Role Assessment of GIS Analysis and its Reliability while Ranking Urban Sustainability Using Scenarios Specific to Regional Climate, Community and Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Salmi, H. Al; Abdulmuttalib, H. M.

2012-07-01

sustainability using different indicator metrics, that implement vector GIS Analysis and Raster GIS analysis as basic tools to assist the evaluation and increase of its reliability besides assessing and decomposing it, after which a hypothetical implementation of the chosen evaluation model represented by various scenarios was implemented on the planned urban sustainability factors for a certain period of time to appraise the expected future grade of urban sustainability and come out with advises associated with scenarios for assuring gap filling and relative high urban future sustainability. The results this paper is reflecting are concentrating on the elements of vector and raster GIS analysis that assists the proper urban sustainability grading within the chosen model, the reliability of spatial data collected; analysis selected and resulted spatial information. Starting from selecting some important indicators to comprise the model which include regional culture, climate and community needs an example of what was used is Energy Demand & Consumption (Cooling systems). Thus, this factor is related to the climate and it's regional specific as the temperature varies around 30-45 degrees centigrade in city areas, GIS 3D Polygons of building data used to analyse the volume of buildings, attributes "building heights", estimate the number of floors from the equation, following energy demand was calculated and consumption for the unit volume, and compared it in scenario with possible sustainable energy supply or using different environmental friendly cooling systems this is followed by calculating the cooling system effects on an area unit selected to be 1 sq. km, combined with the level of greenery area, and open space, as represented by parks polygons, trees polygons, empty areas, pedestrian polygons and road surface area polygons. (initial measures showed that cooling system consumption can be reduced by around 15-20% with a well-planned building distributions, proper spaces and

Using the longest significance run to estimate region-specific p-values in genetic association mapping studies

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Yang Hsin-Chou

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Association testing is a powerful tool for identifying disease susceptibility genes underlying complex diseases. Technological advances have yielded a dramatic increase in the density of available genetic markers, necessitating an increase in the number of association tests required for the analysis of disease susceptibility genes. As such, multiple-tests corrections have become a critical issue. However the conventional statistical corrections on locus-specific multiple tests usually result in lower power as the number of markers increases. Alternatively, we propose here the application of the longest significant run (LSR method to estimate a region-specific p-value to provide an index for the most likely candidate region. Results An advantage of the LSR method relative to procedures based on genotypic data is that only p-value data are needed and hence can be applied extensively to different study designs. In this study the proposed LSR method was compared with commonly used methods such as Bonferroni's method and FDR controlling method. We found that while all methods provide good control over false positive rate, LSR has much better power and false discovery rate. In the authentic analysis on psoriasis and asthma disease data, the LSR method successfully identified important candidate regions and replicated the results of previous association studies. Conclusion The proposed LSR method provides an efficient exploratory tool for the analysis of sequences of dense genetic markers. Our results show that the LSR method has better power and lower false discovery rate comparing with the locus-specific multiple tests.

Locally specific measures for employment aimed at regional development

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Vladimir Cini

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The oldest and largest sub-region in the world functioning on the principle of economic union is the European Union. The creation of a single market has initiated the process of conditional adjustment of markets in the EU member states, which has a significant impact on the social welfare of its citizens. It is necessary to tackle this issue by joint efforts within the European Union. As globalization processes push for economic integration and development of competitive advantage, the regions will have to make some challenging adjustments. The development tends to concentrate in highly competitive regions, while regions in the periphery lag behind. However, this pertains not only to the economic lag, but also to a potential negative political situation. Locally specific active employment policy measures are a continuation of the effort to make these measures more flexible. They refer to the Joint Assessment of Employment Policy Priorities and the IPA Human Resources Development Operational Programme - a regional policy instrument of the European Union. Both documents highlight the issue of disproportional development of regions, which requires special local measures and active labour market policy programmes. To reduce regional differences in development, it is necessary to invest more resources in the regions that lag behind. In this particular case, this means the counties in Croatia with high unemployment rates, a large number of registered unemployed persons and low employment rate. Consequently, this paper explains the importance of the adoption of locally specific measures for employment, which unfortunately did not take hold in the Republic of Croatia, and highlights the need for further decentralization of public services, with the aim of balancing regional development

Molecular cytogenetic analysis of Inv Dup(15) chromosomes, using probes specific for the Pradar-Willi/Angelman syndrome region: Clinical implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leana-Cox, J. (Univ. of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States)); Jenkins, L. (Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, San Jose, CA (United States)); Palmer, C.G.; Plattner, R. (Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN (United States)); Sheppard, L. (Palo Verde Laboratory, Inc., Chandler, AZ (United States)); Flejter, W.L. (Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)); Zackowski, J. (Univ. of Florida Health Science Center, Gainsville, FL (United States)); Tsien, F. (Tulane Univ. School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA (United States)); Schwartz, S. (Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States))

1994-05-01

Twenty-seven cases of inverted duplications of chromosome 15 (inv dup[15]) were investigated by FISH with two DNA probes specific for the Prader-Willi syndrome/Angelman syndrome (PWS/AS) region on proximal 15q. Sixteen of the marker chromosomes displayed two copies of each probe, while in the remaining 11 markers no hybridization was observed. A significant association was found between the presence of this region and an abnormal phenotype (P<.01). This is the largest study to date of inv dup(15) chromosomes, that uses molecular cytogenetic methods and is the first to report a significant association between the presence of a specific chromosomal region in such markers and an abnormal phenotype. 30 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.

An analysis of single amino acid repeats as use case for application specific background models

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Sykacek Peter

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sequence analysis aims to identify biologically relevant signals against a backdrop of functionally meaningless variation. Increasingly, it is recognized that the quality of the background model directly affects the performance of analyses. State-of-the-art approaches rely on classical sequence models that are adapted to the studied dataset. Although performing well in the analysis of globular protein domains, these models break down in regions of stronger compositional bias or low complexity. While these regions are typically filtered, there is increasing anecdotal evidence of functional roles. This motivates an exploration of more complex sequence models and application-specific approaches for the investigation of biased regions. Results Traditional Markov-chains and application-specific regression models are compared using the example of predicting runs of single amino acids, a particularly simple class of biased regions. Cross-fold validation experiments reveal that the alternative regression models capture the multi-variate trends well, despite their low dimensionality and in contrast even to higher-order Markov-predictors. We show how the significance of unusual observations can be computed for such empirical models. The power of a dedicated model in the detection of biologically interesting signals is then demonstrated in an analysis identifying the unexpected enrichment of contiguous leucine-repeats in signal-peptides. Considering different reference sets, we show how the question examined actually defines what constitutes the 'background'. Results can thus be highly sensitive to the choice of appropriate model training sets. Conversely, the choice of reference data determines the questions that can be investigated in an analysis. Conclusions Using a specific case of studying biased regions as an example, we have demonstrated that the construction of application-specific background models is both necessary and

Regional specific groundwater arsenic levels and neuropsychological functioning: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Melissa; Johnson, Leigh; Mauer, Cortney; Barber, Robert; Hall, James; O'Bryant, Sid

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the link between geographic information system (GIS)-estimated regional specific groundwater levels and neuropsychological functioning in a sample of individuals with and without cognitive impairment. This cross-sectional study design analyzed data from 1390 participants (733 Alzheimer's disease, 127 Mild Cognitive Impairment, and 530 with normal cognition) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium. GISs analyses were used to estimate regional specific groundwater arsenic concentrations using the Environmental Systems Research Institute and arsenic concentrations from the Texas Water Development Board. In the full cohort, regional specific arsenic concentrations were positively associated with language abilities (p = 0.008), but associated with poorer verbal memory, immediate (p = 0.008), and delayed (p arsenic being related with cognition most prominently among mild cognitive impairment cases. Overall, estimated regional specific groundwater arsenic levels were negatively associated with neuropsychological performance.

Spatial Data Envelopment Analysis Method for the Evaluation of Regional Infrastructure Disparities

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Birutė Galinienė

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose—to achieve a more detailed assessment of regional differences, exploring regional infrastructure and human capital usage efficiency and to display analysis capabilities of spatial data efficient frontier method.Design/methodology/approach—the data envelopment analysis (DEA is applied to find the efficient frontier, which extends the application of production function of the regions. This method of mathematical programming optimization allows assessing the effectiveness of the regional spatial aspects presented. In recent studies this method is applied for evaluating the European Union regional policy issues.Findings—the application of DEA reveals its feasibility for regional input and output studies to evaluate more detailed and more reasonable fund allocation between Lithuanian regions. This analysis shows that in the comparatively efficient Lithuanian regions, such as Vilnius and Klaipėda, “the bottleneck” of usage of transport infrastructure and regional specific human capital is reached. It is stated that decision-making units could enhance region attractiveness for private investors by improving indirect factors in these regions. For practical significance of the study the results are compared with German regional analysis, conducted by Schaffer and other researchers (2011.Practical implications—the practical value of this work is based on giving more accurate planning tools for fund allocation decisions in Lithuanian regions while planning infrastructure and human capital development. The regional indicators were analyzed for 2010.Research type—case study.

Evidence for gene-specific rather than transcription rate-dependent histone H3 exchange in yeast coding regions.

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Gat-Viks, Irit; Vingron, Martin

2009-02-01

In eukaryotic organisms, histones are dynamically exchanged independently of DNA replication. Recent reports show that different coding regions differ in their amount of replication-independent histone H3 exchange. The current paradigm is that this histone exchange variability among coding regions is a consequence of transcription rate. Here we put forward the idea that this variability might be also modulated in a gene-specific manner independently of transcription rate. To that end, we study transcription rate-independent replication-independent coding region histone H3 exchange. We term such events relative exchange. Our genome-wide analysis shows conclusively that in yeast, relative exchange is a novel consistent feature of coding regions. Outside of replication, each coding region has a characteristic pattern of histone H3 exchange that is either higher or lower than what was expected by its RNAPII transcription rate alone. Histone H3 exchange in coding regions might be a way to add or remove certain histone modifications that are important for transcription elongation. Therefore, our results that gene-specific coding region histone H3 exchange is decoupled from transcription rate might hint at a new epigenetic mechanism of transcription regulation.

Functional connectivity analysis of fMRI data using parameterized regions-of-interest.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weeda, W.D.; Waldorp, L.J.; Grasman, R.P.P.P.; van Gaal, S.; Huizenga, H.M.

2011-01-01

Connectivity analysis of fMRI data requires correct specification of regions-of-interest (ROIs). Selection of ROIs based on outcomes of a GLM analysis may be hindered by conservativeness of the multiple comparison correction, while selection based on brain anatomy may be biased due to inconsistent

MOVES regional level sensitivity analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

The MOVES Regional Level Sensitivity Analysis was conducted to increase understanding of the operations of the MOVES Model in regional emissions analysis and to highlight the following: : the relative sensitivity of selected MOVES Model input paramet...

Comparative Analysis of Innovative Systems in the Russian Regions

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Nadezhda Nikolaevna Mikheeva

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article was conducted with the financial support of the Program of fundamental studies of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences No. 31, «The Role of Space in the Modernization of Russia: Natural and Socio-Economic Potential» (project 7.2 «Tools of Regional Policy and the Effectiveness of Their Use» Despite the abundance of literature on innovation in the regions, there is no frame of reference about the patterns and mechanisms of formation of regional innovation systems (RIS. So it’s next to impossible to differentiate approaches to stimulation of innovations in the regions taking into account their specific characters. Therefore, the author attempts to formalize the definition of RIS and to provide not only qualitative but also quantitative evaluation of different types of regional innovation systems. This paper is trying to find a set of models of RIS development in Russian regions with specific characters. These regional peculiarities play a key role in a process of selecting methods for further RIS development, including methods of state support of innovation, which are adequate to the characteristics of the regional innovation system. The author obtained the following results: 1 presentation of various approaches to define regional innovative systems; 2 proposition of RIS structure that includes 5 blocks (creation of innovations; production and realization of innovative goods and services in the region; innovative infrastructure of the region; demand for innovations and innovative policy and 3 development of the system of statistical indicators that characterize RIS. On the basis of formal and substantive analysis of these indicators the researcher defined 6 models of regional innovative systems prevailing in the Russian circumstances

Evaluation of the Analysis Influence on Transport in Reanalysis Regional Water Cycles

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Bosilovich, M. G.; Chen, J.; Robertson, F. R.

2011-01-01

Regional water cycles of reanalyses do not follow theoretical assumptions applicable to pure simulated budgets. The data analysis changes the wind, temperature and moisture, perturbing the theoretical balance. Of course, the analysis is correcting the model forecast error, so that the state fields should be more aligned with observations. Recently, it has been reported that the moisture convergence over continental regions, even those with significant quantities of radiosonde profiles present, can produce long term values not consistent with theoretical bounds. Specifically, long averages over continents produce some regions of moisture divergence. This implies that the observational analysis leads to a source of water in the region. One such region is the Unite States Great Plains, which many radiosonde and lidar wind observations are assimilated. We will utilize a new ancillary data set from the MERRA reanalysis called the Gridded Innovations and Observations (GIO) which provides the assimilated observations on MERRA's native grid allowing more thorough consideration of their impact on regional and global climatology. Included with the GIO data are the observation minus forecast (OmF) and observation minus analysis (OmA). Using OmF and OmA, we can identify the bias of the analysis against each observing system and gain a better understanding of the observations that are controlling the regional analysis. In this study we will focus on the wind and moisture assimilation.

Regional analysis of ground and above-ground climate

Science.gov (United States)

1981-12-01

The regional suitability of underground construction as a climate control technique is discussed with reference to (1) a bioclimatic analysis of long term weather data for 29 locations in the United States to determine appropriate above ground climate control techniques, (2) a data base of synthesized ground temperatures for the coterminous United States, and (3) monthly dew point ground temperature comparisons for identifying the relative likelihood of condensation from one region to another. It is concluded that the suitability of Earth tempering as a practice and of specific Earth sheltered design stereotypes varies geographically; while the subsurface almost always provides a thermal advantage on its own terms when compared to above ground climatic data, it can, nonetheless, compromise the effectiveness of other, regionally more important climate control techniques. Reviews of above and below ground climate mapping schemes related to human comfort and architectural design, and detailed description of a theoretical model of ground temperature, heat flow, and heat storage in the ground are included. Strategies of passive climate control are presented in a discussion of the building bioclimatic analysis procedure which has been applied in a computer analysis of 30 years of weather data for each of 20 locations in the United States.

Regional analysis of ground and above-ground climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-12-01

The regional suitability of underground construction as a climate control technique is discussed with reference to (1) a bioclimatic analysis of long-term weather data for 29 locations in the United States to determine appropriate above ground climate control techniques, (2) a data base of synthesized ground temperatures for the coterminous United States, and (3) monthly dew point ground temperature comparisons for identifying the relative likelihood of condensation from one region to another. It is concluded that the suitability of earth tempering as a practice and of specific earth-sheltered design stereotypes varies geographically; while the subsurface almost always provides a thermal advantage on its own terms when compared to above ground climatic data, it can, nonetheless, compromise the effectiveness of other, regionally more important climate control techniques. Also contained in the report are reviews of above and below ground climate mapping schemes related to human comfort and architectural design, and detailed description of a theoretical model of ground temperature, heat flow, and heat storage in the ground. Strategies of passive climate control are presented in a discussion of the building bioclimatic analysis procedure which has been applied in a computer analysis of 30 years of weather data for each of 29 locations in the United States.

A Comparison of Regional and SiteSpecific Volume Estimation Equations

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Joe P. McClure; Jana Anderson; Hans T. Schreuder

1987-01-01

Regression equations for volume by region and site class were examined for lobiolly pine. The regressions for the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions had significantly different slopes. The results shared important practical differences in percentage of confidence intervals containing the true total volume and in percentage of estimates within a specific proportion of...

Analysis of MAGSAT and surface data of the Indian region

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Agarwal, G. C. (Principal Investigator)

1983-01-01

Techniques and significant results of an analysis of MAGSAT and surface data of the Indian region are described. Specific investigative tasks included: (1) use of the multilevel data at different altitudes to develop a model for variation of magnetic anomaly with altitude; (2) development of the regional model for the description of main geomagnetic field for the Indian sub-continent using MAGSAT and observatory data; (3) development of regional mathematical model of secular variations over the Indian sub-continent; and (4) downward continuation of the anomaly field obtained from MAGSAT and its combination with the existing observatory data to produce a regional anomaly map for elucidating tectonic features of the Indian sub-continent.

Regionally specific white matter disruptions of fornix and cingulum in schizophrenia.

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Muhammad Farid Abdul-Rahman

Full Text Available Limbic circuitry disruptions have been implicated in the psychopathology and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia, which may involve white matter disruptions of the major tracts of the limbic system, including the fornix and the cingulum. Our study aimed to investigate regionally specific abnormalities of the fornix and cingulum in schizophrenia using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI. We determined the fractional anisotropy (FA, radial diffusivity (RD, and axial diffusivity (AD profiles along the fornix and cingulum tracts using a fibertracking technique and a brain mapping algorithm, the large deformation diffeomorphic metric mapping (LDDMM, in the DTI scans of 33 patients with schizophrenia and 31 age-, gender-, and handedness-matched healthy controls. We found that patients with schizophrenia showed reduction in FA and increase in RD in bilateral fornix, and increase in RD in left anterior cingulum when compared to healthy controls. In addition, tract-based analysis revealed specific loci of these white matter differences in schizophrenia, that is, FA reductions and AD and RD increases occur in the region of the left fornix further from the hippocampus, FA reductions and RD increases occur in the rostral portion of the left anterior cingulum, and RD and AD increases occur in the anterior segment of the left middle cingulum. In patients with schizophrenia, decreased FA in the specific loci of the left fornix and increased AD in the right cingulum adjoining the hippocampus correlated with greater severity of psychotic symptoms. These findings support precise disruptions of limbic-cortical integrity in schizophrenia and disruption of these structural networks may contribute towards the neural basis underlying the syndrome of schizophrenia and clinical symptomatology.

PARTICULARITIES OF ROMANIAN PERMANENT MIGRATION – AN ANALYSIS AT THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT REGIONS

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BABUCEA ANA-GABRIELA

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study proposes an empirical analysis of the evolution of permanent migration from the Region South-West Oltenia of Romania (NUTS2 – RO04 and its counties with the aim to identify specific aspects of the region as a region of origin or destination for migrants permanent. In the same time, the aim of the paper is to identify several endogenous and exogenous factors that would result from specifics and the development level of this region in the context of national migration during 1992-2015, especially that, on the all period were maintained nationwide regional socioeconomic disparities. Demographic decline, caused in part by the negative balance of migration in certain regions, but especially its structure by age and sex, do only deepen the national territorial disparities. Their identification and managing can create possible pathway of control over the medium and longterm effects. In this regard, are used statistical analysis methods and techniques based on available territorial data from database Tempo Online of the Romanian National Institute of Statistics.

Individual differences in personality traits reflect structural variance in specific brain regions.

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Gardini, Simona; Cloninger, C Robert; Venneri, Annalena

2009-06-30

Personality dimensions such as novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD) and persistence (PER) are said to be heritable, stable across time and dependent on genetic and neurobiological factors. Recently a better understanding of the relationship between personality traits and brain structures/systems has become possible due to advances in neuroimaging techniques. This Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study investigated if individual differences in these personality traits reflected structural variance in specific brain regions. A large sample of eighty five young adult participants completed the Three-dimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and had their brain imaged with MRI. A voxel-based correlation analysis was carried out between individuals' personality trait scores and grey matter volume values extracted from 3D brain scans. NS correlated positively with grey matter volume in frontal and posterior cingulate regions. HA showed a negative correlation with grey matter volume in orbito-frontal, occipital and parietal structures. RD was negatively correlated with grey matter volume in the caudate nucleus and in the rectal frontal gyrus. PER showed a positive correlation with grey matter volume in the precuneus, paracentral lobule and parahippocampal gyrus. These results indicate that individual differences in the main personality dimensions of NS, HA, RD and PER, may reflect structural variance in specific brain areas.

THE ENVIRONMENT OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

OpenAIRE

Bechis Liviu; MOSCVICIOV Andrei

2012-01-01

The paper presents the difference between the two concepts regionalism and regionalization. It also presents the three types of regionalism analysis depending on the dimension and the nature of the relations: regionalism at national level, transnational regionalism and international regionalism analysis.

QuASAR-MPRA: accurate allele-specific analysis for massively parallel reporter assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalita, Cynthia A; Moyerbrailean, Gregory A; Brown, Christopher; Wen, Xiaoquan; Luca, Francesca; Pique-Regi, Roger

2018-03-01

The majority of the human genome is composed of non-coding regions containing regulatory elements such as enhancers, which are crucial for controlling gene expression. Many variants associated with complex traits are in these regions, and may disrupt gene regulatory sequences. Consequently, it is important to not only identify true enhancers but also to test if a variant within an enhancer affects gene regulation. Recently, allele-specific analysis in high-throughput reporter assays, such as massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs), have been used to functionally validate non-coding variants. However, we are still missing high-quality and robust data analysis tools for these datasets. We have further developed our method for allele-specific analysis QuASAR (quantitative allele-specific analysis of reads) to analyze allele-specific signals in barcoded read counts data from MPRA. Using this approach, we can take into account the uncertainty on the original plasmid proportions, over-dispersion, and sequencing errors. The provided allelic skew estimate and its standard error also simplifies meta-analysis of replicate experiments. Additionally, we show that a beta-binomial distribution better models the variability present in the allelic imbalance of these synthetic reporters and results in a test that is statistically well calibrated under the null. Applying this approach to the MPRA data, we found 602 SNPs with significant (false discovery rate 10%) allele-specific regulatory function in LCLs. We also show that we can combine MPRA with QuASAR estimates to validate existing experimental and computational annotations of regulatory variants. Our study shows that with appropriate data analysis tools, we can improve the power to detect allelic effects in high-throughput reporter assays. http://github.com/piquelab/QuASAR/tree/master/mpra. fluca@wayne.edu or rpique@wayne.edu. Supplementary data are available online at Bioinformatics. © The Author (2017). Published by

Tissue-type-specific transcriptome analysis identifies developing xylem-specific promoters in poplar.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Jae-Heung; Kim, Hyun-Tae; Hwang, Ildoo; Han, Kyung-Hwan

2012-06-01

Plant biotechnology offers a means to create novel phenotypes. However, commercial application of biotechnology in crop improvement programmes is severely hindered by the lack of utility promoters (or freedom to operate the existing ones) that can drive gene expression in a tissue-specific or temporally controlled manner. Woody biomass is gaining popularity as a source of fermentable sugars for liquid fuel production. To improve the quantity and quality of woody biomass, developing xylem (DX)-specific modification of the feedstock is highly desirable. To develop utility promoters that can drive transgene expression in a DX-specific manner, we used the Affymetrix Poplar Genome Arrays to obtain tissue-type-specific transcriptomes from poplar stems. Subsequent bioinformatics analysis identified 37 transcripts that are specifically or strongly expressed in DX cells of poplar. After further confirmation of their DX-specific expression using semi-quantitative PCR, we selected four genes (DX5, DX8, DX11 and DX15) for in vivo confirmation of their tissue-specific expression in transgenic poplars. The promoter regions of the selected DX genes were isolated and fused to a β-glucuronidase (GUS)-reported gene in a binary vector. This construct was used to produce transgenic poplars via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The GUS expression patterns of the resulting transgenic plants showed that these promoters were active in the xylem cells at early seedling growth and had strongest expression in the developing xylem cells at later growth stages of poplar. We conclude that these DX promoters can be used as a utility promoter for DX-specific biomass engineering. © 2012 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

NPP Siting in Western Part of Java Island Indonesia: Regional Analysis Stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sastratenaya, A.S.; Yuliastuti

2011-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Considering that Banten and West Java Provinces are dense regions of industry, therefore they require a large amount of electricity. Nuclear power plant is one option to be considered to anticipate the future electricity demand. To support the program, it is needed to look for some potential locations through NPP siting. The siting should meet the requirement of safety, safety aspects of the natural external events, human induced external events, public and environmental safety. Site selection is performed in several stages, where each stage has specific assessment criteria. Siting is commenced with pre-survey activity to obtain several interest areas, the activity covers a wide area but the used data is very limited and only apply general criteria. The following activities after pre survey are site survey consisting of (1) regional analysis, (2) site screening, and (3) comparison and ranking stages. The objective of regional analysis is to obtain potential sites in the study area of 150 km radius from each interest area by using both general and specific criteria. The potential sites then screened to obtain selected candidate sites by using more detailed secondary data as well as survey activities such as geophysical investigation, a few of drilling, etc., within the radius of 50 km from each potential site. All the selected candidate sites are then compared and ranked to obtain preferred candidate site. Site evaluation is the next step to evaluate all site-specific parameter to obtain design basis parameters and as the basis for preparing site permit document. This paper presents the methodology and result of regional analysis stage. The objective of the activity is to obtain potential sites in the north coast of West Java and Banten Provinces by considering fourteen study aspects which could be categorize into safety related aspects, non-safety related aspect and public education. However, this paper only considers the safety

Russian Specifics of Dacha Suburbanization Process: Case Study of the Moscow Region

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Aleksandr Valer’evich Rusanov

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Topical issues related to the planning of urban agglomerations development include registration and analysis of changes in suburban areas in the process of socio-economic development. It is manifest, among other things, in urbanization, which in relation to larger cities is replaced by suburbanization. Suburbanization process has been developing to the greatest extent in North America and Western Europe. Scientific research confirms that the majority of large urban agglomerations are in the stage of suburbanization. The pace of suburbanization in the world is different – the authorities of individual countries, regions or cities often take measures to limit or simplify it: they reconstruct central cities, set limits to the construction in peripheral areas, etc. In Russia, the process of suburbanization started to develop rapidly only after the socio-economic transformation of the 1990s that led to the emergence of the free market of housing and land. The aim of the present work is to determine the specifics of suburbanization in Russia on the example of the Moscow Region. Suburbanization in Russia is mainly seasonal; therefore, the paper examines suburbanization specific for Russia and related to the distribution of population and its economic activities in the organized summer house settlements in suburban areas, i.e. in dachas. A kind of this activity popular in Russia is gardening and vegetable and fruit farming in the settlements located on specially designated lands. The paper examines the factors determining suburbanization in the Moscow Region, and demonstrates the influence of these factors taking two key areas as examples. Scientific novelty of the work consists in the fact that it clarifies the content of suburbanization factors as applied to the Moscow Region; in addition, it considers the development of dacha-related suburbanization, highlights its characteristics on the example of the Moscow Region, examines current distribution

Air pollution exposure, cause-specific deaths and hospitalizations in a highly polluted Italian region.

Science.gov (United States)

Carugno, Michele; Consonni, Dario; Randi, Giorgia; Catelan, Dolores; Grisotto, Laura; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Biggeri, Annibale; Baccini, Michela

2016-05-01

The Lombardy region in northern Italy ranks among the most air polluted areas of Europe. Previous studies showed air pollution short-term effects on all-cause mortality. We examine here the effects of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10µm (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure on deaths and hospitalizations from specific causes, including cardiac, cerebrovascular and respiratory diseases. We considered air pollution, mortality and hospitalization data for a non-opportunistic sample of 18 highly polluted and most densely populated areas of the region in the years 2003-2006. We obtained area-specific effect estimates for PM10 and NO2 from a Poisson regression model on the daily number of total deaths or cause-specific hospitalizations and then combined them in a Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis. For cause-specific mortality, we applied a case-crossover analysis. Age- and season-specific analyses were also performed. Effect estimates were expressed as percent variation in mortality or hospitalizations associated with a 10µg/m(3) increase in PM10 or NO2 concentration. Natural mortality was positively associated with both pollutants (0.30%, 90% Credibility Interval [CrI]: -0.31; 0.78 for PM10; 0.70%, 90%CrI: 0.10; 1.27 for NO2). Cardiovascular deaths showed a higher percent variation in association with NO2 (1.12%, 90% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.14; 2.11), while the percent variation for respiratory mortality was highest in association with PM10 (1.64%, 90%CI: 0.35; 2.93). The effect of both pollutants was more evident in the summer season. Air pollution was also associated to hospitalizations, the highest variations being 0.77% (90%CrI: 0.22; 1.43) for PM10 and respiratory diseases, and 1.70% (90%CrI: 0.39; 2.84) for NO2 and cerebrovascular diseases. The effect of PM10 on respiratory hospital admissions appeared to increase with age. For both pollutants, effects on cerebrovascular hospitalizations were more evident in subjects aged less than

Atmospheric Environment Vulnerability Cause Analysis for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Metropolitan Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Shen, Jing; Li, Yu

2018-01-13

Assessing and quantifying atmospheric vulnerability is a key issue in urban environmental protection and management. This paper integrated the Analytical hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy synthesis evaluation and Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis into an Exposure-Sensitivity-Adaptive capacity (ESA) framework to quantitatively assess atmospheric environment vulnerability in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region with spatial and temporal comparisons. The elaboration of the relationships between atmospheric environment vulnerability and indices of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity supports enable analysis of the atmospheric environment vulnerability. Our findings indicate that the atmospheric environment vulnerability of 13 cities in the BTH region exhibits obvious spatial heterogeneity, which is caused by regional diversity in exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity indices. The results of atmospheric environment vulnerability assessment and the cause analysis can provide guidance to pick out key control regions and recognize vulnerable indicators for study sites. The framework developed in this paper can also be replicated at different spatial and temporal scales using context-specific datasets to support environmental management.

Quantitative Differentiation of LV Myocardium with and without Layer-Specific Fibrosis Using MRI in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Layer-Specific Strain TTE Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Funabashi, Nobusada; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Ozawa, Koya; Kamata, Tomoko; Uehara, Masae; Komuro, Issei; Kobayashi, Yoshio

2018-05-30

To achieve further risk stratification in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients, we localized and quantified layer-specific LVM fibrosis on MRI in HCM patients using regional layer-specific peak longitudinal strain (PLS) and peak circumferential strain (PCS) in LV myocardium (LVM) on speckle tracking transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). A total of 18 HCM patients (14 males; 58 ± 17 years) underwent 1.5T-MRI and TTE. PLS and PCS in each layer of the LVM (endocardium, epicardium, and whole-layer myocardium) were calculated for 17 AHA-defined lesions. MRI assessment showed that fibrosis was classified as endocardial, epicardial, or whole-layer (= either or both of these). Regional PLS was smaller in fibrotic endocardial lesions than in non-fibrotic endocardial lesions (P = 0.004). To detect LV endocardial lesions with fibrosis, ROC curves of regional PLS revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.609 and a best cut-off point of 13.5%, with sensitivity of 65.3% and specificity of 54.3%. Regional PLS was also smaller in fibrotic epicardial lesions than in non-fibrotic epicardial lesions (P layer myocardium analysis, PLS was smaller in fibrotic lesions than in non-fibrotic lesions (P layer LV lesions with fibrosis, ROC curves of regional PLS revealed an AUC of 0.674 and a best cut-off point of 12.5%, with sensitivity of 79.0% and specificity of 50.7%. There were no significant differences in PCS of LV myocardium (endocardium, epicardium, and whole-layer) between fibrotic and non-fibrotic lesions. Quantitative regional PLS but not PCS in LV endocardium, epicardium, and whole-layer myocardium provides useful non-invasive information for layer-specific localization of fibrosis in HCM patients.

Brain region specific mitophagy capacity could contribute to selective neuronal vulnerability in Parkinson's disease

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Zabel Claus

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD is histologically well defined by its characteristic degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Remarkably, divergent PD-related mutations can generate comparable brain region specific pathologies. This indicates that some intrinsic region-specificity respecting differential neuron vulnerability exists, which codetermines the disease progression. To gain insight into the pathomechanism of PD, we investigated protein expression and protein oxidation patterns of three different brain regions in a PD mouse model, the PINK1 knockout mice (PINK1-KO, in comparison to wild type control mice. The dysfunction of PINK1 presumably affects mitochondrial turnover by disturbing mitochondrial autophagic pathways. The three brain regions investigated are the midbrain, which is the location of substantia nigra; striatum, the major efferent region of substantia nigra; and cerebral cortex, which is more distal to PD pathology. In all three regions, mitochondrial proteins responsible for energy metabolism and membrane potential were significantly altered in the PINK1-KO mice, but with very different region specific accents in terms of up/down-regulations. This suggests that disturbed mitophagy presumably induced by PINK1 knockout has heterogeneous impacts on different brain regions. Specifically, the midbrain tissue seems to be most severely hit by defective mitochondrial turnover, whereas cortex and striatum could compensate for mitophagy nonfunction by feedback stimulation of other catabolic programs. In addition, cerebral cortex tissues showed the mildest level of protein oxidation in both PINK1-KO and wild type mice, indicating either a better oxidative protection or less reactive oxygen species (ROS pressure in this brain region. Ultra-structural histological examination in normal mouse brain revealed higher incidences of mitophagy vacuoles in cerebral cortex than in striatum and substantia

Automated detection of regions of interest for tissue microarray experiments: an image texture analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karaçali, Bilge; Tözeren, Aydin

2007-01-01

Recent research with tissue microarrays led to a rapid progress toward quantifying the expressions of large sets of biomarkers in normal and diseased tissue. However, standard procedures for sampling tissue for molecular profiling have not yet been established. This study presents a high throughput analysis of texture heterogeneity on breast tissue images for the purpose of identifying regions of interest in the tissue for molecular profiling via tissue microarray technology. Image texture of breast histology slides was described in terms of three parameters: the percentage of area occupied in an image block by chromatin (B), percentage occupied by stroma-like regions (P), and a statistical heterogeneity index H commonly used in image analysis. Texture parameters were defined and computed for each of the thousands of image blocks in our dataset using both the gray scale and color segmentation. The image blocks were then classified into three categories using the texture feature parameters in a novel statistical learning algorithm. These categories are as follows: image blocks specific to normal breast tissue, blocks specific to cancerous tissue, and those image blocks that are non-specific to normal and disease states. Gray scale and color segmentation techniques led to identification of same regions in histology slides as cancer-specific. Moreover the image blocks identified as cancer-specific belonged to those cell crowded regions in whole section image slides that were marked by two pathologists as regions of interest for further histological studies. These results indicate the high efficiency of our automated method for identifying pathologic regions of interest on histology slides. Automation of critical region identification will help minimize the inter-rater variability among different raters (pathologists) as hundreds of tumors that are used to develop an array have typically been evaluated (graded) by different pathologists. The region of interest

Complex and region-specific changes in astroglial markers in the aging brain.

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Rodríguez, José J; Yeh, Chia-Yu; Terzieva, Slavica; Olabarria, Markel; Kulijewicz-Nawrot, Magdalena; Verkhratsky, Alexei

2014-01-01

Morphological aging of astrocytes was investigated in entorhinal cortex (EC), dentate gyrus (DG), and cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) regions of hippocampus of male SV129/C57BL6 mice of different age groups (3, 9, 18, and 24 months). Astroglial profiles were visualized by immunohistochemistry by using glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), glutamine synthetase (GS), and s100β staining; these profiles were imaged using confocal or light microscopy for subsequent morphometric analysis. GFAP-positive profiles in the DG and the CA1 of the hippocampus showed progressive age-dependent hypertrophy, as indicated by an increase in surface, volume, and somata volume at 24 months of age compared with 3-month-old mice. In contrast with the hippocampal regions, aging induced a decrease in GFAP-positive astroglial profiles in the EC: the surface, volume, and cell body volume of astroglial cells at 24 months of age were decreased significantly compared with the 3-month group. The GS-positive astrocytes displayed smaller cellular surface areas at 24 months compared with 3-month-old animals in both areas of hippocampus, whereas GS-positive profiles remained unchanged in the EC of old mice. The morphometry of s100β-immunoreactive profiles revealed substantial increase in the EC, more moderate increase in the DG, and no changes in the CA1 area. Based on the morphological analysis of 3 astroglial markers, we conclude that astrocytes undergo a complex age-dependent remodeling in a brain region-specific manner. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Analysis of Regional Disparities in Romania with Gini/Struck Coefficients of Concentration

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DANIELA ANTONESCU

2010-12-01

Full Text Available A key objective of regional development policy is to reduce disparities between regions and to ensure a relatively balanced level of development. To achieve this goal studies and social and economic analysis based on certain techniques and methods of evaluation are necessary. In scientific literature, there are plenty of models that can be applied to assess regional disparities. One of the methods commonly used in practice is related to the calculation and analysis of the degree of concentration/diversification of activities within a region. The increase or decrease in the degree of concentration of certain activities or areas of activity in a region provides information on: - the level of overall economic development; - economic development and growth rate; - the specific features of the region, the potential, local traditions, etc. The expert analysis indicate that, in a high level of overall development or a sustained economic growth rate, there are favorable conditions for economic activities to locate in any region, so they are relatively uniformly distributed throughout the country.Knowing the degree of concentration and also the influence factors are useful in making decisions and setting regional policy measures.This article proposes a synthetic analysis of the development level of regions in Romania with the concentration/diversification model (Gini/Struck coefficients, based on the existing key statistical indicators.

Spillover Effects of the Russian Economy: Regional Specificity

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Elena Anatolyevna Fedorova

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to evaluate the strength and direction of the distribution of the foreign direct investments (FDI in regional economy. The subject matter of the research is FDI to the regions of Russia. The subject of the study is relevant as it makes possible to estimate the long-term consequences from the restrictions of the West countries (in connection with sanctions against the inflow of the foreign capital to the regions of the Russian Federation. The study is based on the following hypotheses: 1. Russian regional economy has horizontal (distribution of effects from FDI within an industry and vertical spillover effects (distribution according to a technological chain, from product suppliers to product consumers. Vertical effects are more important and have greater amplitude than horizontal effects. An industry competition is one of the causes of negative horizontal spillover effect, and the scale of the company is the reason of positive horizontal spillover effect. 2. FDI generates the positive regional spillover effects on the productivity of domestic firms in the Russian economy. 3. Regional industry specificity influences the sign and magnitude of spillovers from FDI. 4. Time sensitivity is revealed for horizontal spillovers, so the regional effects may change the direction. As an empirical basis of the study, the statements of 23567 Russian companies with FDI and 25354 Russian enterprises without FDI for the 5 years were used. The methodology of the research is the calculation of spillover effects, Cobb-Douglas production function and panel data regression. The study has found, that the direct vertical spillover effects are almost absent. That means that industrial consumers do not notice the effect of inward FDI. At the same time, the converse effect related to the product suppliers is positive, but as the direct effect, it is not more important in any group of regions then the horizontal effect. The Russian economy has a

Region-specific protein misfolding cyclic amplification reproduces brain tropism of prion strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Privat, Nicolas; Levavasseur, Etienne; Yildirim, Serfildan; Hannaoui, Samia; Brandel, Jean-Philippe; Laplanche, Jean-Louis; Béringue, Vincent; Seilhean, Danielle; Haïk, Stéphane

2017-10-06

Human prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are transmissible brain proteinopathies, characterized by the accumulation of a misfolded isoform of the host cellular prion protein (PrP) in the brain. According to the prion model, prions are defined as proteinaceous infectious particles composed solely of this abnormal isoform of PrP (PrP Sc ). Even in the absence of genetic material, various prion strains can be propagated in experimental models. They can be distinguished by the pattern of disease they produce and especially by the localization of PrP Sc deposits within the brain and the spongiform lesions they induce. The mechanisms involved in this strain-specific targeting of distinct brain regions still are a fundamental, unresolved question in prion research. To address this question, we exploited a prion conversion in vitro assay, protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), by using experimental scrapie and human prion strains as seeds and specific brain regions from mice and humans as substrates. We show here that region-specific PMCA in part reproduces the specific brain targeting observed in experimental, acquired, and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases. Furthermore, we provide evidence that, in addition to cellular prion protein, other region- and species-specific molecular factors influence the strain-dependent prion conversion process. This important step toward understanding prion strain propagation in the human brain may impact research on the molecular factors involved in protein misfolding and the development of ultrasensitive methods for diagnosing prion disease. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Regional climate change mitigation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rowlands, Ian H [UNEP Collaborating Centre on Energy and Environment, and Univ. of Waterloo (Canada)

1998-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the key methodological issues that arise from an analysis of regional climate change mitigation options. The rationale for any analysis of regional mitigation activities, emphasising both the theoretical attractiveness and the existing political encouragement and the methodology that has been developed are reviewed. The differences arising from the fact that mitigation analyses have been taken from the level of the national - where the majority of the work has been completed to date - to the level of the international - that is, the `regional` - will be especially highlighted. (EG)

Regional climate change mitigation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rowlands, Ian H.

1998-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the key methodological issues that arise from an analysis of regional climate change mitigation options. The rationale for any analysis of regional mitigation activities, emphasising both the theoretical attractiveness and the existing political encouragement and the methodology that has been developed are reviewed. The differences arising from the fact that mitigation analyses have been taken from the level of the national - where the majority of the work has been completed to date - to the level of the international - that is, the 'regional' - will be especially highlighted. (EG)

Isolation and characterization of a pseudoautosomal region-specific genetic marker in C57BL/6 mice using genomic representational difference analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalcheva, I D; Matsuda, Y; Plass, C; Chapman, V M

1995-12-19

Representational difference analysis was used to identify strain-specific differences in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of mouse X and Y chromosomes. One second generation (C57BL/6 x Mus spretus) x Mus spretus interspecific backcross male carrying the C57BL/6 (B6) PAR was used for tester DNA. DNA from five backcross males from the same generation that were M. spretus-type for the PAR was pooled for the driver. A cloned probe designated B6-38 was recovered that is B6-specific in Southern analysis. Analysis of genomic DNA from several inbred strains of laboratory mice and diverse Mus species and subspecies identified a characteristic Pst I pattern of fragment sizes that is present only in the C57BL family of strains. Hybridization was observed with sequences in DBA/2J and to a limited extent with Mus musculus (PWK strain) and Mus castaneus DNA. No hybridization was observed in DNA of different Mus species, M. spretus, M. hortulanus, and M. caroli. Genetic analyses of B6-38 was conducted using C57BL congenic males that carry M. spretus alleles for distal X chromosome loci and the PAR and outcrosses of heterozygous congenic females with M. spretus. These analyses demonstrated that the B6-38 sequences were inherited with both the X and Y chromosome. B6-38 sequences were genetically mapped as a locus within the PAR using two interspecific backcrosses. The locus defined by B6-38 is designated DXYRp1. Preliminary analyses of recombination between the distal X chromosome gene amelogenin (Amg) and the PAR loci for either TelXY or sex chromosome association (Sxa) suggest that the locus DXYRp1 maps to the distal portion of the PAR.

Analysis of Regional Unemployment in Russia and Germany: Spatial-Econometric Approach

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Elena Vyacheslavovna Semerikova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The study was supported by the Government of the Russian Federation, grant No.11.G34.31.0059. This paper analyzes the regional unemployment in Russia and Germany in 2005-2010 and addresses issues of choosing the right specification of spatial-econometric models. The analysis based on data of 75 Russian and 370 German regions showed that for Germany the choice of the spatial weighting matrix has a more significant influence on the parameter estimates than for Russia. Presumably this is due to stronger linkages between regional labor markets in Germany compared to Russia. The authors also proposed an algorithm for choosing between spatial matrices and demonstrated the application of this algorithm on simulated Russian data. The authors found that 1 the deviation of the results from the true ones increases when the spatial dependence between regions is higher and 2 the matrix of inverse distances is more preferable than the boundary one for the analysis of regional unemployment in Russia (because of the lower value of the mean squared error. The authors are also planning to apply the proposed algorithm for simulated data of Germany. These results allow accounting the spatial dependence more correctly when modeling regional unemployment which is very important for making proper regional policy

Patterns of regional development in Serbia: A multivariate statistical analysis

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Čoček Ladislav

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The primary objective of this paper is to examine patterns of regional development in Serbia and to identify underlying geographical factors of these patterns. Principal component analysis is used to reveal the basic dimensions of regional differentiation. Its results are described in the context of findings from thematically similar research on Central European countries. An area's position in the national settlement system hierarchy has been identified as the strongest determinant of regional differentiation in Serbia. Other strong patterns seem to be connected with macro-geographical position. Success in economic development is most apparent in regions near the metropolitan area of Belgrade, and the general development level, along with a predisposition for agriculture, exhibits a strong north-south polarization. Specific attention is directed at demographic development, which is characterized by a west-east gradient. Central patterns of regional differentiation are similar to those uncovered in previous Central European research. Regional policy in Serbia should, therefore, try to learn from experience within this region to cope with processes and problems that are often quite similar. .

Differential requirements for Gli2 and Gli3 in the regional specification of the mouse hypothalamus

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Roberta eHaddad-Tóvolli

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Secreted protein Sonic hedgehog (Shh ventralizes the neural tube by modulating the crucial balance between activating and repressing functions (GliA, GliR of transcription factors Gli2 and Gli3. This balance—the Shh-Gli code—is species- and context-dependent and has been elucidated for the mouse spinal cord. The hypothalamus, a forebrain region regulating vital functions like homeostasis and hormone secretion, shows dynamic and intricate Shh expression as well as complex regional differentiation. Here we asked if particular combinations of Gli2 and Gli3 and of GliA and GliR functions contribute to the variety of hypothalamic regions, i.e. we wanted to clarify the hypothalamic version of the Shh-Gli code. Based on mouse mutant analysis, we show that: 1 hypothalamic regional heterogeneity is based in part on differentially stringent requirements for Gli2 or Gli3; 2 another source of diversity are differential requirements for Shh of neural vs non-neural origin; 3 Gli2 is indispensable for the specification of a medial progenitor domain generating several essential hypothalamic nuclei plus the pituitary and median eminence; 4 the suppression of Gli3R by neural and non-neural Shh is essential for hypothalamic specification. Finally, we have mapped our results on a recent model which considers the hypothalamus as a transverse region with alar and basal portions. Our data confirm the model and are explained by it.

Route-specific analysis for radioactive materials transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

This report addresses a methodology for route-specific analysis, of which route-selection is one aspect. Identification and mitigation of specific hazards along a chosen route is another important facet of route-specific analysis. Route-selection and route-specific mitigation are two tools to be used in minimizing the risk of radioactive materials transportation and promoting public confidence. Other tools exist to improve the safety of transportation under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. Selection of a transportation mode and other, non-route-specific measures, such as improved driver training and improved cask designs, are additional tools to minimize transportation risk and promote public confidence. This report addresses the route-specific analysis tool and does not attempt to evaluate its relative usefulness as compared to other available tools. This report represents a preliminary attempt to develop a route-specific analysis methodlogy. The Western Interstate Energy Board High-Level Waste Committee has formed a Route-Specific Analysis Task Force which will build upon the methodology proposed in this Staff Report. As western states continue to investigate route-specific analysis issues, it is expected that the methodology will evolve into a more refined product representing the views of a larger group of interested parties in the West

Anatomical specificity of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in glioblastomas: a voxel-based mapping analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Xing [Capital Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing (China); Wang, Yinyan [Capital Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing (China); Capital Medical University, Department of Neuropathology, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Beijing (China); Wang, Kai; Ma, Jun; Li, Shaowu [Capital Medical University, Department of Neuroradiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing (China); Liu, Shuai [Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Departments of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing (China); Liu, Yong [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Beijing (China); Jiang, Tao [Capital Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing (China); Beijing Academy of Critical Illness in Brain, Department of Clinical Oncology, Beijing (China)

2016-01-15

The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a common genetic alteration in malignant gliomas and contributes to the angiogenesis of tumors. This study aimed to investigate the anatomical specificity of VEGF expression levels in glioblastomas using voxel-based neuroimaging analysis. Clinical information, MR scans, and immunohistochemistry stains of 209 patients with glioblastomas were reviewed. All tumor lesions were segmented manually and subsequently registered to standard brain space. Voxel-based regression analysis was performed to correlate the brain regions of tumor involvement with the level of VEGF expression. Brain regions identified as significantly associated with high or low VEGF expression were preserved following permutation correction. High VEGF expression was detected in 123 (58.9 %) of the 209 patients. Voxel-based statistical analysis demonstrated that high VEGF expression was more likely in tumors located in the left frontal lobe and the right caudate and low VEGF expression was more likely in tumors that occurred in the posterior region of the right lateral ventricle. Voxel-based neuroimaging analysis revealed the anatomic specificity of VEGF expression in glioblastoma, which may further our understanding of genetic heterogeneity during tumor origination. This finding provides primary theoretical support for potential future application of customized antiangiogenic therapy. (orig.)

Anatomical specificity of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in glioblastomas: a voxel-based mapping analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Xing; Wang, Yinyan; Wang, Kai; Ma, Jun; Li, Shaowu; Liu, Shuai; Liu, Yong; Jiang, Tao

2016-01-01

The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a common genetic alteration in malignant gliomas and contributes to the angiogenesis of tumors. This study aimed to investigate the anatomical specificity of VEGF expression levels in glioblastomas using voxel-based neuroimaging analysis. Clinical information, MR scans, and immunohistochemistry stains of 209 patients with glioblastomas were reviewed. All tumor lesions were segmented manually and subsequently registered to standard brain space. Voxel-based regression analysis was performed to correlate the brain regions of tumor involvement with the level of VEGF expression. Brain regions identified as significantly associated with high or low VEGF expression were preserved following permutation correction. High VEGF expression was detected in 123 (58.9 %) of the 209 patients. Voxel-based statistical analysis demonstrated that high VEGF expression was more likely in tumors located in the left frontal lobe and the right caudate and low VEGF expression was more likely in tumors that occurred in the posterior region of the right lateral ventricle. Voxel-based neuroimaging analysis revealed the anatomic specificity of VEGF expression in glioblastoma, which may further our understanding of genetic heterogeneity during tumor origination. This finding provides primary theoretical support for potential future application of customized antiangiogenic therapy. (orig.)

Region-specific mechanical properties of the human patella tendon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haraldsson, B T; Aagaard, P; Krogsgaard, M

2004-01-01

The present study investigated the mechanical properties of tendon fascicles from the anterior and posterior human patellar tendon. Collagen fascicles from the anterior and posterior human patellar tendon in healthy young men (mean +/- SD, 29.0 +/- 4.6 yr, n = 6) were tested in a mechanical rig...... portion of the tendon, indicating region-specific material properties....

Region-specific maturation of cerebral cortex in human fetal brain: diffusion tensor imaging and histology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivedi, Richa; Gupta, Rakesh K.; Saksena, Sona; Husain, Nuzhat; Srivastava, Savita; Rathore, Ram K.S.; Sarma, Manoj K.; Malik, Gyanendra K.; Das, Vinita; Pradhan, Mandakini; Pandey, Chandra M.; Narayana, Ponnada A.

2009-01-01

In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemical analysis in different cortical regions in fetal brains at different gestational age (GA) were performed. DTI was performed on 50 freshly aborted fetal brains with GA ranging from 12 to 42 weeks to compare age-related fractional anisotropy (FA) changes in different cerebral cortical regions that include frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes at the level of thalami. GFAP immunostaining was performed and the percentage of GFAP-positive areas was quantified. The cortical FA values in the frontal lobe peaked at around 26 weeks of GA, occipital and temporal lobes at around 20 weeks, and parietal lobe at around 23 weeks. A significant, but modest, positive correlation (r=0.31, p=0.02) was observed between cortical FA values and percentage area of GFAP expression in cortical region around the time period during which the migrational events are at its peak, i.e., GA ≤ 28 weeks for frontal cortical region and GA≤22 weeks for rest of the lobes. The DTI-derived FA quantification with its GFAP immunohistologic correlation in cortical regions of the various lobes of the cerebral hemispheres supports region-specific migrational and maturational events in human fetal brain. (orig.)

Region-specific maturation of cerebral cortex in human fetal brain: diffusion tensor imaging and histology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trivedi, Richa; Gupta, Rakesh K.; Saksena, Sona [Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Lucknow, UP (India); Husain, Nuzhat; Srivastava, Savita [CSM Medical University, Department of Pathology, Lucknow (India); Rathore, Ram K.S.; Sarma, Manoj K. [Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Kanpur (India); Malik, Gyanendra K. [CSM Medical University, Department of Pediatrics, Lucknow (India); Das, Vinita [CSM Medical University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lucknow (India); Pradhan, Mandakini [Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Genetics, Lucknow (India); Pandey, Chandra M. [Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Biostatistics, Lucknow (India); Narayana, Ponnada A. [University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, Houston, TX (United States)

2009-09-15

In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemical analysis in different cortical regions in fetal brains at different gestational age (GA) were performed. DTI was performed on 50 freshly aborted fetal brains with GA ranging from 12 to 42 weeks to compare age-related fractional anisotropy (FA) changes in different cerebral cortical regions that include frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes at the level of thalami. GFAP immunostaining was performed and the percentage of GFAP-positive areas was quantified. The cortical FA values in the frontal lobe peaked at around 26 weeks of GA, occipital and temporal lobes at around 20 weeks, and parietal lobe at around 23 weeks. A significant, but modest, positive correlation (r=0.31, p=0.02) was observed between cortical FA values and percentage area of GFAP expression in cortical region around the time period during which the migrational events are at its peak, i.e., GA {<=} 28 weeks for frontal cortical region and GA{<=}22 weeks for rest of the lobes. The DTI-derived FA quantification with its GFAP immunohistologic correlation in cortical regions of the various lobes of the cerebral hemispheres supports region-specific migrational and maturational events in human fetal brain. (orig.)

Challenges from variation across regions in cost effectiveness analysis in multi-regional clinical trials

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Yunbo Chu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Economic evaluation in the form of cost-effectiveness analysis has become a popular means to inform decisions in healthcare. With multi-regional clinical trials in a global development program becoming a new venue for drug efficacy testing in recent decades, questions in methods for cost-effectiveness analysis in the multi-regional clinical trials setting also emerge. This paper addresses some challenges from variation across regions in cost effectiveness analysis in multi-regional clinical trials. Several discussion points are raised for further attention and a multi-regional clinical trial example is presented to illustrate the implications in industrial application. A general message is delivered to call for a depth discussion by all stakeholders to reach an agreement on a good practice in cost-effectiveness analysis in the multi-regional clinical trials. Meanwhile, we recommend an additional consideration of cost-effectiveness analysis results based on the clinical evidence from a certain homogeneous population as sensitivity or scenario analysis upon data availability.

Kinetics and regional specificity of irinotecan-induced gene expression in the gastrointestinal tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowen, Joanne M.; Tsykin, Anna; Stringer, Andrea M.; Logan, Richard M.; Gibson, Rachel J.; Keefe, Dorothy M.K.

2010-01-01

Gastrointestinal toxicity remains a significant and dose-limiting complication of cancer treatment. While the pathophysiology is becoming clearer, considerable gaps in the knowledge remain surrounding the timing and site-specific gene changes which occur in response to insult. As such, this study aimed to assess gene expression profiles in a number of regions along the gastrointestinal tract following treatment with the chemotherapy agent, irinotecan, and correlate them with markers of cell death and tissue damage. Data analysis of microarray results found that genes involved in apoptosis, mitogen activated kinase (MAPK) signalling and inflammation were upregulated within 6 h, while genes involved in cell proliferation, wound healing and blood vessel formation were upregulated at later time points up to 72 h. Cell death was significantly increased at 6 and 24 h, and the stomach showed the lowest severity of overt tissue damage. Real time PCR of MAPK signalling pathway genes found that the jejunum and colon had significantly increased expression in a number of genes at 72 h, where as the stomach was unchanged. These results indicate that overall severity of tissue damage may be determined by precisely timed target gene responses specific to each region. Therapeutic targeting of key gene responses at the appropriate time point may prove to be effective for prevention of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal damage.

X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region of two-component heterokaryons of Neurospora crass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Serres, F.J.

1990-01-01

More extensive complementation tests than those performed initially on a series of 832 X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the adenine-4 (ad-3) region of a two-component heterokaryon (H-12) of Neurospora crassa showed that unexpectedly high frequencies of specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region have additional, but separate, sites of recessive lethal damage in the immediately adjacent genetic regions. In the present paper, X-ray-induced irreparable ad-3 mutants of the folowing genotypes and numbers (ad-3A ad-3B, ad-3A ad-3B nic-2, and ad-3B nic-2) have also subjected to the same genetic fine structure analysis. These experiments, in the previous and present papers, were designed to determine the extent of the functional inactivation in the ad-3 and immediately adjacent genetic regions in individual mutants classified as presumptive multilocus deletions or multiplelocus mutations. The data in the present paper have shown that in Neurospora crassa most X-ray-induced irreparable mutants of genotype ad-3A ad-3B, ad-3A ad-3B nic-2, and ad-3 nic-2 map as a series of overlapping multilocus deletions. In addition, genetic fine structure analysis has shown that some of the mutants classified, initially, as multilocus deletions, are actually multiple-locus mutations: multilocus deletions with closely linked, and separate, sites of recessive lethal damage with a wide variety of genotyes. Combining data from the present experiments with previously published date, the frequency of multiple-locus mutations among X-ray-induced gene/point mutations and multilocus deletions in the ad-3 region is 6.2%. (author). 27 refs.; 4 figs.; 7 tab

Proof of region-specific multipotent progenitors in human breast epithelia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fridriksdottir, Agla J; Villadsen, René; Morsing, Mikkel

2017-01-01

in luminal progenitors to interrogate the differentiation repertoire of candidate stem cells in TDLUs. We show that stem-like activity in serial passage culture and in vivo breast morphogenesis relies on the preservation of a myoepithelial phenotype. By enrichment for region-specific progenitors, we identify...

Region-specific RNA m6A methylation represents a new layer of control in the gene regulatory network in the mouse brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Mengqi; Lv, Hongyi; Zhang, Weilong; Ma, Chunhui; He, Xue; Zhao, Shunli; Zhang, Zhi-Wei; Zeng, Yi-Xin; Song, Shuhui; Niu, Yamei; Tong, Wei-Min

2017-09-01

N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) is the most abundant epitranscriptomic mark found on mRNA and has important roles in various physiological processes. Despite the relatively high m 6 A levels in the brain, its potential functions in the brain remain largely unexplored. We performed a transcriptome-wide methylation analysis using the mouse brain to depict its region-specific methylation profile. RNA methylation levels in mouse cerebellum are generally higher than those in the cerebral cortex. Heterogeneity of RNA methylation exists across different brain regions and different types of neural cells including the mRNAs to be methylated, their methylation levels and methylation site selection. Common and region-specific methylation have different preferences for methylation site selection and thereby different impacts on their biological functions. In addition, high methylation levels of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) target mRNAs suggest that m 6 A methylation is likely to be used for selective recognition of target mRNAs by FMRP in the synapse. Overall, we provide a region-specific map of RNA m 6 A methylation and characterize the distinct features of specific and common methylation in mouse cerebellum and cerebral cortex. Our results imply that RNA m 6 A methylation is a newly identified element in the region-specific gene regulatory network in the mouse brain. © 2017 The Authors.

Interaction of a nodule specific, trans-acting factor with distinct DNA elements in the soybean leghaemoglobin Ibc(3) 5' upstream region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Erik Østergaard; Marcker, Kjeld A; Schell, J

1988-01-01

Nuclear extracts from soybean nodules, leaves and roots were used to investigate protein-DNA interactions in the 5' upstream (promoter) region of the soybean leghaemoglobin lbc(3) gene. Two distinct regions were identified which strongly bind a nodule specific factor. A Bal31 deletion analysis......, but with different affinities. Elements 1 and 2 share a common motif, although their AT-rich DNA sequences differ. Element 2 is highly conserved at an analogous position in other soybean lb gene 5' upstream regions. Udgivelsesdato: 1988-May...

A strand-specific RNA-Seq analysis of the transcriptome of the typhoid bacillus Salmonella typhi.

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Timothy T Perkins

2009-07-01

Full Text Available High-density, strand-specific cDNA sequencing (ssRNA-seq was used to analyze the transcriptome of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi. By mapping sequence data to the entire S. Typhi genome, we analyzed the transcriptome in a strand-specific manner and further defined transcribed regions encoded within prophages, pseudogenes, previously un-annotated, and 3'- or 5'-untranslated regions (UTR. An additional 40 novel candidate non-coding RNAs were identified beyond those previously annotated. Proteomic analysis was combined with transcriptome data to confirm and refine the annotation of a number of hpothetical genes. ssRNA-seq was also combined with microarray and proteome analysis to further define the S. Typhi OmpR regulon and identify novel OmpR regulated transcripts. Thus, ssRNA-seq provides a novel and powerful approach to the characterization of the bacterial transcriptome.

SCOWLP classification: Structural comparison and analysis of protein binding regions

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Anders Gerd

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Detailed information about protein interactions is critical for our understanding of the principles governing protein recognition mechanisms. The structures of many proteins have been experimentally determined in complex with different ligands bound either in the same or different binding regions. Thus, the structural interactome requires the development of tools to classify protein binding regions. A proper classification may provide a general view of the regions that a protein uses to bind others and also facilitate a detailed comparative analysis of the interacting information for specific protein binding regions at atomic level. Such classification might be of potential use for deciphering protein interaction networks, understanding protein function, rational engineering and design. Description Protein binding regions (PBRs might be ideally described as well-defined separated regions that share no interacting residues one another. However, PBRs are often irregular, discontinuous and can share a wide range of interacting residues among them. The criteria to define an individual binding region can be often arbitrary and may differ from other binding regions within a protein family. Therefore, the rational behind protein interface classification should aim to fulfil the requirements of the analysis to be performed. We extract detailed interaction information of protein domains, peptides and interfacial solvent from the SCOWLP database and we classify the PBRs of each domain family. For this purpose, we define a similarity index based on the overlapping of interacting residues mapped in pair-wise structural alignments. We perform our classification with agglomerative hierarchical clustering using the complete-linkage method. Our classification is calculated at different similarity cut-offs to allow flexibility in the analysis of PBRs, feature especially interesting for those protein families with conflictive binding regions

In-depth analysis of subclass-specific conformational preferences of IgG antibodies

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Xinsheng Tian

2015-01-01

Full Text Available IgG subclass-specific differences in biological function and in vitro stability are often referred to variations in the conformational flexibility, while this flexibility has rarely been characterized. Here, small-angle X-ray scattering data from IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 antibodies, which were designed with identical variable regions, were thoroughly analysed by the ensemble optimization method. The extended analysis of the optimized ensembles through shape clustering reveals distinct subclass-specific conformational preferences, which provide new insights for understanding the variations in physical/chemical stability and biological function of therapeutic antibodies. Importantly, the way that specific differences in the linker region correlate with the solution structure of intact antibodies is revealed, thereby visualizing future potential for the rational design of antibodies with designated physicochemical properties and tailored effector functions. In addition, this advanced computational approach is applicable to other flexible multi-domain systems and extends the potential for investigating flexibility in solutions of macromolecules by small-angle X-ray scattering.

Is Drosophila-microbe association species-specific or region specific? A study undertaken involving six Indian Drosophila species.

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Singhal, Kopal; Khanna, Radhika; Mohanty, Sujata

2017-06-01

The present work aims to identify the microbial diversity associated with six Indian Drosophila species using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology and to discover the nature of their distribution across species and eco-geographic regions. Whole fly gDNA of six Drosophila species were used to generate sequences in an Illumina platform using NGS technology. De novo based assembled raw reads were blasted against the NR database of NCBI using BLASTn for identification of their bacterial loads. We have tried to include Drosophila species from different taxonomical groups and subgroups and from three different eco-climatic regions India; four species belong to Central India, while the rest two, D. melanogaster and D. ananassae, belong to West and South India to determine both their species-wise and region-wide distribution. We detected the presence of 33 bacterial genera across all six study species, predominated by the class Proteobacteria. Amongst all, D. melanogaster was found to be the most diverse by carrying around 85% of the bacterial diversity. Our findings infer both species-specific and environment-specific nature of the bacterial species inhabiting the Drosophila host. Though the present results are consistent with most of the earlier studies, they also remain incoherent with some. The present study outcome on the host-bacteria association and their species specific adaptation may provide some insight to understand the host-microbial interactions and the phenotypic implications of microbes on the host physiology. The knowledge gained may be importantly applied into the recent insect and pest population control strategy going to implement through gut microflora in India and abroad.

Brain noise is task dependent and region specific.

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Misić, Bratislav; Mills, Travis; Taylor, Margot J; McIntosh, Anthony R

2010-11-01

The emerging organization of anatomical and functional connections during human brain development is thought to facilitate global integration of information. Recent empirical and computational studies have shown that this enhanced capacity for information processing enables a diversified dynamic repertoire that manifests in neural activity as irregularity and noise. However, transient functional networks unfold over multiple time, scales and the embedding of a particular region depends not only on development, but also on the manner in which sensory and cognitive systems are engaged. Here we show that noise is a facet of neural activity that is also sensitive to the task context and is highly region specific. Children (6-16 yr) and adults (20-41 yr) performed a one-back face recognition task with inverted and upright faces. Neuromagnetic activity was estimated at several hundred sources in the brain by applying a beamforming technique to the magnetoencephalogram (MEG). During development, neural activity became more variable across the whole brain, with most robust increases in medial parietal regions, such as the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex. For young children and adults, activity evoked by upright faces was more variable and noisy compared with inverted faces, and this effect was reliable only in the right fusiform gyrus. These results are consistent with the notion that upright faces engender a variety of integrative neural computations, such as the relations among facial features and their holistic constitution. This study shows that transient changes in functional integration modulated by task demand are evident in the variability of regional neural activity.

3D intrathoracic region definition and its application to PET-CT analysis

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Cheirsilp, Ronnarit; Bascom, Rebecca; Allen, Thomas W.; Higgins, William E.

2014-03-01

Recently developed integrated PET-CT scanners give co-registered multimodal data sets that offer complementary three-dimensional (3D) digital images of the chest. PET (positron emission tomography) imaging gives highly specific functional information of suspect cancer sites, while CT (X-ray computed tomography) gives associated anatomical detail. Because the 3D CT and PET scans generally span the body from the eyes to the knees, accurate definition of the intrathoracic region is vital for focusing attention to the central-chest region. In this way, diagnostically important regions of interest (ROIs), such as central-chest lymph nodes and cancer nodules, can be more efficiently isolated. We propose a method for automatic segmentation of the intrathoracic region from a given co-registered 3D PET-CT study. Using the 3D CT scan as input, the method begins by finding an initial intrathoracic region boundary for a given 2D CT section. Next, active contour analysis, driven by a cost function depending on local image gradient, gradient-direction, and contour shape features, iteratively estimates the contours spanning the intrathoracic region on neighboring 2D CT sections. This process continues until the complete region is defined. We next present an interactive system that employs the segmentation method for focused 3D PET-CT chest image analysis. A validation study over a series of PET-CT studies reveals that the segmentation method gives a Dice index accuracy of less than 98%. In addition, further results demonstrate the utility of the method for focused 3D PET-CT chest image analysis, ROI definition, and visualization.

Identification and characterization of a liver stage-specific promoter region of the malaria parasite Plasmodium.

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Susanne Helm

Full Text Available During the blood meal of a Plasmodium-infected mosquito, 10 to 100 parasites are inoculated into the skin and a proportion of these migrate via the bloodstream to the liver where they infect hepatocytes. The Plasmodium liver stage, despite its clinical silence, represents a highly promising target for antimalarial drug and vaccine approaches. Successfully invaded parasites undergo a massive proliferation in hepatocytes, producing thousands of merozoites that are transported into a blood vessel to infect red blood cells. To successfully develop from the liver stage into infective merozoites, a tight regulation of gene expression is needed. Although this is a very interesting aspect in the biology of Plasmodium, little is known about gene regulation in Plasmodium parasites in general and in the liver stage in particular. We have functionally analyzed a novel promoter region of the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei that is exclusively active during the liver stage of the parasite. To prove stage-specific activity of the promoter, GFP and luciferase reporter assays have been successfully established, allowing both qualitative and accurate quantitative analysis. To further characterize the promoter region, the transcription start site was mapped by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE. Using promoter truncation experiments and site-directed mutagenesis within potential transcription factor binding sites, we suggest that the minimal promoter contains more than one binding site for the recently identified parasite-specific ApiAP2 transcription factors. The identification of a liver stage-specific promoter in P. berghei confirms that the parasite is able to tightly regulate gene expression during its life cycle. The identified promoter region might now be used to study the biology of the Plasmodium liver stage, which has thus far proven problematic on a molecular level. Stage-specific expression of dominant-negative mutant proteins and

A comparison of regional flood frequency analysis approaches in a simulation framework

Science.gov (United States)

Ganora, D.; Laio, F.

2016-07-01

Regional frequency analysis (RFA) is a well-established methodology to provide an estimate of the flood frequency curve at ungauged (or scarcely gauged) sites. Different RFA approaches exist, depending on the way the information is transferred to the site of interest, but it is not clear in the literature if a specific method systematically outperforms the others. The aim of this study is to provide a framework wherein carrying out the intercomparison by building up a virtual environment based on synthetically generated data. The considered regional approaches include: (i) a unique regional curve for the whole region; (ii) a multiple-region model where homogeneous subregions are determined through cluster analysis; (iii) a Region-of-Influence model which defines a homogeneous subregion for each site; (iv) a spatially smooth estimation procedure where the parameters of the regional model vary continuously along the space. Virtual environments are generated considering different patterns of heterogeneity, including step change and smooth variations. If the region is heterogeneous, with the parent distribution changing continuously within the region, the spatially smooth regional approach outperforms the others, with overall errors 10-50% lower than the other methods. In the case of a step-change, the spatially smooth and clustering procedures perform similarly if the heterogeneity is moderate, while clustering procedures work better when the step-change is severe. To extend our findings, an extensive sensitivity analysis has been performed to investigate the effect of sample length, number of virtual stations, return period of the predicted quantile, variability of the scale parameter of the parent distribution, number of predictor variables and different parent distribution. Overall, the spatially smooth approach appears as the most robust approach as its performances are more stable across different patterns of heterogeneity, especially when short records are

Nuclear power regional analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parera, María Delia

2011-01-01

In this study, a regional analysis of the Argentine electricity market was carried out considering the effects of regional cooperation, national and international interconnections; additionally, the possibilities of insertion of new nuclear power plants in different regions were evaluated, indicating the most suitable areas for these facilities to increase the penetration of nuclear energy in national energy matrix. The interconnection of electricity markets and natural gas due to the linkage between both energy forms was also studied. With this purpose, MESSAGE program was used (Model for Energy Supply Strategy Alternatives and their General Environmental Impacts), promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This model performs a country-level economic optimization, resulting in the minimum cost for the modelling system. Regionalization executed by the Wholesale Electricity Market Management Company (CAMMESA, by its Spanish acronym) that divides the country into eight regions. The characteristics and the needs of each region, their respective demands and supplies of electricity and natural gas, as well as existing and planned interconnections, consisting of power lines and pipelines were taken into account. According to the results obtained through the model, nuclear is a competitive option. (author) [es

An unsupervised MVA method to compare specific regions in human breast tumor tissue samples using ToF-SIMS.

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Bluestein, Blake M; Morrish, Fionnuala; Graham, Daniel J; Guenthoer, Jamie; Hockenbery, David; Porter, Peggy L; Gamble, Lara J

2016-03-21

Imaging time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate two sets of pre- and post-chemotherapy human breast tumor tissue sections to characterize lipids associated with tumor metabolic flexibility and response to treatment. The micron spatial resolution imaging capability of ToF-SIMS provides a powerful approach to attain spatially-resolved molecular and cellular data from cancerous tissues not available with conventional imaging techniques. Three ca. 1 mm(2) areas per tissue section were analyzed by stitching together 200 μm × 200 μm raster area scans. A method to isolate and analyze specific tissue regions of interest by utilizing PCA of ToF-SIMS images is presented, which allowed separation of cellularized areas from stromal areas. These PCA-generated regions of interest were then used as masks to reconstruct representative spectra from specifically stromal or cellular regions. The advantage of this unsupervised selection method is a reduction in scatter in the spectral PCA results when compared to analyzing all tissue areas or analyzing areas highlighted by a pathologist. Utilizing this method, stromal and cellular regions of breast tissue biopsies taken pre- versus post-chemotherapy demonstrate chemical separation using negatively-charged ion species. In this sample set, the cellular regions were predominantly all cancer cells. Fatty acids (i.e. palmitic, oleic, and stearic), monoacylglycerols, diacylglycerols and vitamin E profiles were distinctively different between the pre- and post-therapy tissues. These results validate a new unsupervised method to isolate and interpret biochemically distinct regions in cancer tissues using imaging ToF-SIMS data. In addition, the method developed here can provide a framework to compare a variety of tissue samples using imaging ToF-SIMS, especially where there is section-to-section variability that makes it difficult to use a serial hematoxylin

Improving cluster-based methods for investigating potential for insect pest species establishment: region-specific risk factors

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Michael J. Watts

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Existing cluster-based methods for investigating insect species assemblages or profiles of a region to indicate the risk of new insect pest invasion have a major limitation in that they assign the same species risk factors to each region in a cluster. Clearly regions assigned to the same cluster have different degrees of similarity with respect to their species profile or assemblage. This study addresses this concern by applying weighting factors to the cluster elements used to calculate regional risk factors, thereby producing region-specific risk factors. Using a database of the global distribution of crop insect pest species, we found that we were able to produce highly differentiated region-specific risk factors for insect pests. We did this by weighting cluster elements by their Euclidean distance from the target region. Using this approach meant that risk weightings were derived that were more realistic, as they were specific to the pest profile or species assemblage of each region. This weighting method provides an improved tool for estimating the potential invasion risk posed by exotic species given that they have an opportunity to establish in a target region.

SU-F-I-12: Region-Specific Dictionary Learning for Low-Dose X-Ray CT Reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Q; Han, H; Xing, L

2016-01-01

Purpose: Dictionary learning based method has attracted more and more attentions in low-dose CT due to the superior performance on suppressing noise and preserving structural details. Considering the structures and noise vary from region to region in one imaging object, we propose a region-specific dictionary learning method to improve the low-dose CT reconstruction. Methods: A set of normal-dose images was used for dictionary learning. Segmentations were performed on these images, so that the training patch sets corresponding to different regions can be extracted out. After that, region-specific dictionaries were learned from these training sets. For the low-dose CT reconstruction, a conventional reconstruction, such as filtered back-projection (FBP), was performed firstly, and then segmentation was followed to segment the image into different regions. Sparsity constraints of each region based on its dictionary were used as regularization terms. The regularization parameters were selected adaptively according to different regions. A low-dose human thorax dataset was used to evaluate the proposed method. The single dictionary based method was performed for comparison. Results: Since the lung region is very different from the other part of thorax, two dictionaries corresponding to lung region and the rest part of thorax respectively were learned to better express the structural details and avoid artifacts. With only one dictionary some artifact appeared in the body region caused by the spot atoms corresponding to the structures in the lung region. And also some structure in the lung regions cannot be recovered well by only one dictionary. The quantitative indices of the result by the proposed method were also improved a little compared to the single dictionary based method. Conclusion: Region-specific dictionary can make the dictionary more adaptive to different region characteristics, which is much desirable for enhancing the performance of dictionary learning

SU-F-I-12: Region-Specific Dictionary Learning for Low-Dose X-Ray CT Reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Q; Han, H; Xing, L [Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Dictionary learning based method has attracted more and more attentions in low-dose CT due to the superior performance on suppressing noise and preserving structural details. Considering the structures and noise vary from region to region in one imaging object, we propose a region-specific dictionary learning method to improve the low-dose CT reconstruction. Methods: A set of normal-dose images was used for dictionary learning. Segmentations were performed on these images, so that the training patch sets corresponding to different regions can be extracted out. After that, region-specific dictionaries were learned from these training sets. For the low-dose CT reconstruction, a conventional reconstruction, such as filtered back-projection (FBP), was performed firstly, and then segmentation was followed to segment the image into different regions. Sparsity constraints of each region based on its dictionary were used as regularization terms. The regularization parameters were selected adaptively according to different regions. A low-dose human thorax dataset was used to evaluate the proposed method. The single dictionary based method was performed for comparison. Results: Since the lung region is very different from the other part of thorax, two dictionaries corresponding to lung region and the rest part of thorax respectively were learned to better express the structural details and avoid artifacts. With only one dictionary some artifact appeared in the body region caused by the spot atoms corresponding to the structures in the lung region. And also some structure in the lung regions cannot be recovered well by only one dictionary. The quantitative indices of the result by the proposed method were also improved a little compared to the single dictionary based method. Conclusion: Region-specific dictionary can make the dictionary more adaptive to different region characteristics, which is much desirable for enhancing the performance of dictionary learning

Cytogenomic Integrative Network Analysis of the Critical Region Associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

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Thiago Corrêa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Deletions in the 4p16.3 region are associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS, a contiguous gene deletion syndrome involving variable size deletions. In this study, we perform a cytogenomic integrative analysis combining classical cytogenetic methods, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA, and systems biology strategies, to establish the cytogenomic profile involving the 4p16.3 critical region and suggest WHS-related intracellular cell signaling cascades. The cytogenetic and clinical patient profiles were evaluated. We characterized 12 terminal deletions, one interstitial deletion, two ring chromosomes, and one classical translocation 4;8. CMA allowed delineation of the deletions, which ranged from 3.7 to 25.6 Mb with breakpoints from 4p16.3 to 4p15.33. Furthermore, the smallest region of overlapping (SRO encompassed seven genes in a terminal region of 330 kb in the 4p16.3 region, suggesting a region of susceptibility to convulsions and microcephaly. Therefore, molecular interaction networks and topological analysis were performed to understand these WHS-related symptoms. Our results suggest that specific cell signaling pathways including dopamine receptor, NAD+ nucleosidase activity, and fibroblast growth factor-activated receptor activity are associated with the diverse pathological WHS phenotypes and their symptoms. Additionally, we identified 29 hub-bottlenecks (H-B nodes with a major role in WHS.

Subject-specific regional measures of water diffusion are associated with impairment in chronic spinal cord injury.

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Choe, Ann S; Sadowsky, Cristina L; Smith, Seth A; van Zijl, Peter C M; Pekar, James J; Belegu, Visar

2017-08-01

We aimed to identify non-invasive imaging parameters that can serve as biomarkers for the integrity of the spinal cord, which is paramount to neurological function. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices are sensitive to axonal and myelin damage, and have strong potential to serve as such biomarkers. However, averaging DTI indices over large regions of interest (ROIs), a common approach to analyzing the images of injured spinal cord, leads to loss of subject-specific information. We investigated if DTI-tractography-driven, subject-specific demarcation approach can yield measures that are more specific to impairment. In 18 individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), subject-specific demarcation of the injury region was performed using DTI tractography, which yielded three regions relative to injury (RRI; regions superior to, at, and below injury epicenter). DTI indices averaged over each RRI were correlated with measures of residual motor and sensory function, obtained using the International Standard of Neurological Classification for Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI). Total ISNCSCI score (ISNCSCI-tot; sum of ISNCSCI motor and sensory scores) was significantly (p injury epicenter (IRRI), the degree of which exceeded that of those measured from the entire cervical cord-suggesting contribution from Wallerian degeneration. DTI tractography-driven, subject-specific injury demarcation approach provided measures that were more specific to impairment. Notably, DTI indices obtained from the IRRI region showed the highest specificity to impairment, demonstrating their strong potential as biomarkers for the SCI severity.

Construction of physical maps for the sex-specific regions of papaya sex chromosomes

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Na Jong-Kuk

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Papaya is a major fruit crop in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It is trioecious with three sex forms: male, female, and hermaphrodite. Sex determination is controlled by a pair of nascent sex chromosomes with two slightly different Y chromosomes, Y for male and Yh for hermaphrodite. The sex chromosome genotypes are XY (male, XYh (hermaphrodite, and XX (female. The papaya hermaphrodite-specific Yh chromosome region (HSY is pericentromeric and heterochromatic. Physical mapping of HSY and its X counterpart is essential for sequencing these regions and uncovering the early events of sex chromosome evolution and to identify the sex determination genes for crop improvement. Results A reiterate chromosome walking strategy was applied to construct the two physical maps with three bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC libraries. The HSY physical map consists of 68 overlapped BACs on the minimum tiling path, and covers all four HSY-specific Knobs. One gap remained in the region of Knob 1, the only knob structure shared between HSY and X, due to the lack of HSY-specific sequences. This gap was filled on the physical map of the HSY corresponding region in the X chromosome. The X physical map consists of 44 BACs on the minimum tiling path with one gap remaining in the middle, due to the nature of highly repetitive sequences. This gap was filled on the HSY physical map. The borders of the non-recombining HSY were defined genetically by fine mapping using 1460 F2 individuals. The genetically defined HSY spanned approximately 8.5 Mb, whereas its X counterpart extended about 5.4 Mb including a 900 Kb region containing the Knob 1 shared by the HSY and X. The 8.5 Mb HSY corresponds to 4.5 Mb of its X counterpart, showing 4 Mb (89% DNA sequence expansion. Conclusion The 89% increase of DNA sequence in HSY indicates rapid expansion of the Yh chromosome after genetic recombination was suppressed 2–3 million years ago. The

Delineation and analysis of chromosomal regions specifying Yersinia pestis.

Science.gov (United States)

Derbise, Anne; Chenal-Francisque, Viviane; Huon, Christèle; Fayolle, Corinne; Demeure, Christian E; Chane-Woon-Ming, Béatrice; Médigue, Claudine; Hinnebusch, B Joseph; Carniel, Elisabeth

2010-09-01

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, has recently diverged from the less virulent enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Its emergence has been characterized by massive genetic loss and inactivation and limited gene acquisition. The acquired genes include two plasmids, a filamentous phage, and a few chromosomal loci. The aim of this study was to characterize the chromosomal regions acquired by Y. pestis. Following in silico comparative analysis and PCR screening of 98 strains of Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis, we found that eight chromosomal loci (six regions [R1pe to R6pe] and two coding sequences [CDS1pe and CDS2pe]) specified Y. pestis. Signatures of integration by site specific or homologous recombination were identified for most of them. These acquisitions and the loss of ancestral DNA sequences were concentrated in a chromosomal region opposite to the origin of replication. The specific regions were acquired very early during Y. pestis evolution and were retained during its microevolution, suggesting that they might bring some selective advantages. Only one region (R3pe), predicted to carry a lambdoid prophage, is most likely no longer functional because of mutations. With the exception of R1pe and R2pe, which have the potential to encode a restriction/modification and a sugar transport system, respectively, no functions could be predicted for the other Y. pestis-specific loci. To determine the role of the eight chromosomal loci in the physiology and pathogenicity of the plague bacillus, each of them was individually deleted from the bacterial chromosome. None of the deletants exhibited defects during growth in vitro. Using the Xenopsylla cheopis flea model, all deletants retained the capacity to produce a stable and persistent infection and to block fleas. Similarly, none of the deletants caused any acute flea toxicity. In the mouse model of infection, all deletants were fully virulent upon subcutaneous or aerosol infections. Therefore

Region-specific reduction in brain volume in young adults with perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

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Bregant, Tina; Rados, Milan; Vasung, Lana; Derganc, Metka; Evans, Alan C; Neubauer, David; Kostovic, Ivica

2013-11-01

A severe form of perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) carries a high risk of perinatal death and severe neurological sequelae while in mild HIE only discrete cognitive disorders may occur. To compare total brain volumes and region-specific cortical measurements between young adults with mild-moderate perinatal HIE and a healthy control group of the same age. MR imaging was performed in a cohort of 14 young adults (9 males, 5 females) with a history of mild or moderate perinatal HIE. The control group consisted of healthy participants, matched with HIE group by age and gender. Volumetric analysis was done after the processing of MR images using a fully automated CIVET pipeline. We measured gyrification indexes, total brain volume, volume of grey and white matter, and of cerebrospinal fluid. We also measured volume, thickness and area of the cerebral cortex in the parietal, occipital, frontal, and temporal lobe, and of the isthmus cinguli, parahippocampal and cingulated gyrus, and insula. The HIE patient group showed smaller absolute volumetric data. Statistically significant (p right hemisphere, of cortical areas in the right temporal lobe and parahippocampal gyrus, of cortical volumes in the right temporal lobe and of cortical thickness in the right isthmus of the cingulate gyrus were found. Comparison between the healthy group and the HIE group of the same gender showed statistically significant changes in the male HIE patients, where a significant reduction was found in whole brain volume; left parietal, bilateral temporal, and right parahippocampal gyrus cortical areas; and bilateral temporal lobe cortical volume. Our analysis of total brain volumes and region-specific corticometric parameters suggests that mild-moderate forms of perinatal HIE lead to reductions in whole brain volumes. In the study reductions were most pronounced in temporal lobe and parahippocampal gyrus. Copyright © 2013 European Paediatric Neurology Society. All rights reserved.

Regional LLRW processing alternatives applying the DOE REGINALT systems analysis model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beers, G.H.

1987-01-01

The DOE Low-Level Waste Management Program has developed a computer-based decision support system of models that may be used by nonprogrammers to evaluate a comprehensive approach to commercial low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) management. REGINALT (Regional Waste Management Alternatives Analysis Model) implementation will be described as the model is applied to hypothetical regional compact for the purpose of examining the technical and economic potential of two waste processing alternatives. Using waste from a typical regional compact, two specific regional waste processing centers are compared for feasibility. Example 1 assumes that a regional supercompaction facility is being developed for the region. Example 2 assumes that a regional facility with both supercompaction and incineration is specified. Both examples include identical disposal facilities, except that capacity may differ due to variation in volume reduction achieved. The two examples are compared with regard to volume reduction achieved, estimated occupational exposure for the processing facilities, and life cycle costs per generated unit waste. A base case also illustrates current disposal practices. The results of the comparisons evaluated, and other steps, if necessary, for additional decision support are identified

Regional specific mean expiratory gas flow from Slmsub(Kr) equilibrium inhalation data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, D.; Causer, D.A.; McIntosh, J.A.; Godfrey, K.R.

1985-01-01

A new method of analysing the data available from routine sup(81m) Kr equilibrium inhalation investigations has been developed. The data for analysis are acquired from a gamma camera in the form of a sequential series of images from which multiple breath activity-time curves are generated for eight regions in the lung. The method is based on a description of the behaviour of the radioactive gas in the lung using a mathematical model. Values of specific mean expiratory gas flow, that is mean expiratory gas flow per unit lung volume, are calculated from the application of the model to the expiratory phase only only of a single breath activity-time curve which is generated from the multiple breath activity-time curve using post-acquisition gating. This method overcomes the problem of non-uniform inspiratory concentration of tracer gas experienced in previously reported techniques of analysing inhalation data obtained using poorly soluble radioactive gases. The model is shown, in simulation studies, to be an adequate description of the behaviour of radioactive gas in the lung and the analysis technique is shown, in clinical studies, to be both reproducible and sensitive to disease state. (orig.)

Cell-based land use screening procedure for regional siting analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jalbert, J.S.; Dobson, J.E.

1976-01-01

An energy facility site-screening methodology which permits the land resource planner to identify candidate siting areas was developed. Through the use of spatial analysis procedures and computer graphics, a selection of candidate areas is obtained. Specific sites then may be selected from among candidate areas for environmental impact analysis. The computerized methodology utilizes a cell-based geographic information system for specifying the suitability of candidate areas for an energy facility. The criteria to be considered may be specified by the user and weighted in terms of importance. Three primary computer programs have been developed. These programs produce thematic maps, proximity calculations, and suitability calculations. Programs are written so as to be transferrable to regional planning or regulatory agencies to assist in rational and comprehensive power plant site identification and analysis

SECTOR-SPECIFIC STRUCTURE OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMY AS A FACTOR OF ELEVATION OF RISKS TO ITS ECONOMIC SECURITY

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Rostislav BILYK

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes a sector-specific specialization of the regional economy in Ukraine. It also reveals possibility and conditions of transformation of a sector-specific specialization of the region and risks to its economic security. The article suggests an assessment of influence of a sector-specific specialization on occurrence of threats to the economic security of the region.

Site-specific seismic probabilistic tsunami hazard analysis: performances and potential applications

Science.gov (United States)

Tonini, Roberto; Volpe, Manuela; Lorito, Stefano; Selva, Jacopo; Orefice, Simone; Graziani, Laura; Brizuela, Beatriz; Smedile, Alessandra; Romano, Fabrizio; De Martini, Paolo Marco; Maramai, Alessandra; Piatanesi, Alessio; Pantosti, Daniela

2017-04-01

Seismic Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Analysis (SPTHA) provides probabilities to exceed different thresholds of tsunami hazard intensity, at a specific site or region and in a given time span, for tsunamis caused by seismic sources. Results obtained by SPTHA (i.e., probabilistic hazard curves and inundation maps) represent a very important input to risk analyses and land use planning. However, the large variability of source parameters implies the definition of a huge number of potential tsunami scenarios, whose omission could lead to a biased analysis. Moreover, tsunami propagation from source to target requires the use of very expensive numerical simulations. At regional scale, the computational cost can be reduced using assumptions on the tsunami modeling (i.e., neglecting non-linear effects, using coarse topo-bathymetric meshes, empirically extrapolating maximum wave heights on the coast). On the other hand, moving to local scale, a much higher resolution is required and such assumptions drop out, since detailed inundation maps require significantly greater computational resources. In this work we apply a multi-step method to perform a site-specific SPTHA which can be summarized in the following steps: i) to perform a regional hazard assessment to account for both the aleatory and epistemic uncertainties of the seismic source, by combining the use of an event tree and an ensemble modeling technique; ii) to apply a filtering procedure which use a cluster analysis to define a significantly reduced number of representative scenarios contributing to the hazard of a specific target site; iii) to perform high resolution numerical simulations only for these representative scenarios and for a subset of near field sources placed in very shallow waters and/or whose coseismic displacements induce ground uplift or subsidence at the target. The method is applied to three target areas in the Mediterranean located around the cities of Milazzo (Italy), Thessaloniki (Greece) and

Accurate CpG and non-CpG cytosine methylation analysis by high-throughput locus-specific pyrosequencing in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

How-Kit, Alexandre; Daunay, Antoine; Mazaleyrat, Nicolas; Busato, Florence; Daviaud, Christian; Teyssier, Emeline; Deleuze, Jean-François; Gallusci, Philippe; Tost, Jörg

2015-07-01

Pyrosequencing permits accurate quantification of DNA methylation of specific regions where the proportions of the C/T polymorphism induced by sodium bisulfite treatment of DNA reflects the DNA methylation level. The commercially available high-throughput locus-specific pyrosequencing instruments allow for the simultaneous analysis of 96 samples, but restrict the DNA methylation analysis to CpG dinucleotide sites, which can be limiting in many biological systems. In contrast to mammals where DNA methylation occurs nearly exclusively on CpG dinucleotides, plants genomes harbor DNA methylation also in other sequence contexts including CHG and CHH motives, which cannot be evaluated by these pyrosequencing instruments due to software limitations. Here, we present a complete pipeline for accurate CpG and non-CpG cytosine methylation analysis at single base-resolution using high-throughput locus-specific pyrosequencing. The devised approach includes the design and validation of PCR amplification on bisulfite-treated DNA and pyrosequencing assays as well as the quantification of the methylation level at every cytosine from the raw peak intensities of the Pyrograms by two newly developed Visual Basic Applications. Our method presents accurate and reproducible results as exemplified by the cytosine methylation analysis of the promoter regions of two Tomato genes (NOR and CNR) encoding transcription regulators of fruit ripening during different stages of fruit development. Our results confirmed a significant and temporally coordinated loss of DNA methylation on specific cytosines during the early stages of fruit development in both promoters as previously shown by WGBS. The manuscript describes thus the first high-throughput locus-specific DNA methylation analysis in plants using pyrosequencing.

Process- and Domain-Specificity in Regions Engaged for Face Processing: An fMRI Study of Perceptual Differentiation

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Heather R.; Zhu, Xun; Bhatt, Ramesh S.; Clark, Jonathan D.; Joseph, Jane E.

2015-01-01

The degree to which face-specific brain regions are specialized for different kinds of perceptual processing is debated. The present study parametrically varied demands on featural, first-order configural or second-order configural processing of faces and houses in a perceptual matching task to determine the extent to which the process of perceptual differentiation was selective for faces regardless of processing type (domain-specific account), specialized for specific types of perceptual processing regardless of category (process-specific account), engaged in category-optimized processing (i.e., configural face processing or featural house processing) or reflected generalized perceptual differentiation (i.e. differentiation that crosses category and processing type boundaries). Regions of interest were identified in a separate localizer run or with a similarity regressor in the face-matching runs. The predominant principle accounting for fMRI signal modulation in most regions was generalized perceptual differentiation. Nearly all regions showed perceptual differentiation for both faces and houses for more than one processing type, even if the region was identified as face-preferential in the localizer run. Consistent with process-specificity, some regions showed perceptual differentiation for first-order processing of faces and houses (right fusiform face area and occipito-temporal cortex, and right lateral occipital complex), but not for featural or second-order processing. Somewhat consistent with domain-specificity, the right inferior frontal gyrus showed perceptual differentiation only for faces in the featural matching task. The present findings demonstrate that the majority of regions involved in perceptual differentiation of faces are also involved in differentiation of other visually homogenous categories. PMID:22849402

Global, regional, and national age–sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990–2013

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geleijnse, J.M.

2015-01-01

Background

Up-to-date evidence on levels and trends for age-sex-specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality is essential for the formation of global, regional, and national health policies. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) we estimated yearly deaths for 188

Isolation and sequencing analysis on the seed-specific promoter from soybean

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

CAIYIN Qinggele; LI Mingchun; WEI Dongsheng; CAI Yi; XING Laijun

2007-01-01

The low level of foreign genes' expression in transgenic plants is a key factor that limits plant genetic engineering.Because of the critical regulatory activity of the promoters on gene transcription,they are studied extensively to improve the efficiency of the plant transgenic system.The constitutive promoters,such as CaMV 35S promoter,are usually used in plant genetic engineering.But those constitutive promoters continuously express their downstream genes during the whole life span in all the tissues of the host plants.This is not only wasteful to host plant's energy,but also harmful to host plants and usually affects their agronomic characteristics.In contrast,the seed-specific promoter only expresses its downstream genes from mid to late stage of seed maturation,and there is no expression or much lower expression in other tissues.So the seed-specific promoters are distinguished for their improvement and what they have brought to plant quality engineering.The aim of this article is to characterize a new seed-specific promoter and improve grain quality.The promoter region of β-conglycinin α-subunit gene was isolated from the genomic DNA of soybean Jilin 43 by PCR method,and successfully extended this fragment by TAIL PCR method and obtained the promoter fragment BCSP666.Sequencing analysis showed that the cloned fragment BCSP666 contained all of the motifs,such as RY repeat element,AG/CCCCA motif,TACACAT motif,ACGTmotif,A/T rich motif and E-box etc.,which constituted the seed-specific promoter activity.Based on this sequencing analysis,the seed-specific promoter activity of the fragment BCSP666 was predicted.And then the seed-specific expression vector pBI121-666,which contained GUS reporter gene,was constructed with the fragment BCSP666.Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana plants by Agrobacterium-mediated floral-dip method with the recombined vector pBI121-666was conducted.The transgenic plants were selected on the kanamycin-resistant MS medium

Optimal depth-based regional frequency analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Wazneh, H.; Chebana, F.; Ouarda, T. B. M. J.

2013-06-01

Classical methods of regional frequency analysis (RFA) of hydrological variables face two drawbacks: (1) the restriction to a particular region which can lead to a loss of some information and (2) the definition of a region that generates a border effect. To reduce the impact of these drawbacks on regional modeling performance, an iterative method was proposed recently, based on the statistical notion of the depth function and a weight function φ. This depth-based RFA (DBRFA) approach was shown to be superior to traditional approaches in terms of flexibility, generality and performance. The main difficulty of the DBRFA approach is the optimal choice of the weight function ϕ (e.g., φ minimizing estimation errors). In order to avoid a subjective choice and naïve selection procedures of φ, the aim of the present paper is to propose an algorithm-based procedure to optimize the DBRFA and automate the choice of ϕ according to objective performance criteria. This procedure is applied to estimate flood quantiles in three different regions in North America. One of the findings from the application is that the optimal weight function depends on the considered region and can also quantify the region's homogeneity. By comparing the DBRFA to the canonical correlation analysis (CCA) method, results show that the DBRFA approach leads to better performances both in terms of relative bias and mean square error.

NEEDS ANALYSIS IN ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

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SIMION MINODORA OTILIA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Needs analysis is considered to be the cornerstone of English for Specific Purposes(ESP. The concept of Needs analysis has been different along the decades. At the initial stages of ESP( the 1960s and early 1970s, needs analysis consisted in assessing the communicative needs of the learners and the techniques of achieving specific teaching objectives. Nowadays, the tasks of needs analysis is much more complex: it aims at collecting information about the learners and at defining the target situation and environment of studying ESP.

Specific metabolomics adaptations define a differential regional vulnerability in the adult human cerebral cortex

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Rosanna Cabré

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Brain neurons offer diverse responses to stresses and detrimental factors during development and aging, and as a result of both neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. This multiplicity of responses can be ascribed to the great diversity among neuronal populations. Here we have determined the metabolomic profile of three healthy adult human brain regions—entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and frontal cortex—using mass spectrometry-based technologies. Our results show the existence of a lessened energy demand, mitochondrial stress, and lower one-carbon metabolism (particularly restricted to the methionine cycle specifically in frontal cortex. These findings, along with the better antioxidant capacity and lower mTOR signaling also seen in frontal cortex, suggest that this brain region is especially resistant to stress compared to the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus, which are more vulnerable regions. Globally, our results show the presence of specific metabolomics adaptations in three mature, healthy human brain regions, confirming the existence of cross-regional differences in cell vulnerability in the human cerebral cortex.

Siberian Regional Identity in the Context of Historical Consciousness (Content Analysis of Tomsk Regional Media

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A V Bocharov

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents a model to study the Siberian regional identity in the context of historical consciousness, as well as the results of its practical application in the content analysis of the publications by the Tomsk regional media. On the basis of the content analysis procedures the author demonstrates how, through historical memory, the regional identity is formed and manifested in the regional media in various spheres of society.

Brain region-specific expression of MeCP2 isoforms correlates with DNA methylation within Mecp2 regulatory elements.

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Carl O Olson

Full Text Available MeCP2 is a critical epigenetic regulator in brain and its abnormal expression or compromised function leads to a spectrum of neurological disorders including Rett Syndrome and autism. Altered expression of the two MeCP2 isoforms, MeCP2E1 and MeCP2E2 has been implicated in neurological complications. However, expression, regulation and functions of the two isoforms are largely uncharacterized. Previously, we showed the role of MeCP2E1 in neuronal maturation and reported MeCP2E1 as the major protein isoform in the adult mouse brain, embryonic neurons and astrocytes. Recently, we showed that DNA methylation at the regulatory elements (REs within the Mecp2 promoter and intron 1 impact the expression of Mecp2 isoforms in differentiating neural stem cells. This current study is aimed for a comparative analysis of temporal, regional and cell type-specific expression of MeCP2 isoforms in the developing and adult mouse brain. MeCP2E2 displayed a later expression onset than MeCP2E1 during mouse brain development. In the adult female and male brain hippocampus, both MeCP2 isoforms were detected in neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, MeCP2E1 expression was relatively uniform in different brain regions (olfactory bulb, striatum, cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, brainstem and cerebellum, whereas MeCP2E2 showed differential enrichment in these brain regions. Both MeCP2 isoforms showed relatively similar distribution in these brain regions, except for cerebellum. Lastly, a preferential correlation was observed between DNA methylation at specific CpG dinucleotides within the REs and Mecp2 isoform-specific expression in these brain regions. Taken together, we show that MeCP2 isoforms display differential expression patterns during brain development and in adult mouse brain regions. DNA methylation patterns at the Mecp2 REs may impact this differential expression of Mecp2/MeCP2 isoforms in brain regions. Our results significantly contribute

Process and domain specificity in regions engaged for face processing: an fMRI study of perceptual differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Heather R; Zhu, Xun; Bhatt, Ramesh S; Clark, Jonathan D; Joseph, Jane E

2012-12-01

The degree to which face-specific brain regions are specialized for different kinds of perceptual processing is debated. This study parametrically varied demands on featural, first-order configural, or second-order configural processing of faces and houses in a perceptual matching task to determine the extent to which the process of perceptual differentiation was selective for faces regardless of processing type (domain-specific account), specialized for specific types of perceptual processing regardless of category (process-specific account), engaged in category-optimized processing (i.e., configural face processing or featural house processing), or reflected generalized perceptual differentiation (i.e., differentiation that crosses category and processing type boundaries). ROIs were identified in a separate localizer run or with a similarity regressor in the face-matching runs. The predominant principle accounting for fMRI signal modulation in most regions was generalized perceptual differentiation. Nearly all regions showed perceptual differentiation for both faces and houses for more than one processing type, even if the region was identified as face-preferential in the localizer run. Consistent with process specificity, some regions showed perceptual differentiation for first-order processing of faces and houses (right fusiform face area and occipito-temporal cortex and right lateral occipital complex), but not for featural or second-order processing. Somewhat consistent with domain specificity, the right inferior frontal gyrus showed perceptual differentiation only for faces in the featural matching task. The present findings demonstrate that the majority of regions involved in perceptual differentiation of faces are also involved in differentiation of other visually homogenous categories.

European regional efficiency and geographical externalities: a spatial nonparametric frontier analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ramajo, Julián; Cordero, José Manuel; Márquez, Miguel Ángel

2017-10-01

This paper analyses region-level technical efficiency in nine European countries over the 1995-2007 period. We propose the application of a nonparametric conditional frontier approach to account for the presence of heterogeneous conditions in the form of geographical externalities. Such environmental factors are beyond the control of regional authorities, but may affect the production function. Therefore, they need to be considered in the frontier estimation. Specifically, a spatial autoregressive term is included as an external conditioning factor in a robust order- m model. Thus we can test the hypothesis of non-separability (the external factor impacts both the input-output space and the distribution of efficiencies), demonstrating the existence of significant global interregional spillovers into the production process. Our findings show that geographical externalities affect both the frontier level and the probability of being more or less efficient. Specifically, the results support the fact that the spatial lag variable has an inverted U-shaped non-linear impact on the performance of regions. This finding can be interpreted as a differential effect of interregional spillovers depending on the size of the neighboring economies: positive externalities for small values, possibly related to agglomeration economies, and negative externalities for high values, indicating the possibility of production congestion. Additionally, evidence of the existence of a strong geographic pattern of European regional efficiency is reported and the levels of technical efficiency are acknowledged to have converged during the period under analysis.

Optimal depth-based regional frequency analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Wazneh

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Classical methods of regional frequency analysis (RFA of hydrological variables face two drawbacks: (1 the restriction to a particular region which can lead to a loss of some information and (2 the definition of a region that generates a border effect. To reduce the impact of these drawbacks on regional modeling performance, an iterative method was proposed recently, based on the statistical notion of the depth function and a weight function φ. This depth-based RFA (DBRFA approach was shown to be superior to traditional approaches in terms of flexibility, generality and performance. The main difficulty of the DBRFA approach is the optimal choice of the weight function ϕ (e.g., φ minimizing estimation errors. In order to avoid a subjective choice and naïve selection procedures of φ, the aim of the present paper is to propose an algorithm-based procedure to optimize the DBRFA and automate the choice of ϕ according to objective performance criteria. This procedure is applied to estimate flood quantiles in three different regions in North America. One of the findings from the application is that the optimal weight function depends on the considered region and can also quantify the region's homogeneity. By comparing the DBRFA to the canonical correlation analysis (CCA method, results show that the DBRFA approach leads to better performances both in terms of relative bias and mean square error.

Base compaction specification feasibility analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

The objective of this research is to establish the technical engineering and cost : analysis concepts that will enable WisDOT management to objectively evaluate the : feasibility of switching construction specification philosophies for aggregate base...

Revisiting regional flood frequency analysis in Slovakia: the region-of-influence method vs. traditional regional approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Gaál, Ladislav; Kohnová, Silvia; Szolgay, Ján.

2010-05-01

During the last 10-15 years, the Slovak hydrologists and water resources managers have been devoting considerable efforts to develop statistical tools for modelling probabilities of flood occurrence in a regional context. Initially, these models followed concepts to regional flood frequency analysis that were based on fixed regions, later the Hosking and Wallis's (HW; 1997) theory was adopted and modified. Nevertheless, it turned out to be that delineating homogeneous regions using these approaches is not a straightforward task, mostly due to the complex orography of the country. In this poster we aim at revisiting flood frequency analyses so far accomplished for Slovakia by adopting one of the pooling approaches, i.e. the region-of-influence (ROI) approach (Burn, 1990). In the ROI approach, unique pooling groups of similar sites are defined for each site under study. The similarity of sites is defined through Euclidean distance in the space of site attributes that had also proved applicability in former cluster analyses: catchment area, afforested area, hydrogeological catchment index and the mean annual precipitation. The homogeneity of the proposed pooling groups is evaluated by the built-in homogeneity test by Lu and Stedinger (1992). Two alternatives of the ROI approach are examined: in the first one the target size of the pooling groups is adjusted to the target return period T of the estimated flood quantiles, while in the other one, the target size is fixed, regardless of the target T. The statistical models of the ROI approach are inter-compared by the conventional regionalization approach based on the HW methodology where the parameters of flood frequency distributions were derived by means of L-moment statistics and a regional formula for the estimation of the index flood was derived by multiple regression methods using physiographic and climatic catchment characteristics. The inter-comparison of different frequency models is evaluated by means of the

Confocal Microscopy and Image Analysis Indicates a Region-Specific Relation between Active Caspases and Cytoplasm in Ejaculated and Epididymal Sperm

Science.gov (United States)

García Vazquez, Susana; Aragón Martínez, Andrés; Flores-Alonso, Juan Carlos

2012-01-01

Previously, it was suggested a relation between the presence of apoptosis markers with cytoplasm in mammalian sperm. In this work, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and image analysis were used to analyze the relationship between active caspase-3 and -7 and intracellular esterases expression in ejaculated or epididymal ram sperm. Sperm obtained from ejaculates from the caput, corpus, or cauda of the epididymis were treated with an inhibitor of active caspase-3 and -7 and a marker of cytoplasmic esterases. Additionally, ejaculated sperm were incubated for one, two, or three hours before evaluation for active caspases. Sperm subpopulations positive for active caspases and/or intracellular esterases were detected by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy; however, image analysis of confocal images showed that the correlation between active caspases and cytoplasmic esterases in sperm is region-specific. Lower values of Spearman correlation coefficients were found when whole sperm or head sperm was analyzed; however, a high correlation was observed for midpiece sperm. Incubation of sperm for two or three hours promoted the autoactivation of caspases. It has been suggested that the presence of apoptotic markers in sperm are related with a process of abortive apoptosis and with errors during spermiogenesis. Our results permit us suggest that the origin of the relationship between active caspases and cytoplasmic esterases is due to differentiation errors occurring during spermiogenesis because the percentages of sperm with active caspases are not different in the caput, corpus, or cauda of the epididymis. In this study we demonstrate that existing sperm subpopulations can express active caspases and intracellular esterases and that the correlation between these molecules is high in midpiece sperm. PMID:22530029

Two negative cis-regulatory regions involved in fruit-specific promoter activity from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris S.).

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Tao; Wu, Hanying; Zhang, Shanglong; Lu, Hongyu; Zhang, Lingxiao; Xu, Yong; Chen, Daming; Liu, Jingmei

2009-01-01

A 1.8 kb 5'-flanking region of the large subunit of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, isolated from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris S.), has fruit-specific promoter activity in transgenic tomato plants. Two negative regulatory regions, from -986 to -959 and from -472 to -424, were identified in this promoter region by fine deletion analyses. Removal of both regions led to constitutive expression in epidermal cells. Gain-of-function experiments showed that these two regions were sufficient to inhibit RFP (red fluorescent protein) expression in transformed epidermal cells when fused to the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S minimal promoter. Gel mobility shift experiments demonstrated the presence of leaf nuclear factors that interact with these two elements. A TCCAAAA motif was identified in these two regions, as well as one in the reverse orientation, which was confirmed to be a novel specific cis-element. A quantitative beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity assay of stable transgenic tomato plants showed that the activities of chimeric promoters harbouring only one of the two cis-elements, or both, were approximately 10-fold higher in fruits than in leaves. These data confirm that the TCCAAAA motif functions as a fruit-specific element by inhibiting gene expression in leaves.

Quantitative analysis of raw materials mining of Sverdlovsk region in Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Tarasyev, Alexander M.; Vasilev, Julian; Turygina, Victoria F.

2016-06-01

The purpose of this article is to show the application of some qualitative methods for the analysis of a dataset for raw materials. The main approaches used are related to the correlation analysis and forecasting with trend lines. It is proved that the future mining of particular ores can be predicted on the basis of mathematical modeling. It is also shown that there exists a strong correlation between the mining of some specific raw materials. Some of the revealed correlations have meaningful explanations, and for others one should look for sophisticated interpretations. The applied approach can be used for forecasting of raw materials exploitation in various regions of Russia and in other countries.

Brain tissue- and region-specific abnormalities on volumetric MRI scans in 21 patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS

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Johnston Jennifer

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS is a heterogeneous human disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, and characterized by the primary findings of obesity, polydactyly, hypogonadism, and learning and behavioural problems. BBS mouse models have a neuroanatomical phenotype consisting of third and lateral ventriculomegaly, thinning of the cerebral cortex, and reduction in the size of the corpus striatum and hippocampus. These abnormalities raise the question of whether humans with BBS have a characteristic morphologic brain phenotype. Further, although behavioral, developmental, neurological and motor defects have been noted in patients with BBS, to date, there are limited reports of brain findings in BBS. The present study represents the largest systematic evaluation for the presence of structural brain malformations and/or progressive changes, which may contribute to these functional problems. Methods A case-control study of 21 patients, most aged 13-35 years, except for 2 patients aged 4 and 8 years, who were diagnosed with BBS by clinical criteria and genetic analysis of known BBS genes, and were evaluated by qualitative and volumetric brain MRI scans. Healthy controls were matched 3:1 by age, sex and race. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS language with SAS STAT procedures. Results All 21 patients with BBS were found to have statistically significant region- and tissue-specific patterns of brain abnormalities. There was 1 normal intracranial volume; 2 reduced white matter in all regions of the brain, but most in the occipital region; 3 preserved gray matter volume, with increased cerebral cortex volume in only the occipital lobe; 4 reduced gray matter in the subcortical regions of the brain, including the caudate, putamen and thalamus, but not in the cerebellum; and 5 increased cerebrospinal fluid volume. Conclusions There are distinct and characteristic abnormalities in tissue- and region- specific volumes

Delimiting Allelic Imbalance of TYMS by Allele-Specific Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Balboa-Beltrán, Emilia; Cruz, Raquel; Carracedo, Angel; Barros, Francisco

2015-07-01

Allelic imbalance of thymidylate synthase (TYMS) is attributed to polymorphisms in the 5'- and 3'-untranslated region (UTR). These polymorphisms have been related to the risk of suffering different cancers, for example leukemia, breast or gastric cancer, and response to different drugs, among which are methotrexate glutamates, stavudine, and specifically 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), as TYMS is its direct target. A vast literature has been published in relation to 5-FU, even suggesting the sole use of these polymorphisms to effectively manage 5-FU dosage. Estimates of the extent to which these polymorphisms influence in TYMS expression have in the past been based on functional analysis by luciferase assays and quantification of TYMS mRNA, but both these studies, as the association studies with cancer risk or with toxicity or response to 5-FU, are very contradictory. Regarding functional assays, the artificial genetic environment created in luciferase assay and the problems derived from quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCRs), for example the use of a reference gene, may have distorted the results. To avoid these sources of interference, we have analyzed the allelic imbalance of TYMS by allelic-specific analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients.Allelic imbalance in PBMCs, taken from 40 patients with suspected myeloproliferative haematological diseases, was determined by fluorescent fragment analysis (for the 3'-UTR polymorphism), Sanger sequencing and allelic-specific qPCR in multiplex (for the 5'-UTR polymorphisms).For neither the 3'- nor the 5'-UTR polymorphisms did the observed allelic imbalance exceed 1.5 fold. None of the TYMS polymorphisms is statistically associated with allelic imbalance.The results acquired allow us to deny the previously established assertion of an influence of 2 to 4 fold of the rs45445694 and rs2853542 polymorphisms in the expression of TYMS and narrow its allelic imbalance to 1.5 fold, in our population

Specific classification of financial analysis of enterprise activity

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Synkevych Nadiia I.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the fact that one can find a big variety of classifications of types of financial analysis of enterprise activity, which differ with their approach to classification and a number of classification features and their content, in modern scientific literature, their complex comparison and analysis of existing classification have not been done. This explains urgency of this study. The article studies classification of types of financial analysis of scientists and presents own approach to this problem. By the results of analysis the article improves and builds up a specific classification of financial analysis of enterprise activity and offers classification by the following features: objects, subjects, goals of study, automation level, time period of the analytical base, scope of study, organisation system, classification features of the subject, spatial belonging, sufficiency, information sources, periodicity, criterial base, method of data selection for analysis and time direction. All types of financial analysis significantly differ with their inherent properties and parameters depending on the goals of financial analysis. The developed specific classification provides subjects of financial analysis of enterprise activity with a possibility to identify a specific type of financial analysis, which would correctly meet the set goals.

Specificity of high-rise construction and real estate markets in the regional economy: an analysis of Russian practice (example of St. Petersburg)

Science.gov (United States)

Vilken, Viktoriya; Kalinina, Olga; Dubgorn, Alissa

2018-03-01

In paper features of the regional markets of construction the commercial and residential real estate on the example of St. Petersburg are defined. The current situation is analysed, the specific features of branch are revealed. The major factors influencing investors making decisions on construction of various types of objects are defined. The main methods of advance of real estate objects are considered.

High specificity but contrasting biodiversity of Sphagnum-associated bacterial and plant communities in bog ecosystems independent of the geographical region.

Science.gov (United States)

Opelt, Katja; Berg, Christian; Schönmann, Susan; Eberl, Leo; Berg, Gabriele

2007-10-01

Mosses represent ecological niches that harbor a hitherto largely uncharacterized microbial diversity. To investigate which factors affect the biodiversity of bryophyte-associated bacteria, we analyzed the bacterial communities associated with two moss species, which exhibit different ecological behaviors and importance in bog ecosystems, Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum fallax, from six temperate and boreal bogs in Germany and Norway. Furthermore, their surrounding plant communities were studied. Molecular analysis of bacterial communities was determined by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis using eubacterial and genus-specific primers for the dominant genera Burkholderia and Serratia as well as by sequence analysis of a Burkholderia 16S rRNA gene clone library. Plant communities were analyzed by monitoring the abundance and composition of bryophyte and vascular plant species, and by determining ecological indicator values. Interestingly, we found a high degree of host specificity for associated bacterial and plant communities of both Sphagnum species independent of the geographical region. Calculation of diversity indices on the basis of SSCP gels showed that the S. fallax-associated communities displayed a statistically significant higher degree of diversity than those associated with S. magellanicum. In contrast, analyses of plant communities of Sphagnum-specific habitats resulted in a higher diversity of S. magellanicum-specific habitats for all six sites. The higher content of nutrients in the S. fallax-associated ecosystems can explain higher diversity of microorganisms.

Emergy-Based Regional Socio-Economic Metabolism Analysis: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis and Decomposition Analysis

OpenAIRE

Zilong Zhang; Xingpeng Chen; Peter Heck

2014-01-01

Integrated analysis on socio-economic metabolism could provide a basis for understanding and optimizing regional sustainability. The paper conducted socio-economic metabolism analysis by means of the emergy accounting method coupled with data envelopment analysis and decomposition analysis techniques to assess the sustainability of Qingyang city and its eight sub-region system, as well as to identify the major driving factors of performance change during 2000–2007, to serve as the basis for f...

How specialized are writing-specific brain regions? An fMRI study of writing, drawing and oral spelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Planton, Samuel; Longcamp, Marieke; Péran, Patrice; Démonet, Jean-François; Jucla, Mélanie

2017-03-01

Several brain imaging studies identified brain regions that are consistently involved in writing tasks; the left premotor and superior parietal cortices have been associated with the peripheral components of writing performance as opposed to other regions that support the central, orthographic components. Based on a meta-analysis by Planton, Jucla, Roux, and Demonet (2013), we focused on five such writing areas and questioned the task-specificity and hemispheric lateralization profile of the brain response in an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment where 16 right-handed participants wrote down, spelled out orally object names, and drew shapes from object pictures. All writing-related areas were activated by drawing, and some of them by oral spelling, thus questioning their specialization for written production. The graphemic/motor frontal area (GMFA), a subpart of the superior premotor cortex close to Exner's area (Roux et al., 2009), was the only area with a writing-specific lateralization profile, that is, clear left lateralization during handwriting, and bilateral activity during drawing. Furthermore, the relative lateralization and levels of activation in the superior parietal cortex, ventral premotor cortex, ventral occipitotemporal cortex and right cerebellum across the three tasks brought out new evidence regarding their respective contributions to the writing processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional planning without means - search for regional leadership

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groth, Niels Boje; Fertner, Christian

and stakeholders, not least due to its polycentric urban structure with several medium-sized towns. Besides the regional authority and the regions 22 municipalities, sub-regional collaboration is gaining momentum. Furthermore, different fora, councils and associations are engaging in regional issues. However......, collaboration is often focused on specific sectors or sub-regions, while the joint development of the region is left behind. The regional authority has changed its focus from planning to the provision of knowledge, suitable to kick-off joint action with regional stakeholders, while municipalities keep focus...... on their own territories, eventually in the context of one of the new sub-regional collaborations. Based on an empirical analysis of the regional interplay in Southern Denmark and results from the ESPON ReSSI project, we go through these new settings of regional collaboration in the search for new forms...

At site and regional analysis of maximum annual and seasonal discharges and precipitation depths in the upper Hron region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohnova, S.; Hlavcova, K.

2004-01-01

In this presentation authors deal with the regional analysis of maximum annual and seasonal discharges and precipitation depths in the upper Hron region (Slovak Republic). This work has two objectives: (1) At site and regional analysis of annual and seasonal maximum design discharges in the upper Hron region; (2) Analysis of annual and seasonal maximum design precipitations in the connection of extreme runoff condition in the upper Hron region

Regional Convergence of Income: Spatial Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Ivanovna Ivanova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Russia has a huge territory and a strong interregional heterogeneity, so we can assume that geographical factors have a significant impact on the pace of economic growth in Russian regions. Therefore the article is focused on the following issues: 1 correlation between comparative advantages of geographical location and differences in growth rates; 2 impact of more developed regions on their neighbors and 3 correlation between economic growth of regions and their spatial interaction. The article is devoted to the empirical analysis of regional per capita incomes from 1996 to 2012 and explores the dynamics of the spatial autocorrelation of regional development indicator. It is shown that there is a problem of measuring the intensity of spatial dependence: factor value of Moran’s index varies greatly depending on the choice of the matrix of distances. In addition, with the help of spatial econometrics the author tests the following hypotheses: 1 there is convergence between regions for a specified period; 2 the process of beta convergence is explained by the spatial arrangement of regions and 3 there is positive impact of market size on regional growth. The author empirically confirmed all three hypotheses

The effect of nodalization and temperature of reactor upper region: Sensitivity analysis for APR-1400 LBLOCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Dong Gu

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The nodalization of APR-1400 was modified to reflect the characteristic of upper region temperature. • The effect of nodalization and temperature of reactor upper region on LBLOCA consequence was evaluated. • The modification of nodalization is an essential prerequisite in APR-1400 LBLOCA analysis. - Abstract: In best estimate (BE) calculation, the definition of system nodalization is important step influencing the prediction accuracy for specific thermal-hydraulic phenomena. The upper region of reactor is defined as the region of the upper guide structure (UGS) and upper dome. It has been assumed that the temperature of upper region is close to average temperature in most large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA) analysis cases. However, it was recently found that the temperature of upper region of APR-1400 reactor might be little lower than or similar to hot leg temperature through the review of detailed design data. In this study, the nodalization of APR-1400 was modified to reflect the characteristic of upper region temperature, and the effect of nodalization and temperature of reactor upper region on LBLOCA consequence was evaluated by sensitivity analysis including best estimate plus uncertainty (BEPU) calculation. In basecase calculation, in case of modified version, the peak cladding temperature (PCT) in blowdown phase became higher and the blowdown quenching (or cooling) was significantly deteriorated as compared to original case, and as a result, the cladding temperature in reflood phase became higher and the final quenching was also delayed. In addition, thermal-hydraulic parameters were compared and analyzed to investigate the effect of change of upper region on cladding temperature. In BEPU analysis, the 95 percentile PCT used in current regulatory practice was increased due to the modification of upper region nodalization, and it occurred in the reflood phase unlike original case.

Restriction of neural precursor ability to respond to Nurr1 by early regional specification.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiara Soldati

Full Text Available During neural development, spatially regulated expression of specific transcription factors is crucial for central nervous system (CNS regionalization, generation of neural precursors (NPs and subsequent differentiation of specific cell types within defined regions. A critical role in dopaminergic differentiation in the midbrain (MB has been assigned to the transcription factor Nurr1. Nurr1 controls the expression of key genes involved in dopamine (DA neurotransmission, e.g. tyrosine hydroxylase (TH and the DA transporter (DAT, and promotes the dopaminergic phenotype in embryonic stem cells. We investigated whether cells derived from different areas of the mouse CNS could be directed to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons in vitro by forced expression of the transcription factor Nurr1. We show that Nurr1 overexpression can promote dopaminergic cell fate specification only in NPs obtained from E13.5 ganglionic eminence (GE and MB, but not in NPs isolated from E13.5 cortex (CTX and spinal cord (SC or from the adult subventricular zone (SVZ. Confirming previous studies, we also show that Nurr1 overexpression can increase the generation of TH-positive neurons in mouse embryonic stem cells. These data show that Nurr1 ability to induce a dopaminergic phenotype becomes restricted during CNS development and is critically dependent on the region of NPs derivation. Our results suggest that the plasticity of NPs and their ability to activate a dopaminergic differentiation program in response to Nurr1 is regulated during early stages of neurogenesis, possibly through mechanisms controlling CNS regionalization.

Comparative SWOT analysis of strategic environmental assessment systems in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Science.gov (United States)

Rachid, G; El Fadel, M

2013-08-15

This paper presents a SWOT analysis of SEA systems in the Middle East North Africa region through a comparative examination of the status, application and structure of existing systems based on country-specific legal, institutional and procedural frameworks. The analysis is coupled with the multi-attribute decision making method (MADM) within an analytical framework that involves both performance analysis based on predefined evaluation criteria and countries' self-assessment of their SEA system through open-ended surveys. The results show heterogenous status with a general delayed progress characterized by varied levels of weaknesses embedded in the legal and administrative frameworks and poor integration with the decision making process. Capitalizing on available opportunities, the paper highlights measures to enhance the development and enactment of SEA in the region. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plant specific PTS analysis of Kori Unit 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sung-Yull, Hong; Changheui, Jang; Ill-Seok, Jeong [Korea Eletric Power Research Inst., Daejon (Korea, Republic of); Tae-Eun, Jin [Korea Power Engineering Company, Yonging (Korea, Republic of)

1997-09-01

Currently, a nuclear PLIM (Plant Lifetime Management) program is underway in Korea to extend the operation life of Kori-1 which was originally licensed for 30 years. For the life extension of nuclear power plants, the residual lives of major components should be evaluated for the extended operation period. According to the residual life evaluation of reactor pressure vessel, which was classified as one of the major components crucial to life extension, it was found by screening analysis that reference PTS temperature would exceed screening criteria before the target extended operation years. In order to deal with this problem, a plant-specific PTS analysis for Kori-1 RPV has been initiated. In this paper, the relationship between PTS analysis and Kori-1 PLIM program is briefly described. The plant-specific PTS analysis covers system transient analysis, downcomer mixing analysis, and probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis to check the integrity or RPV during various PTS transients. The step-by-step procedure of the analysis will be described in detail. Finally, various issues regarding RPV materials and its integrity will be briefly mentioned, and their implications on Kori-1 PTS analysis will be discussed. Despite of the screening analysis result concern, it is now expected that Kori-1 PTS issues can be handled through the plant-specific PTS analysis. (author). 14 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs.

Regional labour market dynamics in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broersma, Lourens; van Dijk, J.

This article analyzes the response of regional labor markets in the Netherlands to region-specific labor demand shocks. Previous studies show remarkable differences in response between regions in European countries and regions in the United States. The analysis shows that, in Dutch regions, the

Alternative supply specifications and estimates of regional supply and demand for stumpage.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent P. Connaughton; David H. Jackson; Gerard A. Majerus

1988-01-01

Four plausible sets of stumpage supply and demand equations were developed and estimated; the demand equation was the same for each set, although the supply equation differed. The supply specifications varied from the model of regional excess demand in which National Forest harvest levels were assumed fixed to a more realistic model in which the harvest on the National...

Regional analysis of ground and above-ground climate. Part I. Regional suitability of earth-tempering practices: summary and conclusions. Part II. Bioclimatic data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Labs, K.

The regional suitability of underground construction as a climate-control technique is discussed with reference to (1) a bioclimatic analysis of long-term weather data for 29 locations in the United States to determine appropriate above-ground climate-control techniques, (2) a data base of synthesized ground temperatures for the coterminous United States, and (3) monthly dewpoint ground temperature comparisons for identifying the relative likelihood of condensation, from one region to another. It is concluded that the suitability of earth tempering as a practice and of specific earth-sheltered design stereotypes varies geographically. While the subsurface almost always provides a thermal advantage on its own terms when compared to above-ground climatic data, it can, nonetheless, compromise the effectiveness of other, regionally more important climate-control techniques. Also contained in the report are reviews of above- and below-ground climate mapping schemes related to human comfort and architectural design, and a detailed description of a theoretical model of ground temperature, heat flow, and heat storage in the ground. Strategies of passive climate control are presented in a discussion of the building bioclimatic analysis procedure which has been applied in a computer analysis of 30 years of weather data for each of 29 locations in the United States. 3 references, 12 figures, 14 tables.

Structural diversity and evolution of the N-terminal isoform-specific region of ecdysone receptor-A and -B1 isoforms in insects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kubo Takeo

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The ecdysone receptor (EcR regulates various cellular responses to ecdysteroids during insect development. Insects have multiple EcR isoforms with different N-terminal A/B domains that contain the isoform-specific activation function (AF-1 region. Although distinct physiologic functions of the EcR isoforms have been characterized in higher holometabolous insects, they remain unclear in basal direct-developing insects, in which only A isoform has been identified. To examine the structural basis of the EcR isoform-specific AF-1 regions, we performed a comprehensive structural comparison of the isoform-specific region of the EcR-A and -B1 isoforms in insects. Results The EcR isoforms were newly identified in 51 species of insects and non-insect arthropods, including direct-developing ametabolous and hemimetabolous insects. The comprehensive structural comparison revealed that the isoform-specific region of each EcR isoform contained evolutionally conserved microdomain structures and insect subgroup-specific structural modifications. The A isoform-specific region generally contained four conserved microdomains, including the SUMOylation motif and the nuclear localization signal, whereas the B1 isoform-specific region contained three conserved microdomains, including an acidic activator domain-like motif. In addition, the EcR-B1 isoform of holometabolous insects had a novel microdomain at the N-terminal end. Conclusions Given that the nuclear receptor AF-1 is involved in cofactor recruitment and transcriptional regulation, the microdomain structures identified in the isoform-specific A/B domains might function as signature motifs and/or as targets for cofactor proteins that play essential roles in the EcR isoform-specific AF-1 regions. Moreover, the novel microdomain in the isoform-specific region of the holometabolous insect EcR-B1 isoform suggests that the holometabolous insect EcR-B1 acquired additional transcriptional

Analysis of the employee Benefits in Specific Organization

OpenAIRE

Procházková, Petra

2011-01-01

The main subject of my Bachelor's Thesis called "Analysis of employee Benefits in Specific Organization" is to analyze system of employee benefits used in company RWE Transgas, a. s. in 2010. Theoretical part will specify basic terms in general, which are important to cope with this issue. There will be especially importance, division, risks and trends in benefits. In practical part the analysis of employee benefits in specific joint-stock company is made. Part of this analysis is survey done...

Site-specific estimates of water yield applied in regional acid sensitivity surveys across western Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick D. SHAW

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Runoff or water yield is an important input to the Steady-State Water Chemistry (SSWC model for estimating critical loads of acidity. Herein, we present site-specific water yield estimates for a large number of lakes (779 across three provinces of western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia using an isotope mass balance (IMB approach. We explore the impact of applying site-specific hydrology as compared to use of regional runoff estimates derived from gridded datasets in assessing critical loads of acidity to these lakes. In general, the average water yield derived from IMB is similar to the long-term average runoff; however, IMB results suggest a much larger range in hydrological settings of the lakes, attributed to spatial heterogeneity in watershed characteristics and landcover. The comparison of critical loads estimates from the two methods suggests that use of average regional runoff data in the SSWC model may overestimate critical loads for the majority of lakes due to systematic skewness in the actual runoff distributions. Implications for use of site-specific hydrology in regional critical loads assessments across western Canada are discussed.

Region-specific adaptations in determinants of rat skeletal muscle oxygenation to chronic hypoxia.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wust, R.C.; Jaspers, R.T.; Heyst, A.F.J. van; Hopman, M.T.E.; Hoofd, L.J.C.; Laarse, W.J. van der; Degens, H.

2009-01-01

Chronic exposure to hypoxia is associated with muscle atrophy (i.e., a reduction in muscle fiber cross-sectional area), reduced oxidative capacity, and capillary growth. It is controversial whether these changes are muscle and fiber type specific. We hypothesized that different regions of the same

Probing region-specific microstructure of human cortical areas using high angular and spatial resolution diffusion MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Aggarwal, Manisha; Nauen, David W; Troncoso, Juan C; Mori, Susumu

2015-01-15

Regional heterogeneity in cortical cyto- and myeloarchitecture forms the structural basis of mapping of cortical areas in the human brain. In this study, we investigate the potential of diffusion MRI to probe the microstructure of cortical gray matter and its region-specific heterogeneity across cortical areas in the fixed human brain. High angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data at an isotropic resolution of 92-μm and 30 diffusion-encoding directions were acquired using a 3D diffusion-weighted gradient-and-spin-echo sequence, from prefrontal (Brodmann area 9), primary motor (area 4), primary somatosensory (area 3b), and primary visual (area 17) cortical specimens (n=3 each) from three human subjects. Further, the diffusion MR findings in these cortical areas were compared with histological silver impregnation of the same specimens, in order to investigate the underlying architectonic features that constitute the microstructural basis of diffusion-driven contrasts in cortical gray matter. Our data reveal distinct and region-specific diffusion MR contrasts across the studied areas, allowing delineation of intracortical bands of tangential fibers in specific layers-layer I, layer VI, and the inner and outer bands of Baillarger. The findings of this work demonstrate unique sensitivity of diffusion MRI to differentiate region-specific cortical microstructure in the human brain, and will be useful for myeloarchitectonic mapping of cortical areas as well as to achieve an understanding of the basis of diffusion NMR contrasts in cortical gray matter. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Normal in Russian Economy: Regional Specificity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yakov Petrovich Silin

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The main objective of the article is to study the concepts of “New Normal”, “New Industrialization” and the questions of formation and development of the productions of the fifth and sixth technological modes in the regional economic area. Substantive expansion of “New Normal” concept was argued, it became popular during the global financial and economic crisis of 2008. The logic of transformation to a “New Normal” is true not only for the world economy, individual countries and regions, but also for the Sverdlovsk region. The scientific hypothesis of the article consists in the identifying the characteristics of “New Normal” at the regional level and showing the possible directions of transformation from a «New Normal” situation using the concept of new industrialization for the regional economy. The main features of “New Normal” in the region were identified and analyzed. There are, for example, the slow growth of industrial production, the reducing of the investment climate, the low dynamics of metal prices. It is proved that the realization of the concept of new industrialization in the region can become the most attractive answer to the challenges of «New Normal». The need for the integration of the processes of new industrialization with the formation and development of the productions of the fifth and sixth technological waves is proved. The article is focused on the possibility of the transformation of the Sverdlovsk region in the region of the technological breakthrough of the 21st century. It is demonstrated that during 15–20 years, the priority will be the development of the productions of the fifth and sixth technological waves that will be based on the high-tech production of military-industrial complex, nuclear energy as well as nanotechnology and nanomaterials. It is proved that at this time, the model of innovative development of the region may be realized. It is able to lead the regional economy

Raman micro-spectroscopy analysis of different sperm regions: a species comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Amaral, S; Da Costa, R; Wübbeling, F; Redmann, K; Schlatt, S

2018-04-01

Is Raman micro-spectroscopy a valid approach to assess the biochemical hallmarks of sperm regions (head, midpiece and tail) in four different species? Non-invasive Raman micro-spectroscopy provides spectral patterns enabling the biochemical characterization of the three sperm regions in the four species, revealing however high similarities for each region among species. Raman micro-spectroscopy has been described as an innovative method to assess sperm features having the potential to be used as a non-invasive selection tool. However, except for nuclear DNA, the identification and assignment of spectral bands in Raman-profiles to the different sperm regions is scarce and controversial. Raman spectra from head, midpiece and tail of four different species were obtained. Sperm samples were collected and smeared on microscope slides. Air dried samples were subjected to Raman analysis using previously standardized procedures. Sperm samples from (i) two donors attending the infertility clinic at the Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology; (ii) two C57BL/6 -TgN (ACTbEGFP) 1Osb adult mice; (iii) two adult Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and (iv) two sea urchins (Arbacia punctulata) were used to characterize and compare their spectral profiles. Differences and similarities were confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA). Several novel region-specific peaks were identified. The three regions could be differentiated by distinctive Raman patterns irrespective of the species. However, regardless of the specie, their main spectral pattern remains mostly unchanged. These results were corroborated by the PCA analysis and suggest that the basic constituents of spermatozoa are biochemically similar among species. Further research should be performed in live sperm to validate the detected spectral bands and their use as markers of distinctive regions. Raman peaks that have never been described in the sperm cell were detected. Particularly important are those that

Monetary policy and regional output in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Rockenbach da Silva Guimarães

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This work presents an analysis of whether the effects of the Brazilian monetary policy on regional outputs are symmetric. The strategy developed combines the techniques of principal component analysis (PCA to decompose the variables that measure regional economic activity into common and region-specific components and vector autoregressions (VAR to observe the behavior of these variables in response to monetary policy shocks. The common component responds to monetary policy as expected. Additionally, the idiosyncratic components of the regions showed no impact of monetary policy. The main finding of this paper is that the monetary policy responses on regional output are symmetrical when the regional output decomposition is performed, and the responses are asymmetrical when this decomposition is not performed. Therefore, performing the regional output decomposition corroborates the economic intuition that monetary policy has no impact on region-specific issues. Once monetary policy affects the common component of the regional economic activity and does not impact its idiosyncratic components, it can be considered symmetrical.

Loss of lager specific genes and subtelomeric regions define two different Saccharomyces cerevisiae lineages for Saccharomyces pastorianus Group I and II strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Monerawela, Chandre; James, Tharappel C; Wolfe, Kenneth H; Bond, Ursula

2015-03-01

Lager yeasts, Saccharomyces pastorianus, are interspecies hybrids between S. cerevisiae and S. eubayanus and are classified into Group I and Group II clades. The genome of the Group II strain, Weihenstephan 34/70, contains eight so-called 'lager-specific' genes that are located in subtelomeric regions. We evaluated the origins of these genes through bioinformatic and PCR analyses of Saccharomyces genomes. We determined that four are of cerevisiae origin while four originate from S. eubayanus. The Group I yeasts contain all four S. eubayanus genes but individual strains contain only a subset of the cerevisiae genes. We identified S. cerevisiae strains that contain all four cerevisiae 'lager-specific' genes, and distinct patterns of loss of these genes in other strains. Analysis of the subtelomeric regions uncovered patterns of loss in different S. cerevisiae strains. We identify two classes of S. cerevisiae strains: ale yeasts (Foster O) and stout yeasts with patterns of 'lager-specific' genes and subtelomeric regions identical to Group I and II S. pastorianus yeasts, respectively. These findings lead us to propose that Group I and II S. pastorianus strains originate from separate hybridization events involving different S. cerevisiae lineages. Using the combined bioinformatic and PCR data, we describe a potential classification map for industrial yeasts. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.

Global, regional, and national age–sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990–2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peterson, Carrie Beth

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Up-to-date evidence on levels and trends for age-sex-specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality is essential for the formation of global, regional, and national health policies. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) we estimated yearly deaths for 188 countries...... between 1990, and 2013. We used the results to assess whether there is epidemiological convergence across countries. METHODS: We estimated age-sex-specific all-cause mortality using the GBD 2010 methods with some refinements to improve accuracy applied to an updated database of vital registration, survey...... informed by meta-regression of prevalence studies. For pathogen-specific causes of diarrhoea and lower respiratory infections we used a counterfactual approach. We computed two measures of convergence (inequality) across countries: the average relative difference across all pairs of countries (Gini...

Global, regional, and national age–sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990–2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moesgaard Iburg, Kim

2015-01-01

Background Up-to-date evidence on levels and trends for age-sex-specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality is essential for the formation of global, regional, and national health policies. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) we estimated yearly deaths for 188 countries...... between 1990, and 2013. We used the results to assess whether there is epidemiological convergence across countries. Methods We estimated age-sex-specific all-cause mortality using the GBD 2010 methods with some refinements to improve accuracy applied to an updated database of vital registration, survey...... informed by meta-regression of prevalence studies. For pathogen-specific causes of diarrhoea and lower respiratory infections we used a counterfactual approach. We computed two measures of convergence (inequality) across countries: the average relative difference across all pairs of countries (Gini...

Multi-regional input–output model and ecological network analysis for regional embodied energy accounting in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yan; Zheng, Hongmei; Yang, Zhifeng; Su, Meirong; Liu, Gengyuan; Li, Yanxian

2015-01-01

Chinese regions frequently exchange materials, but regional differences in economic development create unbalanced flows of these resources. In this study, we examined energy by assessing embodied energy consumption to describe the energy-flow structure in China's seven regions. Based on multi-regional monetary input–output tables and energy statistical yearbooks for Chinese provinces in 2002 and 2007, we accounted for both direct and indirect energy consumption, respectively, and the integral input and output of the provinces. Most integral inputs of energy flowed from north to south or from east to west, whereas integral output flows were mainly from northeast to southwest. This differed from the direct flows, which were predominantly from north to south and west to east. This demonstrates the importance of calculating both direct and indirect energy flows. Analysis of the distance and direction traveled by the energy consumption centers of gravity showed that the centers for embodied energy consumption and inputs moved southeast because of the movements of the centers of the Eastern region. However, the center for outputs moved northeast because the movement of the Central region. These analyses provide a basis for identifying how regional economic development policies influence the embodied energy consumption and its flows among regions. - Highlights: • We integrated multi-regional input–output analysis with ecological network analysis. • We accounted for both direct and indirect energy consumption. • The centers of gravity for embodied energy flows moved southeast from 2002 to 2007. • The results support planning of energy consumption and energy flows among regions.

Insights into bird wing evolution and digit specification from polarizing region fate maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Towers, Matthew; Signolet, Jason; Sherman, Adrian; Sang, Helen; Tickle, Cheryll

2011-08-09

The proposal that birds descended from theropod dinosaurs with digits 2, 3 and 4 was recently given support by short-term fate maps, suggesting that the chick wing polarizing region-a group that Sonic hedgehog-expressing cells-gives rise to digit 4. Here we show using long-term fate maps that Green fluorescent protein-expressing chick wing polarizing region grafts contribute only to soft tissues along the posterior margin of digit 4, supporting fossil data that birds descended from theropods that had digits 1, 2 and 3. In contrast, digit IV of the chick leg with four digits (I-IV) arises from the polarizing region. To determine how digit identity is specified over time, we inhibited Sonic hedgehog signalling. Fate maps show that polarizing region and adjacent cells are specified in parallel through a series of anterior to posterior digit fates-a process of digit specification that we suggest is involved in patterning all vertebrate limbs with more than three digits.

Region-specific involvement of BDNF secretion and synthesis in conditioned taste aversion memory formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ling; Wang, Dong-Dong; Zhang, Tian-Yi; Yu, Hui; Wang, Yue; Huang, Shu-Hong; Lee, Francis S; Chen, Zhe-Yu

2011-02-09

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB), play a critical role in activity-dependent plasticity processes such as long-term potentiation, learning, and memory. It has been shown that BDNF exerts different or even opposite effects on behavior depending on the neural circuit. However, the detailed role of BDNF in memory process on the basis of its location has not been fully understood. Here, we aim to investigate the regional specific involvement of BDNF/TrkB in hippocampal-independent conditioned taste aversion (CTA) memory processes. We found region-specific changes in BDNF expression during CTA learning. CTA conditioning induced increased BDNF levels in the central nuclei of amygdala (CeA) and insular cortex, but not in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, we found that the enhanced TrkB phosphorylation occurred at the time point before the increased BDNF expression, suggesting rapid induction of activity-dependent BDNF secretion by CTA learning. Moreover, targeted infusion of BDNF antibodies or BDNF antisense oligonucleotides revealed that activity-dependent BDNF secretion and synthesis in the CeA, but not the BLA, was respectively involved in the short- and long-term memory formation of CTA. Finally, we found that infusion of exogenous BDNF into the CeA could enhance CTA learning. These data suggest that region-specific BDNF release and synthesis temporally regulate different CTA memory phases through activation of TrkB receptors.

Regional and site-specific absolute humidity data for use in tritium dose calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etnier, E.L.

1980-01-01

Due to the potential variability in average absolute humidity over the continental U.S., and the dependence of atmospheric 3 H specific activity on absolute humidity, availability of regional absolute humidity data is of value in estimating the radiological significance of 3 H releases. Most climatological data are in the form of relative humidity, which must be converted to absolute humidity for dose calculations. Absolute humidity was calculated for 218 points across the U.S., using the 1977 annual summary of U.S. Climatological Data, and is given in a table. Mean regional values are shown on a map. (author)

An alternative approach to probabilistic seismic hazard analysis in the Aegean region using Monte Carlo simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Weatherill, Graeme; Burton, Paul W.

2010-09-01

The Aegean is the most seismically active and tectonically complex region in Europe. Damaging earthquakes have occurred here throughout recorded history, often resulting in considerable loss of life. The Monte Carlo method of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) is used to determine the level of ground motion likely to be exceeded in a given time period. Multiple random simulations of seismicity are generated to calculate, directly, the ground motion for a given site. Within the seismic hazard analysis we explore the impact of different seismic source models, incorporating both uniform zones and distributed seismicity. A new, simplified, seismic source model, derived from seismotectonic interpretation, is presented for the Aegean region. This is combined into the epistemic uncertainty analysis alongside existing source models for the region, and models derived by a K-means cluster analysis approach. Seismic source models derived using the K-means approach offer a degree of objectivity and reproducibility into the otherwise subjective approach of delineating seismic sources using expert judgment. Similar review and analysis is undertaken for the selection of peak ground acceleration (PGA) attenuation models, incorporating into the epistemic analysis Greek-specific models, European models and a Next Generation Attenuation model. Hazard maps for PGA on a "rock" site with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years are produced and different source and attenuation models are compared. These indicate that Greek-specific attenuation models, with their smaller aleatory variability terms, produce lower PGA hazard, whilst recent European models and Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) model produce similar results. The Monte Carlo method is extended further to assimilate epistemic uncertainty into the hazard calculation, thus integrating across several appropriate source and PGA attenuation models. Site condition and fault-type are also integrated into the hazard

PARTICULARS OF REGIONAL DEVELOPEMMENT AND SPECIFIC CAUSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DORU CÎRNU

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Regional development is a complex process which supports each territory in building its future on the basis of its own territorial capital and, thus, contributing to reducing disparities between different geographical areas. Regional development policy is a set of planned measures, promoted by local and central public administration authorities, in partnership with different actors (private, public, volunteers used to ensure dynamic and sustainable economic growth by efficiently using regional and local potential to improve living conditions. The main areas of interest of regional policies are: enterprise development, labor market, attracting investment, technology transfer, SME sector development, infrastructure improvement, environmental quality, rural development, health, education, culture.

Database specification for the Worldwide Port System (WPS) Regional Integrated Cargo Database (ICDB)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faby, E.Z.; Fluker, J.; Hancock, B.R.; Grubb, J.W.; Russell, D.L. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Loftis, J.P.; Shipe, P.C.; Truett, L.F. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1994-03-01

This Database Specification for the Worldwide Port System (WPS) Regional Integrated Cargo Database (ICDB) describes the database organization and storage allocation, provides the detailed data model of the logical and physical designs, and provides information for the construction of parts of the database such as tables, data elements, and associated dictionaries and diagrams.

Robustness Regions for Dichotomous Decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijn, Pieter; Molenaar, Ivo W.

1981-01-01

In the case of dichotomous decisions, the total set of all assumptions/specifications for which the decision would have been the same is the robustness region. Inspection of this (data-dependent) region is a form of sensitivity analysis which may lead to improved decision making. (Author/BW)

Sebum and Hydration Levels in Specific Regions of Human Face Significantly Predict the Nature and Diversity of Facial Skin Microbiome.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Souvik; Mitra, Rupak; Maitra, Arindam; Gupta, Satyaranjan; Kumaran, Srikala; Chakrabortty, Amit; Majumder, Partha P

2016-10-27

The skin microbiome varies across individuals. The causes of these variations are inadequately understood. We tested the hypothesis that inter-individual variation in facial skin microbiome can be significantly explained by variation in sebum and hydration levels in specific facial regions of humans. We measured sebum and hydration from forehead and cheek regions of healthy female volunteers (n = 30). Metagenomic DNA from skin swabs were sequenced for V3-V5 regions of 16S rRNA gene. Altogether, 34 phyla were identified; predominantly Actinobacteria (66.3%), Firmicutes (17.7%), Proteobacteria (13.1%) and Bacteroidetes (1.4%). About 1000 genera were identified; predominantly Propionibacterium (58.6%), Staphylococcus (8.6%), Streptococcus (4.0%), Corynebacterium (3.6%) and Paracoccus (3.3%). A subset (n = 24) of individuals were sampled two months later. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that cheek sebum level was the most significant predictor of microbiome composition and diversity followed by forehead hydration level; forehead sebum and cheek hydration levels were not. With increase in cheek sebum, the prevalence of Actinobacteria (p = 0.001)/Propionibacterium (p = 0.002) increased, whereas microbiome diversity decreased (Shannon Index, p = 0.032); this was opposite for other phyla/genera. These trends were reversed for forehead hydration levels. Therefore, the nature and diversity of facial skin microbiome is jointly determined by site-specific lipid and water levels in the stratum corneum.

CLUSTER ANALYSIS UKRAINIAN REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION BY LEVEL OF INNOVATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roman Shchur

2016-07-01

Full Text Available   SWOT-analysis of the threats and benefits of innovation development strategy of Ivano-Frankivsk region in the context of financial support was сonducted. Methodical approach to determine of public-private partnerships potential that is tool of innovative economic development financing was identified. Cluster analysis of possibilities of forming public-private partnership in a particular region was carried out. Optimal set of problem areas that require urgent solutions and financial security is defined on the basis of cluster approach. It will help to form practical recommendations for the formation of an effective financial mechanism in the regions of Ukraine. Key words: the mechanism of innovation development financial provision, innovation development, public-private partnerships, cluster analysis, innovative development strategy.

Global, regional, and national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-10

Up-to-date evidence on levels and trends for age-sex-specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality is essential for the formation of global, regional, and national health policies. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) we estimated yearly deaths for 188 countries between 1990, and 2013. We used the results to assess whether there is epidemiological convergence across countries. We estimated age-sex-specific all-cause mortality using the GBD 2010 methods with some refinements to improve accuracy applied to an updated database of vital registration, survey, and census data. We generally estimated cause of death as in the GBD 2010. Key improvements included the addition of more recent vital registration data for 72 countries, an updated verbal autopsy literature review, two new and detailed data systems for China, and more detail for Mexico, UK, Turkey, and Russia. We improved statistical models for garbage code redistribution. We used six different modelling strategies across the 240 causes; cause of death ensemble modelling (CODEm) was the dominant strategy for causes with sufficient information. Trends for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias were informed by meta-regression of prevalence studies. For pathogen-specific causes of diarrhoea and lower respiratory infections we used a counterfactual approach. We computed two measures of convergence (inequality) across countries: the average relative difference across all pairs of countries (Gini coefficient) and the average absolute difference across countries. To summarise broad findings, we used multiple decrement life-tables to decompose probabilities of death from birth to exact age 15 years, from exact age 15 years to exact age 50 years, and from exact age 50 years to exact age 75 years, and life expectancy at birth into major causes. For all quantities reported, we computed 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). We constrained cause-specific fractions within each age-sex-country-year group to sum

The effect of high temperature on cause-specific mortality: A multi-county analysis in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ban, Jie; Xu, Dandan; He, Mike Z; Sun, Qinghua; Chen, Chen; Wang, Wentao; Zhu, Pengfei; Li, Tiantian

2017-09-01

Although existing studies have linked high temperature to mortality in a small number of regions, less evidence is available on the variation in the associations between high temperature exposure and cause-specific mortality of multiple regions in China. Our study focused on the use of time series analysis to quantify the association between high temperature and different cause-specific mortalities for susceptible populations for 43 counties in China. Two-stage analyses adopting a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) and a meta-analysis allowed us to obtain county-specific estimates and national-scale pooled estimates of the nonlinear temperature-mortality relationship. We also considered different populations stratified by age and sex, causes of death, absolute and relative temperature patterns, and potential confounding from air pollutants. All of the observed cause-specific mortalities are significantly associated with higher temperature. The estimated effects of high temperature on mortality varied by spatial distribution and temperature patterns. Compared with the 90th percentile temperature, the overall relative risk (RR) at the 99th percentile temperature for non-accidental mortality is 1.105 (95%CI: 1.089, 1.122), for circulatory disease is 1.107 (95%CI: 1.081, 1.133), for respiratory disease is 1.095 (95%CI: 1.050, 1.142), for coronary heart disease is 1.073 (95%CI: 1.047, 1.099), for acute myocardial infarction is 1.072 (95%CI: 1.042, 1.104), and for stroke is 1.095 (95%CI: 1.052, 1.138). Based on our findings, we believe that heat-related health effect in China is a significant issue that requires more attention and allocation of existing resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas chromatographic isolation technique for compound-specific radiocarbon analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, M.; Kumamoto, Y.; Shibata, Y.; Yoneda, M.; Morita, M.; Kawamura, K.

2002-01-01

Full text: We present here a gas chromatographic isolation technique for the compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of biomarkers from the marine sediments. The biomarkers of fatty acids, hydrocarbon and sterols were isolated with enough amount for radiocarbon analysis using a preparative capillary gas chromatograph (PCGC) system. The PCGC systems used here is composed of an HP 6890 GC with FID, a cooled injection system (CIS, Gerstel, Germany), a zero-dead-volume effluent splitter, and a cryogenic preparative collection device (PFC, Gerstel). For AMS analysis, we need to separate and recover sufficient quantity of target individual compounds (>50 μgC). Yields of target compounds from C 14 n-alkanes to C 40 to C 30 n-alkanes and approximately that of 80% for higher molecular weights compounds more than C 30 n-alkanes. Compound specific radiocarbon analysis of organic compounds, as well as compound-specific stable isotope analysis, provide valuable information on the origins and carbon cycling in marine system. Above PCGC conditions, we applied compound-specific radiocarbon analysis to the marine sediments from western north Pacific, which showed the possibility of a useful chronology tool for estimating the age of sediment using organic matter in paleoceanographic study, in the area where enough amounts of planktonic foraminifera for radiocarbon analysis by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) are difficult to obtain due to dissolution of calcium carbonate. (author)

Compound-specific radiocarbon analysis - Analytical challenges and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Mollenhauer, G.; Rethemeyer, J.

2009-01-01

Within the last decades, techniques have become available that allow measurement of isotopic compositions of individual organic compounds (compound-specific isotope measurements). Most often the carbon isotopic composition of these compounds is studied, including stable carbon (δ13C) and radiocarbon (Δ14C) measurements. While compound-specific stable carbon isotope measurements are fairly simple, and well-established techniques are widely available, radiocarbon analysis of specific organic compounds is a more challenging method. Analytical challenges include difficulty obtaining adequate quantities of sample, tedious and complicated laboratory separations, the lack of authentic standards for measuring realistic processing blanks, and large uncertainties in values of Δ14C at small sample sizes. The challenges associated with sample preparation for compound-specific Δ14C measurements will be discussed in this contribution. Several years of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis have revealed that in most natural samples, purified organic compounds consist of heterogeneous mixtures of the same compound. These mixtures could derive from multiple sources, each having a different initial reservoir age but mixed in the same terminal reservoir, from a single source but mixed after deposition, or from a prokaryotic organism using variable carbon sources including mobilization of ancient carbon. These processes not only represent challenges to the interpretation of compound-specific radiocarbon data, but provide unique tools for the understanding of biogeochemical and sedimentological processes influencing the preserved organic geochemical records in marine sediments. We will discuss some examples where compound-specific radiocarbon analysis has provided new insights for the understanding of carbon source utilization and carbon cycling.

Study on the methods of rational analysis about the area of the Planning of Sea Usage of Regional Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Ya-Juan, Li; Tian-Yu, Mao; Mingjing-Tian

2018-03-01

The Planning of Sea Usage of Regional Construction is a new area, and the rational analysis about the area of which is one of its difficulties. Based on “Urban land classification and land use planning and construction standards”, the land use control index method study the rationality of the sea usage area of the whole region, by accumulating for specific land use indicators for each land type within the planning area. This paper, takeing the project named “caofeidian integrated service area” for example, make a little study on the land use control index method used by the sea usage demonstration of the planning of sea usage of regional construction. The study will be good for improving the technical methods of rational analysis about the area of the planning of sea usage of regional construction.

Euler deconvolution and spectral analysis of regional aeromagnetic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Existing regional aeromagnetic data from the south-central Zimbabwe craton has been analysed using 3D Euler deconvolution and spectral analysis to obtain quantitative information on the geological units and structures for depth constraints on the geotectonic interpretation of the region. The Euler solution maps confirm ...

Characterization of shark complement factor I gene(s): genomic analysis of a novel shark-specific sequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Dong-Ho; Webb, Barbara M; Nakao, Miki; Smith, Sylvia L

2009-07-01

Complement factor I is a crucial regulator of mammalian complement activity. Very little is known of complement regulators in non-mammalian species. We isolated and sequenced four highly similar complement factor I cDNAs from the liver of the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum), designated as GcIf-1, GcIf-2, GcIf-3 and GcIf-4 (previously referred to as nsFI-a, -b, -c and -d) which encode 689, 673, 673 and 657 amino acid residues, respectively. They share 95% (shark-specific sequence between the leader peptide (LP) and the factor I membrane attack complex (FIMAC) domain. The cDNA sequences differ only in the size and composition of the shark-specific region (SSR). Sequence analysis of each SSR has identified within the region two novel short sequences (SS1 and SS2) and three repeat sequences (RS1-3). Genomic analysis has revealed the existence of three introns between the leader peptide and the FIMAC domain, tentatively designated intron 1, intron 2, and intron 3 which span 4067, 2293 and 2082bp, respectively. Southern blot analysis suggests the presence of a single gene copy for each cDNA type. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that complement factor I of cartilaginous fish diverged prior to the emergence of mammals. All four GcIf cDNA species are expressed in four different tissues and the liver is the main tissue in which expression level of all four is high. This suggests that the expression of GcIf isotypes is tissue-dependent.

Finding stability regions for preserving efficiency classification of variable returns to scale technology in data envelopment analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zamani, P.; Borzouei, M.

2016-12-01

This paper addresses issue of sensitivity of efficiency classification of variable returns to scale (VRS) technology for enhancing the credibility of data envelopment analysis (DEA) results in practical applications when an additional decision making unit (DMU) needs to be added to the set being considered. It also develops a structured approach to assisting practitioners in making an appropriate selection of variation range for inputs and outputs of additional DMU so that this DMU be efficient and the efficiency classification of VRS technology remains unchanged. This stability region is simply specified by the concept of defining hyperplanes of production possibility set of VRS technology and the corresponding halfspaces. Furthermore, this study determines a stability region for the additional DMU within which, in addition to efficiency classification, the efficiency score of a specific inefficient DMU is preserved and also using a simulation method, a region in which some specific efficient DMUs become inefficient is provided.

Shape Analysis of HII Regions - I. Statistical Clustering

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell-White, Justyn; Froebrich, Dirk; Kume, Alfred

2018-04-01

We present here our shape analysis method for a sample of 76 Galactic HII regions from MAGPIS 1.4 GHz data. The main goal is to determine whether physical properties and initial conditions of massive star cluster formation is linked to the shape of the regions. We outline a systematic procedure for extracting region shapes and perform hierarchical clustering on the shape data. We identified six groups that categorise HII regions by common morphologies. We confirmed the validity of these groupings by bootstrap re-sampling and the ordinance technique multidimensional scaling. We then investigated associations between physical parameters and the assigned groups. Location is mostly independent of group, with a small preference for regions of similar longitudes to share common morphologies. The shapes are homogeneously distributed across Galactocentric distance and latitude. One group contains regions that are all younger than 0.5 Myr and ionised by low- to intermediate-mass sources. Those in another group are all driven by intermediate- to high-mass sources. One group was distinctly separated from the other five and contained regions at the surface brightness detection limit for the survey. We find that our hierarchical procedure is most sensitive to the spatial sampling resolution used, which is determined for each region from its distance. We discuss how these errors can be further quantified and reduced in future work by utilising synthetic observations from numerical simulations of HII regions. We also outline how this shape analysis has further applications to other diffuse astronomical objects.

Multisensory and Modality Specific Processing of Visual Speech in Different Regions of the Premotor Cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel eCallan

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Behavioral and neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that brain regions involved with speech production also support speech perception, especially under degraded conditions. The premotor cortex has been shown to be active during both observation and execution of action (‘Mirror System’ properties, and may facilitate speech perception by mapping unimodal and multimodal sensory features onto articulatory speech gestures. For this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI study, participants identified vowels produced by a speaker in audio-visual (saw the speaker’s articulating face and heard her voice, visual only (only saw the speaker’s articulating face, and audio only (only heard the speaker’s voice conditions with varying audio signal-to-noise ratios in order to determine the regions of the premotor cortex involved with multisensory and modality specific processing of visual speech gestures. The task was designed so that identification could be made with a high level of accuracy from visual only stimuli to control for task difficulty and differences in intelligibility. The results of the fMRI analysis for visual only and audio-visual conditions showed overlapping activity in inferior frontal gyrus and premotor cortex. The left ventral inferior premotor cortex showed properties of multimodal (audio-visual enhancement with a degraded auditory signal. The left inferior parietal lobule and right cerebellum also showed these properties. The left ventral superior and dorsal premotor cortex did not show this multisensory enhancement effect, but there was greater activity for the visual only over audio-visual conditions in these areas. The results suggest that the inferior regions of the ventral premotor cortex are involved with integrating multisensory information, whereas, more superior and dorsal regions of the premotor cortex are involved with mapping unimodal (in this case visual sensory features of the speech signal with

Different region analysis for genotyping Yersinia pestis isolates from China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanjun Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: DFR (different region analysis has been developed for typing Yesinia pestis in our previous study, and in this study, we extended this method by using 23 DFRs to investigate 909 Chinese Y. pestis strains for validating DFR-based genotyping method and better understanding adaptive microevolution of Y. pestis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: On the basis of PCR and Bionumerics data analysis, 909 Y. pestis strains were genotyped into 32 genomovars according to their DFR profiles. New terms, Major genomovar and Minor genomovar, were coined for illustrating evolutionary relationship between Y. pestis strains from different plague foci and different hosts. In silico DFR profiling of the completed or draft genomes shed lights on the evolutionary scenario of Y. pestis from Y. pseudotuberculosis. Notably, several sequenced Y. pestis strains share the same DFR profiles with Chinese strains, providing data for revealing the global plague foci expansion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Distribution of Y. pestis genomovars is plague focus-specific. Microevolution of biovar Orientalis was deduced according to DFR profiles. DFR analysis turns to be an efficient and inexpensive method to portrait the genome plasticity of Y. pestis based on horizontal gene transfer (HGT. DFR analysis can also be used as a tool in comparative and evolutionary genomic research for other bacteria with similar genome plasticity.

Methodology for risk-based analysis of technical specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vesely, W.E.; Gaertner, J.P.; Wagner, D.P.

1985-01-01

Part of the effort by EPRI to apply probabilistic risk assessment methods and results to the solution of utility problems involves the investigation of methods for risk-based analysis of technical specifications. The culmination of this investigation is the SOCRATES computer code developed by Battelle's Columbus Laboratories to assist in the evaluation of technical specifications of nuclear power plants. The program is designed to use information found in PRAs to re-evaluate risk for changes in component allowed outage times (AOTs) and surveillance test intervals (STIs). The SOCRATES program is a unique and important tool for technical specification evaluations. The detailed component unavailability model allows a detailed analysis of AOT and STI contributions to risk. Explicit equations allow fast and inexpensive calculations. Because the code is designed to accept ranges of parameters and to save results of calculations that do not change during the analysis, sensitivity studies are efficiently performed and results are clearly displayed

Geographical data structures supporting regional analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, R.G.; Durfee, R.C.

1978-01-01

In recent years the computer has become a valuable aid in solving regional environmental problems. Over a hundred different geographic information systems have been developed to digitize, store, analyze, and display spatially distributed data. One important aspect of these systems is the data structure (e.g. grids, polygons, segments) used to model the environment being studied. This paper presents eight common geographic data structures and their use in studies of coal resources, power plant siting, population distributions, LANDSAT imagery analysis, and landuse analysis

Region-specific sensitivity of anemophilous pollen deposition to temperature and precipitation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timme H Donders

Full Text Available Understanding relations between climate and pollen production is important for several societal and ecological challenges, importantly pollen forecasting for pollinosis treatment, forensic studies, global change biology, and high-resolution palaeoecological studies of past vegetation and climate fluctuations. For these purposes, we investigate the role of climate variables on annual-scale variations in pollen influx, test the regional consistency of observed patterns, and evaluate the potential to reconstruct high-frequency signals from sediment archives. A 43-year pollen-trap record from the Netherlands is used to investigate relations between annual pollen influx, climate variables (monthly and seasonal temperature and precipitation values, and the North Atlantic Oscillation climate index. Spearman rank correlation analysis shows that specifically in Alnus, Betula, Corylus, Fraxinus, Quercus and Plantago both temperature in the year prior to (T-1, as well as in the growing season (T, are highly significant factors (TApril rs between 0.30 [P<0.05[ and 0.58 [P<0.0001]; TJuli-1 rs between 0.32 [P<0.05[ and 0.56 [P<0.0001] in the annual pollen influx of wind-pollinated plants. Total annual pollen prediction models based on multiple climate variables yield R2 between 0.38 and 0.62 (P<0.0001. The effect of precipitation is minimal. A second trapping station in the SE Netherlands, shows consistent trends and annual variability, suggesting the climate factors are regionally relevant. Summer temperature is thought to influence the formation of reproductive structures, while temperature during the flowering season influences pollen release. This study provides a first predictive model for seasonal pollen forecasting, and also aides forensic studies. Furthermore, variations in pollen accumulation rates from a sub-fossil peat deposit are comparable with the pollen trap data. This suggests that high frequency variability pollen records from natural

Analysis of natural prerequisites for the development of ecological tourism in the Belgorod region

Science.gov (United States)

Pendyurin, Eu A.; Glamazda, S. N.; Genenko, O. N.; Ryadnova, S. A.

2018-01-01

The tourism industry is related to entertainment, leisure, new impressions, emotions and pleasure. Tourism liberates people from a sense of fatigue by a specific change of environment and activity. Eco-tourism today is becoming one of the most promising developing sector of tourism business. Ecotourism is something average between the measured leisurely walks and extreme sports. It is contemplative and moderately informative at the same time, usually sporty and mobile, quite impressive. Analysis of natural prerequisite for the development of ecological tourism is one of the stages of site assessment as natural resources are one of the important determinants of its use. The Belgorod region has high recreational and touristic potential. On its territory there are unique natural and recreational resources. Exposing, analyzing tourist recreation resources to tourism development in the Belgorod region, want to pay attention to the large potential of this field in the region.

Lymphoid tissue neoplasms in the neck region - epidemiological and clinical analysis over 15 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Rzepakowska, Anna; Zwierzyńska, Klaudyna; Osuch-Wójcikiewicz, Ewa; Niemczyk, Kazimierz

2017-06-30

Epidemiological and clinical analysis of lymphoid tissue neoplasms in the neck region over a 15-year period. There was performed retrospective analysis of 97 patients, aged 17 to 88 years, mean age of 60.3 years. The analysis included data from subjective study, physical examination, image and histopathological studies Results: Almost all cases were lymphoid neoplasms - 95 patients (98%). B cell lymphoma was the most commonly diagnosed lymphoma - 74 cases (76%), followed by Hodgkin's lymphoma- 19 cases (20%). Only two patients had T-cell lymphoma (2%). There was observed prevalence among women, K: M ratio for the whole group was 51: 46, while male predominance was reported in Hodgkin's lymphoma patients (K: M = 7: 12). Over the 15-year period, there was an increase in the number of lymphoid tumors. The most common location on the neck were lymph nodes - 71 (73.2%). Extranodal localizations (26.8%) were most often associated with salivary glands: parotid and submandibular involvement and with the dominant lymphoma of the marginal zone MALT (14 cases). In 57% of patients the fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) results were false, with positive results only in 32% of patients. Tumors from lymphoid tissue in the neck region are most commonly B-cell lymphomas or Hodgkin,s lymphomas. Non-specific clinical signs and non-specific radiological images, as well as non-diagnostic results o FNAB, make it difficult to effectively differentiate lymphomas with cancer metastasis in neck lymph nodes. Histopathology results of the excised lymph nodes remains a standard for lymphoma diagnosis.

Transcription Factor Zbtb20 Controls Regional Specification of Mammalian Archicortex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenthal, Eva Helga

2010-01-01

Combinatorial expression of sets of transcription factors (TFs) along the mammalian cortex controls its subdivision into functional areas. Unlike neocortex, only few recent data suggest genetic mechanisms controlling the regionalization of the archicortex. TF Emx2 plays a crucial role in patterning...... later on becoming restricted exclusively to postmitotic neurons of hippocampus (Hi) proper, dentate gyrus (DG), and two transitory zones, subiculum (S) and retrosplenial cortex (Rsp). Analysis of Zbtb20-/- mice revealed altered cortical patterning at the border between neocortex and archicortex...

Asian product specifications to tighten by 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

The Asia/Pacific region is characterized by much diversity in environmental standards for petroleum products. Specifications in Japan, for example, are quite stringent, while, in India, kerosene--even that used for cooking or lighting--may contain as much as 0.2% sulfur. Widhyawan Prawiraatmadja and Fereidun Fesharaki of the East-West Center in Honolulu outlined regional product quality in a report titled, ''Trends in Petroleum Product Specifications in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Supply/Demand Analysis and Government Policy Responses.'' This paper summarizes the findings of this report with emphasis on gasoline, diesel fuels, and fuel oil demand, fuel consumption, and quality

High Specificity of Quantitative Methylation-Specific PCR Analysis for MGMT Promoter Hypermethylation Detection in Gliomas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paola Parrella

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Normal brain tissue from 28 individuals and 50 glioma samples were analyzed by real-time Quantitative Methylation-Specific PCR (QMSP. Data from this analysis were compared with results obtained on the same samples by MSP. QMSP analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference in both methylation level (P=.000009 Mann Whitney Test and frequencies (P=.0000007, Z-test in tumour samples as compared with normal brain tissues. Although QMSP and MSP showed similar sensitivity, the specificity of QMSP analysis was significantly higher (93%; CI95%: 84%–100% as compared with MSP (64%; 95%CI: 46%–82%. Our results suggest that QMSP analysis may represent a powerful tool to identify glioma patients that will benefit from alkylating agents chemotherapy.

Population specific analysis of Yakut exomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zlobin, A. S.; Sharapov, S. Sh.; Guryev, V. P.; Bevova, M. R.; Tsepilov, Y. A.; Sivtseva, T. M.; Boyarskih, U. A.; Sokolova, E. A.; Aulchenko, Y. S.; Filipenko, M. L.; Osakovsky, V. L.

We studied the genetic diversity of the Yakut population using exome sequencing. We performed comparative analysis of the Yakut population and the populations that are included in the "1000 Genomes" project and we identified the alleles specific to the Yakut population. We showed, that the Yakuts

Regional analysis of the nuclear-electricity; Analisis regional de la nucleoelectricidad

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parera, M. D., E-mail: dparera@cnea.gov.ar [CNEA, Gerencia de Planificacion, Coordinacion y Control, Subgerencia de Planificacion Estrategica, Av. Gral. Paz 1499, B1650KNA San Martin, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2011-11-15

In this study was realized a regional analysis of the Argentinean electric market contemplating the effects of regional cooperation, the internal and international interconnections; and the possibilities of insert of new nuclear power stations were evaluated in different regions of the country, indicating the most appropriate areas to carry out these facilities to increase the penetration of the nuclear energy in the national energy matrix. Also was studied the interconnection of the electricity and natural gas markets, due to the existent linking among both energy forms. With this purpose the program Message (Model for energy supply strategy alternatives and their general environmental impacts) was used, promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. This model carries out an economic optimization level country, obtaining the minimum cost as a result for the modeling system. The division for regions realized by the Compania Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Electrico (CAMMESA) was used, which divides to the country in eight regions. They were considered the characteristics and necessities of each one of them, their respective demands and offers of electric power and natural gas, as well as their existent and projected interconnections, composed by the electric lines and gas pipes. According to the results obtained through the model, the nuclear-electricity is a competitive option. (Author)

Generation of Regionally Specific Neural Progenitor Cells (NPCs) and Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (hPSCs).

Science.gov (United States)

Cutts, Josh; Brookhouser, Nicholas; Brafman, David A

2016-01-01

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are a multipotent cell population capable of long-term expansion and differentiation into a variety of neuronal subtypes. As such, NPCs have tremendous potential for disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative medicine. Current methods for the generation of NPCs results in cell populations homogenous for pan-neural markers such as SOX1 and SOX2 but heterogeneous with respect to regional identity. In order to use NPCs and their neuronal derivatives to investigate mechanisms of neurological disorders and develop more physiologically relevant disease models, methods for generation of regionally specific NPCs and neurons are needed. Here, we describe a protocol in which exogenous manipulation of WNT signaling, through either activation or inhibition, during neural differentiation of hPSCs, promotes the formation of regionally homogenous NPCs and neuronal cultures. In addition, we provide methods to monitor and characterize the efficiency of hPSC differentiation to these regionally specific cell identities.

Multi-scaling allometric analysis for urban and regional development

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yanguang

2017-01-01

The concept of allometric growth is based on scaling relations, and it has been applied to urban and regional analysis for a long time. However, most allometric analyses were devoted to the single proportional relation between two elements of a geographical system. Few researches focus on the allometric scaling of multielements. In this paper, a process of multiscaling allometric analysis is developed for the studies on spatio-temporal evolution of complex systems. By means of linear algebra, general system theory, and by analogy with the analytical hierarchy process, the concepts of allometric growth can be integrated with the ideas from fractal dimension. Thus a new methodology of geo-spatial analysis and the related theoretical models emerge. Based on the least squares regression and matrix operations, a simple algorithm is proposed to solve the multiscaling allometric equation. Applying the analytical method of multielement allometry to Chinese cities and regions yields satisfying results. A conclusion is reached that the multiscaling allometric analysis can be employed to make a comprehensive evaluation for the relative levels of urban and regional development, and explain spatial heterogeneity. The notion of multiscaling allometry may enrich the current theory and methodology of spatial analyses of urban and regional evolution.

Regional LLRW [low-level radioactive waste] processing alternatives applying the DOE REGINALT systems analysis model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beers, G.H.

1987-01-01

The DOE Low-Level Waste Management Progam has developed a computer-based decision support system of models that may be used by nonprogrammers to evaluate a comprehensive approach to commercial low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) management. REGINALT (Regional Waste Management Alternatives Analysis Model) implementation will be described as the model is applied to a hypothetical regional compact for the purpose of examining the technical and economic potential of two waste processing alternaties. Using waste from a typical regional compact, two specific regional waste processing centers will be compared for feasibility. Example 1 will assume will assume that a regional supercompaction facility is being developed for the region. Example 2 will assume that a regional facility with both supercompation and incineration is specified. Both examples will include identical disposal facilities, except that capacity may differ due to variation in volume reduction achieved. The two examples will be compared with regard to volume reduction achieved, estimated occupational exposure for the processing facilities, and life cylcle costs per generated unit waste. A base case will also illustrate current disposal practices. The results of the comparisons will be evaluated, and other steps, if necessary, for additional decision support will be identified

Age- and region-specific imbalances of basal amino acids and monoamine metabolism in limbic regions of female Fmr1 knock-out mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruss, Michael; Braun, Katharina

2004-07-01

The Fragile X syndrome, a common form of mental retardation in humans, originates from the loss of expression of the Fragile X mental retardation gene leading to the absence of the encoded Fragile X mental retardation protein 1 (FMRP). A broad pattern of morphological and behavioral abnormalities is well described for affected humans as well as Fmr1 knock-out mice, a transgenic animal model for the human Fragile X syndrome. In the present study, we examined neurochemical differences between female Fmr1 knock-out and wildtype mice with particular focus on neurotransmission. Significant age- and region-specific differences of basal tissue neurotransmitter and metabolite levels measured by high performance liquid chromatography were found. Those differences were more numerous in juvenile animals (postnatal day (PND) 28-31) compared to adults (postnatal day 209-221). In juvenile female knock-out mice, especially aspartate and taurine were increased in cortical regions, striatum, cerebellum, and brainstem. Furthermore, compared to the wildtype animals, the juvenile knock-out mice displayed an increased level of neuronal inhibition in the hippocampus and brainstem reflected by decreased ratios of (aspartate + glutamate)/(taurine + GABA), as well as an increased dopamine (DA) turnover in cortical regions, striatum, and hippocampus. These results provide the first evidence that the lack of FMRP expression in female Fmr1 knock-out mice is accompanied by age-dependent, region-specific alterations in brain amino acids, and monoamine turnover, which might be related to the reported synaptical and behavioural alterations in these animals.

Cortical pitch regions in humans respond primarily to resolved harmonics and are located in specific tonotopic regions of anterior auditory cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Norman-Haignere, Sam; Kanwisher, Nancy; McDermott, Josh H

2013-12-11

Pitch is a defining perceptual property of many real-world sounds, including music and speech. Classically, theories of pitch perception have differentiated between temporal and spectral cues. These cues are rendered distinct by the frequency resolution of the ear, such that some frequencies produce "resolved" peaks of excitation in the cochlea, whereas others are "unresolved," providing a pitch cue only via their temporal fluctuations. Despite longstanding interest, the neural structures that process pitch, and their relationship to these cues, have remained controversial. Here, using fMRI in humans, we report the following: (1) consistent with previous reports, all subjects exhibited pitch-sensitive cortical regions that responded substantially more to harmonic tones than frequency-matched noise; (2) the response of these regions was mainly driven by spectrally resolved harmonics, although they also exhibited a weak but consistent response to unresolved harmonics relative to noise; (3) the response of pitch-sensitive regions to a parametric manipulation of resolvability tracked psychophysical discrimination thresholds for the same stimuli; and (4) pitch-sensitive regions were localized to specific tonotopic regions of anterior auditory cortex, extending from a low-frequency region of primary auditory cortex into a more anterior and less frequency-selective region of nonprimary auditory cortex. These results demonstrate that cortical pitch responses are located in a stereotyped region of anterior auditory cortex and are predominantly driven by resolved frequency components in a way that mirrors behavior.

Visual motion imagery neurofeedback based on the hMT+/V5 complex: evidence for a feedback-specific neural circuit involving neocortical and cerebellar regions

Science.gov (United States)

Banca, Paula; Sousa, Teresa; Catarina Duarte, Isabel; Castelo-Branco, Miguel

2015-12-01

Objective. Current approaches in neurofeedback/brain-computer interface research often focus on identifying, on a subject-by-subject basis, the neural regions that are best suited for self-driven modulation. It is known that the hMT+/V5 complex, an early visual cortical region, is recruited during explicit and implicit motion imagery, in addition to real motion perception. This study tests the feasibility of training healthy volunteers to regulate the level of activation in their hMT+/V5 complex using real-time fMRI neurofeedback and visual motion imagery strategies. Approach. We functionally localized the hMT+/V5 complex to further use as a target region for neurofeedback. An uniform strategy based on motion imagery was used to guide subjects to neuromodulate hMT+/V5. Main results. We found that 15/20 participants achieved successful neurofeedback. This modulation led to the recruitment of a specific network as further assessed by psychophysiological interaction analysis. This specific circuit, including hMT+/V5, putative V6 and medial cerebellum was activated for successful neurofeedback runs. The putamen and anterior insula were recruited for both successful and non-successful runs. Significance. Our findings indicate that hMT+/V5 is a region that can be modulated by focused imagery and that a specific cortico-cerebellar circuit is recruited during visual motion imagery leading to successful neurofeedback. These findings contribute to the debate on the relative potential of extrinsic (sensory) versus intrinsic (default-mode) brain regions in the clinical application of neurofeedback paradigms. This novel circuit might be a good target for future neurofeedback approaches that aim, for example, the training of focused attention in disorders such as ADHD.

Enrichment of short interspersed transposable elements to embryonic stem cell-specific hypomethylated gene regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Muramoto, Hiroki; Yagi, Shintaro; Hirabayashi, Keiji; Sato, Shinya; Ohgane, Jun; Tanaka, Satoshi; Shiota, Kunio

2010-08-01

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have a distinctive epigenome, which includes their genome-wide DNA methylation modification status, as represented by the ESC-specific hypomethylation of tissue-dependent and differentially methylated regions (T-DMRs) of Pou5f1 and Nanog. Here, we conducted a genome-wide investigation of sequence characteristics associated with T-DMRs that were differentially methylated between ESCs and somatic cells, by focusing on transposable elements including short interspersed elements (SINEs), long interspersed elements (LINEs) and long terminal repeats (LTRs). We found that hypomethylated T-DMRs were predominantly present in SINE-rich/LINE-poor genomic loci. The enrichment for SINEs spread over 300 kb in cis and there existed SINE-rich genomic domains spreading continuously over 1 Mb, which contained multiple hypomethylated T-DMRs. The characterization of sequence information showed that the enriched SINEs were relatively CpG rich and belonged to specific subfamilies. A subset of the enriched SINEs were hypomethylated T-DMRs in ESCs at Dppa3 gene locus, although SINEs are overall methylated in both ESCs and the liver. In conclusion, we propose that SINE enrichment is the genomic property of regions harboring hypomethylated T-DMRs in ESCs, which is a novel aspect of the ESC-specific epigenomic information.

Regional analysis of the nuclear-electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parera, M. D.

2011-11-01

In this study was realized a regional analysis of the Argentinean electric market contemplating the effects of regional cooperation, the internal and international interconnections; and the possibilities of insert of new nuclear power stations were evaluated in different regions of the country, indicating the most appropriate areas to carry out these facilities to increase the penetration of the nuclear energy in the national energy matrix. Also was studied the interconnection of the electricity and natural gas markets, due to the existent linking among both energy forms. With this purpose the program Message (Model for energy supply strategy alternatives and their general environmental impacts) was used, promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. This model carries out an economic optimization level country, obtaining the minimum cost as a result for the modeling system. The division for regions realized by the Compania Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Electrico (CAMMESA) was used, which divides to the country in eight regions. They were considered the characteristics and necessities of each one of them, their respective demands and offers of electric power and natural gas, as well as their existent and projected interconnections, composed by the electric lines and gas pipes. According to the results obtained through the model, the nuclear-electricity is a competitive option. (Author)

Radiation hybrids from human chromosome 3: A basis for the construction of region and specific sublibraries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atchison, L.; Cosmis, R.L.; Atchison, M.L.

1990-01-01

The authors are interested in identifying genes on human chromosome involved in disease processes. To date at least 20 different loci on this chromosome are implicated with various disease states. DNA libraries containing clones derived from a small chromosomal subregion implicated in a particular disease would greatly assist these studies. They have utilized the radiation hybrid (RH) technique to generate a series of somatic cell hybrids that contain small segments of human chromosome 3 as the only human genetic material. A Chinese hamster-human cell hybrid (Q314-2) containing only human chromosome 3 was used to prepare radiation hybrids. Cells were lethally X-irradiated with 6,000 rads and fused to Urd(??) Chinese hamster cells by PEG 1000 treatment. The majority of hybrids (>72%) analyzed retained portions of chromosome 3. The amount of chromosome 3 in each hybrid ranged from nearly all of the chromosome to very little. Currently these hybrids are being further characterized with single copy probes of known map location in order to isolate regions of chromosome 3 that contain specific disease locus. These reduced hybrids can then be used for the construction of region specific libraries and for the generation of new DNA probes from the specific region of interest

Specificity of Atmosphere Correction of Satellite Ocean Color Data in Far-Eastern Region

Science.gov (United States)

Trusenkova, O.; Kachur, V.; Aleksanin, A. I.

2016-02-01

It was carried out an error analysis of satellite reflectance coefficients (Rrs) of MODIS/AQUA colour data for two atmospheric correction algorithms (NIR, MUMM) in the Far-Eastern region. Some sets of unique data of in situ and satellite measurements have been analysed. A set has some measurements with ASD spectroradiometer for each satellite pass. The measurement allocations were selected so the Chlorophyll-a concentration has high variability. Analysis of arbitrary set demonstrated that the main error component is systematic error, and it has simple relations on Rrs values. The reasons of such error behavior are considered. The most probable explanation of the large errors of oceanic color parameters in the Far-Eastern region is the ability of high concentrations of continental aerosol. A comparison of satellite and in situ measurements at AERONET stations of USA and South Korea regions has been made. It was shown that for NIR-correction of the atmosphere influence the error values in these two regions have differences up to 10 times for almost the same water turbidity and relatively good accuracy of computation of aerosol optical thickness. The study was supported by grant Russian Scientific Foundation No. 14-50-00034, by grant of Russian Foundation of Basic Research No.15-35-21032-mol-a-ved, and by Program of Basic Research "Far East" of Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences.

Investment analysis of St. Petersburg and Leningrad region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. A. Borkova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the need for new approaches to improve the competitiveness of North-West Federal District of Russia, which based on knowledge of tendencies of innovation development. Innovative development ensures sustainable development of the region. Analysis conducted by the author has the main idea to evaluate the prospects of economic development of the region. It is almost impossible to imagine the modern world without innovations occurred, that have become familiar, and future innovations contributing to the further evolution of the economic system. Most scientists agree on that innovation has become the main driving force of economic and social development. Therefore, the main research problem is the assessment of the prospects of economic and innovative development of the North-West Federal District and its place in the Economy of Russia. Russia - the country is so sharp inter-regional economic, social and political contrasts that each potential investor with sufficient information about the investment climate can select the region with the best conditions for investment. Usually the investor to make a decision is necessary to have estimates of the degree of investment attractiveness and the level of existing risks. The division of regions on the basis of the investment attractiveness allows more reasonable to formulate the basic principles of regional policy, as well as to encourage regional governments to more vigorous action to improve the investment climate. Analysis of investment attractiveness of the Russian Federation subjects showed that the regions have different investment opportunities (potentials, and they have different risk factors. Research investment processes involved in a huge number of economists and analysts. Additional investments are required in any industry. Whether it is to attract the investor to open a new business, maintaining the city-forming enterprise, a particular region or country as a whole.

A new analysis of Mars "Special Regions": findings of the second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2).

Science.gov (United States)

Rummel, John D; Beaty, David W; Jones, Melissa A; Bakermans, Corien; Barlow, Nadine G; Boston, Penelope J; Chevrier, Vincent F; Clark, Benton C; de Vera, Jean-Pierre P; Gough, Raina V; Hallsworth, John E; Head, James W; Hipkin, Victoria J; Kieft, Thomas L; McEwen, Alfred S; Mellon, Michael T; Mikucki, Jill A; Nicholson, Wayne L; Omelon, Christopher R; Peterson, Ronald; Roden, Eric E; Sherwood Lollar, Barbara; Tanaka, Kenneth L; Viola, Donna; Wray, James J

2014-11-01

A committee of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) has reviewed and updated the description of Special Regions on Mars as places where terrestrial organisms might replicate (per the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy). This review and update was conducted by an international team (SR-SAG2) drawn from both the biological science and Mars exploration communities, focused on understanding when and where Special Regions could occur. The study applied recently available data about martian environments and about terrestrial organisms, building on a previous analysis of Mars Special Regions (2006) undertaken by a similar team. Since then, a new body of highly relevant information has been generated from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (launched in 2005) and Phoenix (2007) and data from Mars Express and the twin Mars Exploration Rovers (all 2003). Results have also been gleaned from the Mars Science Laboratory (launched in 2011). In addition to Mars data, there is a considerable body of new data regarding the known environmental limits to life on Earth-including the potential for terrestrial microbial life to survive and replicate under martian environmental conditions. The SR-SAG2 analysis has included an examination of new Mars models relevant to natural environmental variation in water activity and temperature; a review and reconsideration of the current parameters used to define Special Regions; and updated maps and descriptions of the martian environments recommended for treatment as "Uncertain" or "Special" as natural features or those potentially formed by the influence of future landed spacecraft. Significant changes in our knowledge of the capabilities of terrestrial organisms and the existence of possibly habitable martian environments have led to a new appreciation of where Mars Special Regions may be identified and protected. The SR-SAG also considered the impact of Special Regions on potential future human missions to Mars, both as locations of

Microbial community development in a dynamic gut model is reproducible, colon region specific, and selective for Bacteroidetes and Clostridium cluster IX.

Science.gov (United States)

Van den Abbeele, Pieter; Grootaert, Charlotte; Marzorati, Massimo; Possemiers, Sam; Verstraete, Willy; Gérard, Philippe; Rabot, Sylvie; Bruneau, Aurélia; El Aidy, Sahar; Derrien, Muriel; Zoetendal, Erwin; Kleerebezem, Michiel; Smidt, Hauke; Van de Wiele, Tom

2010-08-01

Dynamic, multicompartment in vitro gastrointestinal simulators are often used to monitor gut microbial dynamics and activity. These reactors need to harbor a microbial community that is stable upon inoculation, colon region specific, and relevant to in vivo conditions. Together with the reproducibility of the colonization process, these criteria are often overlooked when the modulatory properties from different treatments are compared. We therefore investigated the microbial colonization process in two identical simulators of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (SHIME), simultaneously inoculated with the same human fecal microbiota with a high-resolution phylogenetic microarray: the human intestinal tract chip (HITChip). Following inoculation of the in vitro colon compartments, microbial community composition reached steady state after 2 weeks, whereas 3 weeks were required to reach functional stability. This dynamic colonization process was reproducible in both SHIME units and resulted in highly diverse microbial communities which were colon region specific, with the proximal regions harboring saccharolytic microbes (e.g., Bacteroides spp. and Eubacterium spp.) and the distal regions harboring mucin-degrading microbes (e.g., Akkermansia spp.). Importantly, the shift from an in vivo to an in vitro environment resulted in an increased Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, whereas Clostridium cluster IX (propionate producers) was enriched compared to clusters IV and XIVa (butyrate producers). This was supported by proportionally higher in vitro propionate concentrations. In conclusion, high-resolution analysis of in vitro-cultured gut microbiota offers new insight on the microbial colonization process and indicates the importance of digestive parameters that may be crucial in the development of new in vitro models.

Carbon Footprint of Housing in the Leeds City Region - A Best Practice Scenario Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrett, John; Dawkins, Elena (Stockholm Environment Inst. (Sweden))|(Univ. of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom))

2008-06-15

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) was commissioned by the Environment Agency to carry out a carbon footprint analysis of the housing sector, using the Leeds City Region (LCR) as an example. The aim was to determine our ability to meet the 80 per cent by 2050 challenge of energy efficiency in the housing sector. The study relates specifically to LCR but its findings will help any planning and development teams make the right decisions and gain the resources necessary to meet carbon budgets at regional and local levels. With a growing population and an additional 263,000 housing units to be built within LCR by 2026, the housing sector would need to reduce its expected total carbon dioxide emissions by 38 million tonnes between 2010 and 2026 to be on track for 80 per cent savings in 2050. The report outlines the most detailed analysis to date of the required measures to deliver a growth-based regional housing strategy, alongside reducing carbon emissions. If the city region's new and existing housing is to attain the levels of energy efficiency necessary to deliver these carbon savings, big changes will be required in the way we build, maintain and run our homes over the next 20 years. There are pockets of good practice already in the region and the study shows that by combining innovative measures on construction standards, improvements to existing housing, low and zero carbon technologies and changing behaviour of householders, LCR can achieve the necessary savings to meet its carbon budget

Housing Archetype Analysis for Home Energy-Efficient Retrofit in the Great Lakes Region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, S. K.; Mrozowski, T.; Harrell-Seyburn, A.; Ehrlich, N.; Hembroff, L.; Bieburn, B.; Mazor, M.; McIntyre, A.; Mutton, C.; Parsons, G.; Syal, M. G.; Wilkinson, R.

2014-09-01

This project report details activities and results of the 'Market Characterization' project undertaken by the Cost Effective Energy Retrofit (CEER) team targeted toward the DOE goal of achieving 30%-50% reduction in existing building energy use. CEER consists of members from the Dow Chemical Company, Michigan State University, Ferris State University and Habitat for Humanity Kent County. The purpose of this market characterization project was to identify housing archetypes which are dominant within Great Lakes region and therefore offer significant potential for energy-efficient retrofit research and implementation due to the substantial number of homes possessing similar characteristics. Understanding the characteristics of housing groups referred to as 'archetypes' by vintage, style, and construction characteristics can allow research teams to focus their retrofit research and develop prescriptive solutions for those structure types which are prevalent and offer high potential uptake within a region or market. Key research activities included; literature review, statistical analysis of national and regional data of the American Housing Survey (AHS) collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, analysis of Michigan specific data, development of a housing taxonomy of architectural styles, case studies of two local markets (i.e., Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids in Michigan) and development of a suggested framework (or process) for characterizing local markets. In order to gain a high level perspective, national and regional data from the U.S. Census Bureau was analyzed using cross tabulations, multiple regression models, and logistic regression to characterize the housing stock and determine dominant house types using 21 variables.

Inhibiting HIF-1α Decreases Expression of TNF-α and Caspase-3 in Specific Brain Regions Exposed Kainic Acid-Induced Status Epilepticus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jixue Yang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: A recent study demonstrates that pro-inflammatory cytokines (PICs, i.e., IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in specific brain regions of rats play a role in regulating kainic acid (KA-induced status epilepticus (SE via a GABAergic mechanism. The purposes of this report were to examine contributions of hypoxia inducible factor subtype 1α (HIF-1α to expression of PICs in these specific brain regions in epileptic rats. Particularly, we investigated the parietal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. In addition, we further examined expression of Caspase-3 indicating cell apoptosis in those brain regions of epileptic rats after infusing 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MET, inhibitor of HIF-1α and etanercept (TNF-α receptor antagonist. Methods: ELISA was used to determine the levels of HIF-1α and PICs and western blot analysis was used to examine Caspase-3 expression. Results: Our data show that HIF-1α was significantly increased in the parietal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala 1, 3 and 7 days after induction of SE (Pvs. control rats. Our results also show that inhibiting HIF-1α by central infusion of 2-MET significantly decreased the amplified TNF-α expression in these brain regions evoked by SE (Pvs. vehicle control, but did not modify IL-1β and IL-6. Our results demonstrate that 2-MET and etanercept attenuated an increase in Caspase-3 evoked by SE. Conclusion: Overall, we suggest that HIF-1α activated by SE is likely to contribute to epileptic activity via a TNF-α pathway, which has pharmacological implications to target specific HIF-1α and TNF-α pathways for neuronal dysfunction and vulnerability related to epilepsy.

Analysis of Individuals from a Dengue-Endemic Region Helps Define the Footprint and Repertoire of Antibodies Targeting Dengue Virus 3 Type-Specific Epitopes.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Daniela V; Katzelnick, Leah C; Widman, Doug G; Balmaseda, Angel; de Silva, Aravinda M; Baric, Ralph S; Harris, Eva

2017-09-19

The four dengue virus serotypes (DENV1 to 4) cause dengue, a major public health problem worldwide. Individuals exposed to primary DENV infections develop serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies, including strongly neutralizing antibodies targeting quaternary epitopes. To date, no studies have measured the levels and kinetics of serum antibodies directed to such epitopes among populations in regions where dengue is endemic. Here, we use a recombinant DENV4 (rDENV4/3-M14) displaying a major DENV3 type-specific quaternary epitope recognized by human monoclonal antibody 5J7 to measure the proportion, magnitude, and kinetics of DENV3 type-specific neutralizing antibody responses targeting this epitope. Primary DENV3 sera from 30 individuals in a dengue hospital-based study in Nicaragua were studied 3, 6, 12, and 18 months post-infection, alongside samples collected annually 1 to 4 years post-primary DENV3 infection from 10 individuals in a cohort study in Nicaragua. We found substantial individual variation in the proportion of DENV3 type-specific neutralizing antibody titers attributed to the 5J7 epitope (range, 0 to 100%), with the mean significantly increasing from 22.6% to 41.4% from 3 to 18 months. We extended the transplanted DENV3 5J7 epitope on the virion (rDENV4/3-M16), resulting in increased recognition in several individuals, helping define the footprint of the epitope. However, 37% and 13% of the subjects still showed little to no recognition of the 5J7 epitope at 3 and 18 months, respectively, indicating that one or more additional DENV3 type-specific epitopes exist. Overall, this study demonstrates how DENV-immune plasma from populations from areas of endemicity, when coupled with structurally guided recombinant viruses, can help characterize the epitope-specific neutralizing antibody response in natural DENV infections, with direct implications for design and evaluation of dengue vaccines. IMPORTANCE The four serotypes of dengue virus cause dengue

Site specific transfer factor studies for Kaiga region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karunakara, N.

2012-01-01

The Radioecology Laboratory of University Science Instrumentation Centre, Mangalore University is engaged in frontline research studies on different aspects of environmental radioactivity and radiation protection for the last 20 years. Extensive studies have been carried out on radiation levels, radionuclides distribution, and transfer of radionuclides through terrestrial, aquatic and atmospheric pathways in the environment of West Coast of India including the Kaiga nuclear power plant. The baseline studies on radioactivity levels around Kaiga region was carried out well before the nuclear power plant became operational and the data generated under these studies are considered to be highly valuable for future impact assessments. The nuclear power plant became operational in the year 1999 and since then this laboratory is involved in radiological impact assessment studies around the nuclear power plant. Detailed Kaiga specific studies are now ongoing to estimate the transfer factors and transfer coefficients for radionuclides for different pathways, such as, (i) soil to rice (ii) soil to different types of vegetables (iii) water/sediment to fish (iv) soil to grass (v) grass to cow milk and (vi) milk to child. For these studies, rice and vegetable fields were developed very close to the nuclear power plant in Kaiga to study the transfer of radionuclides. The water required for this field was drawn from coolant water discharge canal of the power plant. Rice and different types of vegetables were grown in the experimental fields in different seasons of the year and the uptake of radionuclides was studied. For a comparative study, rice and vegetables were also collected from the fields of farmers of nearby villages and analysed. The transfer of artificial radionuclides through pathway involving cow milk was also studied in detail. A grass field was developed and cows were adopted specifically for this study. The cows were allowed to graze freely in this grass field

THE FORMATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC POLICY IN UKRAINE: REGIONAL SPECIFICITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volodymyr Korol’

2016-03-01

state in ore mining areas and industrial urban agglomerations, ensuring its sustainable improvement and ecologically balanced condition; - execution of environmentally sound assessments of population specific provision by different types of natural resources, including life-supporting; - improving the economic levers of environmental control. Ukraine is one of the countries whose development largely depends on balancing the use of available natural resource base, primarily life-supporting (land, water, mineral and raw material.  Research and analysis confirm that, despite the inherited problems of development, Ukraine has its  own opportunities of problems solving, especially through the effective using of all kinds natural resources. Assuming that the industrial structure is the core national economy, its dynamics, natural and  resource input, the priority objective is the improvement of industry structure in the direction of  increasing its technology and providing benefits to those sectors and industries that produce the final ecologically not capacious and environmentally friendly products. This is a problem of great strategic goal, to which the public policy must focus. Thus, the most active level of ecological and economic systems is regional one, as the region (area is also the governance subject, at this level environmental problems of society are emerging, the requirements for the production greening and environmental management are nominated. The region combines specific area points of productive forces distribution, polluting enterprises and natural resources using enterprises, which are parts of its economic structure. The structure and scale of regional production determine the character and volume of pollution, the intensity of the impact on the environment. Thus, the development of the national economy requires considering for at least three factors: first, the natural resource potential of the national territory, which in Ukraine, as in each country

Variability among the Most Rapidly Evolving Plastid Genomic Regions is Lineage-Specific: Implications of Pairwise Genome Comparisons in Pyrus (Rosaceae) and Other Angiosperms for Marker Choice

Science.gov (United States)

Ter-Voskanyan, Hasmik; Allgaier, Martin; Borsch, Thomas

2014-01-01

Plastid genomes exhibit different levels of variability in their sequences, depending on the respective kinds of genomic regions. Genes are usually more conserved while noncoding introns and spacers evolve at a faster pace. While a set of about thirty maximum variable noncoding genomic regions has been suggested to provide universally promising phylogenetic markers throughout angiosperms, applications often require several regions to be sequenced for many individuals. Our project aims to illuminate evolutionary relationships and species-limits in the genus Pyrus (Rosaceae)—a typical case with very low genetic distances between taxa. In this study, we have sequenced the plastid genome of Pyrus spinosa and aligned it to the already available P. pyrifolia sequence. The overall p-distance of the two Pyrus genomes was 0.00145. The intergenic spacers between ndhC–trnV, trnR–atpA, ndhF–rpl32, psbM–trnD, and trnQ–rps16 were the most variable regions, also comprising the highest total numbers of substitutions, indels and inversions (potentially informative characters). Our comparative analysis of further plastid genome pairs with similar low p-distances from Oenothera (representing another rosid), Olea (asterids) and Cymbidium (monocots) showed in each case a different ranking of genomic regions in terms of variability and potentially informative characters. Only two intergenic spacers (ndhF–rpl32 and trnK–rps16) were consistently found among the 30 top-ranked regions. We have mapped the occurrence of substitutions and microstructural mutations in the four genome pairs. High AT content in specific sequence elements seems to foster frequent mutations. We conclude that the variability among the fastest evolving plastid genomic regions is lineage-specific and thus cannot be precisely predicted across angiosperms. The often lineage-specific occurrence of stem-loop elements in the sequences of introns and spacers also governs lineage-specific mutations

Variability among the most rapidly evolving plastid genomic regions is lineage-specific: implications of pairwise genome comparisons in Pyrus (Rosaceae and other angiosperms for marker choice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadja Korotkova

Full Text Available Plastid genomes exhibit different levels of variability in their sequences, depending on the respective kinds of genomic regions. Genes are usually more conserved while noncoding introns and spacers evolve at a faster pace. While a set of about thirty maximum variable noncoding genomic regions has been suggested to provide universally promising phylogenetic markers throughout angiosperms, applications often require several regions to be sequenced for many individuals. Our project aims to illuminate evolutionary relationships and species-limits in the genus Pyrus (Rosaceae-a typical case with very low genetic distances between taxa. In this study, we have sequenced the plastid genome of Pyrus spinosa and aligned it to the already available P. pyrifolia sequence. The overall p-distance of the two Pyrus genomes was 0.00145. The intergenic spacers between ndhC-trnV, trnR-atpA, ndhF-rpl32, psbM-trnD, and trnQ-rps16 were the most variable regions, also comprising the highest total numbers of substitutions, indels and inversions (potentially informative characters. Our comparative analysis of further plastid genome pairs with similar low p-distances from Oenothera (representing another rosid, Olea (asterids and Cymbidium (monocots showed in each case a different ranking of genomic regions in terms of variability and potentially informative characters. Only two intergenic spacers (ndhF-rpl32 and trnK-rps16 were consistently found among the 30 top-ranked regions. We have mapped the occurrence of substitutions and microstructural mutations in the four genome pairs. High AT content in specific sequence elements seems to foster frequent mutations. We conclude that the variability among the fastest evolving plastid genomic regions is lineage-specific and thus cannot be precisely predicted across angiosperms. The often lineage-specific occurrence of stem-loop elements in the sequences of introns and spacers also governs lineage-specific mutations. Sequencing

Site-specific Probabilistic Analysis of DCGLs Using RESRAD Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jeongju; Yoon, Suk Bon; Sohn, Wook [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

In general, DCGLs can be conservative (screening DCGL) if they do not take into account site specific factors. Use of such conservative DCGLs can lead to additional remediation that would not be required if the effort was made to develop site-specific DCGLs. Therefore, the objective of this work is to provide an example on the use of the RESRAD 6.0 probabilistic (site-specific) dose analysis to compare with the screening DCGL. Site release regulations state that a site will be considered acceptable for unrestricted use if the residual radioactivity that is distinguishable from background radiation results in a Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE) to an average member of the critical group of less than the site release criteria, for example 0.25 mSv per year in U.S. Utilities use computer dose modeling codes to establish an acceptable level of contamination, the derived concentration guideline level (DCGL) that will meet this regulatory limit. Since the DCGL value is the principal measure of residual radioactivity, it is critical to understand the technical basis of these dose modeling codes. The objective this work was to provide example on nuclear power plant decommissioning dose analysis in a probabilistic analysis framework. The focus was on the demonstration of regulatory compliance for surface soil contamination using the RESRAD 6.0 code. Both the screening and site-specific probabilistic dose analysis methodologies were examined. Example analyses performed with the screening probabilistic dose analysis confirmed the conservatism of the NRC screening values and indicated the effectiveness of probabilistic dose analysis in reducing the conservatism in DCGL derivation.

Environmental impact assessment: use of literature data versus use of specific local and regional data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rochedo, Elaine R.R.; Wasserman, Maria Angelica

2000-01-01

The environmental radiological impact assessment methodology includes a large number of parameters to simulate the environmental transfer and population exposure. Local and regional data are often not available, particularly for tropical regions, which leads to the use of literature data, mostly determined at temperate climate countries. Since 1993, IRD has been developing radioecological studies aiming the determination soil-plant transfer factors, which showed the possibility of finding values up to one order of magnitude higher than those found at temperate climate countries literature. This paper compares dose results for several scenarios, using regional and literature data, assessing the relevance of using site specific data for radiological impact assessments, for both practices and intervention situations. (author)

Spatio-temporal analysis of regional PV generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nuño Martinez, Edgar; Cutululis, Nicolaos Antonio

2016-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) power is growing in importance worldwide and hence needs to be represented in operation and planning of power system. As opposed to traditional generation technologies, it is characterized by exhibiting both a high variability and a significant spatial dependence. This paper...... presents a fundamental analysis of regional solar generation time series, aiming to potentially facilitate large-scale solar integration. It will focus on characterizing the underlying dependence structure at the system level as well as describing both statistical and temporal properties of regional PV...

Specific genomic regions are differentially affected by copy number alterations across distinct cancer types, in aggregated cytogenetic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Nitin; Cai, Haoyang; von Mering, Christian; Baudis, Michael

2012-01-01

Regional genomic copy number alterations (CNA) are observed in the vast majority of cancers. Besides specifically targeting well-known, canonical oncogenes, CNAs may also play more subtle roles in terms of modulating genetic potential and broad gene expression patterns of developing tumors. Any significant differences in the overall CNA patterns between different cancer types may thus point towards specific biological mechanisms acting in those cancers. In addition, differences among CNA profiles may prove valuable for cancer classifications beyond existing annotation systems. We have analyzed molecular-cytogenetic data from 25579 tumors samples, which were classified into 160 cancer types according to the International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding system. When correcting for differences in the overall CNA frequencies between cancer types, related cancers were often found to cluster together according to similarities in their CNA profiles. Based on a randomization approach, distance measures from the cluster dendrograms were used to identify those specific genomic regions that contributed significantly to this signal. This approach identified 43 non-neutral genomic regions whose propensity for the occurrence of copy number alterations varied with the type of cancer at hand. Only a subset of these identified loci overlapped with previously implied, highly recurrent (hot-spot) cytogenetic imbalance regions. Thus, for many genomic regions, a simple null-hypothesis of independence between cancer type and relative copy number alteration frequency can be rejected. Since a subset of these regions display relatively low overall CNA frequencies, they may point towards second-tier genomic targets that are adaptively relevant but not necessarily essential for cancer development.

Regional Variations of Credits Obtained by LEED 2009 Certified Green Buildings—A Country Level Analysis

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Peng Wu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED is one of the most widely recognized green building rating systems. With more than 20% of the projects certified in non-United States (US countries, LEED’s global impact has been increasing and it is critically important for developers and regulatory authorities to understand LEED’s performance at the country level to facilitate global implementation. This study therefore aims to investigate the credit achievement pattern of LEED 2009, which is one of the well-developed versions of LEED, by using 4021 certified projects in the US, China, Turkey, and Brazil. The results show that significant differences can be identified on most rating categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. Using a post hoc analysis, country-specific credit allocation patterns are also identified to help developers to understand existing country-specific green building practices. In addition, it is also found that there is unbalanced achievement of regional priority credits. The study offers a useful reference and benchmark for international developers and contractors to understand the regional variations of LEED 2009 and for regulatory authorities, such as the U.S. Green Building Council, to improve the rating system, especially on designing regional priority credits.

Oxytocin Reduces Cocaine Cued Fos Activation in a Regionally Specific Manner

Science.gov (United States)

Leong, Kah-Chung; Freeman, Linnea R; Berini, Carole R; Ghee, Shannon M; See, Ronald E

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Oxytocin may be a possible treatment for multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, including cocaine addiction. Little is known about the site-specific effects of oxytocin on various drug addiction-related brain regions. Furthermore, sexually dimorphic effects of oxytocin on neural function in the addiction circuit have not been established. Here, we studied Fos expression following cocaine-cued reinstatement in both male and female rats. Methods Male and female rats underwent self-administration, extinction, and reinstatement tests. On test days, rats were given oxytocin or vehicle, and lever pressing was measured in response to conditioned cocaine cues. Rats were perfused and Fos staining measured in the central amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and subthalamic nucleus. Fos/oxytocin double labeling occurred in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Results Rats reinstated to cocaine cues relative to extinction responding and oxytocin reduced cocaine seeking. Oxytocin combined with contingent cue presentations increased Fos+ oxytocin cell bodies within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus relative to vehicle. Fos expression robustly increased in the central amygdala following oxytocin administration. Oxytocin reversed cue-induced Fos expression in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and subthalamic nucleus. Central oxytocin infusion also attenuated reinstated cocaine seeking. Conclusions Oxytocin decreased reinstated cocaine seeking, increased Fos activation in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and central amygdala, but normalized cue-induced Fos activation in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and subthalamic nucleus, thereby demonstrating regionally specific activation patterns. No sex differences were seen for the effects of oxytocin on cocaine seeking and Fos activation, indicating that oxytocin acts on similar central neural circuits critical to

Final report : Occupational gap analysis, volume 2 Wood Buffalo region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-06-01

The general economy of the Wood Buffalo region of Alberta has improved in recent years due to the expansion of the oil sand industry. Many of the oil sands projects are situated in the southern part of the region and are serviced out of Lac LaBiche. This paper examines the implications of this economic growth for the regional supply and demand of workers in key occupational categories. In particular, it projects employment opportunities that are directly attributed to the regional economic expansion, and assesses whether there will be an adequate supply of workers to meet the demand for new and replacement employees. The report includes: an overview of the regional economy; a population forecast for the region and the demand for workers in selected occupations; an analysis of whether or not the new labour force entrants will choose the selected occupations; and, a supply and demand analysis. 7 tabs., 2 figs., 5 appendices

Regional analysis of annual maximum rainfall using TL-moments method

Science.gov (United States)

Shabri, Ani Bin; Daud, Zalina Mohd; Ariff, Noratiqah Mohd

2011-06-01

Information related to distributions of rainfall amounts are of great importance for designs of water-related structures. One of the concerns of hydrologists and engineers is the probability distribution for modeling of regional data. In this study, a novel approach to regional frequency analysis using L-moments is revisited. Subsequently, an alternative regional frequency analysis using the TL-moments method is employed. The results from both methods were then compared. The analysis was based on daily annual maximum rainfall data from 40 stations in Selangor Malaysia. TL-moments for the generalized extreme value (GEV) and generalized logistic (GLO) distributions were derived and used to develop the regional frequency analysis procedure. TL-moment ratio diagram and Z-test were employed in determining the best-fit distribution. Comparison between the two approaches showed that the L-moments and TL-moments produced equivalent results. GLO and GEV distributions were identified as the most suitable distributions for representing the statistical properties of extreme rainfall in Selangor. Monte Carlo simulation was used for performance evaluation, and it showed that the method of TL-moments was more efficient for lower quantile estimation compared with the L-moments.

Computer-aided System of Semantic Text Analysis of a Technical Specification

OpenAIRE

Zaboleeva-Zotova, Alla; Orlova, Yulia

2008-01-01

The given work is devoted to development of the computer-aided system of semantic text analysis of a technical specification. The purpose of this work is to increase efficiency of software engineering based on automation of semantic text analysis of a technical specification. In work it is offered and investigated the model of the analysis of the text of the technical project is submitted, the attribute grammar of a technical specification, intended for formalization of limited Ru...

Utilization of genetic tests: analysis of gene-specific billing in Medicare claims data.

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, Julie A; Berse, Brygida; Dotson, W David; Khoury, Muin J; Coomer, Nicole; Kautter, John

2017-08-01

We examined the utilization of precision medicine tests among Medicare beneficiaries through analysis of gene-specific tier 1 and 2 billing codes developed by the American Medical Association in 2012. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study. The primary source of data was 2013 Medicare 100% fee-for-service claims. We identified claims billed for each laboratory test, the number of patients tested, expenditures, and the diagnostic codes indicated for testing. We analyzed variations in testing by patient demographics and region of the country. Pharmacogenetic tests were billed most frequently, accounting for 48% of the expenditures for new codes. The most common indications for testing were breast cancer, long-term use of medications, and disorders of lipid metabolism. There was underutilization of guideline-recommended tumor mutation tests (e.g., epidermal growth factor receptor) and substantial overutilization of a test discouraged by guidelines (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase). Methodology-based tier 2 codes represented 15% of all claims billed with the new codes. The highest rate of testing per beneficiary was in Mississippi and the lowest rate was in Alaska. Gene-specific billing codes significantly improved our ability to conduct population-level research of precision medicine. Analysis of these data in conjunction with clinical records should be conducted to validate findings.Genet Med advance online publication 26 January 2017.

The Significance of Regional Analysis in Applied Geography.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommers, Lawrence M.

Regional analysis is central to applied geographic research, contributing to better planning and policy development for a variety of societal problems facing the United States. The development of energy policy serves as an illustration of the capabilities of this type of analysis. The United States has had little success in formulating a national…

Analysis of Entrepreneurship barriers in Moravia-Silesian Region by VRIO and Factor analysis application

OpenAIRE

Šebestová, Jarmila

2007-01-01

The small and medium sized entrepreneurship is often considered to be as a phenomenon of our times. Why many authors dedicated their work on this field? The main reason is that SME make influence on society life and contribute to economic development of the region, where they establish their business. The same situation is in Moravia-Silesian region, where the fac-tor analysis being applied. VRIO and Porter's analysis were used to interpret clearly research findings.

Approach to analysis of inter-regional similarity of investment activity support measures in legislation of regions (on the example of Krasnoyarsk region

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Valentina F. Lapo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The most part of stimulation methods in Russia are concentrated in legal documents of the regions of the Russian Federation. They directed on intensification of investment activity in regions. How similar are these investment stimulation conceptions? There is no mention in the literature of the methodical questions of quantitative analysis and inter-regional comparisons. In addition, there are no results of statistical research of inter-regional correlations of stimulation methods and analysis of dynamics of this process. There are no special measuring instruments. The presented work is aimed at completion of these blanks. The approach for the spatial correlation analysis of legislative norms is offered in research. Classification of investments’ stimulation methods is developed. The way of preparing and coding data for research is offered. The approach and system of coefficients for the analysis of inter-regional interrelations of legislative systems of investments’ stimulation is offered. A proximity coefficient of regional legislation, a factor of structure similarity and a dynamic coincidence index are proposed. The space-time base of investment stimulation methods on Russian Federation regions for 12 years is collected and statistically processed for research. There are only 758 documents. A source of texts is a site of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.Research of documents has allowed revealing a number of laws in formation of regional investment stimulation systems. The regions that are the most similar in terms of structure of stimulation methods are identified. We have found the group of regions for which it is observed the increase in similarity of the legislation and the group with the reduction of similarity. Therefore, it is obvious that the general trend to reduction of similarity in the legislation takes place between Krasnoyarsk territory and the other regions of the Russian Federation. Calculations have

Functional Analysis of Maize Silk-Specific ZmbZIP25 Promoter

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Wanying Li

2018-03-01

Full Text Available ZmbZIP25 (Zea mays bZIP (basic leucine zipper transcription factor 25 is a function-unknown protein that belongs to the D group of the bZIP transcription factor family. RNA-seq data showed that the expression of ZmbZIP25 was tissue-specific in maize silks, and this specificity was confirmed by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In situ RNA hybridization showed that ZmbZIP25 was expressed exclusively in the xylem of maize silks. A 5′ RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends assay identified an adenine residue as the transcription start site of the ZmbZIP25 gene. To characterize this silk-specific promoter, we isolated and analyzed a 2450 bp (from −2083 to +367 and a 2600 bp sequence of ZmbZIP25 (from −2083 to +517, the transcription start site was denoted +1. Stable expression assays in Arabidopsis showed that the expression of the reporter gene GUS driven by the 2450 bp ZmbZIP25 5′-flanking fragment occurred exclusively in the papillae of Arabidopsis stigmas. Furthermore, transient expression assays in maize indicated that GUS and GFP expression driven by the 2450 bp ZmbZIP25 5′-flanking sequences occurred only in maize silks and not in other tissues. However, no GUS or GFP expression was driven by the 2600 bp ZmbZIP25 5′-flanking sequences in either stable or transient expression assays. A series of deletion analyses of the 2450 bp ZmbZIP25 5′-flanking sequence was performed in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, and probable elements prediction analysis revealed the possible presence of negative regulatory elements within the 161 bp region from −1117 to −957 that were responsible for the specificity of the ZmbZIP25 5′-flanking sequence.

Evolution and Specificity of the Economic Institutions of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — Yugra

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Vadim Faruarovich Islamutdinov

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The paper is dedicated to the study of the evolution of economic institutions in the resource-producing region, to the investigation of their specificity and institutional traps. As the initial data, the legal framework, the experience of the functioning of economic institutions and statistical data were used. The subject matter of the research is the influence of regional specificity on the evolution of economic institutions. The research topic is the analysis of the evolution, specificity and institutional traps of the economic institutions of the resource-producing region on the example of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug—Yugra. The purpose of the research is to identify the relationship between the regional specificity and the direction of the evolution of economic institutions. The hypothesis of the study is that the regional specificity has an impact on the evolution of economic institutions and contributes to the formation of institutional traps. The framework methodology of the work is a comparative institutional analysis. As a result, the stages of the evolution of economic institutions are determined, their regional specificity and institutional traps are revealed. The scientific input is in the revealing of the specificity of institutional traps at the regional level as well as the influence of specificity on the evolution of economic institutions. The author came to the conclusion that the specificity of the region's economy affects the specificity of institutions as well as the formation of institutional traps. At the same time, some traps have a system-wide character and do not depend on the specificity of the region; this applies to the basic economic institutions. The most strongly the regional specificity is appeared in the evolution of the economic institutions for development, whose institutional traps are in many respects predetermined by the regional specificity. The results can be applied by the public administration at the

Music listening engages specific cortical regions within the temporal lobes: differences between musicians and non-musicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Angulo-Perkins, Arafat; Aubé, William; Peretz, Isabelle; Barrios, Fernando A; Armony, Jorge L; Concha, Luis

2014-10-01

Music and speech are two of the most relevant and common sounds in the human environment. Perceiving and processing these two complex acoustical signals rely on a hierarchical functional network distributed throughout several brain regions within and beyond the auditory cortices. Given their similarities, the neural bases for processing these two complex sounds overlap to a certain degree, but particular brain regions may show selectivity for one or the other acoustic category, which we aimed to identify. We examined 53 subjects (28 of them professional musicians) by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), using a paradigm designed to identify regions showing increased activity in response to different types of musical stimuli, compared to different types of complex sounds, such as speech and non-linguistic vocalizations. We found a region in the anterior portion of the superior temporal gyrus (aSTG) (planum polare) that showed preferential activity in response to musical stimuli and was present in all our subjects, regardless of musical training, and invariant across different musical instruments (violin, piano or synthetic piano). Our data show that this cortical region is preferentially involved in processing musical, as compared to other complex sounds, suggesting a functional role as a second-order relay, possibly integrating acoustic characteristics intrinsic to music (e.g., melody extraction). Moreover, we assessed whether musical experience modulates the response of cortical regions involved in music processing and found evidence of functional differences between musicians and non-musicians during music listening. In particular, bilateral activation of the planum polare was more prevalent, but not exclusive, in musicians than non-musicians, and activation of the right posterior portion of the superior temporal gyrus (planum temporale) differed between groups. Our results provide evidence of functional specialization for music processing in specific

Ratio analysis specifics of the family dairies' financial statements

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Mitrović Aleksandra

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The subject of this paper is the evaluation of the financial analysis specifics of the dairy enterprises with a focus on the implementation of the ratio analysis of financial statements. The ratio analysis is a central part of financial analysis, since it is based on investigating the relationship between logically related items in the financial statements to assess the financial position of the observed enterprise and its earning capacity. Speaking about the reporting of financial performance in family dairies, the basis is created for displaying techniques of financial analysis, with a special indication on the specifics of their application in agricultural enterprises focusing on companies engaged in dairying. Applied in the paper is ratio analysis on the example of a dairy enterprise, i.e. a family dairy operating in Serbia. The ratio indicators are the basis for identifying relationships based on which by comparing the actual performance and certain business standards differences or variations are identified.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF ACOUSTIC WAVE PARAMETERS NEAR SOLAR ACTIVE REGIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabello-Soares, M. Cristina; Bogart, Richard S.; Scherrer, Philip H.

2016-01-01

In order to quantify the influence of magnetic fields on acoustic mode parameters and flows in and around active regions, we analyze the differences in the parameters in magnetically quiet regions nearby an active region (which we call “nearby regions”), compared with those of quiet regions at the same disk locations for which there are no neighboring active regions. We also compare the mode parameters in active regions with those in comparably located quiet regions. Our analysis is based on ring-diagram analysis of all active regions observed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) during almost five years. We find that the frequency at which the mode amplitude changes from attenuation to amplification in the quiet nearby regions is around 4.2 mHz, in contrast to the active regions, for which it is about 5.1 mHz. This amplitude enhacement (the “acoustic halo effect”) is as large as that observed in the active regions, and has a very weak dependence on the wave propagation direction. The mode energy difference in nearby regions also changes from a deficit to an excess at around 4.2 mHz, but averages to zero over all modes. The frequency difference in nearby regions increases with increasing frequency until a point at which the frequency shifts turn over sharply, as in active regions. However, this turnover occurs around 4.9 mHz, which is significantly below the acoustic cutoff frequency. Inverting the horizontal flow parameters in the direction of the neigboring active regions, we find flows that are consistent with a model of the thermal energy flow being blocked directly below the active region.

Climate Impacts of Ozone and Sulfate Air Pollution from Specific Emissions Sectors and Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, N.; Koch, D. M.; Shindell, D. T.; Streets, D. G.

2006-12-01

The secondary air pollutants ozone (O3) and sulfate aerosol are generated by human activities and affect the Earth's climate system. The global mean radiative forcings of these short-lived species depend on the location of the precursor gas emissions, which has so far prevented their incorporation into climate-motivated policy agreements. O3 and sulfate aerosol are strongly coupled through tropospheric photochemistry and yet air quality control efforts consider each species separately. Previous modeling work to assess climate impacts of O3 has focused on individual precursors, such as nitrogen oxides, even though policy action would target a particular sector. We use the G-PUCCINI atmospheric composition-climate model to isolate the O3 and sulfate direct radiative forcing impacts of 6 specific emissions sectors (industry, transport, power, domestic biofuel, domestic fossil fuel and biomass burning) from 7 geographic regions (North America, Europe, South Asia, East Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, Central and South Africa and South America) for the near future 2030 atmosphere. The goal of the study is to identify specific source sectors and regions that present the most effective opportunities to mitigate global warming. At 2030, the industry and power sectors dominate the sulfate forcing across all regions, with East Asia, South Asia and North Africa and Middle East contributing the largest sulfate forcings (-100 to 120 mWm-2). The transport sector represents an important O3 forcing from all regions ranging from 5 mWm-2 (Europe) to 12 mWm-2 (East Asia). Domestic biofuel O3 forcing is important for the East Asia (13 mWm-2), South Asia (7 mWm-2) and Central and South Africa (10 mWm-2) regions. Biomass burning contributes large O3 forcings for the Central and South Africa (15 mWm-2) and South America (11 mWm-2) regions. In addition, the power sector O3 forcings from East Asia (14 mWm-2) and South Asia (8 mWm-2) are also substantial. Considering the sum of the O

Genome-wide analysis of the Dof transcription factor gene family reveals soybean-specific duplicable and functional characteristics.

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Yong Guo

Full Text Available The Dof domain protein family is a classic plant-specific zinc-finger transcription factor family involved in a variety of biological processes. There is great diversity in the number of Dof genes in different plants. However, there are only very limited reports on the characterization of Dof transcription factors in soybean (Glycine max. In the present study, 78 putative Dof genes were identified from the whole-genome sequence of soybean. The predicted GmDof genes were non-randomly distributed within and across 19 out of 20 chromosomes and 97.4% (38 pairs were preferentially retained duplicate paralogous genes located in duplicated regions of the genome. Soybean-specific segmental duplications contributed significantly to the expansion of the soybean Dof gene family. These Dof proteins were phylogenetically clustered into nine distinct subgroups among which the gene structure and motif compositions were considerably conserved. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of these Dof proteins revealed four major groups, similar to those reported for Arabidopsis and rice. Most of the GmDofs showed specific expression patterns based on RNA-seq data analyses. The expression patterns of some duplicate genes were partially redundant while others showed functional diversity, suggesting the occurrence of sub-functionalization during subsequent evolution. Comprehensive expression profile analysis also provided insights into the soybean-specific functional divergence among members of the Dof gene family. Cis-regulatory element analysis of these GmDof genes suggested diverse functions associated with different processes. Taken together, our results provide useful information for the functional characterization of soybean Dof genes by combining phylogenetic analysis with global gene-expression profiling.

How do Dutch regional labour markets adjust to demand shocks?

OpenAIRE

Broersma, Lourens; Dijk, Jouke van

2002-01-01

This paper analyses the response of regional labour markets in The Netherlands to region specific labour demand shocks. Whereas previous studies analyse only average patterns of all regions in a country, this paper provides also a more in debt analysis of within country differences in labour market adjustment processes. Previous studies show remarkable differences in response between regions in European countries and regions in the United States. The analysis in the present paper shows that i...

Tissue-specific expression of insulin-like growth factor II mRNAs with distinct 5' untranslated regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irminger, J.C.; Rosen, K.M.; Humble, R.E.; Villa-Komaroff, L.

1987-01-01

The authors have used RNA from human hypothalamus as template for the production of cDNAs encoding insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). The prohormone coding sequence of brain IGF-II RNA is identical to that found in liver; however, the 5' untranslated sequence of the brain cDNA has no homology to the 5' untranslated sequence of the previously reported liver cDNAs. By using hybridization to specific probes as well as a method based on the properties of RNase H, they found that the human IGF-II gene has at least three exons that encode alternative 5' untranslated regions and that are expressed in a tissue-specific manner. A probe specific to the brain cDNA 5' untranslated region hybridizes to a 6.0-kilobase transcript present in placenta, hypothalamus, adrenal gland, kidney, Wilms tumor, and a pheochromocytoma. The 5' untranslated sequence of the brain cDNA does not hybridize to a 5.3-kilobase transcript found in liver or to a 5.0-kb transcript found in pheochromocytoma. By using RNase H to specifically fragment the IGF-II transcripts into 3' and 5' fragments, they found that the RNAs vary in size due to differences in the 5' end but not the 3' end

Criticality Analysis of SFP Region I under Dry Air Condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ki Yong; Kim, Min Chul

2016-01-01

This paper is to provide a result of the criticality evaluation under the condition that new fuel assemblies for initial fuel loading are storing in Region 1 of SFP in the dry air. The objective of this analysis is to ensure the effective neutron multiplication factor(k_e_f_f) of SFP is less than 0.95 under that condition. This analysis ensured the effective neutron multiplication factor(k_e_f_f) of Region 1 of SFP is less than 0.95 under the condition in the air. The keff in Region I of SFP under the condition of the dry air is 0.5865. The increased k_c_a_l_c of the Region 1 after the mislocated fuel assembly accident is 0.0444 at the pool flooded with un-borated water

Balancing regional industrial development: analysis on regional disparity of China's industrial emissions and policy implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liang, Hanwei; Dong, Liang; Luo, Xiao

2016-01-01

Efficient industrial emissions mitigation strategy is critical for China's national action on climate change and sustainable development, considering its rapid industrialization. Regional disparity brings difficulties and uncertainties to policy implementation in China. Therefore, an investigation...... development, and highlight not only disparity, but also inequity exists. It is concluded that, there is a larger unequal distribution of GDP per unit of air pollutants and CO2 emission between eastern and western regions, reveals that less developed western and central regions suffer from the emission leakage...... on the regional features of industrial emissions is critical to better decision makings. While to date, related studies have been rather few. This paper applies a spatial analysis on regional features of China's industrial emissions (SO2, NOx and PM2.5 and CO2 emission) in 31 provinces. Spatial autocorrelation...

Assessment of homogeneity of regions for regional flood frequency analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jeong Eun; Kim, Nam Won

2016-04-01

This paper analyzed the effect of rainfall on hydrological similarity, which is an important step for regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA). For the RFFA, storage function method (SFM) using spatial extension technique was applied for the 22 sub-catchments that are partitioned from Chungju dam watershed in Republic of Korea. We used the SFM to generate the annual maximum floods for 22 sub-catchments using annual maximum storm events (1986~2010) as input data. Then the quantiles of rainfall and flood were estimated using the annual maximum series for the 22 sub-catchments. Finally, spatial variations in terms of two quantiles were analyzed. As a result, there were significant correlation between spatial variations of the two quantiles. This result demonstrates that spatial variation of rainfall is an important factor to explain the homogeneity of regions when applying RFFA. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by a grant (11-TI-C06) from Advanced Water Management Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

Region-Specific Involvement of Actin Rearrangement-Related Synaptic Structure Alterations in Conditioned Taste Aversion Memory

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Ai-Ling; Wang, Yue; Li, Bo-Qin; Wang, Qian-Qian; Ma, Ling; Yu, Hui; Zhao, Ling; Chen, Zhe-Yu

2010-01-01

Actin rearrangement plays an essential role in learning and memory; however, the spatial and temporal regulation of actin dynamics in different phases of associative memory has not been fully understood. Here, using the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm, we investigated the region-specific involvement of actin rearrangement-related…

Sensitivity and specificity of coherence and phase synchronization analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winterhalder, Matthias; Schelter, Bjoern; Kurths, Juergen; Schulze-Bonhage, Andreas; Timmer, Jens

2006-01-01

In this Letter, we show that coherence and phase synchronization analysis are sensitive but not specific in detecting the correct class of underlying dynamics. We propose procedures to increase specificity and demonstrate the power of the approach by application to paradigmatic dynamic model systems

Analysis and design of hybrid electric regional turboprop aircraft

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voskuijl, M.; van Bogaert, J.; Gangoli Rao, A.

2017-01-01

The potential environmental benefits of hybrid electric regional turboprop aircraft in terms of fuel consumption are investigated. Lithium–air batteries are used as energy source in combination with conventional fuel. A validated design and analysis framework is extended with sizing and analysis

Analysis of genomic regions of Trichoderma harzianum IOC-3844 related to biomass degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Crucello, Aline; Sforça, Danilo Augusto; Horta, Maria Augusta Crivelente; dos Santos, Clelton Aparecido; Viana, Américo José Carvalho; Beloti, Lilian Luzia; de Toledo, Marcelo Augusto Szymanski; Vincentz, Michel; Kuroshu, Reginaldo Massanobu; de Souza, Anete Pereira

2015-01-01

Trichoderma harzianum IOC-3844 secretes high levels of cellulolytic-active enzymes and is therefore a promising strain for use in biotechnological applications in second-generation bioethanol production. However, the T. harzianum biomass degradation mechanism has not been well explored at the genetic level. The present work investigates six genomic regions (~150 kbp each) in this fungus that are enriched with genes related to biomass conversion. A BAC library consisting of 5,760 clones was constructed, with an average insert length of 90 kbp. The assembled BAC sequences revealed 232 predicted genes, 31.5% of which were related to catabolic pathways, including those involved in biomass degradation. An expression profile analysis based on RNA-Seq data demonstrated that putative regulatory elements, such as membrane transport proteins and transcription factors, are located in the same genomic regions as genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and exhibit similar expression profiles. Thus, we demonstrate a rapid and efficient tool that focuses on specific genomic regions by combining a BAC library with transcriptomic data. This is the first BAC-based structural genomic study of the cellulolytic fungus T. harzianum, and its findings provide new perspectives regarding the use of this species in biomass degradation processes.

An Analysis of Fuel Region to Region Dancoff Factor with the Random Mixture Effects of Moderator and Fuel Pebbles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Song Hyun; Kim, Hong Chul; Kim, Jong Kyung; Noh, Jae Man

2009-01-01

Dancoff factor is an entering probability of the neutron escaped from specific fuel kernel to another one without the interaction with moderators. In order to analytically evaluate Dancoff factor considering double-heterogeneous effect, inter-pebble and intra-pebble Dancoff factors should be calculated, respectively. Intra-pebble Dancoff factor related with the fuel kernels in one pebble was analyzed in the past study. The fuel and moderator pebbles are randomly located in the pebble-type reactor. For the evaluation of inter-pebble Dancoff factor, a repetition of simple pebble structure is commonly assumed to simulate the complex geometry of pebble-type reactor. The evaluation using these structures can be underestimated because of the shadowing effects generated from the repetition of simple pebble structure. Fuel region to region Dancoff factor (FRDF) was defined as an entering probability of the neutron escaped from a specific fuel region to another one without any collision with moderator for a preliminary evaluation of inter-pebble Dancoff factor. To solve the underestimation problem of FRDF from the shadow effect, the specific pebble was assumed and FRDF was evaluated with the approximation method proposed in this study

Retroviral vectors encoding ADA regulatory locus control region provide enhanced T-cell-specific transgene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Trinh, Alice T; Ball, Bret G; Weber, Erin; Gallaher, Timothy K; Gluzman-Poltorak, Zoya; Anderson, French; Basile, Lena A

2009-12-30

Murine retroviral vectors have been used in several hundred gene therapy clinical trials, but have fallen out of favor for a number of reasons. One issue is that gene expression from viral or internal promoters is highly variable and essentially unregulated. Moreover, with retroviral vectors, gene expression is usually silenced over time. Mammalian genes, in contrast, are characterized by highly regulated, precise levels of expression in both a temporal and a cell-specific manner. To ascertain if recapitulation of endogenous adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression can be achieved in a vector construct we created a new series of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) based retroviral vector that carry human regulatory elements including combinations of the ADA promoter, the ADA locus control region (LCR), ADA introns and human polyadenylation sequences in a self-inactivating vector backbone. A MuLV-based retroviral vector with a self-inactivating (SIN) backbone, the phosphoglycerate kinase promoter (PGK) and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), as a reporter gene, was generated. Subsequent vectors were constructed from this basic vector by deletion or addition of certain elements. The added elements that were assessed are the human ADA promoter, human ADA locus control region (LCR), introns 7, 8, and 11 from the human ADA gene, and human growth hormone polyadenylation signal. Retroviral vector particles were produced by transient three-plasmid transfection of 293T cells. Retroviral vectors encoding eGFP were titered by transducing 293A cells, and then the proportion of GFP-positive cells was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Non T-cell and T-cell lines were transduced at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 and the yield of eGFP transgene expression was evaluated by FACS analysis using mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) detection. Vectors that contained the ADA LCR were preferentially expressed in T-cell lines. Further improvements

Retroviral vectors encoding ADA regulatory locus control region provide enhanced T-cell-specific transgene expression

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Background Murine retroviral vectors have been used in several hundred gene therapy clinical trials, but have fallen out of favor for a number of reasons. One issue is that gene expression from viral or internal promoters is highly variable and essentially unregulated. Moreover, with retroviral vectors, gene expression is usually silenced over time. Mammalian genes, in contrast, are characterized by highly regulated, precise levels of expression in both a temporal and a cell-specific manner. To ascertain if recapitulation of endogenous adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression can be achieved in a vector construct we created a new series of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) based retroviral vector that carry human regulatory elements including combinations of the ADA promoter, the ADA locus control region (LCR), ADA introns and human polyadenylation sequences in a self-inactivating vector backbone. Methods A MuLV-based retroviral vector with a self-inactivating (SIN) backbone, the phosphoglycerate kinase promoter (PGK) and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), as a reporter gene, was generated. Subsequent vectors were constructed from this basic vector by deletion or addition of certain elements. The added elements that were assessed are the human ADA promoter, human ADA locus control region (LCR), introns 7, 8, and 11 from the human ADA gene, and human growth hormone polyadenylation signal. Retroviral vector particles were produced by transient three-plasmid transfection of 293T cells. Retroviral vectors encoding eGFP were titered by transducing 293A cells, and then the proportion of GFP-positive cells was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Non T-cell and T-cell lines were transduced at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 and the yield of eGFP transgene expression was evaluated by FACS analysis using mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) detection. Results Vectors that contained the ADA LCR were preferentially expressed in T

Physiological dysfunction of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. IV. Further evidence for regional and behavioral specificity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berman, K.F.; Illowsky, B.P.; Weinberger, D.R.

1988-01-01

In previous studies we found that patients with chronic schizophrenia had lower regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) than did normal subjects during performance of the Wisconsin Card Sort Test, an abstract reasoning task linked to DLPFC function. This was not the case during less complex tasks. To examine further whether this finding represented regionally circumscribed pathophysiology or a more general correlate of abstract cognition, 24 medication-free patients and 25 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects underwent rCBF measurements with the xenon 133 technique while they performed two tasks: Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM) and an active baseline control task. While performing RPM, normal subjects activated posterior cortical areas over baseline, but did not activate DLPFC, as had been seen during the Wisconsin Card Sort Test. Like normal subjects, patients showed maximal rCBF elevations posteriorly and, moreover, they had no significant DLPFC or other cortical deficit while performing RPM. These results suggest that DLPFC dysfunction in schizophrenia is linked to pathophysiology of a regionally specific neural system rather than to global cortical dysfunction, and that this pathophysiology is most apparent under prefrontally specific cognitive demand

Using cluster analysis to organize and explore regional GPS velocities

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Robert W.; Thatcher, Wayne; Savage, James C.

2012-01-01

Cluster analysis offers a simple visual exploratory tool for the initial investigation of regional Global Positioning System (GPS) velocity observations, which are providing increasingly precise mappings of actively deforming continental lithosphere. The deformation fields from dense regional GPS networks can often be concisely described in terms of relatively coherent blocks bounded by active faults, although the choice of blocks, their number and size, can be subjective and is often guided by the distribution of known faults. To illustrate our method, we apply cluster analysis to GPS velocities from the San Francisco Bay Region, California, to search for spatially coherent patterns of deformation, including evidence of block-like behavior. The clustering process identifies four robust groupings of velocities that we identify with four crustal blocks. Although the analysis uses no prior geologic information other than the GPS velocities, the cluster/block boundaries track three major faults, both locked and creeping.

Regional collaborations and indigenous innovation capabilities in China: A multivariate method for the analysis of regional innovation systems

OpenAIRE

Zhao, S.L.; Cacciolatti, L.; Lee, Soo Hee; Song, W.

2014-01-01

In this study we analyse the emerging patterns of regional collaboration for innovation projects in China, using official government statistics of 30 Chinese regions. We propose the use of Ordinal Multidimensional Scaling and Cluster analysis as a robust method to study regional innovation systems. Our results show that regional collaborations amongst organisations can be categorised by means of eight dimensions: public versus private organisational mindset; public versus private resources; i...

A methodology for the data energy regional consumption consistency analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canavarros, Otacilio Borges; Silva, Ennio Peres da

1999-01-01

The article introduces a methodology for data energy regional consumption consistency analysis. The work was going based on recent studies accomplished by several cited authors and boarded Brazilian matrices and Brazilian energetics regional balances. The results are compared and analyzed

Excess Capacity in China’s Power Systems: A Regional Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Jiang [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Energy Technologies Area. Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Dept.. China Energy Group; Liu, Xu [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Energy Technologies Area. Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Dept.. China Energy Group; Karl, Fredrich [Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3), San Francisco, CA (United States)

2016-11-01

This paper examines China’s regional electricity grids using a reliability perspective, which is commonly measured in terms of a reserve margin. Our analysis shows that at the end of 2014, the average reserve margin for China as a whole was roughly 28%, almost twice as high as a typical planning reserve margin in the U.S. However, this national average masks huge variations in reserve margins across major regional power grid areas: the northeastern region has the highest reserve margin of over 60%, followed by the northwestern region at 49%, and the southern grid area at 35%. In this analysis, we also examined future reserve margins for regional electricity grids in China under two scenarios: 1) a low scenario of national annual electricity consumption growth rates of 1.5% between 2015 and 2020 and 1.0% between 2020 and 2025, and 2) a high scenario of annual average growth rates of 3.0% and 2.0%, respectively. Both scenarios suggest that the northeastern, northwestern, and southern regions have significant excess generation capacity, and that this excess capacity situation will continue over the next decade without regulatory intervention. The northern and central regions could have sufficient generation capacity to 2020, but may require additional resources in a higher growth scenario. The eastern region requires new resources by 2020 in both scenarios.

ALEA: a toolbox for allele-specific epigenomics analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Younesy, Hamid; Möller, Torsten; Heravi-Moussavi, Alireza; Cheng, Jeffrey B; Costello, Joseph F; Lorincz, Matthew C; Karimi, Mohammad M; Jones, Steven J M

2014-04-15

The assessment of expression and epigenomic status using sequencing based methods provides an unprecedented opportunity to identify and correlate allelic differences with epigenomic status. We present ALEA, a computational toolbox for allele-specific epigenomics analysis, which incorporates allelic variation data within existing resources, allowing for the identification of significant associations between epigenetic modifications and specific allelic variants in human and mouse cells. ALEA provides a customizable pipeline of command line tools for allele-specific analysis of next-generation sequencing data (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, etc.) that takes the raw sequencing data and produces separate allelic tracks ready to be viewed on genome browsers. The pipeline has been validated using human and hybrid mouse ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data. The package, test data and usage instructions are available online at http://www.bcgsc.ca/platform/bioinfo/software/alea CONTACT: : mkarimi1@interchange.ubc.ca or sjones@bcgsc.ca Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Diagnostic accuracy of CT in assessing extra-regional lymphadenopathy in pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Dorine S J; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; Fegrachi, Samira; Besselink, Marc G; Zuithoff, Nicolaas P A; Borel Rinkes, Inne H; van Leeuwen, Maarten S; Molenaar, I Quintus

2014-12-01

Computed tomography (CT) is the most widely used method to assess resectability of pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer. One of the contra-indications for curative resection is the presence of extra-regional lymph node metastases. This meta-analysis investigates the accuracy of CT in assessing extra-regional lymph node metastases in pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer. We systematically reviewed the literature according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting on CT assessment of extra-regional lymph nodes in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy were included. Data on baseline characteristics, CT-investigations and histopathological outcomes were extracted. Diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity and specificity were calculated for individual studies and pooled data. After screening, 4 cohort studies reporting on CT-findings and histopathological outcome in 157 patients with pancreatic or peri-ampullary cancer were included. Overall, diagnostic accuracy, specificity and NPV varied from 63 to 81, 80-100% and 67-90% respectively. However, PPV and sensitivity ranged from 0 to 100% and 0-38%. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 25%, 86%, 28% and 84% respectively. CT has a low diagnostic accuracy in assessing extra-regional lymph node metastases in pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer. Therefore, suspicion of extra-regional lymph node metastases on CT alone should not be considered a contra-indication for exploration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source apportionment of elevated wintertime PAHs by compound-specific radiocarbon analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. J. Sheesley

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Natural abundance radiocarbon analysis facilitates distinct source apportionment between contemporary biomass/biofuel (¹⁴C "alive" versus fossil fuel (¹⁴C "dead" combustion. Here, the first compound-specific radiocarbon analysis (CSRA of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs was demonstrated for a set of samples collected in Lycksele, Sweden a small town with frequent episodes of severe atmospheric pollution in the winter. Renewed interest in using residential wood combustion (RWC means that this type of seasonal pollution is of increasing concern in many areas. Five individual/paired PAH isolates from three pooled fortnight-long filter collections were analyzed by CSRA: phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[b+k]fluoranthene and indeno[cd]pyrene plus benzo[ghi]perylene; phenanthrene was the only compound also analyzed in the gas phase. The measured Δ¹⁴C for PAHs spanned from −138.3‰ to 58.0‰. A simple isotopic mass balance model was applied to estimate the fraction biomass (f_biomass contribution, which was constrained to 71–87% for the individual PAHs. Indeno[cd]pyrene plus benzo[ghi]perylene had an f_biomass of 71%, while fluoranthene and phenanthrene (gas phase had the highest biomass contribution at 87%. The total organic carbon (TOC, defined as carbon remaining after removal of inorganic carbon f_biomass was estimated to be 77%, which falls within the range for PAHs. This CSRA data of atmospheric PAHs established that RWC is the dominating source of atmospheric PAHs to this region of the boreal zone with some variations among RWC contributions to specific PAHs.

Brain region-specific altered expression and association of mitochondria-related genes in autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Anitha, Ayyappan; Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Thanseem, Ismail; Yamada, Kazuo; Iwayama, Yoshimi; Toyota, Tomoko; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Miyachi, Taishi; Yamada, Satoru; Tsujii, Masatsugu; Tsuchiya, Kenji J; Matsumoto, Kaori; Iwata, Yasuhide; Suzuki, Katsuaki; Ichikawa, Hironobu; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Yoshikawa, Takeo; Mori, Norio

2012-11-01

Mitochondrial dysfunction (MtD) has been observed in approximately five percent of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). MtD could impair highly energy-dependent processes such as neurodevelopment, thereby contributing to autism. Most of the previous studies of MtD in autism have been restricted to the biomarkers of energy metabolism, while most of the genetic studies have been based on mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Despite the mtDNA, most of the proteins essential for mitochondrial replication and function are encoded by the genomic DNA; so far, there have been very few studies of those genes. Therefore, we carried out a detailed study involving gene expression and genetic association studies of genes related to diverse mitochondrial functions. For gene expression analysis, postmortem brain tissues (anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG), motor cortex (MC) and thalamus (THL)) from autism patients (n=8) and controls (n=10) were obtained from the Autism Tissue Program (Princeton, NJ, USA). Quantitative real-time PCR arrays were used to quantify the expression of 84 genes related to diverse functions of mitochondria, including biogenesis, transport, translocation and apoptosis. We used the delta delta Ct (∆∆Ct) method for quantification of gene expression. DNA samples from 841 Caucasian and 188 Japanese families were used in the association study of genes selected from the gene expression analysis. FBAT was used to examine genetic association with autism. Several genes showed brain region-specific expression alterations in autism patients compared to controls. Metaxin 2 (MTX2), neurofilament, light polypeptide (NEFL) and solute carrier family 25, member 27 (SLC25A27) showed consistently reduced expression in the ACG, MC and THL of autism patients. NEFL (P = 0.038; Z-score 2.066) and SLC25A27 (P = 0.046; Z-score 1.990) showed genetic association with autism in Caucasian and Japanese samples, respectively. The expression of DNAJC19, DNM1L, LRPPRC

Brain region-specific altered expression and association of mitochondria-related genes in autism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anitha Ayyappan

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mitochondrial dysfunction (MtD has been observed in approximately five percent of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD. MtD could impair highly energy-dependent processes such as neurodevelopment, thereby contributing to autism. Most of the previous studies of MtD in autism have been restricted to the biomarkers of energy metabolism, while most of the genetic studies have been based on mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA. Despite the mtDNA, most of the proteins essential for mitochondrial replication and function are encoded by the genomic DNA; so far, there have been very few studies of those genes. Therefore, we carried out a detailed study involving gene expression and genetic association studies of genes related to diverse mitochondrial functions. Methods For gene expression analysis, postmortem brain tissues (anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG, motor cortex (MC and thalamus (THL from autism patients (n=8 and controls (n=10 were obtained from the Autism Tissue Program (Princeton, NJ, USA. Quantitative real-time PCR arrays were used to quantify the expression of 84 genes related to diverse functions of mitochondria, including biogenesis, transport, translocation and apoptosis. We used the delta delta Ct (∆∆Ct method for quantification of gene expression. DNA samples from 841 Caucasian and 188 Japanese families were used in the association study of genes selected from the gene expression analysis. FBAT was used to examine genetic association with autism. Results Several genes showed brain region-specific expression alterations in autism patients compared to controls. Metaxin 2 (MTX2, neurofilament, light polypeptide (NEFL and solute carrier family 25, member 27 (SLC25A27 showed consistently reduced expression in the ACG, MC and THL of autism patients. NEFL (P = 0.038; Z-score 2.066 and SLC25A27 (P = 0.046; Z-score 1.990 showed genetic association with autism in Caucasian and Japanese samples, respectively. The

Specific Midgut Region Controlling the Symbiont Population in an Insect-Microbe Gut Symbiotic Association

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jiyeun Kate; Kim, Na Hyang; Jang, Ho Am; Kikuchi, Yoshitomo; Kim, Chan-Hee

2013-01-01

Many insects possess symbiotic bacteria that affect the biology of the host. The level of the symbiont population in the host is a pivotal factor that modulates the biological outcome of the symbiotic association. Hence, the symbiont population should be maintained at a proper level by the host's control mechanisms. Several mechanisms for controlling intracellular symbionts of insects have been reported, while mechanisms for controlling extracellular gut symbionts of insects are poorly understood. The bean bug Riptortus pedestris harbors a betaproteobacterial extracellular symbiont of the genus Burkholderia in the midgut symbiotic organ designated the M4 region. We found that the M4B region, which is directly connected to the M4 region, also harbors Burkholderia symbiont cells, but the symbionts therein are mostly dead. A series of experiments demonstrated that the M4B region exhibits antimicrobial activity, and the antimicrobial activity is specifically potent against the Burkholderia symbiont but not the cultured Burkholderia and other bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of the M4B region was detected in symbiotic host insects, reaching its highest point at the fifth instar, but not in aposymbiotic host insects, which suggests the possibility of symbiont-mediated induction of the antimicrobial activity. This antimicrobial activity was not associated with upregulation of antimicrobial peptides of the host. Based on these results, we propose that the M4B region is a specialized gut region of R. pedestris that plays a critical role in controlling the population of the Burkholderia gut symbiont. The molecular basis of the antimicrobial activity is of great interest and deserves future study. PMID:24038695

Computer Support of Semantic Text Analysis of a Technical Specification on Designing Software

OpenAIRE

Zaboleeva-Zotova, Alla; Orlova, Yulia

2009-01-01

The given work is devoted to development of the computer-aided system of semantic text analysis of a technical specification. The purpose of this work is to increase efficiency of software engineering based on automation of semantic text analysis of a technical specification. In work it is offered and investigated a technique of the text analysis of a technical specification is submitted, the expanded fuzzy attribute grammar of a technical specification, intended for formaliza...

Mutational specificity of SOS mutagenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Takeshi

1986-01-01

In an approach to the isolation of mutants of E. coli unable to produce mutations by ultraviolet light, the author has found new umuC-mutants. Their properties could be explained by ''SOS hypothesis of Radman and Witkin'', which has now been justified by many investigators. Analysis of the umuC region of E. coli chromosome cloned in pSK 100 has led to the conclusion that two genes, umuD and umuC, having the capacity of mutation induction express in the same mechanism as that of SOS genes, which is known to be inhibited by LexA protein bonding to ''SOS box'' found at promotor region. Suppressor analysis for mutational specificity has revealed: (i) umuDC-independent mutagens, such as EMS and (oh) 4 Cy, induce selected base substitution alone; and (ii) umuDC-dependent mutagens, such as X-rays and gamma-rays, induce various types of base substitution simultaneously, although they have mutational specificity. In the umuDC-dependent processes of basechange mutagenesis, the spectra of base substitution were a mixture of base substitution reflecting the specific base damages induced by individual mutagens and nonspecific base substitution. In conclusion, base substitution plays the most important role in umuDC-dependent mutagenesis, although mutagenesis of umuDC proteins remains uncertain. (Namekawa, K.)

Cloning and functional analysis of 5'-upstream region of the Pokemon gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yutao; Zhou, Xiaowei; Zhu, Xudong; Zhang, Chuanfu; Yang, Zhixin; Xu, Long; Huang, Peitang

2008-04-01

Pokemon, the POK erythroid myeloid ontogenic factor, not only regulates the expression of many genes, but also plays an important role in cell tumorigenesis. To investigate the molecular mechanism regulating expression of the Pokemon gene in humans, its 5'-upstream region was cloned and analyzed. Transient analysis revealed that the Pokemon promoter is constitutive. Deletion analysis and a DNA decoy assay indicated that the NEG-U and NEG-D elements were involved in negative regulation of the Pokemon promoter, whereas the POS-D element was mainly responsible for its strong activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggested that the NEG-U, NEG-D and POS-D elements were specifically bound by the nuclear extract from A549 cells in vitro. Mutation analysis demonstrated that cooperation of the NEG-U and NEG-D elements led to negative regulation of the Pokemon promoter. Moreover, the NEG-U and NEG-D elements needed to be an appropriate distance apart in the Pokemon promoter in order to cooperate. Taken together, our results elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of Pokemon gene transcription, and also define a novel regulatory sequence that may be used to decrease expression of the Pokemon gene in cancer gene therapy.

A European regional analysis of selected food consumption statements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Askegaard, Søren

1993-01-01

This paper examines different European regions of food culture. It does so by analyzing statements about food attitudes and food consumption from a general, commercial life style survey. The data were collected in 1989 through 20.000 interviews in European countries broken down into 80 regions. T...... for more advanced statistical analysis, this paper should definitely be regarded as a work progress paper, incomplete as it is....

A Phylogenetic and Phenotypic Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serovar Weltevreden, an Emerging Agent of Diarrheal Disease in Tropical Regions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carine Makendi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden (S. Weltevreden is an emerging cause of diarrheal and invasive disease in humans residing in tropical regions. Despite the regional and international emergence of this Salmonella serovar, relatively little is known about its genetic diversity, genomics or virulence potential in model systems. Here we used whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses to define the phylogenetic structure of a diverse global selection of S. Weltevreden. Phylogenetic analysis of more than 100 isolates demonstrated that the population of S. Weltevreden can be segregated into two main phylogenetic clusters, one associated predominantly with continental Southeast Asia and the other more internationally dispersed. Subcluster analysis suggested the local evolution of S. Weltevreden within specific geographical regions. Four of the isolates were sequenced using long read sequencing to produce high quality reference genomes. Phenotypic analysis in Hep-2 cells and in a murine infection model indicated that S. Weltevreden were significantly attenuated in these models compared to the classical S. Typhimurium reference strain SL1344. Our work outlines novel insights into this important emerging pathogen and provides a baseline understanding for future research studies.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF COMPETITIVENESS FACTORS OF REGIONS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. V. Bakanach

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the conditions of market economy the competition is the main driving force of economic growth. The idea about existence of the interregional competition isn't conventional and demands the proof. The phenomena allowing to state existence of the interregional competitive relations which are realized through system of prerequisites of political, economic, legal and technological character were for this purpose studied. Competitiveness – one of the most important characteristics of the territory which level directly influences formation of positive tendencies in development of subjects of the Russian Federation. Productive indicators of level of competitiveness of the region are: a gross regional product on one occupied in economy, production of a gross regional product for one ruble of fixed assets, a gross regional product for one ruble of investments, a share of balanced financial result in a gross regional product. On the basis of private indicators the Pattern method received an integrated indicator of level of competitiveness of region. The quantitative assessment of the factors determining distinctions of regions of the Russian Federation by competitiveness level allowed to define that the competitiveness variation in the territory of regions in the greatest measure depends on a variation of number of graduates of educational institutions with higher education on 1000 people and the specific weight of investments into the enterprises occupied with mining. Regional values of competitiveness are most elastic relatively the specific weight of own investments, that is increase of this indicator for 1 % causes increase of competitiveness for 0.9 %. The practical importance of this work is caused by possibility of application of results of research by federal and regional executive authorities as information representation when developing programs of increase of level of competitiveness of regions of the Russian Federation. Besides, it is

Time series analysis of soil Radon-222 recorded at Kutch region, Gujarat, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhusudan Rao, K.; Rastogi, B.K.; Barman, Chiranjib; Chaudhuri, Hirok

2013-01-01

Kutch region in Gujarat lies in a seismic vulnerable zone (seismic zone-v). After the devastating Bhuj earthquake (7.7M) of January 26, 2001 in the Kutch region several researcher focused their attention to monitor geophysical and geochemical precursors for earthquakes in the region. In order to find out the possible geochemical precursory signals for earthquake events, we monitored radioactive gas radon-222 in sub surface soil gas at Kutch region. We have analysed the recorded soil radon-222 time series by means of nonlinear techniques such as FFT power spectral analysis, empirical mode decomposition, multi-fractal analysis along with other linear statistical methods. Some fascinating and fruitful results originated out the nonlinear analysis of the said time series have been discussed in the present paper. The entire analytical method aided us to recognize the nature and pattern of soil radon-222 emanation process. Moreover the recording and statistical and non-linear analysis of soil radon data at Kutch region will assist us to understand the preparation phase of an imminent seismic event in the region. (author)

The male-specific region of the human Y chromosome is a mosaic of discrete sequence classes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Skaletsky, Helen; Kuroda-Kawaguchi, Tomoko; Minx, Patrick J.; Cordum, Holland S.; Hillier, LaDeana; Brown, Laura G.; Repping, Sjoerd; Pyntikova, Tatyana; Ali, Johar; Bieri, Tamberlyn; Chinwalla, Asif; Delehaunty, Andrew; Delehaunty, Kim; Du, Hui; Fewell, Ginger; Fulton, Lucinda; Fulton, Robert; Graves, Tina; Hou, Shun-Fang; Latrielle, Philip; Leonard, Shawn; Mardis, Elaine; Maupin, Rachel; McPherson, John; Miner, Tracie; Nash, William; Nguyen, Christine; Ozersky, Philip; Pepin, Kymberlie; Rock, Susan; Rohlfing, Tracy; Scott, Kelsi; Schultz, Brian; Strong, Cindy; Tin-Wollam, Aye; Yang, Shiaw-Pyng; Waterston, Robert H.; Wilson, Richard K.; Rozen, Steve; Page, David C.

2003-01-01

The male-specific region of the Y chromosome, the MSY, differentiates the sexes and comprises 95% of the chromosome's length. Here, we report that the MSY is a mosaic of heterochromatic sequences and three classes of euchromatic sequences: X-transposed, X-degenerate and ampliconic. These classes

Ratio analysis specifics of the family dairies' financial statements

OpenAIRE

Mitrović Aleksandra; Knežević Snežana; Veličković Milica

2015-01-01

The subject of this paper is the evaluation of the financial analysis specifics of the dairy enterprises with a focus on the implementation of the ratio analysis of financial statements. The ratio analysis is a central part of financial analysis, since it is based on investigating the relationship between logically related items in the financial statements to assess the financial position of the observed enterprise and its earning capacity. Speaking about the reporting of financial performanc...

How do Dutch regional labour markets adjust to demand shocks?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broersma, Lourens; Dijk, Jouke van

2002-01-01

This paper analyses the response of regional labour markets in The Netherlands to region specific labour demand shocks. Whereas previous studies analyse only average patterns of all regions in a country, this paper provides also a more in debt analysis of within country differences in labour market

Process analysis of regional aerosol pollution during spring in the Pearl River Delta region, China

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Qi; Lan, Jing; Liu, Yiming; Wang, Xuemei; Chan, Pakwai; Hong, Yingying; Feng, Yerong; Liu, Yexin; Zeng, Yanjun; Liang, Guixiong

2015-12-01

A numerical simulation analysis was performed for three air pollution episodes in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region during March 2012 using the third-generation air quality modeling system Models-3/CMAQ. The results demonstrated that particulate matter was the primary pollutant for all three pollution episodes and was accompanied by relatively low visibility in the first two episodes. Weather maps indicate that the first two episodes occurred under the influence of warm, wet southerly air flow systems that led to high humidity throughout the region. The liquid phase reaction of gaseous pollutants resulted in the generation of fine secondary particles, which were identified as the primary source of pollution in the first two episodes. The third pollution episode occurred during a warming period following a cold front. Relative humidity was lower during this episode, and coarse particles were the major pollution contributor. Results of process analysis indicated that emissions sources, horizontal transport and vertical transport were the primary factors affecting pollutant concentrations within the near-surface layer during all three episodes, while aerosol processes, cloud processes, horizontal transport and vertical transport had greater influence at approximately 900 m above ground. Cloud processes had a greater impact during the first two pollution episodes because of the higher relative humidity. In addition, by comparing pollution processes from different cities (Guangzhou and Zhongshan), the study revealed that the first two pollution episodes were the result of local emissions within the PRD region and transport between surrounding cities, while the third episode exhibited prominent regional pollution characteristics and was the result of regional pollutant transport.

Genome-wide analysis of regions similar to promoters of histone genes

KAUST Repository

Chowdhary, Rajesh

2010-05-28

Background: The purpose of this study is to: i) develop a computational model of promoters of human histone-encoding genes (shortly histone genes), an important class of genes that participate in various critical cellular processes, ii) use the model so developed to identify regions across the human genome that have similar structure as promoters of histone genes; such regions could represent potential genomic regulatory regions, e.g. promoters, of genes that may be coregulated with histone genes, and iii/ identify in this way genes that have high likelihood of being coregulated with the histone genes.Results: We successfully developed a histone promoter model using a comprehensive collection of histone genes. Based on leave-one-out cross-validation test, the model produced good prediction accuracy (94.1% sensitivity, 92.6% specificity, and 92.8% positive predictive value). We used this model to predict across the genome a number of genes that shared similar promoter structures with the histone gene promoters. We thus hypothesize that these predicted genes could be coregulated with histone genes. This hypothesis matches well with the available gene expression, gene ontology, and pathways data. Jointly with promoters of the above-mentioned genes, we found a large number of intergenic regions with similar structure as histone promoters.Conclusions: This study represents one of the most comprehensive computational analyses conducted thus far on a genome-wide scale of promoters of human histone genes. Our analysis suggests a number of other human genes that share a high similarity of promoter structure with the histone genes and thus are highly likely to be coregulated, and consequently coexpressed, with the histone genes. We also found that there are a large number of intergenic regions across the genome with their structures similar to promoters of histone genes. These regions may be promoters of yet unidentified genes, or may represent remote control regions that

Analysis of regional brain mitochondrial bioenergetics and susceptibility to mitochondrial inhibition utilizing a microplate based system

Science.gov (United States)

Sauerbeck, Andrew; Pandya, Jignesh; Singh, Indrapal; Bittman, Kevin; Readnower, Ryan; Bing, Guoying; Sullivan, Patrick

2012-01-01

The analysis of mitochondrial bioenergetic function typically has required 50–100 μg of protein per sample and at least 15 min per run when utilizing a Clark-type oxygen electrode. In the present work we describe a method utilizing the Seahorse Biosciences XF24 Flux Analyzer for measuring mitochondrial oxygen consumption simultaneously from multiple samples and utilizing only 5 μg of protein per sample. Utilizing this method we have investigated whether regionally based differences exist in mitochondria isolated from the cortex, striatum, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Analysis of basal mitochondrial bioenergetics revealed that minimal differences exist between the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. However, the cerebellum exhibited significantly slower basal rates of Complex I and Complex II dependent oxygen consumption (p < 0.05). Mitochondrial inhibitors affected enzyme activity proportionally across all samples tested and only small differences existed in the effect of inhibitors on oxygen consumption. Investigation of the effect of rotenone administration on Complex I dependent oxygen consumption revealed that exposure to 10 pM rotenone led to a clear time dependent decrease in oxygen consumption beginning 12 min after administration (p < 0.05). These studies show that the utilization of this microplate based method for analysis of mitochondrial bioenergetics is effective at quantifying oxygen consumption simultaneously from multiple samples. Additionally, these studies indicate that minimal regional differences exist in mitochondria isolated from the cortex, striatum, or hippocampus. Furthermore, utilization of the mitochondrial inhibitors suggests that previous work indicating regionally specific deficits following systemic mitochondrial toxin exposure may not be the result of differences in the individual mitochondria from the affected regions. PMID:21402103

Sleep spindle-related reactivation of category-specific cortical regions after learning face-scene associations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergmann, Til O; Mölle, Matthias; Diedrichs, Jens

2012-01-01

Newly acquired declarative memory traces are believed to be reactivated during NonREM sleep to promote their hippocampo-neocortical transfer for long-term storage. Yet it remains a major challenge to unravel the underlying neuronal mechanisms. Using simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG......-coupled reactivation of brain regions representing the specific task stimuli was traced during subsequent NonREM sleep with EEG-informed fMRI. Relative to the control task, learning face-scene associations triggered a stronger combined activation of neocortical and hippocampal regions during subsequent sleep. Notably......) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recordings in humans, we show that sleep spindles play a key role in the reactivation of memory-related neocortical representations. On separate days, participants either learned face-scene associations or performed a visuomotor control task. Spindle...

ANALYSIS AND PLANNING OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT - CONTEXTUAL VARIABLES TO DEVELOP A MODEL FOR MONITORING FINANCIAL INDICATORS AT REGIONAL LEVEL.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CRIS TINA GRADEA

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Application of quantitative techniques in regional analysis can provide an understanding of both the change in time of regional economic performance and the interdependencies between economic sectors, including the use of projections to test the potential future development of the region. Qualitative techniques allow also the explanation of the reason for regional development patterns occurring in a region and the improvement of analysts' ability to reflect on the results and economic opportunities for a future based on collective experience, wisdom and judgment of the actors in region economies.

A preferred region for recombinational patch repair in the 5' untranslated region of primer binding site-impaired murine leukemia virus vectors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, J G; Lund, Anders Henrik; Kristensen, K D

1996-01-01

, suggesting the involvement of a specific endogenous virus-like sequence in patch repair rescue of the primer binding site mutants. The putative recombination partner RNA was found in virions from psi-2 cells as detected by analysis of glutamine tRNA-initiated cDNA and by sequence analysis of regions...... site to allow correct second-strand transfer in reverse transcription. The system thereby selects for a reverse transcriptase-mediated recombination event in the 5' untranslated region. A panel of sequence differences between the recombination partners in this region has allowed mapping of the site...

Nuclear power regional analysis; Análisis regional de la nucleoelectricidad

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parera, María Delia, E-mail: dparera@cnea.gov.ar [Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, San Martin (Argentina). Gerencia de Planificación Coordinación y Control, Subgerencia de Planificación Estratégica

2011-07-01

In this study, a regional analysis of the Argentine electricity market was carried out considering the effects of regional cooperation, national and international interconnections; additionally, the possibilities of insertion of new nuclear power plants in different regions were evaluated, indicating the most suitable areas for these facilities to increase the penetration of nuclear energy in national energy matrix. The interconnection of electricity markets and natural gas due to the linkage between both energy forms was also studied. With this purpose, MESSAGE program was used (Model for Energy Supply Strategy Alternatives and their General Environmental Impacts), promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This model performs a country-level economic optimization, resulting in the minimum cost for the modelling system. Regionalization executed by the Wholesale Electricity Market Management Company (CAMMESA, by its Spanish acronym) that divides the country into eight regions. The characteristics and the needs of each region, their respective demands and supplies of electricity and natural gas, as well as existing and planned interconnections, consisting of power lines and pipelines were taken into account. According to the results obtained through the model, nuclear is a competitive option. (author) [Spanish] En el presente estudio se realizó un análisis regional del mercado eléctrico argentino contemplando los efectos de cooperación regional, las interconexiones internas e internacionales; y se evaluó las posibilidades de inserción de nuevas centrales nucleares en diferentes regiones del país, indicando las zonas más adecuadas para realizar estas instalaciones para aumentar la penetración de la energía nuclear en la matriz energética nacional. Asimismo se estudió la interconexión de los mercados de electricidad y gas natural, debido a la vinculación existente entre ambas formas de energía. Con este fin se utilizó el programa

[Mobile Health Units: An Analysis of Concepts and Implementation Requirements in Rural Regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hämel, K; Kutzner, J; Vorderwülbecke, J

2017-12-01

Access to health services in rural regions represents a challenge. The development of care models that respond to health service shortages and pay particular attention to the increasing health care needs of the elderly is an important concern. A model that has been implemented in other countries is that of mobile health units. But until now, there is no overview of their possible objectives, functions and implementation requirements. This paper is based on a literature analysis and an internet research on mobile health units in rural regions. Mobile health units aim to avoid regional undersupply and address particularly vulnerable population groups. In the literature, mobile health units are described with a focus on specific illnesses, as well as those that provide comprehensive, partly multi-professional primary care that is close to patients' homes. The implementation of mobile health units is demanding; the key challenges are (a) alignment to the needs of the regional population, (b) user-oriented access and promotion of awareness and acceptance of mobile health units by the local population, and (c) network building within existing care structures to ensure continuity of care for patients. To fulfill these requirements, a community-oriented program development and implementation is important. Mobile health units could represent an interesting model for the provision of health care in rural regions in Germany. International experiences are an important starting point and should be taken into account for the further development of models in Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

System/subsystem specifications for the Worldwide Port System (WPS) Regional Integrated Cargo Database (ICDB)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rollow, J.P.; Shipe, P.C.; Truett, L.F. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Faby, E.Z.; Fluker, J.; Grubb, J.; Hancock, B.R. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Ferguson, R.A. [Science Applications International Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

1995-11-20

A system is being developed by the Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC) to provide data integration and worldwide management and tracking of surface cargo movements. The Integrated Cargo Database (ICDB) will be a data repository for the WPS terminal-level system, will be a primary source of queries and cargo traffic reports, will receive data from and provide data to other MTMC and non-MTMC systems, will provide capabilities for processing Advance Transportation Control and Movement Documents (ATCMDs), and will process and distribute manifests. This System/Subsystem Specifications for the Worldwide Port System Regional ICDB documents the system/subsystem functions, provides details of the system/subsystem analysis in order to provide a communication link between developers and operational personnel, and identifies interfaces with other systems and subsystems. It must be noted that this report is being produced near the end of the initial development phase of ICDB, while formal software testing is being done. Following the initial implementation of the ICDB system, maintenance contractors will be in charge of making changes and enhancing software modules. Formal testing and user reviews may indicate the need for additional software units or changes to existing ones. This report describes the software units that are components of this ICDB system as of August 1995.

Transformation of environmental conditions in large former Soviet countries: regional analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Bityukova, V. R.; Borovikov, M. S.

2018-01-01

The article studies changes in the structure of environmental conditions of regions in the large former Soviet countries (case study of Russia and Kazakhstan) that have formed considerable contrasts in the placement of industrial complex and population settlement during the previous development stages. The changes related to the transition to market economy have led to essential transformation of environmental conditions. A complex index allowing to assess changes at the regional level in Kazakhstan and Russia and to reveal main similarities and differences between those changes is applied to studying the transformation of regional and industry structure. The article examines both industry-specific and spatial patterns forming environmental conditions at the regional level.

Development and evaluation of specific PCR primers targeting the ribosomal DNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of peritrich ciliates in environmental samples

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Lei; Zhang, Qianqian; Gong, Jun

2017-07-01

Peritrich ciliates are highly diverse and can be important bacterial grazers in aquatic ecosystems. Morphological identifications of peritrich species and assemblages in the environment are time-consuming and expertise-demanding. In this study, two peritrich-specific PCR primers were newly designed to amplify a fragment including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal rDNA from environmental samples. The primers showed high specificity in silico, and in tests with peritrich isolates and environmental DNA. Application of these primers in clone library construction and sequencing yielded exclusively sequences of peritrichs for water and sediment samples. We also found the ITS1, ITS2, ITS, D1 region of 28S rDNA, and ITS+D1 region co-varied with, and generally more variable than, the V9 region of 18S rDNA in peritrichs. The newly designed specific primers thus provide additional tools to study the molecular diversity, community composition, and phylogeography of these ecologically important protists in different systems.

Minapolitan region development analysis at Penajam Paser Utara using blue economy concept

Science.gov (United States)

Mawarsari, P. M.; Dewanti, A. N.; Nurrahman, F.

2017-06-01

Penajam Paser Utara (PPU) Region in East Kalimantan was assigned as one of Minapolitan area in Indonesia focusing on aquaculture based on Indonesia Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Decision Number 35 in 2013. Unfortunately, it is shown from PPU region statistics data that decreasing fisheries production in PPU region was occur especially for land fisheries from 2013 until 2015. The aim of this study is to formulate development strategies of Minapolitan in PPU Region by the Blue Economy concept. Several variables such as fisheries and aquaculture aspects, processing and marketing, incomes and workers, also sustainability and economic paradigm is evaluated in this study. Firstly it needs to identify the potential of character and problem by reviewing Minapolitan area in PPU Region with descriptive comparative analysis. Secondly, the fruitfulness of Minapolitan activity in PPU Region impact factors was identified by using internal and external factor (IFAS and EFAS) analysis. Then some of strategic considerations was formulated by using the successful development indicator in Minapolitan area that associate to the Blue Economy concept with SWOT analysis. The result of IFAS analysis show the highest score of strength that is production and commodity productivity. Contrarily, the income level factor is become the highest score at weakness. Then, the EFAS analysis declare that marketing system is the highest factor in opportunity. The position of SWOT quadrant indicate that the Minapolitan area of PPU region is in quadrant I /or first quadrant which means progressive. Therefore, the Minapolitan in PPU have a great chance to increase the cultivation optimally. The results of SWOT matrix is to increase its product and productivity by upgrading the quality and quantity production facilities, raising the control of production activites and also increasing the supervision of processing business with sustainable management business principle.

Systematic identification and integrative analysis of novel genes expressed specifically or predominantly in mouse epididymis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Hoyong

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maturation of spermatozoa, including development of motility and the ability to fertilize the oocyte, occurs during transit through the microenvironment of the epididymis. Comprehensive understanding of sperm maturation requires identification and characterization of unique genes expressed in the epididymis. Results We systematically identified 32 novel genes with epididymis-specific or -predominant expression in the mouse epididymis UniGene library, containing 1505 gene-oriented transcript clusters, by in silico and in vitro analyses. The Northern blot analysis revealed various characteristics of the genes at the transcript level, such as expression level, size and the presence of isoform. We found that expression of the half of the genes is regulated by androgens. Further expression analyses demonstrated that the novel genes are region-specific and developmentally regulated. Computational analysis showed that 15 of the genes lack human orthologues, suggesting their implication in male reproduction unique to the mouse. A number of the novel genes are putative epididymal protease inhibitors or β-defensins. We also found that six of the genes have secretory activity, indicating that they may interact with sperm and have functional roles in sperm maturation. Conclusion We identified and characterized 32 novel epididymis-specific or -predominant genes by an integrative approach. Our study is unique in the aspect of systematic identification of novel epididymal genes and should be a firm basis for future investigation into molecular mechanisms underlying sperm maturation in the epididymis.

Influence of region and site-specific factors on the degree of general validity of ecological and primary-energy-related assessments of biogas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dressler, Daniela

2015-01-01

As described in this publication, since the early 1990s numerous studies based on the life cycle assessment methodology have been dedicated to assessments of different kinds of bioenergy in comparison with fossil energy resources in terms of their energy balance and environmental impact. On reviewing the results of these studies one finds a strikingly wide range of variation. One major factor of influence on the results of life cycle assessments, besides methodological factors such as the choice of allocation method, is the representativeness of the data used. Thus, widely varying results are also obtained when balance calculations and assessments are performed on energy crops with due consideration to regional and site-specific factors. To address this problem the present study endeavoured to identify region and site-specific factors and assess them in terms of their influence on the life cycle assessment of the cultivation and conversion to biogas of different kinds of energy crops. For this purpose the following questions were explored: What influence do region, site and equipment-specific factors have on the results of ecological and primary-energy-related assessments; and how large are the differences in results between region and site-specific assessments on the one hand and assessments based on general assumptions on the other? It transpires that the results of region and site-specific assessments differ from one another in terms of both the assessment of energy cropping and the assessment of the entire process chain of biogas production and conversion to electricity.

Regional specificity in deltamethrin induced cytochrome P450 expression in rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadav, Sanjay; Johri, Ashu; Dhawan, Alok; Seth, Prahlad K.; Parmar, Devendra

2006-01-01

Oral administration of deltamethrin (5 mg/kg x 7 or 15 or 21 days) was found to produce a time-dependent increase in the mRNA expression of xenobiotic metabolizing cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), 1A2 and CYP2B1, 2B2 isoenzymes in rat brain. RT-PCR studies further showed that increase in the mRNA expression of these CYP isoenzymes observed after 21 days of exposure was region specific. Hippocampus exhibited maximum increase in the mRNA expression of CYP1A1, which was followed by pons-medulla, cerebellum and hypothalamus. The mRNA expression of CYP2B1 also exhibited maximum increase in the hypothalamus and hippocampus followed by almost similar increase in midbrain and cerebellum. In contrast, mRNA expression of CYP1A2 and CYP2B2, the constitutive isoenzymes exhibited relatively higher increase in pons-medulla, cerebellum and frontal cortex. Immunoblotting studies carried out with polyclonal antibody raised against rat liver CYP1A1/1A2 or CYP2B1/2B2 isoenzymes also showed increase in immunoreactivity comigrating with CYP1A1/1A2 or 2B1/2B2 in the microsomal fractions isolated from hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum of rat treated with deltamethrin. Though the exact relationship of the xenobiotic metabolizing CYPs with the physiological function of the brain is yet to be clearly understood, the increase in the mRNA expression of the CYPs in the brain regions that regulate specific brain functions affected by deltamethrin have further indicated that modulation of these CYPs could be associated with the various endogenous functions of the brain

Cattle Sex-Specific Recombination and Genetic Control from a Large Pedigree Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Li; O'Connell, Jeffrey R; VanRaden, Paul M; Shen, Botong; Padhi, Abinash; Sun, Chuanyu; Bickhart, Derek M; Cole, John B; Null, Daniel J; Liu, George E; Da, Yang; Wiggans, George R

2015-11-01

Meiotic recombination is an essential biological process that generates genetic diversity and ensures proper segregation of chromosomes during meiosis. From a large USDA dairy cattle pedigree with over half a million genotyped animals, we extracted 186,927 three-generation families, identified over 8.5 million maternal and paternal recombination events, and constructed sex-specific recombination maps for 59,309 autosomal SNPs. The recombination map spans for 25.5 Morgans in males and 23.2 Morgans in females, for a total studied region of 2,516 Mb (986 kb/cM in males and 1,085 kb/cM in females). The male map is 10% longer than the female map and the sex difference is most pronounced in the subtelomeric regions. We identified 1,792 male and 1,885 female putative recombination hotspots, with 720 hotspots shared between sexes. These hotspots encompass 3% of the genome but account for 25% of the genome-wide recombination events in both sexes. During the past forty years, males showed a decreasing trend in recombination rate that coincided with the artificial selection for milk production. Sex-specific GWAS analyses identified PRDM9 and CPLX1 to have significant effects on genome-wide recombination rate in both sexes. Two novel loci, NEK9 and REC114, were associated with recombination rate in both sexes, whereas three loci, MSH4, SMC3 and CEP55, affected recombination rate in females only. Among the multiple PRDM9 paralogues on the bovine genome, our GWAS of recombination hotspot usage together with linkage analysis identified the PRDM9 paralogue on chromosome 1 to be associated in the U.S. Holstein data. Given the largest sample size ever reported for such studies, our results reveal new insights into the understanding of cattle and mammalian recombination.

Region-specificity of GABAA receptor mediated effects on orientation and direction selectivity in cat visual cortical area 18.

Science.gov (United States)

Jirmann, Kay-Uwe; Pernberg, Joachim; Eysel, Ulf T

2009-01-01

The role of GABAergic inhibition in orientation and direction selectivity has been investigated with the GABA(A)-Blocker bicuculline in the cat visual cortex, and results indicated a region specific difference of functional contributions of GABAergic inhibition in areas 17 and 18. In area 17 inhibition appeared mainly involved in sculpturing orientation and direction tuning, while in area 18 inhibition seemed more closely associated with temporal receptive field properties. However, different types of stimuli were used to test areas 17 and 18 and further studies performed in area 17 suggested an important influence of the stimulus type (single light bars vs. moving gratings) on the evoked responses (transient vs. sustained) and inhibitory mechanisms (GABA(A) vs. GABA(B)) which in turn might be more decisive for the specific results than the cortical region. To insert the missing link in this chain of arguments it was necessary to study GABAergic inhibition in area 18 with moving light bars, which has not been done so far. Therefore, in the present study we investigated area 18 cells responding to oriented moving light bars with extracellular recordings and reversible microiontophoretic blockade of GABAergig inhibition with bicuculline methiodide. The majority of neurons was characterized by a pronounced orientation specificity and variable degrees of direction selectivity. GABA(A)ergic inhibition significantly influenced preferred orientation and preferred direction in area 18. During the action of bicuculline orientation tuning width increased and orientation and direction selectivity indices decreased. Our results obtained in area 18 with moving bar stimuli, although in the proportion of affected cells similar to those described in area 17, quantitatively matched the findings for direction and orientation specificity obtained with moving gratings in area 18. Accordingly, stimulus type is not decisive in area 18 and the GABA(A) dependent, inhibitory intracortical

Regional distribution of the metallurgical industry in the Czech Republic

OpenAIRE

T. Sadilek

2017-01-01

The aim of the article is to present the regional distribution of the metallurgical industry in the Czech Republic and to describe the specific factors which determine the localization of the industry in Czech regions. In order to achieve that goal, traditional tools of regional analysis are used, such as concentration analysis, used in business-to-business marketing, which does not describe the absolute size of the industry, but its relative size, focusing on the relation between the employe...

Analysis of a new strain of Euphorbia mosaic virus with distinct replication specificity unveils a lineage of begomoviruses with short Rep sequences in the DNA-B intergenic region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Argüello-Astorga Gerardo R

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Euphorbia mosaic virus (EuMV is a member of the SLCV clade, a lineage of New World begomoviruses that display distinctive features in their replication-associated protein (Rep and virion-strand replication origin. The first entirely characterized EuMV isolate is native from Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico; subsequently, EuMV was detected in weeds and pepper plants from another region of Mexico, and partial DNA-A sequences revealed significant differences in their putative replication specificity determinants with respect to EuMV-YP. This study was aimed to investigate the replication compatibility between two EuMV isolates from the same country. Results A new isolate of EuMV was obtained from pepper plants collected at Jalisco, Mexico. Full-length clones of both genomic components of EuMV-Jal were biolistically inoculated into plants of three different species, which developed symptoms indistinguishable from those induced by EuMV-YP. Pseudorecombination experiments with EuMV-Jal and EuMV-YP genomic components demonstrated that these viruses do not form infectious reassortants in Nicotiana benthamiana, presumably because of Rep-iteron incompatibility. Sequence analysis of the EuMV-Jal DNA-B intergenic region (IR led to the unexpected discovery of a 35-nt-long sequence that is identical to a segment of the rep gene in the cognate viral DNA-A. Similar short rep sequences ranging from 35- to 51-nt in length were identified in all EuMV isolates and in three distinct viruses from South America related to EuMV. These short rep sequences in the DNA-B IR are positioned downstream to a ~160-nt non-coding domain highly similar to the CP promoter of begomoviruses belonging to the SLCV clade. Conclusions EuMV strains are not compatible in replication, indicating that this begomovirus species probably is not a replicating lineage in nature. The genomic analysis of EuMV-Jal led to the discovery of a subgroup of SLCV clade viruses that contain in

Regional frequency analysis of extreme rainfalls using partial L moments method

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Zahrahtul Amani; Shabri, Ani

2013-07-01

An approach based on regional frequency analysis using L moments and LH moments are revisited in this study. Subsequently, an alternative regional frequency analysis using the partial L moments (PL moments) method is employed, and a new relationship for homogeneity analysis is developed. The results were then compared with those obtained using the method of L moments and LH moments of order two. The Selangor catchment, consisting of 37 sites and located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is chosen as a case study. PL moments for the generalized extreme value (GEV), generalized logistic (GLO), and generalized Pareto distributions were derived and used to develop the regional frequency analysis procedure. PL moment ratio diagram and Z test were employed in determining the best-fit distribution. Comparison between the three approaches showed that GLO and GEV distributions were identified as the suitable distributions for representing the statistical properties of extreme rainfall in Selangor. Monte Carlo simulation used for performance evaluation shows that the method of PL moments would outperform L and LH moments methods for estimation of large return period events.

Cost-benefit analysis of multi-regional nuclear energy systems deployment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Den Durpel, L.G.G.; Wade, D.C.; Yacout, A.M.

2007-01-01

The paper describes the preliminary results of a cost/benefit-analysis of multi-regional nuclear energy system approaches with a focus on how multi-regional approaches may benefit a growing nuclear energy system in various world regions also being able to limit, or even reduce, the costs associated with the nuclear fuel cycle and facilitating the introduction of nuclear energy in various regions in the world. The paper highlights the trade-off one might envisage in deploying such multi-regional approaches but also the pay backs possible and concludes on the economical benefits one may associate to regional fuel cycle centres serving a world-fleet of STAR (small fast reactors of long refueling interval) where these STARs may be competitive compared to the LWRs (Light Water Reactors) as a base-case nuclear reactor option. (authors)

Analysis of Specific Features of the Ukrainian Market of Natural Gas Production and Consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lelyuk Oleksiy V.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The article provides results of the study of specific features of the Ukrainian market of natural gas production and consumption. It analyses dynamics of the specific weight of Ukraine in general volumes of natural gas consumption in the world, dynamics of natural gas consumption in Ukraine during 1990 – 2012 and dependence of natural gas consumption on GDP volumes by the purchasing power parity. It studies the structure of natural gas consumption by regions in 2012 and sectors of economy, resource base of natural gas in Ukraine and also dynamics of established resources of natural gas in Ukraine and dynamics of natural gas production. It analyses base rates of growth of natural gas resources and production in Ukraine. It considers dynamics of import of natural gas into Ukraine and its import prices and also the structure of natural gas import. It identifies the balance of the natural gas market in Ukraine. On the basis of the conducted analysis the article proves that Ukraine is a gas-deficit country of the world, which depends on natural gas import supplies.

Region-specific changes in presynaptic agmatine and glutamate levels in the aged rat brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Y; Liu, P; Leitch, B

2016-01-15

During the normal aging process, the brain undergoes a range of biochemical and structural alterations, which may contribute to deterioration of sensory and cognitive functions. Age-related deficits are associated with altered efficacy of synaptic neurotransmission. Emerging evidence indicates that levels of agmatine, a putative neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, are altered in a region-specific manner during the aging process. The gross tissue content of agmatine in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of aged rat brains is decreased whereas levels in the temporal cortex (TE) are increased. However, it is not known whether these changes in gross tissue levels are also mirrored by changes in agmatine levels at synapses and thus could potentially contribute to altered synaptic function with age. In the present study, agmatine levels in presynaptic terminals in the PFC and TE regions (300 terminals/region) of young (3month; n=3) and aged (24month; n=3) brains of male Sprague-Dawley rats were compared using quantitative post-embedding immunogold electron-microscopy. Presynaptic levels of agmatine were significantly increased in the TE region (60%; pagmatine and glutamate were co-localized in the same synaptic terminals, and quantitative analyses revealed significantly reduced glutamate levels in agmatine-immunopositive synaptic terminals in both regions in aged rats compared to young animals. This study, for the first time, demonstrates differential effects of aging on agmatine and glutamate in the presynaptic terminals of PFC and TE. Future research is required to understand the functional significance of these changes and the underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TECHNIQUE OF THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT APPEAL OF THE REGION

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А. А. Vershinina

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The technique of the statistical analysis of investment appeal of the region is given in scientific article for direct foreign investments. Definition of a technique of the statistical analysis is given, analysis stages reveal, the mathematico-statistical tools are considered.

Optogenetic fMRI and electrophysiological identification of region-specific connectivity between the cerebellar cortex and forebrain.

Science.gov (United States)

Choe, Katrina Y; Sanchez, Carlos F; Harris, Neil G; Otis, Thomas S; Mathews, Paul J

2018-06-01

Complex animal behavior is produced by dynamic interactions between discrete regions of the brain. As such, defining functional connections between brain regions is critical in gaining a full understanding of how the brain generates behavior. Evidence suggests that discrete regions of the cerebellar cortex functionally project to the forebrain, mediating long-range communication potentially important in motor and non-motor behaviors. However, the connectivity map remains largely incomplete owing to the challenge of driving both reliable and selective output from the cerebellar cortex, as well as the need for methods to detect region specific activation across the entire forebrain. Here we utilize a paired optogenetic and fMRI (ofMRI) approach to elucidate the downstream forebrain regions modulated by activating a region of the cerebellum that induces stereotypical, ipsilateral forelimb movements. We demonstrate with ofMRI, that activating this forelimb motor region of the cerebellar cortex results in functional activation of a variety of forebrain and midbrain areas of the brain, including the hippocampus and primary motor, retrosplenial and anterior cingulate cortices. We further validate these findings using optogenetic stimulation paired with multi-electrode array recordings and post-hoc staining for molecular markers of activated neurons (i.e. c-Fos). Together, these findings demonstrate that a single discrete region of the cerebellar cortex is capable of influencing motor output and the activity of a number of downstream forebrain as well as midbrain regions thought to be involved in different aspects of behavior. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improvement of tool support of the spatial approach to regional planning: problems, specifics, trends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataliya Gennadievna Yushkova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The emerging imperatives of innovation economic development in Russia determine the content of conceptual and institutional constraints to the development of regional economic systems (RES. They consider the regional planning system as a leading priority in its inseparable unity with modern public administration tasks. However, the practice of development of long-term plans in the RF subjects proves that the innovation challenges of economic policy are not reflected properly in them or they are significantly distorted. The following reasons reduce the effectiveness of modernization processes in the RF subjects and hamper the appropriate reaction of RES on their impact: the lack of coordination between socio-economic and spatial regional plans, the imbalance of interaction between state authorities engaged in long-term planning, the lack of real prerequisites for the implementation of innovation initiatives in the regions. Systematization and analysis of long-term plans make it possible to substantiate the consistency of the spatial approach to regional planning expressed in the dominance of the transformational function that synchronizes the configuration and parameters of RES, and to establish ways to integrate spatial components in the system of regional planning through optimization of its tool support. The change in the content of the instrumentation support is based on the synthesis of the predominant basic characteristics of the existing tools used in isolated subsystems of regional planning of socio-economic and territorial development. The study has established a system of tool support for regional planning that adapts to the changes in both internal and external factors in the development of RES. Three main groups of tools: organizing, regulating, and coordinating are defined by their typing in accordance with the groups of management functions. The article proposes the modeling of combinations of tools that are subordinated to the

Qualitative analysis of mouse specific-locus mutations: information on genetic organization, gene expression, and the chromosomal nature of induced lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, L.B.

1982-01-01

Analysis of mouse specific-locus (SL) mutations at three loci has identified over 33 distinct complementation groups - most of which are probably overlapping deficiencies - and 13 to 14 new functional units. The complementation maps that have been generated for the d-se and c regions include numerous vital functions; however, some of the genes in these regions are non-vital. At such loci, hypomorphic mutants must represent intragenic alterations, and some viable nulls could conceivably be intragenic lesions also. Analysis of SL mutations has provided information on genetic expression. Homozygous deficiencies can be completely viable or can kill at any one of a range of developmental stages. Heterozygonus deficiencies of up to 6 cM or more in genetic length have been recovered and propagated. The time of death of homozygous and the degree of inviability of heterozygous deficiencies are related more to specific content of the missing segment than to its length. Combinations of deficiencies with x-autosome translocations that inactivate the homologous region in a mosaic fashion have shown that organismic lethals are not necessarily cell lethal. The spectrum of mutations induced depends on the nature of the mutagen and the type of germ cell exposed. Radiation of spermatogonia produces intragenic as well as null mutations. Spontaneous mutations have an admixture of types not present in populations of mutations induced in germ cells, and this raises doubts concerning the accuracy of doubling-dose calculations in genetic risk estimation. The analysis of SL mutations has yielded genetic tools for the construction of detailed gene-dosage series, cis-trans comparisons, the mapping of known genes and identification of new genes, genetic rescue of various types, and the identification and isolation of DNA sequences

Rapid profiling of the antigen regions recognized by serum antibodies using massively parallel sequencing of antigen-specific libraries.

KAUST Repository

Domina, Maria; Lanza Cariccio, Veronica; Benfatto, Salvatore; D'Aliberti, Deborah; Venza, Mario; Borgogni, Erica; Castellino, Flora; Biondo, Carmelo; D'Andrea, Daniel; Grassi, Luigi; Tramontano, Anna; Teti, Giuseppe; Felici, Franco; Beninati, Concetta

2014-01-01

There is a need for techniques capable of identifying the antigenic epitopes targeted by polyclonal antibody responses during deliberate or natural immunization. Although successful, traditional phage library screening is laborious and can map only some of the epitopes. To accelerate and improve epitope identification, we have employed massive sequencing of phage-displayed antigen-specific libraries using the Illumina MiSeq platform. This enabled us to precisely identify the regions of a model antigen, the meningococcal NadA virulence factor, targeted by serum antibodies in vaccinated individuals and to rank hundreds of antigenic fragments according to their immunoreactivity. We found that next generation sequencing can significantly empower the analysis of antigen-specific libraries by allowing simultaneous processing of dozens of library/serum combinations in less than two days, including the time required for antibody-mediated library selection. Moreover, compared with traditional plaque picking, the new technology (named Phage-based Representation OF Immuno-Ligand Epitope Repertoire or PROFILER) provides superior resolution in epitope identification. PROFILER seems ideally suited to streamline and guide rational antigen design, adjuvant selection, and quality control of newly produced vaccines. Furthermore, this method is also susceptible to find important applications in other fields covered by traditional quantitative serology.

Rapid profiling of the antigen regions recognized by serum antibodies using massively parallel sequencing of antigen-specific libraries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Domina

Full Text Available There is a need for techniques capable of identifying the antigenic epitopes targeted by polyclonal antibody responses during deliberate or natural immunization. Although successful, traditional phage library screening is laborious and can map only some of the epitopes. To accelerate and improve epitope identification, we have employed massive sequencing of phage-displayed antigen-specific libraries using the Illumina MiSeq platform. This enabled us to precisely identify the regions of a model antigen, the meningococcal NadA virulence factor, targeted by serum antibodies in vaccinated individuals and to rank hundreds of antigenic fragments according to their immunoreactivity. We found that next generation sequencing can significantly empower the analysis of antigen-specific libraries by allowing simultaneous processing of dozens of library/serum combinations in less than two days, including the time required for antibody-mediated library selection. Moreover, compared with traditional plaque picking, the new technology (named Phage-based Representation OF Immuno-Ligand Epitope Repertoire or PROFILER provides superior resolution in epitope identification. PROFILER seems ideally suited to streamline and guide rational antigen design, adjuvant selection, and quality control of newly produced vaccines. Furthermore, this method is also susceptible to find important applications in other fields covered by traditional quantitative serology.

Rapid profiling of the antigen regions recognized by serum antibodies using massively parallel sequencing of antigen-specific libraries.

KAUST Repository

Domina, Maria

2014-12-04

There is a need for techniques capable of identifying the antigenic epitopes targeted by polyclonal antibody responses during deliberate or natural immunization. Although successful, traditional phage library screening is laborious and can map only some of the epitopes. To accelerate and improve epitope identification, we have employed massive sequencing of phage-displayed antigen-specific libraries using the Illumina MiSeq platform. This enabled us to precisely identify the regions of a model antigen, the meningococcal NadA virulence factor, targeted by serum antibodies in vaccinated individuals and to rank hundreds of antigenic fragments according to their immunoreactivity. We found that next generation sequencing can significantly empower the analysis of antigen-specific libraries by allowing simultaneous processing of dozens of library/serum combinations in less than two days, including the time required for antibody-mediated library selection. Moreover, compared with traditional plaque picking, the new technology (named Phage-based Representation OF Immuno-Ligand Epitope Repertoire or PROFILER) provides superior resolution in epitope identification. PROFILER seems ideally suited to streamline and guide rational antigen design, adjuvant selection, and quality control of newly produced vaccines. Furthermore, this method is also susceptible to find important applications in other fields covered by traditional quantitative serology.

Genome wide analysis of acute myeloid leukemia reveal leukemia specific methylome and subtype specific hypomethylation of repeats.

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Marwa H Saied

Full Text Available Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (MeDIP-seq has the potential to identify changes in DNA methylation important in cancer development. In order to understand the role of epigenetic modulation in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML we have applied MeDIP-seq to the DNA of 12 AML patients and 4 normal bone marrows. This analysis revealed leukemia-associated differentially methylated regions that included gene promoters, gene bodies, CpG islands and CpG island shores. Two genes (SPHKAP and DPP6 with significantly methylated promoters were of interest and further analysis of their expression showed them to be repressed in AML. We also demonstrated considerable cytogenetic subtype specificity in the methylomes affecting different genomic features. Significantly distinct patterns of hypomethylation of certain interspersed repeat elements were associated with cytogenetic subtypes. The methylation patterns of members of the SINE family tightly clustered all leukemic patients with an enrichment of Alu repeats with a high CpG density (P<0.0001. We were able to demonstrate significant inverse correlation between intragenic interspersed repeat sequence methylation and gene expression with SINEs showing the strongest inverse correlation (R(2 = 0.7. We conclude that the alterations in DNA methylation that accompany the development of AML affect not only the promoters, but also the non-promoter genomic features, with significant demethylation of certain interspersed repeat DNA elements being associated with AML cytogenetic subtypes. MeDIP-seq data were validated using bisulfite pyrosequencing and the Infinium array.

Multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis identifies specific nucleotide patterns promoting genetic polymorphisms

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Arehart Eric

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The fidelity of DNA replication serves as the nidus for both genetic evolution and genomic instability fostering disease. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs constitute greater than 80% of the genetic variation between individuals. A new theory regarding DNA replication fidelity has emerged in which selectivity is governed by base-pair geometry through interactions between the selected nucleotide, the complementary strand, and the polymerase active site. We hypothesize that specific nucleotide combinations in the flanking regions of SNP fragments are associated with mutation. Results We modeled the relationship between DNA sequence and observed polymorphisms using the novel multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR approach. MDR was originally developed to detect synergistic interactions between multiple SNPs that are predictive of disease susceptibility. We initially assembled data from the Broad Institute as a pilot test for the hypothesis that flanking region patterns associate with mutagenesis (n = 2194. We then confirmed and expanded our inquiry with human SNPs within coding regions and their flanking sequences collected from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI database (n = 29967 and a control set of sequences (coding region not associated with SNP sites randomly selected from the NCBI database (n = 29967. We discovered seven flanking region pattern associations in the Broad dataset which reached a minimum significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Significant models (p Conclusion The present study represents the first use of this computational methodology for modeling nonlinear patterns in molecular genetics. MDR was able to identify distinct nucleotide patterning around sites of mutations dependent upon the observed nucleotide change. We discovered one flanking region set that included five nucleotides clustered around a specific type of SNP site. Based on the strongly associated patterns identified in

Analysis of the Public Servants' Needs. Case Study: Romania, the North-West Region

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Simona Claudia CREȚA

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Considering that individuals can fulfill some of their needs at the workplace, we may assume that, from the moment people choose a job, they are oriented toward those organizations that ease needs’ satisfaction and quitting that job is less likely when the dominant work needs are met. This paper aims to identify and analyze the needs of public servants from the North-West Region of Romania. The research was conducted in two distinct parts: the identification of needs was made using interviews and the analysis was based on data collected by self-administrated questionnaires. Specific needs of public servants were identified, along with general needs which are expressed by employees from other sectors. 77 needs were analyzed and they were grouped in 22 dimensions following the application of a questionnaire to 343 employees. The results showed that there are three major needs that public servants have namely the need for an optimal organizational climate, the need to have a career and the need to have specific work characteristics.

IMPACT ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ON THE POLICY FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE LIGHT OF THE REGIONAL OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME

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Popescu (Stîngaciu Ana-Maria

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The analysis of the administrative capacity of institutions in the regional development starts from the analysis of the existing framework for the implementation of regional politics in Romania and studies the extent to what the structures and competencies were regionally enlarged as to contribute in the regional development. The basic hypothesis considered for such analysis had in view the fact that the differences recorded with respect to the implementation capacity of the regional development policy are caused by the various levels of the administrative capacity of the national, regional and local institutions existent in Romania. Although the regional development activity is, both centrally and regionally, dominated by the Regional Operational Programmme 2007-2013 (ROP implementation, significant activity also exists outside the ROP, but only regionally. The regional strategies incorporate to a great extent the strategic objectives established nationally, being coordinated with the national financing instruments for economic, social and territorial development. The undertaking degree of responsibilities regarding the objectives fulfillment of the regional development policy is relatively low both regionally and locally, and the main indicator which contributes in sustaining this conclusion is the absence of an adequate level regarding the property holding on certain strategies and also the methodological lack of strategies. Nationally, the current activity of Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism in the field of regional development totally overlaps the management activity of ROP. The management of structural funds 2007-2013 granted through ROP deals with various situations in which, due to the fact that the Law of regional development remained behind the legislation for the structural instruments implementation in Romania, additional resources are necessary to be granted in order to be found solutions through other types of

Regional specific binding of [11C]RO 15 1788 to central type benzodiazepine receptors in human brain: quantitative evaluation by PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pappata, S.; Samson, Y.; Chavoix, C.; Prenant, C.; Maziere, M.; Baron, J.C.

1988-01-01

The central type benzodiazepine receptors were studied in 17 healthy human subjects with 11 C-RO 15 1788 and positron emission tomography (PET). The brain regional distribution of the tracer in eight control studies performed after injection of trace doses of 11 C-RO 15 1788 was consistent with that of benzodiazepine receptors. Saturation studies with co-injected cold RO 15 1788 in the remaining subjects showed a dose-dependent decrease of brain radiotracer until full inhibition of specific binding was achieved with doses above 0.1 mg/kg (four studies). Based on the results, a simple method to estimate the specifically bound 11 C-RO 15 1788 regionally in a single PET study is proposed, using the data from the full-saturation studies as a stable estimate of the nondisplaceable radioligand concentration. Using this method, it was found that quasiequilibrium between the estimated specifically bound and nondisplaceable components was achieved at times equal to or longer than 20 min after tracer administration. The validity of this method was partly supported by further results, showing a good agreement between the regional specific binding so calculated and postmortem data of receptor density

Region-Specific Effect of the Decellularized Meniscus Extracellular Matrix on Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Meniscus Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimomura, Kazunori; Rothrauff, Benjamin B; Tuan, Rocky S

2017-03-01

The meniscus is the most commonly injured knee structure, and surgical repair is often ineffective. Tissue engineering-based repair or regeneration may provide a needed solution. Decellularized, tissue-derived extracellular matrices (ECMs) have received attention for their potential use as tissue-engineered scaffolds. In considering meniscus-derived ECMs (mECMs) for meniscus tissue engineering, it is noteworthy that the inner and outer regions of the meniscus have different structural and biochemical features, potentially directing the differentiation of cells toward region-specific phenotypes. To investigate the applicability of mECMs for meniscus tissue engineering by specifically comparing region-dependent effects of mECMs on 3-dimensional constructs seeded with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). Controlled laboratory study. Bovine menisci were divided into inner and outer halves and were minced, treated with Triton X-100 and DNase, and extracted with urea. Then, hBMSCs (1 × 10 6 cells/mL) were encapsulated in a photo-cross-linked 10% polyethylene glycol diacrylate scaffold containing mECMs (60 μg/mL) derived from either the inner or outer meniscus, with an ECM-free scaffold as a control. The cell-seeded constructs were cultured with chondrogenic medium containing recombinant human transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3) and were analyzed for expression of meniscus-associated genes as well as for the collagen (hydroxyproline) and glycosaminoglycan content as a function of time. Decellularization was verified by the absence of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained cell nuclei and a reduction in the DNA content. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that collagen type I expression was significantly higher in the outer mECM group than in the other groups, while collagen type II and aggrecan expression was highest in the inner mECM group. The collagen (hydroxyproline) content was highest in the outer mECM group, while the

A Study on Regional Frequency Analysis using Artificial Neural Network - the Sumjin River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, C.; Ahn, J.; Ahn, H.; Heo, J. H.

2017-12-01

Regional frequency analysis means to make up for shortcomings in the at-site frequency analysis which is about a lack of sample size through the regional concept. Regional rainfall quantile depends on the identification of hydrologically homogeneous regions, hence the regional classification based on hydrological homogeneous assumption is very important. For regional clustering about rainfall, multidimensional variables and factors related geographical features and meteorological figure are considered such as mean annual precipitation, number of days with precipitation in a year and average maximum daily precipitation in a month. Self-Organizing Feature Map method which is one of the artificial neural network algorithm in the unsupervised learning techniques solves N-dimensional and nonlinear problems and be shown results simply as a data visualization technique. In this study, for the Sumjin river basin in South Korea, cluster analysis was performed based on SOM method using high-dimensional geographical features and meteorological factor as input data. then, for the results, in order to evaluate the homogeneity of regions, the L-moment based discordancy and heterogeneity measures were used. Rainfall quantiles were estimated as the index flood method which is one of regional rainfall frequency analysis. Clustering analysis using SOM method and the consequential variation in rainfall quantile were analyzed. This research was supported by a grant(2017-MPSS31-001) from Supporting Technology Development Program for Disaster Management funded by Ministry of Public Safety and Security(MPSS) of the Korean government.

A site specific model and analysis of the neutral somatic mutation rate in whole-genome cancer data.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertl, Johanna; Guo, Qianyun; Juul, Malene; Besenbacher, Søren; Nielsen, Morten Muhlig; Hornshøj, Henrik; Pedersen, Jakob Skou; Hobolth, Asger

2018-04-19

Detailed modelling of the neutral mutational process in cancer cells is crucial for identifying driver mutations and understanding the mutational mechanisms that act during cancer development. The neutral mutational process is very complex: whole-genome analyses have revealed that the mutation rate differs between cancer types, between patients and along the genome depending on the genetic and epigenetic context. Therefore, methods that predict the number of different types of mutations in regions or specific genomic elements must consider local genomic explanatory variables. A major drawback of most methods is the need to average the explanatory variables across the entire region or genomic element. This procedure is particularly problematic if the explanatory variable varies dramatically in the element under consideration. To take into account the fine scale of the explanatory variables, we model the probabilities of different types of mutations for each position in the genome by multinomial logistic regression. We analyse 505 cancer genomes from 14 different cancer types and compare the performance in predicting mutation rate for both regional based models and site-specific models. We show that for 1000 randomly selected genomic positions, the site-specific model predicts the mutation rate much better than regional based models. We use a forward selection procedure to identify the most important explanatory variables. The procedure identifies site-specific conservation (phyloP), replication timing, and expression level as the best predictors for the mutation rate. Finally, our model confirms and quantifies certain well-known mutational signatures. We find that our site-specific multinomial regression model outperforms the regional based models. The possibility of including genomic variables on different scales and patient specific variables makes it a versatile framework for studying different mutational mechanisms. Our model can serve as the neutral null model

Non-genotype-specific role of the hepatitis C virus 5' untranslated region in virus production and in inhibition by interferon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Yi-Ping; Ramirez, Santseharay; Gottwein, Judith M

2011-01-01

The 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is structured into four domains (I-IV) with numerous genotype-specific nucleotides. It is unknown whether the polymorphisms confer genotype-specific functions to the 5'UTR. Using viable JFH1-based Core-NS2 recombinants, we developed...

REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH TOURISM. THE CASE OF REGION WEST

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Dragoi Ionut

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The regional development should aim to correlate and integrate tourism among the other integrative parts of the regional and local development, taking into account the fact that a region’s prosperity as effect of tourism development may be shown clearly in several stages: on the spot (as a result of direct consumption of the tourist product, on short term (through continuous absorption of the work-force and encouraging the welcoming commerce and in the long run (concentrating capital for investment in the general infrastructure and the one of tourism, in structures of reception for tourism and in the development of urban services. The analysis of intra-regional disparities as part of the economic growth at the level of Region West starts off with the idea that each component county has a different landscape, which favored or inhibited their economic growth; in the same time, each component county has its own specific, which can be promoted through tourism, inducing in time a regional income, and respectively, a social-economic and cultural growth of less developed areas.

PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT LEVEL - COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DISPARITIES AMONG REGIONS OF DEVELOPMENT AND MACRO-REGIONS IN ROMANIA

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MARIA OŢIL

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The major challenge of the regional policies is to mitigate the social and economic disparities between different territories and regions. The immediate reality shows that this is a problem which is neither simple nor for short term. For Romania, which has large lags behind compared to the economically developed countries, the intense mobilization of internal and external factors of economic growth in order to reduce and eliminate disparities compared to other countries, is a definite necessity, a regularity resulting from regional and national interests in terms of its finality - the welfare of society. The economic crisis has increased regional disparities in the European Union countries, these especially affecting the countries which are less economically efficient. The present research aims at accomplishing a comparative analysis regarding disparities among regions of development and macro-regions of Romania in order to assess the performance of the productive sector, of the structural types of economies and of their level of development.

Recombination within the apospory specific genomic region leads to the uncoupling of apomixis components in Cenchrus ciliaris.

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Conner, Joann A; Gunawan, Gunawati; Ozias-Akins, Peggy

2013-07-01

Apomixis enables the clonal propagation of maternal genotypes through seed. If apomixis could be harnessed via genetic engineering or introgression, it would have a major economic impact for agricultural crops. In the grass species Pennisetum squamulatum and Cenchrus ciliaris (syn. P. ciliare), apomixis is controlled by a single dominant "locus", the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR). For P. squamulatum, 18 published sequenced characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers have been identified which always co-segregate with apospory. Six of these markers are conserved SCARs in the closely related species, C. ciliaris and co-segregate with the trait. A screen of progeny from a cross of sexual × apomictic C. ciliaris genotypes identified a plant, A8, retaining two of the six ASGR-linked SCAR markers. Additional and newly identified ASGR-linked markers were generated to help identify the extent of recombination within the ASGR. Based on analysis of missing markers, the A8 recombinant plant has lost a significant portion of the ASGR but continues to form aposporous embryo sacs. Seedlings produced from aposporous embryo sacs are 6× in ploidy level and hence the A8 recombinant does not express parthenogenesis. The recombinant A8 plant represents a step forward in reducing the complexity of the ASGR locus to determine the factor(s) required for aposporous embryo sac formation and documents the separation of expression of the two components of apomixis in C. ciliaris.

Attitude Determination Error Analysis System (ADEAS) mathematical specifications document

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Mark; Markley, F.; Seidewitz, E.

1988-01-01

The mathematical specifications of Release 4.0 of the Attitude Determination Error Analysis System (ADEAS), which provides a general-purpose linear error analysis capability for various spacecraft attitude geometries and determination processes, are presented. The analytical basis of the system is presented. The analytical basis of the system is presented, and detailed equations are provided for both three-axis-stabilized and spin-stabilized attitude sensor models.

Genome-scale analysis of positional clustering of mouse testis-specific genes

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Lee Bernett TK

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genes are not randomly distributed on a chromosome as they were thought even after removal of tandem repeats. The positional clustering of co-expressed genes is known in prokaryotes and recently reported in several eukaryotic organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens. In order to further investigate the mode of tissue-specific gene clustering in higher eukaryotes, we have performed a genome-scale analysis of positional clustering of the mouse testis-specific genes. Results Our computational analysis shows that a large proportion of testis-specific genes are clustered in groups of 2 to 5 genes in the mouse genome. The number of clusters is much higher than expected by chance even after removal of tandem repeats. Conclusion Our result suggests that testis-specific genes tend to cluster on the mouse chromosomes. This provides another piece of evidence for the hypothesis that clusters of tissue-specific genes do exist.

Short Communication: An apospory-specific genomic region is conserved between Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) and Pennisetum squamulatum Fresen.

Science.gov (United States)

Roche; Cong; Chen; Hanna; Gustine; Sherwood; Ozias-Akins

1999-07-01

Twelve molecular markers linked to pseudogamous apospory, a form of gametophytic apomixis, were previously isolated from Pennisetum squamulatum Fresen. No recombination between these markers was found in a segregating population of 397 individuals (Ozias-Akins et al. 1998, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 95, 5127-5132). The objective of the present study was to test if these markers were also linked to the aposporous mode of reproduction in two small segregating populations of Cenchrus ciliaris (= Pennisetum ciliare (L.)Link), another apomictic grass species. Among 12 markers (sequence characterized amplified regions, SCARs), six were scored as dominant markers between aposporous and sexual C. ciliaris genotypes (presence/absence, respectively). Five were always linked to apospory and one showed a low level of recombination in 84 progenies. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were observed between sexual and apomictic phenotypes for three of the six remaining SCARs from P. squamulatum when used as probes. No recombination was observed in the F1 progenies. Preliminary data from megabase DNA analysis and sequencing in both species indicate that an apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR) is highly conserved between the two species. Although C. ciliaris has a smaller genome size to P. squamulatum, a higher copy number for markers linked to apospory found in the former may impair the progress of positional cloning of gene(s) for apomixis in this species.

Behavioral stress alters corticolimbic microglia in a sex- and brain region-specific manner.

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Bollinger, Justin L; Collins, Kaitlyn E; Patel, Rushi; Wellman, Cara L

2017-01-01

Women are more susceptible to numerous stress-linked psychological disorders (e.g., depression) characterized by dysfunction of corticolimbic brain regions critical for emotion regulation and cognitive function. Although sparsely investigated, a number of studies indicate sex differences in stress effects on neuronal structure, function, and behaviors associated with these regions. We recently demonstrated a basal sex difference in- and differential effects of stress on- microglial activation in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The resident immune cells of the brain, microglia are implicated in synaptic and dendritic plasticity, and cognitive-behavioral function. Here, we examined the effects of acute (3h/day, 1 day) and chronic (3h/day, 10 days) restraint stress on microglial density and morphology, as well as immune factor expression in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and dorsal hippocampus (DHC) in male and female rats. Microglia were visualized, classified based on their morphology, and stereologically counted. Microglia-associated transcripts (CD40, iNOS, Arg1, CX3CL1, CX3CR1, CD200, and CD200R) were assessed in brain punches from each region. Expression of genes linked with cellular stress, neuroimmune state, and neuron-microglia communication varied between unstressed male and female rats in a region-specific manner. In OFC, chronic stress upregulated a wider variety of immune factors in females than in males. Acute stress increased microglia-associated transcripts in BLA in males, whereas chronic stress altered immune factor expression in BLA more broadly in females. In DHC, chronic stress increased immune factor expression in males but not females. Moreover, acute and chronic stress differentially affected microglial morphological activation state in male and female rats across all brain regions investigated. In males, chronic stress altered microglial activation in a pattern consistent with microglial involvement in stress

Behavioral stress alters corticolimbic microglia in a sex- and brain region-specific manner

Science.gov (United States)

Bollinger, Justin L.; Collins, Kaitlyn E.; Patel, Rushi

2017-01-01

Women are more susceptible to numerous stress-linked psychological disorders (e.g., depression) characterized by dysfunction of corticolimbic brain regions critical for emotion regulation and cognitive function. Although sparsely investigated, a number of studies indicate sex differences in stress effects on neuronal structure, function, and behaviors associated with these regions. We recently demonstrated a basal sex difference in- and differential effects of stress on- microglial activation in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The resident immune cells of the brain, microglia are implicated in synaptic and dendritic plasticity, and cognitive-behavioral function. Here, we examined the effects of acute (3h/day, 1 day) and chronic (3h/day, 10 days) restraint stress on microglial density and morphology, as well as immune factor expression in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and dorsal hippocampus (DHC) in male and female rats. Microglia were visualized, classified based on their morphology, and stereologically counted. Microglia-associated transcripts (CD40, iNOS, Arg1, CX3CL1, CX3CR1, CD200, and CD200R) were assessed in brain punches from each region. Expression of genes linked with cellular stress, neuroimmune state, and neuron-microglia communication varied between unstressed male and female rats in a region-specific manner. In OFC, chronic stress upregulated a wider variety of immune factors in females than in males. Acute stress increased microglia-associated transcripts in BLA in males, whereas chronic stress altered immune factor expression in BLA more broadly in females. In DHC, chronic stress increased immune factor expression in males but not females. Moreover, acute and chronic stress differentially affected microglial morphological activation state in male and female rats across all brain regions investigated. In males, chronic stress altered microglial activation in a pattern consistent with microglial involvement in stress

Gene expression meta-analysis identifies chromosomal regions involved in ovarian cancer survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomassen, Mads; Jochumsen, Kirsten M; Mogensen, Ole

2009-01-01

the relation of gene expression and chromosomal position to identify chromosomal regions of importance for early recurrence of ovarian cancer. By use of *Gene Set Enrichment Analysis*, we have ranked chromosomal regions according to their association to survival. Over-representation analysis including 1...... using death (P = 0.015) and recurrence (P = 0.002) as outcome. The combined mutation score is strongly associated to upregulation of several growth factor pathways....

Country-Specific Dietary Patterns and Associations with Socioeconomic Status in European Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandez-Alvira, Juan M.; Bammann, Karin; Pala, Valeria

2014-01-01

Background/objectives:Children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) may be at higher risk of unhealthy eating. We described country-specific dietary patterns among children aged 2-9 years from eight European countries participating in the IDEFICS study and assessed the association of dietary...... patterns with an additive SES indicator.Subjects/Methods:Children aged 2-9 years from eight European countries were recruited in 2007-2008. Principal component analysis was applied to identify dietary country-specific patterns. Linear regression analyses were applied to assess their association with SES....... Results:Two to four dietary patterns were identified in the participating regions. The existence of a 'processed' pattern was found in the eight regions. Also, a 'healthy' pattern was identified in seven of the eight regions. In addition, region-specific patterns were identified, reflecting the existing...

The problem analysis of regional flors in botanical gardens

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Kharchenko Victoria E.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Now the climate changes become more pronounced. This affects to biodiversity and distribution of plants. Therefore, we need to study of the biodiversity and trends distribution of plants in specific environments. In this connection is necessary to clarify real composition of species in the of regional floras potential of their variability of and disseminating. A pressing problem remains the creation of a unified database of the flora of Russia, which takes into account the data of regional studies. Research program allows executing posed problems if it would coordinate with other botanical gardens. This program will allow revealing structural and functional adaptation of species to various environmental conditions. This will help create a basis for design ways to regulation the development of plants and biotops.

Combining position-specific 13C labeling with compound-specific isotope analysis: first steps towards soil fluxomics

Science.gov (United States)

Dippold, Michaela; Kuzyakov, Yakov

2015-04-01

Understanding the soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics is one of the most important challenges in soil science. Transformation of low molecular weight organic substances (LMWOS) is a key step in biogeochemical cycles because 1) all high molecular substances pass this stage during their decomposition and 2) only LMWOS will be taken up by microorganisms. Previous studies on LMWOS were focused on determining net fluxes through the LMWOS pool, but they rarely identified transformations. As LMWOS are the preferred C and energy source for microorganisms, the transformations of LMWOS are dominated by biochemical pathways of the soil microorganisms. Thus, understanding fluxes and transformations in soils requires a detailed knowledge on the biochemical pathways and its controlling factors. Tracing C fate in soil by isotopes became on of the most applied and promising biogeochemistry tools. Up to now, studies on LMWOS were nearly exclusively based on uniformly labeled organic substances i.e. all C atoms in the molecules were labeled with 13C or 14C. However, this classical approach did not allow the differentiation between use of intact initial substances in any process, or whether they were transformed to metabolites. The novel tool of position-specific labeling enables to trace molecule atoms separately and thus to determine the cleavage of molecules - a prerequisite for metabolic tracing. Position-specific labeling of LMWOS and quantification of 13CO2 and 13C in bulk soil enabled following the basic metabolic pathways of soil microorganisms. However, only the combination of position-specific 13C labeling with compound-specific isotope analysis of microbial biomarkers and metabolites allowed 1) tracing specific anabolic pathways in diverse microbial communities in soils and 2) identification of specific pathways of individual functional microbial groups. So, these are the prerequisites for soil fluxomics. Our studies combining position-specific labeled glucose with amino

Inter-municipal communities as semi-regional (quasi governments

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Golić Darko

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the author discusses specific forms of integrated inter-municipal cooperation in some European countries which have certain characteristics of regional governments. Relying on the analysis of different forms of this inter-municipal cooperation, the author elaborates on some common features underlying these communities, with specific reference to their functional aspects. Bearing in mind that the imminent needs for regional planning, coordination of local policies and operation of regional offices are exercised through different institutional solutions, we point out that it is possible to provide an appropriate institutional and decentralized framework for accomplishing these goals even without changing the existing territorial organization system. Although the entities that are created through these specific forms of inter-municipal cooperation cannot be designated as territorial-political units in institutional terms, this is what they are from a functional point of view.

Cross-scale analysis of the region effect on vascular plant species diversity in southern and northern European mountain ranges.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan Lenoir

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The divergent glacial histories of southern and northern Europe affect present-day species diversity at coarse-grained scales in these two regions, but do these effects also penetrate to the more fine-grained scales of local communities? METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We carried out a cross-scale analysis to address this question for vascular plants in two mountain regions, the Alps in southern Europe and the Scandes in northern Europe, using environmentally paired vegetation plots in the two regions (n = 403 in each region to quantify four diversity components: (i total number of species occurring in a region (total γ-diversity, (ii number of species that could occur in a target plot after environmental filtering (habitat-specific γ-diversity, (iii pair-wise species compositional turnover between plots (plot-to-plot β-diversity and (iv number of species present per plot (plot α-diversity. We found strong region effects on total γ-diversity, habitat-specific γ-diversity and plot-to-plot β-diversity, with a greater diversity in the Alps even towards distances smaller than 50 m between plots. In contrast, there was a slightly greater plot α-diversity in the Scandes, but with a tendency towards contrasting region effects on high and low soil-acidity plots. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that there are strong regional differences between coarse-grained (landscape- to regional-scale diversity components of the flora in the Alps and the Scandes mountain ranges, but that these differences do not necessarily penetrate to the finest-grained (plot-scale diversity component, at least not on acidic soils. Our findings are consistent with the contrasting regional Quaternary histories, but we also consider alternative explanatory models. Notably, ecological sorting and habitat connectivity may play a role in the unexpected limited or reversed region effect on plot α-diversity, and may also affect the larger-scale diversity

Case studies: Risk-based analysis of technical specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, D.P.; Minton, L.A.; Gaertner, J.P.

1987-01-01

The SOCRATES computer program uses the results of a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) or a system level risk analysis to calculate changes in risk due to changes in the surveillance test interval and/or the allowed outage time stated in the technical specification. The computer program can accommodate various testing strategies (such as staggered or simultaneous testing) to allow modeling of component testing as it is carried out at a plant. The methods and computer program are an integral part of a larger decision process aimed at determining benefits from technical specification changes. These benefits can include cost savings to the utilities by reducing forced shutdowns with no adverse impacts on risk. Three summaries of case study applications are included to demonstrate the types of results that can be achieved through risk-based evaluation of technical specifications. (orig.)

Measuring Efficiency of Health Systems of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region Using Stochastic Frontier Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamidi, Samer; Akinci, Fevzi

2016-06-01

The main purpose of this study is to measure the technical efficiency of twenty health systems in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to inform evidence-based health policy decisions. In addition, the effects of alternative stochastic frontier model specification on the empirical results are examined. We conducted a stochastic frontier analysis to estimate the country-level technical efficiencies using secondary panel data for 20 MENA countries for the period of 1995-2012 from the World Bank database. We also tested the effect of alternative frontier model specification using three random-effects approaches: a time-invariant model where efficiency effects are assumed to be static with regard to time, and a time-varying efficiency model where efficiency effects have temporal variation, and one model to account for heterogeneity. The average estimated technical inefficiency of health systems in the MENA region was 6.9 % with a range of 5.7-7.9 % across the three models. Among the top performers, Lebanon, Qatar, and Morocco are ranked consistently high according to the three different inefficiency model specifications. On the opposite side, Sudan, Yemen and Djibouti ranked among the worst performers. On average, the two most technically efficient countries were Qatar and Lebanon. We found that the estimated technical efficiency scores vary substantially across alternative parametric models. Based on the findings reported in this study, most MENA countries appear to be operating, on average, with a reasonably high degree of technical efficiency compared with other countries in the region. However, there is evidence to suggest that there are considerable efficiency gains yet to be made by some MENA countries. Additional empirical research is needed to inform future health policies aimed at improving both the efficiency and sustainability of the health systems in the MENA region.

The analysis of the regional self-governing units forests in selected European countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbora Lišková

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article focuses on identification, analysis, description and comparison of the regional self-governing units (RSGU forests in selected European countries. The analysis deals not only with forests in the ownership of basic regional self-governing units such as villages but also with forests of higher regional self-governing unit such as regions or federated states. The identification and description of this type of ownership is not overly published in the Czech Republic. The published foreign overall studies and summaries state mainly the division into forests in public and private ownership. This article is created on the basis of the selection of relevant information sources according to corresponding key words. The methods of analysis of available literary sources, conspectus, comparison and interpretation were used to deal with the topic. The quantity of information is higher and more available within basic regional self-governing units than with higher regional self-governing units. On the basis of obtained information it can be stated that the share of forest ownership in the observed countries varies ranging from zero share in the ownership to fifty per cent share in Germany.

RNA-Seq Mouse Brain Regions Expression Data Analysis: Focus on ApoE Functional Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babenko Vladimir N.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available ApoE expression status was proved to be a highly specific marker of energy metabolism rate in the brain. Along with its neighbor, Translocase of Outer Mitochondrial Membrane 40 kDa (TOMM40 which is involved in mitochondrial metabolism, the corresponding genomic region constitutes the neuroenergetic hotspot. Using RNA-Seq data from a murine model of chronic stress a significant positive expression coordination of seven neighboring genes in ApoE locus in five brain regions was observed. ApoE maintains one of the highest absolute expression values genome-wide, implying that ApoE can be the driver of the neighboring gene expression alteration observed under stressful loads. Notably, we revealed the highly statistically significant increase of ApoE expression in the hypothalamus of chronically aggressive (FDR < 0.007 and defeated (FDR < 0.001 mice compared to the control. Correlation analysis revealed a close association of ApoE and proopiomelanocortin (Pomc gene expression profiles implying the putative neuroendocrine stress response background of ApoE expression elevation therein.

Who perpetrates violence against children? A systematic analysis of age-specific and sex-specific data.

Science.gov (United States)

Devries, Karen; Knight, Louise; Petzold, Max; Merrill, Katherine G; Maxwell, Lauren; Williams, Abigail; Cappa, Claudia; Chan, Ko Ling; Garcia-Moreno, Claudia; Hollis, NaTasha; Kress, Howard; Peterman, Amber; Walsh, Sophie D; Kishor, Sunita; Guedes, Alessandra; Bott, Sarah; Butron Riveros, Betzabe C; Watts, Charlotte; Abrahams, Naeemah

2018-01-01

The epidemiology of violence against children is likely to differ substantially by sex and age of the victim and the perpetrator. Thus far, investment in effective prevention strategies has been hindered by lack of clarity in the burden of childhood violence across these dimensions. We produced the first age-specific and sex-specific prevalence estimates by perpetrator type for physical, sexual and emotional violence against children globally. We used random effects meta-regression to estimate prevalence. Estimates were adjusted for relevant quality covariates, variation in definitions of violence and weighted by region-specific, age-specific and sex-specific population data to ensure estimates reflect country population structures. Secondary data from 600 population or school-based representative datasets and 43 publications obtained via systematic literature review, representing 13 830 estimates from 171 countries. Estimates for recent violence against children aged 0-19 were included. The most common perpetrators of physical and emotional violence for both boys and girls across a range of ages are household members, with prevalence often surpassing 50%, followed by student peers. Children reported experiencing more emotional than physical violence from both household members and students. The most common perpetrators of sexual violence against girls aged 15-19 years are intimate partners; however, few data on other perpetrators of sexual violence against children are systematically collected internationally. Few age-specific and sex-specific data are available on violence perpetration by schoolteachers; however, existing data indicate high prevalence of physical violence from teachers towards students. Data from other authority figures, strangers, siblings and other adults are limited, as are data on neglect of children. Without further investment in data generation on violence exposure from multiple perpetrators for boys and girls of all ages, progress

Who perpetrates violence against children? A systematic analysis of age-specific and sex-specific data

Science.gov (United States)

Devries, Karen; Knight, Louise; Petzold, Max; Merrill, Katherine G; Maxwell, Lauren; Williams, Abigail; Cappa, Claudia; Chan, Ko Ling; Garcia-Moreno, Claudia; Hollis, NaTasha; Kress, Howard; Peterman, Amber; Walsh, Sophie D; Kishor, Sunita; Guedes, Alessandra; Bott, Sarah; Butron Riveros, Betzabe C; Watts, Charlotte; Abrahams, Naeemah

2018-01-01

Objective The epidemiology of violence against children is likely to differ substantially by sex and age of the victim and the perpetrator. Thus far, investment in effective prevention strategies has been hindered by lack of clarity in the burden of childhood violence across these dimensions. We produced the first age-specific and sex-specific prevalence estimates by perpetrator type for physical, sexual and emotional violence against children globally. Design We used random effects meta-regression to estimate prevalence. Estimates were adjusted for relevant quality covariates, variation in definitions of violence and weighted by region-specific, age-specific and sex-specific population data to ensure estimates reflect country population structures. Data sources Secondary data from 600 population or school-based representative datasets and 43 publications obtained via systematic literature review, representing 13 830 estimates from 171 countries. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Estimates for recent violence against children aged 0–19 were included. Results The most common perpetrators of physical and emotional violence for both boys and girls across a range of ages are household members, with prevalence often surpassing 50%, followed by student peers. Children reported experiencing more emotional than physical violence from both household members and students. The most common perpetrators of sexual violence against girls aged 15–19 years are intimate partners; however, few data on other perpetrators of sexual violence against children are systematically collected internationally. Few age-specific and sex-specific data are available on violence perpetration by schoolteachers; however, existing data indicate high prevalence of physical violence from teachers towards students. Data from other authority figures, strangers, siblings and other adults are limited, as are data on neglect of children. Conclusions Without further investment in data

Toward a regional power plant siting method: AEC-Maryland regional siting factors study, FY 1974 progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaffee, S.L.; Miller, C.A.

1974-11-01

The ''AEC-Maryland Regional Siting Factors Study'' examines the process of siting in a regional context. It is developing an analysis method to delineate candidate areas for siting of several power plant technology packages, including both fossil-fueled and nuclear options. Tools that are being used include simulation modeling, economic and demographic forecasting, spatial analysis, and computer graphics and numerical manipulation. The approach will describe the trade-offs incurred if a power plant is located in one candidate area rather than in another. In FY 1974, a suitability analysis method was developed which uses engineering and environmental parameters to define a level of environmental cost incurred if a segment of land is used to site a specific technology package. (U.S.)

Fault specific GIS based seismic hazard maps for the Attica region, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Deligiannakis, G.; Papanikolaou, I. D.; Roberts, G.

2018-04-01

Traditional seismic hazard assessment methods are based on the historical seismic records for the calculation of an annual probability of exceedance for a particular ground motion level. A new fault-specific seismic hazard assessment method is presented, in order to address problems related to the incompleteness and the inhomogeneity of the historical records and to obtain higher spatial resolution of hazard. This method is applied to the region of Attica, which is the most densely populated area in Greece, as nearly half of the country's population lives in Athens and its surrounding suburbs, in the Greater Athens area. The methodology is based on a database of 24 active faults that could cause damage to Attica in case of seismic rupture. This database provides information about the faults slip rates, lengths and expected magnitudes. The final output of the method is four fault-specific seismic hazard maps, showing the recurrence of expected intensities for each locality. These maps offer a high spatial resolution, as they consider the surface geology. Despite the fact that almost half of the Attica region lies on the lowest seismic risk zone according to the official seismic hazard zonation of Greece, different localities have repeatedly experienced strong ground motions during the last 15 kyrs. Moreover, the maximum recurrence for each intensity occurs in different localities across Attica. Highest recurrence for intensity VII (151-156 times over 15 kyrs, or up to a 96 year return period) is observed in the central part of the Athens basin. The maximum intensity VIII recurrence (115 times over 15 kyrs, or up to a 130 year return period) is observed in the western part of Attica, while the maximum intensity IX (73-77/15 kyrs, or a 195 year return period) and X (25-29/15 kyrs, or a 517 year return period) recurrences are observed near the South Alkyonides fault system, which dominates the strong ground motions hazard in the western part of the Attica mainland.

Aircraft nonlinear stability analysis and multidimensional stability region estimation under icing conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang QU

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Icing is one of the crucial factors that could pose great threat to flight safety, and thus research on stability and stability region of aircraft safety under icing conditions is significant for control and flight. Nonlinear dynamical equations and models of aerodynamic coefficients of an aircraft are set up in this paper to study the stability and stability region of the aircraft under an icing condition. Firstly, the equilibrium points of the iced aircraft system are calculated and analyzed based on the theory of differential equation stability. Secondly, according to the correlation theory about equilibrium points and the stability region, this paper estimates the multidimensional stability region of the aircraft, based on which the stability regions before and after icing are compared. Finally, the results are confirmed by the time history analysis. The results can give a reference for stability analysis and envelope protection of the nonlinear system of an iced aircraft.

Discrimination of ginseng cultivation regions using light stable isotope analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kiwook; Song, Joo-Hyun; Heo, Sang-Cheol; Lee, Jin-Hee; Jung, In-Woo; Min, Ji-Sook

2015-10-01

Korean ginseng is considered to be a precious health food in Asia. Today, thieves frequently compromise ginseng farms by pervasive theft. Thus, studies regarding the characteristics of ginseng according to growth region are required in order to deter ginseng thieves and prevent theft. In this study, 6 regions were selected on the basis of Korea regional criteria (si, gun, gu), and two ginseng-farms were randomly selected from each of the 6 regions. Then 4-6 samples of ginseng were acquired from each ginseng farm. The stable isotopic compositions of H, O, C, and N of the collected ginseng samples were analyzed. As a result, differences in the hydrogen isotope ratios could be used to distinguish regional differences, and differences in the nitrogen isotope ratios yielded characteristic information regarding the farms from which the samples were obtained. Thus, stable isotope values could be used to differentiate samples according to regional differences. Therefore, stable isotope analysis serves as a powerful tool to discriminate the regional origin of Korean ginseng samples from across Korea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

REGRESSIONAL ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER NUTRITION SPENDINGS IN THE HOUSEHOLDS OF THE REGION AS FUNCTION OF PERSONAL INCOME AND PRICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. N. Siulzhyn

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The multiple regression analysis method is widely used to describe and investigate some processes of the regional economy and may be also used to solve an important problem of distinguishing the effects of various independent or partially dependent variables. The regression model considered includes the specification of its constituent relationships, the choice of variables included in each relation, and the definition of mathematical functions corresponding to these relations. Regression model of food expenditure with two independent variables - expenditure as a function of income and price is based upon the official quarterly averaged statistical information (2015 and 2016 years. All the data are presented in the interpolated monthly version. Regression analysis made it possible to specify the dependence of expenditure on food in the country's households on the disposable personal income and the relative price of foodstuffs, which must be taken into account when solving problems of the region's social and economic development.

The consequences of price differentiation for regional development in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grzegorz Przekota

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Each region in Poland has a different economic potential due to its own specific features. Taking account of the specific nature of individual regions is important for the management of the country as a whole and of its particular regions. Existing disparities in the economic development may lead to many negative phenomena, such as internal migration or regional marginalization. Excessive price and income inequalities may weaken economic growth throughout the country. It is important for the coherence of the whole country that the disparities between regions are not too big. The study determines the consequences of price differentiation for regional development in Poland. The analysis was conducted using the coefficient of variation, correlation coefficient, regression coefficient and medium pace. The regions differ in terms of development, dynamic growth and wages. However, prices are much less diverse.

TIPPtool: Compositional Specification and Analysis of Markovian Performance Models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermanns, H.; Halbwachs, N.; Peled, D.; Mertsiotakis, V.; Siegle, M.

1999-01-01

In this short paper we briefly describe a tool which is based on a Markovian stochastic process algebra. The tool offers both model specification and quantitative model analysis in a compositional fashion, wrapped in a userfriendly graphical front-end.

HeteroGenius: A Framework for Hybrid Analysis of Heterogeneous Software Specifications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Giménez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, software artifacts are ubiquitous in our lives being an essential part of home appliances, cars, cell phones, and even in more critical activities like aeronautics and health sciences. In this context software failures may produce enormous losses, either economical or, in the worst case, in human lives. Software analysis is an area in software engineering concerned with the application of diverse techniques in order to prove the absence of errors in software pieces. In many cases different analysis techniques are applied by following specific methodological combinations that ensure better results. These interactions between tools are usually carried out at the user level and it is not supported by the tools. In this work we present HeteroGenius, a framework conceived to develop tools that allow users to perform hybrid analysis of heterogeneous software specifications. HeteroGenius was designed prioritising the possibility of adding new specification languages and analysis tools and enabling a synergic relation of the techniques under a graphical interface satisfying several well-known usability enhancement criteria. As a case-study we implemented the functionality of Dynamite on top of HeteroGenius.

Integrated GIS and multivariate statistical analysis for regional scale assessment of heavy metal soil contamination: A critical review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Deyi; O'Connor, David; Nathanail, Paul; Tian, Li; Ma, Yan

2017-01-01

Heavy metal soil contamination is associated with potential toxicity to humans or ecotoxicity. Scholars have increasingly used a combination of geographical information science (GIS) with geostatistical and multivariate statistical analysis techniques to examine the spatial distribution of heavy metals in soils at a regional scale. A review of such studies showed that most soil sampling programs were based on grid patterns and composite sampling methodologies. Many programs intended to characterize various soil types and land use types. The most often used sampling depth intervals were 0–0.10 m, or 0–0.20 m, below surface; and the sampling densities used ranged from 0.0004 to 6.1 samples per km 2 , with a median of 0.4 samples per km 2 . The most widely used spatial interpolators were inverse distance weighted interpolation and ordinary kriging; and the most often used multivariate statistical analysis techniques were principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The review also identified several determining and correlating factors in heavy metal distribution in soils, including soil type, soil pH, soil organic matter, land use type, Fe, Al, and heavy metal concentrations. The major natural and anthropogenic sources of heavy metals were found to derive from lithogenic origin, roadway and transportation, atmospheric deposition, wastewater and runoff from industrial and mining facilities, fertilizer application, livestock manure, and sewage sludge. This review argues that the full potential of integrated GIS and multivariate statistical analysis for assessing heavy metal distribution in soils on a regional scale has not yet been fully realized. It is proposed that future research be conducted to map multivariate results in GIS to pinpoint specific anthropogenic sources, to analyze temporal trends in addition to spatial patterns, to optimize modeling parameters, and to expand the use of different multivariate analysis tools beyond principal component

Identification and in silico analysis of helical lipid binding regions in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In supplementary table 1, all the results of the lipid binding region analysis for SecA from a number of ..... For those interested, a more detailed description will now be given for this particular analysis. First of ... MCPep Job Status Page Finished.

Undertaking cause-specific mortality measurement in an unregistered population: an example from Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hagos Godefay

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The lack of adequate documentation of deaths, and particularly their cause, is often noted in African and Asian settings, but practical solutions for addressing the problem are not always clear. Verbal autopsy methods (interviewing witnesses after a death have developed rapidly, but there remains a lack of clarity as to how these methods can be effectively applied to large unregistered populations. This paper sets out practical details for undertaking a representative survey of cause-specific mortality in a population of several million, taking Tigray Region in Ethiopia as a prototype. Sampling: Sampling was designed around an expected level of maternal mortality ratio of 400 per 100,000 live births, which needed measuring within a 95% confidence interval of approximately ±100. Taking a stratified cluster sample within the region at the district level for logistic reasons, and allowing for a design effect of 2, this required a population of around 900,000 people, equating to six typical districts. Since the region is administered in six geographic zones, one district per zone was randomly selected. Implementation: The survey was implemented as a two-stage process: first, to trace deaths that occurred in the sampled districts within the preceding year, and second to follow them up with verbal autopsy interviews. The field work for both stages was undertaken by health extension workers, working in their normally assigned areas. Most of the work was associated with tracing the deaths, rather than undertaking the verbal autopsy interviews. Discussion: This approach to measuring cause-specific mortality in an unregistered Ethiopian population proved to be feasible and effective. Although it falls short of the ideal situation of continuous civil registration and vital statistics, a survey-based strategy of this kind may prove to be a useful intermediate step on the road towards full civil registration and vital statistics implementation.

Olanzapine Reverses MK-801-Induced Cognitive Deficits and Region-Specific Alterations of NMDA Receptor Subunits

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiao; Li, Jitao; Guo, Chunmei; Wang, Hongli; Sun, Yaxin; Wang, Han; Su, Yun-Ai; Li, Keqing; Si, Tianmei

2018-01-01

Cognitive dysfunction constitutes an essential component in schizophrenia for its early presence in the pathophysiology of the disease and close relatedness to life quality of patients. To develop effective treatment of cognitive deficits, it is important to understand their neurobiological causes and to identify potential therapeutic targets. In this study, adopting repeated MK-801 treatment as an animal model of schizophrenia, we investigated whether antipsychotic drugs, olanzapine and haloperidol, can reverse MK-801-induced cognitive deficits and how the reversal processes recruited proteins involved in glutamate neurotransmission in rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. We found that low-dose chronic MK-801 treatment impaired object-in-context recognition memory and reversal learning in the Morris water maze, leaving reference memory relatively unaffected, and that these cognitive deficits can be partially reversed by olanzapine, not haloperidol, treatment. At the molecular level, chronic MK-801 treatment resulted in the reduction of multiple N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits in rat mPFC and olanzapine, not haloperidol, treatment restored the levels of GluN1 and phosphorylated GluN2B in this region. Taken together, MK-801-induced cognitive deficits may be associated with region-specific changes in NMDA receptor subunits and the reversal of specific NMDA receptor subunits may underlie the cognition-enhancing effects of olanzapine. PMID:29375333

Specifications for surface reaction analysis apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teraoka, Yuden; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

2001-03-01

A surface reaction analysis apparatus was installed at the JAERI soft x-ray beamline in the SPring-8 as an experimental end-station for the study of surface chemistry. The apparatus is devoted to the study concerning the influence of translational kinetic energy of incident molecules to chemical reactions on solid surfaces with gas molecules. In order to achieve the research purpose, reactive molecular scattering experiments and photoemission spectroscopic measurements using synchrotron radiation are performed in that apparatus via a supersonic molecular beam generator, an electron energy analyzer and a quadrupole mass analyzer. The detail specifications for the apparatus are described in this report. (author)

Region-specific associations between sex, social status, and oxytocin receptor density in the brains of eusocial rodents.

Science.gov (United States)

Mooney, S J; Coen, C W; Holmes, M M; Beery, A K

2015-09-10

Naturally occurring variations in neuropeptide receptor distributions in the brain contribute to numerous mammalian social behaviors. In naked mole-rats, which live in large social groups and exhibit remarkable reproductive skew, colony-related social behaviors vary with reproductive status. Here we examined whether variation in social status is associated with variations in the location and/or density of oxytocin binding in this species. Autoradiography was performed to assess forebrain oxytocin receptor (OTR) densities in breeding and non-breeding naked mole-rats of both sexes. Overall, males exhibited higher OTR binding in the medial amygdala in comparison to females. While there were no main effects of reproductive status in any region, a sex difference in OTR binding in the nucleus accumbens was mediated by status. Specifically, breeding males tended to have more OTR binding than breeding females in the nucleus accumbens, while no sex difference was observed in subordinates. These effects suggest that oxytocin may act in a sex- and region-specific way that corresponds to reproductive status and associated social behaviors. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Premature deaths attributed to source-specific BC emissions in six urban US regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, Matthew D; Henze, Daven K; Capps, Shannon L; Hakami, Amir; Zhao, Shunliu; Resler, Jaroslav; Carmichael, Gregory R; Stanier, Charles O; Baek, Jaemeen; Sandu, Adrian; Russell, Armistead G; Nenes, Athanasios; Pinder, Rob W; Napelenok, Sergey L; Bash, Jesse O; Percell, Peter B; Chai, Tianfeng

2015-01-01

Recent studies have shown that exposure to particulate black carbon (BC) has significant adverse health effects and may be more detrimental to human health than exposure to PM 2.5 as a whole. Mobile source BC emission controls, mostly on diesel-burning vehicles, have successfully decreased mobile source BC emissions to less than half of what they were 30 years ago. Quantification of the benefits of previous emissions controls conveys the value of these regulatory actions and provides a method by which future control alternatives could be evaluated. In this study we use the adjoint of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to estimate highly-resolved spatial distributions of benefits related to emission reductions for six urban regions within the continental US. Emissions from outside each of the six chosen regions account for between 7% and 27% of the premature deaths attributed to exposure to BC within the region. While we estimate that nonroad mobile and onroad diesel emissions account for the largest number of premature deaths attributable to exposure to BC, onroad gasoline is shown to have more than double the benefit per unit emission relative to that of nonroad mobile and onroad diesel. Within the region encompassing New York City and Philadelphia, reductions in emissions from large industrial combustion sources that are not classified as EGUs (i.e., non-EGU) are estimated to have up to triple the benefits per unit emission relative to reductions to onroad diesel sectors, and provide similar benefits per unit emission to that of onroad gasoline emissions in the region. While onroad mobile emissions have been decreasing in the past 30 years and a majority of vehicle emission controls that regulate PM focus on diesel emissions, our analysis shows the most efficient target for stricter controls is actually onroad gasoline emissions. (letter)

A probabilistic method for streamflow projection and associated uncertainty analysis in a data sparse alpine region

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Weiwei; Yang, Tao; Shi, Pengfei; Xu, Chong-yu; Zhang, Ke; Zhou, Xudong; Shao, Quanxi; Ciais, Philippe

2018-06-01

Climate change imposes profound influence on regional hydrological cycle and water security in many alpine regions worldwide. Investigating regional climate impacts using watershed scale hydrological models requires a large number of input data such as topography, meteorological and hydrological data. However, data scarcity in alpine regions seriously restricts evaluation of climate change impacts on water cycle using conventional approaches based on global or regional climate models, statistical downscaling methods and hydrological models. Therefore, this study is dedicated to development of a probabilistic model to replace the conventional approaches for streamflow projection. The probabilistic model was built upon an advanced Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) approach directly fed by the large-scale climate predictor variables and tested in a typical data sparse alpine region, the Kaidu River basin in Central Asia. Results show that BNN model performs better than the general methods across a number of statistical measures. The BNN method with flexible model structures by active indicator functions, which reduce the dependence on the initial specification for the input variables and the number of hidden units, can work well in a data limited region. Moreover, it can provide more reliable streamflow projections with a robust generalization ability. Forced by the latest bias-corrected GCM scenarios, streamflow projections for the 21st century under three RCP emission pathways were constructed and analyzed. Briefly, the proposed probabilistic projection approach could improve runoff predictive ability over conventional methods and provide better support to water resources planning and management under data limited conditions as well as enable a facilitated climate change impact analysis on runoff and water resources in alpine regions worldwide.

Vertebral heights and ratios are not only race-specific, but also gender- and region-specific: establishment of reference values for mainland Chinese.

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Lei; Song, Li-Jiang; Fan, Shun-Wu; Zhao, Xing; Chen, Yi-Lei; Li, Zhao-Zhi; Hu, Zi-Ang

2017-10-11

This study established gender-specific reference values in mainland Chinese (MC) and is important for quantitative morphometry for diagnosis and epidemiological study of osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture. Comparisons of reference values among different racial populations are then performed to demonstrate the MC-specific characteristic. Osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture (OVCF) is a common complication of osteoporosis in the elder population. Clinical diagnosis and epidemiological study of OVCF often employ quantitative morphometry, which relies heavily on the comparison of patients' vertebral parameters to existing reference values derived from the normal population. Thus, reference values are crucial in clinical diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to establish reference values of the mainland Chinese (MC) for quantitative morphometry. Vertebral heights including anterior (Ha), middle (Hm), posterior (Hp) heights, and predicted posterior height (pp) from T4 to L5 were obtained; and ratios of Ha/Hp, Hm/Hp and Hp/pp. were calculated from 585 MC (both female and male) for establishing reference values and subsequent comparisons with other studies. Vertebral heights increased progressively from T4 to L3 but then decreased in L4 and L5. Both genders showed similar ratios of vertebral dimensions, but male vertebrae were statistically larger than those of female (P values for MC. Our results also indicated the necessity of establishing reference values that are not only race- and gender-specific, but also population- or region-specific for accurate quantitative morphometric assessment of OVCF.

Genome-wide methylation analysis identified sexually dimorphic methylated regions in hybrid tilapia

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Zi Yi; Xia, Jun Hong; Lin, Grace; Wang, Le; Lin, Valerie C. L.; Yue, Gen Hua

2016-01-01

Sexual dimorphism is an interesting biological phenomenon. Previous studies showed that DNA methylation might play a role in sexual dimorphism. However, the overall picture of the genome-wide methylation landscape in sexually dimorphic species remains unclear. We analyzed the DNA methylation landscape and transcriptome in hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). We found 4,757 sexually dimorphic differentially methylated regions (DMRs), with significant clusters of DMRs located on chromosomal regions associated with sex determination. CpG methylation in promoter regions was negatively correlated with the gene expression level. MAPK/ERK pathway was upregulated in male tilapia. We also inferred active cis-regulatory regions (ACRs) in skeletal muscle tissues from WGBS datasets, revealing sexually dimorphic cis-regulatory regions. These results suggest that DNA methylation contribute to sex-specific phenotypes and serve as resources for further investigation to analyze the functions of these regions and their contributions towards sexual dimorphisms. PMID:27782217

Analysis of Irradiation Holes of In-Core Region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In, Won-ho; Lee, Yong-sub; Kim, Tae-hwan; Lim, Kyoung-hwan; Ahn, Hyung-jin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Test fuels and materials are irradiated in the in-core region in side of the chimney. The inner chimney is composed of In-Core and Out-Core regions. The In-Core region has 23 hexagonal vertical irradiation holes named from R01 to R20, CT, IR1 and IR2 and 8 cylindrical irradiation holes named from CAR1 to CAR4 and SOR1 to SOR4. The Out-Core region is composed of 8 cylindrical irradiation holes named from OR1 to OR8 which are installed near the inner shell of the reflector tank. HANARO is the multi-purpose research reactor which utilizes in-core irradiation holes, which is being used in various field. Over the past 7 years we have used CT 8 times, IR once, IR2 and OR3 twice, OR4 three times and OR5 ten times. These irradiation holes are used to perform an evaluation of the neutron irradiation properties and the tests were all completed and done successfully. HANARO has been used successfully, and it still will be used continuously in various fields such as nuclear in-pile tests, the production of radioisotopes, neutron transmutation doping, neutron activation analysis, neutron beam research, radiography, environmental science.

Female-Specific Specialization of a Posterior End Region of the Midgut Symbiotic Organ in Plautia splendens and Allied Stinkbugs

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Toshinari; Hosokawa, Takahiro; Meng, Xian-Ying; Koga, Ryuichi

2015-01-01

Many stinkbugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) are associated with bacterial symbionts in a posterior region of the midgut. In these stinkbugs, adult females excrete symbiont-containing materials from the anus for transmission of the beneficial symbionts to their offspring. For ensuring the vertical symbiont transmission, a variety of female-specific elaborate traits at the cellular, morphological, developmental, and behavioral levels have been reported from diverse stinkbugs of the families Plataspidae, Urostylididae, Parastrachiidae, etc. Meanwhile, such elaborate female-specific traits for vertical symbiont transmission have been poorly characterized for the largest and economically important stinkbug family Pentatomidae. Here, we investigated the midgut symbiotic system of a pentatomid stinkbug, Plautia splendens. A specific gammaproteobacterial symbiont was consistently present extracellularly in the cavity of numerous crypts arranged in four rows on the midgut fourth section. The symbiont was smeared on the egg surface upon oviposition by adult females, orally acquired by newborn nymphs, and thereby transmitted vertically to the next generation and important for growth and survival of the host insects. We found that, specifically in adult females, several rows of crypts at the posterior end region of the symbiotic midgut were morphologically differentiated and conspicuously enlarged, often discharging the symbiotic bacteria from the crypt cavity to the main tract of the symbiotic midgut. The female-specific enlarged end crypts were also found in other pentatomid stinkbugs Plautia stali and Carbula crassiventris. These results suggest that the enlarged end crypts represent a female-specific specialized morphological trait for vertical symbiont transmission commonly found among stinkbugs of the family Pentatomidae. PMID:25636847

In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline Specific CD4 T-Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0004 TITLE: In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline-Specific CD4 T - Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline-Specific CD4 T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH...NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that cit-specific CD4 T cells present in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients

Evaluating EU Regional Policy: Many Empirical Specifications, One (Unpleasant) Result

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breidenbach, Philipp; Mitze, Timo; Schmidt, Christoph

Numerous studies have focused on the role of EU regional policy in fostering growth and convergence among European regions, why conducting another one? We argue that two facts are still lacking in the actual academic debate in order to get a sound empirical identification strategy and reliable...... regions with a GDP p.c. of less than 75% of the EU average. These payments shall represent the main instrument to fulfill the central aim of European regional policy, the boost of convergence and harmonic growth over the EU. They represent about two third of the whole European cohesion policy. In our...... results: First, one should take the theoretical underpinnings of regional growth models more serious, and second, a likewise careful account of the role of spatial dependence in the underlying data is needed. Though research has increasingly become aware of the latter point as important control factor...

Analysis of genetic code ambiguity arising from nematode-specific misacylated tRNAs.

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Kiyofumi Hamashima

Full Text Available The faithful translation of the genetic code requires the highly accurate aminoacylation of transfer RNAs (tRNAs. However, it has been shown that nematode-specific V-arm-containing tRNAs (nev-tRNAs are misacylated with leucine in vitro in a manner that transgresses the genetic code. nev-tRNA(Gly (CCC and nev-tRNA(Ile (UAU, which are the major nev-tRNA isotypes, could theoretically decode the glycine (GGG codon and isoleucine (AUA codon as leucine, causing GGG and AUA codon ambiguity in nematode cells. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the functionality of nev-tRNAs and their impact on the proteome of Caenorhabditis elegans. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences in the 3' end regions of the nev-tRNAs showed that they had matured correctly, with the addition of CCA, which is a crucial posttranscriptional modification required for tRNA aminoacylation. The nuclear export of nev-tRNAs was confirmed with an analysis of their subcellular localization. These results show that nev-tRNAs are processed to their mature forms like common tRNAs and are available for translation. However, a whole-cell proteome analysis found no detectable level of nev-tRNA-induced mistranslation in C. elegans cells, suggesting that the genetic code is not ambiguous, at least under normal growth conditions. Our findings indicate that the translational fidelity of the nematode genetic code is strictly maintained, contrary to our expectations, although deviant tRNAs with misacylation properties are highly conserved in the nematode genome.

Correlation of regional cerebral blood flow and positive/negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients: covariate SPM analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Ki Chun; Kim, J. S.; Kim, C. Y.; Lee, H. K.; Moon, D. H. [Ulsan University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2002-07-01

We investigated the relations between rCBF and psychopathology in schizophrenic patients using a SPM99. Thirty-two patients(M/F:22/10, 25{+-}5,6yr) with active symptoms of schizophrenia and 15 age matched normal controls underwent Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT. Psychopathology of all patients were also assessed according to PANSS (positive and negative syndrome scale in schizophrenia). By covariate SPM analysis, specific areas where rCBF correlated with sum scores of positive/negative synptoms were identified. Regional CBF of schizophrenics was different in several cortical regions from normal controls. Sum scores of positive symptoms were positively correlated with rCBF of both rectal and inferior frontal gyri and right transverse temporal gyrus, and negatively correlated with rCBF of left lingual and right middle temporal gyri (p<0.01). Sum scores of negative symptoms were positively correlated with rCBF of both middle temporal gyri and negatively correlated with rCBF of right superior parietal lobule and medial frontal gyrus (p<0.01). Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia were correlated with rCBF change in different regions of cerebral association cortex.

Correlation of regional cerebral blood flow and positive/negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients: covariate SPM analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Ki Chun; Kim, J. S.; Kim, C. Y.; Lee, H. K.; Moon, D. H.

2002-01-01

We investigated the relations between rCBF and psychopathology in schizophrenic patients using a SPM99. Thirty-two patients(M/F:22/10, 25±5,6yr) with active symptoms of schizophrenia and 15 age matched normal controls underwent Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT. Psychopathology of all patients were also assessed according to PANSS (positive and negative syndrome scale in schizophrenia). By covariate SPM analysis, specific areas where rCBF correlated with sum scores of positive/negative synptoms were identified. Regional CBF of schizophrenics was different in several cortical regions from normal controls. Sum scores of positive symptoms were positively correlated with rCBF of both rectal and inferior frontal gyri and right transverse temporal gyrus, and negatively correlated with rCBF of left lingual and right middle temporal gyri (p<0.01). Sum scores of negative symptoms were positively correlated with rCBF of both middle temporal gyri and negatively correlated with rCBF of right superior parietal lobule and medial frontal gyrus (p<0.01). Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia were correlated with rCBF change in different regions of cerebral association cortex

Development of an Analysis Pipeline Characterizing Multiple Hypervariable Regions of 16S rRNA Using Mock Samples.

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Jennifer J Barb

Full Text Available There is much speculation on which hypervariable region provides the highest bacterial specificity in 16S rRNA sequencing. The optimum solution to prevent bias and to obtain a comprehensive view of complex bacterial communities would be to sequence the entire 16S rRNA gene; however, this is not possible with second generation standard library design and short-read next-generation sequencing technology.This paper examines a new process using seven hypervariable or V regions of the 16S rRNA (six amplicons: V2, V3, V4, V6-7, V8, and V9 processed simultaneously on the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (Life Technologies, Grand Island, NY. Four mock samples were amplified using the 16S Ion Metagenomics Kit™ (Life Technologies and their sequencing data is subjected to a novel analytical pipeline.Results are presented at family and genus level. The Kullback-Leibler divergence (DKL, a measure of the departure of the computed from the nominal bacterial distribution in the mock samples, was used to infer which region performed best at the family and genus levels. Three different hypervariable regions, V2, V4, and V6-7, produced the lowest divergence compared to the known mock sample. The V9 region gave the highest (worst average DKL while the V4 gave the lowest (best average DKL. In addition to having a high DKL, the V9 region in both the forward and reverse directions performed the worst finding only 17% and 53% of the known family level and 12% and 47% of the genus level bacteria, while results from the forward and reverse V4 region identified all 17 family level bacteria.The results of our analysis have shown that our sequencing methods using 6 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA and subsequent analysis is valid. This method also allowed for the assessment of how well each of the variable regions might perform simultaneously. Our findings will provide the basis for future work intended to assess microbial abundance at different time points

Measles diagnosis at the Subcarpathian region: yesterday, today, tomorrow

OpenAIRE

R.M. Savchuk; N.I. Sidneva; T.B. Djus; L.Y. Pogorila; A.M. Stepanovich

2017-01-01

The article deals with the results of the epidemiological analysis of measles rate in Ivano-Frankivsk region, laboratory diagnosis, studying of the specific immune resistance and prognosis of morbidity for 2017–2018.

Analysis of proteins of mouse sarcoma pseudotype viruses: type-specific radioimmunoassays for ecotropic virus p30's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, S.J.; Tennant, R.W.

1979-01-01

Murine sarcoma virus pseudotypes were prepared by infection of nonproducer cells (A1-2), which were transformed by the Gazdar strain of mouse sarcoma virus, with Gross (N-tropic), WN1802B (B-tropic), or Moloney (NB-tropic) viruses. The respective host range pseudotype sarcoma viruses were defined by the tritration characteristics on cells with the appropriate Fv-1 genotype. Proteins from virus progeny were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Bands present in both the 65,000- and the 10,000- to 20,000-molecular-weight regions of the gel distinguished the pseudotype viruses from their respective helpers. Furthermore, two protein bands were noted in the p30 region of murine sarcoma virus (Gross), one corresponding to Gross virus p30, and another of slightly slower mobility. However, since the mobility of the putative sarcoma p30 is nearly indentical to that of WN1802B, its presence could not be established by sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Type-specific radioimmunossays for Gross virus p30 and for WN1802B p30 were applied for analysis of pseudotype preparations, and among several ecotropic viruses tested, only the homologous virus scored in the respective assay. By use of these assays, pseudotype viruses were found to contain only 8 to 48% helper-specific p30's; the remainder is presumably derived from the sarcoma virus

Analysis of GRI North American Regional Gas Supply-Demand Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesbitt, D.M.; Singh, J.; Pine, G.D.; Kline, D.; Barron, M.; Cheung, P.D.

1989-01-01

This paper summarizes the results from the GRI North American Regional Gas Supply-Demand Model using the four scenarios defined for the Energy Modeling Forum Number 9 (EMF-9) described in EMF-9 Working Paper 9.4 (1987). The analysis is designed both to showcase the GRI North American Regional model as well as to infer meaningful results about the North American natural gas system. The focus of the analysis is not R ampersand D per se; R ampersand D analysis using the model is conducted regularly by GRI and described elsewhere. Rather, the objective is to analyze some of the major uncertainties in the North American gas market, uncertainties that potentially affect all players including GRI. In particular, the authors seek to quantify the overall economic environment in which production, transmission, distribution, consumption, and R ampersand D decisions will be made and how different that overall environment might be under alternative assumptions. An attendant objective of this analysis has been to enlist economists from a range of organizations (producers, regulators, GRI, and consultants) to carefully scrutinize the GRI North American Regional model and results. In particular, the coauthors were assembled from diverse organizations to review and evaluate model outputs, applying their particular experience and perspective. The four EMF-9 scenarios upon which this paper is based are described in detail later in this document. Briefly, scenario one represents a world with a surfeit of gas and a relatively high oil price projection; scenario two considers a lower oil price forecast; scenario three assumes a pessimistic outlook for the gas resource base with the same oil prices as scenario one; and scenario four examines a higher level of demand for gas in the North American gas market. An important objective of this analysis is to illustrate the predictive power of multi-scenario comparisons (as contrasted with detailed analysis of any individual scenario)

Analysis of the seismic catalogues for the Vrancea Region, Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romashkova, L.L.; Kossobokov, V.G.

2005-11-01

Vrancea (Romania) is a geographical region between Eastern and Southern Carpathian Mountains. The region is characterized by a rather high level of seismic activity mainly at intermediate (up to 200 km) depths. These intermediate-depth earthquakes occur between 45 deg-46 deg N and 26 deg-27 deg E. The shallow earthquakes are dispersed over a much broader territory. We performed the comparative analysis of earthquake catalogues available for Vrancea region aiming at the compilation of a data set, to be as complete and homogeneous as possible, which, hopefully, will be used for the prediction of strong and possibly moderate earthquakes in the region by means of M8 algorithm. The two catalogues under study are: 1) Global Hypocenter Data Base catalogue, NEIC (GHDB, 1989) and 2) local Vrancea seismic catalogue (Moldoveanu et al., 1995) and their updates. (author)

Methodical Approaches To Analysis And Forecasting Of Development Fuel And Energy Complex And Gas Industry In The Region

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Vladimir Andreyevich Tsybatov

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Fuel and energy complex (FEC is one of the main elements of the economy of any territory over which intertwine the interests of all economic entities. To ensure economic growth of the region should ensure that internal balance of energy resources, which should be developed with account of regional specifics of economic growth and energy security. The study examined the status of this equilibrium, indicating fuel and energy balance of the region (TEB. The aim of the research is the development of the fuel and energy balance, which will allow to determine exactly how many and what resources are not enough to ensure the regional development strategy and what resources need to be brought in. In the energy balances as the focus of displays all issues of regional development, so thermopile is necessary as a mechanism of analysis of current issues, economic development, and in the forward-looking version — as a tool future vision for the fuel and energy complex, energy threats and ways of overcoming them. The variety of relationships in the energy sector with other sectors and aspects of society lead to the fact that the development of the fuel and energy balance of the region have to go beyond the actual energy sector, involving the analysis of other sectors of economy, as well as systems such as banking, budgetary, legislative, tax. Due to the complexity of the discussed problems, the obvious is the need to develop appropriate forecast-analytical system, allowing regional authorities to implement evidence-based predictions of the consequences of management decisions. Multivariant scenario study on development of fuel and energy complex and separately industry, to use the methods of project-based management, harmonized application of state regulation of strategic and market mechanisms on the operational directions of development of fuel and energy complex and separately industry in the economy of the region.

Interaction mediated by the putative tip regions of MdsA and MdsC in the formation of a Salmonella-specific tripartite efflux pump.

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Saemee Song

Full Text Available To survive in the presence of a wide range of toxic compounds, gram-negative bacteria expel such compounds via tripartite efflux pumps that span both the inner and outer membranes. The Salmonella-specific MdsAB pump consists of MdsB, a resistance-nodulation-division (RND-type inner membrane transporter (IMT that requires the membrane fusion protein (MFP MdsA, and an outer membrane protein (OMP; MdsC or TolC to form a tripartite efflux complex. In this study, we investigated the role of the putative tip regions of MdsA and its OMPs, MdsC and TolC, in the formation of a functional MdsAB-mediated efflux pump. Comparative analysis indicated that although sequence homologies of MdsA and MdsC with other MFPs and OMPs, respectively, are extremely low, key residues in the putative tip regions of these proteins are well conserved. Mutagenesis studies on these conserved sites demonstrated their importance for the physical and functional interactions required to form an MdsAB-mediated pump. Our studies suggest that, despite differences in the primary amino acid sequences and functions of various OMPs and MFPs, interactions mediated by the conserved tip regions of OMP and MFP are required for the formation of functional tripartite efflux pumps in gram-negative bacteria.

X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region of two-component heterokaryons of Neurospora crassa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serres, F.J. de

1989-01-01

More extensive genetic tests have been preformed on a series of 832 X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region of a 2-component heterokaryon of Neurospora crassa, reported earlier. Using new tester strains and techniques for performing large-scale genetic tests to characterize ad-3 mutants induced in 2-component heterokaryons, new data have been obtained on this sample of X-ray-induced mutants. These new data show that unexpectedly high frequencies of both single-locus mutations and multilocus deletions in the ad-3 region have addition, but separate, sites of recessive lethal damage in the imeediately adjacent genetic regions. The frequencies of these X-ray-induced multiple-locus mutants in the ad-3 region are orders of magnitude higher than expected on the basis of target theory and classical models of chromosome structure during interphase. Current models of interphase chromosome structure in higher eukaryotes as revealed by chromosome 'painting' offer a possible explanation of the Neurospora data. (author). 25 refs.; 5 figs

Statistical Analysis of the labor Market in Ukraine Using Multidimensional Classification Methods: the Regional Aspect

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Korepanov Oleksiy S.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to study the labor market in Ukraine in the regional context using cluster analysis methods. The current state of the labor market in regions of Ukraine is analyzed, and a system of statistical indicators that influence the state and development of this market is formed. The expediency of using cluster analysis for grouping regions according to the level of development of the labor market is substantiated. The essence of cluster analysis is revealed, its main goal, key tasks, which can be solved by means of such analysis, are presented, basic stages of the analysis are considered. The main methods of clustering are described and, based on the results of the simulation, the advantages and disadvantages of each method are justified. In the work the clustering of regions of Ukraine by the level of labor market development using different methods of cluster analysis is carried out, conclusions on the results of the calculations performed are presented, and the main directions for further research are outlined.

Fine-scale genetic analysis of species-specific female preference in Drosophila simulans.

Science.gov (United States)

Laturney, M; Moehring, A J

2012-09-01

Behavioural differences are thought to be the first components to contribute to species isolation, yet the precise genetic basis of behavioural isolation remains poorly understood. Here, we used a combination of behaviour assays and genetic mapping to provide the first refined map locating candidate genes for interspecific female preference isolating Drosophila simulans from D. melanogaster. First, we tested whether two genes identified as affecting D. melanogaster female intraspecific mate choice also affect interspecific mate choice; neither of these genes was found to contribute to species-specific female preference. Next, we used deficiency mapping to locate genes on the right arm of the third chromosome for species-specific female preference and identified five small significant regions that contain candidate genes contributing to behavioural isolation. All five regions were located in areas that would have low interspecific recombination, which mirrors the results of other behavioural isolation studies that used quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, but without the potential concern of bias towards regions of low recombination that QTL mapping may have. As this model system may be refined to the individual gene level using the same methodology, this initial map we provide may potentially serve as a ready template for the identification and characterization of the first behavioural isolation genes. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Longitudinal multiparameter single-cell analysis of macaques immunized with pneumococcal protein-conjugated or unconjugated polysaccharide vaccines reveals distinct antigen specific memory B cell repertoires.

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Bin Jia

Full Text Available The efficacy of protein-conjugated pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines has been well characterized for children. The level of protection conferred by unconjugated polysaccharide vaccines remains less clear, particularly for elderly individuals who have had prior antigenic experience through immunization with unconjugated polysaccharide vaccines or natural exposure to Streptococcus pneumoniae.We compared the magnitude, diversity and genetic biases of antigen-specific memory B cells in two groups of adult cynomolgus macaques that were immunized with a 7-valent conjugated vaccine and boosted after five years with either a 13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (13vPnC or a 23-valent unconjugated pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPS using microengraving (a single-cell analysis method and single-cell RT-PCR.Seven days after boosting, the mean frequency of antigen-specific memory B cells was significantly increased in macaques vaccinated with 13vPnC compared to those receiving 23vPS. The 13vPnC-vaccinated macaques also exhibited a more even distribution of antibody specificities to four polysaccharides in the vaccine (PS4, 6B, 14, 23F that were examined. However, single-cell analysis of the antibody variable region sequences from antigen-specific B cells elicited by unconjugated and conjugated vaccines indicated that both the germline gene segments forming the heavy chains and the average lengths of the Complementary Determining Region 3 (CDR3 were similar.Our results confirm that distinctive differences can manifest between antigen-specific memory B cell repertoires in nonhuman primates immunized with conjugated and unconjugated pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines. The study also supports the notion that the conjugated vaccines have a favorable profile in terms of both the frequency and breadth of the anamnestic response among antigen-specific memory B cells.

THE ANALYSIS OF THE WASTE PROBLEM IN TOURIST DESTINATIONS ON THE EXAMPLE OF CARPATHIAN REGION IN UKRAINE

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Iuliia Murava

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to identify waste generated within the territories of tourist destinations in Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine and to classify it for the use of effective waste management methods. The dynamics of municipal waste generation in tourist destinations in Carpathian region has been analyzed. The sources of waste generation in tourist activities have been identified and classified by the criterion of their further use. The methods of waste management within the tourist destinations in Carpathian region have been proposed. The problem of tourist destinations waste has been identified as one of the significant environmental aspects of tourism industry. Recommendations for implementation of the waste management methods can form the basis of waste management programs within the tourist destinations in the Carpathians. To achieve the goal and to solve the identified tasks a range of research methods have been used in the study: praximetric method (analysis of research experience and summarizing the information of printed sources on environmental aspects of the tourism industry and the problems of waste management within tourist destinations; comparative analysis has been used for identification of quantitative indicators and dynamics of municipal waste generation; specific search method has been used for identifying, selecting, theoretical analysis, classification of the waste generated in tourist destinations and calculation of their generated amount.

Functional dissection of the promoter of the pollen-specific gene NTP303 reveals a novel pollen-specific, and conserved cis-regulatory element.

Science.gov (United States)

Weterings, K; Schrauwen, J; Wullems, G; Twell, D

1995-07-01

Regulatory elements within the promoter of the pollen-specific NTP303 gene from tobacco were analysed by transient and stable expression analyses. Analysis of precisely targeted mutations showed that the NTP303 promoter is not regulated by any of the previously described pollen-specific cis-regulatory elements. However, two adjacent regions from -103 to -86 bp and from -86 to -59 bp were shown to contain sequences which positively regulated the NTP303 promoter. Both of these regions were capable of driving pollen-specific expression from a heterologous promoter, independent of orientation and in an additive manner. The boundaries of the minimal, functional NTP303 promoter were determined to lie within the region -86 to -51 bp. The sequence AAATGA localized from -94 to -89 bp was identified as a novel cis-acting element, of which the TGA triplet was shown to comprise an active part. This element was shown to be completely conserved in the similarly regulated promoter of the Bp 10 gene from Brassica napus encoding a homologue of the NTP303 gene.

Continuous High Frequency Activity: A peculiar SEEG pattern related to specific brain regions

Science.gov (United States)

Melani, Federico; Zelmann, Rina; Mari, Francesco; Gotman, Jean

2015-01-01

Objective While visually marking the high frequency oscillations in the stereo-EEG of epileptic patients, we observed a continuous/semicontinuous activity in the ripple band (80–250 Hz), which we defined continuous High Frequency Activity (HFA). We aim to analyze in all brain regions the occurrence and significance of this particular pattern. Methods Twenty patients implanted in mesial temporal and neocortical areas were studied. One minute of slow-wave sleep was reviewed. The background was classified as continuous/semicontinuous, irregular, or sporadic based on the duration of the fast oscillations. Each channel was classified as inside/outside the seizure onset zone (SOZ) or a lesion. Results The continuous/semicontinuous HFA occurred in 54 of the 790 channels analyzed, with a clearly higher prevalence in hippocampus and occipital lobe. No correlation was found with the SOZ or lesions. In the occipital lobe the continuous/semicontinuous HFA was present independently of whether eyes were open or closed. Conclusions We describe what appears to be a new physiological High Frequency Activity, independent of epileptogenicity, present almost exclusively in the hippocampus and occipital cortex but independent of the alpha rhythm. Significance The continuous HFA may be an intrinsic characteristic of specific brain regions, reflecting a particular type of physiological neuronal activity. PMID:23768436

Regional Analysis of Energy, Water, Land and Climate Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Tidwell, V. C.; Averyt, K.; Harriss, R. C.; Hibbard, K. A.; Newmark, R. L.; Rose, S. K.; Shevliakova, E.; Wilson, T.

2014-12-01

Energy, water, and land systems interact in many ways and are impacted by management and climate change. These systems and their interactions often differ in significant ways from region-to-region. To explore the coupled energy-water-land system and its relation to climate change and management a simple conceptual model of demand, endowment and technology (DET) is proposed. A consistent and comparable analysis framework is needed as climate change and resource management practices have the potential to impact each DET element, resource, and region differently. These linkages are further complicated by policy and trade agreements where endowments of one region are used to meet demands in another. This paper reviews the unique DET characteristics of land, energy and water resources across the United States. Analyses are conducted according to the eight geographic regions defined in the 2014 National Climate Assessment. Evident from the analyses are regional differences in resources endowments in land (strong East-West gradient in forest, cropland and desert), water (similar East-West gradient), and energy. Demands likewise vary regionally reflecting differences in population density and endowment (e.g., higher water use in West reflecting insufficient precipitation to support dryland farming). The effect of technology and policy are particularly evident in differences in the energy portfolios across the eight regions. Integrated analyses that account for the various spatial and temporal differences in regional energy, water and land systems are critical to informing effective policy requirements for future energy, climate and resource management. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

A systematic intercomparison of regional flood frequency analysis models in a simulation framework

Science.gov (United States)

Ganora, Daniele; Laio, Francesco; Claps, Pierluigi

2015-04-01

Regional frequency analysis (RFA) is a well-established methodology to provide an estimate of the flood frequency curve (or other discharge-related variables), based on the fundamental concept of substituting temporal information at a site (no data or short time series) by exploiting observations at other sites (spatial information). Different RFA paradigms exist, depending on the way the information is transferred to the site of interest. Despite the wide use of such methodology, a systematic comparison between these paradigms has not been performed. The aim of this study is to provide a framework wherein carrying out the intercomparison: we thus synthetically generate data through Monte Carlo simulations for a number of (virtual) stations, following a GEV parent distribution; different scenarios can be created to represent different spatial heterogeneity patterns by manipulating the parameters of the parent distribution at each station (e.g. with a linear variation in space of the shape parameter of the GEV). A special case is the homogeneous scenario where each station record is sampled from the same parent distribution. For each scenario and each simulation, different regional models are applied to evaluate the 200-year growth factor at each station. Results are than compared to the exact growth factor of each station, which is known in our virtual world. Considered regional approaches include: (i) a single growth curve for the whole region; (ii) a multiple-region model based on cluster analysis which search for an adequate number of homogeneous subregions; (iii) a Region-of-Influence model which defines a homogeneous subregion for each site; (iv) a spatially-smooth estimation procedure based on linear regressions.. A further benchmark model is the at-site estimate based on the analysis of the local record. A comprehensive analysis of the results of the simulations shows that, if the scenario is homogeneous (no spatial variability), all the regional approaches

Wavenumber selection based analysis in Raman spectroscopy improves skin cancer diagnostic specificity at high sensitivity levels (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jianhua; Zeng, Haishan; Kalia, Sunil; Lui, Harvey

2017-02-01

Background: Raman spectroscopy is a non-invasive optical technique which can measure molecular vibrational modes within tissue. A large-scale clinical study (n = 518) has demonstrated that real-time Raman spectroscopy could distinguish malignant from benign skin lesions with good diagnostic accuracy; this was validated by a follow-up independent study (n = 127). Objective: Most of the previous diagnostic algorithms have typically been based on analyzing the full band of the Raman spectra, either in the fingerprint or high wavenumber regions. Our objective in this presentation is to explore wavenumber selection based analysis in Raman spectroscopy for skin cancer diagnosis. Methods: A wavenumber selection algorithm was implemented using variably-sized wavenumber windows, which were determined by the correlation coefficient between wavenumbers. Wavenumber windows were chosen based on accumulated frequency from leave-one-out cross-validated stepwise regression or least and shrinkage selection operator (LASSO). The diagnostic algorithms were then generated from the selected wavenumber windows using multivariate statistical analyses, including principal component and general discriminant analysis (PC-GDA) and partial least squares (PLS). A total cohort of 645 confirmed lesions from 573 patients encompassing skin cancers, precancers and benign skin lesions were included. Lesion measurements were divided into training cohort (n = 518) and testing cohort (n = 127) according to the measurement time. Result: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) improved from 0.861-0.891 to 0.891-0.911 and the diagnostic specificity for sensitivity levels of 0.99-0.90 increased respectively from 0.17-0.65 to 0.20-0.75 by selecting specific wavenumber windows for analysis. Conclusion: Wavenumber selection based analysis in Raman spectroscopy improves skin cancer diagnostic specificity at high sensitivity levels.

Experimental analysis of specification language diversity impact on NPP software diversity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Chang Sik

1999-02-01

In order to increase computer system reliability, software fault tolerance methods have been adopted to some safety critical systems including NPP. Prevention of software common mode failure is very crucial problem in software fault tolerance, but the effective method for this problem is not found yet. In our research, to find out an effective method for prevention of software common mode failure, the impact of specification language diversity on NPP software diversity was examined experimentally. Three specification languages were used to compose three requirements specifications, and programmers made twelve product codes from the specifications. From the product codes analysis, using fault diversity criteria, we concluded that diverse specification language method would enhance program diversity through diversification of requirements specification imperfections

Robust detection of discordant sites in regional frequency analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neykov, N.M.; Neytchev, P.N.; Van Gelder, P.H.A.J.M.; Todorov, V.K.

2007-01-01

The discordancy measure in terms of the sample L?moment ratios (L?CV, L?skewness, L?kurtosis) of the at?site data is widely recommended in the screening process of atypical sites in the regional frequency analysis (RFA). The sample mean and the covariance matrix of the L?moments ratios, on which the

Modeling road traffic fatalities in India: Smeed's law, time invariance and regional specificity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raj V. Ponnaluri

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Mathematical formulations linking road traffic fatalities to vehicle ownership, regional population, and economic growth continue to be developed against the backdrop of Smeed and Andreassen models. Though a few attempts were made, Smeed's law has not been fully tested in India. Using the 1991–2009 panel data from all states, this work (a developed the generalized Smeed and Andreassen models; (b evaluated if traffic fatalities were impacted by structural changes; and (c examined if – in relation to the generalized model – the individual (time and regional models are more relevant for application. Seven models (Smeed: original, generalized, time-variant, state-variant; and Andreassen: generalized, time-variant, state-variant were developed and tested for fit with the actual data. Results showed that the per vehicle fatality rate closely resembled Smeed's formulation. Chow-test yielded a significant F-stat, suggesting that the models for four pre-defined time-blocks are structurally different from the 19-year generalized model. The counterclockwise rotation of the log-linear form also suggested lower fatality rates. While the new government policies, reduced vehicle operating speeds, better healthcare, and improved vehicle technology could be the factors, further research is required to understand the reasons for fatality rate reductions. The intercept and gradients of the time-series models showed high stability and varied only slightly in comparison to the 19-year generalized models, thus suggesting that the latter are pragmatic for application. Regional formulations, however, indicate that they may be more relevant for studying trends and tendencies. This research illustrates the robustness of Smeed's law, and provides evidence for time-invariance but state-specificity.

Regional Analysis of Remote Sensing Based Evapotranspiration Information

Science.gov (United States)

Geli, H. M. E.; Hain, C.; Anderson, M. C.; Senay, G. B.

2017-12-01

Recent research findings on modeling actual evapotranspiration (ET) using remote sensing data and methods have proven the ability of these methods to address wide range of hydrological and water resources issues including river basin water balance for improved water resources management, drought monitoring, drought impact and socioeconomic responses, agricultural water management, optimization of land-use for water conservations, water allocation agreement among others. However, there is still a critical need to identify appropriate type of ET information that can address each of these issues. The current trend of increasing demand for water due to population growth coupled with variable and limited water supply due to drought especially in arid and semiarid regions with limited water supply have highlighted the need for such information. To properly address these issues different spatial and temporal resolutions of ET information will need to be used. For example, agricultural water management applications require ET information at field (30-m) and daily time scales while for river basin hydrologic analysis relatively coarser spatial and temporal scales can be adequate for such regional applications. The objective of this analysis is to evaluate the potential of using an integrated ET information that can be used to address some of these issues collectively. This analysis will highlight efforts to address some of the issues that are applicable to New Mexico including assessment of statewide water budget as well as drought impact and socioeconomic responses which all require ET information but at different spatial and temporal scales. This analysis will provide an evaluation of four remote sensing based ET models including ALEXI, DisALEXI, SSEBop, and SEBAL3.0. The models will be compared with ground-based observations from eddy covariance towers and water balance calculations. Remote sensing data from Landsat, MODIS, and VIIRS sensors will be used to provide ET

Specific bone region localization of osteolytic versus osteoblastic lesions in a patient-derived xenograft model of bone metastatic prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takeshi Hirata

2016-10-01

Conclusion: PCSD1 cells reproducibly induced bone loss leading to osteolytic lesions at the ends of the femur, and, in contrast, induced aberrant bone formation leading to osteoblastic lesions along the femur shaft. Therefore, the interaction of PCSD1 cells with different bone region-specific microenvironments specified the type of bone lesion. Our approach can be used to determine if different bone regions support more therapy resistant tumor growth, thus, requiring novel treatments.

Gaseous Criteria Pollutants in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand: Analysis, Issues and Management

Science.gov (United States)

Uttamang, P.; Aneja, V. P.; Hanna, A. F.

2017-12-01

Analysis of gaseous criteria pollutants in Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR), Thailand, during 2010 to 2014 reveals that the hourly concentrations of CO, SO2 and NO2 were mostly below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQs) of Thailand. However, the hourly concentrations of Ozone (O3) exceeded the Thailand NAAQs. The maximum concentrations of O3 were from 120 to 190 ppb. On average, the number of hourly O3 exceedances were from 1 to 60 hours a year depending on monitoring station locations. The exceedances were found during the dry season in both summer and winter. Inter-conversion between O3, NO and NO2 indicates the crossover point between species occur when the concentration of NOx ([NOx = NO + NO2]) is about 60 ppb. When [NOx] 60 ppb. The calculated photochemical reaction rate during photostationary state ranges from 0.12 to 1.22 min-1. Linear regression analysis between the concentrations of Ox ([Ox = O3 + NO2]) and NOx provides the role of local and regional contributions to Ox. Both the local and regional Ox contributions play an important role in the increase of [Ox] and those values were about double during O3 episodes ([O3] > 100 ppb). Ratio analysis suggests that the major contributors of primary pollutants over BMR are mobile sources (CO/NOx = 19.8). However, this region may also be influenced by point sources, but they are not dominant. An analysis of the air quality showed that the air quality index (AQI) for BMR was predominantly between good to moderate; however, during episode conditions in the region, unhealthy O3 categories were also observed. Note the manuscript is under review by a publication

Cluster-specific small airway modeling for imaging-based CFD analysis of pulmonary air flow and particle deposition in COPD smokers

Science.gov (United States)

Haghighi, Babak; Choi, Jiwoong; Choi, Sanghun; Hoffman, Eric A.; Lin, Ching-Long

2017-11-01

Accurate modeling of small airway diameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a crucial step toward patient-specific CFD simulations of regional airflow and particle transport. We proposed to use computed tomography (CT) imaging-based cluster membership to identify structural characteristics of airways in each cluster and use them to develop cluster-specific airway diameter models. We analyzed 284 COPD smokers with airflow limitation, and 69 healthy controls. We used multiscale imaging-based cluster analysis (MICA) to classify smokers into 4 clusters. With representative cluster patients and healthy controls, we performed multiple regressions to quantify variation of airway diameters by generation as well as by cluster. The cluster 2 and 4 showed more diameter decrease as generation increases than other clusters. The cluster 4 had more rapid decreases of airway diameters in the upper lobes, while cluster 2 in the lower lobes. We then used these regression models to estimate airway diameters in CT unresolved regions to obtain pressure-volume hysteresis curves using a 1D resistance model. These 1D flow solutions can be used to provide the patient-specific boundary conditions for 3D CFD simulations in COPD patients. Support for this study was provided, in part, by NIH Grants U01-HL114494, R01-HL112986 and S10-RR022421.

Analysis Of Influence Of Spatial Planning On Performance Of Regional Development At Waropen District. Papua Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suwandi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The various problems in regional spatial planning in Waropen District Papua shows that the Spatial Planning RTRW of Waropen District Papua drafted in 2010 has not had a positive contribution to the settlement of spatial planning problems. This is most likely caused by the inconsistency in the spatial planning. This study tried to observe the consistency of spatial planning as well as its relation to the regional development performance. The method used to observe the consistency of the preparation of guided Spatial Planning RTRW is the analysis of comparative table followed by analysis of verbal logic. In order to determine if the preparation of Spatial Planning RTRW has already paid attention on the synergy with the surrounding regions Inter-Regional Context a map overlay was conducted followed by analysis of verbal logic. To determine the performance of the regional development a Principal Components Analysis PCA was done. The analysis results showed that inconsistencies in the spatial planning had caused a variety of problems that resulted in decreased performance of the regional development. The main problems that should receive more attention are infrastructure development growth economic growth transportation aspect and new properties.

Micro-segmental hair analysis for proving drug-facilitated crimes: Evidence that a victim ingested a sleeping aid, diphenhydramine, on a specific day.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwayama, Kenji; Nariai, Maika; Miyaguchi, Hajime; Iwata, Yuko T; Kanamori, Tatsuyuki; Tsujikawa, Kenji; Yamamuro, Tadashi; Segawa, Hiroki; Abe, Hiroko; Iwase, Hirotaro; Inoue, Hiroyuki

2018-07-01

Sleeping aids are often abused in the commission of drug-facilitated crimes. Generally, there is little evidence that a victim ingested a spiked drink unknowingly because the unconscious victim cannot report the situation to the police immediately after the crime occurred. Although conventional segmental hair analysis can estimate the number of months since a targeted drug was ingested, this analysis cannot determine the specific day of ingestion. We recently developed a method of micro-segmental hair analysis using internal temporal markers (ITMs) to estimate the day of drug ingestion. This method was based on volunteer ingestion of ITMs to determine a timescale within individual hair strands, by segmenting a single hair strand at 0.4-mm intervals, corresponding to daily hair growth. This study assessed the ability of this method to estimate the day of ingestion of an over-the-counter sleeping aid, diphenhydramine, which can be easily abused. To model ingestion of a diphenhydramine-spiked drink unknowingly, each subject ingested a dose of diphenhydramine, followed by ingestion of two doses of the ITM, chlorpheniramine, 14days apart. Several hair strands were collected from each subject's scalp several weeks after the second ITM ingestion. Diphenhydramine and ITM were detected at specific regions within individual hair strands. The day of diphenhydramine ingestion was estimated from the distances between the regions and the days of ITM ingestion. The error between estimated and actual ingestion day ranged from -0.1 to 1.9days regardless of subjects and hair collection times. The total time required for micro-segmental analysis of 96 hair segments (hair length: 3.84cm) was approximately 2days and the cost was almost the same as in general drug analysis. This procedure may be applicable to the investigation of crimes facilitated by various drugs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

78 FR 68463 - Notice of Emergency Approval of an Information Collection: Regional Analysis of Impediments...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-14

... Approval of an Information Collection: Regional Analysis of Impediments Guidance for [email protected] or telephone 202- 402-2102. This is not a toll-free number. Persons with hearing or speech... Collection: Regional Analysis of Impediments Guidance for Sustainable Communities Grantees. OMB Approval...

Security assurances and regional stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, B.

1995-01-01

This paper discusses whether and how security assurances affect political stability in geographic regions. Before embarking on what is necessarily a limited analysis of a complex subject, I point out that the subject is by no means new. For centuries, vast areas of the world have been affected by forces used against them by more powerful States, which at one time or another incorporated large parts of them into overseas colonies or contiguous empires. The new factors are the emancipation of those areas into independent regions, made up of States that play their own parts in international affairs, and the possession by a handful of Powers, outside or on the edge of those regions, of a specific form of superior force: nuclear weapons. (author)

Measles diagnosis at the Subcarpathian region: yesterday, today, tomorrow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.M. Savchuk

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the results of the epidemiological analysis of measles rate in Ivano-Frankivsk region, laboratory diagnosis, studying of the specific immune resistance and prognosis of morbidity for 2017–2018.

Mercosur's regional health agenda: architecture and themes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Guimaraes Queiroz

Full Text Available This article describes the shaping of institutional health spaces in the Mercosur, with analysis of themes and results and considerations on the construction of the regional agenda and on the effects of regional economic integration processes on health policies and systems. We discuss the organization, operation, focus topics, and results achieved in specific health forums (Meeting of Ministers of Health and Sub-Working Group 11, seeking to analyze the architecture and issues addressed by the regional agenda and drawing parallels with the European experience. The aim of this reflection is to identify how the work done by Mercosur structures contributes to building a regional agenda, with the expectation that the integration can contribute to reducing inequalities in access to health care in the region.

Demand-driven water withdrawals by Chinese industry: a multi-regional input-output analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Chen, Z. M.; Zeng, L.; Qiao, H.; Chen, B.

2016-03-01

With ever increasing water demands and the continuous intensification of water scarcity arising from China's industrialization, the country is struggling to harmonize its industrial development and water supply. This paper presents a systems analysis of water withdrawals by Chinese industry and investigates demand-driven industrial water uses embodied in final demand and interregional trade based on a multi-regional input-output model. In 2007, the Electric Power, Steam, and Hot Water Production and Supply sector ranks first in direct industrial water withdrawal (DWW), and Construction has the largest embodied industrial water use (EWU). Investment, consumption, and exports contribute to 34.6%, 33.3%, and 30.6% of the national total EWU, respectively. Specifically, 58.0%, 51.1%, 48.6%, 43.3%, and 37.5% of the regional EWUs respectively in Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Fujian are attributed to international exports. The total interregional import/export of embodied water is equivalent to about 40% of the national total DWW, of which 55.5% is associated with the DWWs of Electric Power, Steam, and Hot Water Production and Supply. Jiangsu is the biggest interregional exporter and deficit receiver of embodied water, in contrast to Guangdong as the biggest interregional importer and surplus receiver. Without implementing effective water-saving measures and adjusting industrial structures, the regional imbalance between water availability and water demand tends to intensify considering the water impact of domestic trade of industrial products. Steps taken to improve water use efficiency in production, and to enhance embodied water saving in consumption are both of great significance for supporting China's water policies.

Analysis of syphilis incidence at the territory in Saratov region (2011-2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schnaider D.A.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Aims: analysis of dynamics and pattern of syphilis incidence in 2011-2015 years in Saratov region. Materials and methods. The article provides analysis of the state statistical supervision forms from 2011-2015. Results. The analysis of the data obtained from the state statistical supervision forms during 2011-2015 years has shown the decreasing tendency of syphilis incidence. However, an unfavorable situation still remains in number of territories of Saratov region. The indicators of morbidity caused by late syphilis and neurosyphilis have increased. Conclusion. High incidence of syphilis has negative effect on the reproductive health of the general population. The fast spread of disease is generating special interest in conditions of demographic crisis.

Microfinance around the world – regional SWOT analysis

OpenAIRE

Harmincova, Zuzana; Janda, Karel

2014-01-01

The paper focuses on comparison of the functioning of microfinance in various developing regions of the world, as well as on the analysis of the overall functioning, effectiveness, strengths and weaknesses, potential threats and opportunities in the microfinance markets. The conclusion offers several possibilities and insights on how microfinance could be more efficient in financial terms. The paper also presents a brief evaluation of the benefits of microfinance and based on its findings pro...

Spatial data analysis and integration for regional-scale geothermal potential mapping, West Java, Indonesia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carranza, Emmanuel John M.; Barritt, Sally D. [Department of Earth Systems Analysis, International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Enschede (Netherlands); Wibowo, Hendro; Sumintadireja, Prihadi [Laboratory of Volcanology and Geothermal, Geology Department, Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB), Bandung (Indonesia)

2008-06-15

Conceptual modeling and predictive mapping of potential for geothermal resources at the regional-scale in West Java are supported by analysis of the spatial distribution of geothermal prospects and thermal springs, and their spatial associations with geologic features derived from publicly available regional-scale spatial data sets. Fry analysis shows that geothermal occurrences have regional-scale spatial distributions that are related to Quaternary volcanic centers and shallow earthquake epicenters. Spatial frequency distribution analysis shows that geothermal occurrences have strong positive spatial associations with Quaternary volcanic centers, Quaternary volcanic rocks, quasi-gravity lows, and NE-, NNW-, WNW-trending faults. These geological features, with their strong positive spatial associations with geothermal occurrences, constitute spatial recognition criteria of regional-scale geothermal potential in a study area. Application of data-driven evidential belief functions in GIS-based predictive mapping of regional-scale geothermal potential resulted in delineation of high potential zones occupying 25% of West Java, which is a substantial reduction of the search area for further exploration of geothermal resources. The predicted high potential zones delineate about 53-58% of the training geothermal areas and 94% of the validated geothermal occurrences. The results of this study demonstrate the value of regional-scale geothermal potential mapping in: (a) data-poor situations, such as West Java, and (b) regions with geotectonic environments similar to the study area. (author)

Patient-specific coronary blood supply territories for quantitative perfusion analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zakkaroff, Constantine; Biglands, John D.; Greenwood, John P.; Plein, Sven; Boyle, Roger D.; Radjenovic, Aleksandra; Magee, Derek R.

2018-01-01

Abstract Myocardial perfusion imaging, coupled with quantitative perfusion analysis, provides an important diagnostic tool for the identification of ischaemic heart disease caused by coronary stenoses. The accurate mapping between coronary anatomy and under-perfused areas of the myocardium is important for diagnosis and treatment. However, in the absence of the actual coronary anatomy during the reporting of perfusion images, areas of ischaemia are allocated to a coronary territory based on a population-derived 17-segment (American Heart Association) AHA model of coronary blood supply. This work presents a solution for the fusion of 2D Magnetic Resonance (MR) myocardial perfusion images and 3D MR angiography data with the aim to improve the detection of ischaemic heart disease. The key contribution of this work is a novel method for the mediated spatiotemporal registration of perfusion and angiography data and a novel method for the calculation of patient-specific coronary supply territories. The registration method uses 4D cardiac MR cine series spanning the complete cardiac cycle in order to overcome the under-constrained nature of non-rigid slice-to-volume perfusion-to-angiography registration. This is achieved by separating out the deformable registration problem and solving it through phase-to-phase registration of the cine series. The use of patient-specific blood supply territories in quantitative perfusion analysis (instead of the population-based model of coronary blood supply) has the potential of increasing the accuracy of perfusion analysis. Quantitative perfusion analysis diagnostic accuracy evaluation with patient-specific territories against the AHA model demonstrates the value of the mediated spatiotemporal registration in the context of ischaemic heart disease diagnosis. PMID:29392098

Recent Vs. Historical Seismicity Analysis For Banat Seismic Region (Western Part Of Romania)

OpenAIRE

Oros Eugen; Diaconescu Mihai

2015-01-01

The present day seismic activity from a region reflects the active tectonics and can confirm the seismic potential of the seismogenic sources as they are modelled using the historical seismicity. This paper makes a comparative analysis of the last decade seismicity recorded in the Banat Seismic Region (western part of Romania) and the historical seismicity of the region (Mw≥4.0). Four significant earthquake sequences have been recently localized in the region, three of them nearby the city of...

Landsat-based trend analysis of lake dynamics across northern permafrost regions

Science.gov (United States)

Nitze, Ingmar; Grosse, Guido; Jones, Benjamin M.; Arp, Christopher D.; Ulrich, Mathias; Federov, Alexander; Veremeeva, Alexandra

2017-01-01

Lakes are a ubiquitous landscape feature in northern permafrost regions. They have a strong impact on carbon, energy and water fluxes and can be quite responsive to climate change. The monitoring of lake change in northern high latitudes, at a sufficiently accurate spatial and temporal resolution, is crucial for understanding the underlying processes driving lake change. To date, lake change studies in permafrost regions were based on a variety of different sources, image acquisition periods and single snapshots, and localized analysis, which hinders the comparison of different regions. Here we present, a methodology based on machine-learning based classification of robust trends of multi-spectral indices of Landsat data (TM,ETM+, OLI) and object-based lake detection, to analyze and compare the individual, local and regional lake dynamics of four different study sites (Alaska North Slope, Western Alaska, Central Yakutia, Kolyma Lowland) in the northern permafrost zone from 1999 to 2014. Regional patterns of lake area change on the Alaska North Slope (-0.69%), Western Alaska (-2.82%), and Kolyma Lowland (-0.51%) largely include increases due to thermokarst lake expansion, but more dominant lake area losses due to catastrophic lake drainage events. In contrast, Central Yakutia showed a remarkable increase in lake area of 48.48%, likely resulting from warmer and wetter climate conditions over the latter half of the study period. Within all study regions, variability in lake dynamics was associated with differences in permafrost characteristics, landscape position (i.e. upland vs. lowland), and surface geology. With the global availability of Landsat data and a consistent methodology for processing the input data derived from robust trends of multi-spectral indices, we demonstrate a transferability, scalability and consistency of lake change analysis within the northern permafrost region.

Mapping of olfactory memory circuits: region-specific c-fos activation after odor-reward associative learning or after its retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Tronel, Sophie; Sara, Susan J

2002-01-01

Although there is growing knowledge about intracellular mechanisms underlying neuronal plasticity and memory consolidation and reconsolidation after retrieval, information concerning the interaction among brain areas during formation and retrieval of memory is relatively sparse and fragmented. Addressing this question requires simultaneous monitoring of activity in multiple brain regions during learning, the post-acquisition consolidation period, and retrieval and subsequent reconsolidation. Immunoreaction to the immediate early gene c-fos is a powerful tool to mark neuronal activation of specific populations of neurons. Using this method, we are able to report, for the first time, post-training activation of a network of closely related brain regions, particularly in the frontal cortex and the basolateral amygdala (BLA), that is specific to the learning of an odor-reward association. On the other hand, retrieval of a well-established associative memory trace does not seem to differentially activate the same regions. The amygdala, in particular, is not engaged after retrieval, whereas the lateral habenula (LHab) shows strong activation that is restricted to animals having previously learned the association. Although intracellular mechanisms may be similar during consolidation and reconsolidation, this study indicates that different brain circuits are involved in the two processes, at least with respect to a rapidly learned olfactory task.

Region-specific connectivity in patients with periventricular nodular heterotopia and epilepsy: A study combining diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wenyu; An, Dongmei; Tong, Xin; Niu, Running; Gong, Qiyong; Zhou, Dong

2017-10-01

Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is an important cause of chronic epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate region-specific connectivity in PNH patients with epilepsy and assess correlation between connectivity strength and clinical factors including duration and prognosis. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting state functional MRI (fMRI) were performed in 28 subjects (mean age 27.4years; range 9-56years). The structural connectivity of fiber bundles passing through the manually-selected segmented nodules and other brain regions were analyzed by tractography. Cortical lobes showing functional correlations to nodules were also determined. For all heterotopic gray matter nodules, including at least one in each subject, the most frequent segments to which nodular heterotopia showed structural (132/151) and functional (146/151) connectivity were discrete regions of the ipsilateral overlying cortex. Agreement between diffusion tensor tractography and functional connectivity analyses was conserved in 81% of all nodules (122/151). In patients with longer duration or refractory epilepsy, the connectivity was significantly stronger, particularly to the frontal and temporal lobes (P<0.05). Nodules in PNH were structurally and functionally connected to the cortex. The extent is stronger in patients with longstanding or intractable epilepsy. These findings suggest the region-specific interactions may help better evaluate prognosis and seek medical or surgical interventions of PNH-related epilepsy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence reveals stage specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells during Arabidopsis embryogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RICARDO I TEJOS

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The basic body plan of a plant is established early in embryogenesis when cells differentiate, giving rise to the apical and basal regions of the embryo. Using chlorophyll fluorescence as a marker for chloroplasts, we have detected specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells at specific stages of embryogenesis. Non-randomly distributed chloroplast-containing cells are seen as early as the globular stage of embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. In the heart stage of embryogenesis, chloroplast containing cells are detected in epidermal cells as well as a central region of the heart stage embryo, forming a triangular septum of chloroplast-containing cells that divides the embryo into three equal sectors. Torpedo stage embryos have chloroplast-containing epidermal cells and a central band of chloroplast-containing cells in the cortex layer, just below the shoot apical meristem. In the walking-stick stage of embryogenesis, chloroplasts are present in the epidermal, cortex and endodermal cells. The chloroplasts appear reduced or absent from the provascular and columella cells of walking-stick stage embryos. These results suggest that there is a tight regulation of plastid differentiation during embryogenesis that generates specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells in specific cell layers at specific stages of embryogenesis.

Global site-specific analysis of glycoprotein N-glycan processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Liwei; Diedrich, Jolene K; Ma, Yuanhui; Wang, Nianshuang; Pauthner, Matthias; Park, Sung-Kyu Robin; Delahunty, Claire M; McLellan, Jason S; Burton, Dennis R; Yates, John R; Paulson, James C

2018-06-01

N-glycans contribute to the folding, stability and functions of the proteins they decorate. They are produced by transfer of the glycan precursor to the sequon Asn-X-Thr/Ser, followed by enzymatic trimming to a high-mannose-type core and sequential addition of monosaccharides to generate complex-type and hybrid glycans. This process, mediated by the concerted action of multiple enzymes, produces a mixture of related glycoforms at each glycosite, making analysis of glycosylation difficult. To address this analytical challenge, we developed a robust semiquantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based method that determines the degree of glycan occupancy at each glycosite and the proportion of N-glycans processed from high-mannose type to complex type. It is applicable to virtually any glycoprotein, and a complete analysis can be conducted with 30 μg of protein. Here, we provide a detailed description of the method that includes procedures for (i) proteolytic digestion of glycoprotein(s) with specific and nonspecific proteases; (ii) denaturation of proteases by heating; (iii) sequential treatment of the glycopeptide mixture with two endoglycosidases, Endo H and PNGase F, to create unique mass signatures for the three glycosylation states; (iv) LC-MS/MS analysis; and (v) data analysis for identification and quantitation of peptides for the three glycosylation states. Full coverage of site-specific glycosylation of glycoproteins is achieved, with up to thousands of high-confidence spectra hits for each glycosite. The protocol can be performed by an experienced technician or student/postdoc with basic skills for proteomics experiments and takes ∼7 d to complete.

Automated region selection for analysis of dynamic cardiac SPECT data

Science.gov (United States)

Di Bella, E. V. R.; Gullberg, G. T.; Barclay, A. B.; Eisner, R. L.

1997-06-01

Dynamic cardiac SPECT using Tc-99m labeled teboroxime can provide kinetic parameters (washin, washout) indicative of myocardial blood flow. A time-consuming and subjective step of the data analysis is drawing regions of interest to delineate blood pool and myocardial tissue regions. The time-activity curves of the regions are then used to estimate local kinetic parameters. In this work, the appropriate regions are found automatically, in a manner similar to that used for calculating maximum count circumferential profiles in conventional static cardiac studies. The drawbacks to applying standard static circumferential profile methods are the high noise level and high liver uptake common in dynamic teboroxime studies. Searching along each ray for maxima to locate the myocardium does not typically provide useful information. Here we propose an iterative scheme in which constraints are imposed on the radii searched along each ray. The constraints are based on the shape of the time-activity curves of the circumferential profile members and on an assumption that the short axis slices are approximately circular. The constraints eliminate outliers and help to reduce the effects of noise and liver activity. Kinetic parameter estimates from the automatically generated regions were comparable to estimates from manually selected regions in dynamic canine teboroxime studies.

Quantitative analysis of regional myocardial performance in coronary artery disease

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, D. K.; Dodge, H. T.; Frimer, M.

1975-01-01

Findings from a group of subjects with significant coronary artery stenosis are given. A group of controls determined by use of a quantitative method for the study of regional myocardial performance based on the frame-by-frame analysis of biplane left ventricular angiograms are presented. Particular emphasis was placed upon the analysis of wall motion in terms of normalized segment dimensions, timing and velocity of contraction. The results were compared with the method of subjective assessment used clinically.

Novel non-HLA-susceptible regions determined by meta-analysis of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We identified novel non-HLA-susceptible regions for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) by applying the genome-search-meta-analysis (GSMA) method to combine the previous four AS genomewide scan studies including 479 families with 1175 affected individuals. Three original genomescans were mainly analysed for Caucasian ...

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This document summarizes progress made on the research of high beta and second region transport and stability. In the area second stability region studies we report on an investigation of the possibility of second region access in the center of TFTR ''supershots.'' The instabilities found may coincide with experimental observation. Significant progress has been made on the resistive stability properties of high beta poloidal ''supershot'' discharges. For these studies profiles were taken from the TRANSP transport analysis code which analyzes experimental data. Invoking flattening of the pressure profile on mode rational surfaces causes tearing modes to persist into the experimental range of interest. Further, the experimental observation of the modes seems to be consistent with the predictions of the MHD model. In addition, code development in several areas has proceeded

Whole-Genome Analysis of Three Yeast Strains Used for Production of Sherry-Like Wines Revealed Genetic Traits Specific to Flor Yeasts

Science.gov (United States)

Eldarov, Mikhail A.; Beletsky, Alexey V.; Tanashchuk, Tatiana N.; Kishkovskaya, Svetlana A.; Ravin, Nikolai V.; Mardanov, Andrey V.

2018-01-01

Flor yeast strains represent a specialized group of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts used for biological wine aging. We have sequenced the genomes of three flor strains originated from different geographic regions and used for production of sherry-like wines in Russia. According to the obtained phylogeny of 118 yeast strains, flor strains form very tight cluster adjacent to the main wine clade. SNP analysis versus available genomes of wine and flor strains revealed 2,270 genetic variants in 1,337 loci specific to flor strains. Gene ontology analysis in combination with gene content evaluation revealed a complex landscape of possibly adaptive genetic changes in flor yeast, related to genes associated with cell morphology, mitotic cell cycle, ion homeostasis, DNA repair, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and cell wall biogenesis. Pangenomic analysis discovered the presence of several well-known “non-reference” loci of potential industrial importance. Events of gene loss included deletions of asparaginase genes, maltose utilization locus, and FRE-FIT locus involved in iron transport. The latter in combination with a flor-yeast-specific mutation in the Aft1 transcription factor gene is likely to be responsible for the discovered phenotype of increased iron sensitivity and improved iron uptake of analyzed strains. Expansion of the coding region of the FLO11 flocullin gene and alteration of the balance between members of the FLO gene family are likely to positively affect the well-known propensity of flor strains for velum formation. Our study provides new insights in the nature of genetic variation in flor yeast strains and demonstrates that different adaptive properties of flor yeast strains could have evolved through different mechanisms of genetic variation. PMID:29867869

Quasi-experimental Methods in Empirical Regional Science and Policy Analysis – Is there a Scope for Application?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mitze, Timo; Paloyo, Alfredo R.; Alecke, Björn

Applied econometrics has recently emphasized the identification of causal parameters for policy analysis. This revolution has yet to fully propagate to the field of regional science. We examine the scope for application of the matching approach – part of the modern applied econometrics toolkit...... – in regional science and highlight special features of regional data that make such an application difficult. In particular, our analysis of the effect of regional subsidies on labor-productivity growth in Germany indicates that such policies are effective, but only up to a certain maximum treatment intensity...... to be interpreted with some caution. The matching approach nevertheless can be of great value for regional policy analysis and should be the subject of future research efforts in the field of empirical regional science....

Residential energy consumption: A convergence analysis across Chinese regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrerias, M.J.; Aller, Carlos; Ordóñez, Javier

2017-01-01

The process of urbanization and the raise of living standards in China have led an increasing trend in the patterns of residential consumption. Projections for the population growth rate in urban areas do not paint a very optimistic picture for energy conservation policies. In addition, the concentration of economic activities around coastal areas calls for new prospects to be formulated for energy policy. In this context, the objective of this paper is twofold. First, we analyse the effect of the urbanization process of the Chinese economy in terms of the long-run patterns of residential energy consumption at national level. By using the concept of club convergence, we examine whether electricity and coal consumption in rural and urban areas converge to the same long-run equilibrium or whether in fact they diverge. Second, the impact of the regional concentration of the economic activity on energy consumption patterns is also assessed by source of energy across Chinese regions from 1995 to 2011. Our results suggest that the process of urbanization has led to coal being replaced by electricity in urban residential energy consumption. In rural areas, the evidence is mixed. The club convergence analysis confirms that rural and urban residential energy consumption converge to different steady-states. At the regional level, we also confirm the effect of the regional concentration of economic activity on residential energy consumption. The existence of these regional clusters converging to different equilibrium levels is indicative of the need of regional-tailored set of energy policies in China.

Genome-wide identification and tissue-specific expression analysis of nucleotide binding site-leucine rich repeat gene family in Cicer arietinum (kabuli chickpea).

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Ranu; Rawat, Vimal; Suresh, C G

2017-12-01

The nucleotide binding site-leucine rich repeat (NBS-LRR) proteins play an important role in the defense mechanisms against pathogens. Using bioinformatics approach, we identified and annotated 104 NBS-LRR genes in chickpea. Phylogenetic analysis points to their diversification into two families namely TIR-NBS-LRR and non-TIR-NBS-LRR. Gene architecture revealed intron gain/loss events in this resistance gene family during their independent evolution into two families. Comparative genomics analysis elucidated its evolutionary relationship with other fabaceae species. Around 50% NBS-LRRs reside in macro-syntenic blocks underlining positional conservation along with sequence conservation of NBS-LRR genes in chickpea. Transcriptome sequencing data provided evidence for their transcription and tissue-specific expression. Four cis -regulatory elements namely WBOX, DRE, CBF, and GCC boxes, that commonly occur in resistance genes, were present in the promoter regions of these genes. Further, the findings will provide a strong background to use candidate disease resistance NBS-encoding genes and identify their specific roles in chickpea.

QuASAR: quantitative allele-specific analysis of reads.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Chris T; Moyerbrailean, Gregory A; Davis, Gordon O; Wen, Xiaoquan; Luca, Francesca; Pique-Regi, Roger

2015-04-15

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have discovered thousands of genetic variants that regulate gene expression, enabling a better understanding of the functional role of non-coding sequences. However, eQTL studies are costly, requiring large sample sizes and genome-wide genotyping of each sample. In contrast, analysis of allele-specific expression (ASE) is becoming a popular approach to detect the effect of genetic variation on gene expression, even within a single individual. This is typically achieved by counting the number of RNA-seq reads matching each allele at heterozygous sites and testing the null hypothesis of a 1:1 allelic ratio. In principle, when genotype information is not readily available, it could be inferred from the RNA-seq reads directly. However, there are currently no existing methods that jointly infer genotypes and conduct ASE inference, while considering uncertainty in the genotype calls. We present QuASAR, quantitative allele-specific analysis of reads, a novel statistical learning method for jointly detecting heterozygous genotypes and inferring ASE. The proposed ASE inference step takes into consideration the uncertainty in the genotype calls, while including parameters that model base-call errors in sequencing and allelic over-dispersion. We validated our method with experimental data for which high-quality genotypes are available. Results for an additional dataset with multiple replicates at different sequencing depths demonstrate that QuASAR is a powerful tool for ASE analysis when genotypes are not available. http://github.com/piquelab/QuASAR. fluca@wayne.edu or rpique@wayne.edu Supplementary Material is available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A xylogalacturonan epitope is specifically associated with plant cell detachment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willats, William George Tycho; McCartney, L.; Steele-King, C.G.

2004-01-01

A monoclonal antibody (LM8) was generated with specificity for xyloglacturonan (XGA) isolated from pea (Pisum sativum L.) testae. Characterization of the LM8 epitope indicates that it is a region of XGA that is highly substituted with xylose. Immunocytochemical analysis indicates that this epitop...

Analysis and interpretation of soft X-ray photographs of coronal active regions taken with Fresnel zone plates. I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraemer, G.; Einighammer, H.J.; Elwert, G.; Braeuninger, H.; Fink, H.H.; Truemper, J.

1978-01-01

Soft X-ray photographs of the Sun taken at O VII 21.6 A and in a spectral band ranging from 13.2 to 22.1 A have been analysed in order to establish spatially resolved maps of temperature and emission measure for several active regions in the corona. The photographs were taken on 11 March, 1971, and on 2 March, 1972, with Fresnel zone plate cameras which were flown on ESRO and NRI sounding rockets. The authors deal with those aspects of the instrumentation which are important for setting up a suitable image analysis procedure. The characteristics of the wavelength dependent image formation by zone plates combined with absorption filters are discussed. Results of the calibration of the X-ray film are given. Then a specific iterative data reduction procedure is described and finally the resulting maps of temperature and emission measure are presented for a selected active region. (Auth.)

Regional Trends in Electromobility - Regional Study North America

OpenAIRE

Turrentine, Tom; Garas, Dhalia

2015-01-01

The subproject “Regional Trends in Electro mobility” aims at identifying and analyzing major trends in the field of electro mobility. The trend analysis will monitor research effort and upcoming technologies, policies, products and market developments in different focus regions around the world continuously to enable a systematic analysis of global trends. The regional trend analysis for electro mobility is a major keystone for the project success and therefore cooperation with...

A gene catalogue of the euchromatic male-specific region of the horse Y chromosome: comparison with human and other mammals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nandina Paria

Full Text Available Studies of the Y chromosome in primates, rodents and carnivores provide compelling evidence that the male specific region of Y (MSY contains functional genes, many of which have specialized roles in spermatogenesis and male-fertility. Little similarity, however, has been found between the gene content and sequence of MSY in different species. This hinders the discovery of species-specific male fertility genes and limits our understanding about MSY evolution in mammals. Here, a detailed MSY gene catalogue was developed for the horse--an odd-toed ungulate. Using direct cDNA selection from horse testis, and sequence analysis of Y-specific BAC clones, 37 horse MSY genes/transcripts were identified. The genes were mapped to the MSY BAC contig map, characterized for copy number, analyzed for transcriptional profiles by RT-PCR, examined for the presence of ORFs, and compared to other mammalian orthologs. We demonstrate that the horse MSY harbors 20 X-degenerate genes with known orthologs in other eutherian species. The remaining 17 genes are acquired or novel and have so far been identified only in the horse or donkey Y chromosomes. Notably, 3 transcripts were found in the heterochromatic part of the Y. We show that despite substantial differences between the sequence, gene content and organization of horse and other mammalian Y chromosomes, the functions of MSY genes are predominantly related to testis and spermatogenesis. Altogether, 10 multicopy genes with testis-specific expression were identified in the horse MSY, and considered likely candidate genes for stallion fertility. The findings establish an important foundation for the study of Y-linked genetic factors governing fertility in stallions, and improve our knowledge about the evolutionary processes that have shaped Y chromosomes in different mammalian lineages.

A gene catalogue of the euchromatic male-specific region of the horse Y chromosome: comparison with human and other mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Paria, Nandina; Raudsepp, Terje; Pearks Wilkerson, Alison J; O'Brien, Patricia C M; Ferguson-Smith, Malcom A; Love, Charles C; Arnold, Carolyn; Rakestraw, Peter; Murphy, William J; Chowdhary, Bhanu P

2011-01-01

Studies of the Y chromosome in primates, rodents and carnivores provide compelling evidence that the male specific region of Y (MSY) contains functional genes, many of which have specialized roles in spermatogenesis and male-fertility. Little similarity, however, has been found between the gene content and sequence of MSY in different species. This hinders the discovery of species-specific male fertility genes and limits our understanding about MSY evolution in mammals. Here, a detailed MSY gene catalogue was developed for the horse--an odd-toed ungulate. Using direct cDNA selection from horse testis, and sequence analysis of Y-specific BAC clones, 37 horse MSY genes/transcripts were identified. The genes were mapped to the MSY BAC contig map, characterized for copy number, analyzed for transcriptional profiles by RT-PCR, examined for the presence of ORFs, and compared to other mammalian orthologs. We demonstrate that the horse MSY harbors 20 X-degenerate genes with known orthologs in other eutherian species. The remaining 17 genes are acquired or novel and have so far been identified only in the horse or donkey Y chromosomes. Notably, 3 transcripts were found in the heterochromatic part of the Y. We show that despite substantial differences between the sequence, gene content and organization of horse and other mammalian Y chromosomes, the functions of MSY genes are predominantly related to testis and spermatogenesis. Altogether, 10 multicopy genes with testis-specific expression were identified in the horse MSY, and considered likely candidate genes for stallion fertility. The findings establish an important foundation for the study of Y-linked genetic factors governing fertility in stallions, and improve our knowledge about the evolutionary processes that have shaped Y chromosomes in different mammalian lineages.

A Gene Catalogue of the Euchromatic Male-Specific Region of the Horse Y Chromosome: Comparison with Human and Other Mammals

OpenAIRE

Paria, Nandina; Raudsepp, Terje; Pearks Wilkerson, Alison J.; O'Brien, Patricia C. M.; Ferguson-Smith, Malcom A.; Love, Charles C.; Arnold, Carolyn; Rakestraw, Peter; Murphy, William J.; Chowdhary, Bhanu P.

2011-01-01

Studies of the Y chromosome in primates, rodents and carnivores provide compelling evidence that the male specific region of Y (MSY) contains functional genes, many of which have specialized roles in spermatogenesis and male-fertility. Little similarity, however, has been found between the gene content and sequence of MSY in different species. This hinders the discovery of species-specific male fertility genes and limits our understanding about MSY evolution in mammals. Here, a detailed MSY g...

Statistical methods for site-specific analysis of cancer among the A-bomb survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierce, D.A.; Preston, D.L.

1992-01-01

Statistical methods are presented for joint, or simultaneous, analysis of the risks of several types of cancer for the A-bomb survivors. Previous analyses have been made either for all cancers except leukemia together, or have been done separately by cancer type. Either of these approaches has serious limitations, and the aim of joint analysis is to overcome these, while taking advantage of the strengths of each. The primary advantage of joint analysis is that models for risks of various cancer types can have some parameters in common, and others which are type-specific. This serves to overcome difficulties due to the limited data on specific cancer types. It also provides for significant tests comparing both type-specific risks and type-specific effects of modifying factors such as sex and age. These methods are exemplified here by joint analysis of three classes of cancer considered by the BEIR-V committee: (i) respiratory, (ii) digestive, and (iii) other cancers, excluding leukemia and breast cancer. The primary aim is to illustrate the general advantages of joint analyses, but in addition some comparison is made between the results of such joint analyses and the conclusions drawn by BEIR-V committee from separate analyses. (author)

Proteomic analysis of proteins expressing in regions of rat brain by a combination of SDS-PAGE with nano-liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maekawa Tsuyoshi

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most biological functions controlled by the brain and their related disorders are closely associated with activation in specific regions of the brain. Neuroproteomics has been applied to the analysis of whole brain, and the general pattern of protein expression in all regions has been elucidated. However, the comprehensive proteome of each brain region remains unclear. Results In this study, we carried out comparative proteomics of six regions of the adult rat brain: thalamus, hippocampus, frontal cortex, parietal cortex, occipital cortex, and amygdala using semi-quantitative analysis by Mascot Score of the identified proteins. In order to identify efficiently the proteins that are present in the brain, the proteins were separated by a combination of SDS-PAGE on a C18 column-equipped nano-liquid chromatograph, and analyzed by quadrupole-time of flight-tandem-mass spectrometry. The proteomic data show 2,909 peptides in the rat brain, with more than 200 identified as region-abundant proteins by semi-quantitative analysis. The regions containing the identified proteins are membrane (20.0%, cytoplasm (19.5%, mitochondrion (17.1%, cytoskeleton (8.2%, nucleus (4.7%, extracellular region (3.3%, and other (18.0%. Of the identified proteins, the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein, GABA transporter 3, Septin 5, heat shock protein 90, synaptotagmin, heat shock protein 70, and pyruvate kinase were confirmed by immunoblotting. We examined the distributions in rat brain of GABA transporter 3, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and heat shock protein 70 by immunohistochemistry, and found that the proteins are localized around the regions observed by proteomic analysis and immunoblotting. IPA analysis indicates that pathways closely related to the biological functions of each region may be activated in rat brain. Conclusions These observations indicate that proteomics in each region of adult rat brain may provide a novel way to

Proteome Analysis of the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Monilinia laxa Showing Host Specificity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olja Bregar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Brown rot fungus Monilinia laxa (Aderh. & Ruhl. Honey is an important plant pathogen in stone and pome fruits in Europe. We applied a proteomic approach in a study of M. laxa isolates obtained from apples and apricots in order to show the host specifity of the isolates and to analyse differentially expressed proteins in terms of host specifity, fungal pathogenicity and identification of candidate proteins for diagnostic marker development. Extracted mycelium proteins were separated by 2-D electrophoresis (2-DE and visualized by Coomassie staining in a non-linear pH range of 3–11 and Mr of 14–116 kDa. We set up a 2-DE reference map of M. laxa, resolving up to 800 protein spots, and used it for image analysis. The average technical coefficient of variance (13 % demonstrated a high reproducibility of protein extraction and 2-D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE PAGE, and the average biological coefficient of variance (23 % enabled differential proteomic analysis of the isolates. Multivariate statistical analysis (principal component analysis discriminated isolates from two different hosts, providing new data that support the existence of a M. laxa specialized form f. sp. mali, which infects only apples. A total of 50 differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed by LC-MS/MS, yielding 41 positive identifications. The identified mycelial proteins were functionally classified into 6 groups: amino acid and protein metabolism, energy production, carbohydrate metabolism, stress response, fatty acid metabolism and other proteins. Some proteins expressed only in apple isolates have been described as virulence factors in other fungi. The acetolactate synthase was almost 11-fold more abundant in apple-specific isolates than in apricot isolates and it might be implicated in M. laxa host specificity. Ten proteins identified only in apple isolates are potential candidates for the development of M. laxa host-specific diagnostic markers.

Multifractal analysis of forest fires in complex regions

Science.gov (United States)

Vega Orozco, C. D.; Kanevski, M.; Golay, J.; Tonini, M.; Conedera, M.

2012-04-01

Forest fires can be studied as point processes where the ignition points represent the set of locations of the observed events in a defined study region. Their spatial and temporal patterns can be characterized by their fractal properties; which quantify the global aspect of the geometry of the support data. However, a monofractal dimension can not completely describe the pattern structure and related scaling properties. Enhancements in fractal theory had developed the multifractal concept which describes the measures from which interlinked fractal sets can be retrieved and characterized by their fractal dimension and singularity strength [1, 2]. The spatial variability of forest fires is conditioned by an intermixture of human, topographic, meteorological and vegetation factors. This heterogeneity makes fire patterns complex scale-invariant processes difficult to be depicted by a single scale. Therefore, this study proposes an exploratory data analysis through a multifractal formalism to characterize and quantify the multiscaling behaviour of the spatial distribution pattern of this phenomenon in a complex region like the Swiss Alps. The studied dataset is represented by 2,401 georeferenced forest fire ignition points in canton Ticino, Switzerland, in a 40-years period from 1969 to 2008. Three multifractal analyses are performed: one assesses the multiscaling behaviour of fire occurrence probability of the support data (raw data) and four random patterns simulated within three different support domains; second analysis studies the multifractal behavior of patterns from anthropogenic and natural ignited fires (arson-, accident- and lightning-caused fires); and third analysis aims at detecting scale-dependency of the size of burned area. To calculate the generalized dimensions, Dq, a generalization of the box counting methods is carried out based on the generalization of Rényi information of the qth order moment of the probability distribution. For q > 0, Dq

Brain regions activated by the passive processing of visually- and auditorily-presented words measured by averaged PET images of blood flow change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, S.E.; Fox, P.T.; Posner, M.I.; Raichle, M.E.

1987-01-01

A limited number of regions specific to input modality are activated by the auditory and visual presentation of single words. These regions include primary auditory and visual cortex, and modality-specific higher order region that may be performing computations at a word level of analysis

[New data on the phylogeography and genetic diversity of the brown bear Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 of northeastern Eurasia (mtDNA control region polymorphism analysis)].

Science.gov (United States)

Salomashkina, V V; Kholodova, M V; Tiuten'kov, O Iu; Moskvitina, N S; Erokhin, N G

2014-01-01

An analysis of polymorphism of the fragment of the control region of mitochondrial DNA of 53 tissue samples of the brown bear Ursus arctos from several regions of the eastern part of Russia was carried out. It was found that most of the described haplotypes belong to cluster 3a, the most common in Eurasia, and do not form regionally specific haplogroups. However, among the bears from Western and Eastern Siberia, as well as the island of Kunashir, three haplotypes were identified, which are close to the haplogroup typical of Eastern Hokkaido bears. The assumption was made of the existence in Siberia and the Far East of one or more Pleistocene refugia.

Analysis of Regional GPS Networks in Eastern Ontario

Science.gov (United States)

Samadi Alinia, H.; Tiampo, K. F.

2014-12-01

Although stable, intraplate region of eastern Canada is considered low rate deformation area in the North American plate, the retreat of large ice sheets during deglaciation in the last 20 ka has resulted in horizontal and vertical deformation of the Earth's in eastern Ontario. Present-day glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) uplift rates approach 10 mm/yr or more at Hudson Bay and decrease with distance southeastward. Current GIA models forecast that the hinge line between uplift to the northwest and subsidence to the southeast lies somewhere near the Saint Lawrence valley in eastern Canada [Tushingham and Peltier, 1991; Peltier, 2002]. Employing continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) observations and high precision tools for processing and then analyzing each component of derived time series are important tools to monitor the associated regional crustal deformation with good accuracies. Here we describe the analysis of coordinate time series of cGPS stations scattered sparsely throughout southeastern Ontario and between Ottawa and the east coast of Hudson Bay. Here, the two most reliable local networks, each including 4 to 6 reference stations, were selected for analysis. Data for period of approximately five years, 2008-2012.9, was processed with Bernese 5.0 over several campaigns. Individual cGPS coordinate time series were generated for each station and basic parameters, such as mean, variance and repeatability, were estimated. The time series are corrected with respect to the rigid plate motion and seasonal variations and advanced time series analysis techniques, including spectral analysis and principal component analysis were implemented. Post-processing of the time series reproduces the general GIA spatial pattern. Results also show that the vertical velocities of all stations in the solution are consistent with the GIA model uplift rate and are consistent with other cGPS sites in eastern Canada and increases from north of lake of Ontario (approximately

Region-specific proteolysis differentially regulates type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liwei; Wagner, Larry E; Alzayady, Kamil J; Yule, David I

2017-07-14

The inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate receptor (IP 3 R) is an intracellular Ca 2+ release channel expressed predominately on the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. IP 3 R1 can be cleaved by caspase or calpain into at least two receptor fragments. However, the functional consequences of receptor fragmentation are poorly understood. Our previous work has demonstrated that IP 3 R1 channels, formed following either enzymatic fragmentation or expression of the corresponding complementary polypeptide chains, retain tetrameric architecture and are still activated by IP 3 binding despite the loss of peptide continuity. In this study, we demonstrate that region-specific receptor fragmentation modifies channel regulation. Specifically, the agonist-evoked temporal Ca 2+ release profile and protein kinase A modulation of Ca 2+ release are markedly altered. Moreover, we also demonstrate that activation of fragmented IP 3 R1 can result in a distinct functional outcome. Our work suggests that proteolysis of IP 3 R1 may represent a novel form of modulation of IP 3 R1 channel function and increases the repertoire of Ca 2+ signals achievable through this channel. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

ECOLOGICAL REGIONALIZATION METHODS OF OIL PRODUCING AREAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inna Ivanovna Pivovarova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses territory zoning methods with varying degrees of anthropogenic pollution risk. The summarized results of spatial analysis of oil pollution of surface water in the most developed oil-producing region of Russia. An example of GIS-zoning according to the degree of environmental hazard is presented. All possible algorithms of cluster analysis are considered for isolation of homogeneous data structures. The conclusion is made on the benefits of using combined methods of analysis for assessing the homogeneity of specific environmental characteristics in selected territories.

Regionalism in Educational R/D&I: A Policy Analysis for the National Institute of Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofler, Durward; And Others

This analysis examines regionalism in the educational research, development, and innovation (R/D&I) context with particular concern for its meaning and significance for the National Institute of Education. The purpose of the analysis is to provide an understanding of regionalism that would be of help to R/D&I policy makers. It is intended…

Memory for color reactivates color processing region.

Science.gov (United States)

Slotnick, Scott D

2009-11-25

Memory is thought to be constructive in nature, where features processed in different cortical regions are synthesized during retrieval. In an effort to support this constructive memory framework, the present functional magnetic resonance imaging study assessed whether memory for color reactivated color processing regions. During encoding, participants were presented with colored and gray abstract shapes. During retrieval, old and new shapes were presented in gray and participants responded 'old-colored', 'old-gray', or 'new'. Within color perception regions, color memory related activity was observed in the left fusiform gyrus, adjacent to the collateral sulcus. A retinotopic mapping analysis indicated this activity occurred within color processing region V8. The present feature specific evidence provides compelling support for a constructive view of memory.

Region-specific role for Pten in maintenance of epithelial phenotype and integrity

Science.gov (United States)

Flodby, Per; Sunohara, Mitsuhiro; Castillo, Dan R.; McConnell, Alicia M.; Krishnaveni, Manda S.; Banfalvi, Agnes; Li, Min; Stripp, Barry; Zhou, Beiyun; Crandall, Edward D.; Minoo, Parviz

2017-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated resistance to naphthalene-induced injury in proximal airways of mice with lung epithelial-specific deletion of the tumor-suppressor gene Pten, attributed to increased proliferation of airway progenitors. We tested effects of Pten loss following bleomycin injury, a model typically used to study distal lung epithelial injury, in conditional PtenSFTPC-cre knockout mice. Pten-deficient airway epithelium exhibited marked hyperplasia, particularly in small bronchioles and at bronchoalveolar duct junctions, with reduced E-cadherin and β-catenin expression between cells toward the luminal aspect of the hyperplastic epithelium. Bronchiolar epithelial and alveolar epithelial type II (AT2) cells in PtenSFTPC-cre mice showed decreased expression of epithelial markers and increased expression of mesenchymal markers, suggesting at least partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition at baseline. Surprisingly, and in contrast to previous studies, mutant mice were exquisitely sensitive to bleomycin, manifesting rapid weight loss, respiratory distress, increased early mortality (by day 5), and reduced dynamic lung compliance. This was accompanied by sloughing of the hyperplastic airway epithelium with occlusion of small bronchioles by cellular debris, without evidence of increased parenchymal lung injury. Increased airway epithelial cell apoptosis due to loss of antioxidant defenses, reflected by decreased expression of superoxide dismutase 3, in combination with deficient intercellular adhesion, likely predisposed to airway sloughing in knockout mice. These findings demonstrate an important role for Pten in maintenance of airway epithelial phenotype integrity and indicate that responses to Pten deletion in respiratory epithelium following acute lung injury are highly context-dependent and region-specific. PMID:27864284

A Sequential Kriging reliability analysis method with characteristics of adaptive sampling regions and parallelizability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, Zhixun; Pei, Haiqing; Liu, Hai; Yue, Zhufeng

2016-01-01

The sequential Kriging reliability analysis (SKRA) method has been developed in recent years for nonlinear implicit response functions which are expensive to evaluate. This type of method includes EGRA: the efficient reliability analysis method, and AK-MCS: the active learning reliability method combining Kriging model and Monte Carlo simulation. The purpose of this paper is to improve SKRA by adaptive sampling regions and parallelizability. The adaptive sampling regions strategy is proposed to avoid selecting samples in regions where the probability density is so low that the accuracy of these regions has negligible effects on the results. The size of the sampling regions is adapted according to the failure probability calculated by last iteration. Two parallel strategies are introduced and compared, aimed at selecting multiple sample points at a time. The improvement is verified through several troublesome examples. - Highlights: • The ISKRA method improves the efficiency of SKRA. • Adaptive sampling regions strategy reduces the number of needed samples. • The two parallel strategies reduce the number of needed iterations. • The accuracy of the optimal value impacts the number of samples significantly.

Thermal Desorption Analysis of Effective Specific Soil Surface Area

Science.gov (United States)

Smagin, A. V.; Bashina, A. S.; Klyueva, V. V.; Kubareva, A. V.

2017-12-01

A new method of assessing the effective specific surface area based on the successive thermal desorption of water vapor at different temperature stages of sample drying is analyzed in comparison with the conventional static adsorption method using a representative set of soil samples of different genesis and degree of dispersion. The theory of the method uses the fundamental relationship between the thermodynamic water potential (Ψ) and the absolute temperature of drying ( T): Ψ = Q - aT, where Q is the specific heat of vaporization, and a is the physically based parameter related to the initial temperature and relative humidity of the air in the external thermodynamic reservoir (laboratory). From gravimetric data on the mass fraction of water ( W) and the Ψ value, Polyanyi potential curves ( W(Ψ)) for the studied samples are plotted. Water sorption isotherms are then calculated, from which the capacity of monolayer and the target effective specific surface area are determined using the BET theory. Comparative analysis shows that the new method well agrees with the conventional estimation of the degree of dispersion by the BET and Kutilek methods in a wide range of specific surface area values between 10 and 250 m2/g.

Clustering applications in financial and economic analysis of the crop production in the Russian regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gromov Vladislav Vladimirovich

2013-08-01

Full Text Available We used the complex mathematical modeling, multivariate statistical-analysis, fuzzy sets to analyze the financial and economic state of the crop production in Russian regions. We developed a system of indicators, detecting the state agricultural sector in the region, based on the results of correlation, factor, cluster analysis and statistics of the Federal State Statistics Service. We performed clustering analyses to divide regions of Russia on selected factors into five groups. A qualitative and quantitative characteristics of each cluster was received.

Analysis of Earthquake Catalogs for CSEP Testing Region Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peresan, A.; Romashkova, L.; Nekrasova, A.; Kossobokov, V.; Panza, G.F.

2010-07-01

A comprehensive analysis shows that the set of catalogs provided by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV, Italy) as the authoritative database for the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability - Testing Region Italy (CSEP-TRI), is hardly a unified one acceptable for the necessary tuning of models/algorithms, as well as for running rigorous prospective predictability tests at intermediate- or long-term scale. (author)

Mapping of a Novel Race Specific Resistance Gene to Phytophthora Root Rot of Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Using Bulked Segregant Analysis Combined with Specific Length Amplified Fragment Sequencing Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiaomei; Chao, Juan; Cheng, Xueli; Wang, Rui; Sun, Baojuan; Wang, Hengming; Luo, Shaobo; Xu, Xiaowan; Wu, Tingquan; Li, Ying

2016-01-01

Phytophthora root rot caused by Phytophthora capsici (P. capsici) is a serious limitation to pepper production in Southern China, with high temperature and humidity. Mapping PRR resistance genes can provide linked DNA markers for breeding PRR resistant varieties by molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS). Two BC1 populations and an F2 population derived from a cross between P. capsici-resistant accession, Criollo de Morelos 334 (CM334) and P. capsici-susceptible accession, New Mexico Capsicum Accession 10399 (NMCA10399) were used to investigate the genetic characteristics of PRR resistance. PRR resistance to isolate Byl4 (race 3) was controlled by a single dominant gene, PhR10, that was mapped to an interval of 16.39Mb at the end of the long arm of chromosome 10. Integration of bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and Specific Length Amplified Fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) provided an efficient genetic mapping strategy. Ten polymorphic Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers were found within this region and used to screen the genotypes of 636 BC1 plants, delimiting PhR10 to a 2.57 Mb interval between markers P52-11-21 (1.5 cM away) and P52-11-41 (1.1 cM). A total of 163 genes were annotated within this region and 31 were predicted to be associated with disease resistance. PhR10 is a novel race specific gene for PRR, and this paper describes linked SSR markers suitable for marker-assisted selection of PRR resistant varieties, also laying a foundation for cloning the resistance gene.