β1 subunit, Gln84, suggesting a role for β in digoxin binding. Gln84 in β1 is replaced by Val88 in β3. Assuming that alkyl substituents might interact with β3Val88, we synthesized perhydro-1,4-oxazepine derivatives of digoxin with diverse alkyl substituents. The methylcyclopropyl and cyclobutyl derivatives are strongly selective for α2β3 over α1β1 (22-33-fold respectively), as determined either with purified human isoform proteins or intact bovine nonpigmented epithelium cells. When applied topically on rabbit eyes, these derivatives potently reduce both pharmacologically raised and basal intraocular pressure. The cyclobutyl derivative is more efficient than Latanoprost, the most widely used glaucoma drug. Thus, the conclusion is that α2β3-selective digoxin derivatives effectively penetrate the cornea and inhibit the Na,K-ATPase, hence reducing aqueous humor production. The new digoxin derivatives may have potential for glaucoma drug therapy.

Downstream Fining of Polydispersed Gravity Currents Along a V-Shaped Valley.

Science.gov (United States)

Besson, C. K.; Meriaux, C. A. M. D.

2014-12-01

Turbidity currents belong to the class of currents transporting sediments, whose deposits exhibit downstream grain size fining. In this study, the objective was to better understand the relationship between downstream fining and grain sizes at the source. To this end, we performed four lock-exchange experiments of polydispersed and turbulent gravity currents flowing along a 5-m long V-shaped valley. The particle volumetric concentrations were typically 3%. The four currents were made of 1) Silicon Carbide (SiC), 2) Glass Beads (GBs), 3) a combined poorly sorted SiC/GBs, and 4) a moderately sorted combined SiC/GBs. We used the Morphologi G3 tool developed by Malvern Instruments Corporate (Malvern Instruments Ltd, UK) for the grain size analyses. We first established a criterion for identifying the appropriate number of grain size classes nbclassfor characterizing the grain size distributions. We considered the four statistical indicators that are the arithmetic mean size dmean, the standard deviation σd, the skewness Skd, and the kurtosis Kd, and show that the four indicators for the initial grain size distributions reach plateaux when nb_class≥ 20. Hence we chose nbclass=20 as being our appropriate bin width. These four indicators were then calculated for samples taken along the deposits to establish the grain size distributions along the deposits. The subsequent profiles of dmean, σd, Skd, and Kd with distance from the lock show highly variable behaviours between the different initial distributions. In particular, the distance over which the loss of the largest grains of the initial distribution occurs [dmean> dmean(initial)], can cover up to half the runout length. Curiously, the different rates of fining estimated from the curves (dmean/ dmean(initial)) as a function of downstream distance (x/x_runout) do not appear to be well correlated with the sedimentation velocities based on dmean(initial). This is currently being investigated.

Selective Decontamination of the Digestive Tract Reduces Pneumonia and Mortality

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Lenneke E. M. Haas

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD has been subject of numerous randomized controlled trials in critically ill patients. Almost all clinical trials showed SDD to prevent pneumonia. Nevertheless, SDD has remained a controversial strategy. One reason for why clinicians remained reluctant to implement SDD into daily practice could be that mortality was reduced in only 2 trials. Another reason could be the heterogeneity of trials of SDD. Indeed, many different prophylactic antimicrobial regimes were tested, and dissimilar diagnostic criteria for pneumonia were applied amongst the trials. This heterogeneity impeded interpretation and comparison of trial results. Two other hampering factors for implementation of SDD have been concerns over the risk of antimicrobial resistance and fear for escalation of costs associated with the use of prophylactic antimicrobials. This paper describes the concept of SDD, summarizes the results of published trials of SDD in mixed medical-surgical intensive care units, and rationalizes the risk of antimicrobial resistance and rise of costs associated with this potentially life-saving preventive strategy.

Habitat quality and recruitment success of cui-ui in the Truckee River downstream of Marble Bluff Dam, Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Scoppettone, G. Gary; Rissler, Peter H.; Salgado, J. Antonio; Harry, Beverly

2013-01-01

We compared cui-ui (Chasmistes cujus) recruitment from two reaches of the Truckee River with histories of severe erosional downcutting caused by a decline in Pyramid Lake surface elevation. In 1975, Marble Bluff Dam (MBD) was constructed 5 kilometers upstream of the extant mouth of the Truckee River to stabilize the upstream reach of the river; the downstream reach of the river remained unstable and consequently unsuitable for cui-ui recruitment. By the early 2000s, there was a decrease in the Truckee River’s slope from MBD to Pyramid Lake after a series of wet years in the 1990s. This was followed by changes in river morphology and erosion abatement. These changes led to the question as to cui-ui recruitment potential in the Truckee River downstream of MBD. In 2012, more than 7,000 cui-ui spawners were passed upstream of MBD, although an indeterminate number of cui-ui spawned downstream of MBD. In this study, we compared cui-ui recruitment upstream and downstream of MBD during a Truckee River low-flow year (2012). Cui-ui larvae emigration to Pyramid Lake began earlier and ended later downstream of MBD. A greater number of cui-ui larvae was produced downstream of MBD than upstream. This also was true for native Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis) and Lahontan redside (Richardsonius egregius). The improved Truckee River stability downstream of MBD and concomitant cui-ui recruitment success is attributed to a rise in Pyramid Lake's surface elevation. A decline in lake elevation may lead to a shift in stream morphology and substrate composition to the detriment of cui-ui reproductive success as well as the reproductive success of other native fishes.

Operating multireservoir hydropower systems for downstream water quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, D.F.

1990-01-01

Hydropower reservoir operations often impact tailwater quality and water quality in the stream or river below the impoundment for many miles. Determining optimal operating strategies for a system of hydropower reservoirs involves solving a highly dimensional nonlinear, nonconvex optimization problem. This research adds the additional complexities of downstream water quality considerations within the optimization formulation to determine operating strategies for a system of hydropower reservoirs operating in series (tandem) or parallel. The formulation was used to determine operating strategies for six reservoirs of the upper Cumberland river basin in Tennessee and Kentucky. Significant dissolved oxygen (DO) violations occur just upstream of Nashville, Tennessee below Old Hickory dam during the months of August and September. Daily reservoir releases were determined for the period of June through September which would produce the maximum hydropower revenue while meeting downstream water quality objectives. Optimal releases for three operational strategies were compared to historical operations for the years 1985, 1986, and 1988. These strategies included: spilling as necessary to meet water quality criteria, near normal operation (minimal spills), and drawdown of reservoirs as necessary to meet criteria without spills. Optimization results showed an 8% to 15% hydropower loss may be necessary to meet water quality criteria through spills and a 2% to 9% improvement in DO below Old Hickory may be possible without significant spills. Results also showed that substantial increases in initial headwater elevations would be necessary to meet daily DO criteria and avoid spills. The optimal control theory algorithm used to solve the problem proved to be an efficient and robust solver of this large optimization problem

Ultrasensitive and Selective Organic FET-type Nonenzymatic Dopamine Sensor Based on Platinum Nanoparticles-Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Jungkyun; Lee, Jun Seop; Jun, Jaemoon; Kim, Sung Gun; Jang, Jyongsik

2017-11-15

Dopamine (DA), a catecholamine hormone, is an important neurotransmitter that controls renal and cardiovascular organizations and regulates physiological activities. Abnormal concentrations of DA cause unfavorable neuronal illnesses such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/attention deficit disorder. However, the DA concentration is exceedingly low in patients and difficult to detect with existing biosensors. In this study, we developed an organic field-effect-transistor-type (OFET) nonenzyme biosensor using platinum nanoparticle-decorated reduced graphene oxide (Pt_rGO) for ultrasensitive and selective DA detection. The Pt_rGOs were fabricated by reducing GO aqueous solution-containing Pt precursors (PtCl 4 ) with a chemical reducing agent. The Pt_rGOs were immobilized on a graphene substrate by π-π interactions and a conducting-polymer source-drain electrode was patterned on the substrate to form the DA sensor. The resulting OFET sensor showed a high sensitivity to remarkably low DA concentrations (100 × 10 -18 M) and selectivity among interfering molecules. Good stability was expected for the OFET sensor because it was fabricated without an enzymatic receptor, and π-π conjugation is a part of the immobilization process. Furthermore, the OFET sensors are flexible and offer the possibility of wide application as wearable and portable sensors.

S-phenylpiracetam, a selective DAT inhibitor, reduces body weight gain without influencing locomotor activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zvejniece, Liga; Svalbe, Baiba; Vavers, Edijs; Makrecka-Kuka, Marina; Makarova, Elina; Liepins, Vilnis; Kalvinsh, Ivars; Liepinsh, Edgars; Dambrova, Maija

2017-09-01

S-phenylpiracetam is an optical isomer of phenotropil, which is a clinically used nootropic drug that improves physical condition and cognition. Recently, it was shown that S-phenylpiracetam is a selective dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitor that does not influence norepinephrine (NE) or serotonin (5-HT) receptors. The aim of the present study was to study the effects of S-phenylpiracetam treatment on body weight gain, blood glucose and leptin levels, and locomotor activity. Western diet (WD)-fed mice and obese Zucker rats were treated daily with peroral administration of S-phenylpiracetam for 8 and 12weeks, respectively. Weight gain and plasma metabolites reflecting glucose metabolism were measured. Locomotor activity was detected in an open-field test. S-phenylpiracetam treatment significantly decreased body weight gain and fat mass increase in the obese Zucker rats and in the WD-fed mice. In addition, S-phenylpiracetam reduced the plasma glucose and leptin concentration and lowered hyperglycemia in a glucose tolerance test in both the mice and the rats. S-phenylpiracetam did not influence locomotor activity in the obese Zucker rats or in the WD-fed mice. The results demonstrate that S-phenylpiracetam reduces body weight gain and improves adaptation to hyperglycemia without stimulating locomotor activity. Our findings suggest that selective DAT inhibitors, such as S-phenylpiracetam, could be potentially useful for treating obesity in patients with metabolic syndrome with fewer adverse health consequences compared to other anorectic agents. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Sleeving-back of horizontal wells to control downstream oil saturation and improve oil recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greaves, M.; Saghr, A. M. [Bath Univ (United Kingdom)

1998-12-31

Air injection has become popular as an enhanced recovery technology, applicable over a wide variety of reservoir conditions including heavy, medium and light oils. One problem observed in light oil reservoirs is the tendency to desaturate the oil layer downstream of the moving front. This is particularly common in the case of thermal recovery processes. In this experiment designed to study ways to restrict the de-saturation of the oil layer, a modified horizontal producer well, incorporating a `sleeve-back` principal was used. The objective was to replicate the `toe-to-heel` displacement process occurring during heavy oil recovery, wherein downstream oil is essentially immobile due to its high viscosity. The `sleeve-back` of the well was achieved using a co-aligned, two-well assembly, so that the upstream section of the horizontal producer well was active, and continuously adjusted during propagation of the combustion front. The use of this continuous `sleeve-back` operation to control the level of de-saturation in the downstream section of a sand pack was successful as confirmed by the very high oil recovery achieved, equivalent to 93.5 per cent of oil in place. The level of CO{sub 2} production was also very high. The `sleeve-back` of the horizontal producer well made the light oil in-situ combustion more efficient compared to what would be expected in a fully-open well. The `sleeve-back` of the well also produced thermal contours in the sand pack that closely resembled those observed with heavy, highly viscous oil. By sealing-off the otherwise open well in the downstream part of the reservoir, the de-saturation of the oil layer was prevented. 9 refs., 4 tabs., 9 figs.

Monitoring Thermal Pollution in Rivers Downstream of Dams with Landsat ETM+ Thermal Infrared Images

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Feng Ling

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Dams play a significant role in altering the spatial pattern of temperature in rivers and contribute to thermal pollution, which greatly affects the river aquatic ecosystems. Understanding the temporal and spatial variation of thermal pollution caused by dams is important to prevent or mitigate its harmful effect. Assessments based on in-situ measurements are often limited in practice because of the inaccessibility of water temperature records and the scarcity of gauges along rivers. By contrast, thermal infrared remote sensing provides an alternative approach to monitor thermal pollution downstream of dams in large rivers, because it can cover a large area and observe the same zone repeatedly. In this study, Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+ thermal infrared imagery were applied to assess the thermal pollution caused by two dams, the Geheyan Dam and the Gaobazhou Dam, located on the Qingjiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze River downstream of the Three Gorges Reservoir in Central China. The spatial and temporal characteristics of thermal pollution were analyzed with water temperatures estimated from 54 cloud-free Landsat ETM+ scenes acquired in the period from 2000 to 2014. The results show that water temperatures downstream of both dams are much cooler than those upstream of both dams in summer, and the water temperature remains stable along the river in winter, showing evident characteristic of the thermal pollution caused by dams. The area affected by the Geheyan Dam reaches beyond 20 km along the downstream river, and that affected by the Gaobazhou Dam extends beyond the point where the Qingjiang River enters the Yangtze River. Considering the long time series and global coverage of Landsat ETM+ imagery, the proposed technique in the current study provides a promising method for globally monitoring the thermal pollution caused by dams in large rivers.

Selectivity of fish ladders: a bottleneck in Neotropical fish movement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Sérgio Agostinho

Full Text Available Although dozens of fish ladders have been constructed at dams of Brazilian reservoirs, there are few studies evaluating their efficiency as a tool for the conservation of Neotropical ichthyofauna, especially for migratory species. Therefore, the present study evaluated the selectivity of the species that entered and ascended the fish ladder located next to Lajeado Dam (Luis Eduardo Magalhães Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Tocantins River. Samples were taken monthly from November, 2002 through October, 2003, in the resting pools of the ladder, using cast nets, and in the downstream stretch, using gillnets. The selectivity of the ladder in attracting fish was evaluated by comparing the occurrence, relative abundance, dominance and the congruence of abundance ranks of migratory and non-migratory species in the ladder and in the stretch of river immediately downstream. Species richness and fish abundance in the resting pools were used to evaluate selectivity along the ladder. The effects on selectivity by temporal variations in water level downriver and maximum flow velocity in the fish ladder were also analyzed. Out of the 130 species recorded downriver, 62.3% were caught in the ladder, and migratory species were clearly favored. However, more than 2/3 of the catch belonged to only three species (Rhaphiodon vulpinus, Psectrogaster amazonica and Oxydoras niger. Although the majority of the species that entered the ladder were able to reach its top, there was a sharp reduction in abundance of individuals towards the top. Temporal variations in the water level below the dam influenced richness and abundance of fish concentrated downstream and in the ladder, with lower values during periods of low water. In the ladder, a maximum flow velocity of 2.3 m/s, although also selective, proved to be more appropriate for fish ascension than a velocity of 2.8 m/s. It was concluded that the entry and ascension of the fish in the ladder were not congruent with

Genomic selection using indicator traits to reduce the environmental impact of milk production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen Axelsson, H; Fikse, W F; Kargo, Morten

2013-01-01

The aim of this simulation study was to test the hypothesis that phenotype information of specific indicator traits of environmental importance recorded on a small-scale can be implemented in breeding schemes with genomic selection to reduce the environmental impact of milk production. A stochastic...... was, however, best in the scenarios where the genetic correlation between IT and EI was ≥0.30 and the accuracy of direct genomic value was ≥0.40. The genetic gain in EI was 26 to 34% higher when indicator traits such as greenhouse gases in the breath of the cow and methane recorded in respiration...... of direct genomic values will be reasonably high...

Hungry Horse mitigation: Aquatic modeling of the selective withdrawal system -- Hungry Horse Dam, Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marotz, B.L.; Althen, C.; Gustafson, D.

1994-04-01

Hungry Horse Dam presently releases frigid water from the bottom of the reservoir all year long. Cold water effects insect production and fish growth downstream. Rapid temperature changes of up to 8.3 C (14 F) have been measured in the Flathead River downstream of the South Fork confluence, controlled by dam discharges. Thermal effects from Hungry Horse Dam are detectable for over 64 Km downstream to Flathead Lake. The installation of a selective withdrawal structure on each of the dam's discharge penstocks was determined to be the most cost-effective means to provide constant, permanent temperature control without impacting power production and flexibility in dam operation. The thermal model presented herein revealed that fish growth potential in the river would increase two to five times through selective withdrawal, temperature control. Temperature control is possible over the entire range of turbine discharge capacity, with very little effect on power production. Findings indicate that angling would improve through higher catch rates and larger fish. Temperature control will solve the most serious impact to river health. However, flow fluctuations will continue to effect insect production and usable fishery habitat in the Flathead River. A natural thermal regime combined with moderated flow fluctuation would further enhance riverine food production, trout growth and recreation potential

A coupled modelling effort to study the fate of contaminated sediments downstream of the Coles Hill deposit, Virginia, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. F. Castro-Bolinaga

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the preliminary results of a coupled modelling effort to study the fate of tailings (radioactive waste-by product downstream of the Coles Hill uranium deposit located in Virginia, USA. The implementation of the overall modelling process includes a one-dimensional hydraulic model to qualitatively characterize the sediment transport process under severe flooding conditions downstream of the potential mining site, a two-dimensional ANSYS Fluent model to simulate the release of tailings from a containment cell located partially above the local ground surface into the nearby streams, and a one-dimensional finite-volume sediment transport model to examine the propagation of a tailings sediment pulse in the river network located downstream. The findings of this investigation aim to assist in estimating the potential impacts that tailings would have if they were transported into rivers and reservoirs located downstream of the Coles Hill deposit that serve as municipal drinking water supplies.

Identification of petroleum hydrocarbons using a reduced number of PAHs selected by Procrustes rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Varela, R; Andrade, J M; Muniategui, S; Prada, D; Ramírez-Villalobos, F

2010-04-01

Identifying petroleum-related products released into the environment is a complex and difficult task. To achieve this, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of outstanding importance nowadays. Despite traditional quantitative fingerprinting uses straightforward univariate statistical analyses to differentiate among oils and to assess their sources, a multivariate strategy based on Procrustes rotation (PR) was applied in this paper. The aim of PR is to select a reduced subset of PAHs still capable of performing a satisfactory identification of petroleum-related hydrocarbons. PR selected two subsets of three (C(2)-naphthalene, C(2)-dibenzothiophene and C(2)-phenanthrene) and five (C(1)-decahidronaphthalene, naphthalene, C(2)-phenanthrene, C(3)-phenanthrene and C(2)-fluoranthene) PAHs for each of the two datasets studied here. The classification abilities of each subset of PAHs were tested using principal components analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and Kohonen neural networks and it was demonstrated that they unraveled the same patterns as the overall set of PAHs. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Broadband network selection issues

Science.gov (United States)

Leimer, Michael E.

1996-01-01

Selecting the best network for a given cable or telephone company provider is not as obvious as it appears. The cost and performance trades between Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC), Fiber to the Curb (FTTC) and Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line networks lead to very different choices based on the existing plant and the expected interactive subscriber usage model. This paper presents some of the issues and trades that drive network selection. The majority of the Interactive Television trials currently underway or planned are based on HFC networks. As a throw away market trial or a short term strategic incursion into a cable market, HFC may make sense. In the long run, if interactive services see high demand, HFC costs per node and an ever shrinking neighborhood node size to service large numbers of subscribers make FTTC appear attractive. For example, thirty-three 64-QAM modulators are required to fill the 550 MHz to 750 MHz spectrum with compressed video streams in 6 MHz channels. This large amount of hardware at each node drives not only initial build-out costs, but operations and maintenance costs as well. FTTC, with its potential for digitally switching large amounts of bandwidth to an given home, offers the potential to grow with the interactive subscriber base with less downstream cost. Integrated telephony on these networks is an issue that appears to be an afterthought for most of the networks being selected at the present time. The major players seem to be videocentric and include telephony as a simple add-on later. This may be a reasonable view point for the telephone companies that plan to leave their existing phone networks untouched. However, a phone company planning a network upgrade or a cable company jumping into the telephony business needs to carefully weigh the cost and performance issues of the various network choices. Each network type provides varying capability in both upstream and downstream bandwidth for voice channels. The noise characteristics

The chemistry of Magela Creek. A baseline for assessing change downstream of Ranger. Supervising Scientist report 151

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klessa, D.A.

2000-01-01

The compositions of waters in Magela Creek upstream and downstream of Ranger uranium mine were reviewed. The water quality parameters examined were pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and turbidity, and dissolved calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, ammonium, nitrate, copper, lead, manganese, zinc, uranium and radium-226. The frequency distributions of each of these parameters in waters upstream of the mine were characterised and statistically described to provide a baseline which allows a change in water chemistry downstream of the mine to be assessed. With the exception of pH, EC, turbidity, magnesium, calcium, sodium and manganese, data that comprise the baseline are not normally distributed. The frequency distributions of copper, lead, zinc, uranium and radium-226 forming the baseline are characterised by a large proportion of values at or near analytical detection limits and contamination in a relatively large proportion of the remainder. A comparison of upstream and downstream data shows that there is good conformity in pH, EC, turbidity, sodium, potassium and chloride. For calcium, nitrate, ammonium, lead, uranium, radium and zinc less than 40% of the downstream data fall outside the 20th and 80th baseline percentiles but in the ease of U, data are biased towards relatively high values. More than 40% of downstream magnesium and sulphate data are outside these percentile boundaries and are skewed towards relatively high concentrations. Copper, lead and zinc in mine waters (characterised by the composition of waters contained in the former RP4) do not appear to pose a risk as contaminants based upon the results of toxicity testing and water quality guideline trigger levels with risk minimised for greater than 1 in 20 dilution

Tracing the source of emerging seepage water at failure slope downstream, Kampung Bharu Bukit Tinggi, Bentong, Pahang

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakam Mejus; Wan Zakaria Wan Mohd Tahir; Md Shahid Ayub; Jeremy Andy; Johari Latif

2006-01-01

This paper discusses method and monitoring result of the source of seepage water emerging (mud flow) at downstream toe of the failure slope at Kampung Bharu Bukit Tinggi, Bentong Pahang. In this investigation, a saline-tracer experiment was conducted by injecting its solution into a drain at an upstream section (old road to Janda Baik town) where a pipeline was found leaking in the vicinity of the roadside and flowing towards hill slopes. Some parts of flowing water was left undetected and seeped through the soil on its way to downstream area. Seepage water downstream was monitored by using a conductivity sensor hooked up to a CR10X data logger and optical back scattering conductivity probes. From the result, it is believed that the source of seepage water is related to the water from the leaking pipeline upstream. The travelling time for the leaking water to reach downstream slope failure was within 16-17 hours. Based on this preliminary investigation, one can conclude that seepage water is one of the main contributing factors that cause slope failure in the vicinity of the investigated hill slopes. Further investigation to understand the failure mechanism at this place by conducting multi-experimental approaches in different seasons, particularly during continuous rain storms. (Author)

Selection of peptides interfering with protein-protein interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaida, Annette; Hagemann, Urs B; Mattay, Dinah; Räuber, Christina; Müller, Kristian M; Arndt, Katja M

2009-01-01

Cell physiology depends on a fine-tuned network of protein-protein interactions, and misguided interactions are often associated with various diseases. Consequently, peptides, which are able to specifically interfere with such adventitious interactions, are of high interest for analytical as well as medical purposes. One of the most abundant protein interaction domains is the coiled-coil motif, and thus provides a premier target. Coiled coils, which consist of two or more alpha-helices wrapped around each other, have one of the simplest interaction interfaces, yet they are able to confer highly specific homo- and heterotypic interactions involved in virtually any cellular process. While there are several ways to generate interfering peptides, the combination of library design with a powerful selection system seems to be one of the most effective and promising approaches. This chapter guides through all steps of such a process, starting with library options and cloning, detailing suitable selection techniques and ending with purification for further down-stream characterization. Such generated peptides will function as versatile tools to interfere with the natural function of their targets thereby illuminating their down-stream signaling and, in general, promoting understanding of factors leading to specificity and stability in protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, peptides interfering with medically relevant proteins might become important diagnostics and therapeutics.

Suramin blocks interaction between human FGF1 and FGFR2 D2 domain and reduces downstream signaling activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Zong-Sian, E-mail: gary810426@hotmail.com [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Liu, Che Fu, E-mail: s9823002@m98.nthu.edu.tw [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Fu, Brian, E-mail: brianfu9@gmail.com [Northwood High School, Irvine, CA (United States); Chou, Ruey-Hwang, E-mail: rhchou@mail.cmu.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University, No.91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan (China); Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taiwan (China); Yu, Chin, E-mail: cyu.nthu@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

2016-09-02

The extracellular portion of the human fibroblast growth factor receptor2 D2 domain (FGFR2 D2) interacts with human fibroblast growth factor 1 (hFGF1) to activate a downstream signaling cascade that ultimately affects mitosis and differentiation. Suramin is an antiparasiticdrug and a potent inhibitor of FGF-induced angiogenesis. Suramin has been shown to bind to hFGF1, and might block the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. Here, we titrated hFGF1 with FGFR2 D2 and suramin to elucidate their interactions using the detection of NMR. The docking results of both hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 domain and hFGF1-suramin complex were superimposed. The results indicate that suramin blocks the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. We used the PyMOL software to show the hydrophobic interaction of hFGF1-suramin. In addition, we used a Water-soluble Tetrazolium salts assay (WST1) to assess hFGF1 bioactivity. The results will be useful for the development of new antimitogenic activity drugs. - Highlights: • The interfacial residues on hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin contact surface were mapped by {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N HSQC experiments. • hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex models were generated from NMR restraints by using HADDOCK program. • We analyzed hFGF1-Suramin complex models and found the interaction between hFGF1-Suramin is hydrophobic. • The bioactivity of the hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex was studied by using WST1 assay.

Suramin blocks interaction between human FGF1 and FGFR2 D2 domain and reduces downstream signaling activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Zong-Sian; Liu, Che Fu; Fu, Brian; Chou, Ruey-Hwang; Yu, Chin

2016-01-01

The extracellular portion of the human fibroblast growth factor receptor2 D2 domain (FGFR2 D2) interacts with human fibroblast growth factor 1 (hFGF1) to activate a downstream signaling cascade that ultimately affects mitosis and differentiation. Suramin is an antiparasiticdrug and a potent inhibitor of FGF-induced angiogenesis. Suramin has been shown to bind to hFGF1, and might block the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. Here, we titrated hFGF1 with FGFR2 D2 and suramin to elucidate their interactions using the detection of NMR. The docking results of both hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 domain and hFGF1-suramin complex were superimposed. The results indicate that suramin blocks the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. We used the PyMOL software to show the hydrophobic interaction of hFGF1-suramin. In addition, we used a Water-soluble Tetrazolium salts assay (WST1) to assess hFGF1 bioactivity. The results will be useful for the development of new antimitogenic activity drugs. - Highlights: • The interfacial residues on hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin contact surface were mapped by "1H-"1"5N HSQC experiments. • hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex models were generated from NMR restraints by using HADDOCK program. • We analyzed hFGF1-Suramin complex models and found the interaction between hFGF1-Suramin is hydrophobic. • The bioactivity of the hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex was studied by using WST1 assay.

Selective Insulin Resistance in Adipocytes*

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Shi-Xiong; Fisher-Wellman, Kelsey H.; Fazakerley, Daniel J.; Ng, Yvonne; Pant, Himani; Li, Jia; Meoli, Christopher C.; Coster, Adelle C. F.; Stöckli, Jacqueline; James, David E.

2015-01-01

Aside from glucose metabolism, insulin regulates a variety of pathways in peripheral tissues. Under insulin-resistant conditions, it is well known that insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is impaired, and many studies attribute this to a defect in Akt signaling. Here we make use of several insulin resistance models, including insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes and fat explants prepared from high fat-fed C57BL/6J and ob/ob mice, to comprehensively distinguish defective from unaffected aspects of insulin signaling and its downstream consequences in adipocytes. Defective regulation of glucose uptake was observed in all models of insulin resistance, whereas other major actions of insulin such as protein synthesis and anti-lipolysis were normal. This defect corresponded to a reduction in the maximum response to insulin. The pattern of change observed for phosphorylation in the Akt pathway was inconsistent with a simple defect at the level of Akt. The only Akt substrate that showed consistently reduced phosphorylation was the RabGAP AS160 that regulates GLUT4 translocation. We conclude that insulin resistance in adipose tissue is highly selective for glucose metabolism and likely involves a defect in one of the components regulating GLUT4 translocation to the cell surface in response to insulin. PMID:25720492

System and method for controlling ammonia levels in a selective catalytic reduction catalyst using a nitrogen oxide sensor

Science.gov (United States)

None

2017-07-25

A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an air/fuel ratio determination module and an emission level determination module. The air/fuel ratio determination module determines an air/fuel ratio based on input from an air/fuel ratio sensor positioned downstream from a three-way catalyst that is positioned upstream from a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. The emission level determination module selects one of a predetermined value and an input based on the air/fuel ratio. The input is received from a nitrogen oxide sensor positioned downstream from the three-way catalyst. The emission level determination module determines an ammonia level based on the one of the predetermined value and the input received from the nitrogen oxide sensor.

Has dyke development in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta shifted flood hazard downstream?

Science.gov (United States)

Van Khanh Triet, Nguyen; Viet Dung, Nguyen; Fujii, Hideto; Kummu, Matti; Merz, Bruno; Apel, Heiko

2017-08-01

In the Vietnamese part of the Mekong Delta (VMD) the areas with three rice crops per year have been expanded rapidly during the last 15 years. Paddy-rice cultivation during the flood season has been made possible by implementing high-dyke flood defenses and flood control structures. However, there are widespread claims that the high-dyke system has increased water levels in downstream areas. Our study aims at resolving this issue by attributing observed changes in flood characteristics to high-dyke construction and other possible causes. Maximum water levels and duration above the flood alarm level are analysed for gradual trends and step changes at different discharge gauges. Strong and robust increasing trends of peak water levels and duration downstream of the high-dyke areas are found with a step change in 2000/2001, i.e. immediately after the disastrous flood which initiated the high-dyke development. These changes are in contrast to the negative trends detected at stations upstream of the high-dyke areas. This spatially different behaviour of changes in flood characteristics seems to support the public claims. To separate the impact of the high-dyke development from the impact of the other drivers - i.e. changes in the flood hydrograph entering the Mekong Delta, and changes in the tidal dynamics - hydraulic model simulations of the two recent large flood events in 2000 and 2011 are performed. The hydraulic model is run for a set of scenarios whereas the different drivers are interchanged. The simulations reveal that for the central VMD an increase of 9-13 cm in flood peak and 15 days in duration can be attributed to high-dyke development. However, for this area the tidal dynamics have an even larger effect in the range of 19-32 cm. However, the relative contributions of the three drivers of change vary in space across the delta. In summary, our study confirms the claims that the high-dyke development has raised the flood hazard downstream. However, it is not

The impact of a tributary that carries high amounts of bed-load on the deposition of sediment downstream of a run-of river plant; Die Auswirkungen eines Geschiebe fuehrenden Zubringers auf die Verlandungssituation im Unterwasser eines Laufkraftwerkes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, Josef; Sindelar, Christine; Feldbacher, Rupert; Knoblauch, Helmut [TU Graz (Austria). Inst. fuer Wasserbau und Wasserwirtschaft

2011-07-01

For guaranteeing a sustainable sediment management on a chain of run-of river plants in the Salzach valley in Austria nearly annual flushings have been performed. The sediments that are removed out of the reservoirs tend to deposit immediately downstream of the dams mainly at the outlet of the turbines due to widening or reduced slope. During the physical model tests, which were performed for the hydro power plant St. Veit, it could be observed that the boundary conditions were obviously wrong because in the prototype much more sediment was settled as in the model. A downstream located tributary was found responsible because of its dumping of high amounts of bed load into the river Salzach. This led to a backwater flow respectively reduced shear stresses. Further model tests resulted in a successful solution which mitigates the situation substantially. (orig.)

Sources for increased DOC-concentrations in the groundwater downstream of the landfill Hohne (DEA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahlmann, E.; Seifert, R.; Eschenbach, A.; Kleinschmidt, V.

2017-08-01

Construction waste together with drilling mud and oil-contaminated soil had been deposited in the landfill Hohne from 1971. Four groundwater monitoring sites had been installed: one monitoring site upstream and three sites downstream of the landfill in three different directions. Downstream of the landfill increased concentrations of chloride, sulphate, sodium and DOC (dissolved organic carbon) had been measured over a period of years. Particularly the source of the DOC has remained unclear. Assumptions were (i) leaking of contaminants from the landfill and degradation under the landfill by microbes or plants or (ii) leaching of DOC from the soil under the landfill caused by a change in the redox potential. The determination of the DOC source was the major subject of this study.

Effect of boundary conditions on downstream vorticity from counter-rotating swirlers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiye Huo

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Particle image velocimetry (PIV is utilized to measure the non-reacting flow field in a reflow combustor with multiple and single swirlers. The velocity field, vortex structure and total vorticity levels are experimentally obtained using two different boundary conditions, representing a single confined swirler and multiple swirlers in an annular combustor. The influence of the boundary conditions on the flow field at several locations downstream of the swirlers is experimentally investigated, showing that the central vortex in the multi-swirler case is more concentrated than in the single-swirler case. The vorticity of the central vortex and average cross-sectional vorticity are relatively low at the swirler outlet in both cases. Both of these statistics gradually increase to the maximum values near 20 mm downstream of the swirler outlet, and subsequently decrease. It is also found that the central vortex in the multi-swirler case is consistently greater than the single-swirler case. These results demonstrate the critical influence of boundary conditions on flow characteristic of swirling flow, providing insight into the difference of the experiments on test-bed combustor and the full-scale annular combustors.

Baicalin inhibits toll-like receptor 2/4 expression and downstream signaling in rat experimental periodontitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jun-Yi; Li, Dong-Ling; Dong, Yan; Zhu, Chun-Hui; Liu, Jin; Li, Jue-Dan; Zhou, Tao; Gou, Jian-Zhong; Li, Ang; Zang, Wei-Jin

2016-07-01

Periodontitis is a severe inflammatory response, leading to characteristic periodontal soft tissue destruction and alveolar bone resorption. Baicalin possesses potent anti-inflammatory activity; however, it is still unclear whether baicalin regulates toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/4 expression and downstream signaling during the process of periodontitis. In this study, the cervical area of the maxillary second molars of rats was ligated and inoculated with Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) for 4weeks to induce periodontitis. Some rats with periodontitis were treated intragastrically with baicalin (50, 100 or 200mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 4weeks. Compared with the sham group, the levels of TLR2, TLR4 and MyD88 expression and the p38 MAPK and NF-κB activation were up-regulated in the experimental periodontitis group (EPG), accompanied by marked alveolar bone loss and severe inflammation. Treatment with 100 or 200mg/kg/day baicalin dramatically reduced the alveolar bone loss, the levels of HMGB1, TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO expression, and the numbers of inflammatory infiltrates in the gingival tissues. Importantly, treatment with 100 or 200mg/kg/day baicalin mitigated the periodontitis-up-regulated TLR2, TLR4 and MyD88 expression, and the p38 MAPK and NF-κB activation. Hence, the blockage of the TLR2 and TLR4/MyD88/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling by baicalin may contribute to its anti-inflammatory effects in rat model of periodontitis. In conclusion, these novel findings indicate that baicalin inhibits the TLR2 and TLR4 expression and the downstream signaling and mitigates inflammatory responses and the alveolar bone loss in rat experimental periodontitis. Therefore, baicalin may be a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of periodontitis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Downstream process options for the ABE fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedl, Anton

2016-05-01

Butanol is a very interesting substance both for the chemical industry and as a biofuel. The classical distillation process for the removal of butanol is far too energy demanding, at a factor of 220% of the energy content of butanol. Alternative separation processes studied are hybrid processes of gas-stripping, liquid-liquid extraction and pervaporation with distillation and a novel adsorption/drying/desorption hybrid process. Compared with the energy content of butanol, the resulting energy demand for butanol separation and concentration of optimized hybrid processes is 11%-22% for pervaporation/distillation and 11%-17% for liquid-liquid extraction/distillation. For a novel adsorption/drying/desorption process, the energy demand is 9.4%. But all downstream process options need further proof of industrial applicability. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Turbulence downstream of subcoronary stentless and stented aortic valves.

Science.gov (United States)

Funder, Jonas Amstrup; Frost, Markus Winther; Wierup, Per; Klaaborg, Kaj-Erik; Hjortdal, Vibeke; Nygaard, Hans; Hasenkam, J Michael

2011-08-11

Regions of turbulence downstream of bioprosthetic heart valves may cause damage to blood components, vessel wall as well as to aortic valve leaflets. Stentless aortic heart valves are known to posses several hemodynamic benefits such as larger effective orifice areas, lower aortic transvalvular pressure difference and faster left ventricular mass regression compared with their stented counterpart. Whether this is reflected by diminished turbulence formation, remains to be shown. We implanted either stented pericardial valve prostheses (Mitroflow), stentless valve prostheses (Solo or Toronto SPV) in pigs or they preserved their native valves. Following surgery, blood velocity was measured in the cross sectional area downstream of the valves using 10MHz ultrasonic probes connected to a dedicated pulsed Doppler equipment. As a measure of turbulence, Reynolds normal stress (RNS) was calculated at two different blood pressures (baseline and 50% increase). We found no difference in maximum RNS measurements between any of the investigated valve groups. The native valve had significantly lower mean RNS values than the Mitroflow (p=0.004), Toronto SPV (p=0.008) and Solo valve (p=0.02). There were no statistically significant differences between the artificial valve groups (p=0.3). The mean RNS was significantly larger when increasing blood pressure (p=0.0006). We, thus, found no advantages for the stentless aortic valves compared with stented prosthesis in terms of lower maximum or mean RNS values. Native valves have a significantly lower mean RNS value than all investigated bioprostheses. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Downstream and soaring interfaces and vortices in 2-D stratified wakes and their impact on transport of contaminants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. D. Chashechkin

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The flow of continuously stratified fluids past obstacles was studied analytically, numerically, and experimentally. The obstacles discussed here include a flat strip, aligned with the flow, inclined or transverse to the flow and a horizontal cylinder. In the flow pattern, transient and attached (lee internal waves, downstream wakes with submerged interfaces and vortices, soaring singular interfaces, soaring vortices and vortex systems are distinguished. New components of laminar flow past a horizontally towed strip are presented. Fine transverse streaky structures on the strip in the downstream wake were visualized. Soaring isolated interfaces, which are internal boundary layers forming inside the downstream attached wave field past bluff bodies were observed. With increasing of the body velocity a vortex pair was formed directly at the leading edge of this interface.

Increased Hydrologic Connectivity: Consequences of Reduced Water Storage Capacity in the Delmarva Peninsula (U.S.)

Science.gov (United States)

Mclaughlin, D. L.; Jones, C. N.; Evenson, G. R.; Golden, H. E.; Lane, C.; Alexander, L. C.; Lang, M.

2017-12-01

Combined geospatial and modeling approaches are required to fully enumerate wetland hydrologic connectivity and downstream effects. Here, we utilized both geospatial analysis and hydrologic modeling to explore drivers and consequences of modified surface water connectivity in the Delmarva Peninsula, with particular focus on increased connectivity via pervasive wetland ditching. Our geospatial analysis quantified both historical and contemporary wetland storage capacity across the region, and suggests that over 70% of historical storage capacity has been lost due to this ditching. Building upon this analysis, we applied a catchment-scale model to simulate implications of reduced storage capacity on catchment-scale hydrology. In short, increased connectivity (and concomitantly reduced wetland water storage capacity) decreases catchment inundation extent and spatial heterogeneity, shortens cumulative residence times, and increases downstream flow variation with evident effects on peak and baseflow dynamics. As such, alterations in connectivity have implications for hydrologically mediated functions in catchments (e.g., nutrient removal) and downstream systems (e.g., maintenance of flow for aquatic habitat). Our work elucidates such consequences in Delmarva Peninsula while also providing new tools for broad application to target wetland restoration and conservation. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect policies of the US EPA or US FWS.

A cost-effective structure of a centralized-light-source WDM-PON utilizing inverse-duobinary-RZ downstream and DPSK upstream

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Long-Quan; Qiao Yao-Jun; Ji Yue-Feng

2013-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new structure of a centralized-light-source wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON) utilizing inverse-duobinary-return-to-zero (inverse-duobinary-RZ) downstream and DPSK upstream. It reuses downstream light for the upstream modulation, which retrenches lasers assembled at each optical network unit (ONU), and ultimately cuts down the cost of ONUs a great deal. Meanwhile, a 50-km-reach WDM-PON experiment with 10-Gb/s inverse-duobinary-RZ downstream and 6-Gb/s DPSK upstream is demonstrated here. It is revealed to be a novel cost-effective alternative for the next generation access network. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

Tidal Influence on Water Quality of Kapuas Kecil River Downstream

Science.gov (United States)

Purnaini, Rizki; Sudarmadji; Purwono, Suryo

2018-02-01

The Kapuas Kecil River is strongly influenced by tidal, in the dry season the intrusion of surface water is often a problem for the WTP because it causes the change of raw water quality to be processed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sea tides on water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River. The study was conducted in Kapuas River downstream along ± 30 km from the upper boundary to the estuary. Water sampling is carried out during the dry and rainy season, when the tidal conditions at 7 (seven) locations of the monitoring station. Descriptive analysis methods and regression-correlation statistics are used to determine the effect of tides on water quality in Kapuas River downstream. In general, the water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River has exceeded the criteria of first class water quality, ie water that can be used for drinking water. The status of water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River based on the pollution index calculation shows the condition of the river is "mild to medium pollutants". The result of multiple linear regression analysis got the value of coefficient of determination (adjusted R square) = 0,760, which in whole show that independent variable (tidal and distance) influence to dependent variable (value of TDS) equal to 76%.

Multi-power-level Energy Saving Management for Passive Optical Networks

OpenAIRE

Taheri, Mina; Ansari, Nirwan

2014-01-01

Environmental concerns have motivated network designers to further reduce energy consumption of access networks. This paper focuses on reducing energy consumption of Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) as one of the most efficient transmission technologies for broadband access. In EPON, the downstream traffic is sent from the optical line terminal (OLT) located at the central office to all optical network units (ONUs). Each ONU checks all arrival downstream packets and selects the downstr...

Reducing nitrogen leaching from fertilizers to surface waters: catchment specific indicators of economic benefits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mikael Skou; Levin, Gregor; Odgaard, Mette Vestergaard

2018-01-01

We explore with impact pathway methodology the economic benefits of reducing nitrogen leaching to transitional surface waters, as expected for a proportionality test under the EU’s Water Framework Directive article 4. Ten different catchments is analyzed for a policy scenario where downstream dis...

Diversity in the glucose transporter-4 gene (SLC2A4 in humans reflects the action of natural selection along the old-world primates evolution.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Tarazona-Santos

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Glucose is an important source of energy for living organisms. In vertebrates it is ingested with the diet and transported into the cells by conserved mechanisms and molecules, such as the trans-membrane Glucose Transporters (GLUTs. Members of this family have tissue specific expression, biochemical properties and physiologic functions that together regulate glucose levels and distribution. GLUT4 -coded by SLC2A4 (17p13 is an insulin-sensitive transporter with a critical role in glucose homeostasis and diabetes pathogenesis, preferentially expressed in the adipose tissue, heart muscle and skeletal muscle. We tested the hypothesis that natural selection acted on SLC2A4. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We re-sequenced SLC2A4 and genotyped 104 SNPs along a approximately 1 Mb region flanking this gene in 102 ethnically diverse individuals. Across the studied populations (African, European, Asian and Latin-American, all the eight common SNPs are concentrated in the N-terminal region upstream of exon 7 ( approximately 3700 bp, while the C-terminal region downstream of intron 6 ( approximately 2600 bp harbors only 6 singletons, a pattern that is not compatible with neutrality for this part of the gene. Tests of neutrality based on comparative genomics suggest that: (1 episodes of natural selection (likely a selective sweep predating the coalescent of human lineages, within the last 25 million years, account for the observed reduced diversity downstream of intron 6 and, (2 the target of natural selection may not be in the SLC2A4 coding sequence. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the contrast in the pattern of genetic variation between the N-terminal and C-terminal regions are signatures of the action of natural selection and thus follow-up studies should investigate the functional importance of different regions of the SLC2A4 gene.

Reduced disease in black abalone following mass mortality: Phage therapy and natural selection

Science.gov (United States)

VanBlaricom, Glenn R.

2014-01-01

Black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, populations along the NE Pacific ocean have declined due to the rickettsial disease withering syndrome (WS). Natural recovery on San Nicolas Island (SNI) of Southern California suggested the development of resistance in island populations. Experimental challenges in one treatment demonstrated that progeny of disease-selected black abalone from SNI survived better than did those from naïve black abalone from Carmel Point in mainland coastal central California. Unexpectedly, the presence of a newly observed bacteriophage infecting the WS rickettsia (WS-RLO) had strong effects on the survival of infected abalone. Specifically, presence of phage-infected RLO (RLOv) reduced the host response to infection, RLO infection loads, and associated mortality. These data suggest that the black abalone: WS-RLO relationship is evolving through dual host mechanisms of resistance to RLO infection in the digestive gland via tolerance to infection in the primary target tissue (the post-esophagus) coupled with reduced pathogenicity of the WS-RLO by phage infection, which effectively reduces the infection load in the primary target tissue by half. Sea surface temperature patterns off southern California, associated with a recent hiatus in global-scale ocean warming, do not appear to be a sufficient explanation for survival patterns in SNI black abalone. These data highlight the potential for natural recovery of abalone populations over time and that further understanding of mechanisms governing host–parasite relationships will better enable us to manage declining populations.

Reduced disease in black abalone following mass mortality: Phage therapy and natural selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolyn S Friedman

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, populations along the NE Pacific ocean have declined due to the rickettsial disease withering syndrome (WS. Natural recovery on San Nicolas Island (SNI off Southern California suggested the development of resistance in island populations. Experimental challenges in one treatment demonstrated that progeny of disease-selected black abalone from SNI survived better than did those from naïve black abalone from Carmel Point (CP in mainland coastal central California. Unexpectedly, the presence of a newly observed bacteriophage infecting the WS rickettsia (WS-RLO had strong effects on the survival of infected abalone. Specifically, presence of phage-infected RLO (RLOv reduced the host response to infection, RLO infection loads, and associated mortality. These data suggest that the black abalone: WS-RLO relationship is evolving through dual host mechanisms of resistance to RLO infection in the digestive gland via tolerance to infection in the primary target tissue (the post-esophagus coupled with reduced pathogenicity of the WS-RLO by phage infection, which effectively reduces the infection load in the primary target tissue by half. Sea surface temperature patterns off southern California, associated with a recent hiatus in global-scale ocean warming, do not appear to be a sufficient explanation for survival patterns in SNI black abalone. These data highlight the potential for natural recovery of abalone populations over time and that further understanding of mechanisms governing host-parasite relationships will better enable us to manage declining populations.

Reduced disease in black abalone following mass mortality: phage therapy and natural selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Carolyn S; Wight, Nathan; Crosson, Lisa M; Vanblaricom, Glenn R; Lafferty, Kevin D

2014-01-01

Black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, populations along the NE Pacific ocean have declined due to the rickettsial disease withering syndrome (WS). Natural recovery on San Nicolas Island (SNI) of Southern California suggested the development of resistance in island populations. Experimental challenges in one treatment demonstrated that progeny of disease-selected black abalone from SNI survived better than did those from naïve black abalone from Carmel Point in mainland coastal central California. Unexpectedly, the presence of a newly observed bacteriophage infecting the WS rickettsia (WS-RLO) had strong effects on the survival of infected abalone. Specifically, presence of phage-infected RLO (RLOv) reduced the host response to infection, RLO infection loads, and associated mortality. These data suggest that the black abalone: WS-RLO relationship is evolving through dual host mechanisms of resistance to RLO infection in the digestive gland via tolerance to infection in the primary target tissue (the post-esophagus) coupled with reduced pathogenicity of the WS-RLO by phage infection, which effectively reduces the infection load in the primary target tissue by half. Sea surface temperature patterns off southern California, associated with a recent hiatus in global-scale ocean warming, do not appear to be a sufficient explanation for survival patterns in SNI black abalone. These data highlight the potential for natural recovery of abalone populations over time and that further understanding of mechanisms governing host-parasite relationships will better enable us to manage declining populations.

Reducing residual stresses and deformations in selective laser melting through multi-level multi-scale optimization of cellular scanning strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohanty, Sankhya; Hattel, Jesper Henri

2016-01-01

. A multilevel optimization strategy is adopted using a customized genetic algorithm developed for optimizing cellular scanning strategy for selective laser melting, with an objective of reducing residual stresses and deformations. The resulting thermo-mechanically optimized cellular scanning strategies......, a calibrated, fast, multiscale thermal model coupled with a 3D finite element mechanical model is used to simulate residual stress formation and deformations during selective laser melting. The resulting reduction in thermal model computation time allows evolutionary algorithm-based optimization of the process...

Contrasting morphodynamics in alluvial fans and fan deltas: effect of the downstream boundary

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, M. van; Kleinhans, M.G.; Postma, G.; Kraal, E.

2012-01-01

Alluvial fans and fan deltas can, in principle, have exactly the same upstream conditions, but fan deltas by definition have ponding water at their downstream boundary. This ponding creates effects on the autogenic behaviour of fan deltas, such as backwater adaptation, mouth bars and backward

Small larvae in large rivers: observations on downstream movement of European grayling Thymallus thymallus during early life stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Leeuwen, C H A; Dokk, T; Haugen, T O; Kiffney, P M; Museth, J

2017-06-01

Behaviour of early life stages of the salmonid European grayling Thymallus thymallus was investigated by assessing the timing of larval downstream movement from spawning areas, the depth at which larvae moved and the distribution of juvenile fish during summer in two large connected river systems in Norway. Trapping of larvae moving downstream and electrofishing surveys revealed that T. thymallus larvae emerging from the spawning gravel moved downstream predominantly during the night, despite light levels sufficient for orientation in the high-latitude study area. Larvae moved in the water mostly at the bottom layer close to the substratum, while drifting debris was caught in all layers of the water column. Few young-of-the-year still resided close to the spawning areas in autumn, suggesting large-scale movement (several km). Together, these observations show that there may be a deliberate, active component to downstream movement of T. thymallus during early life stages. This research signifies the importance of longitudinal connectivity for T. thymallus in Nordic large river systems. Human alterations of flow regimes and the construction of reservoirs for hydropower may not only affect the movement of adult fish, but may already interfere with active movement behaviour of fish during early life stages. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Reduced Spill at Hydropower Dams: Opportunities for More Generation and Increased Fish Population

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coutant, Charles C [ORNL; Mann, Roger [RMecon, Davis, California; Sale, Michael J [ORNL

2006-09-01

This report indicates that reduction of managed spill at hydropower dams can speed implementation of technologies for fish protection and achieve economic goals. Spill of water over spillways is managed in the Columbia River basin to assist downstream-migrating juvenile salmon, and is generally believed to be the most similar to natural migration, benign and effective passage route; other routes include turbines, intake screens with bypasses, and surface bypasses. However, this belief may be misguided, because spill is becoming recognized as less than natural, with deep intakes below normal migration depths, and likely causing physical damages from severe shear on spillways, high turbulence in tail waters, and collisions with baffle blocks that lead to disorientation and predation. Some spillways induce mortalities comparable to turbines. Spill is expensive in lost generation, and controversial. Fish-passage research is leading to more fish-friendly turbines, screens and bypasses that are more effective and less damaging, and surface bypasses that offer passage of more fish per unit water volume than does spill (leaving more water for generation). Analyses by independent economists demonstrated that goals of increased fish survival over the long term and net gain to the economy can be obtained by selectively reducing spill and diverting some of the income from added power generation to research, development, and installation of fish-passage technologies. Such a plan would selectively reduce spill when and where least damaging to fish, increase electricity generation using the water not spilled and use innovative financing to direct monetary gains to improving fish passage.

How have the river discharges and sediment loads changed in the Changjiang River basin downstream of the Three Gorges Dam?

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Leicheng; Su, Ni; Zhu, Chunyan; He, Qing

2018-05-01

Streamflow and sediment loads undergo remarkable changes in worldwide rivers in response to climatic changes and human interferences. Understanding their variability and the causes is of vital importance regarding river management. With respect to the Changjiang River (CJR), one of the largest river systems on earth, we provide a comprehensive overview of its hydrological regime changes by analyzing long time series of river discharges and sediment loads data at multiple gauge stations in the basin downstream of Three Gorges Dam (TGD). We find profound river discharge reduction during flood peaks and in the wet-to-dry transition period, and slightly increased discharges in the dry season. Sediment loads have reduced progressively since 1980s owing to sediment yield reduction and dams in the upper basin, with notably accelerated reduction since the start of TGD operation in 2003. Channel degradation occurs in downstream river, leading to considerable river stage drop. Lowered river stages have caused a 'draining effect' on lakes by fostering lake outflows following TGD impoundments. The altered river-lake interplay hastens low water occurrence inside the lakes which can worsen the drought given shrinking lake sizes in long-term. Moreover, lake sedimentation has decreased since 2002 with less sediment trapped in and more sediment flushed out of the lakes. These hydrological changes have broad impacts on river flood and drought occurrences, water security, fluvial ecosystem, and delta safety.

Direct Measurements of Human Colon Crypt Stem Cell Niche Genetic Fidelity: The Role of Chance in Non-Darwinian Mutation Selection

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Haeyoun eKang

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Perfect human stem cell genetic fidelity would prevent aging and cancer. However, perfection would be difficult to achieve, and aging is universal and cancers common. A hypothesis is that because mutations are inevitable over a human lifetime, downstream mechanisms have evolved to manage the deleterious effects of beneficial and lethal mutations. In the colon, a crypt stem cell architecture reduces the number of mitotic cells at risk for mutation accumulation, and multiple niche stem cells ensure that a lethal mutation within any single stem cell does not lead to crypt death. In addition, the architecture of the colon crypt stem cell niche may harness probability or chance to randomly discard many beneficial mutations that might lead to cancer. An analysis of somatic chromosome copy number alterations (CNAs reveals a lack of perfect fidelity in individual normal human crypts, with age-related increases and higher frequencies in ulcerative colitis, a proliferative, inflammatory disease. The age-related increase in somatic CNAs appears consistent with relatively normal replication error and cell division rates. Surprisingly, and similar to point mutations in cancer genomes, the types of crypt mutations were more consistent with random fixation rather than selection. In theory, a simple non-Darwinian way to nullify selection is to reduce the size of the reproducing population. Fates are more determined by chance rather than selection in very small populations, and therefore selection may be minimized within small crypt niches. The desired effect is that many beneficial mutations that might lead to cancer are randomly lost by drift rather than fixed by selection. The subdivision of the colon into multiple very small stem cell niches may trade Darwinian evolution for non-Darwinian somatic cell evolution, capitulating to aging but reducing cancer risks.

Recent Progress on Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1: Expression, Regulation, Downstream Signaling and Cancer Suppressive Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ren-You Gan

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Liver kinase B1 (LKB1, known as a serine/threonine kinase, has been identified as a critical cancer suppressor in many cancer cells. It is a master upstream kinase of 13 AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK-related protein kinases, and possesses versatile biological functions. LKB1 gene is mutated in many cancers, and its protein can form different protein complexes with different cellular localizations in various cell types. The expression of LKB1 can be regulated through epigenetic modification, transcriptional regulation and post-translational modification. LKB1 dowcnstream pathways mainly include AMPK, microtubule affinity regulating kinase (MARK, salt-inducible kinase (SIK, sucrose non-fermenting protein-related kinase (SNRK and brain selective kinase (BRSK signalings, etc. This review, therefore, mainly discusses recent studies about the expression, regulation, downstream signaling and cancer suppressive function of LKB1, which can be helpful for better understanding of this molecular and its significance in cancers.

Linking Three Gorges Dam and downstream hydrological regimes along the Yangtze River, China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mei, X.; Dai, Z.; Van Gelder, P.H.A.J.M.; Gao, J.

2015-01-01

The magnitude of anthropogenic influence, especially dam regulation, on hydrological system is of scientific and practical value for large river management. As the largest dam in the world by far, Three Gorges Dam (TGD) is expected to be a strong evidence on dam impacts on downstream hydrological

Evaluation of the Biological Effects of the Northwest Power Conservation Council's Mainstem Amendment on the Fisheries Upstream and Downstream of Libby Dam, Montana, 2007-2008 Annual Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sylvester, Ryan; Stephens, Brian; Tohtz, Joel [Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

2009-04-03

A new project began in 2005 to monitor the biological and physical effects of improved operations of Hungry Horse and Libby Dams, Montana, called for by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) Mainstem Amendment. This operating strategy was designed to benefit resident fish impacted by hydropower and flood control operations. Under the new operating guidelines, July through September reservoir drafts will be limited to 10 feet from full pool during the highest 80% of water supply years and 20 feet from full pool during the lowest 20% of water supply (drought) years. Limits were also established on how rapidly discharge from the dams can be increased or decreased depending on the season. The NPCC also directed the federal agencies that operate Libby and Hungry Horse Dams to implement a new flood control strategy (VARQ) and directed Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to evaluate biological responses to this operating strategy. The Mainstem Amendment operating strategy has not been fully implemented at the Montana dams as of June 2008 but the strategy will be implemented in 2009. This report highlights the monitoring methods used to monitor the effects of the Mainstem Amendment operations on fishes, habitat, and aquatic invertebrates upstream and downstream of Libby Dam. We also present initial assessments of data and the effects of various operating strategies on physical and biological components of the systems upstream and downstream of Libby Dam. Annual electrofishing surveys in the Kootenai River and selected tributaries, along with gill net surveys in the reservoir, are being used to quantify the impacts of dam operations on fish populations upstream and downstream of Libby Dam. Scales and otoliths are being used to determine the age structure and growth of focal species. Annual population estimates and tagging experiments provide estimates of survival and growth in the mainstem Kootenai River and selected tributaries. Radio telemetry will be used to

Longitudinal distribution of Chironomidae (Diptera) downstream from a dam in a neotropical river.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinha, G D; Aviz, D; Lopes Filho, D R; Petsch, D K; Marchese, M R; Takeda, A M

2013-08-01

The damming of a river causes dangerous consequences on structure of the environment downstream of the dam, modifying the sediment composition, which impose major adjustments in longitudinal distribution of benthic community. The construction of Engenheiro Sérgio Motta Dam in the Upper Paraná River has caused impacts on the aquatic communities, which are not yet fully known. This work aimed to provide more information about the effects of this impoundment on the structure of Chironomidae larvae assemblage. The analysis of data of physical and chemical variables in relation to biological data of 8 longitudinal sections in the Upper Paraná River showed that composition of Chironomidae larvae of stations near Engenheiro Sérgio Motta Dam differed of the other stations (farther of the Dam). The predominance of coarse sediments at stations upstream and finer sediments further downstream affected the choice of habitat by different morphotypes of Chironomidae and it caused a change in the structure of this assemblage in the longitudinal stretch.

Human muscle fibre type-specific regulation of AMPK and downstream targets by exercise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Dorte Enggaard; Albers, Peter Hjorth; Prats, Clara

2015-01-01

are expressed in a fibre type-dependent manner and that fibre type-specific activation of AMPK and downstream targets is dependent on exercise intensity. Pools of type I and II fibres were prepared from biopsies of m. vastus lateralis from healthy men before and after two exercise trials; A) continuous cycling......AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a regulator of energy homeostasis during exercise. Studies suggest muscle fibre type-specific AMPK expression. However, fibre type-specific regulation of AMPK and downstream targets during exercise has not been proven. We hypothesized that AMPK subunits...... (CON) 30 min at 69 ± 1% VO2peak or B) interval cycling (INT) 30 min with 6 × 1.5 min high-intense bouts peaking at 95 ± 2% VO2peak . In type I vs. II fibres a higher β1 AMPK (+215%) and lower γ3 AMPK expression (-71%) was found. α1 , α2 , β2 and γ1 AMPK expression was similar between fibre types...

Molecular evolution of the Bovini tribe (Bovidae, Bovinae: Is there evidence of rapid evolution or reduced selective constraint in Domestic cattle?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McCulloch Alan

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background If mutation within the coding region of the genome is largely not adaptive, the ratio of nonsynonymous (dN to synonymous substitutions (dS per site (dN/dS should be approximately equal among closely related species. Furthermore, dN/dS in divergence between species should be equivalent to dN/dS in polymorphisms. This hypothesis is of particular interest in closely related members of the Bovini tribe, because domestication has promoted rapid phenotypic divergence through strong artificial selection of some species while others remain undomesticated. We examined a number of genes that may be involved in milk production in Domestic cattle and a number of their wild relatives for evidence that domestication had affected molecular evolution. Elevated rates of dN/dS were further queried to determine if they were the result of positive selection, low effective population size (Ne or reduced selective constraint. Results We have found that the domestication process has contributed to higher dN/dS ratios in cattle, especially in the lineages leading to the Domestic cow (Bos taurus and Mithan (Bos frontalis and within some breeds of Domestic cow. However, the high rates of dN/dS polymorphism within B. taurus when compared to species divergence suggest that positive selection has not elevated evolutionary rates in these genes. Likewise, the low rate of dN/dS in Bison, which has undergone a recent population bottleneck, indicates a reduction in population size alone is not responsible for these observations. Conclusion The effect of selection depends on effective population size and the selection coefficient (Nes. Typically under domestication both selection pressure for traits important in fitness in the wild and Ne are reduced. Therefore, reduced selective constraint could be responsible for the observed elevated evolutionary ratios in domesticated species, especially in B. taurus and B. frontalis, which have the highest dN/dS in the

Has dyke development in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta shifted flood hazard downstream?

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N. V. K. Triet

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In the Vietnamese part of the Mekong Delta (VMD the areas with three rice crops per year have been expanded rapidly during the last 15 years. Paddy-rice cultivation during the flood season has been made possible by implementing high-dyke flood defenses and flood control structures. However, there are widespread claims that the high-dyke system has increased water levels in downstream areas. Our study aims at resolving this issue by attributing observed changes in flood characteristics to high-dyke construction and other possible causes. Maximum water levels and duration above the flood alarm level are analysed for gradual trends and step changes at different discharge gauges. Strong and robust increasing trends of peak water levels and duration downstream of the high-dyke areas are found with a step change in 2000/2001, i.e. immediately after the disastrous flood which initiated the high-dyke development. These changes are in contrast to the negative trends detected at stations upstream of the high-dyke areas. This spatially different behaviour of changes in flood characteristics seems to support the public claims. To separate the impact of the high-dyke development from the impact of the other drivers – i.e. changes in the flood hydrograph entering the Mekong Delta, and changes in the tidal dynamics – hydraulic model simulations of the two recent large flood events in 2000 and 2011 are performed. The hydraulic model is run for a set of scenarios whereas the different drivers are interchanged. The simulations reveal that for the central VMD an increase of 9–13 cm in flood peak and 15 days in duration can be attributed to high-dyke development. However, for this area the tidal dynamics have an even larger effect in the range of 19–32 cm. However, the relative contributions of the three drivers of change vary in space across the delta. In summary, our study confirms the claims that the high-dyke development has raised the flood

Physical and Chemical Connectivity of Streams and Riparian Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Streams, riparian areas, floodplains, alluvial aquifers, and downstream waters (e.g., large rivers, lakes, and oceans) are interconnected by longitudinal, lateral, and vertical fluxes of water, other materials, and energy. Collectively, these interconnected waters are called fluv...

Status and Habitat Requirements of White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia River Downstream from McNary Dam, 1989-1990 Annual Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nigro, Anthony A. (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland, OR)

1990-09-01

We report on our progress from April 1989 through March 1990 on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Washington Department of Fisheries (WDF), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Study objectives addressed by each agency are to describe the life history and population dynamics of subadults and adults between Bonneville and McNary dams and evaluate the need and identify potential methods for protecting, mitigating and enhancing populations downstream from McNary Dam, to describe the white sturgeon recreational fishery between Bonneville and McNary dams, describe reproductive and early life history characteristics downstream from Bonneville Dam and describe life history and population dynamics of subadults and adults downstream from Bonneville Dam, to describe reproduction and early life history characteristics, define habitat requirements for spawning and rearing and quantify extent of habitat available between Bonneville and McNary dams, and to describe reproduction and early life history characteristics, define habitat requirements for spawning and rearing and quantify extent of habitat available downstream from Bonneville Dam. Our approach is to work concurrently downstream and upstream from Bonneville Dam. Upstream from Bonneville Dam we began work in the Dalles Reservoir in 1987 and expanded efforts to Bonneville Reservoir in 1988 and John Day Reservoir in 1989. Highlights from this work is also included. 47 refs., 33 figs., 66 tabs.

Preliminary Experimental Results on the Technique of Artificial River Replenishment to Mitigate Sediment Loss Downstream Dams

Science.gov (United States)

Franca, M. J.; Battisacco, E.; Schleiss, A. J.

2014-12-01

The transport of sediments by water throughout the river basins, from the steep slopes of the upstream regions to the sea level, is recognizable important to keep the natural conditions of rivers with a role on their ecology processes. Over the last decades, a reduction on the supply of sand and gravel has been observed downstream dams existing in several alpine rivers. Many studies highlight that the presence of a dam strongly modifies the river behavior in the downstream reach, in terms of morphology and hydrodynamics, with consequences on local ecology. Sediment deficit, bed armoring, river incision and bank instability are the main effects which affect negatively the aquatic habitats and the water quality. One of the proposed techniques to solve the problem of sediment deficit downstream dams, already adopted in few Japanese and German rivers although on an unsatisfactory fashion, is the artificial replenishment of these. Generally, it was verified that the erosion of the replenishments was not satisfactory and the transport rate was not enough to move the sediments to sufficient downstream distances. In order to improve and to provide an engineering answer to make this technique more applicable, a series of laboratory tests are ran as preparatory study to understand the hydrodynamics of the river flow when the replenishment technique is applied. Erodible volumes, with different lengths and submergence conditions, reproducing sediment replenishments volumes, are positioned along a channel bank. Different geometrical combinations of erodible sediment volumes are tested as well on the experimental flume. The first results of the experimental research, concerning erosion time evolution, the influence of discharge and the distance travelled by the eroded sediments, will be presented and discussed.

SWATH2stats: An R/Bioconductor Package to Process and Convert Quantitative SWATH-MS Proteomics Data for Downstream Analysis Tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Blattmann, Peter; Heusel, Moritz; Aebersold, Ruedi

2016-01-01

SWATH-MS is an acquisition and analysis technique of targeted proteomics that enables measuring several thousand proteins with high reproducibility and accuracy across many samples. OpenSWATH is popular open-source software for peptide identification and quantification from SWATH-MS data. For downstream statistical and quantitative analysis there exist different tools such as MSstats, mapDIA and aLFQ. However, the transfer of data from OpenSWATH to the downstream statistical tools is currently technically challenging. Here we introduce the R/Bioconductor package SWATH2stats, which allows convenient processing of the data into a format directly readable by the downstream analysis tools. In addition, SWATH2stats allows annotation, analyzing the variation and the reproducibility of the measurements, FDR estimation, and advanced filtering before submitting the processed data to downstream tools. These functionalities are important to quickly analyze the quality of the SWATH-MS data. Hence, SWATH2stats is a new open-source tool that summarizes several practical functionalities for analyzing, processing, and converting SWATH-MS data and thus facilitates the efficient analysis of large-scale SWATH/DIA datasets.

Evaluating the Effects of Dam Construction on the Morphological Changes of Downstream Meandering Rivers (Case Study: Karkheh River

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Liaghat

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The establishment of stability in rivers is dependent on a variety of factors, and yet the established stability can be interrupted at any moment or time. One factor that can strongly disrupt the stability of rivers is the construction of dams. For this study, the identification and evaluation of morphological changes occurring to the Karkheh River, before and after the construction of the Karkheh Dam, along with determining the degree of changes to the width and length of the downstream meanders of the river, have been performed with the assistance of satellite images and by applying the CCHE2D hydrodynamic model. Results show that under natural circumstances the width of the riverbed increases downstream parallel to the decrease in the slope angle of the river. The average width of the river was reduced from 273 meters to 60 meters after dam construction. This 78% decrease in river width has made available 21 hectares of land across the river bank per kilometer length of the river. In the studied area, the average thalweg migration of the river is approximately 340 meters, while the minimum and maximum of river migration measured 53 and 768 meters, respectively. Evaluations reveal that nearly 56% of the migrations pertain to the western side of the river, while over 59% of these migrations take place outside the previous riverbed. By average, each year, the lateral migration rate of the river is 34 meters in the studied area which signifies the relevant instability of the region.

The dynamics of entrepreneurship in ICT: case of mobile phones downstream services in Kenya

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.N. Kanothi (Raphael)

2009-01-01

textabstractThe research paper explores the extent to which mobile phones downstream services, defined here as those provided using the existing connectivity, are generating opportunities for entrepreneurship development in Kenya. After identifying the services of mobile payphones, money transfer

Recent Molecular Advances on Downstream Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cláudia Regina Batista de Souza

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses such as extremes of temperature and pH, high salinity and drought, comprise some of the major factors causing extensive losses to crop production worldwide. Understanding how plants respond and adapt at cellular and molecular levels to continuous environmental changes is a pre-requisite for the generation of resistant or tolerant plants to abiotic stresses. In this review we aimed to present the recent advances on mechanisms of downstream plant responses to abiotic stresses and the use of stress-related genes in the development of genetically engineered crops.

Investigating selective transport and abrasion on an alluvial fan using quantitative grain size and shape analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Litwin, K. L.; Jerolmack, D. J.

2011-12-01

Selective sorting and abrasion are the two major fluvial processes that are attributed to the downstream fining of sediments in rivers and alluvial fans. Selective transport is the process by which smaller grains are preferentially transported downstream while larger grains are deposited closer to the source. Abrasion is defined by the production of fine sediments and sand that occurs by saltation of gravel, where particle-to-particle collisions supply the energy required to break apart grains. We hypothesize that abrasion results in the gradual fining of large grains and the production of fine sands and silts, while sorting accounts for the differences in transport of these two grain-size fractions produced from abrasion, thereby creating the abrupt gravel-sand transition observed in many channel systems. In this research, we explore both selective transport and abrasion processes on the Dog Canyon alluvial fan near Alamogordo, New Mexico. We complete an extensive grain size analysis down the main channel of the fan employing an image-based technique that utilizes an autocorrelation process. We also characterize changes in grain shape using standard shape parameters, as well as Fourier analysis, which allows the study of contributions of grain roughness on a variety of length scales. Sorting appears to dominate the upper portion of the fan; the grain-size distribution narrows moving downstream until reaching a point of equal mobility, at which point sorting ceases. Abrasion exerts a subtle but persistent effect on grains during transport down the fan. Shape analysis reveals that particles become more rounded by the removal of small-scale textural features, a process that is expected to only modestly influence grain size of gravel, but should produce significant quantities of sand. This study provides a better understanding of the importance of grain abrasion and sorting on the downstream fining of channel grains in an alluvial fan, as well as an improved knowledge

Using microbial desalination cells to reduce water salinity prior to reverse osmosis

KAUST Repository

Mehanna, Maha

2010-01-01

A microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a new method to reduce the salinity of one solution while generating electrical power from organic matter and bacteria in another (anode) solution. Substantial reductions in the salinity can require much larger volumes of the anode solution than the saline water, but any reduction of salinity will benefit the energy efficiency of a downstream reverse osmosis (RO) desalination system. We investigated here the use of an MDC as an RO pre-treatment method using a new type of air-cathode MDC containing three equally sized chambers. A single cycle of operation using a 1 g L -1 acetate solution reduced the conductivity of salt water (5 g L-1 NaCl) by 43 ± 6%, and produced a maximum power density of 480 mW m-2 with a coulombic efficiency of 68 ± 11%. A higher concentration of acetate (2 g L-1) reduced solution conductivity by 60 ± 7%, and a higher salt concentration (20 g L-1 NaCl) reduced solution conductivity by 50 ± 7%. The use of membranes with increased ion exchange capacities further decreased the solution conductivity by 63 ± 2% (20 g L-1 NaCl). These results demonstrate substantial (43-67%) desalination of water is possible using equal volumes of anode solution and salt water. These results show that MDC treatment could be used to substantially reduce salt concentrations and thus energy demands for downstream RO processing, while at the same time producing electrical power. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Downstream passage of fish larvae and eggs through a small-sized reservoir, Mucuri river, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo S. Pompeu

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In South America, one important symptom of the failure of fish passages to sustain fish migratory recruitment is the inability of eggs and larvae to reach the nurseries. This is especially so when the breeding areas are located upstream of a reservoir, and the floodplain is downstream of the dam. Therefore, the transport of fish larvae and eggs across reservoir barriers is a key factor in the development of effective conservation strategies. In this paper, we evaluate the potential for migratory fish larvae and egg transportation across a small size reservoir in eastern Brazil. We sampled fish daily between 15th October 2002 and 15th February 2003 (spawning period in the Mucuri River, immediately upstream of the reservoir and downstream of the Santa Clara Power Plant dam. Our study was the first to indicate the possibility of successful larval passage through the reservoir of a hydroelectric reservoir and dam in South America, and showed that the passage of migratory fish larvae was associated significantly with residence time of water in the reservoir. The relatively short water residence time and elevated turbidity of the Santa Clara's reservoir waters during the rainy season certainly contributed to the successful passage, and can be considered as key factors for a priori evaluations of the feasibility of a downstream larval passage.

Heat pipes to reduce engine exhaust emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, D. F. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A fuel combustor is presented that consists of an elongated casing with an air inlet conduit portion at one end, and having an opposite exit end. An elongated heat pipe is mounted longitudinally in the casing and is offset from and extends alongside the combustion space. The heat pipe is in heat transmitting relationship with the air intake conduit for heating incoming air. A guide conduit structure is provided for conveying the heated air from the intake conduit into the combustion space. A fuel discharge nozzle is provided to inject fuel into the combustion space. A fuel conduit from a fuel supply source has a portion engaged in heat transfer relationship of the heat pipe for preheating the fuel. The downstream end of the heat pipe is in heat transfer relationship with the casing and is located adjacent to the downstream end of the combustion space. The offset position of the heat pipe relative to the combustion space minimizes the quenching effect of the heat pipe on the gaseous products of combustion, as well as reducing coking of the fuel on the heat pipe, thereby improving the efficiency of the combustor.

Use of aquatic mosses for monitoring artificial radionuclides downstream of the nuclear power plant of Bugey (River Rhone, France)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaugelin-Seiller, K.; Brottet, D.

1994-01-01

The detection of radionuclides in water, downstream of nuclear installations located on river banks, is often very difficult notably because of their low concentrations. Thus the use of biological indicators is an interesting process to detect radioactive contamination of an aquatic ecosystem. From 1986 to 1990, artificial radionuclides were measured in freshwater mosses sampled downstream of the nuclear power station of Bugey. These field data on the whole, have shown a comparatively good qualitative and quantitative relationship between radioactive composition of liquid waste and radionuclides detected in mosses. In other respects, the results showed up a relatively clear hierarchical structure in the affinity of the different radionuclides for the mosses. To specify these relations, mesh bags containing allochtonous mosses were immersed at four stations downstream of the power plant and regularly sampled during a 10-h waste discharge period. (author)

Quantifying the Impact of geographically isolated wetlands on the downstream hydrology of a Canadian Prairie watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad, A.; Evenson, G. R.; Boluwade, A.; Jha, S. K.; Rasmussen, P. F.

2016-12-01

Hydrological processes are highly complex and strongly nonlinear and cannot be represented through simple means. Models are built to replicate these processes. However, models due to various sources of uncertainty including their structural capability often lead to inaccurate results. The aim of this study is to setup the soil water assessment tool (SWAT) for a watershed that is dominated by potholes in the Prairie region of Canada. The potholes not connected to the stream, also known as geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs), are dynamic in nature leading to a fill and spill situation due to varying surface runoff conditions. Significant land use changes have resulted in almost 70% of wetlands being lost and have posed threat of flooding to downstream areas. While some studies were devoted to identify the presence of potholes only few have explored the impacts of wetlands on the downstream hydrology. In this study, we follow Evenson et al., (2016) approach of modifying SWAT model. The modification enhances structural capability of SWAT while depicting the dynamics of wetlands at HRUs level. Redefining the formation of HRUs in such way effectively captures the spatial presence of potholes. We then routed the potholes' fill and spill hydrology to direct the flow to the potholes immediately downstream. The model was calibrated for 2005-2008 and verified over 2009-2011 at a daily time step. We tested our model with three land use change scenarios by varying the presence of potholes and evaluated its impact on the downstream hydrograph. We foresee a significant improvement in replicating stream flow using this novel approach. We believe that it will effectively improve the predictive power of SWAT for this highly complex sub basin (Upper Assiniboine catchment at Kamsack) located in Canadian Prairie.

Evaluating Lignocellulosic Biomass, Its Derivatives, and Downstream Products with Raman Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Lupoi, Jason S.; Gjersing, Erica; Davis, Mark F.

2015-01-01

The creation of fuels, chemicals, and materials from plants can aid in replacing products fabricated from non-renewable energy sources. Before using biomass in downstream applications, it must be characterized to assess chemical traits, such as cellulose, lignin, or lignin monomer content, or the sugars released following an acid or enzymatic hydrolysis. The measurement of these traits allows researchers to gage the recalcitrance of the plants and develop efficient deconstruction strategies to maximize yields. Standard methods for assessing biomass phenotypes often have experimental protocols that limit their use for screening sizeable numbers of plant species. Raman spectroscopy, a non-destructive, non-invasive vibrational spectroscopy technique, is capable of providing qualitative, structural information and quantitative measurements. Applications of Raman spectroscopy have aided in alleviating the constraints of standard methods by coupling spectral data with multivariate analysis to construct models capable of predicting analytes. Hydrolysis and fermentation products, such as glucose and ethanol, can be quantified off-, at-, or on-line. Raman imaging has enabled researchers to develop a visual understanding of reactions, such as different pretreatment strategies, in real-time, while also providing integral chemical information. This review provides an overview of what Raman spectroscopy is, and how it has been applied to the analysis of whole lignocellulosic biomass, its derivatives, and downstream process monitoring. PMID:25941674

Featured collection introduction: Connectivity of streams and wetlands to downstream waters

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Laurie C.; Fritz, Ken M.; Schofield, Kate; Autrey, Bradley; DeMeester, Julie; Golden, Heather E.; Goodrich, David C.; Kepner, William G.; Kiperwas, Hadas R.; Lane, Charles R.; LeDuc, Stephen D.; Leibowitz, Scott; McManus, Michael G.; Pollard, Amina I.; Ridley, Caroline E.; Vanderhoof, Melanie; Wigington, Parker J.

2018-01-01

Connectivity is a fundamental but highly dynamic property of watersheds. Variability in the types and degrees of aquatic ecosystem connectivity presents challenges for researchers and managers seeking to accurately quantify its effects on critical hydrologic, biogeochemical, and biological processes. However, protecting natural gradients of connectivity is key to protecting the range of ecosystem services that aquatic ecosystems provide. In this featured collection, we review the available evidence on connections and functions by which streams and wetlands affect the integrity of downstream waters such as large rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. The reviews in this collection focus on the types of waters whose protections under the U.S. Clean Water Act have been called into question by U.S. Supreme Court cases. We synthesize 40+ years of research on longitudinal, lateral, and vertical fluxes of energy, material, and biota between aquatic ecosystems included within the Act's frame of reference. Many questions about the roles of streams and wetlands in sustaining downstream water integrity can be answered from currently available literature, and emerging research is rapidly closing data gaps with exciting new insights into aquatic connectivity and function at local, watershed, and regional scales. Synthesis of foundational and emerging research is needed to support science‐based efforts to provide safe, reliable sources of fresh water for present and future generations.

PAR1 deletions downstream of SHOX are the most frequent defect in a Spanish cohort of Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD) probands.

Science.gov (United States)

Benito-Sanz, Sara; del Blanco, Darya Gorbenko; Aza-Carmona, Miriam; Magano, Luis F; Lapunzina, Pablo; Argente, Jesús; Campos-Barros, Angel; Heath, Karen E

2006-10-01

Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD) is a skeletal dysplasia characterized by disproportionate short stature and Madelung deformity. Mutations or deletions of the SHOX gene have been previously identified as the main cause of LWD. We recently identified the existence of a second class of pseudoautosomal region 1 (PAR1) deletions which do not include SHOX, implicated in the etiopathogenesis of LWD. The deletions map at least 30-250 kb downstream of SHOX, are variable in size and clearly cosegregate with the LWD phenotype. In order to determine the frequency of this new type of deletions in the Spanish population we analyzed the distribution of PAR1 defects, including the screening of SHOX deletions, mutations, and PAR1 deletions downstream of SHOX, in a total of 26 LWD probands by a combination of MLPA, microsatellite analysis, SNP genotyping, dHPLC, and DNA sequencing. A molecular defect was identified in 16/26 LWD patients (61.5%): 10 PAR1 deletions downstream of SHOX, four SHOX encompassing deletions, and two SHOX mutations. No apparent phenotypic differences were observed between patients with SHOX defects and those with PAR1 deletions downstream of SHOX. In the examined cohort of Spanish LWD probands, PAR1 deletions downstream of SHOX represent the highest proportion of identified mutations (38%) compared to SHOX deletions (15%) and mutations (8%). As a consequence of our findings, the screening of this region should be included in the routine genetic testing of LWD. Also, LWD patients who tested negative for SHOX defects should be re-evaluated for PAR1 deletions downstream of SHOX.

Genome-wide identification of GLABRA3 downstream genes for anthocyanin biosynthesis and trichome formation in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Chenhao; Li, Dong; Jin, Changyu; Duan, Shaowei; Qi, Shuanghui; Liu, Kaige; Wang, Hanchen; Ma, Haoli; Hai, Jiangbo; Chen, Mingxun

2017-04-01

GLABRA3 (GL3), a bHLH transcription factor, has previously proved to be involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and trichome formation in Arabidopsis, however, its downstream targeted genes are still largely unknown. Here, we found that GL3 was widely present in Arabidopsis vegetative and reproductive organs. New downstream targeted genes of GL3 for anthocyanin biosynthesis and trichome formation were identified in young shoots and expanding true leaves by RNA sequencing. GL3-mediated gene expression was tissue specific in the two biological processes. This study provides new clues to further understand the GL3-mediated regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis and trichome formation in Arabidopsis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The deregulation of the Italian natural gas industry and diversification processes in the down-stream sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fazioli, R.; Quaglino, S.; Di Domenico, M.

2000-01-01

The opening of the italian gas market , due to the privatisation and liberalisation process, has been implemented by the important normative evolution of this sector both at european and national level. The debate following this process in the gas market has focussed, basically, on the up-stream sector leaving aside the important down-stream sector also concerning gas local distribution and sales. In this article it is paid more attention to the down-stream sector considering the firms' evolution from a basic mono utility to multi utility and multi services organisational structure. This potential firms' evolution in the italian gas market will be considered also referring to specific international experience in this market [it

Chlorobenzene degeradation by non-thermal plasma combined with EG-TiO{sub 2}/ZnO as a photocatalyst: Effect of photocatalyst on CO{sub 2} selectivity and byproducts reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghorbani Shahna, Farshid; Bahrami, Abdulrahman [Center of Excellence for Occupational Health and Research Center for Health Science, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Alimohammadi, Iraj; Yarahmadi, Rassuol [Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jaleh, Babak; Gandomi, Mastaneh [Faculty of Science, Physics Department, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ebrahimi, Hossein, E-mail: hossein.ebrahimi@yahoo.com [Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ad-Din Abedi, Kamal [Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical sciences, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} and ZnO Nano particles were coated on the surface of expanded graphite. • Expanded graphite-TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nano composite under UV light was placed downstream non-thermal plasma reactor. • Chlorobenzene removal and selectivity of CO{sub 2} were enhanced in combined system. • Produced harmful byproducts from plasma reactor were reduced dramatically in combined system. - Abstract: The non-thermal plasma (NTP) technique, which suffers from low selectivity in complete oxidation of volatile organic compounds to CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O, creates unwanted and harmful byproducts. NTP in concert with photocatalyst can resolve this limitation due to additional oxidation. TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles were coated on the surface of the expanded graphite and placed downstream of the NTP reactor under UV light. In this study, to compare the performance of NTP and the combined system, chlorobenzene removal, selectivity of CO{sub 2} and byproducts formation were investigated. The results showed that the combined system enhanced both the removal efficiency and CO{sub 2} selectivity. The output gas of the NTP reactor contained chlorobenzene, phosgene, O{sub 3}, NO, NO{sub 2}, CO, CO{sub 2}, HCL and CL. The bulk of these byproducts was oxidized on the surface of the nanocomposite; as a result, the content of the byproducts in the output gas of the combined system decreased dramatically. The removal efficiency and CO{sub 2} selectivity increased by rising the applied voltage and residence time because the collision between active species and pollutant molecules increases. Based on these results, the combined system is preferred due to a higher performance and lower formation of harmful byproducts.

Velocity and shear stress distribution downstream of mechanical heart valves in pulsatile flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Giersiepen, M; Krause, U; Knott, E; Reul, H; Rau, G

1989-04-01

Ten mechanical valves (TAD 27 mm): Starr-Edwards Silastic Ball, Björk-Shiley Standard, Björk-Shiley Concave-Convex, Björk-Shiley Monostrut, Hall-Kaster (Medtronic-Hall), OmniCarbon, Bicer Val, Sorin, Saint-Jude Medical and Hemex (Duromedics) are investigated in a comparative in vitro study. The velocity and turbulent shear stress profiles of the valves were determined by Laser Doppler anemometry in two different downstream axes within a model aortic root. Depending on the individual valve design, velocity peaks up to 1.5 m/s and turbulent shear stress peaks up to 150 N/m2 were measured during the systolic phase. These shear stress peaks mainly occurred in areas of flow separation and intense momentum exchange. Directly downstream of the valves (measuring axis 0.55.dAorta) turbulent shear stress peaks occurred at peak systole and during the deceleration phase, while in the second measuring axis (1.5.dAorta) turbulence levels were lower. Shear stress levels were high at the borders of the fluid jets. The results are discussed from a fluid-dynamic point of view.

Impact of pretreatment and downstream processing technologies on economics and energy in cellulosic ethanol production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murthy Ganti S

2011-09-01

significant ethanol cost reductions exist in increasing pentose fermentation efficiency and reducing biomass and enzyme costs. The results demonstrated the importance of addressing the tradeoffs in capital costs, pretreatment and downstream processing technologies.

Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide intercalated ZnO quantum dots nanoballs for selective biosensing detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Jing; Zhao, Minggang, E-mail: zhaomg@ouc.edu.cn; Li, Yingchun; Fan, Sisi; Ding, Longjiang; Liang, Jingjing; Chen, Shougang, E-mail: sgchen@ouc.edu.cn

2016-07-15

Highlights: • A MWCNTs/rGO/ZnO quantum dots intercalation nanoballs decorated 3D hierarchical architecture is fabricated on Ni foam. • Large numbers of ZnO quantum dots are intercalated by rGO sheets to construct hierarchical nanoballs. • Improved mechanical, kinetic and electrochemical properties are found. • The strong interfacial effect makes the material can be used for selective detection of dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid. - Abstract: ZnO quantum dots (QDs), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are always used in sensors due to their excellent electrochemical characteristics. In this work, ZnO QDs were intercalated by rGO sheets with cross-linked MWCNTs to construct intercalation nanoballs. A MWCNTs/rGO/ZnO QDs 3D hierarchical architecture was fabricated on supporting Ni foam, which exhibited excellent mechanical, kinetic and electrochemical properties. The intercalation construction can introduce strong interfacial effects to improve the surface electronic state. The selectively determinate of uric acid, dopamine, and ascorbic acid by an electrode material using distinct applied potentials was realized.

Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide intercalated ZnO quantum dots nanoballs for selective biosensing detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jing; Zhao, Minggang; Li, Yingchun; Fan, Sisi; Ding, Longjiang; Liang, Jingjing; Chen, Shougang

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A MWCNTs/rGO/ZnO quantum dots intercalation nanoballs decorated 3D hierarchical architecture is fabricated on Ni foam. • Large numbers of ZnO quantum dots are intercalated by rGO sheets to construct hierarchical nanoballs. • Improved mechanical, kinetic and electrochemical properties are found. • The strong interfacial effect makes the material can be used for selective detection of dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid. - Abstract: ZnO quantum dots (QDs), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are always used in sensors due to their excellent electrochemical characteristics. In this work, ZnO QDs were intercalated by rGO sheets with cross-linked MWCNTs to construct intercalation nanoballs. A MWCNTs/rGO/ZnO QDs 3D hierarchical architecture was fabricated on supporting Ni foam, which exhibited excellent mechanical, kinetic and electrochemical properties. The intercalation construction can introduce strong interfacial effects to improve the surface electronic state. The selectively determinate of uric acid, dopamine, and ascorbic acid by an electrode material using distinct applied potentials was realized.

Uniformity index measurement technology using thermocouples to improve performance in urea-selective catalytic reduction systems

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sangki; Oh, Jungmo

2018-05-01

The current commonly used nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission reduction techniques employ hydrocarbons (HCs), urea solutions, and exhaust gas emissions as the reductants. Two of the primary denitrification NOx (DeNOx) catalyst systems are the HC-lean NOx trap (HC-LNT) catalyst and urea-selective catalytic reduction (urea-SCR) catalyst. The secondary injection method depends on the type of injector, injection pressure, atomization, and spraying technique. In addition, the catalyst reaction efficiency is directly affected by the distribution of injectors; hence, the uniformity index (UI) of the reductant is very important and is the basis for system optimization. The UI of the reductant is an indicator of the NOx conversion efficiency (NCE), and good UI values can reduce the need for a catalyst. Therefore, improving the UI can reduce the cost of producing a catalytic converter, which are expensive due to the high prices of the precious metals contained therein. Accordingly, measurement of the UI is an important process in the development of catalytic systems. Two of the commonly used methods for measuring the reductant UI are (i) measuring the exhaust emissions at many points located upstream/downstream of the catalytic converter and (ii) acquisition of a reductant distribution image on a section of the exhaust pipe upstream of the catalytic converter. The purpose of this study is to develop a system and measurement algorithms to measure the exothermic response distribution in the exhaust gas as the reductant passes through the catalytic converter of the SCR catalyst system using a set of thermocouples downstream of the SCR catalyst. The system is used to measure the reductant UI, which is applied in real-time to the actual SCR system, and the results are compared for various types of mixtures for various engine operating conditions and mixer types in terms of NCE.

The movement of a redox front downstream from a repository for nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neretnieks, I.

1982-01-01

In a final repository for nuclear waste it is envisaged that the waste will eventually come in contact with water. When this happens the α-radiation will radiolyse water. The main products will be hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen is fairly nonreactive and will be transported away by diffusion and convection. The hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent and will oxidize any ferrous iron it encounters to ferric iron. This will change the electrochemical potential of the water in the region, from reducing to oxidizing conditions. In oxidizing waters many of the potentially hazardeous radionuclides - actinides and technetium - will have a high solubility and low sorption compared to conditions. The movement of the redox front along the fissures downstream of a repository has been investigated theoretically. The rock is modelled as having parallel fissures where the water flows. The rock matrix has a connected porosity into which the hydrogen peroxide diffuses and quickly reacts with the minerals containing ferrous iron. The movements of the sharp boundary between oxidizing and reducing conditions in the fissures as well as in the matrix of the rock is described mathematically. A calculated example based on expected flowrate of water, rate of α-radiolysis, fissure spacing and measured values of matrix diffusivity and ferrous iron content of the bedrock is made. The results indicate that under some conditions the redox front may move tens of meters downstraem during 10 6 years in fairly good rock, poor in ferrous iron. It is conceivable that the extension of the redox front is larger as well as shorter because many of the importhat factors governing teh front movement may vary considerably. (Author)

Which downstream signal transduction pathway(s) of H-ras are necessary for the cellular response(s) to ionizing radiation? (Results of an astro research fellowship year)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudoltz, Marc S.; Muschel, Ruth J.; McKenna, W. Gillies

1996-01-01

Purpose/Background: The H-ras oncogene encodes a protein which is an essential component of multiple downstream effector pathways required for induction of proliferation and differentiation. Ras plays a role in the control some of these signal transduction pathways, such as the MAP kinase pathway which controls gene expression and the Rac-Rho pathway which controls cell morphology. Previous work from our laboratory has associated H-ras expression with radiation resistance, a prolonged delay in G2 following exposure to ionizing radiation, and suppression of radiation-induced apoptosis. In addition, H-ras cooperates with myc in transformation. Recent work by White et al. (Cell 80:533-541, 1995) and Joneson et al. (Science 271: 810-812, 1996) describes three mutations in H-ras which were engineered to eliminate different downstream signal transduction pathways of H-ras. T35S contains a serine in place of threonine at amino acid 35 and is defective for ras-induced cytoskeletal changes and initiation of DNA synthesis. E37G contains a glutamic acid in place of glycine at amino acid 37 which eliminates interaction of H-ras with a GDP/GTP exchange factor. C40 contains a substitution of cysteine for tyrosine at amino acid 40 and is defective for H-ras induction of the MAP kinase pathway. We propose that by expressing these mutant H-ras proteins in immortalized cells the downstream pathways of H-ras which regulate the cellular response(s) to ionizing radiation may be determined. Materials and Methods: pHP-5 plasmids encoding these H-ras mutant genes (see White et al.) were transfected by calcium phosphate precipitation into MR4 cells, rat embryo fibroblasts immortalized by expression of v-myc. In this vector, the cDNA for H-ras is placed under the control of a CMV constitutive promoter, and selection is provided by hygromycin. The transfections performed were as follows: V12Ras (no mutation), T35S, E37G, C40, T35S + E37G, and T35S + C40. Twenty four hours after transfection

Bidirectional 3.125 Gbps downstream / 2 Gbps upstream impulse radio ultrawide-band (UWB) over combined fiber and wireless link

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jesper Bevensee; Gibbon, Timothy Braidwood; Yu, Xianbin

2010-01-01

We demonstrate bidirectional fiber and wireless transmission of impulse radio ultra-wideband at 3.125 Gbps downstream and 2 Gbps upstream. After transmission over 50 km fiber and 1.85 m wireless link both signals are recovered without errors.......We demonstrate bidirectional fiber and wireless transmission of impulse radio ultra-wideband at 3.125 Gbps downstream and 2 Gbps upstream. After transmission over 50 km fiber and 1.85 m wireless link both signals are recovered without errors....

Use of multispectral satellite remote sensing to assess mixing of suspended sediment downstream of large river confluences

Science.gov (United States)

Umar, M.; Rhoads, Bruce L.; Greenberg, Jonathan A.

2018-01-01

Although past work has noted that contrasts in turbidity often are detectable on remotely sensed images of rivers downstream from confluences, no systematic methodology has been developed for assessing mixing over distance of confluent flows with differing surficial suspended sediment concentrations (SSSC). In contrast to field measurements of mixing below confluences, satellite remote-sensing can provide detailed information on spatial distributions of SSSC over long distances. This paper presents a methodology that uses remote-sensing data to estimate spatial patterns of SSSC downstream of confluences along large rivers and to determine changes in the amount of mixing over distance from confluences. The method develops a calibrated Random Forest (RF) model by relating training SSSC data from river gaging stations to derived spectral indices for the pixels corresponding to gaging-station locations. The calibrated model is then used to predict SSSC values for every river pixel in a remotely sensed image, which provides the basis for mapping of spatial variability in SSSCs along the river. The pixel data are used to estimate average surficial values of SSSC at cross sections spaced uniformly along the river. Based on the cross-section data, a mixing metric is computed for each cross section. The spatial pattern of change in this metric over distance can be used to define rates and length scales of surficial mixing of suspended sediment downstream of a confluence. This type of information is useful for exploring the potential influence of various controlling factors on mixing downstream of confluences, for evaluating how mixing in a river system varies over time and space, and for determining how these variations influence water quality and ecological conditions along the river.

Discovery and characterization of novel vascular and hematopoietic genes downstream of etsrp in zebrafish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo A Gomez

Full Text Available The transcription factor Etsrp is required for vasculogenesis and primitive myelopoiesis in zebrafish. When ectopically expressed, etsrp is sufficient to induce the expression of many vascular and myeloid genes in zebrafish. The mammalian homolog of etsrp, ER71/Etv2, is also essential for vascular and hematopoietic development. To identify genes downstream of etsrp, gain-of-function experiments were performed for etsrp in zebrafish embryos followed by transcription profile analysis by microarray. Subsequent in vivo expression studies resulted in the identification of fourteen genes with blood and/or vascular expression, six of these being completely novel. Regulation of these genes by etsrp was confirmed by ectopic induction in etsrp overexpressing embryos and decreased expression in etsrp deficient embryos. Additional functional analysis of two newly discovered genes, hapln1b and sh3gl3, demonstrates their importance in embryonic vascular development. The results described here identify a group of genes downstream of etsrp likely to be critical for vascular and/or myeloid development.

The impacts of wind power integration on sub-daily variation in river flows downstream of hydroelectric dams.

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, Jordan D; Patino-Echeverri, Dalia; Characklis, Gregory W

2014-08-19

Due to their operational flexibility, hydroelectric dams are ideal candidates to compensate for the intermittency and unpredictability of wind energy production. However, more coordinated use of wind and hydropower resources may exacerbate the impacts dams have on downstream environmental flows, that is, the timing and magnitude of water flows needed to sustain river ecosystems. In this paper, we examine the effects of increased (i.e., 5%, 15%, and 25%) wind market penetration on prices for electricity and reserves, and assess the potential for altered price dynamics to disrupt reservoir release schedules at a hydroelectric dam and cause more variable and unpredictable hourly flow patterns (measured in terms of the Richards-Baker Flashiness (RBF) index). Results show that the greatest potential for wind energy to impact downstream flows occurs at high (∼25%) wind market penetration, when the dam sells more reserves in order to exploit spikes in real-time electricity prices caused by negative wind forecast errors. Nonetheless, compared to the initial impacts of dam construction (and the dam's subsequent operation as a peaking resource under baseline conditions) the marginal effects of any increased wind market penetration on downstream flows are found to be relatively minor.

The deregulation of the Italian natural gas industry and diversification processes in the down-stream sector; I riflessi dell'apertura del mercato italiano del gas naturale sul riposizionamento strategico degli operatori nel settore down-stream

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fazioli, R. [Ferrara Univ., Ferrara (Italy); Quaglino, S. [Cap Gemini Ernst and Young, Energy Division, Milan (Italy); Di Domenico, M. [Milan Bocconi Univ., Milan (Italy). Istituto di Economia delle Fonti di Energia

2000-07-01

The opening of the italian gas market , due to the privatisation and liberalisation process, has been implemented by the important normative evolution of this sector both at european and national level. The debate following this process in the gas market has focussed, basically, on the up-stream sector leaving aside the important down-stream sector also concerning gas local distribution and sales. In this article it is paid more attention to the down-stream sector considering the firms' evolution from a basic mono utility to multi utility and multi services organisational structure. This potential firms' evolution in the italian gas market will be considered also referring to specific international experience in this market. [Italian] L'apertura del mercato italiano del gas naturale e' la conseguenza, principalmente, dei processi di privatizzazione e liberalizzazione che sono seguiti alla normativa europea e nazionale che disciplinano tale mercato. Il dibattito seguito a questo processo si e' essenzialmente focalizzato sul settore up-stream e poca attenzione e' stata invece rivolta all'importante settore down-stream, ossia la distribuzione locale e la vendita. Su tale settore si focalizza l'attenzione di questo articolo nell'intento di delineare i possibili scenari di sviluppo delle imprese operanti che, da una semplice strutura mono-utility, si evolvano verso una struttura multi-utility e multi-service.

Beam Halo on the LHC TCDQ Diluter System and Thermal Load on the Downstream Superconducting Magnets

CERN Document Server

Goddard, B; Presland, A; Redaelli, S; Robert-Démolaize, G; Sarchiapone, L; Weiler, T; Weterings, W

2006-01-01

The moveable single-jawed graphite TCDQ diluter must be positioned very close to the circulating LHC beam in order to prevent damage to downstream components in the event of an unsynchronised beam abort. A two-jawed graphite TCS.IR6 collimator forms part of the TCDQ system. The requirement to place the jaws close to the beam means that the system can intercept a substantial beam halo load. Initial investigations indicated a worryingly high heat load on the Q4 coils. This paper presents the updated load cases, shielding and simulation geometry, and the results of simulations of the energy deposition in the TCDQ system and in the downstream superconducting Q4 magnet. The implications for the operation of the LHC are discussed.

How TotalFinaElf will reinforce its downstream leadership; Comment TotalFinaElf entend renforcer son leadership en aval

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Legros, E.

2002-06-01

Invited by the 'para-petroleum industry club' of the French group of para-petroleum and para-gas companies (GEP) on April 2, 2002, J.P. Vettier, general director of the refining-marketing activity of TotalFinaElf company, described the new configuration of the downstream strategy of the French group, now the fourth biggest oil company in the world. This downstream activity seems to have profited from the different fusions that have led to the present day structure. (J.S.)

Headwater Stream Management Dichotomies: Local Amphibian Habitat vs. Downstream Fish Habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, C. R.

2002-12-01

Small headwater streams in mountainous areas of the Pacific Northwest often do not harbor fish populations because of low water depth and high gradients. Rather, these streams provide habitat for dense assemblages of stream-dwelling amphibians. A variety of management goals have been suggested for such streams such as encouraging large woody debris recruitment to assist in sediment trapping and valley floor formation, encouraging large woody debris recruitment to provide downstream wood when debris flows occur, providing continuous linear stream buffers within forest harvest areas to provide shade and bank stability, etc. A basic problem with analying the geomorphic or biotic benefits of any of these strategies is the lack of explicit management goals for such streams. Should managers strive to optimize downstream fish habitat, local amphibian habitat, or both? Through observational data and theoretical considerations, it will be shown that these biotic goals will lead to very different geomorphic management recommendations. For instance, woody debris greater than 60 cm diameter may assist in valley floor development, but it is likely to create subsurface channel flow of unknown value to amphibians. Trapping and retention of fine sediments within headwater streams may improve downstream spawning gravels, but degrades stream-dwelling amphibian habitat. In response to the need for descriptive information on habitat and channel morphology specific to small, non-fish-bearing streams in the Pacific Northwest, morphologies and wood frequencies in forty-two first- and second-order forested streams less than four meters wide were surveyed. Frequencies and size distributions of woody debris were compared between small streams and larger fish-bearing streams as well as between second-growth and virgin timber streams. Statistical models were developed to explore dominant factors affecting channel morphology and habitat. Findings suggest geomorphological relationships

Approach to downstream planning for nearshore response and sensitive areas protection outside Prince William Sound, Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeCola, E.G.; Robertson, T.L.; Robertson, R.; Banta, J.

2004-01-01

This study assessed the need for an oil spill response plan for downstream coastal communities that could be affected by oil spilled from tankers travelling in Prince William Sound, Alaska. For the purpose of oil spill contingency planning, the State of Alaska has been divided into the Kodiak and Cook Inlet sub-areas that are at risk for downstream impacts from a Prince William Sound oil spill. The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill provided an example of a worst-case scenario oil spill from a tanker in Prince William Sound, but the oil spill planning system that has evolved in Alaska does not adequately plan for on oil spill that originates in one sub-area of the state, but impacts other sub-areas in the downstream spill path. This study analyzed the gaps that exist in the current response planning system in the Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet and Kodiak sub-areas. A method was proposed to improve the existing response plans so that emergency response teams are better prepared to manage cross-boundary oil spills originating in Prince William Sound. The proposed method focuses on nearshore response and sensitive areas protection for coastlines and communities that are at risk for oil spills from a tanker travelling the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS). 11 refs., 3 figs

Involvement of PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway and Its Downstream Intracellular Targets in the Antidepressant-Like Effect of Creatine.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha, Mauricio P; Budni, Josiane; Ludka, Fabiana K; Pazini, Francis L; Rosa, Julia Macedo; Oliveira, Ágatha; Lopes, Mark W; Tasca, Carla I; Leal, Rodrigo B; Rodrigues, Ana Lúcia S

2016-07-01

Creatine has been proposed to exert beneficial effects in the management of depression, but the cell signaling pathways implicated in its antidepressant effects are not well established. This study investigated the involvement of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and its downstream intracellular targets in the antidepressant-like effect of creatine. The acute treatment of mice with creatine (1 mg/kg, po) increased the Akt and P70S6K phosphorylation, and HO-1, GPx and PSD95 immunocontents. The pretreatment of mice with LY294002 (10 nmol/mouse, icv, PI3K inhibitor), wortmannin (0.1 μg/mouse, icv, PI3K inhibitor), ZnPP (10 μg/mouse, icv, HO-1 inhibitor), or rapamycin (0.2 nmol/mouse, icv, mTOR inhibitor) prevented the antidepressant-like effect of creatine (1 mg/kg, po) in the TST. In addition, the administration of subeffective dose of either the selective GSK3 inhibitor AR-A014418 (0.01 μg/mouse, icv), the nonselective GSK3 inhibitor lithium chloride (10 mg/kg, po), or the HO-1 inductor CoPP (0.01 μg/mouse, icv), in combination with a subeffective dose of creatine (0.01 mg/kg, po) reduced the immobility time in the TST as compared with either drug alone. No treatment caused significant changes in the locomotor activity of mice. These results indicate that the antidepressant-like effect of creatine in the TST depends on the activation of Akt, Nrf2/HO-1, GPx, and mTOR, and GSK3 inhibition.

Landscape-based upstream-downstream prevalence of land-use/cover change drivers in southeastern rift escarpment of Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Temesgen, Habtamu; Wu, Wei; Legesse, Abiyot; Yirsaw, Eshetu; Bekele, Belew

2018-02-23

Characterized by high population density on a rugged topography, the Gedeo-Abaya landscape dominantly contains a multi-strata traditional agroforests showing the insight of Gedeo farmers on natural resource management practices. Currently, this area has been losing its resilience and is becoming unable to sustain its inhabitants. Based on both RS-derived and GIS-computed land-use/cover changes (LUCC) as well as socioeconomic validations, this article explored the LUCC and agroecological-based driver patterns in Gedeo-Abaya landscape from 1986 to 2015. A combination of geo-spatial technology and cross-sectional survey design were employed to detect the drivers behind these changes. The article discussed that LUCC and the prevalence of drivers are highly diverse and vary throughout agroecological zones. Except for the population, most downstream top drivers are perceived as insignificant in the upstream region and vice versa. In the downstream, land-use/cover (LUC) classes are more dynamic, diverse, and challenged by nearly all anticipated drivers than are upstream ones. Agroforestry LUC has been increasing (by 25% of its initial cover) and is becoming the predominant cover type, although socioeconomic analysis and related findings show its rapid LUC modification. A rapid reduction of woodland/shrubland (63%) occurred in the downstream, while wetland/marshy land increased threefold (158%), from 1986 to 2015 with annual change rates of - 3.7 and + 6%, respectively. Land degradation induced by changes in land use is a serious problem in Africa, especially in the densely populated sub-Saharan regions such as Ethiopia (FAO 2015). Throughout the landscape, LUCC is prominently affecting land-use system of the study landscape due to population pressure in the upstream region and drought/rainfall variability, agribusiness investment, and charcoaling in the downstream that necessitate urgent action.

Constitutive phosphorylation of ATM in lymphoblastoid cell lines from patients with ICF syndrome without downstream kinase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstine, Jimena V; Nahas, Shareef; Gamo, Kristin; Gartler, Stanley M; Hansen, R Scott; Roelfsema, Jeroen H; Gatti, Richard A; Marahrens, York

2006-04-08

Double strand DNA breaks in the genome lead to the activation of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase in a process that requires ATM autophosphorylation at serine-1981. ATM autophosphorylation only occurs if ATM is previously acetylated by Tip60. The activated ATM kinase phosphorylates proteins involved in arresting the cell cycle, including p53, and in repairing the DNA breaks. Chloroquine treatment and other manipulations that produce chromatin defects in the absence of detectable double strand breaks also trigger ATM phosphorylation and the phosphorylation of p53 in primary human fibroblasts, while other downstream substrates of ATM that are involved in the repair of DNA double strand breaks remain unphosphorylated. This raises the issue of whether ATM is constitutively activated in patients with genetic diseases that display chromatin defects. We examined lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) generated from patients with different types of chromatin disorders: Immunodeficiency, Centromeric instability, Facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome, Coffin Lowry syndrome, Rubinstein Taybi syndrome and Fascioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy. We show that ATM is phosphorylated on serine-1981 in LCLs derived from ICF patients but not from the other syndromes. The phosphorylated ATM in ICF cells did not phosphorylate the downstream targets NBS1, SMC1 and H2AX, all of which require the presence of double strand breaks. We demonstrate that ICF cells respond normally to ionizing radiation, ruling out the possibility that genetic deficiency in ICF cells renders activated ATM incapable of phosphorylating its downstream substrates. Surprisingly, p53 was also not phosphorylated in ICF cells or in chloroquine-treated wild type LCLs. In this regard the response to chromatin-altering agents differs between primary fibroblasts and LCLs. Our findings indicate that although phosphorylation at serine-1981 is essential in the activation of the ATM kinase, serine-1981 phosphorylation is

Differential selection on carotenoid biosynthesis genes as a function of gene position in the metabolic pathway: a study on the carrot and dicots.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jérémy Clotault

Full Text Available Selection of genes involved in metabolic pathways could target them differently depending on the position of genes in the pathway and on their role in controlling metabolic fluxes. This hypothesis was tested in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway using population genetics and phylogenetics.Evolutionary rates of seven genes distributed along the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway, IPI, PDS, CRTISO, LCYB, LCYE, CHXE and ZEP, were compared in seven dicot taxa. A survey of deviations from neutrality expectations at these genes was also undertaken in cultivated carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus, a species that has been intensely bred for carotenoid pattern diversification in its root during its cultivation history. Parts of sequences of these genes were obtained from 46 individuals representing a wide diversity of cultivated carrots. Downstream genes exhibited higher deviations from neutral expectations than upstream genes. Comparisons of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates between genes among dicots revealed greater constraints on upstream genes than on downstream genes. An excess of intermediate frequency polymorphisms, high nucleotide diversity and/or high differentiation of CRTISO, LCYB1 and LCYE in cultivated carrot suggest that balancing selection may have targeted genes acting centrally in the pathway.Our results are consistent with relaxed constraints on downstream genes and selection targeting the central enzymes of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway during carrot breeding history.

Salicylic acid suppresses jasmonic acid signaling downstream of SCFCOI1-JAZ by targeting GCC promoter motifs via transcription factor ORA59.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Does, Dieuwertje; Leon-Reyes, Antonio; Koornneef, Annemart; Van Verk, Marcel C; Rodenburg, Nicole; Pauwels, Laurens; Goossens, Alain; Körbes, Ana P; Memelink, Johan; Ritsema, Tita; Van Wees, Saskia C M; Pieterse, Corné M J

2013-02-01

Antagonism between the defense hormones salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) plays a central role in the modulation of the plant immune signaling network, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that suppression of the JA pathway by SA functions downstream of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase Skip-Cullin-F-box complex SCF(COI1), which targets JASMONATE ZIM-domain transcriptional repressor proteins (JAZs) for proteasome-mediated degradation. In addition, neither the stability nor the JA-induced degradation of JAZs was affected by SA. In silico promoter analysis of the SA/JA crosstalk transcriptome revealed that the 1-kb promoter regions of JA-responsive genes that are suppressed by SA are significantly enriched in the JA-responsive GCC-box motifs. Using GCC:GUS lines carrying four copies of the GCC-box fused to the β-glucuronidase reporter gene, we showed that the GCC-box motif is sufficient for SA-mediated suppression of JA-responsive gene expression. Using plants overexpressing the GCC-box binding APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) transcription factors ERF1 or ORA59, we found that SA strongly reduces the accumulation of ORA59 but not that of ERF1. Collectively, these data indicate that the SA pathway inhibits JA signaling downstream of the SCF(COI1)-JAZ complex by targeting GCC-box motifs in JA-responsive promoters via a negative effect on the transcriptional activator ORA59.

Selecting Question-Specific Genes to Reduce Incongruence in Phylogenomics: A Case Study of Jawed Vertebrate Backbone Phylogeny.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Meng-Yun; Liang, Dan; Zhang, Peng

2015-11-01

Incongruence between different phylogenomic analyses is the main challenge faced by phylogeneticists in the genomic era. To reduce incongruence, phylogenomic studies normally adopt some data filtering approaches, such as reducing missing data or using slowly evolving genes, to improve the signal quality of data. Here, we assembled a phylogenomic data set of 58 jawed vertebrate taxa and 4682 genes to investigate the backbone phylogeny of jawed vertebrates under both concatenation and coalescent-based frameworks. To evaluate the efficiency of extracting phylogenetic signals among different data filtering methods, we chose six highly intractable internodes within the backbone phylogeny of jawed vertebrates as our test questions. We found that our phylogenomic data set exhibits substantial conflicting signal among genes for these questions. Our analyses showed that non-specific data sets that are generated without bias toward specific questions are not sufficient to produce consistent results when there are several difficult nodes within a phylogeny. Moreover, phylogenetic accuracy based on non-specific data is considerably influenced by the size of data and the choice of tree inference methods. To address such incongruences, we selected genes that resolve a given internode but not the entire phylogeny. Notably, not only can this strategy yield correct relationships for the question, but it also reduces inconsistency associated with data sizes and inference methods. Our study highlights the importance of gene selection in phylogenomic analyses, suggesting that simply using a large amount of data cannot guarantee correct results. Constructing question-specific data sets may be more powerful for resolving problematic nodes. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Studies on total polyphenols and reducing power of aqueous extracts from selected lamiaceae species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cioroi

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Certain phytochemicals in species are attracting increased attention because of a wide range of biological activities especially the possible cancer preventive properties. Polyphenols, the naturalantioxidants are present in plant extracts and they play a key role in antioxidative defence mechanisms in biological systems and they act as free radicals scavenging agents. Polyphenols might thereforeinhibit development of coronary heart disease and cancers. Basil, oregano and sage are highly fragrant plants whose leaves are used as a seasoning herb for many different types of foods. Aqueous extractswere prepared from basil (Ocimum basilicum L., oregano (Origanum vulgare L. and sage (Salvia officinalis L.. To check the phenols presence, the UV-VIS spectrum was made. The amount of polyphenolic compounds from selected Lamiaceae species was determined by spectrophotometry method using the Folin - Ciocalteau reagent and gallic acid as standard. The range of polyphenols total was between 516,352 mg/100g dried species and 859,617 mg/100g dried species.Reducing power has been established by measuring the redox potential of aqueous extracts. Antioxidant activity was directly correlated with the total amount of polyphenols in the species extracts.The free reducing sugars in aqueous extracts from species were analyzed and correlated to the total content of polyphenols.

Downstream cumulative effects of land use on freshwater communities

Science.gov (United States)

Kuglerová, L.; Kielstra, B. W.; Moore, D.; Richardson, J. S.

2015-12-01

Many streams and rivers are subject to disturbance from intense land use such as urbanization and agriculture, and this is especially obvious for small headwaters. Streams are spatially organized into networks where headwaters represent the tributaries and provide water, nutrients, and organic material to the main stems. Therefore perturbations within the headwaters might be cumulatively carried on downstream. Although we know that the disturbance of headwaters in urban and agricultural landscapes poses threats to downstream river reaches, the magnitude and severity of these changes for ecological communities is less known. We studied stream networks along a gradient of disturbance connected to land use intensity, from urbanized watersheds to watersheds placed in agricultural settings in the Greater Toronto Area. Further, we compared the patterns and processes found in the modified watershed to a control watershed, situated in a forested, less impacted landscape. Preliminary results suggest that hydrological modifications (flash floods), habitat loss (drainage and sewer systems), and water quality issues of small streams in urbanized and agricultural watersheds represent major disturbances and threats for aquatic and riparian biota on local as well as larger spatial scales. For example, communities of riparian plants are dominated by species typical of the land use on adjacent uplands as well as the dominant land use on the upstream contributing area, instead of riparian obligates commonly found in forested watersheds. Further, riparian communities in disturbed environments are dominated by invasive species. The changes in riparian communities are vital for various functions of riparian vegetation. Bank erosion control is suppressed, leading to severe channel transformations and sediment loadings in urbanized watersheds. Food sources for instream biota and thermal regimes are also changed, which further triggers alterations of in-stream biological communities

Water stress in global transboundary river basins : Significance of upstream water use on downstream stress

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Munia, H.; Guillaume, J. H A; Mirumachi, N.; Porkka, M.; Wada, Y.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/341387819; Kummu, M.

2016-01-01

Growing population and water demand have increased pressure on water resources in various parts of the globe, including many transboundary river basins. While the impacts of upstream water use on downstream water availability have been analysed in many of these international river basins, this has

SUGGESTIONS OF SCENARIOS FOR RESTORING LONGITUDINAL CONNECTIVITY TO SUSTAIN FISH FAUNA MIGRATION UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF APAHIDA BOTTOM SILL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Razvan VOICU

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Rivers and their corridors form complex ecosystems that include adjacent land, flora and fauna and the actual courses of water. Given the ecological criteria for prioritizing the rehabilitation of longitudinal continuity of watercourses recommended by the International Commission for Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR (Appendix 1 and starting from the analysis of the Management Plan to ensure longitudinal continuity of watercourses in Some?-Tisa River Area (Annex 9.17.a in BMP – Basin Management Plan there have been proposed several scenarios in order to facilitate fish species migration above the bottom sill from Apahida. The selected case study is focused on the mentioned discharge or bottom sill in Apahida town (hm 985 located 45 m downstream of the bridge located at the intersection of two streets; this bottom sill is 0.8 m high and was built in order to correct the slope, to reduce erosion and to enhance water oxygenation. Currently the bottom sill is supervised by Some?-Tisa River Basin Water Administration, Cluj SGA. One of the important migratory fish species in the study area is the Common Nase (Chondrostoma nasus protected by Bern Convention (Appendix III; barbel (Barbus barbus- rare species, protected Habitats Directive (Annex V,annex 4A of Low nr.462 and Red List of RBDD; bream (Abramis brama bream (Abramis brama - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The water catchment area of the Apahida commune in Cluj County blocks migration of various species of migratory fish such as: Common Nase (Chondrostoma nasus protected by the Bern Convention (Appendix III; Barbel (Barbus barbus - rare species, protected Habitats Directive (Annex V, Annex 4A of Low No 462 and Red List of RBDD; Bream (Abramis brama Bream (Abramis brama - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. To help the three species of fish come the solutions proposed in this article.

Mergers and acquisitions of downstream facilities by producing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ligon, D.R.

1988-01-01

The author discusses a phenomenon that he calls the ''re-integration'' or ''re-coupling'' of the worldwide oil industry, as foreign, particularly OPEC, producers are becoming directly involved with downstream operations in their most important markets. This phenomenon already has produced some far-reaching consequences that will become even more important and pervasive in the near future. First, he describes the factors and logic that led to these arrangements. Next, he outlines some of their practical considerations and implications. While some of the market factors described are applicable to any non-integrated producer, he spends most of his time discussing OPEC and ''neo-OPEC'' producers such as Mexico. These are the people doing the deals and are therefore probably of greatest interest.

Energy taxes and subsidies downstream: transparency and dissemination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aissaour, A.

2001-01-01

The reasons why governments levy taxes are discussed with special reference to the energy sector. The article focuses on the quantitative aspect of policies and gives a guide to the relevant statistical sources. It summarises the basis of taxes and subsidies and discusses the incidence of energy taxation together with the structure of taxes and subsidies in energy downstream. It reviews the main sources of data and issues highlighted by published statistics and the impact of taxes levied on the consumption of energy products and other taxes (e.g. VAT) which directly affect end-user prices. Production-based levies such as royalties, petroleum revenue taxes, windfall taxes and import and export taxes on fuels are not discussed. The paper is presented under the sub-headings of (i) theoretical foundations in a nutshell; (ii) the incidence of taxation; (iii) the structure and main features of energy taxation (iv) base rate and level of taxation (v) sources of data and methods and (vi) observability and comparability

Comparison of Flow Structures in the Downstream Region of a Cylinder with Flexible Strip

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tekşin Süleyman

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The present study investigates the details of flow structure to downstream of a circular cylinder mounted on a flat surface, in successive plan-view plane both in the boundary layer and up level region. The behavior of the flow in the wake of the bare cylinder and attached a flexible strip which has a 1400 N/mm2 modulus of elasticity vinyl PVC transperent film. The length of strip 240 mm (L/D=4 is investigated using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV technique for Reynolds numbers based on the cylinder diameter of 2500. The flow data downstream of the cylinder are presented using time-averaged velocity vector map, Vavg, streamline patterns, ψavg, vorticity contours, ωavg, and Reynolds stress correlations, u’u’ avg, v’v’ avg, u’v’ avg and rms velocity values. The locations of the peak values of Reynolds stress correlations and other data are also presented in both bare cylinder and attached body in order to determine the regions under high fluctuations. Another L/D ratios will be investigated in other experiments.

Rare earth industries: Downstream business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

The value chain of the rare earths business involves mining, extraction, processing, refining and the manufacture of an extensive range of downstream products which find wide applications in such industries including aerospace, consumer electronics, medical, military, automotive, renewable wind and solar energy and telecommunications. In fact the entire gamut of the high-tech industries depends on a sustainable supply of rare earths elements. The explosive demand in mobile phones is an excellent illustration of the massive potential that the rare earths business offers. In a matter of less than 20 years, the number of cell phones worldwide has reached a staggering 5 billion. Soon, going by the report of their growth in sales, the world demand for cell phones may even exceed the global population. Admittedly, the rare earths business does pose certain risks. Top among the risks are the health and safety risks. The mining, extraction and refining of rare earths produce residues and wastes which carry health and safety risks. The residues from the extraction and refining are radioactive, while their effluent waste streams do pose pollution risks to the receiving rivers and waterways. But, as clearly elaborated in a recent report by IAEA experts, there are technologies and systems available to efficiently mitigate such risks. The risks are Rare Earth manageable. However, it is crucial that the risk and waste management procedures are strictly followed and adhered to. This is where effective monitoring and surveillance throughout the life of all such rare earths facilities is crucial. Fortunately, Malaysia's regulatory standards on rare earths follow international standards. In some areas, Malaysia's regulatory regime is even more stringent than the international guidelines. (author)

Multiyear Downstream Response to Dam Removal on the White Salmon River, WA

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, A. C.; O'Connor, J. E.; Major, J. J.

2017-12-01

The 2011 removal of the 38 m tall Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, Washington was one of the largest dam removals to date, in terms of both dam height and sediment release. We examined the multiyear geomorphic response to this event, through 2015, including in a bedrock-confined canyon and in a less-confined, backwater-influenced pool reach near the river's mouth, to the large, rapid influx of fine reservoir sediment produced by the breach and to subsequent sediment transfer in the free-flowing White Salmon River. In the canyon reach, aggraded sediments were rapidly eroded from riffles, returning them toward pre-breach bed elevations within weeks, but pool aggradation persisted for longer. The downstream, less-confined reach transformed from a deep pool to a narrower pool-riffle channel with alternate bars; multiyear observations showed persistence of bars and of this new and distinct morphology. This downstream reach marks a rare case in post-dam removal channel response; in most dam removals, channels have rapidly reverted toward pre-removal morphology, as in the canyon reach here. Comparison of the multiyear geomorphic evolution of the White Salmon River to other recent large dam removals in the U.S. allows evaluation of the relative influences of antecedent channel morphology, post-breach hydrology, and dam removal style, as well as providing a basis for predicting responses to future dam removals.

Effects of dams on downstream molluscan predator-prey interactions in the Colorado River estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jansen A; Handley, John C; Dietl, Gregory P

2018-05-30

River systems worldwide have been modified for human use and the downstream ecological consequences are often poorly understood. In the Colorado River estuary, where upstream water diversions have limited freshwater input during the last century, mollusc remains from the last several hundred years suggest widespread ecological change. The once abundant clam Mulinia modesta has undergone population declines of approximately 94% and populations of predators relying on this species as a food source have probably declined, switched to alternative prey species or both. We distinguish between the first two hypotheses using a null model of predation preference to test whether M. modesta was preyed upon selectively by the naticid snail, Neverita reclusiana , along the estuary's past salinity gradient. To evaluate the third hypothesis, we estimate available prey biomass today and in the past, assuming prey were a limiting resource. Data on the frequency of drill holes-identifiable traces of naticid predation on prey shells-showed several species, including M. modesta , were preferred prey. Neverita reclusiana was probably able to switch prey. Available prey biomass also declined, suggesting the N. reclusiana population probably also declined. These results indicate a substantial change to the structure of the benthic food web. Given the global scale of water management, such changes have probably also occurred in many of the world's estuaries. © 2018 The Author(s).

Selection and placement of best management practices used to reduce water quality degradation in Lincoln Lake watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Hector German; Popp, Jennie; Maringanti, Chetan; Chaubey, Indrajeet

2011-01-01

An increased loss of agricultural nutrients is a growing concern for water quality in Arkansas. Several studies have shown that best management practices (BMPs) are effective in controlling water pollution. However, those affected with water quality issues need water management plans that take into consideration BMPs selection, placement, and affordability. This study used a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). This multiobjective algorithm selects and locates BMPs that minimize nutrients pollution cost-effectively by providing trade-off curves (optimal fronts) between pollutant reduction and total net cost increase. The usefulness of this optimization framework was evaluated in the Lincoln Lake watershed. The final NSGA-II optimization model generated a number of near-optimal solutions by selecting from 35 BMPs (combinations of pasture management, buffer zones, and poultry litter application practices). Selection and placement of BMPs were analyzed under various cost solutions. The NSGA-II provides multiple solutions that could fit the water management plan for the watershed. For instance, by implementing all the BMP combinations recommended in the lowest-cost solution, total phosphorous (TP) could be reduced by at least 76% while increasing cost by less than 2% in the entire watershed. This value represents an increase in cost of 5.49 ha-1 when compared to the baseline. Implementing all the BMP combinations proposed with the medium- and the highest-cost solutions could decrease TP drastically but will increase cost by 24,282 (7%) and $82,306 (25%), respectively.

Effectiveness of a Selective Advising Program in Reducing the Degree of Compulsive Buying Behavior among Umm Al-Qura Female Students

Science.gov (United States)

Basyouni, Sawzan S.

2018-01-01

The present study is an attempt to investigate the effectiveness of a selective advising program in reducing the degree of Compulsive Buying Behavior among female students, Faculty of Education at Umm al-Qura University. The sample consisted of (200) female students to verify the validity and reliability of the tool. The quasi-experimental method…

Mechanisms of stabilization and blowoff of a premixed flame downstream of a heat-conducting perforated plate

KAUST Repository

Kedia, Kushal S.; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2012-01-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the flame stabilization mechanism and the conditions leading to the blowoff of a laminar premixed flame anchored downstream of a heat-conducting perforated-plate/multi-hole burner, with overall nearly

Morphology, structural properties and reducibility of size-selected CeO2−x nanoparticle films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Chiara Spadaro

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Non-stoichiometric ceria nanoparticles (NPs were obtained by a gas aggregation source with a magnetron and were mass-selected with a quadrupole mass filter. By varying magnetron power, Ar gas flow, and the length of the aggregation tube, NPs with an average diameter of 6, 9, and 14 nm were synthesized and deposited onto a substrate, thus obtaining NP films. The morphology of the films was studied with scanning electron microscopy, while high resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to gain a deeper insight into the atomic structure of individual NPs. By using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy we analyzed the degree of reduction of the NPs of different diameters, before and after thermal treatments in vacuum (reduction cycle and in O2 atmosphere (oxidation cycle at different temperatures. From this analysis we inferred that the size is an important parameter only at intermediate temperatures. As a comparison, we evaluated the reducibility of an ultra-thin ceria film with the same surface to volume ratio as the 9 nm diameter NPs film, observing that NPs are more reducible than the ceria film.

Corrosion mechanisms downstream the nuclear cycle: from processing-recycling to transmutation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balbaud-Celerier, F.

2010-01-01

The author gives a detailed overview of his scientific and research activities in the field of material behaviour in environments met during the downstream part of the nuclear cycle. In the first part, he presents his works on material corrosion in concentrated and high temperature nitric acid, and more particularly on the phenomenon which governs this corrosion: the nitric acid reduction mechanism. In the second part, he reports researches performed within the frame of hybrid reactor development for the processing of future fuels. In both parts, he also discusses the perspectives for new researches and developments

Identification of the first de novo PAR1 deletion downstream of SHOX in an individual diagnosed with Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD).

Science.gov (United States)

Barroso, Eva; Benito-Sanz, Sara; Belinchón, Alberta; Yuste-Checa, Patricia; Gracia, Ricardo; Aragones, Angel; Campos-Barros, Angel; Heath, Karen E

2010-01-01

Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD, MIM 127300), is a dominantly inherited skeletal dysplasia with disproportionate short stature, mesomelic limb shortening, and the characteristic Madelung deformity. Two regions of the pseudoautosomal region 1 (PAR1) have been shown to be involved in LWD, SHOX (short-stature homeobox-containing gene) and the downstream enhancer region. We report our genetic findings of a young girl clinically diagnosed with LWD. We analyzed the proband and her family using MLPA and microsatellite analysis. We identified a deletion, 726-866 kb in size, of the downstream SHOX enhancer region in the proband. Neither parent carried the deletion. Microsatellite analysis showed that the deleted allele was of paternal origin. The mutation is more likely to have arisen from a de novo event but paternal gonadal mosaicism cannot be excluded. In conclusion, we report the clinical and molecular details of the first case of a de novo deletion of the downstream PAR1 region in an LWD individual. De novo deletions of SHOX and the downstream enhancer region must be therefore considered in cases of isolated LWD. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Selective phase masking to reduce material saturation in holographic data storage systems

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Seth; Fair, Ivan

2014-09-01

Emerging networks and applications require enormous data storage. Holographic techniques promise high-capacity storage, given resolution of a few remaining technical issues. In this paper, we propose a technique to overcome one such issue: mitigation of large magnitude peaks in the stored image that cause material saturation resulting in readout errors. We consider the use of ternary data symbols, with modulation in amplitude and phase, and use a phase mask during the encoding stage to reduce the probability of large peaks arising in the stored Fourier domain image. An appropriate mask is selected from a predefined set of pseudo-random masks by computing the Fourier transform of the raw data array as well as the data array multiplied by each mask. The data array or masked array with the lowest Fourier domain peak values is recorded. On readout, the recorded array is multiplied by the mask used during recording to recover the original data array. Simulations are presented that demonstrate the benefit of this approach, and provide insight into the appropriate number of phase masks to use in high capacity holographic data storage systems.

Temporal progression in migratory status and sexual maturation in European silver eels during downstream migration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Palstra, A.P.; Guerrero, M.A.; Klein Breteler, J.G.P.; Thillart, G.E.E.J.M.

2011-01-01

The onset of downstream migration of European eels is accompanied by a cessation of feeding and the start of sexual maturation which stresses the link between metabolism and sexual maturation, also suggesting an important role for exercise. Exercise has been tested with eels in swim tunnels and was

Downstream and upstream extension of the House of Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holmen, Elsebeth; Kristensen, Preben Sander

. The transformation processes and characteristics constituting this fan were based on the knowledge possessed by the company before entering into development interaction with suppliers. If it is these characteristics which are used to express the demands of the company in the subsequent interaction process, much......Executive summary 1. During 1993-94 the authors followed a product development process in a Danish butter cookie company. The process was structured according to the Quality Function Deployment technique House of Quality. Originally, the intention was to study the prototyping process that we...... a discussion in a diabetics end-user focus group. During a series of meetings, the production manager and the sales manager transformed attributes int characteristics and constructed Houses of Quality for a sugar-free cookie. 2. Downstream on its way to the end-user, the product passes through a chain of users...

The insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 pleckstrin homology domain functions in downstream signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Vainshtein, I; Kovacina, K S; Roth, R A

2001-03-16

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) plays a role in directing this molecule to the insulin receptor, thereby regulating its tyrosine phosphorylation. In this work, the role of the PH domain in subsequent signaling was studied by constructing constitutively active forms of IRS-1 in which the inter-SH2 domain of the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase was fused to portions of the IRS-1 molecule. Chimeric molecules containing the PH domain were found to activate the downstream response of stimulating the Ser/Thr kinase Akt. A chimera containing point mutations in the PH domain that abolished the ability of this domain to bind phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate prevented these molecules from activating Akt. These mutations also decreased by about 70% the amount of the constructs present in a particulate fraction of the cells. These results indicate that the PH domain of IRS-1, in addition to directing this protein to the receptor for tyrosine phosphorylation, functions in the ability of this molecule to stimulate subsequent responses. Thus, compromising the function of the PH domain, e.g. in insulin-resistant states, could decrease both the ability of IRS-1 to be tyrosine phosphorylated by the insulin receptor and to link to subsequent downstream targets.

Pharmacological therapeutics targeting the secondary defects and downstream pathology of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Science.gov (United States)

Spinazzola, Janelle M.; Kunkel, Louis M.

2016-01-01

Introduction Since the identification of the dystrophin gene in 1986, a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has yet to be discovered. Presently, there are a number of genetic-based therapies in development aimed at restoration and/or repair of the primary defect. However, growing understanding of the pathophysiological consequences of dystrophin absence has revealed several promising downstream targets for the development of therapeutics. Areas covered In this review, we discuss various strategies for DMD therapy targeting downstream consequences of dystrophin absence including loss of muscle mass, inflammation, fibrosis, calcium overload, oxidative stress, and ischemia. The rationale of each approach and the efficacy of drugs in preclinical and clinical studies are discussed. Expert opinion For the last 30 years, effective DMD drug therapy has been limited to corticosteroids, which are associated with a number of negative side effects. Our knowledge of the consequences of dystrophin absence that contribute to DMD pathology has revealed several potential therapeutic targets. Some of these approaches may have potential to improve or slow disease progression independently or in combination with genetic-based approaches. The applicability of these pharmacological therapies to DMD patients irrespective of their genetic mutation, as well as the potential benefits even for advanced stage patients warrants their continued investigation. PMID:28670506

Autistic traits are linked to reduced adaptive coding of face identity and selectively poorer face recognition in men but not women.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Gillian; Jeffery, Linda; Taylor, Libby; Ewing, Louise

2013-11-01

Our ability to discriminate and recognize thousands of faces despite their similarity as visual patterns relies on adaptive, norm-based, coding mechanisms that are continuously updated by experience. Reduced adaptive coding of face identity has been proposed as a neurocognitive endophenotype for autism, because it is found in autism and in relatives of individuals with autism. Autistic traits can also extend continuously into the general population, raising the possibility that reduced adaptive coding of face identity may be more generally associated with autistic traits. In the present study, we investigated whether adaptive coding of face identity decreases as autistic traits increase in an undergraduate population. Adaptive coding was measured using face identity aftereffects, and autistic traits were measured using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and its subscales. We also measured face and car recognition ability to determine whether autistic traits are selectively related to face recognition difficulties. We found that men who scored higher on levels of autistic traits related to social interaction had reduced adaptive coding of face identity. This result is consistent with the idea that atypical adaptive face-coding mechanisms are an endophenotype for autism. Autistic traits were also linked with face-selective recognition difficulties in men. However, there were some unexpected sex differences. In women, autistic traits were linked positively, rather than negatively, with adaptive coding of identity, and were unrelated to face-selective recognition difficulties. These sex differences indicate that autistic traits can have different neurocognitive correlates in men and women and raise the intriguing possibility that endophenotypes of autism can differ in males and females. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

European downstream oil industry safety performance. Statistical summary of reported incidents 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burton, A.; Den Haan, K.H.

2010-10-01

The sixteenth such report by CONCAWE, this issue includes statistics on workrelated personal injuries for the European downstream oil industry's own employees as well as contractors for the year 2009. Data were received from 33 companies representing more than 97% of the European refining capacity. Trends over the last sixteen years are highlighted and the data are also compared to similar statistics from related industries. In addition, this report presents the results of the first Process Safety Performance Indicator data gathering exercise amongst the CONCAWE membership.

True-lumen and false-lumen diameter changes in the downstream aorta after frozen elephant trunk implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Tim; Kreibich, Maximilian; Morlock, Julia; Kondov, Stoyan; Scheumann, Johannes; Kari, Fabian A; Rylski, Bartosz; Siepe, Matthias; Beyersdorf, Friedhelm; Czerny, Martin

2018-02-19

To evaluate early and mid-term clinical outcomes and to assess the potential of the frozen elephant trunk technique to induce remodelling of downstream aortic segments in acute and chronic thoracic aortic dissections. Over a 4-year period, 65 patients (48 men, aged 61 ± 12 years) underwent total aortic arch replacement using the frozen elephant trunk technique for acute (n = 31) and chronic (n = 34) thoracic aortic dissections at our institution. We assessed diameter changes at 3 levels: the L1 segment at the stent graft level; the L2 segment at the thoraco-abdominal transition level and the L3 segment at the coeliac trunk level. True-lumen (TL) and false-lumen (FL) diameter changes were assessed at each level. Fifty-six percent of patients had already undergone previous aortic or cardiac surgery. In-hospital mortality was 6%. Symptomatic spinal cord injury was not observed in this series. During a mean follow-up of 12 ± 12 months, late death was observed in 6% of patients. Aortic reinterventions in downstream aortic segments were performed in 28% at a mean of 394 ± 385 days. TL expansion and FL shrinkage were measured in all segments and were observed at each level. This effect was the most pronounced at the level of the stent graft in patients with chronic aortic dissection, TL diameter increased from 15 ± 17 mm before surgery to 28 ± 2 mm (P = 0.001) after 2 years, and the FL diameter decreased from 40 ± 11 mm before surgery to 32 ± 17 mm (P = 0.026). The frozen elephant trunk technique is associated with an excellent clinical outcome in a complex cohort of patients, and also effectively induces remodelling in downstream aortic segments in acute and chronic thoracic aortic dissections. The need for secondary interventions in downstream segments, which mainly depends on the extent of the underlying disease process, remains substantial. Further studies are required to assess the long-term outcome of

Preliminary assessment of aggradation potential in the North Fork Stillaguamish River downstream of the State Route 530 landslide near Oso, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Magirl, Christopher S.; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Anderson, Scott W.; O'Connor, Jim; Robert Aldrich,; Mastin, Mark C.

2015-12-28

On March 22, 2014, the State Route 530 Landslide near Oso, Washington, traveled almost 2 kilometers (km), destroyed more than 40 structures, and impounded the North Fork Stillaguamish River to a depth of 8 meters (m) and volume of 3.3×106 cubic meters (m3). The landslide killed 43 people. After overtopping and establishing a new channel through the landslide, the river incised into the landslide deposit over the course of 10 weeks draining the impoundment lake and mobilizing an estimated 280,000±56,000 m3 of predominantly sand-sized and finer sediment. During the first 4 weeks after the landslide, this eroded sediment caused downstream riverbed aggradation of 1–2 m within 1 km of the landslide and 0.4 m aggradation at Whitman Road Bridge, 3.5 km downstream. Winter high flows in 2014–15 were anticipated to mobilize an additional 220,000±44,000 m3 of sediment, potentially causing additional aggradation and exacerbating flood risk downstream of the landslide. Analysis of unit stream power and bed-material transport capacity along 35 km of the river corridor indicated that most fine-grained sediment will transport out of the North Fork Stillaguamish River, although some localized additional aggradation was possible. This new aggradation was not likely to exceed 0.1 m except in reaches within a few kilometers downstream of the landslide, where additional aggradation of up to 0.5 m is possible. Alternative river response scenarios, including continued mass wasting from the landslide scarp, major channel migration or avulsion, or the formation of large downstream wood jams, although unlikely, could result in reaches of significant local aggradation or channel change.

On the occurrence of burnout downstream of a flow obstacle in boiling two-phase upward flow within a vertical annular channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Shoji; Tominaga, Akira; Fukano, Tohru

2007-01-01

If a flow obstacle, such as a spacer is placed in a boiling two-phase flow within a channel, the temperature on the surface of the heating tube is severely affected by the existence of the spacer. Under certain conditions, a spacer has a cooling effect, and under other conditions, the spacer causes dryout of the cooling water film on the heating surface. The burnout mechanism, which always occurs upstream of a spacer, however, remains unclear. In a previous paper [Fukano, T., Mori, S., Akamatsu, S., Baba, A., 2002. Relation between temperature fluctuation of a heating surface and generation of drypatch caused by a cylindrical spacer in a vertical boiling two-phase upward flow in a narrow annular channel. Nucl. Eng. Des. 217, 81-90], we reported that the disturbance wave has a significant effect on dryout and burnout occurrence and that a spacer greatly affects the behavior of the liquid film downstream of the spacer. In the present study, we examined in detail the influences of a spacer on the heat transfer and film thickness characteristics downstream of the spacer by considering the result in steam-water and air-water systems. The main results are summarized as follows: (1)The spacer averages the liquid film in the disturbance wave flow. As a result, dryout tends not to occur downstream of the spacer. This means that large temperature increases do not occur there. However, traces of disturbance waves remain, even if the disturbance waves are averaged by the spacer. (2)There is a high probability that the location at which burnout occurs is upstream of the downstream spacer, irrespective of the spacer spacing. (3)The newly proposed burnout occurrence model can explain the phenomena that burnout does occur upstream of the downstream spacer, even if the liquid film thickness t Fm is approximately the same before and behind the spacer

On the occurrence of burnout downstream of a flow obstacle in boiling two-phase upward flow within a vertical annular channel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Shoji [Yokohama National University, Yokohama 240-8501 (Japan)], E-mail: morisho@ynu.ac.jp; Tominaga, Akira [Ube National College of Technology, Ube 755-8555 (Japan)], E-mail: tominaga@ube-k.ac.jp; Fukano, Tohru [Kurume Institute of University, Fukuoka 830-0052 (Japan)], E-mail: fukanot@cc.kurume-it.ac.jp

2007-12-15

If a flow obstacle, such as a spacer is placed in a boiling two-phase flow within a channel, the temperature on the surface of the heating tube is severely affected by the existence of the spacer. Under certain conditions, a spacer has a cooling effect, and under other conditions, the spacer causes dryout of the cooling water film on the heating surface. The burnout mechanism, which always occurs upstream of a spacer, however, remains unclear. In a previous paper [Fukano, T., Mori, S., Akamatsu, S., Baba, A., 2002. Relation between temperature fluctuation of a heating surface and generation of drypatch caused by a cylindrical spacer in a vertical boiling two-phase upward flow in a narrow annular channel. Nucl. Eng. Des. 217, 81-90], we reported that the disturbance wave has a significant effect on dryout and burnout occurrence and that a spacer greatly affects the behavior of the liquid film downstream of the spacer. In the present study, we examined in detail the influences of a spacer on the heat transfer and film thickness characteristics downstream of the spacer by considering the result in steam-water and air-water systems. The main results are summarized as follows: (1)The spacer averages the liquid film in the disturbance wave flow. As a result, dryout tends not to occur downstream of the spacer. This means that large temperature increases do not occur there. However, traces of disturbance waves remain, even if the disturbance waves are averaged by the spacer. (2)There is a high probability that the location at which burnout occurs is upstream of the downstream spacer, irrespective of the spacer spacing. (3)The newly proposed burnout occurrence model can explain the phenomena that burnout does occur upstream of the downstream spacer, even if the liquid film thickness t{sub Fm} is approximately the same before and behind the spacer.

Rapid reservoir erosion, hyperconcentrated flow, and downstream deposition triggered by breaching of 38 m tall Condit Dam, White Salmon River, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Andrew C.; O'Connor, James E.; Major, Jon J.

2014-01-01

Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, Washington, a 38 m high dam impounding a large volume (1.8 million m3) of fine-grained sediment (60% sand, 35% silt and clay, and 5% gravel), was rapidly breached in October 2011. This unique dam decommissioning produced dramatic upstream and downstream geomorphic responses in the hours and weeks following breaching. Blasting a 5 m wide hole into the base of the dam resulted in rapid reservoir drawdown, abruptly releasing ~1.6 million m3 of reservoir water, exposing reservoir sediment to erosion, and triggering mass failures of the thickly accumulated reservoir sediment. Within 90 min of breaching, the reservoir's water and ~10% of its sediment had evacuated. At a gauging station 2.3 km downstream, flow increased briefly by 400 m3 s−1during passage of the initial pulse of released reservoir water, followed by a highly concentrated flow phase—up to 32% sediment by volume—as landslide-generated slurries from the reservoir moved downstream. This hyperconcentrated flow, analogous to those following volcanic eruptions or large landslides, draped the downstream river with predominantly fine sand. During the ensuing weeks, suspended-sediment concentration declined and sand and gravel bed load derived from continued reservoir erosion aggraded the channel by >1 m at the gauging station, after which the river incised back to near its initial elevation at this site. Within 15 weeks after breaching, over 1 million m3 of suspended load is estimated to have passed the gauging station, consistent with estimates that >60% of the reservoir's sediment had eroded. This dam removal highlights the influence of interactions among reservoir erosion processes, sediment composition, and style of decommissioning on rate of reservoir erosion and consequent downstream behavior of released sediment.

The Orphan G Protein-coupled Receptor GPR17 Negatively Regulates Oligodendrocyte Differentiation via Gαi/o and Its Downstream Effector Molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Katharina; Hennen, Stephanie; Merten, Nicole; Blättermann, Stefanie; Gillard, Michel; Kostenis, Evi; Gomeza, Jesus

2016-01-08

Recent studies have recognized G protein-coupled receptors as important regulators of oligodendrocyte development. GPR17, in particular, is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor that has been identified as oligodendroglial maturation inhibitor because its stimulation arrests primary mouse oligodendrocytes at a less differentiated stage. However, the intracellular signaling effectors transducing its activation remain poorly understood. Here, we use Oli-neu cells, an immortalized cell line derived from primary murine oligodendrocytes, and primary rat oligodendrocyte cultures as model systems to identify molecular targets that link cell surface GPR17 to oligodendrocyte maturation blockade. We demonstrate that stimulation of GPR17 by the small molecule agonist MDL29,951 (2-carboxy-4,6-dichloro-1H-indole-3-propionic acid) decreases myelin basic protein expression levels mainly by triggering the Gαi/o signaling pathway, which in turn leads to reduced activity of the downstream cascade adenylyl cyclase-cAMP-PKA-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). In addition, we show that GPR17 activation also diminishes myelin basic protein abundance by lessening stimulation of the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC), thus uncovering a previously unrecognized role for EPAC to regulate oligodendrocyte differentiation. Together, our data establish PKA and EPAC as key downstream effectors of GPR17 that inhibit oligodendrocyte maturation. We envisage that treatments augmenting PKA and/or EPAC activity represent a beneficial approach for therapeutic enhancement of remyelination in those demyelinating diseases where GPR17 is highly expressed, such as multiple sclerosis. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

A selective phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor reduces l-dopa-induced dyskinesias in parkinsonian monkeys.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Goichi; Maehara, Shunsuke; Chang, Phat Ly; Papa, Stella M

2018-03-06

Phosphodiesterase 10A is a member of the phosphodiesterase family whose brain expression is restricted to the striatum. Phosphodiesterase 10A regulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which mediate responses to dopamine receptor activation, and the levels of these cyclic nucleotides are decreased in experimental models of l-dopa-induced dyskinesia. The elevation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate/cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels by phosphodiesterase 10A inhibition may thus be targeted to reduce l-dopa-induced dyskinesia. The present study was aimed at determining the potential antidyskinetic effects of phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitors in a primate model of Parkinson's disease (PD). The experiments performed in this model were also intended to provide translational data for the design of future clinical trials. Five MPTP-treated macaques with advanced parkinsonism and reproducible l-dopa-induced dyskinesia were used. MR1916, a selective phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor, at doses 0.0015 to 0.05 mg/kg, subcutaneously, or its vehicle (control test) was coadministered with l-dopa methyl ester acutely (predetermined optimal and suboptimal subcutaneous doses) and oral l-dopa chronically as daily treatment for 5 weeks. Standardized scales were used to assess motor disability and l-dopa-induced dyskinesia by blinded examiners. Pharmacokinetics was also examined. MR1916 consistently reduced l-dopa-induced dyskinesia in acute tests of l-dopa optimal and suboptimal doses. Significant effects were present with every MR1916 dose tested, but the most effective was 0.015 mg/kg. None of the MR1916 doses tested affected the antiparkinsonian action of l-dopa at the optimal dose. The anti-l-dopa-induced dyskinesia effect of MR1916 (0.015 mg/kg, subcutaneously) was sustained with chronic administration, indicating that tolerance did not develop over the 5-week treatment. No adverse effects were observed after MR1916 administration acutely or

Measurements of energy spectra of fast electrons from PF-1000 in the upstream and downstream directions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwiatkowski, R.; Czaus, K.; Skladnik-Sadowska, E.; Malinowski, K.; Zebrowski, J. [The Andrzej Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies (IPJ), 05-400 Otwock-Swierk (Poland); Sadowski, M.J. [The Andrzej Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies (IPJ), 05-400 Otwock-Swierk (Poland); Karpinski, L.; Paduch, M.; Scholz, M. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM), 01-497 Warsaw (Poland); Kubes, P. [Czech Technical University (CVUT), 166-27 Prague, (Czech Republic)

2011-07-01

The paper describes measurements of energy spectra of electrons emitted in the upstream direction along the symmetry-axis of the PF-1000 facility, operated with the deuterium filling at 21 kV, 290 kJ. The measurements were performed with a magnetic analyzer. The same analyzer was used to measure also electron beams emitted in along the symmetry-axis in the downstream direction. The recorded spectra showed that the electron-beams emitted in the upstream direction have energies in the range from about 40 keV to about 800 keV, while those in the downstream direction have energies in the range from about 60 keV to about 200 keV. These spectra confirm that in the PF (Plasma Focus) plasma column there appear strong local fields accelerating charged particles in different directions. This document is composed of a paper and a poster. (authors)

Three-Dimensional Steady Supersonic Euler Flow Past a Concave Cornered Wedge with Lower Pressure at the Downstream

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Aifang; Xiang, Wei

2018-05-01

In this paper, we study the stability of the three-dimensional jet created by a supersonic flow past a concave cornered wedge with the lower pressure at the downstream. The gas beyond the jet boundary is assumed to be static. It can be formulated as a nonlinear hyperbolic free boundary problem in a cornered domain with two characteristic free boundaries of different types: one is the rarefaction wave, while the other one is the contact discontinuity, which can be either a vortex sheet or an entropy wave. A more delicate argument is developed to establish the existence and stability of the square jet structure under the perturbation of the supersonic incoming flow and the pressure at the downstream. The methods and techniques developed here are also helpful for other problems involving similar difficulties.

Quantitative simulation tools to analyze up- and downstream interactions of soil and water conservation measures: supporting policy making in the Green Water Credits program of Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunink, J E; Droogers, P; Kauffman, S; Mwaniki, B M; Bouma, J

2012-11-30

Upstream soil and water conservation measures in catchments can have positive impact both upstream in terms of less erosion and higher crop yields, but also downstream by less sediment flow into reservoirs and increased groundwater recharge. Green Water Credits (GWC) schemes are being developed to encourage upstream farmers to invest in soil and water conservation practices which will positively effect upstream and downstream water availability. Quantitative information on water and sediment fluxes is crucial as a basis for such financial schemes. A pilot design project in the large and strategically important Upper-Tana Basin in Kenya has the objective to develop a methodological framework for this purpose. The essence of the methodology is the integration and use of a collection of public domain tools and datasets: the so-called Green water and Blue water Assessment Toolkit (GBAT). This toolkit was applied in order to study different options to implement GWC in agricultural rainfed land for the pilot study. Impact of vegetative contour strips, mulching, and tied ridges were determined for: (i) three upstream key indicators: soil loss, crop transpiration and soil evaporation, and (ii) two downstream indicators: sediment inflow in reservoirs and groundwater recharge. All effects were compared with a baseline scenario of average conditions. Thus, not only actual land management was considered but also potential benefits of changed land use practices. Results of the simulations indicate that especially applying contour strips or tied ridges significantly reduces soil losses and increases groundwater recharge in the catchment. The model was used to build spatial expressions of the proposed management practices in order to assess their effectiveness. The developed procedure allows exploring the effects of soil conservation measures in a catchment to support the implementation of GWC. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospects seen in problems of C.I.S. downstream sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, S.; Morgan, T.

1992-01-01

For good reasons the attention of Russian authorities and western investors has until now focused on problems of the upstream oil sector in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Sharp fall in output since the late 1980s. This article attempts to give a more balanced view of the industry by drawing attention to the problems and opportunities in the refining and distribution sector, where western companies are now beginning to invest, and comparing the investment opportunities with those in the upstream. It concludes that given recent experience of the high cost and practical difficulties of increasing crude output, it would make more commercial and economic sense to direct a higher proportion of the industry's investment into improving the effectiveness of the downstream sector

Impact on Water Quality of Nandoni Water Reservoir Downstream of Municipal Sewage Plants in Vhembe District, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jabulani Ray Gumbo

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The deterioration of water quality in our freshwater sources is on the increase worldwide and, in South Africa, mostly due to the discharge of municipal sewage effluent. Here we report on the use of principal component analysis, coupled with factor and cluster analysis, to study the similarities and differences between upstream and downstream sampling sites that are downstream of municipal sewage plants. The contribution of climatic variables, air temperature, humidity, and rainfall were also evaluated with respect to variations in water quality at the sampling sites. The physicochemical and microbial values were higher than the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF and World Health Organization (WHO guidelines. The cluster analysis showed the presence of two clusters for each of the Mvudi, Dzindi, and Luvuvhu Rivers and Nandoni reservoir sampling sites. The principal component analysis (PCA accounted for 40% of the water quality variation and was associated strongly with pH, electrical conductivity, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bromide, nitrate, and total coliform, and negatively with rainfall, which represented Mvudi downstream and was attributed to the Thohoyandou sewage plant. The PCA accounted for 54% of the variation and was associated strongly with electrical conductivity, sulfate; total dissolved solids, fluoride, turbidity, nitrate, manganese, alkalinity, magnesium, and total coliform represented Dzindi downstream, with inflows from the Vuwani sewage plant and agriculture. The PCA accounted for 30% of the variation and was associated strongly with total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, magnesium, fluoride, nitrate, sulfate, total coliform average air temperature, and total rainfall, and negatively associated with manganese and bromide represented Luvuvhu upstream and was associated with commercial agriculture. The PCA accounted for 21% of the variation and was associated strongly with turbidity, alkalinity, magnesium

A reverse signaling pathway downstream of Sema4A controls cell migration via Scrib.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tianliang; Yang, Lida; Kaur, Harmandeep; Pestel, Jenny; Looso, Mario; Nolte, Hendrik; Krasel, Cornelius; Heil, Daniel; Krishnan, Ramesh K; Santoni, Marie-Josée; Borg, Jean-Paul; Bünemann, Moritz; Offermanns, Stefan; Swiercz, Jakub M; Worzfeld, Thomas

2017-01-02

Semaphorins comprise a large family of ligands that regulate key cellular functions through their receptors, plexins. In this study, we show that the transmembrane semaphorin 4A (Sema4A) can also function as a receptor, rather than a ligand, and transduce signals triggered by the binding of Plexin-B1 through reverse signaling. Functionally, reverse Sema4A signaling regulates the migration of various cancer cells as well as dendritic cells. By combining mass spectrometry analysis with small interfering RNA screening, we identify the polarity protein Scrib as a downstream effector of Sema4A. We further show that binding of Plexin-B1 to Sema4A promotes the interaction of Sema4A with Scrib, thereby removing Scrib from its complex with the Rac/Cdc42 exchange factor βPIX and decreasing the activity of the small guanosine triphosphatase Rac1 and Cdc42. Our data unravel a role for Plexin-B1 as a ligand and Sema4A as a receptor and characterize a reverse signaling pathway downstream of Sema4A, which controls cell migration. © 2017 Sun et al.

Effect of high fat diet on pulmonary expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein and its downstream targets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Learta Oruqaj

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Aims: Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP is involved in lung development and surfactant production. The latter one requires a paracrine interaction between type II alveolar cells and lipofibroblasts in which leptin triggers PTHrP-induced effects. Whether increased plasma leptin levels, as they occur in high fat diet, modify the expression of PTHrP remains unclear. Furthermore, the effect of high fat diet under conditions of forced pulmonary remodelling such as response to post myocardial infarction remains to be defined. Materials and methods: C57 bl/6 mice were randomized to either normal diet or high fat diet at an age of 6 weeks. Seven months later, the mice were euthanized and the lung was removed and frozen in fluid nitrogen until use. Samples were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR and western blot. Leptin deficient mice were used to investigate the effect of leptin on pulmonary expression of PTHrP more directly. A subgroup of mice with and without high fat diet underwent in vivo ischemia (45 min and reperfusion (4 weeks. Finally, experiments were repeated with prolonged high-fat diet. Key findings: High fat diet increased plasma leptin levels by 30.4% and the pulmonary mRNA expression of PTHrP (1,447-fold, PTH-1 receptor (4.21-fold, and PTHrP-downstream targets ADRP (7.54-fold and PPARγ (5.27-fold. Pulmonary PTHrP expression was reduced in leptin deficient mice by 88% indicating leptin dependent regulation. High fat diet further improved changes in pulmonary adaptation caused by ischemia/reperfusion (1.48-fold increased PTH-1 receptor protein expression. These effects were lost during prolonged high fat diet. Significance: This study established that physiological regulation of leptin plasma levels by high fat diet affects the pulmonary PTHrP expression and of PTHrP downstream targets. Modification of pulmonary expression of PTH-1 receptors by high fat diet after myocardial infarction suggests that the identified interaction may

Production of structured lipids: acyl migration during enzymatic interesterification and downstream processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Xuebing

1997-01-01

Production of structured lipids by lipase-catalyzed interesterification attracts great interests recently. Structured lipids are defined, in this article, as triacylglycerols which contain both medium or short chain fatty acids and long chain fatty acids, each groups locating specifically in the sn......-2 position or sn-1,3 positions of glycerol backbone. These kinds of lipids are reported to be promising for both enteral and parenteral nutrition. However, acyl migration occurs in the reaction stage and downstream purification process. This side-reaction causes by-products which are harmful...

Corrosion impact of reductant on DWPF and downstream facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mickalonis, J. I. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Imrich, K. J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Jantzen, C. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Murphy, T. H. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Wilderman, J. E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2014-12-01

Glycolic acid is being evaluated as an alternate reductant in the preparation of high level waste for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). During processing, the glycolic acid is not completely consumed and small quantities of the glycolate anion are carried forward to other high level waste (HLW) facilities. The impact of the glycolate anion on the corrosion of the materials of construction throughout the waste processing system has not been previously evaluated. A literature review had revealed that corrosion data in glycolate-bearing solution applicable to SRS systems were not available. Therefore, testing was recommended to evaluate the materials of construction of vessels, piping and components within DWPF and downstream facilities. The testing, conducted in non-radioactive simulants, consisted of both accelerated tests (electrochemical and hot-wall) with coupons in laboratory vessels and prototypical tests with coupons immersed in scale-up and mock-up test systems. Eight waste or process streams were identified in which the glycolate anion might impact the performance of the materials of construction. These streams were 70% glycolic acid (DWPF feed vessels and piping), SRAT/SME supernate (Chemical Processing Cell (CPC) vessels and piping), DWPF acidic recycle (DWPF condenser and recycle tanks and piping), basic concentrated recycle (HLW tanks, evaporators, and transfer lines), salt processing (ARP, MCU, and Saltstone tanks and piping), boric acid (MCU separators), and dilute waste (HLW evaporator condensate tanks and transfer line and ETF components). For each stream, high temperature limits and worst-case glycolate concentrations were identified for performing the recommended tests. Test solution chemistries were generally based on analytical results of actual waste samples taken from the various process facilities or of prototypical simulants produced in the laboratory. The materials of construction for most vessels

Downstream process development in biotechnological itaconic acid manufacturing.

Science.gov (United States)

Magalhães, Antonio Irineudo; de Carvalho, Júlio Cesar; Medina, Jesus David Coral; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

2017-01-01

Itaconic acid is a promising chemical that has a wide range of applications and can be obtained in large scale using fermentation processes. One of the most important uses of this biomonomer is the environmentally sustainable production of biopolymers. Separation of itaconic acid from the fermented broth has a considerable impact in the total production cost. Therefore, optimization and high efficiency downstream processes are technological challenges to make biorefineries sustainable and economically viable. This review describes the current state of the art in recovery and purification for itaconic acid production via bioprocesses. Previous studies on the separation of itaconic acid relying on operations such as crystallization, precipitation, extraction, electrodialysis, diafiltration, pertraction, and adsorption. Although crystallization is a typical method of itaconic acid separation from fermented broth, other methods such as membrane separation and reactive extraction are promising as a recovery steps coupled to the fermentation, potentially enhancing the overall process yield. Another approach is adsorption in fixed bed columns, which efficiently separates itaconic acid. Despite recent advances in separation and recovery methods, there is still space for improvement in IA recovery and purification.

A novel acetylation cycle of transcription co-activator Yes-associated protein that is downstream of Hippo pathway is triggered in response to SN2 alkylating agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, Shoji; Hirayama, Jun; Kajiho, Hiroaki; Nakagawa, Kentaro; Hata, Yutaka; Katada, Toshiaki; Furutani-Seiki, Makoto; Nishina, Hiroshi

2012-06-22

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co-activator that acts downstream of the Hippo signaling pathway and regulates multiple cellular processes. Although cytoplasmic retention of YAP is known to be mediated by Hippo pathway-dependent phosphorylation, post-translational modifications that regulate YAP in the nucleus remain unclear. Here we report the discovery of a novel cycle of acetylation/deacetylation of nuclear YAP induced in response to S(N)2 alkylating agents. We show that after treatment of cells with the S(N)2 alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate, YAP phosphorylation mediated by the Hippo pathway is markedly reduced, leading to nuclear translocation of YAP and its acetylation. This YAP acetylation occurs on specific and highly conserved C-terminal lysine residues and is mediated by the nuclear acetyltransferases CBP (CREB binding protein) and p300. Conversely, the nuclear deacetylase SIRT1 is responsible for YAP deacetylation. Intriguingly, we found that YAP acetylation is induced specifically by S(N)2 alkylating agents and not by other DNA-damaging stimuli. These results identify a novel YAP acetylation cycle that occurs in the nucleus downstream of the Hippo pathway. Intriguingly, our findings also indicate that YAP acetylation is involved in responses to a specific type of DNA damage.

A Novel Acetylation Cycle of Transcription Co-activator Yes-associated Protein That Is Downstream of Hippo Pathway Is Triggered in Response to SN2 Alkylating Agents*

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, Shoji; Hirayama, Jun; Kajiho, Hiroaki; Nakagawa, Kentaro; Hata, Yutaka; Katada, Toshiaki; Furutani-Seiki, Makoto; Nishina, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co-activator that acts downstream of the Hippo signaling pathway and regulates multiple cellular processes. Although cytoplasmic retention of YAP is known to be mediated by Hippo pathway-dependent phosphorylation, post-translational modifications that regulate YAP in the nucleus remain unclear. Here we report the discovery of a novel cycle of acetylation/deacetylation of nuclear YAP induced in response to SN2 alkylating agents. We show that after treatment of cells with the SN2 alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate, YAP phosphorylation mediated by the Hippo pathway is markedly reduced, leading to nuclear translocation of YAP and its acetylation. This YAP acetylation occurs on specific and highly conserved C-terminal lysine residues and is mediated by the nuclear acetyltransferases CBP (CREB binding protein) and p300. Conversely, the nuclear deacetylase SIRT1 is responsible for YAP deacetylation. Intriguingly, we found that YAP acetylation is induced specifically by SN2 alkylating agents and not by other DNA-damaging stimuli. These results identify a novel YAP acetylation cycle that occurs in the nucleus downstream of the Hippo pathway. Intriguingly, our findings also indicate that YAP acetylation is involved in responses to a specific type of DNA damage. PMID:22544757

Selection of an experimental fish ladder located at the dam of the Itaipu Binacional, Paraná River, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Domingo Rodriguez Fernandez

2004-08-01

Full Text Available The specific selection of a weir and orifice type experimental fish ladder in the dam of the Itaipu Reservoir (Paraná River was evaluated by samplings in the river downstream and at two points along the ladder (at heights of 10 m and 27 m during 28 months. Among the 65 species recorded in the river (immediate downstream of the dam, 27 were captured on the ladder. The species that showed highest density on the ladder, the majority migratory, were moderately, or only slightly, abundant downstream. Among the most abundant species downstream, only one, non-migratory, was recorded in the ladder. The structure presented a negative selection in relation to large migratory pimelodids that might be overcome by enlarging the scale of its design. The sampling demonstrated a moderate selection of species along the ladder and its hydraulic model proved satisfactory regarding the attraction and efficient ascent of the fishes.A seleção específica de uma escada de peixes do tipo seqüência de tanques, com passagem de fundo (tipo weir and orifice, na barragem da hidrelétrica de Itaipu (rio Paraná, foi avaliada através de amostragens no rio a jusante (amostragem trimestral em 1997 e em dois pontos ao longo da escada (10 e 27m de altura; nov/94 a jan/97 e nov/94 a fev/97, respectivamente. Das 65 espécies registradas no rio imediatamente a jusante da barragem, 27 foram capturadas na escada. As espécies com maior densidade na escada, em sua maioria migradoras, tiveram abundância moderada ou baixa a jusante. Entre as mais abundantes a jusante, apenas uma, não migradora, foi registrada na escada. A escada apresentou seleção negativa aos grandes pimelodídeos migradores que pode ser superada com a ampliação na escala do projeto. As amostragens evidenciaram baixa seletividade específica ao longo da escada, sendo seu modelo hidráulico satisfatório na atração e eficiente na ascensão de peixes.

G-quadruplex and G-rich sequence stimulate Pif1p-catalyzed downstream duplex DNA unwinding through reducing waiting time at ss/dsDNA junction

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Wu, Wen-Qiang; Liu, Na-Nv; Duan, Xiao-Lei; Li, Ming; Dou, Shuo-Xing; Hou, Xi-Miao; Xi, Xu-Guang

2016-01-01

Alternative DNA structures that deviate from B-form double-stranded DNA such as G-quadruplex (G4) DNA can be formed by G-rich sequences that are widely distributed throughout the human genome. We have previously shown that Pif1p not only unfolds G4, but also unwinds the downstream duplex DNA in a G4-stimulated manner. In the present study, we further characterized the G4-stimulated duplex DNA unwinding phenomenon by means of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer. It was found that Pif1p did not unwind the partial duplex DNA immediately after unfolding the upstream G4 structure, but rather, it would dwell at the ss/dsDNA junction with a ‘waiting time’. Further studies revealed that the waiting time was in fact related to a protein dimerization process that was sensitive to ssDNA sequence and would become rapid if the sequence is G-rich. Furthermore, we identified that the G-rich sequence, as the G4 structure, equally stimulates duplex DNA unwinding. The present work sheds new light on the molecular mechanism by which G4-unwinding helicase Pif1p resolves physiological G4/duplex DNA structures in cells. PMID:27471032

Temperature dependent selective detection of hydrogen and acetone using Pd doped WO3/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Jasmeet; Anand, Kanica; Kohli, Nipin; Kaur, Amanpreet; Singh, Ravi Chand

2018-06-01

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and Pd doped WO3 nanocomposites were fabricated by employing electrostatic interactions between poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) modified Pd doped WO3 nanostructures and graphite oxide (GO) and studied for their gas sensing application. XRD, Raman, FTIR, FESEM-EDX, TEM, TGA, XPS and Photoluminescence techniques were used for characterization of as-synthesized samples. Gas sensing studies revealed that the sensor with optimized doping of 1.5 mol% Pd and 1 wt% GO shows temperature dependent selectivity towards hydrogen and acetone. The role of WO3, Pd and RGO has been discussed in detail for enhanced sensing performance.

Dimethyl adipimidate/Thin film Sample processing (DTS); A simple, low-cost, and versatile nucleic acid extraction assay for downstream analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Yong; Lim, Swee Yin; Lee, Tae Yoon; Park, Mi Kyoung

2015-09-15

Sample processing, especially that involving nucleic acid extraction, is a prerequisite step for the isolation of high quantities of relatively pure DNA for downstream analyses in many life science and biomedical engineering studies. However, existing methods still have major problems, including labor-intensive time-consuming methods and high costs, as well as requirements for a centrifuge and the complex fabrication of filters and membranes. Here, we first report a versatile Dimethyl adipimidate/Thin film based Sample processing (DTS) procedure without the limitations of existing methods. This procedure is useful for the extraction of DNA from a variety of sources, including 6 eukaryotic cells, 6 bacteria cells, and 2 body fluids in a single step. Specifically, the DTS procedure does not require a centrifuge and has improved time efficiency (30 min), affordability, and sensitivity in downstream analysis. We validated the DTS procedure for the extraction of DNA from human body fluids, as well as confirmed that the quality and quantity of the extracted DNA were sufficient to allow robust detection of genetic and epigenetic biomarkers in downstream analysis.

Using a Single VCSEL Source Employing OFDM Downstream Signal and Remodulated OOK Upstream Signal for Bi-directional Visible Light Communications.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Chien-Hung; Wei, Liang-Yu; Chow, Chi-Wai

2017-11-20

In this work, we propose and demonstrate for the first time up to our knowledge, using a 682 nm visible vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) applied in a bi-directional wavelength remodulated VLC system with a free space transmission distance of 3 m. To achieve a high VLC downstream traffic, spectral efficient orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing quadrature-amplitude-modulation (OFDM-QAM) with bit and power loading algorithms are applied on the VCSEL in the central office (CO). The OFDM downstream wavelength is remodulated by an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) with OOK modulation to produce the upstream traffic in the client side. Hence, only a single VCSEL laser is needed for the proposed bi-directional VLC system, achieving 10.6 Gbit/s OFDM downstream and 2 Mbit/s remodulated OOK upstream simultaneously. For the proposed system, as a single laser source with wavelength remodulation is used, the laser wavelength and temperature managements at the client side are not needed; and the whole system could be cost effective and energy efficient.

Discovery and optimization of potent and selective imidazopyridine and imidazopyridazine mTOR inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Emily A; Boezio, Alessandro A; Andrews, Paul S; Boezio, Christiane M; Bush, Tammy L; Cheng, Alan C; Choquette, Deborah; Coats, James R; Colletti, Adria E; Copeland, Katrina W; DuPont, Michelle; Graceffa, Russell; Grubinska, Barbara; Kim, Joseph L; Lewis, Richard T; Liu, Jingzhou; Mullady, Erin L; Potashman, Michele H; Romero, Karina; Shaffer, Paul L; Stanton, Mary K; Stellwagen, John C; Teffera, Yohannes; Yi, Shuyan; Cai, Ti; La, Daniel S

2012-08-01

mTOR is a critical regulator of cellular signaling downstream of multiple growth factors. The mTOR/PI3K/AKT pathway is frequently mutated in human cancers and is thus an important oncology target. Herein we report the evolution of our program to discover ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitors that demonstrate improved pharmacokinetic properties and selectivity compared to our previous leads. Through targeted SAR and structure-guided design, new imidazopyridine and imidazopyridazine scaffolds were identified that demonstrated superior inhibition of mTOR in cellular assays, selectivity over the closely related PIKK family and improved in vivo clearance over our previously reported benzimidazole series. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selective coronary scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambini, D.-J.

1975-01-01

Isotopic techniques occupy a leading place amongst examinations practicable on coronary patients because of their reliability and the safety and simplicity of their use. The present work reviews the possible applications of selective coronary scintigraphy in pathology. After a brief discussion on scintigraphy, isotopic techniques for myocardium research, coronarography and other methods to study local myocardium perfusion the theoretical bases for the use of the exploration are studied, the techniques and methods employed are reported and the results discussed. Coronary scintigraphy consists of selective injection in the two coronary arteries previously catheterized during a coronarography, of two different populations of microspheres labelled with two physically short-lived indicators: 15μ 99m Tc-labelled serumalbumin microspheres, 10 to 15μ In-labelled siderophiline microspheres. Various studies have shown the complete harmlessness of the exploration when certain precautions are taken regarding the size and number of the spheres. The microspheres disperse into the downstream arterial territory proportionally to the number of capillaries present in the different parts of the irrigated region, and are temporarily stopped in the precapillaries. The preparation of the different images needed to interpret the Face and OAG examination for the left coronary, then for the right coronary, is carried out at the end of the coronarography and lasts about 45 minutes. It is also possible by selective injection in the aorta-coronary bridges to judge their functional condition by observation of the regions they irrigate. 56 patients of the Necker hospital cardiological clinic have been examined [fr

The brassinosteroid receptor BRI1 can generate cGMP enabling cGMP-dependent downstream signaling

KAUST Repository

Wheeler, Janet I.

2017-05-08

The brassinosteroid receptor BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) is a member of the leucine rich repeat receptor like kinase family. The intracellular kinase domain of BRI1 is an active kinase and also encapsulates a guanylate cyclase catalytic centre. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we confirmed that the recombinant cytoplasmic domain of BRI1 generates pmol amounts of cGMP per μg protein with a preference for magnesium over manganese as a co-factor. Importantly, a functional BRI1 kinase is essential for optimal cGMP generation. Therefore, the guanylate cyclase activity of BRI1 is modulated by the kinase while cGMP, the product of the guanylate cyclase, in turn inhibits BRI1 kinase activity. Furthermore, we show using Arabidopsis root cell cultures that cGMP rapidly potentiates phosphorylation of the downstream substrate BRASSINOSTEROID SIGNALING KINASE 1 (BSK1). Taken together, our results suggest that cGMP acts as a modulator that enhances downstream signaling while dampening signal generation from the receptor. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Isotope method to study the replenishment the lakes and downstream groundwater in Badain Jaran desert

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jiansheng; Fan Zhechao; Gu Weizu; Zhao Xia; Wang Jiyang

2003-01-01

In the paper, the sources of spring water and well water of Qilian Mountain's north side, Longshou Mountain, Badain Jaran Desert, Gurinai, Guaizi Lake, and Ejina Basin are studied by the methods of environmental isotopes and water chemistry. The groundwater of downstream areas (such as Badain Jaran Desert) is found that it is recharged by the precipitation of Qilian Mountain, and the average recharge elevation is 3300 m. Lots of naked limestones layers exist at the mountaintop of Qilian Mountain. The snow water of Qilian Mountain melts and directly infiltrates into deep layer passing through karst stratum or Big Fault in Front of the Mountain, and directly recharges into Badain Jaran Desert and its downstream areas passing through Longshou Mountain. The calcareous cementation and travertine, found in the lakes of the desert, approve that the groundwater passed the limestone layer. Confined water recharges shallow aquifer by means of leakage. The groundwater recharge volume is six hundreds millions cubic meters per year by calculating the evaporation amount, and the age of confined groundwater is 20-30 years. (authors)

Resolution of thermal striping issue downstream of a horizontal pipe elbow in stratified pipe flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuzay, T.M.; Kasza, K.E.

1985-01-01

A thermally stratified pipe flow produced by a thermal transient when passing through a horizontal elbow as a result of secondary flow gives rise to large thermal fluctuations on the inner curvature wall of the downstream piping. These fluctuations were measured in a specially instrumented horizontal pipe and elbow system on a test set-up using water in the Mixing Components Technology Facility (MCTF) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This study is part of a larger program which is studying the influence of thermal buoyancy on general reactor component performance. This paper discusses the influence of pipe flow generated thermal oscillations on the thermal stresses induced in the pipe walls. The instrumentation was concentrated around the exit plane of the 90 0 sweep elbow, since prior tests had indicated that the largest thermal fluctuations would occur within about one hydraulic diameter downstream of the elbow exit. The thermocouples were located along the inner curvature of the piping and measured the near surface fluid temperature. The test matrix involved thermal downramps under turbulent flow conditions

The brassinosteroid receptor BRI1 can generate cGMP enabling cGMP-dependent downstream signaling

KAUST Repository

Wheeler, Janet I.; Wong, Aloysius Tze; Marondedze, Claudius; Groen, Arnoud J.; Kwezi, Lusisizwe; Freihat, Lubna; Vyas, Jignesh; Raji, Misjudeen; Irving, Helen R.; Gehring, Christoph A

2017-01-01

The brassinosteroid receptor BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) is a member of the leucine rich repeat receptor like kinase family. The intracellular kinase domain of BRI1 is an active kinase and also encapsulates a guanylate cyclase catalytic centre. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we confirmed that the recombinant cytoplasmic domain of BRI1 generates pmol amounts of cGMP per μg protein with a preference for magnesium over manganese as a co-factor. Importantly, a functional BRI1 kinase is essential for optimal cGMP generation. Therefore, the guanylate cyclase activity of BRI1 is modulated by the kinase while cGMP, the product of the guanylate cyclase, in turn inhibits BRI1 kinase activity. Furthermore, we show using Arabidopsis root cell cultures that cGMP rapidly potentiates phosphorylation of the downstream substrate BRASSINOSTEROID SIGNALING KINASE 1 (BSK1). Taken together, our results suggest that cGMP acts as a modulator that enhances downstream signaling while dampening signal generation from the receptor. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Sexual selection and sex differences in the prevalence of childhood externalizing and adolescent internalizing disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Martel, Michelle M

2013-11-01

Despite the well-established sex difference in prevalence of many childhood and adolescent psychopathological conditions, no integrative metatheory of sex differences in psychopathology exists. This review attempts to provide a metatheoretical framework to guide empirical examination of sex differences in prevalence of childhood-onset "externalizing" and adolescent-onset "internalizing" disorders, based on sexual selection evolutionary theory. Sexual selection theory suggests important between-sex differences in markers, mechanisms, etiology, and developmental timing of risk and resilience relevant to psychopathology. Namely, sexual selection theory hypothesizes that disinhibition and sensation-seeking may be important proximate risk markers for childhood-onset externalizing disorders in males. The theory suggests that these male-biased markers may be a product of their higher exposure to prenatal testosterone, which makes them more susceptible to prenatal stressors with downstream effects on dopaminergic neurotransmission, especially for those with genetic alleles associated with lower dopaminergic function. In contrast, sexual selection theory hypothesizes that negative emotionality, empathy, and cognitive rumination may be important proximate risk markers for adolescent-onset internalizing disorders in females. The theory suggests that these markers are propagated by rapidly rising levels of estradiol at puberty that interact with cortisol and oxytocin. These hormones exert downstream effects on the serotonergic system in such a way as to increase females' sensitivity to interpersonal stressors particularly at puberty and especially for those with lower functional serotonergic activity. Such a metatheory can help integrate prior ideas about sex differences and can also generate new predictions of sex differences in markers, etiology, mechanisms, and developmental timing of common forms of psychopathology. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Chitinase-3-like Protein 1: A Progranulin Downstream Molecule and Potential Biomarker for Gaucher Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinlong Jian

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We recently reported that progranulin (PGRN is a novel regulator of glucocerebrosidase and its deficiency associates with Gaucher Diseases (GD (Jian et al., 2016a; Jian et al., 2018. To isolate the relevant downstream molecules, we performed a whole genome microarray and mass spectrometry analysis, which led to the isolation of Chitinase-3-like-1 (CHI3L1 as one of the up-regulated genes in PGRN null mice. Elevated levels of CHI3L1 were confirmed by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. In contrast, treatment with recombinant Pcgin, a derivative of PGRN, as well as imigluerase, significantly reduced the expressions of CHI3L1 in both PGRN null GD model and the fibroblasts from GD patients. Serum levels of CHIT1, a clinical biomarker for GD, were significantly higher in GD patients than healthy controls (51.16 ± 2.824 ng/ml vs 35.07 ± 2.099 ng/ml, p < 0.001. Similar to CHIT1, serum CHI3L1 was also significantly increased in GD patients compared with healthy controls (1736 ± 152.1 pg/ml vs 684.7 ± 68.20 pg/ml, p < 0.001. Whereas the PGRN level is significantly reduced in GD patients as compared to the healthy control (91.56 ± 3.986 ng/ml vs 150.6 ± 4.501, p < 0.001. Collectively, these results indicate that CHI3L1 may be a previously unrecognized biomarker for diagnosing GD and for evaluating the therapeutic effects of new GD drug(s.

Alliances and joint ventures - M and A fever in the U.S. downstream

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke, B.

1998-01-01

The trend toward restructuring and consolidation in the petroleum refining industry has accelerated during 1998. The primary focus of this paper was on the trend toward consolidation in the refining industry in the United States. A similar trend is occurring in the petrochemical industry and in associated downstream industries. Industry perspectives, providing a basic framework of expectations for the U.S. refining industry, driving forces behind the merger and acquisition fever, potential benefits of consolidation, and future perspectives on the industry were addressed. Poor profitability and crude oil price volatility were identified as the principal underlying causes of consolidation. No recovery in crude oil prices was expected to occur in the foreseeable future, although an eventual recovery to a price level in the $16-$18/barrel range was considered a reasonable expectation. Further challenges, by way of trends in crude oil quality, developments in product markets, environmental issues, technological change and the potential threat from alternative fuels will continue to plague the industry for some time to come. It is safe to predict that because of poor profitability (average of 2.4 per cent over the past 10 years), the refining industry will continue to focus on improving its profit margin, and to reduce the cost of its operations within existing facilities. Diversification, optimization of links to retail/marketing, integration of petrochemicals, restructuring, consolidation and ownership changes, joint ventures were predicted as the features that will best characterize the industry in the foreseeable future. 24 figs

The down-stream effects of mannan-induced lectin complement pathway activation depend quantitatively on alternative pathway amplification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harboe, Morten; Garred, Peter; Karlstrøm, Ellen

2009-01-01

Complement activation plays an important role in human pathophysiology. The effect of classical pathway activation is largely dependent on alternative pathway (AP) amplification, whereas the role of AP for the down-stream effect of mannan-induced lectin pathway (LP) activation is poorly understood...... that AP amplification is quantitatively responsible for the final effect of initial specific LP activation. TCC generation on the solid phase was distinctly but less inhibited by anti-fD. C2 bypass of the LP pathway could be demonstrated, and AP amplification was also essential during C2 bypass in LP...... as shown by complete inhibition of TCC generation in C2-deficient serum by anti-fD and anti-properdin antibodies. In conclusion, the down-stream effect of LP activation depends strongly on AP amplification in normal human serum and in the C2 bypass pathway....

Downstream plasma transport and metal ionization in a high-powered pulsed-plasma magnetron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Liang; Szott, Matthew M.; McLain, Jake T.; Ruzic, David N.; Yu, He

2014-01-01

Downstream plasma transport and ionization processes in a high-powered pulsed-plasma magnetron were studied. The temporal evolution and spatial distribution of electron density (n e ) and temperature (T e ) were characterized with a 3D scanning triple Langmuir probe. Plasma expanded from the racetrack region into the downstream region, where a high n e peak was formed some time into the pulse-off period. The expansion speed and directionality towards the substrate increased with a stronger magnetic field (B), largely as a consequence of a larger potential drop in the bulk plasma region during a relatively slower sheath formation. The fraction of Cu ions in the deposition flux was measured on the substrate using a gridded energy analyzer. It increased with higher pulse voltage. With increased B field from 200 to 800 Gauss above racetrack, n e increased but the Cu ion fraction decreased from 42% to 16%. A comprehensive model was built, including the diffusion of as-sputtered Cu flux, the Cu ionization in the entire plasma region using the mapped n e and T e data, and ion extraction efficiency based on the measured plasma potential (V p ) distribution. The calculations matched the measurements and indicated the main causes of lower Cu ion fractions in stronger B fields to be the lower T e and inefficient ion extraction in a larger pre-sheath potential.

Environmental considerations in energy planning for the Amazon region: Downstream effects of dams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manyari, Waleska Valenca; de Carvalho, Osmar Abilio

2007-01-01

The most salient current feature of the electric energy sector in Brazil is the pressing need for expansion. In this context, the hydroelectric resources of the Amazon region are considered a competitive alternative despite the structural problems they entail. These include reliance of new investments and environmental restrictions. Concerning the latter, plans to build large-scale dams in the region have drawn criticism mainly on account of the loss of forest cover in areas flooded by dam reservoirs and the conflicts concerning the relocation of indigenous and riverside communities in the region. This article seeks to contribute to better understanding of the environmental issue in the Amazon by focusing attention on the downstream effects of dams, which have large-scale, hitherto neglected ecological repercussions. The impact of dams extends well beyond the area surrounding the artificial lakes they create, harming rich Amazon wetland ecosystems. The morphology of dammed rivers changes in response to new inputs of energy and matter, which may in turn destroy certain biotopes. This is a remote-sensing-based case study of the Tucurui hydroelectric scheme in the Amazon state of Para. Attention is drawn to the need to take into account effects on alluvial rivers downstream from hydroelectric power plants when it comes to making planning decisions, as part of a sustainable energy policy

Unravelling pathways downstream Sox6 induction in K562 erythroid cells by proteomic analysis

KAUST Repository

Barbarani, Gloria

2017-10-20

The Sox6 transcription factor is crucial for terminal maturation of definitive red blood cells. Sox6-null mouse fetuses present misshapen and nucleated erythrocytes, due to impaired actin assembly and cytoskeleton stability. These defects are accompanied with a reduced survival of Sox6-/- red blood cells, resulting in a compensated anemia. Sox6-overexpression in K562 cells and in human primary ex vivo erythroid cultures enhances erythroid differentiation and leads to hemoglobinization, the hallmark of erythroid maturation. To obtain an overview on processes downstream to Sox6 expression, we performed a differential proteomic analysis on human erythroid K562 cells overexpressing Sox6. Sox6-overexpression induces dysregulation of 64 proteins, involved in cytoskeleton remodeling and in protein synthesis, folding and trafficking, key processes for erythroid maturation. Moreover, 43 out of 64 genes encoding for differentially expressed proteins contain within their proximal regulatory regions sites that are bound by SOX6 according to ENCODE ChIP-seq datasets and are possible direct SOX6 targets. SAR1B, one of the most induced proteins upon Sox6 overexpression, shares a conserved regulatory module, composed by a double SOX6 binding site and a GATA1 consensus, with the adjacent SEC24 A gene. Since both genes encode for COPII components, this element could concur to the coordinated expression of these proteins during erythropoiesis.

Can parental monitoring and peer management reduce the selection or influence of delinquent peers? Testing the question using a dynamic social network approach.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tilton-Weaver, L.C.; Burk, W.J.; Kerr, M.; Stattin, H.

2013-01-01

We tested whether parents can reduce affiliation with delinquent peers through 3 forms of peer management: soliciting information, monitoring rules, and communicating disapproval of peers. We examined whether peer management interrupted 2 peer processes: selection and influence of delinquent peers.

Model Selection and Risk Estimation with Applications to Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equation Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Frederik Vissing

eective computational tools for estimating unknown structures in dynamical systems, such as gene regulatory networks, which may be used to predict downstream eects of interventions in the system. A recommended algorithm based on the computational tools is presented and thoroughly tested in various......Broadly speaking, this thesis is devoted to model selection applied to ordinary dierential equations and risk estimation under model selection. A model selection framework was developed for modelling time course data by ordinary dierential equations. The framework is accompanied by the R software...... package, episode. This package incorporates a collection of sparsity inducing penalties into two types of loss functions: a squared loss function relying on numerically solving the equations and an approximate loss function based on inverse collocation methods. The goal of this framework is to provide...

Wave propagation downstream of a high power helicon in a dipolelike magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prager, James; Winglee, Robert; Roberson, B. Race; Ziemba, Timothy

2010-01-01

The wave propagating downstream of a high power helicon source in a diverging magnetic field was investigated experimentally. The magnetic field of the wave has been measured both axially and radially. The three-dimensional structure of the propagating wave is observed and its wavelength and phase velocity are determined. The measurements are compared to predictions from helicon theory and that of a freely propagating whistler wave. The implications of this work on the helicon as a thruster are also discussed.

Anthropogenic phosphorus (P) inputs to a river basin and their impacts on P fluxes along its upstream-downstream continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wangshou; Swaney, Dennis; Hong, Bongghi; Howarth, Robert

2017-04-01

Phosphorus (P) originating from anthropogenic sources as a pollutant of surface waters has been an environmental issue for decades because of the well-known role of P in eutrophication. Human activities, such as food production and rapid urbanization, have been linked to increased P inputs which are often accompanied by corresponding increases in riverine P export. However, uneven distributions of anthropogenic P inputs along watersheds from the headwaters to downstream reaches can result in significantly different contributions to the riverine P fluxes of a receiving water body. So far, there is still very little scientific understanding of anthropogenic P inputs and their impacts on riverine flux in river reaches along the upstream to downstream continuum. Here, we investigated P budgets in a series of nested watersheds draining into Hongze Lake of China, and developed a simple empirical function to describe the relationship between anthropogenic inputs and riverine TP fluxes. The results indicated that an average of 1.1% of anthropogenic P inputs are exported into rivers, with most of the remainder retained in the watershed landscape over the period studied. Fertilizer application was the main contributor of P loading to the lake (55% of total loads), followed by legacy P stock (30%), food and feed P inputs (12%) and non-food P inputs (4%). From 60% to 89% of the riverine TP loads generated from various locations within this basin were ultimately transported into the receiving lake of the downstream, with an average rate of 1.86 tons P km-1 retaining in the main stem of the inflowing river annually. Our results highlight that in-stream processes can significantly buffer the riverine P loading to the downstream receiving lake. An integrated P management strategy considering the influence of anthropogenic inputs and hydrological interactions is required to assess and optimize P management for protecting fresh waters.

Contrasting Patterns of Genomic Diversity Reveal Accelerated Genetic Drift but Reduced Directional Selection on X-Chromosome in Wild and Domestic Sheep Species.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ze-Hui; Zhang, Min; Lv, Feng-Hua; Ren, Xue; Li, Wen-Rong; Liu, Ming-Jun; Nam, Kiwoong; Bruford, Michael W; Li, Meng-Hua

2018-04-01

Analyses of genomic diversity along the X chromosome and of its correlation with autosomal diversity can facilitate understanding of evolutionary forces in shaping sex-linked genomic architecture. Strong selective sweeps and accelerated genetic drift on the X-chromosome have been inferred in primates and other model species, but no such insight has yet been gained in domestic animals compared with their wild relatives. Here, we analyzed X-chromosome variability in a large ovine data set, including a BeadChip array for 943 ewes from the world's sheep populations and 110 whole genomes of wild and domestic sheep. Analyzing whole-genome sequences, we observed a substantially reduced X-to-autosome diversity ratio (∼0.6) compared with the value expected under a neutral model (0.75). In particular, one large X-linked segment (43.05-79.25 Mb) was found to show extremely low diversity, most likely due to a high density of coding genes, featuring highly conserved regions. In general, we observed higher nucleotide diversity on the autosomes, but a flat diversity gradient in X-linked segments, as a function of increasing distance from the nearest genes, leading to a decreased X: autosome (X/A) diversity ratio and contrasting to the positive correlation detected in primates and other model animals. Our evidence suggests that accelerated genetic drift but reduced directional selection on X chromosome, as well as sex-biased demographic events, explain low X-chromosome diversity in sheep species. The distinct patterns of X-linked and X/A diversity we observed between Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern sheep populations can be explained by multiple migrations, selection, and admixture during the domestic sheep's recent postdomestication demographic expansion, coupled with natural selection for adaptation to new environments. In addition, we identify important novel genes involved in abnormal behavioral phenotypes, metabolism, and immunity, under selection on the sheep X-chromosome.

SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF THE SPEED RATE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR REDUCING THE POWER CONSUMPTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. O. Soroka

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The work is aimed to design a system for automatic selection of the optimal traffic modes and automatic monitoring of the electric energy consumption by electric transport. This automatic system should provide for the minimum energy expenses. Methodology. Current methodologies: 1 mathematical modeling of traffic modes of ground electric vehicles; 2 comparison of modelling results with the statistical monitoring; 3 system development for automatic choice of traffic modes of electric transport with minimal electrical energy consumptions taking into account the given route schedules and the limitations imposed by the general traffic rules. Findings. The authors obtained a mathematical dependency of the energy consumption by electric transport enterprises on the monthly averaged environment temperature was obtained. A system which allows for an automatic selection of the speed limit and provides automatic monitoring of the electrical energy consumption by electric vehicles was proposed in the form of local network, which works together with existing GPS system. Originality. A mathematical model for calculating the motion curves and energy consumption of electric vehicles has been developed. This model takes into account the characteristic values of the motor engine and the steering system, the change of the mass when loading or unloading passengers, the slopes and radii of the roads, the limitations given by the general traffic rules, and other factors. The dependency of the energy consumption on the averaged monthly environment temperature for public electric transport companies has been calculated. Practical value. The developed mathematical model simplifies the calculations of the traffic dynamics and energy consumption. It can be used for calculating the routing maps, for design and upgrade of the power networks, for development of the electricity saving measures. The system simplifies the work of the vehicle driver and allows reducing

Retailer's optimal credit period and cycle time in a supply chain for deteriorating items with up-stream and down-stream trade credits

Science.gov (United States)

Mahata, Gour Chandra

2015-09-01

In practice, the supplier often offers the retailers a trade credit period and the retailer in turn provides a trade credit period to her/his customer to stimulate sales and reduce inventory. From the retailer's perspective, granting trade credit not only increases sales and revenue but also increases opportunity cost (i.e., the capital opportunity loss during credit period) and default risk (i.e., the percentage that the customer will not be able to pay off his/her debt obligations). Hence, how to determine credit period is increasingly recognized as an important strategy to increase retailer's profitability. Also, the selling items such as fruits, fresh fishes, gasoline, photographic films, pharmaceuticals and volatile liquids deteriorate continuously due to evaporation, obsolescence and spoilage. In this paper, we propose an economic order quantity model for the retailer where (1) the supplier provides an up-stream trade credit and the retailer also offers a down-stream trade credit, (2) the retailer's down-stream trade credit to the buyer not only increases sales and revenue but also opportunity cost and default risk, and (3) the selling items are perishable. Under these conditions, we model the retailer's inventory system as a profit maximization problem to determine the retailer's optimal replenishment decisions under the supply chain management. We then show that the retailer's optimal credit period and cycle time not only exist but also are unique. We deduce some previously published results of other researchers as special cases. Finally, we use some numerical examples to illustrate the theoretical results.

Environmental radiological studies downstream from Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noshkin, V.E.; Wong, K.M.; Eagle, R.J.; Dawson, J.W.; Brunk, J.L.; Jokela, T.A.

1985-01-01

This report summarizes the information compiled in 1984 while assessing the environmental impact of radionuclides in aquatic releases from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station. Gamma-emitting radionuclides discharged since 1981 are found in many of the dietary components derived from the creeks receiving the effluent wastewater. Some soils and crops are found to contain radionuclides that originate from the contaminated water that was transferred to land during the irrigation season. 134 Cs and 137 Cs are the primary gamma-emitting radionuclides detected in the edible flesh of fish from the creeks. Concentrations in the flesh of fish decreased exponentially with distance from the plant. No significant differences in the 137 Cs activity were found between male and female fish of equal size, but concentrations may vary in fish of different size, with the season and diet. 21% of the total 137 Cs and 134 Cs discharged between 1981 and 1984 is associated with the creek sediments to a distance of 27 km from the plant. Fractions of the missing inventory have been transferred to land during the irrigation season or to downstream regions more distant than 27 km from the plant. The radiocesium content of the sediments in 1984 decreased significantly in a downstream direction, much in the same manner as concentrations decreased in fish. Radioactivity originating from the plant was not above detection limits in any terrestrial food item sampled beyond 6.5 km from the plant. Based on the usage factors provided by individuals interviewed in a 1984 survey, the fish and aquatic-organism ingestion pathway contributed the largest radiological dose to humans utilizing products contaminated with the radionuclides in the liquid wastes discharged from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Station in 1984

Reduced AMPK-ACC and mTOR signaling in muscle from older men, and effect of resistance exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mengyao; Verdijk, Lex B; Sakamoto, Kei; Ely, Brian; van Loon, Luc J C; Musi, Nicolas

2012-01-01

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key energy-sensitive enzyme that controls numerous metabolic and cellular processes. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is another energy/nutrient-sensitive kinase that controls protein synthesis and cell growth. In this study we determined whether older versus younger men have alterations in the AMPK and mTOR pathways in skeletal muscle, and examined the effect of a long term resistance type exercise training program on these signaling intermediaries. Older men had decreased AMPKα2 activity and lower phosphorylation of AMPK and its downstream signaling substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). mTOR phosphylation also was reduced in muscle from older men. Exercise training increased AMPKα1 activity in older men, however, AMPKα2 activity, and the phosphorylation of AMPK, ACC and mTOR, were not affected. In conclusion, older men have alterations in the AMPK-ACC and mTOR pathways in muscle. In addition, prolonged resistance type exercise training induces an isoform-selective up regulation of AMPK activity. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

A simple route to Develop Highly porous Nano Polypyrrole/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite film for Selective Determination of Dopamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniel Arulraj, Abraham; Arunkumar, Arumugam; Vijayan, Muthunanthevar; Balaji Viswanath, Kamatchirajan; Vasantha, Vairathevar Sivasamy

2016-01-01

A highly selective sensor was developed for dopamine with electrochemically treated sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate doped nano polypyrrole (ET-SDBS-NPPy)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) film. First, graphene oxide (GO) was reduced on the electrode surface electrochemically and then, SDBS-NPPy film was polymerized electrochemically on the ERGO coated GCE and bare GCE also. The SDBS-NPPy/ERGO and SDBS-NPPy films were treated electrochemically in phosphate buffer solution to replace macro SDBS- anions by smaller phosphate anions. Then, the physical properties of the above composite films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and water wettability test. The replacement of SDBS- anions by phosphate anions leaves porous structure in the polymer films and also increases the hydrophobicity in the films. Then, these composite films were applied for the determination of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid and uric acid. Under the optimal conditions, the linear range for dopamine detection is 0.1 μM-100.0 μM with the detection limit of 20 nM at S/N = 3. Generally, conducting polypyrrole film could sense ascorbic acid and dopamine simultaneously. However, we have proposed a simple route to synthesis a porous and hydrophobic polypyrrole composite film for selective determination of dopamine in the presence of higher concentration (five orders) of ascorbic acid and uric acid.

Heat-transfer and pressure distributions for laminar separated flows downstream of rearward-facing steps with and without mass suction

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, R. D.; Jakubowski, A. K.

1974-01-01

Heat-transfer and pressure distributions were measured for laminar separated flows downstream of rearward-facing steps with and without mass suction. The flow conditions were such that the boundary-layer thickness was comparable to or larger than the step height. For both suction and no-suction cases, an increase in the step height resulted in a sharp decrease in the initial heat-transfer rates behind the step. Downstream, however, the heat transfer gradually recovered back to less than or near attached-flow values. Mass suction from the step base area increased the local heat-transfer rates; however, this effect was relatively weak for the laminar flows considered. Even removal of the entire approaching boundary layer raised the post-step heat-transfer rates only about 10 percent above the flatplate values. Post-step pressure distributions were found to depend on the entrainment conditions at separation. In the case of the solid-faced step, a sharp pressure drop behind the step was followed by a very short plateau and relatively fast recompression. For the slotted-step connected to a large plenum but without suction, the pressure drop at the base was much smaller and the downstream recompression more gradual than that for solid-faced step.

Highly sensitive and selective detection of Bis-phenol A based on hydroxyapatite decorated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alam, Mohammad K.; Rahman, Mohammed M.; Elzwawy, Amir; Torati, Sri Ramulu; Islam, Mohammad S.; Todo, Mitsugu; Asiri, Abdullah M.; Kim, Dojin; Kim, CheolGi

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Simple chemical reduction method was used for preparation of reduced graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite (rGO/HAp) nanocomposites. •The rGO/HAp nanocomposites exhibited good biocompatibility with hMSCs. •Selective chemical sensor based on rGO/HAp nanocomposites was developed for detection of Bis-phenol A. •The fabricated rGO/HAp/Nafion/GCE sensor exhibited good detection limit of 60 pmol L −1 . -- Abstract: A facile and cost effective chemical reduction method is employed for the preparation of reduced graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite (rGO/HAp) nanocomposites. The transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the HAp flakes are well decorated on the surface of rGO. The morphological structure of the as-synthesized rGO/HAp nanocomposites was confirmed through X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, while the composition and thermal stability were analyzed by energy dispersive spectra and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of rGO/HAp nanocomposites for the proliferation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell (hMSC) was performed to confirm the biocompatibility. A selective chemical sensor based on rGO/HAp modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for sensitive detection of Bis-phenol A (BPA) has been developed. Several important parameters controlling the performance of the BPA chemi-sensor were investigated and optimized at room conditions. The rGO/HAp/Nafion/GCE sensor offers a fast response and highly sensitive BPA detection. Under the optimal conditions, a linear range from 0.2 nmol L −1 to 2.0 mmol L −1 for the detection of BPA was observed with the detection limit of 60.0 pmol L −1 (signal-to-noise ratio, at an SNR of 3) and sensitivity of 18.98 × 10 4 μA.L/μmol.m 2 . Meanwhile, the fabricated chemi-sensor showed an excellent, specific and selective recognition to target BPA molecules among coexistence of other analytes in the buffer system. This novel effort initiated

Downstream element determines RNase Y cleavage of the saePQRS operon in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Marincola, Gabriella; Wolz, Christiane

2017-06-02

In gram-positive bacteria, RNase J1, RNase J2 and RNase Y are thought to be major contributors to mRNA degradation and maturation. In Staphylococcus aureus, RNase Y activity is restricted to regulating the mRNA decay of only certain transcripts. Here the saePQRS operon was used as a model to analyze RNase Y specificity in living cells. A RNase Y cleavage site is located in an intergenic region between saeP and saeQ. This cleavage resulted in rapid degradation of the upstream fragment and stabilization of the downstream fragment. Thereby, the expression ratio of the different components of the operon was shifted towards saeRS, emphasizing the regulatory role of RNase Y activity. To assess cleavage specificity different regions surrounding the sae CS were cloned upstream of truncated gfp, and processing was analyzed in vivo using probes up- and downstream of CS. RNase Y cleavage was not determined by the cleavage site sequence. Instead a 24-bp double-stranded recognition structure was identified that was required to initiate cleavage 6 nt upstream. The results indicate that RNase Y activity is determined by secondary structure recognition determinants, which guide cleavage from a distance. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and its downstream targets in fibroepithelial tumors of the breast

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijper, Arno; Groep, P. van der; Wall, E. van der; Diest, P.J. van

2005-01-01

INTRODUCTION Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) alpha and its downstream targets carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are key factors in the survival of proliferating tumor cells in a hypoxic microenvironment. We studied the expression and prognostic relevance

Water-quality trends for selected sampling sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin, Montana, water years 1996-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Sando, Steven K.; Vecchia, Aldo V.; Lorenz, David L.; Barnhart, Elliott P.

2014-01-01

A large-scale trend analysis was done on specific conductance, selected trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc), and suspended-sediment data for 22 sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin for water years 1996–2010. Trend analysis was conducted by using two parametric methods: a time-series model (TSM) and multiple linear regression on time, streamflow, and season (MLR). Trend results for 1996–2010 indicate moderate to large decreases in flow-adjusted concentrations (FACs) and loads of copper (and other metallic elements) and suspended sediment in Silver Bow Creek upstream from Warm Springs. Deposition of metallic elements and suspended sediment within Warm Springs Ponds substantially reduces the downstream transport of those constituents. However, mobilization of copper and suspended sediment from floodplain tailings and stream banks in the Clark Fork reach from Galen to Deer Lodge is a large source of metallic elements and suspended sediment, which also affects downstream transport of those constituents. Copper and suspended-sediment loads mobilized from within this reach accounted for about 40 and 20 percent, respectively, of the loads for Clark Fork at Turah Bridge (site 20); whereas, streamflow contributed from within this reach only accounted for about 8 percent of the streamflow at Turah Bridge. Minor changes in FACs and loads of copper and suspended sediment are indicated for this reach during 1996–2010. Clark Fork reaches downstream from Deer Lodge are relatively smaller sources of metallic elements than the reach from Galen to Deer Lodge. In general, small decreases in loads and FACs of copper and suspended sediment are indicated for Clark Fork sites downstream from Deer Lodge during 1996–2010. Thus, although large decreases in FACs and loads of copper and suspended sediment are indicated for Silver Bow Creek upstream from Warm Springs, those large decreases are not translated to the more downstream reaches largely

Electrostatic quasi-monochromatic waves in the downstream region of the Earth's bow shock based on Geotail observations

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, K.; Kojima, H.; Matsumoto, H.; Mukai, T.

2007-02-01

Geotail plasma wave observations show the existence of intense electrostatic quasi-monochromatic (EQM) waves in the downstream region of the Earth's bow shock. They oscillate parallel to the ambient magnetic field and appear at frequencies between the electron plasma and ion plasma frequencies. Although these waves have been believed to be Doppler-shifted ion acoustic waves, the typical plasma parameters observed in the downstream region do not support the generation conditions for ion acoustic waves. In this paper, the existence of cold electron beam-like components accompanying EQM waves is considered based on waveform and statistical analyses. Linear dispersion analyses using realistic plasma parameters revealed that the cold electron beams cause destabilization of electron acoustic waves at frequencies consistent with those of observed EQM waves. The results of observations and linear analyses suggest that EQM waves are generated by the destabilization of the electron acoustic mode.

Partially ionized gas flow and heat transfer in the separation, reattachment, and redevelopment regions downstream of an abrupt circular channel expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Back, L. H.; Massier, P. F.; Roschke, E. J.

1972-01-01

Heat transfer and pressure measurements obtained in the separation, reattachment, and redevelopment regions along a tube and nozzle located downstream of an abrupt channel expansion are presented for a very high enthalpy flow of argon. The ionization energy fraction extended up to 0.6 at the tube inlet just downstream of the arc heater. Reattachment resulted from the growth of an instability in the vortex sheet-like shear layer between the central jet that discharged into the tube and the reverse flow along the wall at the lower Reynolds numbers, as indicated by water flow visualization studies which were found to dynamically model the high-temperature gas flow. A reasonably good prediction of the heat transfer in the reattachment region where the highest heat transfer occurred and in the redevelopment region downstream can be made by using existing laminar boundary layer theory for a partially ionized gas. In the experiments as much as 90 per cent of the inlet energy was lost by heat transfer to the tube and the nozzle wall.

Estimating flow characteristics of different weir types and optimum dimensions of downstream receiving pool

OpenAIRE

Emiroglu, M. Emin

2010-01-01

This paper presents the results of a laboratory study on the flow characteristics of sharp-crested weirs, broad-crested weirs, and labyrinth weirs. The variation of the maximum bubble penetration depth for different weir types is investigated depending on overfall jet expansion, discharge, and drop height. Moreover, most efficient depth, length and width of the downstream receiving pool in an open channel system are studied by considering the penetration depth, overfall jet expansion, jet tra...

Gellan Gum: Fermentative Production, Downstream Processing and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ishwar B. Bajaj

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The microbial exopolysaccharides are water-soluble polymers secreted by microorganisms during fermentation. The biopolymer gellan gum is a relatively recent addition to the family of microbial polysaccharides that is gaining much importance in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries due to its novel properties. It is commercially produced by C. P. Kelco in Japan and the USA. Further research and development in biopolymer technology is expected to expand its use. This article presents a critical review of the available information on the gellan gum synthesized by Sphingomonas paucimobilis with special emphasis on its fermentative production and downstream processing. Rheological behaviour of fermentation broth during fermentative production of gellan gum and problems associated with mass transfer have been addressed. Information on the biosynthetic pathway of gellan gum, enzymes and precursors involved in gellan gum production and application of metabolic engineering for enhancement of yield of gellan gum has been specified. Characteristics of gellan gum with respect to its structure, physicochemical properties, rheology of its solutions and gel formation behaviour are discussed. An attempt has also been made to review the current and potential applications of gellan gum in food, pharmaceutical and other industries.

Salicylic Acid Suppresses Jasmonic Acid Signaling Downstream of SCFCOI1-JAZ by Targeting GCC Promoter Motifs via Transcription Factor ORA59[C][W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Does, Dieuwertje; Leon-Reyes, Antonio; Koornneef, Annemart; Van Verk, Marcel C.; Rodenburg, Nicole; Pauwels, Laurens; Goossens, Alain; Körbes, Ana P.; Memelink, Johan; Ritsema, Tita; Van Wees, Saskia C.M.; Pieterse, Corné M.J.

2013-01-01

Antagonism between the defense hormones salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) plays a central role in the modulation of the plant immune signaling network, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that suppression of the JA pathway by SA functions downstream of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase Skip-Cullin-F-box complex SCFCOI1, which targets JASMONATE ZIM-domain transcriptional repressor proteins (JAZs) for proteasome-mediated degradation. In addition, neither the stability nor the JA-induced degradation of JAZs was affected by SA. In silico promoter analysis of the SA/JA crosstalk transcriptome revealed that the 1-kb promoter regions of JA-responsive genes that are suppressed by SA are significantly enriched in the JA-responsive GCC-box motifs. Using GCC:GUS lines carrying four copies of the GCC-box fused to the β-glucuronidase reporter gene, we showed that the GCC-box motif is sufficient for SA-mediated suppression of JA-responsive gene expression. Using plants overexpressing the GCC-box binding APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) transcription factors ERF1 or ORA59, we found that SA strongly reduces the accumulation of ORA59 but not that of ERF1. Collectively, these data indicate that the SA pathway inhibits JA signaling downstream of the SCFCOI1-JAZ complex by targeting GCC-box motifs in JA-responsive promoters via a negative effect on the transcriptional activator ORA59. PMID:23435661

Survival of juvenile chinook salmon and coho salmon in the Roza Dam fish bypass and in downstream reaches of the Yakima River, Washington, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Kock, Tobias J.; Perry, Russell W.; Hansen, Amy C.

2016-12-22

. Most of the tagged fish that were released in the fish bypass moved downstream and re-entered the river within 12 hours, but 9.8 percent of the Chinook salmon and 15.7 percent of the coho salmon remained in the bypass for 2.5–17.4 days. We developed a set of models for Chinook salmon and coho salmon and used model selection to determine if release site was an important predictor of survival of tagged fish. The models that provided the best fit to the Chinook salmon and coho salmon datasets did not include release site as a covariate. Furthermore, survival estimates for groups of fish from the various release sites were nearly identical for both species. Based on these observations, it appears that passage through the fish bypass did not result in increased mortality relative to groups of fish released downstream of the bypass.Juvenile Chinook salmon migrated downstream faster than juvenile coho salmon and survival for each species varied with release timing. Median travel time from release at Roza Dam to arrival at a detection gate located at river kilometer (rkm) 527.8 on the Columbia River was 15.4 days for Chinook salmon and 37.4 days for coho salmon. Cumulative survival from Roza Dam to the Columbia River detection gate ranged from 0.299 to 0.678 for Chinook salmon, and from 0.321 to 0.627 for coho salmon. Survival was highest for both species when tagged fish were released in mid-April and lowest when tagged fish were released in early-May. Reach-specific survival estimates were standardized to create estimates that described survival per 100 rkm, which showed that survival was very low (less than 0.500) for some release groups, particularly in the Roza, Sunnyside, and Chandler diversion reaches. A more extensive analysis of reach-specific survival is planned for this dataset, which should provide insights into covariates that affected survival during 2016.

77 FR 74985 - Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Streams and Downstream Protection Values for...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-18

... Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Streams and Downstream Protection Values for Lakes... its numeric water quality standards for nutrients in Florida that were promulgated and published on.... Water Quality Criteria D. EPA Determination Regarding Florida and EPA's Rulemaking E. EPA Promulgation...

Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR-II Antagonist Reduces Body Weight Gain in Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomoko Asagami

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Previous research has shown that mifepristone can prevent and reverse weight gain in animals and human subjects taking antipsychotic medications. This proof-of-concept study tested whether a more potent and selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist could block dietary-induced weight gain and increase insulin sensitivity in mice. Ten-week-old, male, C57BL/6J mice were fed a diet containing 60% fat calories and water supplemented with 11% sucrose for 4 weeks. Groups (=8 received one of the following: CORT 108297 (80 mg/kg QD, CORT 108297 (40 mg/kg BID, mifepristone (30 mg/kg BID, rosiglitazone (10 mg/kg QD, or vehicle. Compared to mice receiving a high-fat, high-sugar diet plus vehicle, mice receiving a high-fat, high-sugar diet plus either mifepristone or CORT 108297 gained significantly less weight. At the end of the four week treatment period, mice receiving CORT 108297 40 mg/kg BID or CORT 108297 80 mg/kg QD also had significantly lower steady plasma glucose than mice receiving vehicle. However, steady state plasma glucose after treatment was not highly correlated with reduced weight gain, suggesting that the effect of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist on insulin sensitivity may be independent of its mitigating effect on weight gain.

Automatic spectral imaging protocol selection and iterative reconstruction in abdominal CT with reduced contrast agent dose: initial experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Peijie; Liu, Jie; Chai, Yaru; Yan, Xiaopeng; Gao, Jianbo; Dong, Junqiang

2017-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility, image quality, and radiation dose of automatic spectral imaging protocol selection (ASIS) and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) with reduced contrast agent dose in abdominal multiphase CT. One hundred and sixty patients were randomly divided into two scan protocols (n = 80 each; protocol A, 120 kVp/450 mgI/kg, filtered back projection algorithm (FBP); protocol B, spectral CT imaging with ASIS and 40 to 70 keV monochromatic images generated per 300 mgI/kg, ASIR algorithm. Quantitative parameters (image noise and contrast-to-noise ratios [CNRs]) and qualitative visual parameters (image noise, small structures, organ enhancement, and overall image quality) were compared. Monochromatic images at 50 keV and 60 keV provided similar or lower image noise, but higher contrast and overall image quality as compared with 120-kVp images. Despite the higher image noise, 40-keV images showed similar overall image quality compared to 120-kVp images. Radiation dose did not differ between the two protocols, while contrast agent dose in protocol B was reduced by 33 %. Application of ASIR and ASIS to monochromatic imaging from 40 to 60 keV allowed contrast agent dose reduction with adequate image quality and without increasing radiation dose compared to 120 kVp with FBP. • Automatic spectral imaging protocol selection provides appropriate scan protocols. • Abdominal CT is feasible using spectral imaging and 300 mgI/kg contrast agent. • 50-keV monochromatic images with 50 % ASIR provide optimal image quality.

Can Parental Monitoring and Peer Management Reduce the Selection or Influence of Delinquent Peers? Testing the Question Using a Dynamic Social Network Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Tilton-Weaver, Lauree C.; Burk, William J.; Kerr, Margaret; Stattin, Håkan

2013-01-01

We tested whether parents can reduce affiliation with delinquent peers through 3 forms of peer management: soliciting information, monitoring rules, and communicating disapproval of peers. We examined whether peer management interrupted 2 peer processes: selection and influence of delinquent peers. Adolescents' feelings of being overcontrolled by…

Trehalose-6-phosphate synthesis controls yeast gluconeogenesis downstream and independent of SNF1.

Science.gov (United States)

Deroover, Sofie; Ghillebert, Ruben; Broeckx, Tom; Winderickx, Joris; Rolland, Filip

2016-06-01

Trehalose-6-P (T6P), an intermediate of trehalose biosynthesis, was identified as an important regulator of yeast sugar metabolism and signaling. tps1Δ mutants, deficient in T6P synthesis (TPS), are unable to grow on rapidly fermentable medium with uncontrolled influx in glycolysis, depletion of ATP and accumulation of sugar phosphates. However, the exact molecular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. We show that SNF1 deletion restores the tps1Δ growth defect on glucose, suggesting that lack of TPS hampers inactivation of SNF1 or SNF1-regulated processes. In addition to alternative, non-fermentable carbon metabolism, SNF1 controls two major processes: respiration and gluconeogenesis. The tps1Δ defect appears to be specifically associated with deficient inhibition of gluconeogenesis, indicating more downstream effects. Consistently, Snf1 dephosphorylation and inactivation on glucose medium are not affected, as confirmed with an in vivo Snf1 activity reporter. Detailed analysis shows that gluconeogenic Pck1 and Fbp1 expression, protein levels and activity are not repressed upon glucose addition to tps1Δ cells, suggesting a link between the metabolic defect and persistent gluconeogenesis. While SNF1 is essential for induction of gluconeogenesis, T6P/TPS is required for inactivation of gluconeogenesis in the presence of glucose, downstream and independent of SNF1 activity and the Cat8 and Sip4 transcription factors. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Selective hepatitis B virus vaccination has reduced hepatitis B virus transmission in the Netherlands.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Hahné

Full Text Available BACKGROUND & AIMS: In the Netherlands, a selective hepatitis B virus (HBV vaccination programme started in 2002 for men having sex with men, drug users, commercial sex workers and heterosexuals with frequent partner changes. We assessed the programme's effectiveness to guide policy on HBV prevention. METHODS: We analysed reports of acute HBV infection in the Netherlands between 2004 and 2010 requesting serum from patients for HBV-genome S- and C-region sequencing. We used coalescence analyses to assess genetic diversity of nonimported genotype-A cases over time. RESULTS: 1687 patients with acute HBV infection were reported between 2004 and 2010. The incidence of reported acute HBV infection decreased from 1.8 to 1.2 per 100,000 inhabitants, mostly due to a reduction in the number of cases in men who have sex with men. Men were overrepresented among cases with an unknown route of transmission, especially among genotype A2 cases mainly associated with transmission through male homosexual contact. The genetic diversity of nonimported genotype-A strains obtained from men who have sex with men decreased from 2006 onwards, suggesting HBV incidence in this group decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The selective HBV-vaccination programme for behavioural high-risk groups very likely reduced the incidence of HBV infection in the Netherlands mainly by preventing HBV infections in men who have sex with men. A considerable proportion of cases in men who did not report risk behaviour was probably acquired through homosexual contact. Our findings support continuation of the programme, and adopting similar approaches in other countries where HBV transmission is focused in high-risk adults.

Selective Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination Has Reduced Hepatitis B Virus Transmission in The Netherlands

Science.gov (United States)

Koedijk, Femke; van Ballegooijen, Marijn; Cremer, Jeroen; Bruisten, Sylvia; Coutinho, Roel

2013-01-01

Background & Aims In the Netherlands, a selective hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination programme started in 2002 for men having sex with men, drug users, commercial sex workers and heterosexuals with frequent partner changes. We assessed the programme's effectiveness to guide policy on HBV prevention. Methods We analysed reports of acute HBV infection in the Netherlands between 2004 and 2010 requesting serum from patients for HBV-genome S- and C-region sequencing. We used coalescence analyses to assess genetic diversity of nonimported genotype-A cases over time. Results 1687 patients with acute HBV infection were reported between 2004 and 2010. The incidence of reported acute HBV infection decreased from 1.8 to 1.2 per 100,000 inhabitants, mostly due to a reduction in the number of cases in men who have sex with men. Men were overrepresented among cases with an unknown route of transmission, especially among genotype A2 cases mainly associated with transmission through male homosexual contact. The genetic diversity of nonimported genotype-A strains obtained from men who have sex with men decreased from 2006 onwards, suggesting HBV incidence in this group decreased. Conclusions The selective HBV-vaccination programme for behavioural high-risk groups very likely reduced the incidence of HBV infection in the Netherlands mainly by preventing HBV infections in men who have sex with men. A considerable proportion of cases in men who did not report risk behaviour was probably acquired through homosexual contact. Our findings support continuation of the programme, and adopting similar approaches in other countries where HBV transmission is focused in high-risk adults. PMID:23922651

The downstream industry compared to market; L'aval face au marche. Quelques elements de contexte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chevallier, B.

2010-02-15

J.L. Schilansky introduces here the difficult question of the downstream industry compared to market in recalling the recent structural changes (behaviour of customers, behaviour of the USA- and China-governments), the increase of the European and French regulations, the climatic change and the conjectural impact of the crisis on the refining industry. (O.M.)

Climate Clever Clovers: New Paradigm to Reduce the Environmental Footprint of Ruminants by Breeding Low Methanogenic Forages Utilizing Haplotype Variation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parwinder Kaur

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Mitigating methane production by ruminants is a significant challenge to global livestock production. This research offers a new paradigm to reduce methane emissions from ruminants by breeding climate-clever clovers. We demonstrate wide genetic diversity for the trait methanogenic potential in Australia’s key pasture legume, subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.. In a bi-parental population the broadsense heritability in methanogenic potential was moderate (H2 = 0.4 and allelic variation in a region of Chr 8 accounted for 7.8% of phenotypic variation. In a genome-wide association study we identified four loci controlling methanogenic potential assessed by an in vitro fermentation system. Significantly, the discovery of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP on Chr 5 in a defined haplotype block with an upstream putative candidate gene from a plant peroxidase-like superfamily (TSub_g18548 and a downstream lectin receptor protein kinase (TSub_g18549 provides valuable candidates for an assay for this complex trait. In this way haplotype variation can be tracked to breed pastures with reduced methanogenic potential. Of the quantitative trait loci candidates, the DNA-damage-repair/toleration DRT100-like protein (TSub_g26967, linked to avoid the severity of DNA damage induced by secondary metabolites, is considered central to enteric methane production, as are disease resistance (TSub_g26971, TSub_g26972, and TSub_g18549 and ribonuclease proteins (TSub_g26974, TSub_g26975. These proteins are good pointers to elucidate the genetic basis of in vitro microbial fermentability and enteric methanogenic potential in subterranean clover. The genes identified allow the design of a suite of markers for marker-assisted selection to reduce rumen methane emission in selected pasture legumes. We demonstrate the feasibility of a plant breeding approach without compromising animal productivity to mitigate enteric methane emissions, which is one of the most

Resolution of thermal striping issue downstream of a horizontal pipe elbow in stratified pipe flow. [LMFBR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuzay, T.M.; Kasza, K.E.

1985-01-01

A thermally stratified pipe flow produced by a thermal transient when passing through a horizontal elbow as a result of secondary flow gives rise to large thermal fluctuations on the inner curvature wall of the downstream piping. These fluctuations were measured in a specially instrumented horizontal pipe and elbow system on a test set-up using water in the Mixing Components Technology Facility (MCTF) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This study is part of a larger program which is studying the influence of thermal buoyancy on general reactor component performance. This paper discusses the influence of pipe flow generated thermal oscillations on the thermal stresses induced in the pipe walls. The instrumentation was concentrated around the exit plane of the 90/sup 0/ sweep elbow, since prior tests had indicated that the largest thermal fluctuations would occur within about one hydraulic diameter downstream of the elbow exit. The thermocouples were located along the inner curvature of the piping and measured the near surface fluid temperature. The test matrix involved thermal downramps under turbulent flow conditions.

Economic valuation of the downstream hydrological effects of land use change: Large hydroelectric reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Aylward, Bruce Allan

1998-12-01

Land use change that accompanies economic development and population growth is intended to raise the economic productivity of land. An inevitable by product of this process is the alteration of natural vegetation and downstream hydrological function. This dissertation explores hydrological externalities of land use change in detail, particularly with regard to their economic impact on large hydroelectric reservoirs (LHRs). A review of the linkages between land use, hydrological function and downstream economic activity suggests that on theoretical grounds the net welfare effect of land use change on hydrological function will be indeterminate. Review of the literature suggests that, though the effects of downstream sedimentation will typically be negative, they may often be of little practical significance. The literature on water quantity impacts is sparse at best. This is most surprising in the case of the literature on LHRs where the potentially important and positive effects of increased water yield are typically ignored in favor of simplistic efforts to document the negative effects of reservoir sedimentation. In order to improve the methodological basis for the economic valuation of hydrological externalities, the dissertation considers existing techniques for the evaluation of non-marketed goods and services, clarifying the manner in which they have been and, in the future, may be applied to the topic at hand. A deterministic simulation model is then constructed for the case of LHRs. The model incorporates the effect of changes in water yield, the seasonal pattern of water yield and sedimentation of live and dead storage volumes as they affect reservoir operation and the production of hydroelectricity. The welfare effects of changes in the productivity of the LHR in the short run and changes to the power system expansion plan in the long run are evaluated using the marginal opportunity costs of alternative power sources and power plants, respectively. A case

Water Scarcity Hotspots Travel Downstream Due to Human Interventions in the 20th and 21st Century

Science.gov (United States)

Veldkamp, T. I. E.; Wada, Y.; Aerts, J. C. J. H.; Doell, P.; Gosling, S. N.; Liu, J.; Masaki, Y.; Oki, T.; Ostberg, S.; Pokhrel, Y.;

Water scarcity hotspots travel downstream due to human interventions in the 20th and 21st century

Science.gov (United States)

Veldkamp, T. I. E.; Wada, Y.; Aerts, J. C. J. H.; Döll, P.; Gosling, S. N.; Liu, J.; Masaki, Y.; Oki, T.; Ostberg, S.; Pokhrel, Y.; Satoh, Y.; Kim, H.; Ward, P. J.

2017-06-01

Water scarcity is rapidly increasing in many regions. In a novel, multi-model assessment, we examine how human interventions (HI: land use and land cover change, man-made reservoirs and human water use) affected monthly river water availability and water scarcity over the period 1971-2010. Here we show that HI drastically change the critical dimensions of water scarcity, aggravating water scarcity for 8.8% (7.4-16.5%) of the global population but alleviating it for another 8.3% (6.4-15.8%). Positive impacts of HI mostly occur upstream, whereas HI aggravate water scarcity downstream; HI cause water scarcity to travel downstream. Attribution of water scarcity changes to HI components is complex and varies among the hydrological models. Seasonal variation in impacts and dominant HI components is also substantial. A thorough consideration of the spatially and temporally varying interactions among HI components and of uncertainties is therefore crucial for the success of water scarcity adaptation by HI.

Transcriptional regulatory networks downstream of TAL1/SCL in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

OpenAIRE

Palomero, Teresa; Odom, Duncan T.; O'Neil, Jennifer; Ferrando, Adolfo A.; Margolin, Adam; Neuberg, Donna S.; Winter, Stuart S.; Larson, Richard S.; Li, Wei; Liu, X. Shirley; Young, Richard A.; Look, A. Thomas

2006-01-01

Aberrant expression of 1 or more transcription factor oncogenes is a critical component of the molecular pathogenesis of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL); however, oncogenic transcriptional programs downstream of T-ALL oncogenes are mostly unknown. TAL1/SCL is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor oncogene aberrantly expressed in 60% of human T-ALLs. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) on chip to identify 71 direct transcriptional targets of TAL1/SCL. ...

Stretchable, Transparent, and Stretch-Unresponsive Capacitive Touch Sensor Array with Selectively Patterned Silver Nanowires/Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Tae Young; Hwang, Byeong-Ung; Kim, Bo-Yeong; Trung, Tran Quang; Nam, Yun Hyoung; Kim, Do-Nyun; Eom, Kilho; Lee, Nae-Eung

2017-05-31

Stretchable and transparent touch sensors are essential input devices for future stretchable transparent electronics. Capacitive touch sensors with a simple structure of only two electrodes and one dielectric are an established technology in current rigid electronics. However, the development of stretchable and transparent capacitive touch sensors has been limited due to changes in capacitance resulting from dimensional changes in elastomeric dielectrics and difficulty in obtaining stretchable transparent electrodes that are stable under large strains. Herein, a stretch-unresponsive stretchable and transparent capacitive touch sensor array was demonstrated by employing stretchable and transparent electrodes with a simple selective-patterning process and by carefully selecting dielectric and substrate materials with low strain responsivity. A selective-patterning process was used to embed a stretchable and transparent silver nanowires/reduced graphene oxide (AgNWs/rGO) electrode line into a polyurethane (PU) dielectric layer on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate using oxygen plasma treatment. This method provides the ability to directly fabricate thin film electrode lines on elastomeric substrates and can be used in conventional processes employed in stretchable electronics. We used a dielectric (PU) with a Poisson's ratio smaller than that of the substrate (PDMS), which prevented changes in the capacitance resulting from stretching of the sensor. The stretch-unresponsive touch sensing capability of our transparent and stretchable capacitive touch sensor has great potential in wearable electronics and human-machine interfaces.

A plant chamber system with downstream reaction chamber to study the effects of pollution on biogenic emissions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timovsky, J.; Gankema, Paulien; Pierik, Ronald; Holzinger, Rupert

2014-01-01

A system of two plant chambers and a downstream reaction chamber has been set up to investigate the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and possible effects of pollutants such as ozone. The system can be used to compare BVOC emissions from two sets of differently treated plants,

Production of proteases from organic wastes by solid-state fermentation: downstream and zero waste strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Marín, Maria; Artola, Adriana; Sánchez, Antoni

2018-04-01

Production of enzymes through solid-state fermentation (SSF) of agro-industrial wastes reports high productivity with low investment. The extraction of the final product from the solid waste and solid disposal represent the main cost of the process. In this work, the complete downstream processes of SSF of two industrial residues for the production of proteases, soy fibre (SF) and a mixture of hair and sludge (HS), were studied in terms of activity recovery, using different extraction parameters (extracting solvent, ratio solid: solvent and extraction mode). Activity after lyophilisation was tested. Solid waste valorisation after extraction was studied using respiration techniques and biogas production tests, as part of a zero waste strategy. Results showed a maximum extraction yield of 91% for SF and 121% for HS, both in agitated mode and distilled water as extraction agent. An average activity recovery of 95 ± 6 and 94 ± 6% for SF and HS, respectively, was obtained after lyophilisation and redissolution. To reduce the cost of extraction, a ratio 1:3 w : v solid-solvent in static mode is advised for SF, and 1:2 w : v extraction ratio in agitated mode for HS, both with distilled water as extracting agent. Both composting and anaerobic digestion are suitable techniques for valorisation of the waste material.

Evaluation of the flow-accelerated corrosion downstream of an orifice. 2. Measurement of corrosion rate and evaluation on the effects of the flow field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaya, Yukinori; Utanohara, Yoichi; Nakamura, Akira; Murase, Michio

2008-01-01

In this study, in order to evaluate the effects of flow field on corrosion rate due to flow accelerated corrosion (FAC), a corrosion rate downstream of an orifice was measured using the electric resistance method. The diameter of the pipe is 50 mm and that of the orifice is 24.3 mm, and flow velocity of the experimental loop was set at 5m/s, and the temperature of water was controlled within ±1 at 150deg-C. There were no significant circumferential difference in measured corrosion rate, and the maximum corrosion rate was observed at 1D or 2D downstream from the orifice. The ratios of the measured corrosion rate and the calculated wall shear stress at the 1D downstream from the orifice to the value at upstream under well developed flow agreed well. (author)

Flow structure in the downstream of a square cylinder with different angles of incidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Jamshidi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents comparisons between flow fields for turbulent flow over square cylinder with two different angles of incidence in free stream at Reynolds number of Re = 3400. The present numerical results were obtained using a two-dimensional finite-volume code which solves governing equations. The pressure field was obtained with well known SIMPLE algorithm. The central difference scheme was employed for the discretization of convection and diffusion terms. The ν2 f and standard k - ε model were used for simulation of turbulent flow. Time averaged velocity, root mean square velocities and streamlines in the downstream of square cylinders are presented. A number of quantities such as Strouhal number, drag coefficient and the length of the wake are calculated for the case of angle of incidence α = 0°, 45° with two turbulent models. Strouhal number and the length of the wake are larger for the case of α = 45° because of the sharp corners in it which results in more diffusion of turbulence in the downstream of the cylinder. On the other hand, with comparison of results obtained by ν2 f and standard k - ε models with experiment, it is obvious that ν2 f leads to much more accurate results.

Repriming by PrimPol is critical for DNA replication restart downstream of lesions and chain-terminating nucleosides.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Kaori; Guilliam, Thomas A; Tsuda, Masataka; Yamamoto, Junpei; Bailey, Laura J; Iwai, Shigenori; Takeda, Shunichi; Doherty, Aidan J; Hirota, Kouji

2016-08-02

PrimPol is a DNA damage tolerance enzyme possessing both translesion synthesis (TLS) and primase activities. To uncover its potential role in TLS-mediated IgVλ hypermutation and define its interplay with other TLS polymerases, PrimPol(-/-) and PrimPol(-/-)/Polη(-/-)/Polζ (-/-) gene knockouts were generated in avian cells. Loss of PrimPol had no significant impact on the rate of hypermutation or the mutation spectrum of IgVλ. However, PrimPol(-/-) cells were sensitive to methylmethane sulfonate, suggesting that it may bypass abasic sites at the IgVλ segment by repriming DNA synthesis downstream of these sites. PrimPol(-/-) cells were also sensitive to cisplatin and hydroxyurea, indicating that it assists in maintaining / restarting replication at a variety of lesions. To accurately measure the relative contribution of the TLS and primase activities, we examined DNA damage sensitivity in PrimPol(-/-) cells complemented with polymerase or primase-deficient PrimPol. Polymerase-defective, but not primase-deficient, PrimPol suppresses the hypersensitivity of PrimPol(-/-) cells. This indicates that its primase, rather than TLS activity, is pivotal for DNA damage tolerance. Loss of TLS polymerases, Polη and Polζ has an additive effect on the sensitivity of PrimPol(-/-) cells. Moreover, we found that PrimPol and Polη-Polζ redundantly prevented cell death and facilitated unperturbed cell cycle progression. PrimPol(-/-) cells also exhibited increased sensitivity to a wide variety of chain-terminating nucleoside analogs (CTNAs). PrimPol could perform close-coupled repriming downstream of CTNAs and oxidative damage in vitro. Together, these results indicate that PrimPol's repriming activity plays a central role in reinitiating replication downstream from CTNAs and other specific DNA lesions.

The Long-Term Effectiveness of a Selective, Personality-Targeted Prevention Program in Reducing Alcohol Use and Related Harms: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Newton, Nicola C.; Conrod, Patricia J.; Slade, Tim; Carragher, Natacha; Champion, Katrina E.; Barrett, Emma L.; Kelly, Erin V.; Nair, Natasha K.; Stapinski, Lexine; Teesson, Maree

2016-01-01

Background: This study investigated the long-term effectiveness of Preventure, a selective personality-targeted prevention program, in reducing the uptake of alcohol, harmful use of alcohol, and alcohol-related harms over a 3-year period. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Preventure.…

Occurrence and removal of antibiotics and the corresponding resistance genes in wastewater treatment plants: effluents' influence to downstream water environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianan; Cheng, Weixiao; Xu, Like; Jiao, Yanan; Baig, Shams Ali; Chen, Hong

2016-04-01

In this study, the occurrence of 8 antibiotics [3 tetracyclines (TCs), 4 sulfonamides, and 1 trimethoprim (TMP)], 12 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (10 tet, 2 sul), 4 types of bacteria [no antibiotics, anti-TC, anti-sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and anti-double], and intI1 in two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were assessed and their influences in downstream lake were investigated. Both WWTPs' effluent demonstrated some similarities, but the abundance and removal rate varied significantly. Results revealed that biological treatment mainly removed antibiotics and ARGs, whereas physical techniques were found to eliminate antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARBs) abundance (about 1 log for each one). UV disinfection did not significantly enhance the removal efficiency, and the release of the abundantly available target contaminants from the excess sludge may pose threats to human and the environment. Different antibiotics showed diverse influences on the downstream lake, and the concentrations of sulfamethazine (SM2) and SMX were observed to increase enormously. The total ARG abundance ascended about 0.1 log and some ARGs (e.g., tetC, intI1, tetA) increased due to the high input of the effluent. In addition, the abundance of ARB variation in the lake also changed, but the abundance of four types of bacteria remained stable in the downstream sampling sites.

The study of the mechanism of arsenite toxicity in respiration-deficient cells reveals that NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide promotes the same downstream events mediated by mitochondrial superoxide in respiration-proficient cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guidarelli, Andrea; Fiorani, Mara; Carloni, Silvia; Cerioni, Liana; Balduini, Walter; Cantoni, Orazio, E-mail: orazio.cantoni@uniurb.it

2016-09-15

We herein report the results from a comparative study of arsenite toxicity in respiration-proficient (RP) and -deficient (RD) U937 cells. An initial characterization of these cells led to the demonstration that the respiration-deficient phenotype is not associated with apparent changes in mitochondrial mass and membrane potential. In addition, similar levels of superoxide (O{sub 2}{sup .-}) were generated by RP and RD cells in response to stimuli specifically triggering respiratory chain-independent mitochondrial mechanisms or extramitochondrial, NADPH-oxidase dependent, mechanisms. At the concentration of 2.5 μM, arsenite elicited selective formation of O{sub 2}{sup .-} in the respiratory chain of RP cells, with hardly any contribution of the above mechanisms. Under these conditions, O{sub 2}{sup .-} triggered downstream events leading to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy and apoptosis. RD cells challenged with similar levels of arsenite failed to generate O{sub 2}{sup .-} because of the lack of a functional respiratory chain and were therefore resistant to the toxic effects mediated by the metalloid. Their resistance, however, was lost after exposure to four fold greater concentrations of arsenite, coincidentally with the release of O{sub 2}{sup .-} mediated by NADPH oxidase. Interestingly, extramitochondrial O{sub 2}{sup .-} triggered the same downstream events and an identical mode of death previously observed in RP cells. Taken together, the results obtained in this study indicate that arsenite toxicity is strictly dependent on O{sub 2}{sup .-} availability that, regardless of whether generated in the mitochondrial or extramitochondrial compartments, triggers similar downstream events leading to ER stress, autophagy and apoptosis. - Highlights: • Mitochondrial superoxide mediates arsenite toxicity in respiration-proficient cells. • NADPH-derived superoxide mediates arsenite toxicity in respiration-deficient cells. • Arsenite causes apoptosis

A privacy-preserving solution for compressed storage and selective retrieval of genomic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Zhicong; Ayday, Erman; Lin, Huang; Aiyar, Raeka S; Molyneaux, Adam; Xu, Zhenyu; Fellay, Jacques; Steinmetz, Lars M; Hubaux, Jean-Pierre

2016-12-01

In clinical genomics, the continuous evolution of bioinformatic algorithms and sequencing platforms makes it beneficial to store patients' complete aligned genomic data in addition to variant calls relative to a reference sequence. Due to the large size of human genome sequence data files (varying from 30 GB to 200 GB depending on coverage), two major challenges facing genomics laboratories are the costs of storage and the efficiency of the initial data processing. In addition, privacy of genomic data is becoming an increasingly serious concern, yet no standard data storage solutions exist that enable compression, encryption, and selective retrieval. Here we present a privacy-preserving solution named SECRAM (Selective retrieval on Encrypted and Compressed Reference-oriented Alignment Map) for the secure storage of compressed aligned genomic data. Our solution enables selective retrieval of encrypted data and improves the efficiency of downstream analysis (e.g., variant calling). Compared with BAM, the de facto standard for storing aligned genomic data, SECRAM uses 18% less storage. Compared with CRAM, one of the most compressed nonencrypted formats (using 34% less storage than BAM), SECRAM maintains efficient compression and downstream data processing, while allowing for unprecedented levels of security in genomic data storage. Compared with previous work, the distinguishing features of SECRAM are that (1) it is position-based instead of read-based, and (2) it allows random querying of a subregion from a BAM-like file in an encrypted form. Our method thus offers a space-saving, privacy-preserving, and effective solution for the storage of clinical genomic data. © 2016 Huang et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Spectrally selective glazings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-08-01

Spectrally selective glazing is window glass that permits some portions of the solar spectrum to enter a building while blocking others. This high-performance glazing admits as much daylight as possible while preventing transmission of as much solar heat as possible. By controlling solar heat gains in summer, preventing loss of interior heat in winter, and allowing occupants to reduce electric lighting use by making maximum use of daylight, spectrally selective glazing significantly reduces building energy consumption and peak demand. Because new spectrally selective glazings can have a virtually clear appearance, they admit more daylight and permit much brighter, more open views to the outside while still providing the solar control of the dark, reflective energy-efficient glass of the past. This Federal Technology Alert provides detailed information and procedures for Federal energy managers to consider spectrally selective glazings. The principle of spectrally selective glazings is explained. Benefits related to energy efficiency and other architectural criteria are delineated. Guidelines are provided for appropriate application of spectrally selective glazing, and step-by-step instructions are given for estimating energy savings. Case studies are also presented to illustrate actual costs and energy savings. Current manufacturers, technology users, and references for further reading are included for users who have questions not fully addressed here.

System for reducing combustion dynamics and NO.sub.x in a combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Uhm, Jong Ho; Ziminsky, Willy Steve; Johnson, Thomas Edward; Hughes, Michael John; York, William David

2016-05-31

A combustor includes an end cap that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor. The end cap includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A plurality of tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface of the end cap to provide fluid communication through the end cap. Each tube in a first set of the plurality of tubes has an inlet proximate to the upstream surface and an outlet downstream from the downstream surface. Each outlet has a first portion that extends a different axial distance from the inlet than a second portion.

Impact of selective catalytic reduction systems on the operation of coal and oil fired boilers and downstream equipment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

The history of the development of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology has clearly demonstrated that whenever the technology arrives in a new region of the world new challenges are met. This paper discusses some of these historical challenges and their particular solutions in some detail. The paper shows that the design of successful SCR systems is extremely site-specific, but that the technology continues to evolve to meet these continuously changing demands. Most recently the increased power of CFD technology has enabled SCR to meet the more stringent North American emissions criteria through optimal fluid dynamic design. 4 figs.

Neuro-fuzzy GMDH based particle swarm optimization for prediction of scour depth at downstream of grade control structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Najafzadeh

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In the present study, neuro-fuzzy based-group method of data handling (NF-GMDH as an adaptive learning network was utilized to predict the maximum scour depth at the downstream of grade-control structures. The NF-GMDH network was developed using particle swarm optimization (PSO. Effective parameters on the scour depth include sediment size, geometry of weir, and flow characteristics in the upstream and downstream of structure. Training and testing of performances were carried out using non-dimensional variables. Datasets were divided into three series of dataset (DS. The testing results of performances were compared with the gene-expression programming (GEP, evolutionary polynomial regression (EPR model, and conventional techniques. The NF-GMDH-PSO network produced lower error of the scour depth prediction than those obtained using the other models. Also, the effective input parameter on the maximum scour depth was determined through a sensitivity analysis.

Design methodology for integrated downstream separation systems in an ethanol biorefinery

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadzadeh Rohani, Navid

Energy security and environmental concerns have been the main drivers for a historic shift to biofuel production in transportation fuel industry. Biofuels should not only offer environmental advantages over the petroleum fuels they replace but also should be economically sustainable and viable. The so-called second generation biofuels such as ethanol which is the most produced biofuel are mostly derived from lignocellulosic biomasses. These biofuels are more difficult to produce than the first generation ones mainly due to recalcitrance of the feedstocks in extracting their sugar contents. Costly pre-treatment and fractionation stages are required to break down lignocellulosic feedstocks into their constituent elements. On the other hand the mixture produced in fermentation step in a biorefinery contains very low amount of product which makes the subsequent separation step more difficult and more energy consuming. In an ethanol biorefinery, the dilute fermentation broth requires huge operating cost in downstream separation for recovery of the product in a conventional distillation technique. Moreover, the non-ideal nature of ethanol-water mixture which forms an iseotrope at almost 95 wt%, hinders the attainment of the fuel grade ethanol (99.5 wt%). Therefore, an additional dehydration stage is necessary to purify the ethanol from its azeotropic composition to fuel-grade purity. In order to overcome the constraint pertaining to vapor-liquid equilibrium of ethanol-water separation, several techniques have been investigated and proposed in the industry. These techniques such as membrane-based technologies, extraction and etc. have not only sought to produce a pure fuel-grade ethanol but have also aimed at decreasing the energy consumption of this energy-intensive separation. Decreasing the energy consumption of an ethanol biorefinery is of paramount importance in improving its overall economics and in facilitating the way to displacing petroleum transportation fuel

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors reduces fertility in men

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørr, L; Bennedsen, Birgit; Fedder, Jens

2016-01-01

Clinical review of the present data on the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on male fertility was the objective of the study. PubMed and Scopus were searched for publications in English or Danish and reviewed. Human trials, animal studies and in vitro studies were included...

Anthropogenic Phosphorus Inputs to a River Basin and Their Impacts on Phosphorus Fluxes Along Its Upstream-Downstream Continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wangshou; Swaney, Dennis P.; Hong, Bongghi; Howarth, Robert W.

2017-12-01

The increasing trend in riverine phosphorus (P) loads resulting from anthropogenic inputs has gained wide attention because of the well-known role of P in eutrophication. So far, however, there is still limited scientific understanding of anthropogenic P inputs and their impacts on riverine flux in river reaches along the upstream-to-downstream continuum. Here we investigated P budgets in a series of nested watersheds draining into Hongze Lake of China and developed an empirical function to describe the relationship between anthropogenic inputs and riverine P fluxes. Our results indicated that there are obvious gradients regarding P budgets in response to changes in human activities. Fertilizer application and food and feed P import was always the dominant source of P inputs in all sections, followed by nonfood P. Further interpretation using the model revealed the processes of P loading to the lake. About 2%-9% of anthropogenic P inputs are transported from the various sections into the corresponding tributaries of the river systems, depending upon local precipitation rates. Of this amount, around 41%-95% is delivered to the main stem of the Huai River after in-stream attenuation in its tributaries. Ultimately, 55%-86% of the P loads delivered to different locations of the main stem are transported into the receiving lake of the downstream, due to additional losses in the main stem. An integrated P management strategy that considers the gradients of P loss along the upstream-to-downstream continuum is required to assess and optimize P management to protect the region's freshwater resource.

Rational design and optimization of downstream processes of virus particles for biopharmaceutical applications: current advances.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicente, Tiago; Mota, José P B; Peixoto, Cristina; Alves, Paula M; Carrondo, Manuel J T

2011-01-01

The advent of advanced therapies in the pharmaceutical industry has moved the spotlight into virus-like particles and viral vectors produced in cell culture holding great promise in a myriad of clinical targets, including cancer prophylaxis and treatment. Even though a couple of cases have reached the clinic, these products have yet to overcome a number of biological and technological challenges before broad utilization. Concerning the manufacturing processes, there is significant research focusing on the optimization of current cell culture systems and, more recently, on developing scalable downstream processes to generate material for pre-clinical and clinical trials. We review the current options for downstream processing of these complex biopharmaceuticals and underline current advances on knowledge-based toolboxes proposed for rational optimization of their processing. Rational tools developed to increase the yet scarce knowledge on the purification processes of complex biologicals are discussed as alternative to empirical, "black-boxed" based strategies classically used for process development. Innovative methodologies based on surface plasmon resonance, dynamic light scattering, scale-down high-throughput screening and mathematical modeling for supporting ion-exchange chromatography show great potential for a more efficient and cost-effective process design, optimization and equipment prototyping. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Channel erosion in a rapidly urbanizing region of Tijuana, Mexico: Enlargement downstream of channel hardpoints

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Kristine; Biggs, Trent; Langendoen, Eddy; Castillo, Carlos; Gudiño, Napoleon; Yuan, Yongping; Liden, Douglas

2016-04-01

Urban-induced erosion in Tijuana, Mexico, has led to excessive sediment deposition in the Tijuana Estuary in the United States. Urban areas in developing countries, in contrast to developed countries, are characterized by much lower proportions of vegetation and impervious surfaces due to limited access to urban services such as road paving and landscaping, and larger proportions of exposed soils. In developing countries, traditional watershed scale variables such as impervious surfaces may not be good predictors of channel enlargement. In this research, we surveyed the stream channel network of an erodible tributary of the Tijuana River Watershed, Los Laureles Canyon, at 125 locations, including repeat surveys from 2008. Structure from Motion (SfM) and 3D photo-reconstruction techniques were used to create digital terrain models of stream reaches upstream and downstream of channel hardpoints. Channels are unstable downstream of hardpoints, with incision up to 2 meters and widening up to 12 meters. Coordinated channelization is essential to avoid piece-meal approaches that lead to channel degradation. Watershed impervious area is not a good predictor of channel erosion due to the overriding importance of hardpoints and likely to the high sediment supply from the unpaved roads which prevents channel erosion throughout the stream network.

Numerical Simulation of Missouri River Bed Evolution Downstream of Gavins Point Dam

Science.gov (United States)

Sulaiman, Z. A.; Blum, M. D.; Lephart, G.; Viparelli, E.

2016-12-01

The Missouri River originates in the Rocky Mountains in western Montana and joins the Mississippi River near Saint Louis, Missouri. In the 1900s dam construction and river engineering works, such as river alignment, narrowing and bank protections were performed in the Missouri River basin to control the flood flows, ensure navigation and use the water for agricultural, industrial and municipal needs, for the production of hydroelectric power generation and for recreation. These projects altered the flow and the sediment transport regimes in the river and the exchange of sediment between the river and the adjoining floodplain. Here we focus on the long term effect of dam construction and channel narrowing on the 1200 km long reach of the Missouri River between Gavins Point Dam, Nebraska and South Dakota, and the confluence with the Mississippi River. Field observations show that two downstream migrating waves of channel bed degradation formed in this reach in response to the changes in flow regime, sediment load and channel geometry. We implemented a one dimensional morphodynamic model for large, low slope sand bed rivers, we validated the model at field scale by comparing the numerical results with the available field data and we use the model to 1) predict the magnitude and the migration rate of the waves of degradation at engineering time scales ( 150 years into the future), 2) quantify the changes in the sand load delivered to the Mississippi River, where field observations at Thebes, i.e. downstream of Saint Louis, suggest a decline in the mean annual sand load in the past 50 years, and 3) identify the role of the main tributaries - Little Sioux River, Platte River and Kansas River - on the wave migration speed and the annual sand load in the Missouri River main channel.

Purifying fluoride-contaminated water by a novel forward osmosis design with enhanced flux under reduced concentration polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Pal, Madhubonti; Chakrabortty, Sankha; Pal, Parimal; Linnanen, Lassi

2015-08-01

For purifying fluoride-contaminated water, a new forward osmosis scheme in horizontal flat-sheet cross flow module was designed and investigated. Effects of pressure, cross flow rate, draw solution and alignment of membrane module on separation and flux were studied. Concentration polarization and reverse salt diffusion got significantly reduced in the new hydrodynamic regime. This resulted in less membrane fouling, better solute separation and higher pure water flux than in a conventional module. The entire scheme was completed in two stages-an upstream forward osmosis for separating pure water from contaminated water and a downstream nanofiltration operation for continuous recovery and recycle of draw solute. Synchronization of these two stages of operation resulted in a continuous, steady-state process. From a set of commercial membranes, two polyamide composite membranes were screened out for the upstream and downstream filtrations. A 0.3-M NaCl solution was found to be the best one for forward osmosis draw solution. Potable water with less than 1% residual fluoride could be produced at a high flux of 60-62 L m(-2) h(-1) whereas more than 99% draw solute could be recovered and recycled in the downstream nanofiltration stage from where flux was 62-65 L m(-2) h(-1).

Beams of mass-selected clusters: realization and first experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamalou, O.

2007-04-01

The main objective of this work concerns the production of beams of mass-selected clusters of metallic and semiconductor materials. Clusters are produced in magnetron sputtering source combined with a gas aggregation chamber, cooled by liquid nitrogen circulation. Downstream of the cluster source, a Wiley-McLaren time-of-flight setup allows to select a given cluster size or a narrow size range. The pulsed mass-selected cluster ion beam is separated from the continuous neutral one by an electrostatic 90-quadrupole deflector. After the deflector, the density of the pulsed beam amounts to about 10 3 particles/cm 3 . Preliminary deposition experiments of mass-selected copper clusters with a deposition energy of about 0.5 eV/atom have ben performed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates, indicating that copper clusters are evidently mobile on the HOPG-surface until they reach cleavage steps, dislocation lines or other surface defects. In order to lower the cluster mobility on the HOPG-surface, we have first irradiated HOPG samples with slow highly charged ions (high dose) in order to create superficial defects. In a second step we have deposited mass-selected copper clusters on these pre-irradiated samples. The first analysis by AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) techniques showed that the copper clusters are trapped on the defects produced by the highly charged ions. (author)

Analysis of the effects of human activities on the hydromorphological evolution channel of the Saint-Maurice River downstream from La Gabelle dam (Quebec, Canada)

Science.gov (United States)

Vadnais, Marie-Ève; Assani, Ali A.; Landry, Raphaëlle; Leroux, Denis; Gratton, Denis

2012-11-01

During the first half of the twentieth century, many hydroelectric facilities were built in the Saint-Maurice River watershed, followed by other human activities in the second half of the century (pleasure boating, boom dismantling, urbanization, etc.). The goal of the study is to constrain the effects of these various types of human activities, particularly those of the many dams in the watershed, on the hydromorphological evolution of the Saint-Maurice River downstream from the La Gabelle (dam) power plant (43,000 km2). Comparison of specific discharge in this river with streamflow measured in a natural river setting reveals a significant decrease in seasonal maximum flows, aside from winter, when daily maximum flows increased significantly. Also, unlike natural rivers, the long-term trend in spring flows is not characterized by a significant change in mean downstream from the La Gabelle plant. These hydrological changes are linked to the inversion-type management mode of the reservoirs built downstream from the plant. As for the morphological evolution, the longitudinal variability of bankfull width downstream from the plant shows two significant shifts in mean: the first, which was quasi-abrupt, took place downstream of the des Forges rapid; and the second, which was gradual, occurred upstream from the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River with the St. Lawrence River, above the point where the Saint-Maurice splits into two branches. Comparison of aerial photographs taken at various times (1948, 1964, 1975, 1996, and 2008) reveals no significant change in the mean of bankfull width over time. However, a significant increase in the surface area of islets located at the confluence was observed, which is caused by sediment accumulation. These sediments were likely derived from local bank erosion resulting from anthropogenic changes.

Importance of pressure reducing valves (PRVs) in water supply networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Signoreti, R. O. S.; Camargo, R. Z.; Canno, L. M.; Pires, M. S. G.; Ribeiro, L. C. L. J.

2016-08-01

Challenged with the high rate of leakage from water supply systems, these managers are committed to identify control mechanisms. In order to standardize and control the pressure Pressure Reducing Valves (VRP) are installed in the supply network, shown to be more effective and provide a faster return for the actual loss control measures. It is known that the control pressure is while controlling the occurrence of leakage. Usually the network is sectored in areas defined by pressure levels according to its topography, once inserted the VRP in the same system will limit the downstream pressure. This work aims to show the importance of VRP as loss reduction for tool.

Use of phosphorus to reduce blooms of the benthic diatom Didymosphenia geminata in an oligotrophic stream

Science.gov (United States)

James, Daniel A.; Bothwell, Max L.; Chipps, Steven R.; Carreiro, John

2015-01-01

Blooms of the benthic alga, Didymosphenia geminata [Lyngbye (Schmidt)], were first documented in Rapid Creek, South Dakota, in 2002 and have since been associated with changes to aquatic resources. Low concentration of P has been associated with D. geminata stalk development (i.e., blooms), so we considered elevating P as a possible method to reduce D. geminata blooms. We conducted 2 whole-stream P-enrichment experiments in Rapid Creek during 2007 and 2008. Enrichment with a slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote®: 14-14-14) in 2007 significantly reduced D. geminata blooms (indexed by D. geminata biomass) compared to upstream control sites. The reduction in biomass was less pronounced as distance from the enrichment source increased, a result indicating that P augmentation effectively decreased D. geminata biomass. In 2008, we implemented a before-after–control-impact (BACI) study to assess effects of a quick-release fertilizer (MAP: 11-52-0) on D. geminata biomass. The addition of 6 μg/L P to Rapid Creek resulted in a significant decrease in D. geminata biomass within 0.6 km downstream of the nutrient-addition point. Effects on D. geminata biomass were not evident further downstream. This study provides evidence to support the hypothesis that low P concentration regulates D. geminata blooms.

Complement Factor B is the Downstream Effector of Toll-Like Receptors and Plays an Important Role in a Mouse Model of Severe Sepsis¶

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Lin; Feng, Yan; Li, Yan; Zhang, Ming; Chen, Chan; Cai, Jiayan; Gong, Yu; Wang, Larry; Thurman, Joshua M.; Wu, Xiaobo; Atkinson, John P.; Chao, Wei

2013-01-01

Severe sepsis involves massive activation of the innate immune system and leads to high mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated that various types of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediate a systemic inflammatory response and contribute to organ injury and mortality in animal models of severe sepsis. However, the downstream mechanisms responsible for TLR-mediated septic injury are poorly understood. Here, we show that activation of TLR2, TLR3 and TLR4 markedly enhanced complement factor B (cfB) synthesis and release by macrophages and cardiac cells. Polymicrobial sepsis, created by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in a mouse model, augmented cfB levels in the serum, peritoneal cavity and major organs including the kidney and heart. CLP also led to the alternative pathway (AP) activation, C3 fragment deposition in the kidney and heart, and cfB-dependent C3dg elevation. Bacteria isolated from septic mice activated the serum AP via a factor D-dependent manner. MyD88 deletion attenuated cfB/C3 up-regulation as well as cleavage induced by polymicrobial infection. Importantly, during sepsis, absence of cfB conferred a protective effect with improved survival and cardiac function, and markedly attenuated acute kidney injury. cfB deletion also led to increased neutrophil migratory function during the early phase of sepsis, decreased local and systemic bacterial load, attenuated cytokine production and reduced neutrophil reactive oxygen species production. Together, our data indicate that cfB acts as a downstream effector of TLR signaling and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of severe bacterial sepsis. PMID:24154627

Laboratory selection for increased longevity in Drosophila melanogaster reduces field performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wit, Janneke; Kristensen, Torsten Nygaard; Sarup, Pernille

2013-01-01

, environmental temperature and longevity selection on performance in the fieldwas tested. Flies fromlongevity selected and control lines of different ages (2, 5, 10 and 15 days) were released in an environment free of natural food sources. Control flies were tested at low, intermediate and high temperatures......Drosophilamelanogaster is frequently used in ageing studies to elucidate whichmechanisms determine the onset and progress of senescence. Lines selected for increased longevity have often been shown to performaswell as or superior to control lines in life history, stress resistance and behavioural......,while longevity selected flieswere tested at the intermediate temperature only. The ability of flies to locate and reach a food sourcewas tested. Flies of intermediate agewere generally better at locating resources than both younger and older flies, where hot and cold environments accelerate the senescent decline...

Physical modeling of river spanning rock structures: Evaluating interstitial flow, local hydraulics, downstream scour development, and structure stability

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, K.L.; Thornton, C.I.; Mefford, B.; Holmquist-Johnson, C. L.

2009-01-01

Rock weir and ramp structures uniquely serve a necessary role in river management: to meet water deliveries in an ecologically sound manner. Uses include functioning as low head diversion dams, permitting fish passage, creating habitat diversity, and stabilizing stream banks and profiles. Existing information on design and performance of in-stream rock structures does not provide the guidance necessary to implement repeatable and sustainable construction and retrofit techniques. As widespread use of rock structures increases, the need for reliable design methods with a broad range of applicability at individual sites grows as well. Rigorous laboratory testing programs were implemented at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and at Colorado State University (CSU) as part of a multifaceted research project focused on expanding the current knowledge base and developing design methods to improve the success rate of river spanning rock structures in meeting project goals. Physical modeling at Reclamation is being used to measure, predict, and reduce interstitial flow through rock ramps. CSU is using physical testing to quantify and predict scour development downstream of rock weirs and its impact on the stability of rock structures. ?? 2009 ASCE.

Isotopic study of the effect of Tarbela reservoir on the groundwater system in the downstream areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sajjad, M.I.; Tasneem, M.A.; Hussain, S.D.; Khan, I.H.; Ali, M.; Latif, Z.

1994-04-01

Isotopic studies were carried out on the right side of river Indus, downstream of Tarbela dam to study the effect of Tarbela Reservoir on the groundwater system. The main objectives of the study were to determine the hydraulic connection, if any, between the Tarbela Lake and the groundwater appearing in the ponds near Gadon Amazai, see the effect of Tarbela dam on the groundwater system in the downstream areas, compute the relative contribution of different recharge sources towards groundwater system and to estimate residence time of groundwater in the area. Isotopic data reveals that the ponds near Gadoon Amazai area are being recharged by local rains and there is no contribution of Tarbela lake. The area around Gadoon Amazai, Topi and Kalabat is solely recharged by local rains while the area around Swabi, Zaida and Lahor has mixed recharge with major contribution from local canal system. Tritium data suggests that the residence time of groundwater in the study area varies from a few years to 30 years. Te groundwater in the area has low dissolved salt contents and is, generally, of good quality. (author) 19 figs

Continuous downstream processing for high value biological products: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zydney, Andrew L

2016-03-01

There is growing interest in the possibility of developing truly continuous processes for the large-scale production of high value biological products. Continuous processing has the potential to provide significant reductions in cost and facility size while improving product quality and facilitating the design of flexible multi-product manufacturing facilities. This paper reviews the current state-of-the-art in separations technology suitable for continuous downstream bioprocessing, focusing on unit operations that would be most appropriate for the production of secreted proteins like monoclonal antibodies. This includes cell separation/recycle from the perfusion bioreactor, initial product recovery (capture), product purification (polishing), and formulation. Of particular importance are the available options, and alternatives, for continuous chromatographic separations. Although there are still significant challenges in developing integrated continuous bioprocesses, recent technological advances have provided process developers with a number of attractive options for development of truly continuous bioprocessing operations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Compensation strategy to reduce geometry and mechanics mismatches in porous biomaterials built with Selective Laser Melting.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagheri, Zahra S; Melancon, David; Liu, Lu; Johnston, R Burnett; Pasini, Damiano

2017-06-01

The accuracy of Additive Manufacturing processes in fabricating porous biomaterials is currently limited by their capacity to render pore morphology that precisely matches its design. In a porous biomaterial, a geometric mismatch can result in pore occlusion and strut thinning, drawbacks that can inherently compromise bone ingrowth and severely impact mechanical performance. This paper focuses on Selective Laser Melting of porous microarchitecture and proposes a compensation scheme that reduces the morphology mismatch between as-designed and as-manufactured geometry, in particular that of the pore. A spider web analog is introduced, built out of Ti-6Al-4V powder via SLM, and morphologically characterized. Results from error analysis of strut thickness are used to generate thickness compensation relations expressed as a function of the angle each strut formed with the build plane. The scheme is applied to fabricate a set of three-dimensional porous biomaterials, which are morphologically and mechanically characterized via micro Computed Tomography, mechanically tested and numerically analyzed. For strut thickness, the results show the largest mismatch (60% from the design) occurring for horizontal members, reduces to 3.1% upon application of the compensation. Similar improvement is observed also for the mechanical properties, a factor that further corroborates the merit of the design-oriented scheme here introduced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection of monitoring times to assess remediation performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kueper, B.H.; Mundle, K. [Queen' s Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Civil Engineering, Geoengineering Centre

2007-07-01

Several factors determine the time needed for a plume to respond to non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zone remediation. Most spills of NAPLs (fuels, chlorinated solvents, PCB oils, creosote and coal tar) require mass removal in order to implement remediation technologies such as chemical oxidation, thermal treatments, alcohol flushing, surfactant flushing and hydraulic displacement. While much attention has been given to the development of these remediation technologies, little attention has been given to the response of the plume downstream of the treatment zone and selection of an appropriate monitoring time scale to adequately evaluate the impacts of remediation. For that reason, this study focused on the prevalence of diffusive sinks, the mobility of the contaminant and the hydraulic conductivity of subsurface materials. Typically, plumes in subsurface environments dominated by diffusive sinks or low permeability materials need long periods of time to detach after source removal. This paper presented generic plume response model simulations that illustrated concentration rebound following the use of in-situ chemical oxidation in fractured clay containing trichloroethylene. It was determined that approximately 2 years are needed to reach peak rebound concentration after cessation remedial action. It was concluded that downgradient monitoring well concentrations may be greatly reduced during remedial action due to the fact that oxidant occupies the fracture and because oxidant diffuses into the clay matrix, creating a short period of contaminant reduction in the area of flowing groundwater. 9 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs.

Selection of monitoring times to assess remediation performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kueper, B.H.; Mundle, K.

2007-01-01

Several factors determine the time needed for a plume to respond to non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zone remediation. Most spills of NAPLs (fuels, chlorinated solvents, PCB oils, creosote and coal tar) require mass removal in order to implement remediation technologies such as chemical oxidation, thermal treatments, alcohol flushing, surfactant flushing and hydraulic displacement. While much attention has been given to the development of these remediation technologies, little attention has been given to the response of the plume downstream of the treatment zone and selection of an appropriate monitoring time scale to adequately evaluate the impacts of remediation. For that reason, this study focused on the prevalence of diffusive sinks, the mobility of the contaminant and the hydraulic conductivity of subsurface materials. Typically, plumes in subsurface environments dominated by diffusive sinks or low permeability materials need long periods of time to detach after source removal. This paper presented generic plume response model simulations that illustrated concentration rebound following the use of in-situ chemical oxidation in fractured clay containing trichloroethylene. It was determined that approximately 2 years are needed to reach peak rebound concentration after cessation remedial action. It was concluded that downgradient monitoring well concentrations may be greatly reduced during remedial action due to the fact that oxidant occupies the fracture and because oxidant diffuses into the clay matrix, creating a short period of contaminant reduction in the area of flowing groundwater. 9 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs

Benchmarking Variable Selection in QSAR.

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund, Martin; Norinder, Ulf; Boyer, Scott; Carlsson, Lars

2012-02-01

Variable selection is important in QSAR modeling since it can improve model performance and transparency, as well as reduce the computational cost of model fitting and predictions. Which variable selection methods that perform well in QSAR settings is largely unknown. To address this question we, in a total of 1728 benchmarking experiments, rigorously investigated how eight variable selection methods affect the predictive performance and transparency of random forest models fitted to seven QSAR datasets covering different endpoints, descriptors sets, types of response variables, and number of chemical compounds. The results show that univariate variable selection methods are suboptimal and that the number of variables in the benchmarked datasets can be reduced with about 60 % without significant loss in model performance when using multivariate adaptive regression splines MARS and forward selection. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tailings transport and deposition downstream of the Northern Hercules (Moline) mine in the catchment of the Mary River, Northern Territory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cull, R.F.; East, T.J.; Marten, R.; Murray, A.S.; Duggan, K.

1986-01-01

Milling of uraniferous and other metalliferous ores at the Northern Hercules (Moline) Mine near Pine Creek produced some 246,000 tonnes of tailings between 1959 and the closure of the mill in 1972. During this period tailings were contained by several bunds which later failed resulting in the erosion and transport of tailings by tributaries of the Mary River. Suspended sediment concentrations as high as 94 g/L were recorded in Tailings Creek immediately downstream of the eroding tailings pile during the 1984/85 wet season and the total yield was equivalent to a mean erosion rate for the tailings area of 4 mm/yr. This erosion rate is about two orders of magnitude higher than natural rates in the Pine Creek area. Erosion rates of the tailings pile have, however, decreased perhaps by as much as a factor of eight since the last bund was breached. Radioactive dose rates recorded along a series of transects across floodplains downstream of the mill are consistently related to the sedimentary environment. The main channel is associated with low dose rates, and the relatively low energy environments of backswamps and flood bypass channels are characterised by higher dose rates. Longitudinally, dose rates on the floodplain generally decrease with distance downstream although the rate of decrease is not constant, and appears to be dependent upon the hydrological and geomorphic character of the catchment

Reduced Graphene Oxide-Gold Nanoparticle Nanoframework as a Highly Selective Separation Material for Aflatoxins.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Wenbo; Wu, Lidong; Fan, Kai; Nie, Dongxia; He, Weijing; Yang, Junhua; Zhao, Zhihui; Han, Zheng

2017-11-03

Graphene-based materials have been studied in many applications, owing to the excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties of graphene. In the current study, an environmentally friendly approach to the preparation of a reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticle (rGO-AuNP) nanocomposite was developed by using L-cysteine and vitamin C as reductants under mild reaction conditions. The rGO-AuNP material showed a highly selective separation ability for 6 naturally occurring aflatoxins, which are easily adsorbed onto traditional graphene materials but are difficult to be desorbed. The specificity of the nanocomposite was evaluated in the separation of 6 aflatoxin congeners (aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2, aflatoxin M1 and aflatoxin M2) from 23 other biotoxins (including, ochratoxin A, citrinin, and deoxynivalenol). The results indicated that this material was specific for separating aflatoxin congeners. The synthesized material was further validated by determining the recovery (77.6-105.0%), sensitivity (limit of detection in the range of 0.05-0.21 μg kg -1 ), and precision (1.5-11.8%), and was then successfully applied to the separation of aflatoxins from real-world maize, wheat and rice samples.

Economic feasibility of biochemical processes for the upgrading of crudes and the removal of sulfur, nitrogen, and trace metals from crude oil -- Benchmark cost establishment of biochemical processes on the basis of conventional downstream technologies. Final report FY95

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Premuzic, E.T.

1996-08-01

During the past several years, a considerable amount of work has been carried out showing that microbially enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is promising and the resulting biotechnology may be deliverable. At Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), systematic studies have been conducted which dealt with the effects of thermophilic and thermoadapted bacteria on the chemical and physical properties of selected types of crude oils at elevated temperatures and pressures. Current studies indicate that during the biotreatment several chemical and physical properties of crude oils are affected. The oils are (1) emulsified; (2) acidified; (3) there is a qualitative and quantitative change in light and heavy fractions of the crudes; (4) there are chemical changes in fractions containing sulfur compounds; (5) there is an apparent reduction in the concentration of trace metals; and (6) the qualitative and quantitative changes appear to be microbial species dependent; and (7) there is a distinction between biodegraded and biotreated oils. The downstream biotechnological crude oil processing research performed thus far is of laboratory scale and has focused on demonstrating the technical feasibility of downstream processing with different types of biocatalysts under a variety of processing conditions. Quantitative economic analysis is the topic of the present project which investigates the economic feasibility of the various biochemical downstream processes which hold promise in upgrading of heavy crudes, such as those found in California, e.g., Monterey-type, Midway Sunset, Honda crudes, and others.

The evolution of reduced antagonism--A role for host-parasite coevolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, A K; Stoy, K S; Gelarden, I A; Penley, M J; Lively, C M; Morran, L T

2015-11-01

Why do some host-parasite interactions become less antagonistic over evolutionary time? Vertical transmission can select for reduced antagonism. Vertical transmission also promotes coevolution between hosts and parasites. Therefore, we hypothesized that coevolution itself may underlie transitions to reduced antagonism. To test the coevolution hypothesis, we selected for reduced antagonism between the host Caenorhabditis elegans and its parasite Serratia marcescens. This parasite is horizontally transmitted, which allowed us to study coevolution independently of vertical transmission. After 20 generations, we observed a response to selection when coevolution was possible: reduced antagonism evolved in the copassaged treatment. Reduced antagonism, however, did not evolve when hosts or parasites were independently selected without coevolution. In addition, we found strong local adaptation for reduced antagonism between replicate host/parasite lines in the copassaged treatment. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that coevolution was critical to the rapid evolution of reduced antagonism. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Downstream natural gas in Europe - high hopes dashed for upstream oil and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikeland, P.O.

2007-01-01

Access for independents to retail gas markets was a central concern in European policy reform efforts in the 1990s. Upstream oil and gas companies reacted with strategic intentions of forward integration. By late 2004, forward integration was still weak, however. An important explanation of the gap between announced strategic re-orientation and actual strategy implementation lies in the political failure of EU member states to dismantle market barriers to entry for independents. Variations between companies in downstream strategy implementation are explained by variations in business opportunities and internal company factors. [Author

Downstream natural gas in Europe-High hopes dashed for upstream oil and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikeland, Per Ove

2007-01-01

Access for independents to retail gas markets was a central concern in European policy reform efforts in the 1990s. Upstream oil and gas companies reacted with strategic intentions of forward integration. By late 2004, forward integration was still weak, however. An important explanation of the gap between announced strategic re-orientation and actual strategy implementation lies in the political failure of EU member states to dismantle market barriers to entry for independents. Variations between companies in downstream strategy implementation are explained by variations in business opportunities and internal company factors

Distribution Pattern of Fe, Sr, Zr and Ca Elements as Particle Size Function in the Code River Sediments from Upstream to Downstream

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sri Murniasih; Muzakky

2007-01-01

The analysis of Fe, Sr, Zr and Ca elements concentration of granular sediment from upstream to downstream of Code river has been done. The aim of this research is to know the influence of particle size on the concentration of Fe, Sr, Zr and Ca elements in the Code river sediments from upstream to downstream and its distribution pattern. The instrument used was x-ray fluorescence with Si(Li) detector. Analysis results show that more Fe and Sr elements are very much found in 150 - 90 μm particle size, while Zr and Ca elements are very much found in < 90 μm particle size. Distribution pattern of Fe, Sr, Zr and Ca elements distribution in Code river sediments tends to increase relatively from upstream to downstream following its conductivity. The concentration of Fe, Sr, Zr and Ca elements are 1.49 ± 0.03 % - 5.93 ± 0.02 % ; 118.20 ± 10.73 ppm - 468.21 ± 20.36 ppm; 19.81 ppm ± 0.86 ppm - 76.36 ± 3.02 ppm and 3.22 ± 0.25 % - 11.40 ± 0.31 % successively. (author)

The fate of copepod populations in the Paranapanema River (São Paulo, Brazil, downstream from the Jurumirim dam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitsuka Patricia Maria

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The longitudinal changes in the structure of copepod populations were examined during the dry and rainy seasons in a 42 km stretch of the Paranapanema River downstream from the dam of the Jurumirim Reservoir. Samples were taken in the "lacustrine" zone of the reservoir near the dam, and also at 12 stations distributed in the middle and the lateral regions of the channel of the Paranapanema River downstream from the dam. The following species of Cyclopoida were found at the sites: Thermocyclops decipiens, Thermocyclops minutus, Paracyclops sp., Tropocyclops sp and Mesocyclops sp., and of Calanoida: Argyrodiaptomus furcatus, Notodiaptomus iheringi and Notodiaptomus conifer. In the reservoir sampling station, the copepod abundance during the dry and rainy seasons corresponded to 41 and 51% of the total zooplankton, respectively. This difference could be related to the rainfall and water level variations, and especially to the influence of variables such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll-a contents. No significant differences in organism numbers were recorded among samples of zooplankton taken in the middle and near-bank parts of the river. In relation to longitudinal variation in the Paranapanema River stretch, a significant decrease in density and disappearance of some species were recorded 11km downstream of the dam during the dry season. At the stations 32km from the dam, a drastic reduction in copepod abundance was observed in the rainy season. These observations could be linked not only to environmental changes from lentic to lotic conditions, but also to the combination of certain factors such as current velocity, water outflow of the reservoir, and rainfall.

Systems-wide analysis of BCR signalosomes and downstream phosphorylation and ubiquitylation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Satpathy, Shankha; Wagner, Sebastian A; Beli, Petra

2015-01-01

B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling is essential for the development and function of B cells; however, the spectrum of proteins involved in BCR signaling is not fully known. Here we used quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics to monitor the dynamics of BCR signaling complexes (signalosomes......) and to investigate the dynamics of downstream phosphorylation and ubiquitylation signaling. We identify most of the previously known components of BCR signaling, as well as many proteins that have not yet been implicated in this system. BCR activation leads to rapid tyrosine phosphorylation and ubiquitylation...... of the receptor-proximal signaling components, many of which are co-regulated by both the modifications. We illustrate the power of multilayered proteomic analyses for discovering novel BCR signaling components by demonstrating that BCR-induced phosphorylation of RAB7A at S72 prevents its association...

Modelling of the impact of biofouling on hydrodynamics downstream of a tidal turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Bennis, A. C.; Rivier, A.; Dauvin, J. C.

2016-02-01

Biological organisms, like barnacles, mussels or bryozoans, colonize rapidly an immersed surface and could form a thickness until several centimeters on it. This biofouling could modify hydrodynamics around tidal turbine by increasing drag and hence resistance and could be detrimental to the performance of turbine (e.g. Orme et al., 2001; Khor and Xiao, 2011). Our work focuses on modifications of vortices downstream of a tidal turbine due to biofouling using CFD. Fixed biological organisms are solved explicitly by the model and are considered by modifying the blade profile. Firstly an airfoil colonized by barnacles is modelled for various fouling height and spacing and results are compared to experimental and simulated data (Orme et al., 2001; Khor and Xiao, 2011) in order to assess the capacity of the model to reproduce the flow around a blade with biofouling. Then a Darrieus vertical axis tidal turbine is modelled using a dynamic mesh. Configuration with smooth clean blades is assessed by comparison with experiments and simulations made by Roa (2011) and Bossard (2012). Biological organisms with various heights, spacing and shapes are fixed on blades and wakes downstream of clean and colonized tidal turbine are compared. Vorticity fields around the tidal turbine are clearly modified when blades are colonized. Samples will be taken from location where farms are planned to be built (Alderney Race/Raz Blanchard) to characterize more precisely the characteristics of species which are liable to fix on tidal turbine.Reference:Bossard (2012). Doctoral dissertation, Université de Grenoble.Khor & Xiao. (2011). Ocean Eng, 38(10), 1065-1079. Orme et al. (2001). Marine Renewable Energy Conference, Newcastle.Roa (2011).Doctoral dissertation, Université de Grenoble.

A computational fluid dynamics modeling study of guide walls for downstream fish passage

Science.gov (United States)

Mulligan, Kevin; Towler, Brett; Haro, Alexander J.; Ahlfeld, David P.

2017-01-01

A partial-depth, impermeable guidance structure (or guide wall) for downstream fish passage is typically constructed as a series of panels attached to a floating boom and anchored across a water body (e.g. river channel, reservoir, or power canal). The downstream terminus of the wall is generally located nearby to a fish bypass structure. If guidance is successful, the fish will avoid entrainment in a dangerous intake structure (i.e. turbine intakes) while passing from the headpond to the tailwater of a hydroelectric facility through a safer passage route (i.e. the bypass). The goal of this study is to determine the combination of guide wall design parameters that will most likely increase the chance of surface-oriented fish being successfully guided to the bypass. To evaluate the flow field immediately upstream of a guide wall, a parameterized computational fluid dynamics model of an idealized power canal was constructed in © ANSYS Fluent v 14.5 (ANSYS Inc., 2012). The design parameters investigated were the angle and depth of the guide wall and the average approach velocity in the power canal. Results call attention to the importance of the downward to sweeping flow ratio and demonstrate how a change in guide wall depth and angle can affect this important hydraulic cue to out-migrating fish. The key findings indicate that a guide wall set at a small angle (15° is the minimum in this study) and deep enough such that sweeping flow dominant conditions prevail within the expected vertical distribution of fish approaching the structure will produce hydraulic conditions that are more likely to result in effective passage.

Vertical Integration and Reverse Engineering of Agricultural Enterprises

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Gang; WU; Yong; DU

2014-01-01

This paper studies the potential effects of agricultural enterprise’s vertical integration and reverse engineering on downstream firms.Suppliers who invest reverse engineering technology can exploit customer’s information. An integrated supplier can obtain at no cost the information from its subsidiary. Based on repeated game and considered corporate " good" or " bad" type,this paper analysis supplier’s selection and downstream investment in innovation. The results showed that: when the cost is higher than the threshold value no company invest in reverse engineering,when the cost is lower than the threshold value the integration company invest in reverse engineering; in the second period,vertical integration reduce the downstream independent enterprise’s innovation investment and profits,integrated enterprise increase innovation investment and profits; during the first period of the game,the independent downstream firms being " completely foreclosure".

Digit-Recurrence Dividers with Reduced Logical Depth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antelo, Elisardo; Lang, Tomas; Montuschi, Paolo

2005-01-01

In this paper, we propose a class of division algorithms with the aim of reducing the delay of the selection of the quotient digit by introducing more concurrency and flexibility in its computation. From the proposed class of algorithms, we select one that moves part of the selection function out...

Mixed reverse micelles facilitated downstream processing of lipase involving water-oil-water liquid emulsion membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhowal, Saibal; Priyanka, B S; Rastogi, Navin K

2014-01-01

Our earlier work for the first time demonstrated that liquid emulsion membrane (LEM) containing reverse micelles could be successfully used for the downstream processing of lipase from Aspergillus niger. In the present work, we have attempted to increase the extraction and purification fold of lipase by using mixed reverse micelles (MRM) consisting of cationic and nonionic surfactants in LEM. It was basically prepared by addition of the internal aqueous phase solution to the organic phase followed by the redispersion of the emulsion in the feed phase containing enzyme, which resulted in globules of water-oil-water (WOW) emulsion for the extraction of lipase. The optimum conditions for maximum lipase recovery (100%) and purification fold (17.0-fold) were CTAB concentration 0.075 M, Tween 80 concentration 0.012 M, at stirring speed of 500 rpm, contact time 15 min, internal aqueous phase pH 7, feed pH 9, KCl concentration 1 M, NaCl concentration 0.1 M, and ratio of membrane emulsion to feed volume 1:1. Incorporation of the nonionic surfactant (e.g., Tween 80) resulted in remarkable improvement in the purification fold (3.1-17.0) of the lipase. LEM containing a mixture of nonionic and cationic surfactants can be successfully used for the enhancement in the activity recovery and purification fold during downstream processing of enzymes/proteins. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Cs-137 and Co-60 concentrations in water from the Savannah River and water-treatment plants downstream of SRP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

In preparation for restart of L-Reactor, a comprehensive environmental sampling and analysis program was initiated in March 1983 to determine Cs-137 concentrations in off-site water downstream from Savannah River Plant (SRP). Concentrations of Co-60 also are determined in this sampling and analysis program. This report summarizes the first three months of results. Cesium-137 concentrations are reported for finished water from the Beaufort-Jasper, Port Wentworth and North Augusta water treatment plants for weekly continuous samples during April through June 1983. The very low concentrations of cesium-137 in finished water from downstream water treatment plants showed significant changes during this time. The changes in concentration occurred smoothly and correlate with changes in river flow. No changes in concentration during April through June can be attributed to L-Reactor's only cold water test which occurred June 8 and 9. No Co-60 was observed in any samples

SWAT Model Prediction of Phosphorus Loading in a South Carolina Karst Watershed with a Downstream Embayment

Science.gov (United States)

Devendra M. Amatya; Manoj K. Jha; Thomas M. Williams; Amy E. Edwards; Daniel R.. Hitchcock

2013-01-01

The SWAT model was used to predict total phosphorus (TP) loadings for a 1555-ha karst watershed—Chapel Branch Creek (CBC)—which drains to a lake via a reservoir-like embayment (R-E). The model was first tested for monthly streamflow predictions from tributaries draining three potential source areas as well as the downstream R-E, followed by TP loadings using data...

Methodology to identify the location of shoals of fish downstream from hydroelectric power plant; Metodologia para identificar a locacao de cardumes de peixes a jusante de UHE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez, C.B.; Viana, E.M.F.; Faria, M.T.C. de [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas Hidraulicas e Recursos Hidricos], Emails: martinez@cce.ufmg.br, ednamariafaria@ufmg.br, mtcdf@uol.com.br

2009-07-01

The location identification of fish shoals at the downstream of an hydroelectric power plants is a task of importance especially when one takes into account the need to identify possible locations for the deployment of fish transportation mechanism. This paper presents a methodology based on the use of reduced models, which will be operated during the biological testing, under flow and conditions similar to the field where will be included shoals of fish. These groups will be observed during a period of time under varying conditions of discharge of hydraulic turbines. At the end of this observation it can be identified preferential location areas of fish shoals that will be evaluated later in order to install transposition systems in the place.

Selective ethanol production from reducing sugars in a saccharide mixture.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohara, Satoshi; Kato, Taku; Fukushima, Yasuhiro; Sakoda, Akiyoshi

2013-05-01

Fermentation profiles of four different yeasts reportedly defective in sucrose utilization indicate that all strains tested removed particular sugar via selective conversion to ethanol in a saccharide mixture. At the temperature of pressed sugarcane juice, Saccharomyces dairenensis and Saccharomyces transvaalensis performed better in ethanol production rate and yield, respectively. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Thioredoxin Domain of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae PilB can use Electrons from DsbD to Reduce Downstream Methionine Sulfoxide Reductases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brot,N.; Collet, J.; Johnson, L.; Jonsson, T.; Weissbach, H.; Lowther, W.

2006-01-01

The PilB protein from Neisseria gonorrhoeae is located in the periplasm and made up of three domains. The N-terminal, thioredoxin-like domain (NT domain) is fused to tandem methionine sulfoxide reductase A and B domains (MsrA/B). We show that the {alpha} domain of Escherichia coli DsbD is able to reduce the oxidized NT domain, which suggests that DsbD in Neisseria can transfer electrons from the cytoplasmic thioredoxin to the periplasm for the reduction of the MsrA/B domains. An analysis of the available complete genomes provides further evidence for this proposition in other bacteria where DsbD/CcdA, Trx, MsrA, and MsrB gene homologs are all located in a gene cluster with a common transcriptional direction. An examination of wild-type PilB and a panel of Cys to Ser mutants of the full-length protein and the individually expressed domains have also shown that the NT domain more efficiently reduces the MsrA/B domains when in the polyprotein context. Within this framework there does not appear to be a preference for the NT domain to reduce the proximal MsrA domain over MsrB domain. Finally, we report the 1.6 {angstrom} crystal structure of the NT domain. This structure confirms the presence of a surface loop that makes it different from other membrane-tethered, Trx-like molecules including TlpA, CcmG and ResA. Subtle differences are observed in this loop when compared to the N. meningitidis NT domain structure. The data taken together supports the formation of specific NT domain interactions with the MsrA/B domains and its in vivo recycling partner, DsbD.

Influences of body size and environmental factors on autumn downstream migration of bull trout in the Boise River, Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Monnot, L.; Dunham, J.B.; Hoem, T.; Koetsier, P.

2008-01-01

Many fishes migrate extensively through stream networks, yet patterns are commonly described only in terms of the origin and destination of migration (e.g., between natal and feeding habitats). To better understand patterns of migration in bull trout,Salvelinus confluentus we studied the influences of body size (total length [TL]) and environmental factors (stream temperature and discharge) on migrations in the Boise River basin, Idaho. During the autumns of 2001-2003, we tracked the downstream migrations of 174 radio-tagged bull trout ranging in size from 21 to 73 cm TL. The results indicated that large bull trout (>30 cm) were more likely than small fish to migrate rapidly downstream after spawning in headwater streams in early autumn. Large bull trout also had a higher probability of arriving at the current terminus of migration in the system, Arrowrock Reservoir. The rate of migration by small bull trout was more variable and individuals were less likely to move into Arrowrock Reservoir. The rate of downstream migration by all fish was slower when stream discharge was greater. Temperature was not associated with the rate of migration. These findings indicate that fish size and environmentally related changes in behavior have important influences on patterns of migration. In a broader context, these results and other recent work suggest, at least in some cases, that commonly used classifications of migratory behavior may not accurately reflect the full range of behaviors and variability among individuals (or life stages) and environmental conditions. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2008.

A life cycle framework to support materials selection for Ecodesign: A case study on biodegradable polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro, I.; Peças, P.; Henriques, E.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Life cycle framework to support material selection in Ecodesign. • Early design stage estimates and sensitivity analyses based on process-based models. • Sensitivity analysis to product geometry, industrial context and EoL scenarios. • Cost and environmental performance comparison – BDP vs. fossil based polymers. • Best alternatives mapping integrating cost and environmental performances. - Abstract: Nowadays society compels designers to develop more sustainable products. Ecodesign directs product design towards the goal of reducing environmental impacts. Within Ecodesign, materials selection plays a major role on product cost and environmental performance throughout its life cycle. This paper proposes a comprehensive life cycle framework to support Ecodesign in material selection. Dealing with new materials and technologies in early design stages, process-based models are used to represent the whole life cycle and supply integrated data to assess material alternatives, considering cost and environmental dimensions. An integrated analysis is then proposed to support decision making by mapping the best alternative materials according to the importance given to upstream and downstream life phases and to the environmental impacts. The proposed framework is applied to compare the life cycle performance of injection moulded samples made of four commercial biodegradable polymers with different contents of Thermo Plasticized Starch and PolyLactic Acid and a common fossil based polymer, Polypropylene. Instead of labelling materials just as “green”, the need to fully capture all impacts in the whole life cycle was shown. The fossil based polymer is the best economic alternative, but polymers with higher content of Thermo Plasticized Starch have a better environmental performance. However, parts geometry and EoL scenarios play a major role on the life cycle performance of candidate materials. The selection decision is then supported by mapping

Freezing fecal samples prior to DNA extraction affects the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio determined by downstream quantitative PCR analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahl, Martin Iain; Bergström, Anders; Licht, Tine Rask

2012-01-01

Freezing stool samples prior to DNA extraction and downstream analysis is widely used in metagenomic studies of the human microbiota but may affect the inferred community composition. In this study, DNA was extracted either directly or following freeze storage of three homogenized human fecal...

Freezing fecal samples prior to DNA extraction affects the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio determined by downstream quantitative PCR analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahl, Martin Iain; Bergström, Anders; Licht, Tine Rask

Freezing stool samples prior to DNA extraction and downstream analysis is widely used in metagenomic studies of the human microbiota but may affect the inferred community composition. In this study DNA was extracted either directly or following freeze storage of three homogenized human fecal...

OCT4 and downstream factors are expressed in human somatic urogenital epithelia and in culture of epididymal spheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Audouze, Karine Marie Laure; Brunak, Søren; Kristensen, DM

2010-01-01

and microdissected tissues, in situ hybridisation, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting to show that OCT4 and SOX2 together with downstream targets, UTF1 and REX1, are expressed in the human male urogenital tract. We further supported these results by analysis of DNA methylation of a region in the OCT4...

Upstream and Downstream Co-inhibition of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathways in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew H. Wong

2016-07-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Extensive cross talk exists between PI3K/Akt/mTOR and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK pathways, and both are upregulated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC. Our previous study suggested that epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor erlotinib which acts upstream of these pathways acts synergistically with PI3K inhibitors in PDAC. Horizontal combined blockade upstream and downstream of these two pathways is therefore explored. METHODS: Erlotinib paired with PI3K inhibitor (BYL719 was tested against erlotinib plus dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ-235, and MEK inhibitor (PD98059 plus BEZ235, on five primary PDAC cell lines and on two pairs of parent and erlotinib-resistant (ER cell lines. A range of in vitro assays including cell proliferation, Western blotting, migration, clonogenic, cell cycle, and apopotic assays was used to test for the efficacy of combined blockade. RESULTS: Dual downstream blockade of the MAPK and PAM pathways was more effective in attenuating downstream molecular signals. Synergy was demonstrated for erlotinib and BEZ235 and for PD-98059 and BEZ-235. This resulted in a trend of increased growth cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and colony and migration suppression. This combination showed more efficacy in cell lines with acquired resistance to erlotinib. CONCLUSIONS: The additional mTOR blockade provided by BEZ235 in combined blockade resulted in increased anticancer effect. The hypersensitivity of ER cell lines to additional mTOR blockade suggested PAM pathway oncogenic dependence via mTOR. Dual downstream combined blockade of MAPK and PAM pathways with MEK and PI3K/mTOR inhibitor appeared most effective and represents an attractive therapeutic strategy against pancreatic cancer and its associated drug resistance.

Thinking like a trader selectively reduces individuals' loss aversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokol-Hessner, Peter; Hsu, Ming; Curley, Nina G; Delgado, Mauricio R; Camerer, Colin F; Phelps, Elizabeth A

2009-03-31

Research on emotion regulation has focused upon observers' ability to regulate their emotional reaction to stimuli such as affective pictures, but many other aspects of our affective experience are also potentially amenable to intentional cognitive regulation. In the domain of decision-making, recent work has demonstrated a role for emotions in choice, although such work has generally remained agnostic about the specific role of emotion. Combining psychologically-derived cognitive strategies, physiological measurements of arousal, and an economic model of behavior, this study examined changes in choices (specifically, loss aversion) and physiological correlates of behavior as the result of an intentional cognitive regulation strategy. Participants were on average more aroused per dollar to losses relative to gains, as measured with skin conductance response, and the difference in arousal to losses versus gains correlated with behavioral loss aversion across subjects. These results suggest a specific role for arousal responses in loss aversion. Most importantly, the intentional cognitive regulation strategy, which emphasized "perspective-taking," uniquely reduced both behavioral loss aversion and arousal to losses relative to gains, largely by influencing arousal to losses. Our results confirm previous research demonstrating loss aversion while providing new evidence characterizing individual differences and arousal correlates and illustrating the effectiveness of intentional regulation strategies in reducing loss aversion both behaviorally and physiologically.

Percolation model for a selective response of the resistance of composite semiconducting np systems with respect to reducing gases

Science.gov (United States)

Russ, Stefanie

2014-08-01

It is shown that a two-component percolation model on a simple cubic lattice can explain an experimentally observed behavior [Savage et al., Sens. Actuators B 79, 17 (2001), 10.1016/S0925-4005(01)00843-7; Sens. Actuators B 72, 239 (2001)., 10.1016/S0925-4005(00)00676-6], namely, that a network built up by a mixture of sintered nanocrystalline semiconducting n and p grains can exhibit selective behavior, i.e., respond with a resistance increase when exposed to a reducing gas A and with a resistance decrease in response to another reducing gas B. To this end, a simple model is developed, where the n and p grains are simulated by overlapping spheres, based on realistic assumptions about the gas reactions on the grain surfaces. The resistance is calculated by random walk simulations with nn, pp, and np bonds between the grains, and the results are found in very good agreement with the experiments. Contrary to former assumptions, the np bonds are crucial to obtain this accordance.

WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN: A LAGRANGIAN STUDY OF POTENTIAL CHEMICAL IDICATORS OF FECAL CONTAMINATION DOWNSTREAM FROM WASTEWATER PLANTS

Science.gov (United States)

In earlier studies, we have determined that pharmaceuticals and other compounds found in household wastewater (such as surfactants, disinfectants, and scenting agents) are present in the effluent from wastewater treatment plants, and persist downstream from the facilities. To ob...

Selected Aspects of the Copenhagen Economics Study on Reduced VAT Rates in the Current Conditions of the Moravian-Silesian Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kateřina Randová

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with a long-debated issue of the application of value added tax rates to labour-intensive services. The level of value added tax rates has a dominant influence on the tax liability of suppliers of these services and subsequently on the amount of available funds that they could use for development of their business. The aim of this paper is a presentation of results of the student grant Quantification of Impacts of Application of Reduced Value Added Tax Rate to Locally Supplied Services on the Suppliers of these Services”, which is focused on selected aspects of the “Study on reduced VAT applied to goods and services in the Member States of the European Union” in the conditions of the providers of these services from the Moravian-Silesian Region. For this paper the methods of regression analysis and analysis of variance – ANOVA were used. The deductive method and method of analysis have also been used.

Downstream process for production of a viable and stable Bacillus cereus aquaculture biological agent

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Lalloo, R

2010-03-01

Full Text Available , 604 Robertson JL (1998) The use of probiotics in the diet of dogs. 605 J Nutri 128:2730S–2732S 606 Brar SK, Verma M, Tyagi RD, Valéro JR (2006) Recent advances in 607 downstream processing and formulations of Bacillus thuringien- 608 sis based..., Menasveta P (2000) Some recent issues and innovations in 630 marine shrimp pond culture. Rev Fish Sci 8:151–233 631 Gatesoupe FJ (1999) The use of probiotics in aquaculture. Aquacul- 632 ture 180:147–165 633 Guetsky R, Shtienberg Y, Elad Y, Fischer E...

Reduced auditory processing capacity during vocalization in children with Selective Mutism.

Science.gov (United States)

Arie, Miri; Henkin, Yael; Lamy, Dominique; Tetin-Schneider, Simona; Apter, Alan; Sadeh, Avi; Bar-Haim, Yair

2007-02-01

Because abnormal Auditory Efferent Activity (AEA) is associated with auditory distortions during vocalization, we tested whether auditory processing is impaired during vocalization in children with Selective Mutism (SM). Participants were children with SM and abnormal AEA, children with SM and normal AEA, and normally speaking controls, who had to detect aurally presented target words embedded within word lists under two conditions: silence (single task), and while vocalizing (dual task). To ascertain specificity of auditory-vocal deficit, effects of concurrent vocalizing were also examined during a visual task. Children with SM and abnormal AEA showed impaired auditory processing during vocalization relative to children with SM and normal AEA, and relative to control children. This impairment is specific to the auditory modality and does not reflect difficulties in dual task per se. The data extends previous findings suggesting that deficient auditory processing is involved in speech selectivity in SM.

Critical interactionism: an upstream-downstream approach to health care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Diane Cocozza; Burbank, Patricia M

2011-01-01

Currently, per capita health care expenditures in the United States are more than 20% higher than any other country in the world and more than twice the average expenditure for European countries, yet the United States ranks 37th in life expectancy. Clearly, the health care system is not succeeding in improving the health of the US population with its focus on illness care for individuals. A new theoretical approach, critical interactionism, combines symbolic interactionism and critical social theory to provide a guide for addressing health care problems from both an upstream and downstream approach. Concepts of meaning from symbolic interactionism and emancipation from critical perspective move across system levels to inform and reform health care for individuals, organizations, and societies. This provides a powerful approach for health care reform, moving back and forth between the micro and macro levels. Areas of application to nursing practice with several examples (patients with obesity; patients who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender; workplace bullying and errors), nursing education, and research are also discussed.

Numerical investigation on practicability of reducing MCST by using grid spacer in a tight rod bundle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Xiaojing; Morooka, Shinichi; Oka, Yoshiaki

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Standard grid spacer design causes decreased heat transfer in a tight rod bundle. • Heat transfer is greatly enhanced by flow-enhancing features. • Swirling flow adversely affects the heat transfer downstream of grid spacer. • Enhanced heat transfer by existing grid spacer is limited in a short region. • Improved grid spacer can effectively reduce MCST. - Abstract: The numerical investigation was carried out to reveal the practicability of reducing the maximum cladding surface temperature (MCST) within the inner sub-channel of a tight, hexagon rod bundle using commercial CFD code STAR CCM+ 6.04. The special heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics caused by four existing grid spacer designs were discussed in detail by analyzing the effects of grid strap length, different flow enhancing features and different Reynolds numbers. It was found that the local heat transfer within the grid strap is greatly enhanced due to the raised flow velocity. Both the standard grid spacer and the grid spacer with split-vanes cause decreased heat transfer in the downstream region. The friction drag is very influential in the tight rod bundle and can eliminate the positive effect of flow blockage on the heat transfer performance. The grid spacer with flow blockage discs induces relatively good heat transfer performance and higher pressure drop within sub-channels, indicating a tradeoff between the heat transfer augmentation and the pressure drop. The combination of multiple existing grid spacers can reduce the MCST to a certain level, but the corresponding disadvantages cannot be ignored. The improved grid spacer design was proposed based on the overall considerations of heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics and has been proved more suitable to widely reduce MCST for SCWR than any other grid spacer designs involved in present study

Quantitative Infrared Image Analysis Of Simultaneous Upstream and Downstream Microgravity Flame Spread over Thermally-Thin Cellulose in Low Speed Forced Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, S. L.; Lee, J. R.; Fujita, O.; Kikuchi, M.; Kashiwagi, T.

2013-01-01

The effect of low velocity forced flow on microgravity flame spread is examined using quantitative analysis of infrared video imaging. The objective of the quantitative analysis is to provide insight into the mechanisms of flame spread in microgravity where the flame is able to spread from a central location on the fuel surface, rather than from an edge. Surface view calibrated infrared images of ignition and flame spread over a thin cellulose fuel were obtained along with a color video of the surface view and color images of the edge view using 35 mm color film at 2 Hz. The cellulose fuel samples were mounted in the center of a 12 cm wide by 16 cm tall flow duct and were ignited in microgravity using a straight hot wire across the center of the 7.5 cm wide by 14 cm long samples. Four cases, at 1 atm. 35%O2 in N2, at forced flows from 2 cm/s to 20 cm/s are presented here. This flow range captures flame spread from strictly upstream spread at low flows, to predominantly downstream spread at high flow. Surface temperature profiles are evaluated as a function of time, and temperature gradients for upstream and downstream flame spread are measured. Flame spread rates from IR image data are compared to visible image spread rate data. IR blackbody temperatures are compared to surface thermocouple readings to evaluate the effective emissivity of the pyrolyzing surface. Preheat lengths and pyrolysis lengths are evaluated both upstream and downstream of the central ignition point. A surface energy balance estimates the net heat flux from the flame to the fuel surface along the length of the fuel. Surface radiative loss and gas-phase radiation from soot are measured relative to the net heat feedback from the flame. At high surface heat loss relative to heat feedback, the downstream flame spread does not occur.

A metabolic switch controls intestinal differentiation downstream of Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC).

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoval, Imelda T; Delacruz, Richard Glenn C; Miller, Braden N; Hill, Shauna; Olson, Kristofor A; Gabriel, Ana E; Boyd, Kevin; Satterfield, Christeena; Remmen, Holly Van; Rutter, Jared; Jones, David A

2017-04-11

Elucidating signaling pathways that regulate cellular metabolism is essential for a better understanding of normal development and tumorigenesis. Recent studies have shown that mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 (MPC1) , a crucial player in pyruvate metabolism, is downregulated in colon adenocarcinomas. Utilizing zebrafish to examine the genetic relationship between MPC1 and Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), a key tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer, we found that apc controls the levels of mpc1 and that knock down of mpc1 recapitulates phenotypes of impaired apc function including failed intestinal differentiation. Exogenous human MPC1 RNA rescued failed intestinal differentiation in zebrafish models of apc deficiency. Our data demonstrate a novel role for apc in pyruvate metabolism and that pyruvate metabolism dictates intestinal cell fate and differentiation decisions downstream of apc .

A large-area, spatially continuous assessment of land cover map error and its impact on downstream analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Estes, Lyndon; Chen, Peng; Debats, Stephanie; Evans, Tom; Ferreira, Stefanus; Kuemmerle, Tobias; Ragazzo, Gabrielle; Sheffield, Justin; Wolf, Adam; Wood, Eric; Caylor, Kelly

2018-01-01

Land cover maps increasingly underlie research into socioeconomic and environmental patterns and processes, including global change. It is known that map errors impact our understanding of these phenomena, but quantifying these impacts is difficult because many areas lack adequate reference data. We used a highly accurate, high-resolution map of South African cropland to assess (1) the magnitude of error in several current generation land cover maps, and (2) how these errors propagate in downstream studies. We first quantified pixel-wise errors in the cropland classes of four widely used land cover maps at resolutions ranging from 1 to 100 km, and then calculated errors in several representative "downstream" (map-based) analyses, including assessments of vegetative carbon stocks, evapotranspiration, crop production, and household food security. We also evaluated maps' spatial accuracy based on how precisely they could be used to locate specific landscape features. We found that cropland maps can have substantial biases and poor accuracy at all resolutions (e.g., at 1 km resolution, up to ∼45% underestimates of cropland (bias) and nearly 50% mean absolute error (MAE, describing accuracy); at 100 km, up to 15% underestimates and nearly 20% MAE). National-scale maps derived from higher-resolution imagery were most accurate, followed by multi-map fusion products. Constraining mapped values to match survey statistics may be effective at minimizing bias (provided the statistics are accurate). Errors in downstream analyses could be substantially amplified or muted, depending on the values ascribed to cropland-adjacent covers (e.g., with forest as adjacent cover, carbon map error was 200%-500% greater than in input cropland maps, but ∼40% less for sparse cover types). The average locational error was 6 km (600%). These findings provide deeper insight into the causes and potential consequences of land cover map error, and suggest several recommendations for land

40 CFR 80.524 - What sulfur content standard applies to motor vehicle diesel fuel downstream of the refinery or...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... to motor vehicle diesel fuel downstream of the refinery or importer? 80.524 Section 80.524 Protection... FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel; Nonroad, Locomotive, and Marine Diesel Fuel; and ECA Marine Fuel Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel Standards and Requirements § 80.524 What sulfur content standard...

Multilevel and kin selection in a connected world

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wade, Michael J; Wilson, David S; Goodnight, Charles

2010-01-01

in the opposition of two processes: within-group and among-group selection. This distinction is important in light of the current controversy among evolutionary biologists in which some continue to affirm that natural selection centres only and always at the level of the individual organism or gene, despite......Wild et al. argue that the evolution of reduced virulence can be understood from the perspective of inclusive fitness, obviating the need to evoke group selection as a contributing causal factor. Although they acknowledge the mathematical equivalence of the inclusive fitness and multilevel...... selection approaches, they conclude that reduced virulence can be viewed entirely as an individual-level adaptation by the parasite. Here we show that their model is a well-known special case of the more general theory of multilevel selection, and that the cause of reduced virulence resides...

Lahars at Cotopaxi and Tungurahua Volcanoes, Ecuador: Highlights from stratigraphy and observational records and related downstream hazards: Chapter 6

Science.gov (United States)

Mothes, Patricia A; Vallance, James W.

2015-01-01

Lahars are volcanic debris flows that are dubbed primary when triggered by eruptive activity or secondary when triggered by other factors such as heavy rainfall after eruptive activity has waned. Variation in time and space of the proportion of sediment to water within a lahar dictates lahar flow phase and the resultant sedimentary character of deposits. Characteristics of source material and of debris eroded and incorporated during flow downstream may strongly affect the grain-size composition of flowing lahars and their deposits. Lahars borne on the flanks of two steep-sided stratocones in Ecuador exemplify two important lahar types. Glacier-clad Cotopaxi volcano has been a producer of primary lahars that flow great distances downstream. Such primary lahars include those of both clast-rich and matrix-rich composition—some of which have flowed as far as 325 km to the Pacific Ocean. Cotopaxi's last important eruption in 1877 generated formidable syneruptive lahars comparable in size to those that buried Armero, Colombia, following the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano. In contrast, ash-producing eruptive activity during the past 15 years at Tungurahua volcano has generated a continual supply of fresh volcaniclastic debris that is regularly remobilized by precipitation. Between 2000 and 2011, 886 rain-generated lahars were registered at Tungurahua. These two volcanoes pose dramatically different hazards to nearby populations. At Tungurahua, the frequency and small sizes of lahars have resulted in effective mitigation measures. At Cotopaxi 137 years have passed since the last important lahar-producing eruption, and there is now a high-risk situation for more than 100,000 people living in downstream valleys.

Lateral and vertical channel movement and potential for bed-material movement on the Madison River downstream from Earthquake Lake, Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Chase, Katherine J.; McCarthy, Peter M.

2012-01-01

The 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake caused a massive landslide (Madison Slide) that dammed the Madison River and formed Earthquake Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers excavated a spillway through the Madison Slide to permit outflow from Earthquake Lake. In June 1970, high streamflows on the Madison River severely eroded the spillway channel and damaged the roadway embankment along U.S. Highway 287 downstream from the Madison Slide. Investigations undertaken following the 1970 flood events concluded that substantial erosion through and downstream from the spillway could be expected for streamflows greater than 3,500 cubic feet per second (ft3/s). Accordingly, the owners of Hebgen Dam, upstream from Earthquake Lake, have tried to manage releases from Hebgen Lake to prevent streamflows from exceeding 3,500 ft3/s measured at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gaging station 0638800 Madison River at Kirby Ranch, near Cameron, Montana. Management of flow releases from Hebgen Lake to avoid exceeding the threshold streamflow at USGS gaging station 06038800 is difficult, and has been questioned for two reasons. First, no road damage was reported downstream from the Earthquake Lake outlet in 1993, 1996, and 1997 when streamflows exceeded the 3,500-ft3/s threshold. Second, the 3,500-ft3/s threshold generally precludes releases of higher flows that could be beneficial to the blue-ribbon trout fishery downstream in the Madison River. In response to concerns about minimizing streamflow downstream from Earthquake Lake and the possible armoring of the spillway, the USGS, in cooperation with the Madison River Fisheries Technical Advisory Committee (MADTAC; Bureau of Land Management; Montana Department of Environmental Quality; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; PPL-Montana; U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service - Gallatin National Forest; and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), conducted a study to determine movement of the Madison River channel downstream from Earthquake Lake

Salinization may attack you from behind: upconing and related long-term downstream salinization in the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Olsthoorn, T.

2010-12-01

Groundwater from the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (GE: 52.35°N 4.55°E) has been used for the drinking water supply of Amsterdam since 1853. During the first half of the 20th century, severe intrusion and upconing occurred, with many of the wells turning brackish or saline. Already in 1903, the hydrologist/director of the Amsterdam Water Supply, Pennink, predicted this, based on his unique sand-box modeling, which he published in 1915 in the form of a large-size hard-bound book in four languages showing detailed black and white photographs of his tests. This book is now on the web: http://www.citg.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.jsp?id=68e12562-a4d2-489a-b82e-deca5dd32c42&lang=en Pennink devoted much of his work on saltwater upconing below wells, which he so feared. He simulated simultaneous flow of fresh and salt water, using milk to represent the saltwater having about the same density. With our current modeling tools, we can simulate his experiments, allowing to better understand his setup and even to verify our code. Pennink took interest in the way these cones form and in the point at which the salt water enters the screen. Surprizing, at least to many, is that this entry point is not necessarily the screen bottom. Measurements of the salinity distribution in salinized wells in the Amsterdam Water Supply Dune area confirmed this thirty years later when salinzation was severely occurring. The curved cone shape under ambient flow conditions provides part of the explanation why a short-term shut down of a well almost immediately diminishes salt concentrations, but salinization downstream of the wells in case with substantial lateral groundwater flow is not affected. Downstream salinization due to extraction was clearly shown in Pennink's experiments. However, the phenomenon seems still largely unknown or ignored. Downstream salinization also affects downstream heads for years after extraction has stopped. The presentation demonstrates and explains these local and more

Energy efficient selective reforming of hydrocarbons. ERA-NET Bioenergy. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodin, J.

2010-07-15

The research project 'Energy efficient selective reforming of hydrocarbons', funded by the Swedish and Energinet.dk Agency has now reached its end. The report is an overview of the work. Details of the work within the different areas can be found in the reports from each part. In this project, an innovative method for tar removal and reformation of hydrocarbons was investigated: Chemical Looping Reforming (CLR). This gas treatment has the potential to be economically competitive, reliable and environmentally friendly (due to higher energy efficiency, amongst others). The aim of the CLR is to 1) eliminate downstream problems with tar 2) simplify the energy recovery from the hot product gas 3) selectively save lighter hydrocarbons for the production of synthetic natural gas (SNG). A guarantor for the outcome of the project is the engagement of Goeteborg Energi, which has a commitment to build a 20 MW output SNG plant by 2012. DTU (Danish Technical University) is responsible for carrying out the laboratorial part, where different oxygen carriers for the CLR have been considering their capability of selectively reforming hydrocarbons. The conclusion was that, of the four carriers tested, the Mn and Ni40 was the most promising. CUT (Chalmers University of Technology) has installed a 600 W CLR unit connected to a slipstream from the gasifier. During the firing season 2010 the CLR has been tested with raw gas for 36 hours and the results so far show that the equipment works as intended and that it can reduce the amount of tars substantially. GE (Goeteborg Energi AB) together with SEP (Scandinavian Energy Project AB) and CUT have studied the integration of a methane production plant to an existing boiler. The main focus of the study has been the gasifier and the CLR. The integration of a 100 MW methane production plant is estimated to cost 1.3-2.4 billion SEK. The different work packages have altogether shown that a CLR is a possible solution to the tar problem

Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in Non-selected Outpatients With Schizophrenia: A 30-Month Program Conducted in a Real-life Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hjorth, Peter; Juel, Anette; Hansen, Mette Vinther; Madsen, Nikolaj Juul; Viuff, Anne Grethe; Munk-Jørgensen, Povl

2017-12-01

The most common cause of premature death in people with schizophrenia is cardiovascular disease, partially explained by an unhealthy lifestyle, smoking, poor diet and sedentary behavior. We aimed to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Naturalistic follow-up study with 54 long-term-treated non-selected outpatients with schizophrenia. The 30-month program consisted of individual guidance, group sessions and normal treatment and care offered in our clinic. On average, the participating women reduced their waist circumference by 11.4cm (P=0.037), whereas the participating men increased their waist circumference by 3.3cm (P=0.590). Patients' consumption of fast food was reduced from 1.2 to 0.8 times/week (P=0.016), just as their consumption of soft drinks was reduced from 0.7 to 0.1l/day (P=0.006). Their consumption of coffee increased from 1.6 to 2.5 cups/day (P=0.086). The time women spent on light physical activity increased from 134 to 469min/week (P=0.055). The number of daily cigarettes smoked was reduced by 25.7% for all smokers. Our program showed that it is possible for women but not for men to reduce their risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. The program is manageable in most outpatient clinics and can be performed by nursing staff interested in physical health with support from and in cooperation with medical doctors, psychiatrist and leaders/managers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a surface oriented travelling screen and water abstraction practices on downstream migrating Salmonidae smolts in a lowland stream

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Jon Christian; Aarestrup, Kim; Deacon, Michael G.

2010-01-01

Downstream migration of immature salmonids (smolts) may be associated with severe mortalities in anthropogenically altered channels. In Pacific salmon, several investigations have suggested the use of the dominating surface orientation of smolts to improve fish by-pass structures in large and dee...

Common γ-chain blocking peptide reduces in vitro immune activation markers in HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Massoud, Raya; Enose-Akahata, Yoshimi; Tagaya, Yutaka; Azimi, Nazli; Basheer, Asjad; Jacobson, Steven

2015-09-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a progressive inflammatory myelopathy occurring in a subset of HTLV-1-infected individuals. Despite advances in understanding its immunopathogenesis, an effective treatment remains to be found. IL-2 and IL-15, members of the gamma chain (γc) family of cytokines, are prominently deregulated in HAM/TSP and underlie many of the characteristic immune abnormalities, such as spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation (SP), increased STAT5 phosphorylation in the lymphocytes, and increased frequency and cytotoxicity of virus-specific cytotoxic CD8(+) T lymphocytes (CTLs). In this study, we describe a novel immunomodulatory strategy consisting of selective blockade of certain γc family cytokines, including IL-2 and IL-15, with a γc antagonistic peptide. In vitro, a PEGylated form of the peptide, named BNZ132-1-40, reduced multiple immune activation markers such as SP, STAT5 phosphorylation, spontaneous degranulation of CD8(+) T cells, and the frequency of transactivator protein (Tax)-specific CD8(+) CTLs, thought to be major players in the immunopathogenesis of the disease. This strategy is thus a promising therapeutic approach to HAM/TSP with the potential of being more effective than single monoclonal antibodies targeting either IL-2 or IL-15 receptors and safer than inhibitors of downstream signaling molecules such as JAK1 inhibitors. Finally, selective cytokine blockade with antagonistic peptides might be applicable to multiple other conditions in which cytokines are pathogenic.

Net ground speed of downstream migrating radio-tagged Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) and brown trout ( Salmo trutta L.) smolts in relation to environmental factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarestrup, Kim; Nielsen, C.; Koed, Anders

2002-01-01

tagged and released in the Danish River Lilleaa. The downstream migration of the different groups of fish was monitored by manual tracking and by three automatic listening stations. The downstream migration of radio tagged smolts of both species occurred concurrently with their untagged counterparts....... The diel migration pattern of the radio tagged smolts was predominantly nocturnal in both species. Wild sea trout smolt migrated significantly faster than both the F1 trout and the introduced salmon. There was no correlation between net ground speed, gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity or fish length in any...

Reducing selection bias in case-control studies from rare disease registries.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, J Alexander; Taylor, John S; Hangartner, Thomas N; Weinreb, Neal J; Mistry, Pramod K; Khan, Aneal

2011-09-12

In clinical research of rare diseases, where small patient numbers and disease heterogeneity limit study design options, registries are a valuable resource for demographic and outcome information. However, in contrast to prospective, randomized clinical trials, the observational design of registries is prone to introduce selection bias and negatively impact the validity of data analyses. The objective of the study was to demonstrate the utility of case-control matching and the risk-set method in order to control bias in data from a rare disease registry. Data from the International Collaborative Gaucher Group (ICGG) Gaucher Registry were used as an example. A case-control matching analysis using the risk-set method was conducted to identify two groups of patients with type 1 Gaucher disease in the ICGG Gaucher Registry: patients with avascular osteonecrosis (AVN) and those without AVN. The frequency distributions of gender, decade of birth, treatment status, and splenectomy status were presented for cases and controls before and after matching. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) were calculated for each variable before and after matching. The application of case-control matching methodology results in cohorts of cases (i.e., patients with AVN) and controls (i.e., patients without AVN) who have comparable distributions for four common parameters used in subject selection: gender, year of birth (age), treatment status, and splenectomy status. Matching resulted in odds ratios of approximately 1.00, indicating no bias. We demonstrated bias in case-control selection in subjects from a prototype rare disease registry and used case-control matching to minimize this bias. Therefore, this approach appears useful to study cohorts of heterogeneous patients in rare disease registries.

The Duration of Self-Selected Music Needed to Reduce Preoperative Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

McClurkin, Sylva L; Smith, Claudia D

2016-06-01

Preoperative anxiety affects patients both physically and psychologically. It may also influence the patient's perioperative experience and result in reduced patient satisfaction with care and potentially delayed recovery. Previous research indicates that patients who listen to music in the perioperative setting experience less anxiety than patients who do not listen to music. Research does not address the duration of music required to effectively reduce anxiety in this population. A randomized control trial was used. Two intervention groups (15-minute music and 30-minute music) and one control group (no music) were compared. Patients (n = 133) demonstrated less anxiety after listening to either 15 or 30 minutes of music (P music demonstrated less anxiety than those who did not listen to music (P = .005), whereas patients (n = 41) who listened to 30 minutes of music demonstrated less anxiety than those who did not listen to music (P music preoperatively is an effective method to reduce anxiety in patients who are about to have surgery. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functionally Selective AT(1) Receptor Activation Reduces Ischemia Reperfusion Injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hostrup, Anders; Christensen, Gitte Lund; Bentzen, Bo Hjort

2012-01-01

of the physiological functions of AngII. The AT(1)R mediates its effects through both G protein-dependent and independent signaling, which can be separated by functionally selective agonists. In the present study we investigate the effect of AngII and the ß-arrestin biased agonist [SII]AngII on ischemia......]AngII had a protective effect. Together these results demonstrate a cardioprotective effect of simultaneous blockade of G protein signaling and activation of G protein independent signaling through AT(1 )receptors....

Defective Connective Tissue Remodeling in Smad3 Mice Leads to Accelerated Aneurysmal Growth Through Disturbed Downstream TGF-β Signaling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. van der Pluijm, PhD

2016-10-01

Smad3 deficiency leads to imbalanced activation of downstream genes, no activation of MMPs in VSMCs, and immune responses resulting in rapid aortic wall dilatation and rupture. Our findings uncover new possibilities for treatment of SMAD3 patients; instead of targeting TGF-β signaling, immune suppression may be more beneficial.

VESPA: Very large-scale Evolutionary and Selective Pressure Analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew E. Webb

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background Large-scale molecular evolutionary analyses of protein coding sequences requires a number of preparatory inter-related steps from finding gene families, to generating alignments and phylogenetic trees and assessing selective pressure variation. Each phase of these analyses can represent significant challenges, particularly when working with entire proteomes (all protein coding sequences in a genome from a large number of species. Methods We present VESPA, software capable of automating a selective pressure analysis using codeML in addition to the preparatory analyses and summary statistics. VESPA is written in python and Perl and is designed to run within a UNIX environment. Results We have benchmarked VESPA and our results show that the method is consistent, performs well on both large scale and smaller scale datasets, and produces results in line with previously published datasets. Discussion Large-scale gene family identification, sequence alignment, and phylogeny reconstruction are all important aspects of large-scale molecular evolutionary analyses. VESPA provides flexible software for simplifying these processes along with downstream selective pressure variation analyses. The software automatically interprets results from codeML and produces simplified summary files to assist the user in better understanding the results. VESPA may be found at the following website: http://www.mol-evol.org/VESPA.