Ploidy level variability in South American fescues (festuca L., poaceae): use of flow cytometry in up to 5 1/2-year-old caryopses and herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Smarda, P; Stancík, D

2006-01-01

Ploidy levels and chromosome numbers for 24 species of Festuca L. from 29 sites in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela are given. The ploidy level of 22 species is reported for the first time. A higher proportion of tetraploids in northern South America and the high frequency of polyploids in the whole continent are documented. In combination with chromosome counts, ploidy level was determined using flow cytometry in 4- to 5 1/2 -year-old herbarium specimens and mature caryopses. Flow cytometric determination from seeds was more reliable than determination from herbarium specimens. In herbarium specimens, the youngest, fresh green leaves, still hidden in sheaths, seem to be most suitable for cytometric determination. In old, brownish leaves, or poorly preserved herbarium specimens, the degradation of DNA signal in flow histograms was documented. DNA content measured in seeds was always higher than that measured in herbarium specimens, which may be caused by the presence of different cytosolic compounds. Differences of about 15% in relative DNA content of F. sodiroana and F. vaginalis was found in simultaneous measurements in seeds.

Biaxial Creep Specimen Fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JL Bump; RF Luther

2006-02-09

This report documents the results of the weld development and abbreviated weld qualification efforts performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for refractory metal and superalloy biaxial creep specimens. Biaxial creep specimens were to be assembled, electron beam welded, laser-seal welded, and pressurized at PNNL for both in-pile (JOYO reactor, O-arai, Japan) and out-of-pile creep testing. The objective of this test campaign was to evaluate the creep behavior of primary cladding and structural alloys under consideration for the Prometheus space reactor. PNNL successfully developed electron beam weld parameters for six of these materials prior to the termination of the Naval Reactors program effort to deliver a space reactor for Project Prometheus. These materials were FS-85, ASTAR-811C, T-111, Alloy 617, Haynes 230, and Nirnonic PE16. Early termination of the NR space program precluded the development of laser welding parameters for post-pressurization seal weldments.

Biaxial Creep Specimen Fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

JL Bump; RF Luther

2006-01-01

This report documents the results of the weld development and abbreviated weld qualification efforts performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for refractory metal and superalloy biaxial creep specimens. Biaxial creep specimens were to be assembled, electron beam welded, laser-seal welded, and pressurized at PNNL for both in-pile (JOYO reactor, O-arai, Japan) and out-of-pile creep testing. The objective of this test campaign was to evaluate the creep behavior of primary cladding and structural alloys under consideration for the Prometheus space reactor. PNNL successfully developed electron beam weld parameters for six of these materials prior to the termination of the Naval Reactors program effort to deliver a space reactor for Project Prometheus. These materials were FS-85, ASTAR-811C, T-111, Alloy 617, Haynes 230, and Nirnonic PE16. Early termination of the NR space program precluded the development of laser welding parameters for post-pressurization seal weldments

Title list of documents made publicly available: August 1--31, 1997. Volume 19, Number 8

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-10-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate Source, Report Number, and Cross Reference of Enclosures to Principal Documents.

Title list of documents made publicly available: August 1-31, 1997. Volume 19, Number 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-10-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate Source, Report Number, and Cross Reference of Enclosures to Principal Documents

Title list of documents made publicly available: November 1--30, 1997. Volume 19, Number 11

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-01-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate source, Report Number, and Cross Reference of Enclosures to Principal Documents.

Title list of documents made publicly available: November 1--30, 1997. Volume 19, Number 11

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate source, Report Number, and Cross Reference of Enclosures to Principal Documents

Title list of documents made publicly available: December 1--31, 1996. Volume 18, Number 12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-03-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials, and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate Source, Report Number, and Cross Reference of Enclosures to Principal Documents

Title list of documents made publicly available: December 1--31, 1996. Volume 18, Number 12

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials, and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate Source, Report Number, and Cross Reference of Enclosures to Principal Documents.

Title list of documents made publicly available: February 1--28, 1995. Volume 17, Number 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-04-01

This monthly publication contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index. NRC documents that are publicly available may be examined without charge at the NRC Public Document Room (PDR)

Title list of documents made publicly available: February 1--28, 1995. Volume 17, Number 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-04-01

This monthly publication contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index. NRC documents that are publicly available may be examined without charge at the NRC Public Document Room (PDR).

Catalogue of type specimens of fungi and lichens deposited in the Herbarium of the University of Granada (Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Vizoso, M Teresa; Quesada, Carmen

2015-01-01

A catalogue of types from the Herbarium of the University of Granada has not previously been compiled. As a result, a search of these collections in order to compile digital images for preservation and publication yielded a large number of formerly unrecognized types. This dataset contains the specimen records from the catalogue of the nomenclature types of fungi and lichens in the Herbarium of the University of Granada, Spain. These herbarium specimens are included in the GDA and GDAC collections, acronyms from Index Herbariorum (Thiers 2014). At this time, the type collection of fungi and lichens contains 88 type specimens of 49 nominal taxa, most from Agaricales and the genus Cortinarius, described from the western Mediterranean, mainly Spain, by the following authors: V.Antonin, J.Ballarà, A.Bidaud, G.F.Bills, M.Bon, C.Cano, M.Casares, G.Chevassut, M.Contu, F.Esteve-Raventós, R.Galán, L.Guzmán-Dávalos, R.Henry, E.Horak, R.Mahiques, G.Malençon, P.Moënne-Loccoz, G.Moreno, A.Ortega, F.Palazón, V.N.Suárez.-Santiago, A.Vêzda, J.Vila, and M.Villareal. For each specimen, the locality indication, species name, observation date, collector, type status, related information, associated sequences, other catalogue numbers related to each type, and image URL are recorded. The dataset is associated with an image collection named "Colección de imágenes de los tipos nomenclaturales de hongos, líquenes, musgos y algas incluidos en el Herbario de la Universidad de Granada (GDA y GDAC)" (Vizoso and Quesada 2013) which is housed and accessible at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility in Spain (GBIF.ES) Hosting and Publishing Service "Biodiversity Image Portal of Spanish collections" and is also available at the Herbarium of University of Granada institutional web (Vizoso 2014a, Vizoso 2014b). That image collection contains 113 images, of which 56 correspond to the nomenclature types of 49 taxa (47 fungi, 2 lichens), the rest of the images in this collection

Molecular Auditing: An Evaluation of Unsuspected Tissue Specimen Misidentification.

Science.gov (United States)

Demetrick, Douglas J

2018-06-18

Context Specimen misidentification is the most significant error in laboratory medicine, potentially accounting for hundreds of millions of dollars in extra health care expenses and significant morbidity in patient populations in the United States alone. New technology allows the unequivocal documentation of specimen misidentification or contamination; however, the value of this technology currently depends on suspicion of the specimen integrity by a pathologist or other health care worker. Objective To test the hypothesis that there is a detectable incidence of unsuspected tissue specimen misidentification among cases submitted for routine surgical pathology examination. Design To test this hypothesis, we selected specimen pairs that were obtained at different times and/or different hospitals from the same patient, and compared their genotypes using standardized microsatellite markers used commonly for forensic human DNA comparison in order to identify unsuspected mismatches between the specimen pairs as a trial of "molecular auditing." We preferentially selected gastrointestinal, prostate, and skin biopsies because we estimated that these types of specimens had the greatest potential for misidentification. Results Of 972 specimen pairs, 1 showed an unexpected discordant genotype profile, indicating that 1 of the 2 specimens was misidentified. To date, we are unable to identify the etiology of the discordance. Conclusions These results demonstrate that, indeed, there is a low level of unsuspected tissue specimen misidentification, even in an environment with careful adherence to stringent quality assurance practices. This study demonstrates that molecular auditing of random, routine biopsy specimens can identify occult misidentified specimens, and may function as a useful quality indicator.

Genetic diversity of citrus bacterial canker pathogens preserved in herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenbin; Song, Qijian; Brlansky, Ronald H; Hartung, John S

2007-11-20

Citrus bacterial canker (CBC) caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) was first documented in India and Java in the mid 19th century. Since that time, the known distribution of the disease has steadily increased. Concurrent with the dispersion of the pathogen, the diversity of described strains continues to increase, with novel strains appearing in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Florida in the last decade. Herbarium specimens of infected plants provide an historical record documenting both the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of the pathogen in the past. However, no method was available to assess the genetic diversity within these herbarium samples. We have developed a method, insertion event scanning (IES), and applied the method to characterize the diversity present within CBC populations documented as herbarium specimens over the past century. IES is based on the specific amplification of junction fragments that define insertion events. The potential for IES in current forensic applications is demonstrated by finding an exact match of pathogen genotypes preserved in herbarium specimens from Japan and Florida, demonstrating the source of the original outbreak of citrus canker in Florida in 1911. IES is a very sensitive technique for differentiating bacterial strains and can be applied to any of the several hundred bacteria for which full genomic sequence data are available.

Techniques for the recovery and identification of Cryptosporidium oocysts from stool specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, L S; Bruckner, D A; Brewer, T C; Shimizu, R Y

1983-07-01

Due to increasing numbers of patients with documented infections with Cryptosporidium and other coccidia, it is important for the physician and clinical laboratory to be aware of the appropriate diagnostic techniques necessary for organism recovery and identification. Although Cryptosporidium is found in the gastrointestinal tract, tissue biopsies may be insufficient for organism recovery; the examination of stool specimens is a noninvasive procedure and will provide better overall opportunities for organism recovery. Human clinical specimens were examined from 45 patients with confirmed cryptosporidiosis or suspected of having the infection. Tissue biopsy sections, fecal wet preparations, and permanent stained smears were examined. Stool specimens were submitted in 10% Formalin, 2.5% potassium dichromate, and polyvinyl alcohol and were examined for oocysts by using 15 different methods: phase-contrast and light microscopy; Sheather's sugar flotation; Formalin concentration techniques; 10% potassium hydroxide; Giemsa; trichrome; periodic acid-Schiff; modified periodic acid-Schiff; silver methenamine; acridine orange; auramine-rhodamine; Kinyoun acid-fast; Ziehl-Neelsen carbolfuchsin; and a modified acid-fast procedure. Each technique or combination of techniques was assessed by organism quantitation, organism morphology, and ease of visual recognition. Based on these comparative studies, the modified Ziehl-Neelsen carbolfuchsin stain on 10% Formalin-preserved stool is recommended for the recovery and identification of Cryptosporidium.

The collection of type specimens of the family Carabidae (Coleoptera deposited in the Natural History Museum of Barcelona, Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viñolas, A.

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The type collection of the family Carabidae (Coleoptera deposited in the Natural History Museum of Barcelona, Spain, has been organised, revised and documented. It contains 430 type specimens belonging to 155 different taxa. Of note are the large number of hypogean species, the species of Cicindelidae from Asenci Codina’s collection, and the species of Harpalinae extracted from Jacques Nègre’s collection. In this paper we provide all the available information related to these type specimens. We therefore provide the following information for each taxon, species or subspecies: the original and current taxonomic status, original citation of type materials, exact transcription of original labels, and preservation condition of specimens. Moreover, the differences between original descriptions and labels are discussed. When a taxonomic change has occurred, the references that examine those changes are included at the end of the taxa description.

On specimen killing in the era of conservation crisis - A quantitative case for modernizing taxonomy and biodiversity inventories.

Science.gov (United States)

Waeber, Patrick O; Gardner, Charlie J; Lourenço, Wilson R; Wilmé, Lucienne

2017-01-01

For centuries taxonomy has relied on dead animal specimens, a practice that persists today despite the emergence of innovative biodiversity assessment methods. Taxonomists and conservationists are engaged in vigorous discussions over the necessity of killing animals for specimen sampling, but quantitative data on taxonomic trends and specimen sampling over time, which could inform these debates, are lacking. We interrogated a long-term research database documenting 2,723 land vertebrate and 419 invertebrate taxa from Madagascar, and their associated specimens conserved in the major natural history museums. We further compared specimen collection and species description rates for the birds, mammals and scorpions over the last two centuries, to identify trends and links to taxon descriptions. We located 15,364 specimens documenting endemic mammals and 11,666 specimens documenting endemic birds collected between 1820 and 2010. Most specimens were collected at the time of the Mission Zoologique Franco-Anglo-Américaine (MZFAA) in the 1930s and during the last two decades, with major differences according to the groups considered. The small mammal and bat collections date primarily from recent years, and are paralleled by the description of new species. Lemur specimens were collected during the MZFAA but the descriptions of new taxa are recent, with the type series limited to non-killed specimens. Bird specimens, particularly of non-passerines, are mainly from the time of the MZFAA. The passerines have also been intensely collected during the last two decades; the new material has been used to solve the phylogeny of the groups and only two new endemic taxa of passerine birds have been described over the last two decades. Our data show that specimen collection has been critical for advancing our understanding of the taxonomy of Madagascar's biodiversity at the onset of zoological work in Madagascar, but less so in recent decades. It is crucial to look for alternatives to

Recent advances on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Lobo, Raquel M.; Miranda, Carlos Alexandre J., E-mail: aandrade@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Charpy specimen reconstitution is widely used around the world as a tool to enhance or supplement surveillance programs of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. The reconstitution technique consists in the incorporation of a small piece from a previously tested specimen into a compound specimen, allowing to increase the number of tests. This is especially important if the available materials is restricted and fracture mechanics parameter have to be determined. The reconstitution technique must fulfill some demands, among them tests results like the original standard specimens and the loaded material of the insert must not be influenced by the welding and machining procedure. It is known that reconstitution of Charpy specimens may affect the impact energy in a consequence of the constraint of plastic deformation by the hardened weldment and HAZ. This paper reviews some recent advances of the reconstitution technique and its applications. (author)

Recent advances on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Lobo, Raquel M.; Miranda, Carlos Alexandre J.

2017-01-01

Charpy specimen reconstitution is widely used around the world as a tool to enhance or supplement surveillance programs of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. The reconstitution technique consists in the incorporation of a small piece from a previously tested specimen into a compound specimen, allowing to increase the number of tests. This is especially important if the available materials is restricted and fracture mechanics parameter have to be determined. The reconstitution technique must fulfill some demands, among them tests results like the original standard specimens and the loaded material of the insert must not be influenced by the welding and machining procedure. It is known that reconstitution of Charpy specimens may affect the impact energy in a consequence of the constraint of plastic deformation by the hardened weldment and HAZ. This paper reviews some recent advances of the reconstitution technique and its applications. (author)

Final Report: Posttest Analysis of Omega II Optical Specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newlander, C D; Fisher, J H

2007-01-01

Preliminary posttest analyses have been completed on optical specimens exposed during the Omega II test series conducted on 14 July 2006. The Omega Facility, located at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) at the University of Rochester was used to produce X-ray environments through the interaction of intense pulsed laser radiation upon germanium-loaded silica aerogels. The optical specimen testing was supported by GH Systems through experiment design, pre- and post-test analyses, specimen acquisition, and overall technical experience. The test specimens were fabricated and characterized by Surface Optics Corporation (SOC), San Diego, CA and were simple protected gold coatings on silica substrates. Six test specimens were exposed, five filtered with thin beryllium foil filters, and one unfiltered which was exposed directly to the raw environment. The experimental objectives were: (1) demonstrate that tests of optical specimens could be performed at the Omega facility; (2) evaluate the use and survivability of beryllium foil filters as a function of thickness; (3) obtain damage data on optical specimens which ranged from no damage to damage; (4) correlate existing thermal response models with the damage data; (5) evaluate the use of the direct raw environment upon the specimen response and the ability/desirability to conduct sensitive optical specimen tests using the raw environment; and (6) initiate the development of a protocol for performing optical coatings/mirror tests. This report documents the activities performed by GH Systems in evaluating and using the environments provided by LLNL, the PUFFTFT analyses performed using those environments, and the calculated results compared to the observed and measured posttest data

Title list of documents made publicly available, March 1--31, 1998. Volume 20, Number 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-05-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a personal author index, a corporate source index, and a report number index.

Title list of documents made publicly available, March 1--31, 1998. Volume 20, Number 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-05-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a personal author index, a corporate source index, and a report number index

Multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat profiling of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates from blood cultures and gallbladder specimens from Makassar, South-Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mochammad Hatta

Full Text Available Multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis differentiated 297 Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi blood culture isolates from Makassar in 76 genotypes and a single unique S. Typhi genotype was isolated from the cholecystectomy specimens of four patients with cholelithiasis. The high diversity in S. Typhi genotypes circulating in Makassar indicates that the number of carriers could be very large, which may complicate disease prevention and control.

Title list of documents made publicly available: May 1--31, 1997. Volume 19, Number 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-07-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) non-docketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available: October 1--31, 1994. Volume 16, Number 10

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-12-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index.

Title list of documents made publicly available: May 1--31, 1997. Volume 19, Number 5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-07-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) non-docketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index.

Title list of documents made publicly available: February 1--29, 1996. Volume 18, Number 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-04-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index.

Title list of documents made publicly available: February 1--29, 1996. Volume 18, Number 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-04-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available: October 1--31, 1994. Volume 16, Number 10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-12-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Progress Report on Alloy 617 Notched Specimen Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McMurtrey, Michael David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Wright, Richard Neil [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lillo, Thomas Martin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-08-01

Creep behavior of Alloy 617 has been extensively characterized to support the development of a draft Code Case to qualify Alloy 617 in Section III division 5 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. This will allow use of Alloy 617 in construction of nuclear reactor components at elevated temperatures and longer periods of time (up to 950°C and 100,000 hours). Prior to actual use, additional concerns not considered in the ASME code need to be addressed. Code Cases are based largely on uniaxial testing of smooth gage specimens. In service conditions, components will generally be under multi axial loading. There is also the concern of the behavior at discontinuities, such as threaded components. To address the concerns of multi axial creep behavior and at geometric discontinuities, notched specimens have been designed to create conditions representative of the states that service components experience. Two general notch geometries have been used for these series of tests: U notch and V notch specimens. The notches produce a tri axial stress state, though not uniform across the specimen. Characterization of the creep behavior of the U notch specimens and the creep rupture behavior of the V notch specimens provides a good approximation of the behavior expected of actual components. Preliminary testing and analysis have been completed and are reported in this document. This includes results from V notch specimens tested at 900°C and 800°C. Failure occurred in the smooth gage section of the specimen rather than at the root of the notch, though some damage was present at the root of the notch, where initial stress was highest. This indicates notch strengthening behavior in this material at these temperatures.

New Specimens of Yanornis Indicate a Piscivorous Diet and Modern Alimentary Canal

OpenAIRE

Zheng, Xiaoting; O'Connor, Jingmai K.; Huchzermeyer, Fritz; Wang, Xiaoli; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Xiaomei; Zhou, Zhonghe

2014-01-01

A crop adapted for an herbivorous diet of seeds has previously been documented in the Early Cretaceous birds Sapeornis and Hongshanornis. Here we report on several specimens of Yanornis that preserve a crop containing fish. One specimen preserves two whole fish in the oesophagus, indicating that Early Cretaceous birds shared trophic specializations with Neornithes for the increased energetic demands of flight – namely the storing of food for later consumption when the stomach is full. Whole f...

10 CFR 26.159 - Assuring specimen security, chain of custody, and preservation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... other entity has reason to question the integrity and identity of the specimens, the specimens may not... identification numbers on the custody-and-control form; (iii) A specimen bottle seal is broken or shows evidence... of the shipping containers are inaccessible without breaking a tamper-evident seal. (g) Couriers...

[Proceedings of the VII international symposium 'Cultural heritage in geosciences, mining and metallurgy : libraries, archives, museums' : "Museums and their collections" held at the Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Leiden (The Netherlands), 19-23 May, 2003 / Cor F. Winkler Prins and Stephen K. Donovan (editors)]: The distribution of silver specimens from the Kongsberg Silver Mines, Norway, 17th and 18th centuries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berg, B.I.; Nordrum, F.S.

2004-01-01

Specimens of native silver from the Kongsberg mines in Norway are world famous and have been distributed through sales and gifts during the whole period of mining from 1623 to 1958. Names of customers, the number of sold specimens and their silver content are documented in accounts which are

Preliminary investigation of candidate specimens for the Egyptian environmental specimen bank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shawky, S.; Amer, H.; Schladot, J.D.; Ostapczuk, P.; Emons, H.; Abou El-Nour, F.

2000-01-01

In the frame of establishing an environmental monitoring program related to environmental specimen banking in egypt, some candidate specimens from the aquatic environment (Fish muscle, fish liver; mussels) were investigated. The selection of specimens and sampling sites is described. Specimens are chemically characterised with respect to some major and trace elements and the results are compared with data obtained from comparable specimens collected in aquatic ecosystems of germany

On a specimen of Lumbricus terrestris, L. with bifurcated tail

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horst, R.

1886-01-01

In the last number of the »Annals and Magazine of Nat. History” (Dec. 1885), I find a notice of Prof. Jeffrey Bell about two Lumbrici with bifid hinder ends, one specimen belonging to L. terrestris, the other to L. foetidus; moreover he mentions a specimen, presenting a similar remarquable

Title list of documents made publicly available, February 1-29, 1980. Volume 2, Number 2. Monthly report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-04-01

The document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the U.S. NRC. This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The docketed information includes information formerly issued through U.S. Department of Energy's Technical Information Center under the title Power Reactor Docket Information (PRDI). This document replaces PRDI, which will no longer be prepared. It is indexed by a Personal Author Index, Corporate Source Index, and Report Number Index

Lymph node retrieval in abdominoperineal surgical specimen is radiation time-dependent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allal Abdelkarim S

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A low yield of lymph nodes (LN in abdominoperineal resection (APR specimen has been associated with preoperative radiation therapy (XRT in population-based studies, which may preclude adequate staging of anorectal carcinomas. We hypothesized that the number of LN retrieved in APR specimen was correlated with the dose and the timing of pelvic irradiation. Patients and methods We performed a retrospective study of 102 patients who underwent APR in a single institution between 1980 and 2004. Pathological reports were reviewed and the number of lymph nodes retrieved in APR specimens was correlated with: 1 Preoperative radiation; 2 Dose of pelvic irradiation; and 3 Time interval between the end of XRT and surgery. Results There were 61 men and 41 women, with a median age of 66 (range 25–89 years. There were 12 patients operated for squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA and 90 for rectal cancer. 83% and 46% of patients with anal and rectal cancer respectively underwent radical/neoadjuvant radiotherapy. The mean ± SD number of LN in APR specimen was 9.2 ± 5.9. The mean number of LN in APR specimen was significantly lower in patients who underwent preoperative XRT (8 ± 5.5 vs. 10.5 ± 6.1, Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.02. The mean number of LN was not significantly different after XRT in patients with SCCA than in patients with rectal cancer (6.2 ± 5.3 vs. 7.8 ± 5.3, p = 0.33. Finally, there was an inverse correlation between the yield of LN and the time elapsed between XRT and surgery (linear regression coefficient r = -0.32, p = 0.03. Conclusion Our data indicate that: 1 radiation therapy affects the yield of LN retrieval in APR specimen; 2 this impact is time-dependent. These findings have important implications with regard to anatomic-pathological staging of anal and rectal cancers and subsequent decision-making regarding adjuvant chemotherapy.

Experimental Method for Plotting S-N Curve with a Small Number of Specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Strzelecki Przemysław

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The study presents two approaches to plotting an S-N curve based on the experimental results. The first approach is commonly used by researchers and presented in detail in many studies and standard documents. The model uses a linear regression whose parameters are estimated by using the least squares method. A staircase method is used for an unlimited fatigue life criterion. The second model combines the S-N curve defined as a straight line and the record of random occurrence of the fatigue limit. A maximum likelihood method is used to estimate the S-N curve parameters. Fatigue data for C45+C steel obtained in the torsional bending test were used to compare the estimated S-N curves. For pseudo-random numbers generated by using the Mersenne Twister algorithm, the estimated S-N curve for 10 experimental results plotted by using the second model, estimates the fatigue life in the scatter band of the factor 3. The result gives good approximation, especially regarding the time required to plot the S-N curve.

Molecular markers: Implications for cytopathology and specimen collection.

Science.gov (United States)

VanderLaan, Paul A

2015-08-01

Cytologic specimens obtained through minimally invasive biopsy techniques are increasingly being used as principle diagnostic specimens for tumors arising in multiple sites. The number and scope of ancillary tests performed on these specimens have grown substantially over the past decade, including many molecular markers that not only can aid in formulating accurate and specific diagnoses but also can provide prognostic or therapeutic information to help direct clinical decisions. Thus, the cytopathologist needs to ensure that adequate material is collected and appropriately processed for the study of relevant molecular markers, many of which are specific to tumor site. This brief review covers considerations for effective cytologic specimen collection and processing to ensure diagnostic and testing success. In addition, a general overview is provided of molecular markers pertinent to tumors from a variety of sites. The recognition of these established and emerging molecular markers by cytopathologists is an important step toward realizing the promise of personalized medicine. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

RESULTS OF THE EXAMINATION OF ELECTROCHEMICAL NOISE PROBE SPECIMENS REMOVED FROM TANK 241-AN-107, JUNE, 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooke, G.A.; Wyrwas, R.B.; Duncan, J.B.

2010-01-01

An Integrated Multi-function Corrosion Probe (IMCP) was installed in Tank 241-AN-107 on September 20, 2006. A portion of the probe was retrieved on June 8, 2010 and the sections holding the detectors were delivered to the 222-S Laboratory for analysis. The examination and disassembly of the probe sections encountered a number of challenges. However, disassembly and relevant analyses were successfully completed. The following summarizes our observations. Brittle failure of the fiberglass probe in the middle of detector 2 resulted in the recovery of only three vapor space C-rings and six supernatant bullet specimens. The design of the bullets and how they were attached to the probe made the recovery of the components more difficult. The use of glue/epoxy on the bullets and the attachment of the flat bottom of the bullets to the curved surface of the fiberglass probe body meant that weight loss on cleaning and surface area of the specimens could not be determined with acceptable accuracy. Macrophotography of all specimens reveals that corrosion was slight in the vapor space and extremely slight in the supernatant. The one pre-cracked C-ring recovered from the vapor space still had the stress bulge visible on the polished surface, indicating that crack propagation had not occurred in the tank. No photographs were taken of the C-ring before deployment. No further analysis was conducted on this specimen. A detailed discussion and photographic documentation are provided in this report.

Negative predictive value of ultrasound in predicting tumor-free margins in specimen sonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naz, S.; Hafeez, S.; Hussain, Z.; Hilal, K.

2017-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the success of ultrasound in post-excision specimen visualization, and negative predictive value of ultrasound for estimation of tumor-free margins using histopathology as the gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from May 2010 till January 2013. Methodology: Sonography of all breast nodules was done before and after exicision by two female radiologists with at least five years clinical experience. All surgeries were performed by the same referring breast surgeons. All nodules were non-palpable and had histopathology as well as specimen sonography performed at AKUH. Subjects were excluded, if histopathology was not available, post-procedure sonogram not done or done in another hospital and nodules that were not seen on ultrasound. After needle localization in 47 patients using ultrasound and in 7 patients using mammogram was done, sonogram was conducted in all 54 lesions. These were then assessed by ultrasound for detection of lesion and tumor-free margins in malignant lesion. Post-excision ultrasound was performed for the evaluation of lesion whether visualized or absent with localizing needle in situ, lesion dimensions, depth measurement between the superior margin of the lesion and its edge. Results: All 54 lesions were present on post-exicison scan, out of which 28 were documented as malignant and 26 as benign. Ultrasound declared all specimens as tumor-free. On histopathology, two lesions were documented as having tumor-positive margins and were proven to be invasive lobular carcinoma. Therefore, the negative predictive value of the specimen sonography for margin detection was 26/28 (92.8%). Conclusion: Ultrasound of the excised breast tumor specimen is a simple and reliable technique for confirmation of the tumor-free margins in non-palpable breast lesions. (author)

Clinical evaluation of a mobile digital specimen radiography system for intraoperative specimen verification.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yingbing; Ebuoma, Lilian; Saksena, Mansi; Liu, Bob; Specht, Michelle; Rafferty, Elizabeth

2014-08-01

Use of mobile digital specimen radiography systems expedites intraoperative verification of excised breast specimens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a such a system for verifying targets. A retrospective review included 100 consecutive pairs of breast specimen radiographs. Specimens were imaged in the operating room with a mobile digital specimen radiography system and then with a conventional digital mammography system in the radiology department. Two expert reviewers independently scored each image for image quality on a 3-point scale and confidence in target visualization on a 5-point scale. A target was considered confidently verified only if both reviewers declared the target to be confidently detected. The 100 specimens contained a total of 174 targets, including 85 clips (49%), 53 calcifications (30%), 35 masses (20%), and one architectural distortion (1%). Although a significantly higher percentage of mobile digital specimen radiographs were considered poor quality by at least one reviewer (25%) compared with conventional digital mammograms (1%), 169 targets (97%), were confidently verified with mobile specimen radiography; 172 targets (98%) were verified with conventional digital mammography. Three faint masses were not confidently verified with mobile specimen radiography, and conventional digital mammography was needed for confirmation. One faint mass and one architectural distortion were not confidently verified with either method. Mobile digital specimen radiography allows high diagnostic confidence for verification of target excision in breast specimens across target types, despite lower image quality. Substituting this modality for conventional digital mammography can eliminate delays associated with specimen transport, potentially decreasing surgical duration and increasing operating room throughput.

49 CFR Appendix C to Part 219 - Post-Accident Testing Specimen Collection

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... the transfer of the blood tubes on the second line of STEP 5 (the chain of custody block). E. Collect... (the chain of custody block). F. Seal the Individual Employee Kit a. The blood and urine specimens have... railroad representatives handling the box shall document chain of custody of the shipping box and shall...

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients: clinical course in relation to the parasite number found in routine specimens obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orholm, M; Nielsen, T L; Holten-Andersen, W

1992-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the amount of Pneumocystis carinii organisms found at fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) performed on HIV-positive patients correlated to the character of the P. carinii pneumonia (PCP). A consecutive series of 105 patients presented with 131 episodes...... of pulmonary symptoms requiring FB, and in 75 of these episodes a diagnosis of PCP was made. Specimens were stained with Giemsa and methenamine silver nitrate and the number of parasites found was given as: numerous, many, few or none. The following signs and symptoms were registered: cough, dyspnoea, fever......, loss of weight, chest radiograph, haemoglobin, WBC, CD4 cell count, PO2 and HIV p24 antigen. The PCP was characterized by the clinical course: mild, moderate, severe, and by the outcome: pulmonary healthy, pulmonary insufficiency and death. No correlations between the number of P. carinii organisms...

Specimen size effect considerations for irradiation studies of SiC/SiC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Youngblood, G.E.; Henager, C.H. Jr.; Jones, R.H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1996-10-01

For characterization of the irradiation performance of SiC/SiC, limited available irradiation volume generally dictates that tests be conducted on a small number of relatively small specimens. Flexure testing of two groups of bars with different sizes cut from the same SiC/SiC plate suggested the following lower limits for flexure specimen number and size: Six samples at a minimum for each condition and a minimum bar size of 30 x 6.0 x 2.0 mm{sup 3}.

Securing XML Documents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Shoniregun

2004-11-01

Full Text Available XML (extensible markup language is becoming the current standard for establishing interoperability on the Web. XML data are self-descriptive and syntax-extensible; this makes it very suitable for representation and exchange of semi-structured data, and allows users to define new elements for their specific applications. As a result, the number of documents incorporating this standard is continuously increasing over the Web. The processing of XML documents may require a traversal of all document structure and therefore, the cost could be very high. A strong demand for a means of efficient and effective XML processing has posed a new challenge for the database world. This paper discusses a fast and efficient indexing technique for XML documents, and introduces the XML graph numbering scheme. It can be used for indexing and securing graph structure of XML documents. This technique provides an efficient method to speed up XML data processing. Furthermore, the paper explores the classification of existing methods impact of query processing, and indexing.

Title list of documents made publicly available: September 1--30, 1996. Volume 18, Number 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-11-01

The report describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) non-docketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available: April 1--30, 1996. Volume 18, Number 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-06-01

This publication describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) non-docketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index.

Title list of documents made publicly available: April 1--30, 1996. Volume 18, Number 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-06-01

This publication describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) non-docketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available: June 1--30, 1995. Volume 17, Number 6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-08-01

This monthly publication contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index.

Title list of documents made publicly available: June 1--30, 1995. Volume 17, Number 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-08-01

This monthly publication contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available: September 1--30, 1996. Volume 18, Number 9

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-11-01

The report describes the information received and published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) non-docketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index.

Commercial agreements and documentation relevant for project financing renewable energy schemes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Renewable energy projects covered by the NFFO Orders are distinguished by the fact that the key contract in any project is in effect a standard form contract in the form of the Power Purchase Agreement with the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Limited (''NFPA''). However our research has indicated that general contract standardization is unlikely to be practicable in the short term, although it is thought that the production of a range of specimen documents in the context of this study with input from various representative industry associations could lead to a more consistent approach to the negotiation and structuring of projects and facilitate the presentation of projects at the funding stage. We have produced a suite of documents which are specimens of the sorts of agreements that lenders are likely to find acceptable. The range of documents which we have produced covers the principal contractual arrangements for a typical renewable energy project (including full text or abridged agreements), for a land lease and for agreements for design and build, operation and maintenance, waste supply, wind lease, landfill gas, and forestry residue supply. We have produced an insurance scope of cover and financing documentation including a due diligence check list, term sheet, and a facility agreement with related security documentation. (author)

Specimen preparation for nano-scale investigation of cementitious repair material.

Science.gov (United States)

Azarsa, Pejman; Gupta, Rishi

2018-04-01

Cementitious Repair Materials (CRMs) in the construction industry have been used for many decades now and has become a very important part of activities in cement world. The performance of some of these CRMs when applied to retrofitting concrete structural elements is also well documented. However, the characterization of some of the CRMs at the micro- and nano level is not fully documented. The first step to studying materials at the microscopic level is to be able to fabricate proper specimens for microscopy. In this study, a special and newly developed class of CRM was selected and fabricated by Focused Ion Beam (FIB) using well-known "Lift-out" technique. The prepared specimen was later examined using various analytical techniques such as energy dispersive x-ray analysis using one of the highest and most stable Scanning Transmission Electron Holography Microscopy (STEHM) around the world. This process enabled understanding of the composition, morphology, and spatial distribution of various phases of the CRM. It was observed that the microstructure consisted of a very fine, compact, and homogenous amorphous structure. X-ray analysis indicated that there was considerable deviation between the Si/Ca ratios for the hydrated product. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MR evaluation of postmenopausal ovarian size. Comparison with surgical specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joja, Ikuo; Ishida, Kana; Matsushita, Toshi; Mimura, Seiichi; Yamaguchi, Takuya; Akagi, Noriaki; Miyagi, Yasunari; Hara, Takeshi; Kanazawa, Susumu

2008-01-01

We investigated ovarian size after menopause using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and gross specimens obtained from patients with uterine cancer after menopause in whom normal ovaries were confirmed at the time of surgery. The relationships between size of ovarian long axis and age, the number of years since menopause, and age at menopause were statistically evaluated for 130 ovaries observed in short-axis T 2 -weighted MR images of the uterine corpus and in 147 ovarian gross specimens. No significant relationships were found between size of ovarian long axis and these 3 factors. When the sizes of the ovaries in MR images were compared with those in gross specimens, the latter were larger, with a statistically significant difference. Similarly, when the sizes of the ovaries observed or not observed in MR images were compared in gross specimens, the former were larger, with a statistically significant difference. These results indicate that the size of the ovarian long axis observed in MR images does not accurately reflect the true size of the long axis, but ovarian size strongly affects visualization of the ovaries in MR images after menopause. In addition, these results indicate that there are no significant relationships between ovarian size after menopause and age, the number of years since menopause, or age at menopause. (author)

Pooled biological specimens for human biomonitoring of environmental chemicals: opportunities and limitations.

Science.gov (United States)

Heffernan, Amy L; Aylward, Lesa L; Toms, Leisa-Maree L; Sly, Peter D; Macleod, Matthew; Mueller, Jochen F

2014-01-01

Biomonitoring has become the "gold standard" in assessing chemical exposures, and has an important role in risk assessment. The pooling of biological specimens-combining multiple individual specimens into a single sample-can be used in biomonitoring studies to monitor levels of exposure and identify exposure trends or to identify susceptible populations in a cost-effective manner. Pooled samples provide an estimate of central tendency and may also reveal information about variation within the population. The development of a pooling strategy requires careful consideration of the type and number of samples collected, the number of pools required and the number of specimens to combine per pool in order to maximise the type and robustness of the data. Creative pooling strategies can be used to explore exposure-outcome associations, and extrapolation from other larger studies can be useful in identifying elevated exposures in specific individuals. The use of pooled specimens is advantageous as it saves significantly on analytical costs, may reduce the time and resources required for recruitment and, in certain circumstances, allows quantification of samples approaching the limit of detection. In addition, the use of pooled samples can provide population estimates while avoiding ethical difficulties that may be associated with reporting individual results.

WIPP documentation plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plung, D.L.; Montgomery, T.T.; Glasstetter, S.R.

1986-01-01

In support of the programs at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the Publications and Procedures Section developed a documentation plan that provides an integrated document hierarchy; further, this plan affords several unique features: 1) the format for procedures minimizes the writing responsibilities of the technical staff and maximizes use of the writing and editing staff; 2) review cycles have been structured to expedite the processing of documents; and 3) the numbers of documents needed to support the program have been appreciably reduced

Number of fragments, margin status and thermal artifacts of conized specimens from LLETZ surgery to treat cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bittencourt, Dulcimary Dias; Zanine, Rita Maira; Sebastião, Ana Martins; Taha, Nabiha Saadi; Speck, Neila Góis; Ribalta, Julisa Chamorro Lascasas

2012-01-01

Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) is a nontraumatic cut and coagulation method with several advantages, but it induces thermal artifacts in the cut region. The aim here was to assess the correlations of age, number of fragments, lesion grade and degree of thermal artifacts with margin quality in conized specimens from LLETZ for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Cross-sectional study at Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp). The records and histopathology findings of 118 women who underwent LLETZ between 1999 and 2007 were reviewed. Age, number of fragments, lesion grade, degree of thermal artifacts and margin quality were assessed. The patients' mean age was 27.14 years; 63.6% had been diagnosed with CIN II and 36.4% with CIN III. The lesion was removed as a single fragment in 79.6% of the cases. The margins were free from intraepithelial neoplasia in 85.6% and compromised in the endocervical margin in 6.8%. Fragment damage due to artifacts occurred in 2.5%. Severe artifacts occurred in 22.8%. Women aged 30 years or over presented more cases of CIN III (P < 0.0004). Neoplastic compromising of surgical margins and severe artifacts occurred more often in cases in which two or more fragments were removed, and in patients aged 30 years or over. CIN III in women aged 30 or over, when removed in two or more fragments during LLETZ, presented a greater number of compromised margins and greater severity of thermal artifacts.

Taxon and trait recognition from digitized herbarium specimens using deep convolutional neural networks

KAUST Repository

Younis, Sohaib; Weiland, Claus; Hoehndorf, Robert; Dressler, Stefan; Hickler, Thomas; Seeger, Bernhard; Schmidt, Marco

2018-01-01

Herbaria worldwide are housing a treasure of hundreds of millions of herbarium specimens, which are increasingly being digitized and thereby more accessible to the scientific community. At the same time, deep-learning algorithms are rapidly improving pattern recognition from images and these techniques are more and more being applied to biological objects. In this study, we are using digital images of herbarium specimens in order to identify taxa and traits of these collection objects by applying convolutional neural networks (CNN). Images of the 1000 species most frequently documented by herbarium specimens on GBIF have been downloaded and combined with morphological trait data, preprocessed and divided into training and test datasets for species and trait recognition. Good performance in both domains suggests substantial potential of this approach for supporting taxonomy and natural history collection management. Trait recognition is also promising for applications in functional ecology.

Taxon and trait recognition from digitized herbarium specimens using deep convolutional neural networks

KAUST Repository

Younis, Sohaib

2018-03-13

Herbaria worldwide are housing a treasure of hundreds of millions of herbarium specimens, which are increasingly being digitized and thereby more accessible to the scientific community. At the same time, deep-learning algorithms are rapidly improving pattern recognition from images and these techniques are more and more being applied to biological objects. In this study, we are using digital images of herbarium specimens in order to identify taxa and traits of these collection objects by applying convolutional neural networks (CNN). Images of the 1000 species most frequently documented by herbarium specimens on GBIF have been downloaded and combined with morphological trait data, preprocessed and divided into training and test datasets for species and trait recognition. Good performance in both domains suggests substantial potential of this approach for supporting taxonomy and natural history collection management. Trait recognition is also promising for applications in functional ecology.

Specimen rejection in laboratory medicine: Necessary for patient safety?

Science.gov (United States)

Dikmen, Zeliha Gunnur; Pinar, Asli; Akbiyik, Filiz

2015-01-01

The emergency laboratory in Hacettepe University Hospitals receives specimens from emergency departments (EDs), inpatient services and intensive care units (ICUs). The samples are accepted according to the rejection criteria of the laboratory. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the sample rejection ratios according to the types of pre-preanalytical errors and collection areas. The samples sent to the emergency laboratory were recorded during 12 months between January to December, 2013 in which 453,171 samples were received and 27,067 specimens were rejected. Rejection ratios was 2.5% for biochemistry tests, 3.2% for complete blood count (CBC), 9.8% for blood gases, 9.2% for urine analysis, 13.3% for coagulation tests, 12.8% for therapeutic drug monitoring, 3.5% for cardiac markers and 12% for hormone tests. The most frequent rejection reasons were fibrin clots (28%) and inadequate volume (9%) for biochemical tests. Clotted samples (35%) and inadequate volume (13%) were the major causes for coagulation tests, blood gas analyses and CBC. The ratio of rejected specimens was higher in the EDs (40%) compared to ICUs (30%) and inpatient services (28%). The highest rejection ratio was observed in neurology ICU (14%) among the ICUs and internal medicine inpatient service (10%) within inpatient clinics. We detected an overall specimen rejection rate of 6% in emergency laboratory. By documentation of rejected samples and periodic training of healthcare personnel, we expect to decrease sample rejection ratios below 2%, improve total quality management of the emergency laboratory and promote patient safety.

NEW TRIASSIC ASTEROIDEA (ECHINODERMATA SPECIMENS AND THEIR EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DANIEL B. BLAKE

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The Paleozoic-Mesozoic transition saw the disappearance of asteroid stem groups and the ascent of the crown group, but late Paleozoic and Triassic asteroids are rare and transition events are poorly documented. Three new Middle and Late Triassic specimens augment existing data; included are a specimen of Trichasteropsis weissmanni from Germany, a specimen of Trichasteropsis? sp. indet. from Italy, and a possible member of the extant Poraniidae from Slovenia. Presence of a small ossicle at the interbrachial midline and adjacent to the marginal series of the new T. weissmanni specimen is consistent with similar expressions not only of other trichasteropsids but also occurrence of two interbrachial ossicles in Paleozoic, stem-group asterozoans; presence is in turn consistent with a hypothesis of derivation of the axillary/odontophore coupling from two ossicles rather than direct derivation of the crown-group odontophore from a single stem-group axillary. Morphology of Trichasteropsis? sp. indet., including, for example, the evenly-tapering arms are reminiscent of those of diverse crown-group asteroids whereas the enlarged distal arms of T. weissmanni are unique, the morphology of T? sp. indet. thereby potentially indicative of a plesiomorphic, stemward positioning within the Trichasteropsiidae. The range of the Poraniidae is tentatively extended to the Carnian. Similarities shared by the Poraniidae and the Trichasteropsiidae suggest stemward positioning within crown-group diversification; however, known Triassic fossils do not appear closely related to extant taxa identified in recent molecular studies as basal within the crown-group. A temperate climate is suggested as preferred by the Triassic asteroids rather than a tropical, warmer one.

16 CFR Figure 3 to Part 1610 - Specimen Holder Supported in Specimen Rack

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Specimen Holder Supported in Specimen Rack 3 Figure 3 to Part 1610 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACT... Holder Supported in Specimen Rack ER25MR08.002 ...

Sequencing historical specimens: successful preparation of small specimens with low amounts of degraded DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Sproul, John S; Maddison, David R

2017-11-01

Despite advances that allow DNA sequencing of old museum specimens, sequencing small-bodied, historical specimens can be challenging and unreliable as many contain only small amounts of fragmented DNA. Dependable methods to sequence such specimens are especially critical if the specimens are unique. We attempt to sequence small-bodied (3-6 mm) historical specimens (including nomenclatural types) of beetles that have been housed, dried, in museums for 58-159 years, and for which few or no suitable replacement specimens exist. To better understand ideal approaches of sample preparation and produce preparation guidelines, we compared different library preparation protocols using low amounts of input DNA (1-10 ng). We also explored low-cost optimizations designed to improve library preparation efficiency and sequencing success of historical specimens with minimal DNA, such as enzymatic repair of DNA. We report successful sample preparation and sequencing for all historical specimens despite our low-input DNA approach. We provide a list of guidelines related to DNA repair, bead handling, reducing adapter dimers and library amplification. We present these guidelines to facilitate more economical use of valuable DNA and enable more consistent results in projects that aim to sequence challenging, irreplaceable historical specimens. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee Shows Variable Anatomy in Pediatric Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Shea, Kevin G; Milewski, Matthew D; Cannamela, Peter C; Ganley, Theodore J; Fabricant, Peter D; Terhune, Elizabeth B; Styhl, Alexandra C; Anderson, Allen F; Polousky, John D

2017-06-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction failure rates are highest in youth athletes. The role of the anterolateral ligament in rotational knee stability is of increasing interest, and several centers are exploring combined ACL and anterolateral ligament reconstruction for these young patients. Literature on the anterolateral ligament of the knee is sparse in regard to the pediatric population. A single study on specimens younger than age 5 years demonstrated the presence of the anterolateral ligament in only one of eight specimens; therefore, much about the prevalence and anatomy of the anterolateral ligament in pediatric specimens remains unknown. We sought to (1) investigate the presence or absence of the anterolateral ligament in prepubescent anatomic specimens; (2) describe the anatomic relationship of the anterolateral ligament to the lateral collateral ligament; and (3) describe the anatomic relationship between the anterolateral ligament and the physis. Fourteen skeletally immature knee specimens (median age, 8 years; range, 7-11 years) were dissected (12 male, two female specimens). The posterolateral structures were identified in all specimens, including the lateral collateral ligament and popliteus tendon. The presence or absence of the anterolateral ligament was documented in each specimen, along with origin, insertion, and dimensions, when applicable. The relationship of the anterolateral ligament origin to the lateral collateral ligament origin was recorded. The anterolateral ligament was identified in nine of 14 specimens. The tibial attachment point was consistently located in the same region on the proximal tibia, between the fibular head and Gerdy's tubercle; however, the femoral origin of the anterolateral ligament showed considerable variation with respect to the lateral collateral ligament origin. The median femoral origin of the anterolateral ligament was 10 mm (first interquartile 6 mm, third interquartile 13) distal to the distal

Monolithic integration of nanoscale tensile specimens and MEMS structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yilmaz, Mehmet; Kysar, Jeffrey W

2013-01-01

Nanoscale materials often have stochastic material properties due to a random distribution of material defects and an insufficient number of defects to ensure a consistent average mechanical response. Current methods to measure the mechanical properties employ MEMS-based actuators. The nanoscale specimens are typically mounted manually onto the load platform, so the boundary conditions have random variations, complicating the experimental measurement of the intrinsic stochasticity of the material properties. Here we show methods for monolithic integration of a nanoscale specimen co-fabricated with the loading platform. The nanoscale specimen is gold with dimensions of ∼40 nm thickness, 350 ± 50 nm width, and 7 μm length and the loading platform is an interdigitated electrode electrostatic actuator. The experiment is performed in a scanning electron microscope and digital image correlation is employed to measure displacements to determine stress and strain. The ultimate tensile strength of the nanocrystalline nanoscale specimen approaches 1 GPa, consistent with measurements made by other nanometer scale sample characterization methods on other material samples at the nanometer scale, as well as gold samples at the nanometer scale. The batch-compatible microfabrication method can be used to create nominally identical nanoscale specimens and boundary conditions for a broad range of materials. (paper)

A microfluidic-enabled mechanical microcompressor for the immobilization of live single- and multi-cellular specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yingjun; Jiang, Liwei; Aufderheide, Karl J; Wright, Gus A; Terekhov, Alexander; Costa, Lino; Qin, Kevin; McCleery, W Tyler; Fellenstein, John J; Ustione, Alessandro; Robertson, J Brian; Johnson, Carl Hirschie; Piston, David W; Hutson, M Shane; Wikswo, John P; Hofmeister, William; Janetopoulos, Chris

2014-02-01

A microcompressor is a precision mechanical device that flattens and immobilizes living cells and small organisms for optical microscopy, allowing enhanced visualization of sub-cellular structures and organelles. We have developed an easily fabricated device, which can be equipped with microfluidics, permitting the addition of media or chemicals during observation. This device can be used on both upright and inverted microscopes. The apparatus permits micrometer precision flattening for nondestructive immobilization of specimens as small as a bacterium, while also accommodating larger specimens, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, for long-term observations. The compressor mount is removable and allows easy specimen addition and recovery for later observation. Several customized specimen beds can be incorporated into the base. To demonstrate the capabilities of the device, we have imaged numerous cellular events in several protozoan species, in yeast cells, and in Drosophila melanogaster embryos. We have been able to document previously unreported events, and also perform photobleaching experiments, in conjugating Tetrahymena thermophila.

Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia in Core Needle Biopsies of Breast Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelten Talu, Canan; Boyaci, Ceren; Leblebici, Cem; Hacihasanoglu, Ezgi; Bozkurt, Erol Rustu

2017-02-01

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign lesion of myofibroblasts that is composed of a network of slit-like channels that resemble vascular spaces. The aims of this study were to document the frequency of PASH in core needle biopsy specimens (CNBS) of the breast, to describe which histopathologic findings coexist with PASH and to examine any endothelial cell differentiation. We reevaluated hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of all CNBS that were obtained during a 1-year period. First, we performed CD34 and CD31 immunostainings to highlight the areas of PASH, then performed D2-40/podoplanin (lymphatic endothelial marker) and Fli-1 (vascular endothelial cell marker) immunostains. The total number of CNBS was 412. Areas of PASH were noted in 37 of the 412 cases (9%), with a mean age of 38.5 years. The lesions that were described in association with PASH were "benign breast parenchyma with stromal fibrosis" (17/37; 46%), "fibroepithelial tumors" (17/37; 46%), "columnar cell changes (CCC)" (2/37; 5%), and "invasive carcinoma" (1/37; 3%). There were 2 cases of CCC within the foci of PASH (direct contact with PASH), and 8 additional cases of CCC that coexisted in the same specimen but were not in direct contact. There was no staining for D2-40 or Fli-1 within PASH foci. PASH lesions occurred with a frequency of 9% in CNBS and were mostly in association with benign breast lesions in premenopausal women. CCC was determined as an accompanying epithelial lesion within or near PASH areas. No obvious immunopositivity compatible with endothelial cell differentiation was revealed.

Review of forensically important entomological specimens collected from human cadavers in Malaysia (2005-2010).

Science.gov (United States)

Kavitha, Rajagopal; Nazni, Wasi Ahmad; Tan, Tian Chye; Lee, Han Lim; Azirun, Mohd Sofian

2013-07-01

Forensic entomological specimens collected from human decedents during crime scene investigations in Malaysia in the past 6 years (2005-2010) are reviewed. A total of 80 cases were recorded and 93 specimens were collected. From these specimens, 10 species of cyclorrphagic flies were identified, consisting of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) -38 specimens (40.86%), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) -36 specimens (38.70%), Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) -2 specimens (2.15%), Chrysomya nigripes (Aubertin) -2 specimens (2.15%), Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) -1 specimen (1.08%), Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) -1 specimen (1.08%), Hemipyrellia liguriens (Wiedemann) -5 specimens (5.37%), Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) -1 specimen (1.08%), Megaselia scalaris (Loew)-1 specimen (1.08%) and Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) -4 specimens (4.30%). In two specimens (2.15%), the maggots were not identifiable. Ch. megacephala and Ch. rufifacies were the commonest species found in human decedents from three different ecological habitats. S. nudiseta is an uncommon species found only on human cadavers from indoors. A total of 75 cases (93.75%) had a single fly infestation and 5 cases (6.25%) had double fly infestation. In conclusion, although large numbers of fly species were found on human decedents, the predominant species are still those of Chrysomya. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

50 CFR 23.26 - When is a U.S. or foreign CITES document valid?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) Prohibitions, Exemptions, and Requirements § 23.26 When is a U.S. or foreign... any way unless the change is validated on the document by the stamp and authorized signature of the... contain more or different specimens or species than certified or validated on the CITES document at the...

ASTM international symposium on small specimen test techniques and their applications to pressure vessel annealing and plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garner, F.A.; Hamilton, M.L.; Heinisch, H.L.; Kumar, A.S.

1992-01-01

Miniature sheet-type tensile specimens are currently being used in a variety of radiation damage studies conducted in a number of different reactors. Although these specimens are very small, they have proven successful in addressing issues encountered in both thermal reactors and anticipated fusion reactors. This paper reviews the results of a number of recent studies that illustrate the range of applicability of these small specimens. When combined with other types of specimens and other types of measurements made prior to tensile testing, miniature tensile specimens have been found to serve as very useful tools for application to both fundamental studies and alloy screening studies

NASA Biological Specimen Repository

Science.gov (United States)

McMonigal, K. A.; Pietrzyk, R. A.; Sams, C. F.; Johnson, M. A.

2010-01-01

The NASA Biological Specimen Repository (NBSR) was established in 2006 to collect, process, preserve and distribute spaceflight-related biological specimens from long duration ISS astronauts. This repository provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning may missions. The NBSR collects blood and urine samples from all participating ISS crewmembers who have provided informed consent. These biological samples are collected once before flight, during flight scheduled on flight days 15, 30, 60, 120 and within 2 weeks of landing. Postflight sessions are conducted 3 and 30 days after landing. The number of in-flight sessions is dependent on the duration of the mission. Specimens are maintained under optimal storage conditions in a manner that will maximize their integrity and viability for future research The repository operates under the authority of the NASA/JSC Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects to support scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment. The NBSR will institute guidelines for the solicitation, review and sample distribution process through establishment of the NBSR Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will be composed of representatives of all participating space agencies to evaluate each request from investigators for use of the samples. This process will be consistent with ethical principles, protection of crewmember confidentiality, prevailing laws and regulations, intellectual property policies, and consent form language. Operations supporting the NBSR are scheduled to continue until the end of U.S. presence on the ISS. Sample distribution is proposed to begin with selections on investigations beginning in 2017. The availability of the NBSR will contribute to the body of knowledge about the diverse factors of spaceflight on human physiology.

Splitting tests on rock specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davies, J D; Stagg, K G

1970-01-01

Splitting tests are described for a square-section sandstone specimens line loaded through steel or timber packings on the top face and supported on the bottom face either on similar packings (type A specimen) or directly on the lower platen plate of the testing machine (type B specimens). The stress distribution across the vertical central plane and the horizontal central plane were determined from a linear elastic finite element analysis for both types. Two solutions were obtained for the type B specimen: one assuming no friction between the base of the specimen and the platen plate and the other assuming no relative slip between the surfaces. Vertical and horizontal strains were measured at the center of the specimens for all loads up to failure.

Title list of documents made publicly available: January 1--31, 1996. Volume 18, Number 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-03-01

This monthly publication contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index. Some of the topics relate to: low-level radioactive disposal sites, source material, production and utilization facilities, special nuclear material, packaging and transport and spent fuel storage

Title list of documents made publicly available: January 1--31, 1996. Volume 18, Number 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

This monthly publication contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index. Some of the topics relate to: low-level radioactive disposal sites, source material, production and utilization facilities, special nuclear material, packaging and transport and spent fuel storage.

Laparoscopic specimen retrieval bags.

Science.gov (United States)

Smorgick, Noam

2014-10-01

Specimen retrieval bags have long been used in laparoscopic gynecologic surgery for contained removal of adnexal cysts and masses. More recently, the concerns regarding spread of malignant cells during mechanical morcellation of myoma have led to an additional use of specimen retrieval bags for contained "in-bag" morcellation. This review will discuss the indications for use retrieval bags in gynecologic endoscopy, and describe the different specimen bags available to date.

Computer vision applied to herbarium specimens of German trees: testing the future utility of the millions of herbarium specimen images for automated identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, Jakob; Merhof, Dorit; Renner, Susanne

2016-11-16

Global Plants, a collaborative between JSTOR and some 300 herbaria, now contains about 2.48 million high-resolution images of plant specimens, a number that continues to grow, and collections that are digitizing their specimens at high resolution are allocating considerable recourses to the maintenance of computer hardware (e.g., servers) and to acquiring digital storage space. We here apply machine learning, specifically the training of a Support-Vector-Machine, to classify specimen images into categories, ideally at the species level, using the 26 most common tree species in Germany as a test case. We designed an analysis pipeline and classification system consisting of segmentation, normalization, feature extraction, and classification steps and evaluated the system in two test sets, one with 26 species, the other with 17, in each case using 10 images per species of plants collected between 1820 and 1995, which simulates the empirical situation that most named species are represented in herbaria and databases, such as JSTOR, by few specimens. We achieved 73.21% accuracy of species assignments in the larger test set, and 84.88% in the smaller test set. The results of this first application of a computer vision algorithm trained on images of herbarium specimens shows that despite the problem of overlapping leaves, leaf-architectural features can be used to categorize specimens to species with good accuracy. Computer vision is poised to play a significant role in future rapid identification at least for frequently collected genera or species in the European flora.

High-resolution imaging of the layers of the gastrointestinal wall of pig and human specimens using an endoluminal MR receiver coil. Correlation to histology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, Sebastian; Palmowski, M.; Macher-Goeppinger, S.; Mueller, M.; Volke, F.; Duex, M.; Kauczor, H.U.; Grenacher, L.

2009-01-01

Purpose: High-resolution MR imaging of the layers of the gastrointestinal wall to provide a foundation for tumor staging based on morphological criteria. Materials and Methods: Over a period of 12 months, miscellaneous parts of the gastrointestinal tract of 15 human specimens and 30 porcine specimens were scanned using a 1.5 Tesla clinical MRI scanner combined with an endoluminal receiver coil. The sequences used were T1-weighted opposed-phase, T2-weighted turbo spin echo with fat saturation and fast T2-weighted inversion recovery. The number of differentiable layers, their width and the signal intensity were documented. Then, the results were compared with histological specimens in order to link the imaged wall layers to the anatomical layers. Spearman's Rank Correlation was used to determine the soundness of the link between the images and their related histology. Results: For both human and animal specimens, the MRI scanning produced 3 to 5, maximum 6 (pig), differentiable layers. The mucosa, submucosa and muscularis could be differentiated with a hyperintense, hypointense and intermediary signal, respectively. The subserosal layer displayed a hypointense signal. Conclusion: High-resolution MRI is able to produce differentiable images of the anatomical layers of the gastrointestinal wall in both humans and pigs. Accordingly, it is possible to use MR imaging to diagnose the extent of local tumor infiltration of the gastrointestinal wall. (orig.)

Recommendations for Collection and Handling of Specimens From Group Breast Cancer Clinical Trials

Science.gov (United States)

Leyland-Jones, Brian R.; Ambrosone, Christine B.; Bartlett, John; Ellis, Matthew J.C.; Enos, Rebecca A.; Raji, Adekunle; Pins, Michael R.; Zujewski, Jo Anne; Hewitt, Stephen M.; Forbes, John F.; Abramovitz, Mark; Braga, Sofia; Cardoso, Fatima; Harbeck, Nadia; Denkert, Carsten; Jewell, Scott D.

2008-01-01

Recommendations for specimen collection and handling have been developed for adoption across breast cancer clinical trials conducted by the Breast International Group (BIG)-sponsored Groups and the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored North American Cooperative Groups. These recommendations are meant to promote identifiable standards for specimen collection and handling within and across breast cancer trials, such that the variability in collection/handling practices that currently exists is minimized and specimen condition and quality are enhanced, thereby maximizing results from specimen-based diagnostic testing and research. Three working groups were formed from the Cooperative Group Banking Committee, BIG groups, and North American breast cancer cooperative groups to identify standards for collection and handling of (1) formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue; (2) blood and its components; and (3) fresh/frozen tissue from breast cancer trials. The working groups collected standard operating procedures from multiple group specimen banks, administered a survey on banking practices to those banks, and engaged in a series of discussions from 2005 to 2007. Their contributions were synthesized into this document, which focuses primarily on collection and handling of specimens to the point of shipment to the central bank, although also offers some guidance to central banks. Major recommendations include submission of an FFPE block, whole blood, and serial serum or plasma from breast cancer clinical trials, and use of one fixative and buffer type (10% neutral phosphate-buffered formalin, pH 7) for FFPE tissue across trials. Recommendations for proper handling and shipping were developed for blood, serum, plasma, FFPE, and fresh/frozen tissue. PMID:18955459

Urine culture - catheterized specimen

Science.gov (United States)

Culture - urine - catheterized specimen; Urine culture - catheterization; Catheterized urine specimen culture ... urinary tract infections may be found in the culture. This is called a contaminant. You may not ...

HMSRP Hawaiian Monk Seal Specimen Data (includes physical specimens, collection information, status, storage locations, and laboratory results associated with individual specimens)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set includes physical specimens, paper logs and Freezerworks database of all logged information on specimens collected from Hawaiian monk seals since 1975....

Thermo-mechanical Fatigue Failure of Thermal Barrier Coated Superalloy Specimen

Science.gov (United States)

Subramanian, Rajivgandhi; Mori, Yuzuru; Yamagishi, Satoshi; Okazaki, Masakazu

2015-09-01

Failure behavior of thermal barrier coated (TBC) Ni-based superalloy specimens were studied from the aspect of the effect of bond coat material behavior on low cycle fatigue (LCF) and thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) at various temperatures and under various loading conditions. Initially, monotonic tensile tests were carried out on a MCrAlY alloy bond coat material in the temperature range of 298 K to 1273 K (25 °C to 1000 °C). Special attention was paid to understand the ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT). Next, LCF and TMF tests were carried out on the thermal barrier coated Ni-based alloy IN738 specimen. After these tests, the specimens were sectioned to understand their failure mechanisms on the basis of DBTT of the bond coat material. Experimental results demonstrated that the LCF and TMF lives of the TBC specimen were closely related to the DBTT of the bond coat material, and also the TMF lives were different from those of LCF tests. It has also been observed that the crack density in the bond coat in the TBC specimen was significantly dependent on the test conditions. More importantly, not only the number of cracks but also the crack penetration probability into substrate were shown to be sensitive to the DBTT.

Dynamic Toughness Testing of Pre-Cracked Charpy V-Notch Specimens. Convention ELECTRABEL - SCK-CEN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucon, E

1999-04-01

This document describes the experimental and analytical procedures which have been adopted at the laboratories of the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN for performing dynamic toughness tests on pre-cracked Charpy-V specimens. Such procedures were chosen on the basis of the existing literature on the subject, with several updates in the data analysis stages which reflect more recent developments in fracture toughness testing. Qualification tests have been carried out on PCCv specimens of JRQ steel, in order to assess the reliability of the results obtained; straightforward comparisons with reference data have been performed, as well as more advanced analyses using the Master Curve approach. Aspects related to machine compliance and dynamic tup calibration have also been addressed.

Improved compliance with the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist is associated with reduced surgical specimen labelling errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Martis, Walston R; Hannam, Jacqueline A; Lee, Tracey; Merry, Alan F; Mitchell, Simon J

2016-09-09

A new approach to administering the surgical safety checklist (SSC) at our institution using wall-mounted charts for each SSC domain coupled with migrated leadership among operating room (OR) sub-teams, led to improved compliance with the Sign Out domain. Since surgical specimens are reviewed at Sign Out, we aimed to quantify any related change in surgical specimen labelling errors. Prospectively maintained error logs for surgical specimens sent to pathology were examined for the six months before and after introduction of the new SSC administration paradigm. We recorded errors made in the labelling or completion of the specimen pot and on the specimen laboratory request form. Total error rates were calculated from the number of errors divided by total number of specimens. Rates from the two periods were compared using a chi square test. There were 19 errors in 4,760 specimens (rate 3.99/1,000) and eight errors in 5,065 specimens (rate 1.58/1,000) before and after the change in SSC administration paradigm (P=0.0225). Improved compliance with administering the Sign Out domain of the SSC can reduce surgical specimen errors. This finding provides further evidence that OR teams should optimise compliance with the SSC.

Factors that impact turnaround time of surgical pathology specimens in an academic institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Samip; Smith, Jennifer B; Kurbatova, Ekaterina; Guarner, Jeannette

2012-09-01

Turnaround time of laboratory results is important for customer satisfaction. The College of American Pathologists' checklist requires an analytic turnaround time of 2 days or less for most routine cases and lets every hospital define what a routine specimen is. The objective of this study was to analyze which factors impact turnaround time of nonbiopsy surgical pathology specimens. We calculated the turnaround time from receipt to verification of results (adjusted for weekends and holidays) for all nonbiopsy surgical specimens during a 2-week period. Factors studied included tissue type, number of slides per case, decalcification, immunohistochemistry, consultations with other pathologists, and diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. A total of 713 specimens were analyzed, 551 (77%) were verified within 2 days and 162 (23%) in 3 days or more. Lung, gastrointestinal, breast, and genitourinary specimens showed the highest percentage of cases being signed out in over 3 days. Diagnosis of malignancy (including staging of the neoplasia), consultation with other pathologists, having had a frozen section, and use of immunohistochemical stains were significantly associated with increased turnaround time in univariate analysis. Decalcification was not associated with increased turnaround time. In multivariate analysis, consultation with other pathologists, use of immunohistochemistry, diagnosis of malignancy, and the number of slides studied continued to be significantly associated with prolonged turnaround time. Our findings suggest that diagnosis of malignancy is central to significantly prolonging the turnaround time for surgical pathology specimens, thus institutions that serve cancer centers will have longer turnaround time than those that do not. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental Behavior of Fatigued Single Stiffener PRSEUS Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Jegley, Dawn C.

2009-01-01

NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory and The Boeing Company have worked to develop new low-cost, light-weight composite structures for aircraft. A Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) concept has been developed which offers advantages over traditional metallic structure. In this concept a stitched carbon-epoxy material system has been developed with the potential for reducing the weight and cost of transport aircraft structure by eliminating fasteners, thereby reducing part count and labor. By adding unidirectional carbon rods to the top of stiffeners, the panel becomes more structurally efficient. This combination produces a more damage tolerant design. This document describes the results of experimentation on PRSEUS specimens loaded in unidirectional compression in fatigue and to failure.

Histological evaluation of 400 cholecystectomy specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Kumar

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: A majority of gallbladder specimens show changes associated with chronic cholecystitis; however few harbour a highly lethal carcinoma. This study was conducted to review the significant histopathological findings encountered in gallbladder specimens received in our laboratory.Materials and Methods: Four hundred cholecystectomy specimens were studied over a period of five years (May, 2002 to April, 2007 received at department of pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India. Results: Gallstones and associated diseases were more common in women in the 4th to 5th decade as compared to men with M: F ratio of 1:1.33. Maximum number of patients (28.25% being 41 to 50 years old. Histopathologically, the most common diagnosis was chronic cholecystitis (66.75%, followed by chronic active cholecystitis (20.25%, acute cholecystitis (6%, gangrenous cholecystitis (2.25%,xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (0.50%, empyema (1%, mucocele (0.25%, choledochal cyst (0.25%, adenocarcinoma gallbladder (1.25% and  normal  gallbladders (1%.Conclusion: All lesions were found more frequently in women except chronic active cholecystitis. Gallstones were present in (80.25% cases, and significantly associated with various lesions (P value 0.009. Pigment stones were most common, followed by cholesterol stones and mixed stones. Adequate  sectioning  is  mandatory  in  all  cases  to  assess  epithelial changes arising from cholelithiasis and chronic cholecystitis as it has been known to progress to malignancy in some cases.

Morphological anomalies in two Lutzomyia (Psathyromyia) shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) specimens collected from Fort Rucker, Alabama, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Science.gov (United States)

Florin, David A; Lawyer, Phillip; Rowton, Edgar; Schultz, George; Wilkerson, Richard; Davies, Stephen J; Lipnick, Robert; Keep, Lisa

2010-09-01

This report describes two male specimens of the sand fly species Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) collected at Fort Rucker, AL, and Fort Campbell, KY, in dry ice-baited light traps during September 2005. The specimens were observed to have anomalies to the number of spines on the gonostyli. The taxonomic keys of Young and Perkins (Mosq. News 44: 263-285; 1984) use the number of spines on the gonostylus in the first couplet to differentiate two major groupings of North American sand flies. The two anomalous specimens were identified as L. shannoni based on the following criteria: (1) both specimens possess antennal ascoids with long, distinct proximal spurs (a near diagnostic character of L. shannoni in North America), (2) the sequences of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene from both specimens indicated L. shannoni, and (3) the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer 2 molecular marker from both specimens indicated L. shannoni. The anomalous features are fundamentally different from each other as the Fort Rucker specimen possesses a fifth spine (basally located) on just one gonostylus, whereas the Fort Campbell specimen possesses five spines (extra spines subterminally located) on both gonostyli. Because the gonostyli are part of the external male genitalia, anomalies in the number of spines on the gonostyli may have serious biological consequences, such as reduced reproductive success, for the possessors. These anomalies are of taxonomic interest as the specimens could easily have been misidentified using available morphological keys.

Screen-film specimen radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shepard, S.J.; Hogan, J.; Schreck, B.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on the reproducibility and quality of biopsy specimen radiographs, a unique phototimed cabinet x-ray system is being developed. The system utilizes specially modified Kodal Min-R cassettes and will be compatible with current mammographic films. Tube voltages are in the 14-20-kVp range with 0.1-1.0-second exposure times. A top-hat type compression device is used (1) to compress the specimen to uniform thickness, (2) to measure the specimen thickness and determine optimum kVp, and (3) to superimpose a grid over the specimen for identification of objects of radiographic interest. The phototiming circuit developed specifically for this purpose will be described along with the modified Min-R cassette. Characteristics of the generator and cabinet will also be described. Tests will be performed on phantoms to evaluate the system limitations

In-line phase contrast micro-CT reconstruction for biomedical specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Jian; Tan, Renbo

2014-01-01

X-ray phase contrast micro computed tomography (micro-CT) can non-destructively provide the internal structure information of soft tissues and low atomic number materials. It has become an invaluable analysis tool for biomedical specimens. Here an in-line phase contrast micro-CT reconstruction technique is reported, which consists of a projection extraction method and the conventional filter back-projection (FBP) reconstruction algorithm. The projection extraction is implemented by applying the Fourier transform to the forward projections of in-line phase contrast micro-CT. This work comprises a numerical study of the method and its experimental verification using a biomedical specimen dataset measured at an X-ray tube source micro-CT setup. The numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the presented technique can improve the imaging contrast of biomedical specimens. It will be of interest for a wide range of in-line phase contrast micro-CT applications in medicine and biology.

EFFECTIVELY SEARCHING SPECIMEN AND OBSERVATION DATA WITH TOQE, THE THESAURUS OPTIMIZED QUERY EXPANDER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anton Güntsch

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Today’s specimen and observation data portals lack a flexible mechanism, able to link up thesaurus-enabled data sources such as taxonomic checklist databases and expand user queries to related terms, significantly enhancing result sets. The TOQE system (Thesaurus Optimized Query Expander is a REST-like XML web-service implemented in Python and designed for this purpose. Acting as an interface between portals and thesauri, TOQE allows the implementation of specialized portal systems with a set of thesauri supporting its specific focus. It is both easy to use for portal programmers and easy to configure for thesaurus database holders who want to expose their system as a service for query expansions. Currently, TOQE is used in four specimen and observation data portals. The documentation is available from http://search.biocase.org/toqe/.

Comparative evaluation of three commercial systems for nucleic acid extraction from urine specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yi-Wei; Sefers, Susan E; Li, Haijing; Kohn, Debra J; Procop, Gary W

2005-09-01

A nucleic acid extraction system that can handle small numbers of specimens with a short test turnaround time and short hands-on time is desirable for emergent testing. We performed a comparative validation on three systems: the MagNA Pure compact system (Compact), the NucliSens miniMAG extraction instrument (miniMAG), and the BioRobot EZ1 system (EZ1). A total of 75 urine specimens submitted for polyomavirus BK virus detection were used. The human beta-actin gene was detected on 75 (100%), 75 (100%), and 72 (96%) nucleic acid extracts prepared by the miniMAG, EZ1, and Compact, respectively. The miniMAG produced the highest quantity of nucleic acids and the best precision among the three systems. The agreement rate was 100% for BKV detection on nucleic acid extracts prepared by the three extraction systems. When a full panel of specimens was run, the hands-on time and test turnaround time were 105.7 and 121.1 min for miniMAG, 6.1 and 22.6 min for EZ1, and 7.4 and 33.7 min for Compact, respectively. The EZ1 and Compact systems processed automatic nucleic acid extraction properly, providing a good solution to the need for sporadic but emergent specimen detection. The miniMAG yielded the highest quantity of nucleic acids, suggesting that this system would be the best for specimens containing a low number of microorganisms of interest.

Use of miniature tensile specimen and video extensometer for measurement of mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Kundan; Pooleery, Arun; Madhusoodanan, K.

2014-08-01

Miniaturisation of the tensile test specimen below the sub-size level poses various challenges, such as conformity of specimen to various acceptance criteria as per standard test specimen, aspect ratio, minimum number of grains required in a gauge cross-section, fabrication for uniformity in metrological values, etc. Apart from these, measurement of strain over a very limited available space on the test specimen is another practical challenge. Despite these limitations, miniature specimen testing is increasingly being used worldwide these days. The driving forces behind increasing use of miniature test techniques are new material development, assuring fitness of component after in-service-inspection, low dose of radiation exposure due to smaller dimensions of test specimens etc. However, the evaluation of mechanical properties from a miniature tensile test has a greater advantage over the other miniature novel test techniques, such as small punch test, ABI, miniature fatigue and impact tests etc., as it is a direct method of measurement of mechanical properties. This report covers various aspects of miniature tensile test methodologies, which include geometrical design of specimen having gauge length of 3-5 mm, fabrication, development of special fixtures for gripping the test specimens, and use of optical method for strain measurement. The geometrical design of the specimen and its behaviour over application of tensile load has been established using FEM analysis. A good agreement between conventional and miniature test results exemplifies the potential of the miniature tensile test technique. (author)

Enhanced radiometric detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis by using filter-concentrated bovine fecal specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, M.T.; Kenefick, K.B.; Sockett, D.C.; Lambrecht, R.S.; McDonald, J.; Jorgensen, J.B.

1990-01-01

A commercial radiometric medium, BACTEC 12B, was modified by addition of mycobactin, egg yolk suspension, and antibiotics (vancomycin, amphotericin B, and nalidixic acid). Decontaminated bovine fecal specimens were filter concentrated by using 3-microns-pore-size, 13-mm-diameter polycarbonate filters, and the entire filter was placed into the radiometric broth. Comparison of the radiometric technique with conventional methods on 603 cattle from 9 Mycobacterium paratuberculosis-infected herds found that of 75 positive specimens, the radiometric technique detected 92% while conventional methods detected 60% (P less than 0.0005). Only 3.9% of radiometric cultures were contaminated. To measure the effect of filter concentration of specimens on the detection rate, 5 cattle with minimal and 5 with moderate ileum histopathology were sampled weekly for 3 weeks. M. paratuberculosis was detected in 33.3% of nonfiltered specimens and 76.7% of filtered specimens (P less than 0.005). Detection rates were directly correlated with the severity of disease, and the advantage of specimen concentration was greatest on fecal specimens from cattle with low-grade infections. Detection times were also correlated with infection severity: 13.4 +/- 5.9 days with smear-positive specimens, 27.9 +/- 8.7 days with feces from cows with typical subclinical infections, and 38.7 +/- 3.8 days with fecal specimens from cows with low-grade infections. Use of a cocktail of vancomycin, amphotericin B, and nalidixic acid for selective suppression of nonmycobacterial contaminants was better than the commercial product PANTA (Becton Dickinson Microbiologic Systems, Towson, Md.) only when specimens contained very low numbers of M. paratuberculosis

Janka hardness using nonstandard specimens

Science.gov (United States)

David W. Green; Marshall Begel; William Nelson

2006-01-01

Janka hardness determined on 1.5- by 3.5-in. specimens (2×4s) was found to be equivalent to that determined using the 2- by 2-in. specimen specified in ASTM D 143. Data are presented on the relationship between Janka hardness and the strength of clear wood. Analysis of historical data determined using standard specimens indicated no difference between side hardness...

LPTR irradiation of LLL vanadium tensile specimens and LLL Nb--1Zr tensile specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLean, S.C.; Rowe, C.L.

1977-01-01

The LPTR irradiation of 14 LLL vanadium tensile specimens and 14 LLL Nb-1Zr tensile specimens is described. Sample packaging, the irradiation schedule and neutron fluences for three energy ranges are given

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-09-01

The Nuclear Data Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency receives documents originated by or for the International Nuclear Data Committee for distribution. This list includes all INDC documents received and distributed by the INDC Secretariat during the period January 1984 to March 1986. This list is produced directly from computer printout in two sorts: one ordered by accession number, and the other ordered by document number within each origin series (e.g. listing all INDC(SEC)-documents in one block). In addition to the INDC documents received by the INDC Secretariat for distribution, this document also lists the titles of reports received as single copies for information

Georeferencing Animal Specimen Datasets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Erp, M.G.J.; Hensel, R.; Ceolin, D.; van der Meij, M.

2014-01-01

For biodiversity research, the field of study that is concerned with the richness of species of our planet, it is of the utmost importance that the location of an animal specimen find is known with high precision. Due to specimens often having been collected over the course of many years, their

DNA extraction from herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Drábková, Lenka Záveská

2014-01-01

With the expansion of molecular techniques, the historical collections have become widely used. Studying plant DNA using modern molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing plays an important role in understanding evolutionary relationships, identification through DNA barcoding, conservation status, and many other aspects of plant biology. Enormous herbarium collections are an important source of material especially for specimens from areas difficult to access or from taxa that are now extinct. The ability to utilize these specimens greatly enhances the research. However, the process of extracting DNA from herbarium specimens is often fraught with difficulty related to such variables as plant chemistry, drying method of the specimen, and chemical treatment of the specimen. Although many methods have been developed for extraction of DNA from herbarium specimens, the most frequently used are modified CTAB and DNeasy Plant Mini Kit protocols. Nine selected protocols in this chapter have been successfully used for high-quality DNA extraction from different kinds of plant herbarium tissues. These methods differ primarily with respect to their requirements for input material (from algae to vascular plants), type of the plant tissue (leaves with incrustations, sclerenchyma strands, mucilaginous tissues, needles, seeds), and further possible applications (PCR-based methods or microsatellites, AFLP).

The quantification of specimen size effects in the ductile-brittle transition for C-Mn steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knee, N.; Worthington, P.J.; Moskovic, R.

1989-02-01

It is now generally accepted that the temperature range of the brittle to ductile transition, determined using fracture mechanics specimens, is dependent of the specimen size for ferritic steels. This size effect arises through increasing constraint at the crack tip as the specimen thickness increases together with an increasing volume of material sampled. The size effect can be quantified in terms of a shift in temperature for a given toughness level. This was determined in the present work from fracture toughness/temperature curves obtained by performing fracture toughness tests on eight 100 mm thick compact tension specimens and 40 25 mm thick compact tension specimens over the ductile-brittle transition range of a C-Mn steel. The emphasis is on the development of a practical methodology to quantify the size effect from a limited but still appreciable number of tests. (author)

Specimen size effects in Charpy impact testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.; Klueh, R.L.

1989-01-01

Full-size , half-size, and third-size specimens from several different steels have been tested as part of an ongoing alloy development program. The smaller specimens permit more specimens to be made from small trail heats and are much more efficient for irradiation experiments. The results of several comparisons between the different specimen sizes have shown that the smaller specimens show qualitatively similar behavior to large specimens, although the upper-shelf energy level and ductile-to-ductile transition temperature are reduced. The upper-shelf energy levels from different specimen sizes can be compared by using a simple volume normalization method. The effect of specimen size and geometry on the ductile-to-ductile transition temperature is more difficult to predict, although the available data suggest a simple shift in the transition temperature due to specimen size changes.The relatively shallower notch used in smaller specimens alters the deformation pattern, and permits yielding to spread back to the notched surface as well as through to the back. This reduces the constraint and the peak stresses, and thus the initiation of cleavage is more difficult. A better understanding of the stress and strain distributions is needed. 19 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Significant histologic features differentiating cellular fibroadenoma from phyllodes tumor on core needle biopsy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasir, Saba; Gamez, Roberto; Jenkins, Sarah; Visscher, Daniel W; Nassar, Aziza

2014-09-01

Cellular fibroepithelial lesions (CFELs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors encompassing cellular fibroadenoma (CFA) and phyllodes tumor (PT). Distinction between the two is challenging on core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens. The objective of this study was to evaluate histologic features that can help distinguish PT from CFA on CNB specimens. Records of all patients diagnosed with CFELs on CNB specimens with follow-up excision between January 2002 and December 2012 were retrieved. Histopathologic stromal features were evaluated on CNB specimens, including mitoses per 10 high-power fields (hpf), overgrowth, increased cellularity, fragmentation, adipose tissue infiltration, heterogeneity, subepithelial condensation, and nuclear pleomorphism. Twenty-seven (42.2%) of 64 were diagnosed as PT (24 benign PTs and three borderline PTs) and 37 (57.8%) as CFA on excision. All features except for increased stromal cellularity were statistically significant. The average number of histologic features seen in PT and CFA was 3.9 and 1.4, respectively (odds ratio [OR], 7.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.44-21.69; P = .0004). The average number of mitoses per 10 hpf was 3.0 for PT compared with 0.8 for CFA (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.18-3.86; P = .01). The presence of mitoses (three or more) and/or total histologic features of three or more on CNB specimens were the most helpful features in predicting PT on excision. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Customer Communication Document

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

This procedure communicates to the Customers of the Automation, Robotics and Simulation Division (AR&SD) Dynamics Systems Test Branch (DSTB) how to obtain services of the Six-Degrees-Of-Freedom Dynamic Test System (SDTS). The scope includes the major communication documents between the SDTS and its Customer. It established the initial communication and contact points as well as provides the initial documentation in electronic media for the customer. Contact the SDTS Manager (SM) for the names of numbers of the current contact points.

Adaptive Algorithms for Automated Processing of Document Images

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT Title of dissertation: ADAPTIVE ALGORITHMS FOR AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF DOCUMENT IMAGES Mudit Agrawal, Doctor of Philosophy, 2011...2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Adaptive Algorithms for Automated Processing of Document Images 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM...ALGORITHMS FOR AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF DOCUMENT IMAGES by Mudit Agrawal Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-05-01

The Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA receives documents originated by or for the International Nuclear Data Committee for distribution. This list includes all INDC documents received and distributed by the INDC Secretariat during the period September 1987 to February 1989. The list is produced directly from computer printouts into two groups: one ordered by accession number, and the other ordered by document number within each series. The document lists also in an Appendix the titles of reports received as single copies for information

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA receives documents originated by or for the International Nuclear Data Committee (INDC) for distribution. This list includes all INDC documents received and distributed by the INDC Secretariat during the period March 1989 to June 1990. The list is produced directly from computer printout, into two groups: one ordered by accession number, and the other ordered by document number within each origin series. The document lists also in an appendix the titles of reports received as single copies for information

Type specimens in the Port Elizabeth Museum, South Africa, including the historically important Albany Museum collection. Part 1: Amphibians.

Science.gov (United States)

Conradie, Werner; Branch, William R; Watson, Gillian

2015-03-18

The Port Elizabeth Museum houses the consolidated herpetological collections of three provincial museums of the Eastern Cape, South Africa: the Port Elizabeth Museum (Port Elizabeth), the Amatole (previously Kaffarian) Museum (King Williams Town), and the Albany Museum (Grahamstown). Under John Hewitt, Albany Museum was the main centre of herpetological research in South Africa from 1910-1940, and he described numerous new species, many based on material in the museum collection. The types and other material from the Albany Museum are now incorporated into the Port Elizabeth Museum Herpetology collection (PEM). Due to the vague typification of much of Hewitt's material, the loss of the original catalogues in a fire and the subsequent deterioration of specimen labels, the identification of this type material is often troublesome. Significant herpetological research has been undertaken at the PEM in the last 35 years, and the collection has grown to be the third largest in Africa. During this period, numerous additional types have been deposited in the PEM collection, generated by active taxonomic research in the museum. As a consequence, 43 different amphibian taxa are represented by 37 primary and 151 secondary type specimens in the collection. This catalogue provides the first documentation of these types. It provides the original name, the original publication date, journal number and pagination, reference to illustrations, current name, museum collection number, type locality, notes on the type status, and photographs of all holotypes and lectotypes. Where necessary to maintain nomenclatural stability, and where confused type series are housed in the PEM collection, lectotypes and paralectotypes are nominated.

A versatile atomic number correction for electron-probe microanalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Love, G.; Cox, M.G.; Scott, V.D.

1978-01-01

A new atomic number correction is proposed for quantitative electron-probe microanalysis. Analytical expressions for the stopping power S and back-scatter R factors are derived which take into account atomic number of the target, incident electron energy and overvoltage; the latter expression is established using Monte Carlo calculations. The correct procedures for evaluating S and R for multi-element specimens are described. The new method, which overcomes some limitations inherent in earlier atomic number corrections, may readily be used where specimens are inclined to the electron beam. (author)

The development of AECB regulatory documents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joyce, M.

1981-01-01

This document describes the Atomic Energy Control Board's (AECB) approach to the development and preparation of regulatory documents. The principal factors that have shaped the AECB'a regulatory approach are identified as background to the evolution of regulatory documents as are a number of current influences that affect the present and future development of these documents. Also described are the process by which regulatory documents are prepared and published and the points of contact between this process and the Canadian Standards Association program for nuclear standards. (author)

Feasibility of using microbeads with holographic barcodes to track DNA specimens in the clinical molecular laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason D. Merker

2013-07-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate the feasibility of using glass microbeads with a holographic barcode identifier to track DNA specimens in the molecular pathology laboratory. These beads can be added to peripheral blood specimens and are carried through automated DNA extraction protocols that use magnetic glass particles. We found that an adequate number of microbeads are consistently carried over during genomic DNA extraction to allow specimen identification, that the beads do not interfere with the performance of several different molecular assays, and that the beads and genomic DNA remain stable when stored together under regular storage conditions in the molecular pathology laboratory. The beads function as an internal, easily readable specimen barcode. This approach may be useful for identifying DNA specimens and reducing errors associated with molecular laboratory testing.

Development of Reconstitution Technology for Surveillance Specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasushi Atago; Shunichi Hatano; Eiichiro Otsuka

2002-01-01

The Japan Power Engineering and Inspection Corporation (JAPEIC) has been carrying out the project titled 'Nuclear Power Plant Integrated Management Technology (PLIM)' consigned by Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since 1996FY as a 10-years project. As one of the project themes, development of reconstitution technology for reactor pressure vessel (RPV/RV) surveillance specimens, which are installed in RPVs to monitor the neutron irradiation embrittlement on RPV/RV materials, is now on being carried out to deal with the long-term operation of nuclear power plants. The target of this theme is to establish the technical standard for applicability of reconstituted surveillance specimens including the reconstitution of the Charpy specimens and Compact Tension (CT) specimens. With the Charpy specimen reconstitution, application of 10 mm length inserts is used, which enables the conversion of tests from the LT-direction to the TL-direction. This paper presents the basic data from Charpy and CT specimens of RPV materials using the surveillance specimens obtained for un-irradiated materials including the following. 1) Reconstitution Technology of Charpy Specimens. a) The interaction between plastic zone and Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). b) The effects of the possible deviations from the standard specimens for the reconstituted specimens. 2) Reconstitution Technology of CT specimens. a) The correlation between fracture toughness and plastic zone width. Because the project is now in progress, this paper describes the outline of the results obtained as of the end of 2000 FY. (authors)

Experimental procedure for the characterization of cyclic behavior from very thin plate specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maury, A.; Moulin, D.

1983-01-01

Many investigators, including those involved in the INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARK PROJECT ON SIMPLIFIED METHODS FOR ELEVATED TEMPERATURE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS - PROBLEM II, have tried to reproduce experimentally observed behavior by inelastic calculations. Unfortunately, the material characteristics used in the computer code were established from monotonic tensile tests performed with specimens extracted from the plate product itself (1.45 mm thick) employed to construct the ratchetting specimen. It now appears that the cyclic behavior of the material is much more relevant to the phenomenon observed. Hence the need to make this kind of characterization. Nevertheless, the practical problem is to produce cyclic stresses, i.e. tensile and compressive stresses, with very thin specimens. The main difficulty is to prevent the buckling effect. A new special device set up for this particular purpose is described here. The solution adopted was to create uniformly distributed alternative pure bending stresses in the thin plate specimen. Bending moments were produced by two end-grips fixed to the specimen, and these grips were mounted on a conventional test-machine which was displacement-controlled. To reduce tensile and compressive membrane stresses inside the specimen, the grips had two parallel axles of rotation. The forces produced by the machine and the displacements of a number of points of the specimen were continuously recorded during the test, so that cyclically stabilized, bending moments could be evaluated easily for each curvature variation imposed. The very first cyclic experimental data obtained, at room temperature, for the material of the sodium test specimen, a 316 type stainless steel, are presented. It may be noted that the simple specimens were very easy to prepare and hence inexpensive. (orig.)

Quantitative X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roomans, G.M.

1988-01-01

Qualitative X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens requires an approach that is somewhat different from that used in the materials sciences. The first step is deconvolution and background subtraction on the obtained spectrum. The further treatment depends on the type of specimen: thin, thick, or semithick. For thin sections, the continuum method of quantitation is most often used, but it should be combined with an accurate correction for extraneous background. However, alternative methods to determine local mass should also be considered. In the analysis of biological bulk specimens, the ZAF-correction method appears to be less useful, primarily because of the uneven surface of biological specimens. The peak-to-local background model may be a more adequate method for thick specimens that are not mounted on a thick substrate. Quantitative X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens generally requires the use of standards that preferably should resemble the specimen in chemical and physical properties. Special problems in biological microanalysis include low count rates, specimen instability and mass loss, extraneous contributions to the spectrum, and preparative artifacts affecting quantitation. A relatively recent development in X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens is the quantitative determination of local water content

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-08-01

The Nuclear Data Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency receives documents originated by or for the International Nuclear Data Committee for distribution. The present list includes all INDC documents received and distributed by the INDC secretariat during the period January 1982 to June 1984, and supersedes last years' edition of this report, INDC(SEC)-85/UN. This list is produced directly from computer printout in two sorts: one ordered by accession number, and the other ordered by document number within each origin series (e.g. listing all INDC(SEC)-documents in one block). In addition to the INDC documents received by the INDC Secretariat for distribution, this document also lists the titles of reports received as single copies for information. All of the single copy documents which have been received between June 1983 and July 1984 are listed in Appendix A to this document

Application of digital field photographs as documents for tropical plant inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

LaFrankie, James V; Chua, Anna I

2015-05-01

We tested the credibility and significance of digital field photographs as supplements or substitutes for conventional herbarium specimens with particular relevance to exploration of the tropics. We made 113 collections in triplicate at a species-rich mountain in the Philippines while we took 1238 digital photographs of the same plants. We then identified the plants from the photographs alone, categorized the confidence of the identification and the reason for failure to identify, and compared the results to identifications based on the dried specimens. We identified 72.6% of the photographic sets with high confidence and 27.4% with low confidence or only to genus. In no case was a confident identification altered by subsequent examination of the dried specimen. The failure to identify photographic sets to species was due to the lack of a key feature in 67.8% of the cases and due to a poorly understood taxonomy in 32.2%. We conclude that digital photographs cannot replace traditional herbarium specimens as the primary elements that document tropical plant diversity. However, photographs represent a new and important artifact that aids an expedient survey of tropical plant diversity while encouraging broad public participation.

Non-repeatable science: assessing the frequency of voucher specimen deposition reveals that most arthropod research cannot be verified

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaun Turney

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Scientific findings need to be verifiable and grounded in repeatability. With specimen-level research this is in part achieved with the deposition of voucher specimens. These are labeled, curated, data-based specimens that have been deposited in a collection or museum, available for verification of the work and to ensure researchers are calling the same taxa by the same names. Voucher specimens themselves are the subject of research, from the discovery of new species by taxonomists to ecologists documenting historical records of invasive species. Our objective was to quantify the frequency of voucher specimen deposition in biodiversity and community ecology research through a survey of the peer-reviewed literature about arthropods, from 1989 until 2014. Overall rates of voucher deposition were alarmingly low, at under 25%. This rate increased significantly over time, with 35% of papers reporting on vouchers in 2014. Relative to the global mean, entomological research had a significantly higher rate of voucher deposition (46%, whereas researchers studying crustaceans deposited vouchers less than 6% of the time, significantly less than the mean. Researchers working in museums had a significantly higher frequency of voucher deposition. Our results suggest a significant culture shift about the process of vouchering specimens is required. There must be more education and mentoring about voucher specimens within laboratories and across different fields of study. Principal investigators and granting agencies need a proactive approach to ensuring specimen-level data are properly, long-term curated. Editorial boards and journals can also adopt policies to ensure papers are published only if explicit statements about the deposition of voucher specimens is provided. Although the gap is significant, achieving a higher rate of voucher specimen deposition is a worthy goal to ensure all research efforts are preserved for future generations.

Non-repeatable science: assessing the frequency of voucher specimen deposition reveals that most arthropod research cannot be verified.

Science.gov (United States)

Turney, Shaun; Cameron, Elyssa R; Cloutier, Christopher A; Buddle, Christopher M

2015-01-01

Scientific findings need to be verifiable and grounded in repeatability. With specimen-level research this is in part achieved with the deposition of voucher specimens. These are labeled, curated, data-based specimens that have been deposited in a collection or museum, available for verification of the work and to ensure researchers are calling the same taxa by the same names. Voucher specimens themselves are the subject of research, from the discovery of new species by taxonomists to ecologists documenting historical records of invasive species. Our objective was to quantify the frequency of voucher specimen deposition in biodiversity and community ecology research through a survey of the peer-reviewed literature about arthropods, from 1989 until 2014. Overall rates of voucher deposition were alarmingly low, at under 25%. This rate increased significantly over time, with 35% of papers reporting on vouchers in 2014. Relative to the global mean, entomological research had a significantly higher rate of voucher deposition (46%), whereas researchers studying crustaceans deposited vouchers less than 6% of the time, significantly less than the mean. Researchers working in museums had a significantly higher frequency of voucher deposition. Our results suggest a significant culture shift about the process of vouchering specimens is required. There must be more education and mentoring about voucher specimens within laboratories and across different fields of study. Principal investigators and granting agencies need a proactive approach to ensuring specimen-level data are properly, long-term curated. Editorial boards and journals can also adopt policies to ensure papers are published only if explicit statements about the deposition of voucher specimens is provided. Although the gap is significant, achieving a higher rate of voucher specimen deposition is a worthy goal to ensure all research efforts are preserved for future generations.

Effects of antibiotics on protected specimen brush sampling in ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Prats, E; Dorca, J; Pujol, M; Garcia, L; Barreiro, B; Verdaguer, R; Gudiol, F; Manresa, F

2002-05-01

The effects of antibiotic treatment on the results of protected specimen brushing (PSB) in ventilator-associated pneumonia were prospectively assessed by performing this procedure before antibiotic treatment, and 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after initiation of antibiotic treatment, in 35 ventilated patients who developed pneumonia during mechanical ventilation. The number of micro-organisms isolated, their concentration (colony-forming units (cfu) mL(-1)), and the number of cases with a positive PSB (> or =10(3) cfu x mL(-1)) were evaluated. Within 12 h of the initiation of effective antibiotic treatment a rapid, significant decrease in the numbers of organisms isolated, their individual concentrations and the percentage of positive PSB results were observed. Certain bacterial species (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzee) appeared to be more vulnerable to antibiotics than others (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanni). This data confirms that prior antibiotic treatment, even after only a few hours of activity, significantly decreases the sensitivity of protected brush specimen; this effect appears to be particularly marked among the species involved in early ventilator associated pneumonia.

Controlled Environment Specimen Transfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damsgaard, Christian Danvad; Zandbergen, Henny W.; Hansen, Thomas Willum

2014-01-01

an environmental transmission electron microscope to an in situ X-ray diffractometer through a dedicated transmission electron microscope specimen transfer holder, capable of sealing the specimen in a gaseous environment at elevated temperatures. Two catalyst material systems have been investigated; Cu/ZnO/Al2O3...... transferred in a reactive environment to the environmental transmission electron microscope where further analysis on the local scale were conducted. The Co/Al2O3 catalyst was reduced in the environmental microscope and successfully kept reduced outside the microscope in a reactive environment. The in situ......Specimen transfer under controlled environment conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and gas composition, is necessary to conduct successive complementary in situ characterization of materials sensitive to ambient conditions. The in situ transfer concept is introduced by linking...

Strength characterization of tubular ceramic materials by flexure of semi-cylindrical specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kwok, Kawai; Kiesel, Lutz; Frandsen, Henrik Lund

2014-01-01

Mechanical strength at elevated temperatures and operating atmospheres needs to be characterized during development of tubular ceramic components for advanced energy technologies. Typical procedures are time-consuming because a large number of tests are required for a reliable statistical strength...... characterization and every specimen has to be subjected to the process conditions individually. This paper presents an efficient strength characterization methodology for tubular ceramics. The methodology employs flexure of semi-cylindrical specimens as the strength test and implements the tests within a facility...... conducted on oxygen transport membrane materials at room temperature and 850°C....

Identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolated from clinical specimens at a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Imran; Jabeen, Kauser; Hasan, Rumina

2013-10-22

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are opportunistic pathogens in immuno-compromised patients. They are also increasingly recognized as pathogens in immuno-competent individuals. Globally, an increase in NTM isolation is being reported with a varied geographic prevalence of different species around the world. There is lack of data on species distribution of these organisms from Pakistan. Treatment options differ according to the species isolated and its susceptibility profile. Knowledge of local species variation would help targeted therapy. This study was performed to determine frequencies of different NTM species isolated from various clinical specimens submitted at a tertiary care hospital laboratory. NTM isolated from 25955 clinical specimens over a period of two years (2010 to 2011) were included. All NTM were identified using conventional tests. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed by broth microdilution and interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute's document M24-A2. A total of 104 NTM were included in the study. Of these, 76% (54/71) rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) and 57.6% (19/33) slow growing mycobacteria (SGM) could be further identified. Mycobacterium fortuitum (21/54) was the commonest NTM identified among RGM followed by M. mucogenicum (12/54) and M. smegmatis (11/54). Among SGM, M. avium complex (MAC) was the most frequent (14/19). Clinical significance could be assessed in a limited number (52/104) of NTM isolates and MAC appeared to be the commonest significant NTM. Three extra-pulmonary cases were found to be healthcare associated infections. DST results for RGM showed susceptibility to amikacin (100%), clarithromycin (100%, except M. fortuitum where it is not reportable), linezolid (90%) and moxifloxacin (75%). Whereas SGM were susceptible to clarithromycin (100%), linezolid (58.8%) and moxifloxacin (64.7%). This is the first study reporting NTM species and their clinical significance isolated from

Microvascular injury of the peribiliary plexus associated with transarterial chemoembolization: a study of surgical specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Won Kyu; Bae, Young Kyung; Hwang, Tae Yoon; Cho, Jae Ho; Chang, Jay Chun; Kim, Jae Woon; Jang, Han Won [College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2006-11-15

We attempted to evaluate the relationship between transarteiral chemoembolization (TACE) and injury to the peribiliary plexus by evaluating the number of microvessels in peribiliary plexus of surgical specimen. Surgical specimens were obtained from 78 hepatocellular carcinoma patients and 22 patients with liver metastases. They were divided into 4 groups (Group 1; hepatocellular carcinoma without TACE [n=30], Group 2; hepatocellular carcinoma receiving preoperative TACE once [n=37], Group 3; hepatocellular carcinoma receiving preoperative TACE more than two times [n=11] and Group 4; metastatic carcinoma of the liver patients without a history of liver disease [n=22]). Immunohistochemical staining for factor VIII-related antigen was performed in all the specimens and the number of microvessels in the inner capillary layer and the outer venous layer of the bile duct (> 200 {mu} m in diameter) was counted. The mean numbers of microvessels in the inner capillary layer were 4.50, 4.08, 1.64 and 2.05, and those in the outer venous layer were 25.23, 20.00, 18.36 and 12.32 for the 4 groups, respectively. The number of microvessels in group 4 was statistically fewer than that of group 1 ({rho} < 0.01). In the hepatocellular carcinoma patients, the number of microvessels was decreased as the number of TACE sessions was increased. The number of microvessels in the peribiliary plexus is increased in chronic liver disease patients. It may be from the increased portal pressure and flow stagnation in the sinusoidal and portal venules. TACE can have an effect on microvascular injury of the peibiliary plexus, and this can be a cause of bile duct necrosis and biloma.

Development of fatigue life evaluation method using small specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nogami, Shuhei; Nishimura, Arata; Wakai, Eichi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu; Itoh, Takamoto; Hasegawa, Akira

2013-01-01

For developing the fatigue life evaluation method using small specimen, the effect of specimen size and shape on the fatigue life of the reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels (F82H-IEA, F82H-BA07 and JLF-1) was investigated by the fatigue test at room temperature in air using round-bar and hourglass specimens with various specimen sizes (test section diameter: 0.85–10 mm). The round-bar specimen showed no specimen size and no specimen shape effects on the fatigue life, whereas the hourglass specimen showed no specimen size effect and obvious specimen shape effect on it. The shorter fatigue life of the hourglass specimen observed under low strain ranges could be attributed to the shorter micro-crack initiation life induced by the stress concentration dependent on the specimen shape. On the basis of this study, the small round-bar specimen was an acceptable candidate for evaluating the fatigue life using small specimen

Specimen holder for an electron microscope and device and method for mounting a specimen in an electron microscope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zandbergen, H.W.; Latenstein van Voorst, A.; Westra, C.; Hoveling, G.H.

1996-01-01

A specimen holder for an electron microscope, comprising a bar-shaped body provided adjacent one end with means for receiving a specimen, with means being present for screening the specimen from the environment at least temporarily in airtight and moisture-proof manner in a first position, which

A general mixed mode fracture mechanics test specimen: The DCB-specimen loaded with uneven bending moments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soerensen, B.F.; Joergensen, K.; Oestergaard, R.C. [Risoe National Lab., Materials Dept., Roskilde (Denmark); Jacobsen, T.K. [LM Glasfiber A/S, Lunderskov (Denmark)

2004-03-01

A mixed mode specimen is proposed for fracture mechanics characterisation of adhesive joints, laminates and multilayers. The specimen is a double cantilever beam specimen loaded with uneven bending moments at the two free beams. By varying the ratio between the two applied moments, the full mode mixity range from pure mode I to pure mode II can be generated for the same specimen geometry. The specimen allows stable crack growth. In case of large scale crack bridging, mixed mode cohesive laws can be obtained by a J integral based approach. As a preliminary example, fracture of adhesive joints between two glass-fibre laminates was studied. The mixed mode fracture resistance increased with increasing crack length due to fibre cross over bridging, eventually reaching a steady-state level (R-curve behaviour). The steady-state fracture toughness level increased with increasing tangential crack opening displacement. Cohesive stresses were determined by a J integral approach. The deducted shear stress was found to be relative high ({approx} = 20 MPa) in comparison with the normal stress ({approx} = 1 MPa). (au)

A new dimension in documenting new species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Akkari, Nesrine; Enghoff, Henrik; Metscher, Brian D.

2015-01-01

We review the state-of-the-art approaches currently applied in myriapod taxonomy, and we describe, for the first time, a new species of millipede (Ommatoiulus avatar n. sp., family Julidae) using high-resolution X-ray microtomography (microCT) as a substantive adjunct to traditional morphological...... examination. We present 3D models of the holotype and paratype specimens and discuss the potential of this non-destructive technique in documenting new species of millipedes and other organisms. The microCT data have been uploaded to an open repository (Dryad) to serve as the first actual millipede cybertypes...

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

The Nuclear Data Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency receives documents originated by or for the International Nuclear Data Committee for distribution. This list includes all INDC documents received and distributed between January 1968 and May 1979, and supersedes INDC(SEC)-66/UN. This list is produced directly from computer printout in two sorts: one ordered by accession number, and the other ordered by document number with-in each origin series (e.g. listing all INDC(SEC)-documents in one block). Reference to earlier INDSWG and ''interim'' INDC reports received between 1962 and 1967 are listed in report INDC/199 (dated November 1967)

Amplification of DNA of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri from historic citrus canker herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenbin; Brlansky, Ronald H; Hartung, John S

2006-05-01

Herbaria are important resources for the study of the origins and dispersal of plant pathogens, particularly bacterial plant pathogens that incite local lesions in which large numbers of pathogen genomes are concentrated. Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), the causal agent of citrus bacterial canker disease, is a notable example of such a pathogen. The appearance of novel strains of the pathogen in Florida and elsewhere make it increasingly important to understand the relationships among strains of this pathogen. USDA-ARS at Beltsville, Maryland maintains approximately 700 herbarium specimens with citrus canker disease lesions up to 90 years old, originally collected from all over the world, and so is an important resource for phytogeographic studies of this bacterium. Unfortunately, DNA in herbarium specimens is degraded and may contain high levels of inhibitors of PCR. In this study, we compared a total of 23 DNA isolation techniques in combination with 31 novel primer pairs in order to develop an efficient protocol for the analysis of Xac DNA in herbarium specimens. We identified the most reliable extraction method, identified in terms of successful amplification by our panel of 31 primer pairs. We also identified the most robust primer pairs, identified as successful in the largest number of extracts prepared by different methods. We amplified Xac genomic sequences up to 542 bp long from herbarium samples up to 89 years old. Primers varied in effectiveness, with some primer pairs amplifying Xac DNA from a 1/10,000 dilution of extract from a single lesion from a citrus canker herbarium specimen. Our methodology will be useful to identify pathogens and perform molecular analyses of bacterial and possibly fungal genomes from herbarium specimens.

Study of parameters of the nearest neighbour shared algorithm on clustering documents

Science.gov (United States)

Mustika Rukmi, Alvida; Budi Utomo, Daryono; Imro’atus Sholikhah, Neni

2018-03-01

Document clustering is one way of automatically managing documents, extracting of document topics and fastly filtering information. Preprocess of clustering documents processed by textmining consists of: keyword extraction using Rapid Automatic Keyphrase Extraction (RAKE) and making the document as concept vector using Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA). Furthermore, the clustering process is done so that the documents with the similarity of the topic are in the same cluster, based on the preprocesing by textmining performed. Shared Nearest Neighbour (SNN) algorithm is a clustering method based on the number of "nearest neighbors" shared. The parameters in the SNN Algorithm consist of: k nearest neighbor documents, ɛ shared nearest neighbor documents and MinT minimum number of similar documents, which can form a cluster. Characteristics The SNN algorithm is based on shared ‘neighbor’ properties. Each cluster is formed by keywords that are shared by the documents. SNN algorithm allows a cluster can be built more than one keyword, if the value of the frequency of appearing keywords in document is also high. Determination of parameter values on SNN algorithm affects document clustering results. The higher parameter value k, will increase the number of neighbor documents from each document, cause similarity of neighboring documents are lower. The accuracy of each cluster is also low. The higher parameter value ε, caused each document catch only neighbor documents that have a high similarity to build a cluster. It also causes more unclassified documents (noise). The higher the MinT parameter value cause the number of clusters will decrease, since the number of similar documents can not form clusters if less than MinT. Parameter in the SNN Algorithm determine performance of clustering result and the amount of noise (unclustered documents ). The Silhouette coeffisient shows almost the same result in many experiments, above 0.9, which means that SNN algorithm works well

HANFORD TANK WASTE OPERATIONS SIMULATOR VERSION DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ALLEN, G.K.

2003-01-01

This document describes the software version controls established for the Hanford Tank Waste Operations Simulator (HTWOS). It defines: the methods employed to control the configuration of HTWOS; the version of each of the 26 separate modules for the version 1.0 of HTWOS; the numbering rules for incrementing the version number of each module; and a requirement to include module version numbers in each case results documentation. Version 1.0 of HTWOS is the first version under formal software version control. HTWOS contains separate revision numbers for each of its 26 modules. Individual module version numbers do not reflect the major release HTWOS configured version number

A general mixed mode fracture mechanics test specimen: The DCB-specimen loaded with uneven bending moments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Bent F.; Jørgensen, K.; Jacobsen, T.K.

2004-01-01

A mixed mode specimen is proposed for fracture mechanics characterisation of adhesive joints, laminates and multilayers. The specimen is a double cantilever beam specimen loaded with uneven bending moments at the two free beams. By varying the ratiobetween the two applied moments, the full mode...... glass-fibre laminates was studied. The mixed mode fracture resistance increased with increasing crack length due to fibre bridging, eventually reaching asteady-state level (R-curve behaviour). The steady-state fracture toughness level increased with increasing tangential crack opening displacement....

Recent advances in FIB-TEM specimen preparation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jian; Malis, T.; Dionne, S.

2006-01-01

Preparing high-quality transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens is of paramount importance in TEM studies. The development of the focused ion beam (FIB) microscope has greatly enhanced TEM specimen preparation capabilities. In recent years, various FIB-TEM foil preparation techniques have been developed. However, the currently available techniques fail to produce TEM specimens from fragile and ultra-fine specimens such as fine fibers. In this paper, the conventional FIB-TEM specimen preparation techniques are reviewed, and their advantages and shortcomings are compared. In addition, a new technique suitable to prepare TEM samples from ultra-fine specimens is demonstrated

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-06-01

This list is produced directly from computer printout in two sorts: one ordered by accession number, and the other ordered by document number within each origin series (e.g. listing all INDC(SEC)-documents in one block). Reference to earlier INDSWG and ''interim'' INDC reports received between 1962 and 1967 are listed in report INDC/199 (dated November 1967)

Using geographical and taxonomic metadata to set priorities in specimen digitization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter G. Berendsohn

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Digitizing the information carried by specimens in natural history collections is a key endeavor providing falsifiable information about past and present biodiversity on a global scale, for application in a variety of research fields far beyond the current application in biosystematics. Existing digitization efforts are driven by individual institutional necessities and are not coordinated on a global scale. This led to an over-all information resource that is patchy in taxonomic and geographic coverage as well as in quality. Digitizing all specimens is not an achievable aim at present, so that priorities need to be set. Most biodiversity studies are both taxonomically and geographically restricted, but access to non-digitized collection information is almost exclusively by taxon name. Creating a “Geotaxonomic Index” providing metadata on the number of specimens from a specific geographic region belonging to a specific higher taxonomic category may provide a means to attract the attention of researchers and governments towards relevant non-digitized holdings of the collections and set priorities for their digitization according to the needs of information users outside the taxonomic community.

Reliability of 46,XX results on miscarriage specimens: a review of 1,222 first-trimester miscarriage specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Lathi, Ruth B; Gustin, Stephanie L F; Keller, Jennifer; Maisenbacher, Melissa K; Sigurjonsson, Styrmir; Tao, Rosina; Demko, Zach

2014-01-01

To examine the rate of maternal contamination in miscarriage specimens. Retrospective review of 1,222 miscarriage specimens submitted for chromosome testing with detection of maternal cell contamination (MCC). Referral centers requesting genetic testing of miscarriage specimens at a single reference laboratory. Women with pregnancy loss who desire complete chromosome analysis of the pregnancy tissue. Analysis of miscarriage specimens using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray technology with bioinformatics program to detect maternal cell contamination. Chromosome content of miscarriages and incidence of 46,XX results due to MCC. Of the 1,222 samples analyzed, 592 had numeric chromosomal abnormalities, and 630 were normal 46,XX or 46,XY (456 and 187, respectively). In 269 of the 46,XX specimens, MCC with no embryonic component was found. With the exclusion of maternal 46,XX results, the chromosomal abnormality rate increased from 48% to 62%, and the ratio for XX to XY results dropped from 2.6 to 1.0. Over half of the normal 46,XX results in miscarriage specimens were due to MCC. The use of SNPs in MCC testing allows for precise identification of chromosomal abnormalities in miscarriage as well as MCC, improving the accuracy of products of conception testing. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of fatigue life evaluation technique using miniature specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nogami, Shuhei; Nishimura, Arata; Fujiwara, Masaharu; Hisaka, Tomoaki

2012-01-01

To develop the fatigue life evaluation technique using miniature specimen, the investigation of the effect of specimen size and specimen shape on the fatigue life and the development of the fatigue testing machine, especially the extensometer, were carried out. The effect of specimen size on the fatigue life was almost negligible for the round-bar specimens. The shorter fatigue life at relatively low strain range conditions for the hourglass specimen that the standard specimen were observed. Therefore the miniature round-bar specimen was considered to be adequate for the fatigue life evaluation using small specimen. Several types of the extensometer system using a strain gauge and a laser has been developed for realizing the fatigue test of the miniature round-bar specimen at high temperature in vacuum. (author)

Effect of Heat Flux on the Specimen Temperature of an LBE Capsule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Y. H.; Park, S. J.; Cho, M. S.; Choo, K. N.; Lee, Y. S.

2011-01-01

For application of high-temperature irradiation tests in the HANARO reactor for Gen IV reactor material development, a number of newly designed LBE capsules have been investigated at KAERI since 2008. Recent study on heat transfer experiment of an LBE capsule with a single heater has shown that the specimen temperature of the mock-up increased linearly with an increase of heat input. The work highlighted only the heat transfer capability of an LBE capsule with a single heater as a simulated specimen in a liquid metal medium. Hence, a new LBE capsule with multi specimen sets has been designed and fabricated for the heat transfer experiment of an LBE capsule of 11M-01K. In this paper, a series of thermal analyses and heat transfer experiments for a newly designed LBE capsule was implemented to study the effect of an increase in the value of heat input and its influence on temperature distribution in the capsule mock-up

Documentation of daily sit-to-stands performed by community-dwelling adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Richard W; Barreca, Susan R; Shove, Megan E; Lambert, Cynthia; Masters, Lisa M; Sigouin, Christopher S

2008-01-01

No information exists about how many sit-to-stands (STSs) are performed daily by community-dwelling adults. We, therefore, examined the feasibility of using a tally counter to document daily STSs, documented the number of daily STSs performed, and determined if the number of STSs was influenced by demographic or health variables. Ninety-eight community-dwelling adults (19-84 years) agreed to participate. After providing demographic and health information, subjects used a tally counter to document the number of STSs performed daily for 7 consecutive days. All but two subjects judged their counter-documented STS number to be accurate. Excluding data from these and two other subjects, the mean number of STSs for subjects was 42.8 to 49.3, depending on the day. The number was significantly higher on weekdays than weekends. No demographic or health variable was significantly related to the number of STSs in univariate or multivariate analysis. In conclusion, this study suggests that a tally counter may be a practical aid to documenting STS activity. The STS repetitions recorded by the counter in this study provide an estimate of the number of STSs that community-dwelling adults perform daily.

Histopathological analysis of hysterectomy specimens: one year study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Baral

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Backgound: The uterus is prone to develop several non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions during the life time of a woman. The aim of this study is to study the histopathological features of varied uterine lesions, their profile and distribution of different lesions in relation of age.Materials and Methods: This is a histopathological database analysis of hysterectomy specimen of one year 2011/12 in Patan Hospital. The variables studied were age and histopathological diagnosis. SPSS version 16 was used as an analytical tool.Results: A total of 3576 histopathology samples were received in this period. There were 1173 gynaecology samples during this period out of which 22% (261 cases were that of hysterectomy. Histopathology diagnosis showed Leiomyoma in 48.6% (127 cases, Adenomyosis was seen in 10.3% (27 cases, Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma was seen in 1.14% (3 cases.Conclusion: A large number of hysterectomy specimens had no significant findings. However, adenomyosis, leiomyomya and adenocarcinoma are also found which may be the cause of abnormal uterine bleeding. 

Design of specimen for weld residual stress simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Weon; Park, Jong Sun; Lee, Kyung Soo

2008-01-01

The objective of this study is to design a laboratory specimen for simulating residual stress of circumferential butt welding of pipe. Specimen type and method for residual stress generation were proposed based on the review of prior studies and parametric finite element simulation. To prove the proposed specimen type and loading method, the residual stress was generated using the designed specimen by applying proposed method and was measured. The measured residual stress using X-ray diffraction reasonably agreed with the results of finite element simulation considered in the specimen design. Comparison of residual strains measured at several locations of specimen and given by finite element simulation also showed good agreement. Therefore, it is indicated that the designed specimen can reasonably simulate the residual stress of circumferential butt welding of pipe

TEM specimen preparation of semiconductor-PMMA-metal interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thangadurai, P.; Lumelsky, Yulia; Silverstein, Michael S.; Kaplan, Wayne D.

2008-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-section specimens of PMMA in contact with gold and Si were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) and compared with plan-view PMMA specimens prepared by a dip-coating technique. The specimens were characterized by TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). In the cross-section specimens, the thin films of PMMA were located in a Si-PMMA-Au multilayer. Different thicknesses of PMMA films were spin-coated on the Si substrates. The thickness of the TEM specimens prepared by FIB was estimated using EELS to be 0.65 of the plasmon mean-free-path. Along the PMMA-Au interface, Au particle diffusion into the PMMA was observed, and the size of the Au particles was in the range of 2-4 nm. Dip-coating of PMMA directly on Cu TEM grids resulted in thin specimens with a granular morphology, with a thickness of 0.58 of the plasmon mean-free-path. The dip-coated specimens were free from ion milling induced artifacts, and thus serve as control specimens for comparison with the cross-sectioned specimens prepared by FIB

Comparison of gross anatomy test scores using traditional specimens vs. QuickTime Virtual Reality animated specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Maza, Paul Sadiri

In recent years, technological advances such as computers have been employed in teaching gross anatomy at all levels of education, even in professional schools such as medical and veterinary medical colleges. Benefits of computer based instructional tools for gross anatomy include the convenience of not having to physically view or dissect a cadaver. Anatomy educators debate over the advantages versus the disadvantages of computer based resources for gross anatomy instruction. Many studies, case reports, and editorials argue for the increased use of computer based anatomy educational tools, while others discuss the necessity of dissection for various reasons important in learning anatomy, such as a three-dimensional physical view of the specimen, physical handling of tissues, interactions with fellow students during dissection, and differences between specific specimens. While many articles deal with gross anatomy education using computers, there seems to be a lack of studies investigating the use of computer based resources as an assessment tool for gross anatomy, specifically using the Apple application QuickTime Virtual Reality (QTVR). This study investigated the use of QTVR movie modules to assess if using computer based QTVR movie module assessments were equal in quality to actual physical specimen examinations. A gross anatomy course in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University was used as a source of anatomy students and gross anatomy examinations. Two groups were compared, one group taking gross anatomy examinations in a traditional manner, by viewing actual physical specimens and answering questions based on those specimens. The other group took the same examinations using the same specimens, but the specimens were viewed as simulated three-dimensional objects in a QTVR movie module. Sample group means for the assessments were compared. A survey was also administered asking students' perceptions of quality and user-friendliness of the QTVR

Triangular clustering in document networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng Xueqi; Ren Fuxin [Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Zhou Shi [Department of Computer Science, University College London, Malet Place, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Hu Maobin [School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)], E-mail: cxq@ict.ac.cn, E-mail: renfuxin@software.ict.ac.cn, E-mail: s.zhou@adastral.ucl.ac.uk, E-mail: humaobin@ustc.edu.cn

2009-03-15

Document networks have the characteristic that a document node, e.g. a webpage or an article, carries meaningful content. Properties of document networks are not only affected by topological connectivity between nodes, but are also strongly influenced by the semantic relation between the content of the nodes. We observed that document networks have a large number of triangles and a high value clustering coefficient. Also there is a strong correlation between the probability of formation of a triangle and the content similarity among the three nodes involved. We propose the degree-similarity product (DSP) model, which well reproduces these properties. The model achieves this by using a preferential attachment mechanism that favours the linkage between nodes that are both popular and similar. This work is a step forward towards a better understanding of the structure and evolution of document networks.

Evaluation of irradiated coating material specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Jin; Nam, Seok Woo; Cho, Lee Moon

2007-12-01

Evaluation result of irradiated coating material specimens - Coating material specimens radiated Gamma Energy(Co 60) in air condition. - Evaluation conditions was above 1 X 10 4 Gy/hr, and radiated TID 2.0 X 10 6 Gy. - The radiated coating material specimens, No Checking, Cracking, Flaking, Delamination, Peeling and Blistering. - Coating system at the Kori no. 1 and APR 1400 Nuclear power plant, evaluation of irradiated coating materials is in accordance with owner's requirement(2.0 X 10 6 Gy)

Electronic Document Management Using Inverted Files System

Science.gov (United States)

Suhartono, Derwin; Setiawan, Erwin; Irwanto, Djon

2014-03-01

The amount of documents increases so fast. Those documents exist not only in a paper based but also in an electronic based. It can be seen from the data sample taken by the SpringerLink publisher in 2010, which showed an increase in the number of digital document collections from 2003 to mid of 2010. Then, how to manage them well becomes an important need. This paper describes a new method in managing documents called as inverted files system. Related with the electronic based document, the inverted files system will closely used in term of its usage to document so that it can be searched over the Internet using the Search Engine. It can improve document search mechanism and document save mechanism.

Electronic Document Management Using Inverted Files System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suhartono Derwin

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The amount of documents increases so fast. Those documents exist not only in a paper based but also in an electronic based. It can be seen from the data sample taken by the SpringerLink publisher in 2010, which showed an increase in the number of digital document collections from 2003 to mid of 2010. Then, how to manage them well becomes an important need. This paper describes a new method in managing documents called as inverted files system. Related with the electronic based document, the inverted files system will closely used in term of its usage to document so that it can be searched over the Internet using the Search Engine. It can improve document search mechanism and document save mechanism.

Measurements and Counts for Notacanthidae Specimens

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Taxonomic data were collected for specimens of deep-sea spiny eels (Notacanthidae) from the Hawaiian Ridge by Bruce C. Mundy. Specimens were collected off the north...

Notch effects in uniaxial tension specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delph, T.J.

1979-03-01

Results of a literature survey on the effect of notches on the time-dependent failure of uniaxial tension specimens at elevated temperatures are presented. Particular attention is paid to the failure of notched specimens containing weldments

Determination of composition of LiNbO3 specimens by Raman scattering spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balanevskaya, A.Eh.; Pyatigorskaya, L.I.; Shapiro, Z.I.; Margolin, L.N.; Bovina, E.A.

1983-01-01

The source stock composition is a basic parameter for LiNbO 3 monocrystal growth. Chemical analyses do not allow to determine the composition with a sufficient accuracy, and a number of physico-chemical methods can be applied only to monocrystal specimens. For testing the Lisub(x)NbOsub(2.5+x/2) specimen composition a method has been used, based on a linear dependence of 153 and 238 cm- 1 band half-widths of the IR spectrum on the composition in the solid solution range, where x varies within the 1.0-0.9 limits. Experiments were carried out with mono- and polycrystal specimens. The accuracy of 0.01-0.005 is attained for determination of x of the composition. The analysis time is 15-20 min. Any Raman spectrometer and a laser of > 50 mW power can be used in analysis

OCRWM baseline management procedure for document identifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-03-01

This procedure establishes a uniform numbering system (document identifier) for all Program and project technical, cost, and schedule baselines, and selected management and procurement documents developed for and controlled by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System (CRWMS). The document identifier defined in this procedure is structured to ensure that the relational integrity between configuration items (CIs) and their associated documentation and software is maintained, traceable, categorical, and retrievable for the life of the program

Technique of manufacturing specimen of irradiated fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, Duck Seok; Seo, Hang Seok; Min, Duck Kee; Koo, Dae Seo; Lee, Eun Pyo; Yang, Song Yeol

1999-04-01

Technique of manufacturing specimen of irradiated fuel rods to perform efficient PIE is developed by analyzing the relation between requiring time of manufacturing specimen and manufacturing method in irradiated fuel rods. It takes within an hour to grind 1 mm of specimen thickness under 150 rpm in speed of grinding, 600 g gravity in force using no.120, no.240, no.320 of grinding paper. In case of no.400 of grinding paper, it takes more an hour to grind the same thickness as above. It takes up to a quarter to grind 80-130 μm in specimen thickness using no.400 of grinding paper. When grinding time goes beyond 15 minutes, the grinding thickness of specimen does not exist. The polishing of specimen with 150 Rpms in speed of grinding machine, 600 g gravity in force, 10 minutes in polishing time using diamond paste 15 μm on polishing cloths amounts to 50 μm in specimen thickness. In case of diamond paste 9 μm on polishing cloth, the polishing of specimen amounts to 20 μm. The polishing thickness of specimen with 15 minutes in polishing time using 6 μm, 3 μm, 1 μm, 1/4 μm does not exist. Technique of manufacturing specimen of irradiated fuel rods will have application to the destructive examination of PIE. (author). 6 refs., 1 tab., 10 figs

Diagnoses of hybrid hummingbirds (Aves: Trochilidae). 17. Documentation of the intrageneric hybrid (Archilochus colubris × Archilochus alexandri)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graves, Gary R.; Dittmann, Donna L.; Cardiff, Steven W.

2016-01-01

Although the breeding ranges of Archilochus alexandri (Black-chinned Hummingbird) and Archilochus colubris (Ruby throated Hummingbird) are narrowly parapatric in central Texas and central and southern Oklahoma, there have been few reports of hybridization in the literature and no well......-documented hybrid specimens. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of two male hybrids collected, respectively, in Grayson County, Texas, and East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. As has been the pattern in other hummingbird hybrids, both specimens exhibit a blended mosaic of plumage characters of the parental...

Mouse mammary tumor virus-like gene sequences are present in lung patient specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodríguez-Padilla Cristina

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have reported on the presence of Murine Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV-like gene sequences in human cancer tissue specimens. Here, we search for MMTV-like gene sequences in lung diseases including carcinomas specimens from a Mexican population. This study was based on our previous study reporting that the INER51 lung cancer cell line, from a pleural effusion of a Mexican patient, contains MMTV-like env gene sequences. Results The MMTV-like env gene sequences have been detected in three out of 18 specimens studied, by PCR using a specific set of MMTV-like primers. The three identified MMTV-like gene sequences, which were assigned as INER6, HZ101, and HZ14, were 99%, 98%, and 97% homologous, respectively, as compared to GenBank sequence accession number AY161347. The INER6 and HZ-101 samples were isolated from lung cancer specimens, and the HZ-14 was isolated from an acute inflammatory lung infiltrate sample. Two of the env sequences exhibited disruption of the reading frame due to mutations. Conclusion In summary, we identified the presence of MMTV-like gene sequences in 2 out of 11 (18% of the lung carcinomas and 1 out of 7 (14% of acute inflamatory lung infiltrate specimens studied of a Mexican Population.

Specimen loading list for the varying temperature experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qualls, A.L.; Sitterson, R.G.

1998-01-01

The varying temperature experiment HFIR-RB-13J has been assembled and inserted in the reactor. Approximately 5300 specimens were cleaned, inspected, matched, and loaded into four specimen holders. A listing of each specimen loaded into the steady temperature holder, its position in the capsule, and the identification of the corresponding specimen loaded into the varying temperature holder is presented in this report

Innovations in macroscopic evaluation of pancreatic specimens and radiologic correlation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charikleia Triantopoulou

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a novel dissection technique of surgical specimens in different cases of pancreatic tumors and provide a radiologic pathologic correlation. In our hospital, that is a referral center for pancreatic diseases, the macroscopic evaluation of the pancreatectomy specimens is performed by the pathologists using the axial slicing technique (instead of the traditional procedure with longitudinal opening of the main pancreatic and/or common bile duct and slicing along the plane defined by both ducts. The specimen is sliced in an axial plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the descending duodenum. The procedure results in a large number of thin slices (3–4 mm. This plane is identical to that of CT or MRI and correlation between pathology and imaging is straightforward. We studied 70 cases of suspected different solid and cystic pancreatic tumors and we correlated the tumor size and location, the structure—consistency (areas of necrosis—hemorrhage—fibrosis—inflammation, the degree of vessels’ infiltration, the size of pancreatic and common bile duct and the distance from resection margins. Missed findings by imaging or pitfalls were recorded and we tried to explain all discrepancies between radiology evaluation and the histopathological findings. Radiologic-pathologic correlation is extremely important, adding crucial information on imaging limitations and enabling quality assessment of surgical specimens. The deep knowledge of different pancreatic tumors’ consistency and way of extension helps to improve radiologists’ diagnostic accuracy and minimize the radiological-surgical mismatching, preventing patients from unnecessary surgery.

Area 2 Photo Skid Wastewater Pit corrective action decision document Corrective Action Unit Number 332: Part 1, and Closure report: Part 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The Area 2 Photo Skid Wastewater Pit, Corrective Action Site (CAS) Number 02-42-03, the only CAS in Corrective Action Unit (CAU) Number 332, has been identified as a source of unquantified, uncontrolled, and unpermitted wastewater discharge. The Photo Skid was used for photographic processing of film for projects related to weapons testing, using Kodak RA4 and GPX film processing facilities for black and white and color photographs. The CAU is located in Area 2 of the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. The CAS consists of one unlined pit which received discharged photographic process wastewater from 1984 to 1991. The Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) and the Closure Report (CR) have been developed to meet the requirements of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO, 1996). The CADD and the CR for this CAS have been combined because sample data collected during the site investigation do not exceed regulatory limits established during the Data Quality Objectives (DQO) process. The purpose of the CADD and the CR is to justify why no corrective action is necessary at the CAU based on process knowledge and the results of the corrective action investigation and to request closure of the CAU. This document contains Part 1 of the CADD and Part 2 of the CR

Application of digital field photographs as documents for tropical plant inventory1

Science.gov (United States)

LaFrankie, James V.; Chua, Anna I.

2015-01-01

Premise of the study: We tested the credibility and significance of digital field photographs as supplements or substitutes for conventional herbarium specimens with particular relevance to exploration of the tropics. Methods: We made 113 collections in triplicate at a species-rich mountain in the Philippines while we took 1238 digital photographs of the same plants. We then identified the plants from the photographs alone, categorized the confidence of the identification and the reason for failure to identify, and compared the results to identifications based on the dried specimens. Results: We identified 72.6% of the photographic sets with high confidence and 27.4% with low confidence or only to genus. In no case was a confident identification altered by subsequent examination of the dried specimen. The failure to identify photographic sets to species was due to the lack of a key feature in 67.8% of the cases and due to a poorly understood taxonomy in 32.2%. Discussion: We conclude that digital photographs cannot replace traditional herbarium specimens as the primary elements that document tropical plant diversity. However, photographs represent a new and important artifact that aids an expedient survey of tropical plant diversity while encouraging broad public participation. PMID:25995976

Recommendations for the reporting of surgically resected specimens of renal cell carcinoma: the Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, John P; McKenney, Jesse K; Brooks, James D; Argani, Pedram; Epstein, Jonathan I

2009-04-01

A checklist based approach to reporting the relevant pathologic details of renal cell carcinoma resection specimens improves the completeness of the report. Karyotypic evaluation of renal neoplasms has refined but also complicated their classification. The number of diagnostic possibilities has increased and the importance of distinguishing different tumor types has been underscored by dramatic variation in prognosis and the development of targeted therapies for specific subtypes. The increasing number of recognized renal neoplasms has implications for handling renal resection specimens. Furthermore, the prognostic significance of other features of renal neoplasms related to grade and stage has been demonstrated. This guideline for the handling of renal resection specimens will focus on problem areas in the evolving practice of diagnosis, grading, and staging of renal neoplasms. The accompanying checklist will serve to ensure that all necessary details of the renal resection specimen are included in the surgical pathology report.

Dried blood spot specimen quality and validation of a new pre-analytical processing method for qualitative HIV-1 PCR, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Govender, Kerusha; Parboosing, Raveen; Siyaca, Ntombizandile; Moodley, Pravikrishnen

2016-01-01

Poor quality dried blood spot (DBS) specimens are usually rejected by virology laboratories, affecting early infant diagnosis of HIV. The practice of combining two incompletely-filled DBS in one specimen preparation tube during pre-analytical specimen processing (i.e., the two-spot method) has been implemented to reduce the number of specimens being rejected for insufficient volume. This study analysed laboratory data to describe the quality of DBS specimens and the use of the two-spot method over a one-year period, then validated the two-spot method against the standard (one-spot) method. Data on HIV-1 PCR test requests submitted in 2014 to the Department of Virology at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa were analysed to describe reasons for specimen rejection, as well as results of the two-spot method. The accuracy, lower limit of detection and precision of the two-spot method were assessed. Of the 88 481 specimens received, 3.7% were rejected for pre-analytical problems. Of those, 48.9% were rejected as a result of insufficient specimen volume. Two health facilities had significantly more specimen rejections than other facilities. The two-spot method prevented 10 504 specimen rejections. The Pearson correlation coefficient comparing the standard to the two-spot method was 0.997. The two-spot method was comparable with the standard method of pre-analytical specimen processing. Two health facilities were identified for targeted retraining on specimen quality. The two-spot method of DBS specimen processing can be used as an adjunct to retraining, to reduce the number of specimens rejected and improve linkage to care.

Dried blood spot specimen quality and validation of a new pre-analytical processing method for qualitative HIV-1 PCR, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Parboosing, Raveen; Siyaca, Ntombizandile; Moodley, Pravikrishnen

2016-01-01

Background Poor quality dried blood spot (DBS) specimens are usually rejected by virology laboratories, affecting early infant diagnosis of HIV. The practice of combining two incompletely-filled DBS in one specimen preparation tube during pre-analytical specimen processing (i.e., the two-spot method) has been implemented to reduce the number of specimens being rejected for insufficient volume. Objectives This study analysed laboratory data to describe the quality of DBS specimens and the use of the two-spot method over a one-year period, then validated the two-spot method against the standard (one-spot) method. Methods Data on HIV-1 PCR test requests submitted in 2014 to the Department of Virology at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa were analysed to describe reasons for specimen rejection, as well as results of the two-spot method. The accuracy, lower limit of detection and precision of the two-spot method were assessed. Results Of the 88 481 specimens received, 3.7% were rejected for pre-analytical problems. Of those, 48.9% were rejected as a result of insufficient specimen volume. Two health facilities had significantly more specimen rejections than other facilities. The two-spot method prevented 10 504 specimen rejections. The Pearson correlation coefficient comparing the standard to the two-spot method was 0.997. Conclusions The two-spot method was comparable with the standard method of pre-analytical specimen processing. Two health facilities were identified for targeted retraining on specimen quality. The two-spot method of DBS specimen processing can be used as an adjunct to retraining, to reduce the number of specimens rejected and improve linkage to care. PMID:28879108

Project W-320, 241-C-106 sluicing supporting documentation bibliography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, J.W.

1998-01-01

This supporting document has been prepared to make the listing of documentation used to develop, or in support of Project W-320, readily retrievable. All documents are sorted by document number and list the document type. Tank 241-C-106 has been included on the High Heat Load Watch List

Pilot-Reported Beta-Blockers Identified by Forensic Toxicology Analysis of Postmortem Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Canfield, Dennis V; Dubowski, Kurt M; Whinnery, James M; Forster, Estrella M

2018-01-01

This study compared beta-blockers reported by pilots with the medications found by postmortem toxicology analysis of specimens received from fatal aviation accidents between 1999 and 2015. Several studies have compared drugs using the standard approach: Compare the drug found by toxicology analysis with the drug reported by the pilot. This study uniquely examined first the pilot-reported medication and then compared it to that detected by toxicology analysis. This study will serve two purposes: (i) to determine the capability of a toxicology laboratory to detect reported medications, and (ii) to identify pilots with medications below detectable limits. All information required for this study was extracted from the Toxicology Data Base system and was searched using ToxFlo or SQL Server Management Studio. The following information was collected and analyzed: pilot-reported trade and/or generic drug, date specimens received, time of accident, type of aviation operations (CFR), state, pilot level, age, class of medical, specimen type, specimen concentration, dose reported, frequency reported associated with the accident, quantity reported, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident event number, and all NTSB reports. There were 319 pilots that either reported taking a beta-blocker or were found to be taking a beta-blocker by postmortem toxicology analysis. Time of death, therapeutic concentration and specimen type were found to be factors in the ability of the laboratory to detect beta-blockers. Beta-blockers taken by pilots will, in most cases, be found by a competent postmortem forensic toxicology laboratory at therapeutic concentrations. The dose taken by the pilot was not found to be a factor in the ability of the laboratory to identify beta-blockers. Time of dose, route of administration, specimen tested and therapeutic concentration of the drug were found to be factors in the ability of the laboratory to identify beta-blockers in postmortem specimens

Scanning Electron Microscope Mapping System Developed for Detecting Surface Defects in Fatigue Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Bonacuse, Peter J.; Kantzos, Peter T.

2002-01-01

An automated two-degree-of-freedom specimen positioning stage has been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to map and monitor defects in fatigue specimens. This system expedites the examination of the entire gauge section of fatigue specimens so that defects can be found using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Translation and rotation stages are driven by microprocessor-based controllers that are, in turn, interfaced to a computer running custom-designed software. This system is currently being used to find and record the location of ceramic inclusions in powder metallurgy materials. The mapped inclusions are periodically examined during interrupted fatigue experiments. The number of cycles to initiate cracks from these inclusions and the rate of growth of initiated cracks can then be quantified. This information is necessary to quantify the effect of this type of defect on the durability of powder metallurgy materials. This system was developed with support of the Ultra Safe program.

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1992-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods are necessary to facilitate the fracture toughness testing of small disk compact specimens of irradiated candidate materials for first-wall fusion applications. New methods have been developed for both the unloading compliance and potential drop techniques of monitoring crack growth. Provisions have been made to allow the necessary probes and instrumentation to be installed remotely using manipulators for testing of irradiated specimens in a hot cell. Laboratory trials showed that both unloading compliance and potential drop gave useful results. Both techniques gave similar data, and predicted the final crack extension within allowable limits. The results from the small disk compact specimens were similar to results from conventional compact specimen 12.7 mm thick. However, the slopes of the J-R curves from the larger specimens were lower, suggesting that the smaller disk compact specimens may have lost some constraint due to their size. The testing shows that it should be possible to generate useful J-R curve fracture toughness data from the small disk compact specimens

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1992-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (12.5 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Both unloading compliance and potential drop methods have been used to monitor crack extension during the J-integral resistance (J-R) curve testing. Provisions have been made to allow the necessary probes and instrumentation to be installed remotely using manipulators for testing of irradiated specimens in a hat cell. Laboratory trials showed that both unloading compliance and potential drop gave useful results. Both techniques gave similar data, and predicted the final crack extension within allowable limits. The results from the small disk compact specimens were similar to results from conventional compact specimens 12.7-mm thick. However, the slopes of the J-R curves from the larger specimens were lower, suggesting that the smaller disk compact specimens may have lost some constraint due to their size. The testing shows that it should be possible to generate useful J-R curve fracture toughness data from the small disk compact specimens

Proton irradiation effects on tensile and bend-fatigue properties of welded F82H specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, S., E-mail: saito.shigeru@jaea.go.j [JAEA Tokai, J-PARC Center, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Kikuchi, K.; Hamaguchi, D. [JAEA Tokai, J-PARC Center, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Usami, K.; Ishikawa, A.; Nishino, Y.; Endo, S. [JAEA Tokai, Department of Hot Laboratories, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Kawai, M. [KEK, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305-0801 (Japan); Dai, Y. [PSI, Spallation Source Division, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

2010-03-15

In several institutes, research and development for an accelerator-driven transmutation system (ADS) have been progressed. Ferritic/martensitic (FM) steels are the candidate materials for the beam window of ADS. To evaluate of the mechanical properties of the irradiated materials, the post irradiation examination (PIE) work of the SINQ (Swiss spallation neutron source) target irradiation program (STIP) specimens was carried out at JAEA. In present study, the results of PIE on FM steel F82H and its welded joint have been reported. The present irradiation conditions of the specimens were as follows: proton energy was 580 MeV. Irradiation temperatures were ranged from 130 to 380 deg. C, and displacement damage level was ranged from 5.7 to 11.8 dpa. The results of tensile tests performed at 22 deg. C indicated that the irradiation hardening occurred with increasing the displacement damage up to 10.1 dpa at 320 deg. C irradiation. At higher dose (11.8 dpa) and higher temperature (380 deg. C), irradiation hardening was observed, but degradation of ductility was relaxed in F82H welded joint. In present study, all specimens kept its ductility after irradiation and fractured in ductile manner. The results on bend-fatigue tests showed that the fatigue life (N{sub f}) of F82H base metal irradiated up to 6.3 dpa was almost the same with that of unirradiated specimens. The N{sub f} of the specimens irradiated up to 9.1 dpa was smaller than that of unirradiated specimens. Though the number of specimen was limited, the N{sub f} of F82H EB (15 mm) and EB (3.3 mm) welded joints seemed to increase after irradiation and the fracture surfaces of the specimens showed transgranular morphology. While F82H TIG welded specimens were not fractured by 10{sup 7} cycles.

7 CFR 97.8 - Specimen requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Specimen requirements. 97.8 Section 97.8 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... required by the examiner to furnish representative specimens of the variety, or its flower, fruit, or seeds...

Catalog of type specimens of recent mammals: Orders Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Cetacea in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Robert D.; Ludwig, Craig A.

2016-01-01

The type collection of Recent mammals in the Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, contains 612 specimens bearing names of 604 species-group taxa of Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Cetacea as of May 2016. This catalog presents an annotated list of these holdings comprising 582 holotypes; 16 lectotypes, two of which are newly designated herein; 7 syntypes (15 specimens); and 1 neotype. Included are several specimens that should be in the collection but cannot be found or are now known to be in other collections and therefore are not in the database. Thirty-seven of the names are new since the last type catalog covering these orders, Arthur J. Poole and Viola S. Schantz’s 1942 “Catalog of the Type Specimens of Mammals in the United States National Museum, Including the Biological Surveys Collection” (Bulletin of the United States National Museum, 178). One of these, Lutra iowa Goldman, 1941, was transferred to the National Museum’s Paleobiology Department collection and is mentioned only briefly in this work. Orders and families are arranged systematically following D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder’s 2005 Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, third edition, volume 1; within families, currently recognized genera are arranged alphabetically, and within each currently recognized genus, species and subspecies accounts are arranged alphabetically by original published name. Information in each account includes original name and abbreviated citation thereto, current name if other than original, citation for first use of current name combination for the taxon, type designation, U.S. National Museum catalog number(s), preparation, age and sex, date of collection and collector, original collector number, type locality, and remarks as appropriate. Digital photographs of each specimen will serve as a condition report and will be attached to each electronic specimen record. An addendum

A Century of Shope Papillomavirus in Museum Rabbit Specimens.

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Clara Escudero Duch

Full Text Available Sylvilagus floridanus Papillomavirus (SfPV causes growth of large horn-like tumors on rabbits. SfPV was described in cottontail rabbits (probably Sylvilagus floridanus from Kansas and Iowa by Richard Shope in 1933, and detected in S. audubonii in 2011. It is known almost exclusively from the US Midwest. We explored the University of Kansas Natural History Museum for historical museum specimens infected with SfPV, using molecular techniques, to assess if additional wild species host SfPV, and whether SfPV occurs throughout the host range, or just in the Midwest. Secondary aims were to detect distinct strains, and evidence for strain spatio-temporal specificity. We found 20 of 1395 rabbits in the KU collection SfPV symptomatic. Three of 17 lagomorph species (S. nuttallii, and the two known hosts were symptomatic, while Brachylagus, Lepus and eight additional Sylvilagus species were not. 13 symptomatic individuals were positive by molecular testing, including the first S. nuttallii detection. Prevalence of symptomatic individuals was significantly higher in Sylvilagus (1.8% than Lepus. Half of these specimens came from Kansas, though new molecular detections were obtained from Jalisco-Mexico's first-and Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, USA. We document the oldest lab-confirmed case (Kansas, 1915, pre-dating Shope's first case. SfPV amplification was possible from 63.2% of symptomatic museum specimens. Using multiple methodologies, rolling circle amplification and, multiple isothermal displacement amplification in addition to PCR, greatly improved detection rates. Short sequences were obtained from six individuals for two genes. L1 gene sequences were identical to all previously detected sequences; E7 gene sequences, were more variable, yielding five distinct SfPV1 strains that differing by less than 2% from strains circulating in the Midwest and Mexico, between 1915 and 2005. Our results do not clarify whether strains are host species

HER2 testing on core needle biopsy specimens from primary breast cancers: interobserver reproducibility and concordance with surgically resected specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuda, Hitoshi; Kurosumi, Masafumi; Umemura, Shinobu; Yamamoto, Sohei; Kobayashi, Takayuki; Osamura, Robert Yoshiyuki

2010-01-01

Accurate evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor type-2 (HER2) status based on core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens is mandatory for identification of patients with primary breast cancer who will benefit from primary systemic therapy with trastuzumab. The aim of the present study was to validate the application of HER2 testing with CNB specimens from primary breast cancers in terms of interobserver reproducibility and comparison with surgically resected specimens. A total of 100 pairs of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CNB and surgically resected specimens of invasive breast carcinomas were cut into sections. All 100 paired sections were subjected to HER2 testing by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and 27 paired sections were subjected to that by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), the results being evaluated by three and two observers, respectively. Interobserver agreement levels in terms of judgment and the concordance of consensus scores between CNB samples and the corresponding surgically resected specimens were estimated as the percentage agreement and κ statistic. In CNB specimens, the percentage interobserver agreement of HER2 scoring by IHC was 76% (κ = 0.71) for 3 × 3 categories (0-1+ versus 2+ versus 3+) and 90% (κ = 0.80) for 2 × 2 categories (0-2+ versus 3+). These levels were close to the corresponding ones for the surgically resected specimens: 80% (κ = 0.77) for 3 × 3 categories and 92% (κ = 0.88) for 2 × 2 categories. Concordance of consensus for HER2 scores determined by IHC between CNB and the corresponding surgical specimens was 87% (κ = 0.77) for 3 × 3 categories, and 94% (κ = 0.83) for 2 × 2 categories. Among the 13 tumors showing discordance in the mean IHC scores between the CNB and surgical specimens, the results of consensus for FISH results were concordant in 11. The rate of successful FISH analysis and the FISH positivity rate in cases with a HER2 IHC score of 2+ differed among specimens processed at

HER2 testing on core needle biopsy specimens from primary breast cancers: interobserver reproducibility and concordance with surgically resected specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamamoto Sohei

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Accurate evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor type-2 (HER2 status based on core needle biopsy (CNB specimens is mandatory for identification of patients with primary breast cancer who will benefit from primary systemic therapy with trastuzumab. The aim of the present study was to validate the application of HER2 testing with CNB specimens from primary breast cancers in terms of interobserver reproducibility and comparison with surgically resected specimens. Methods A total of 100 pairs of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CNB and surgically resected specimens of invasive breast carcinomas were cut into sections. All 100 paired sections were subjected to HER2 testing by immunohistochemistry (IHC and 27 paired sections were subjected to that by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH, the results being evaluated by three and two observers, respectively. Interobserver agreement levels in terms of judgment and the concordance of consensus scores between CNB samples and the corresponding surgically resected specimens were estimated as the percentage agreement and κ statistic. Results In CNB specimens, the percentage interobserver agreement of HER2 scoring by IHC was 76% (κ = 0.71 for 3 × 3 categories (0-1+ versus 2+ versus 3+ and 90% (κ = 0.80 for 2 × 2 categories (0-2+ versus 3+. These levels were close to the corresponding ones for the surgically resected specimens: 80% (κ = 0.77 for 3 × 3 categories and 92% (κ = 0.88 for 2 × 2 categories. Concordance of consensus for HER2 scores determined by IHC between CNB and the corresponding surgical specimens was 87% (κ = 0.77 for 3 × 3 categories, and 94% (κ = 0.83 for 2 × 2 categories. Among the 13 tumors showing discordance in the mean IHC scores between the CNB and surgical specimens, the results of consensus for FISH results were concordant in 11. The rate of successful FISH analysis and the FISH positivity rate in cases with a HER2 IHC score of

Agreement for HPV genotyping detection between self-collected specimens on a FTA cartridge and clinician-collected specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, YaoYao; Gravitt, Patti E.; Howard, Roslyn; Eby, Yolanda J.; Wang, Shaoming; Li, Belinda; Feng, Changyan; Qiao, You-Lin; Castle, Philip E.

2016-01-01

The current method of transporting self-collected cervicovaginal specimen for HPV DNA testing relies on liquid based medium, which is challenging and expensive to transport. A novel, dry storage and transportation device, Whatman indicating FTA™ Elute Cartridge, avoids some of the pitfalls of liquid-based medium. This method has been shown to be comparable to liquid-based collection medium, but relative performance of self-collected (SC) and clinician-collected (CC) samples onto FTA cards has not been reported. The objective of this study is to compare the analytic performance of self- and clinician-collected samples onto FTA cartridges for the detection of carcinogenic HPV using Linear Array. There was a 91% agreement, 69% positive agreement, and kappa of 0.75 between the clinician-collected and self-collected specimens for detection of any carcinogenic HPV genotype. When the HPV results were categorized hierarchically according to cervical cancer risk, there was no difference in the distribution of the HPV results for the clinician- and self-collected specimens (p = 0.7). This study concludes that FTA elute cartridge is a promising method of specimen transport for cervical cancer screening programs considering using self-collected specimen and HPV testing. Larger studies with clinical endpoints are now needed to assess the clinical performance. PMID:23370404

An Account of the Accessioned Specimens in the Jose Vera Santos Memorial Herbarium, University of the Philippines Diliman

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Sandra L. Yap

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The University of the Philippines Herbarium was established in 1908 and originally located in Ermita, Manila. The majority of its pre-war collections were destroyed during World War II, and no formal records of its specimens were preserved. Since then, multiple efforts to restore and improve the Herbarium have been proposed and implemented, most notably its move to the UP Diliman campus. In 1999, the Herbarium was off icially renamed as the Jose Vera Santos Memorial Herbarium after the noted grass expert, who initiated rehabilitation work in the Herbarium after the war. The Herbarium is registered with the international code PUH in the Index Herbariorum, a global directory of public herbaria managed by the New York Botanical Garden. To assess the accessioned (uniquely numbered and recorded collection of the Herbarium, an electronic database of its accessions was created.The Herbarium currently contains 14,648 accessions, 12,681 (86.6% of which were collected in the Philippines. This is comprised of 309 families, 1903 genera, and 4485 distinct species. Thirty-nine type specimens form part of the collection, only one of which is a holotype. On the basis of major plant groups, angiosperms make up 71% of the collection. Unsurprisingly, Family Poaceae has the largest number of specimens at 2,759 accessions. The earliest dated Philippine specimen was collected by E.D. Merrill in 1902, and roughly half of the total accessioned specimens were collected in the 1950s and 1970s. The two most prolif ic collectors were Santos and Leonardo L. Co, with 2,320 and 2,147 specimens, respectively. Luzon is the most well-represented island group with 2,752 specimens collected in Metro Manila alone. At present, PUH Curator James V. LaFrankie is working on the expansion of the collection and upgrading of the herbarium to encourage future educational and research activities.

Thermal property testing technique on micro specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Tetsuya; Kishimoto, Isao; Taketoshi, Naoyuki

2000-01-01

This study aims at establishment of further development on some testing techniques on the nuclear advanced basic research accumulated by the National Research Laboratory of Metrology for ten years. For this purpose, a technology to test heat diffusion ratio and specific heat capacity of less than 3 mm in diameter and 1 mm in thickness of micro specimen and technology to test heat diffusion ratio at micro area of less than 1 mm in area along cross section of less than 10 mm in diameter of column specimen were developed to contribute to common basic technology supporting the nuclear power field. As a result, as an element technology to test heat diffusion ratio and specific heat capacity of the micro specimen, a specimen holding technique stably to hold a micro specimen with 3 mm in diameter could be developed. And, for testing the specific heat capacity by using the laser flush differential calorimetry, a technique to hold two specimen of 5 mm in diameter at their proximities was also developed. In addition, by promoting development of thermal property data base capable of storing thermal property data obtained in this study and with excellent workability in this 1998 fiscal year a data in/out-put program with graphical user interface could be prepared. (G.K.)

Comparative study on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourdiliau, B.; Decroix, G.-M.; Averty, X.; Wident, P.; Bienvenu, Y.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Welding processes are used to reconstitute previously tested Charpy specimens. → Stud welding is preferred for a quick installation, almost immediately operational. → Friction welding produces better quality welds, but requires a development effort. - Abstract: Reconstitution techniques are often used to allow material from previously fractured Charpy-V specimens to be reused for additional experiments. This paper presents a comparative experimental study of various reconstitution techniques and evaluates the feasibility of these methods for future use in shielded cells. The following techniques were investigated: arc stud welding, 6.0 kW CO 2 continuous wave laser welding, 4.5 kW YAG continuous wave laser welding and friction welding. Subsize Charpy specimens were reconstituted using a 400 W YAG pulsed wave laser. The best result was obtained with arc stud welding; the resilience of the reconstituted specimens and the load-displacement curves agreed well with the reference specimens, and the temperature elevation caused by the welding process was limited to the vicinity of the weld. Good results were also obtained with friction welding; this process led to the best quality welds. Laser welding seems to have affected the central part of the specimens, thus leading to different resilience values and load-displacement curves.

Enzymatic detection of formalin-fixed museum specimens for DNA analysis and enzymatic maceration of formalin-fixed specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Margrethe; Redsted Rasmussen, Arne; Simonsen, Kim Pilkjær

2016-01-01

% ethanol. The method was subsequently tested on wild-living preserved specimens and an archived specimen. The protease enzyme used was SavinaseH 16 L, Type EX from Novozymes A/S. The enzymatic screening test demands only simple laboratory equipment. The method is useful for natural history collections...

Contribution of flow cytometry to the diagnosis of gastric lymphomas in endoscopic biopsy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Almasri, N M; Zaer, F S; Iturraspe, J A; Braylan, R C

1997-07-01

Gastric lymphomas seem to have unique clinical, pathologic, and immunophenotypic features that set them apart from nodal lymphomas. Microscopic examination of endoscopic biopsy specimens is the most frequent procedure used to diagnose gastric tumors, but it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to recognize lymphomas in endoscopic samples by histologic or even immunohistologic methods. Because most gastric lymphomas are of B-cell origin, we used flow cytometry to assess B-cell clonality in gastric biopsy specimens containing dense lymphocytic infiltrates thought to represent lymphoma. We prepared viable cell suspensions from unfixed specimens obtained from 29 consecutive patients who had a previous microscopic diagnosis of suspicious gastric lymphoid infiltrates. We performed immunophenotypic studies with multicolor flow cytometry, and we assessed clonality by examination of immunoglobulin (Ig) light-chain expression analyzed exclusively on B cells identified by anti-CD20 or CD19 antibodies. The mean number of cells recovered was 1.04 x 10(6), from an average of 5.5 gastric biopsy fragments per patient. In 26 of the 29 patients, the number of cells was adequate for analysis. We detected B-cell monoclonality in 16 cases, including 5 in which the percentage of clonal B cells was less than 5%. Of the 16 cases, only 8 could be diagnosed as lymphomas on morphologic grounds alone; the remaining 8 patients had either suspicious lymphoid infiltrates or chronic gastritis. The three cases with an insufficient number of cells were considered non-neoplastic either on histologic grounds alone or in conjunction with Southern analysis of Ig genes. We conclude that flow cytometric immunophenotypic analysis of freshly prepared cell suspensions obtained from endoscopic biopsy specimens can be used to evaluate gastric lymphocytic infiltrates. Specifically, the analysis of surface Ig light-chain expression on B cells distinguishes between monoclonal (lymphoma) and polyclonal

Simultaneous specimen and stage cleaning device for analytical electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Zaluzec, Nestor J.

1996-01-01

An improved method and apparatus are provided for cleaning both a specimen stage, a specimen and an interior of an analytical electron microscope (AEM). The apparatus for cleaning a specimen stage and specimen comprising a plasma chamber for containing a gas plasma and an air lock coupled to the plasma chamber for permitting passage of the specimen stage and specimen into the plasma chamber and maintaining an airtight chamber. The specimen stage and specimen are subjected to a reactive plasma gas that is either DC or RF excited. The apparatus can be mounted on the analytical electron microscope (AEM) for cleaning the interior of the microscope.

Whole mount nuclear fluorescent imaging: convenient documentation of embryo morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandell, Lisa L; Kurosaka, Hiroshi; Trainor, Paul A

2012-11-01

Here, we describe a relatively inexpensive and easy method to produce high quality images that reveal fine topological details of vertebrate embryonic structures. The method relies on nuclear staining of whole mount embryos in combination with confocal microscopy or conventional wide field fluorescent microscopy. In cases where confocal microscopy is used in combination with whole mount nuclear staining, the resulting embryo images can rival the clarity and resolution of images produced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fluorescent nuclear staining may be performed with a variety of cell permeable nuclear dyes, enabling the technique to be performed with multiple standard microscope/illumination or confocal/laser systems. The method may be used to document morphology of embryos of a variety of organisms, as well as individual organs and tissues. Nuclear stain imaging imposes minimal impact on embryonic specimens, enabling imaged specimens to be utilized for additional assays. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Audit of Orthopaedic Surgical Documentation

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Fionn Coughlan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The Royal College of Surgeons in England published guidelines in 2008 outlining the information that should be documented at each surgery. St. James’s Hospital uses a standard operation sheet for all surgical procedures and these were examined to assess documentation standards. Objectives. To retrospectively audit the hand written orthopaedic operative notes according to established guidelines. Methods. A total of 63 operation notes over seven months were audited in terms of date and time of surgery, surgeon, procedure, elective or emergency indication, operative diagnosis, incision details, signature, closure details, tourniquet time, postop instructions, complications, prosthesis, and serial numbers. Results. A consultant performed 71.4% of procedures; however, 85.7% of the operative notes were written by the registrar. The date and time of surgery, name of surgeon, procedure name, and signature were documented in all cases. The operative diagnosis and postoperative instructions were frequently not documented in the designated location. Incision details were included in 81.7% and prosthesis details in only 30% while the tourniquet time was not documented in any. Conclusion. Completion and documentation of operative procedures were excellent in some areas; improvement is needed in documenting tourniquet time, prosthesis and incision details, and the location of operative diagnosis and postoperative instructions.

Agreement for HPV genotyping detection between self-collected specimens on a FTA cartridge and clinician-collected specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yaoyao; Gravitt, Patti E; Howard, Roslyn; Eby, Yolanda J; Wang, Shaoming; Li, Belinda; Feng, Changyan; Qiao, You-Lin; Castle, Philip E

2013-04-01

The current method of transporting self-collected cervicovaginal specimen for HPV DNA testing relies on liquid based medium, which is challenging and expensive to transport. A novel, dry storage and transportation device, Whatman indicating FTA™ Elute Cartridge, avoids some of the pitfalls of liquid-based medium. This method has been shown to be comparable to liquid-based collection medium, but relative performance of self-collected (SC) and clinician-collected (CC) samples onto FTA cards has not been reported. The objective of this study is to compare the analytic performance of self- and clinician-collected samples onto FTA cartridges for the detection of carcinogenic HPV using Linear Array. There was a 91% agreement, 69% positive agreement, and kappa of 0.75 between the clinician-collected and self-collected specimens for detection of any carcinogenic HPV genotype. When the HPV results were categorized hierarchically according to cervical cancer risk, there was no difference in the distribution of the HPV results for the clinician- and self-collected specimens (p=0.7). This study concludes that FTA elute cartridge is a promising method of specimen transport for cervical cancer screening programs considering using self-collected specimen and HPV testing. Larger studies with clinical endpoints are now needed to assess the clinical performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A cylindrical specimen holder for electron cryo-tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, Colin M.; Löwe, Jan

2014-01-01

The use of slab-like flat specimens for electron cryo-tomography restricts the range of viewing angles that can be used. This leads to the “missing wedge” problem, which causes artefacts and anisotropic resolution in reconstructed tomograms. Cylindrical specimens provide a way to eliminate the problem, since they allow imaging from a full range of viewing angles around the tilt axis. Such specimens have been used before for tomography of radiation-insensitive samples at room temperature, but never for frozen-hydrated specimens. Here, we demonstrate the use of thin-walled carbon tubes as specimen holders, allowing the preparation of cylindrical frozen-hydrated samples of ribosomes, liposomes and whole bacterial cells. Images acquired from these cylinders have equal quality at all viewing angles, and the accessible tilt range is restricted only by the physical limits of the microscope. Tomographic reconstructions of these specimens demonstrate that the effects of the missing wedge are substantially reduced, and could be completely eliminated if a full tilt range was used. The overall quality of these tomograms is still lower than that obtained by existing methods, but improvements are likely in future. - Highlights: • The missing wedge is a serious problem for electron cryo-tomography. • Cylindrical specimens allow the missing wedge to be eliminated. • Carbon nanopipettes can be used as cylindrical holders for tomography of frozen-hydrated specimens. • Cryo-tomography of cylindrical biological samples demonstrates a reduction of deleterious effects associated with the missing wedge

Transitioning Existing Content: inferring organisation-specific documents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arijit Sengupta

2000-11-01

Full Text Available A definition for a document type within an organization represents an organizational norm about the way the organizational actors represent products and supporting evidence of organizational processes. Generating a good organization-specific document structure is, therefore, important since it can capture a shared understanding among the organizational actors about how certain business processes should be performed. Current tools that generate document type definitions focus on the underlying technology, emphasizing tags created in a single instance document. The tools, thus, fall short of capturing the shared understanding between organizational actors about how a given document type should be represented. We propose a method for inferring organization-specific document structures using multiple instance documents as inputs. The method consists of heuristics that combine individual document definitions, which may have been compiled using standard algorithms. We propose a number of heuristics utilizing artificial intelligence and natural language processing techniques. As the research progresses, the heuristics will be tested on a suite of test cases representing multiple instance documents for different document types. The complete methodology will be implemented as a research prototype

Electronic document management at Sizewell B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rippon, Simon.

1996-01-01

Sizewell ''B'', Britain's first PWR, officially opened on March 25 1996, will now rely for its document management on a sophisticated computer-based system. One of the largest single engineering projects ever to be commissioned on one site in Britain, Sizewell ''B'' accommodates more than 300,000 documents, including over 200,000 drawings. The electronic document management system will provide a number of important benefits, including a more direct method of maintaining the station's Configuration Management and hence maintaining high safety standards; improved turnaround in plant modification proposals (PMP); significant time and cost savings in managing vital records; and increased productivity. (Author)

List of documents received by the INDC Secretariat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-12-01

The documents received by the International Nuclear Data Committee after the issuance of INDC (SEC)-48/U in July 1975 are listed: (a) ordered by Accession Number and (b) ordered by Origin Designator. Nine additional single-copy documents are given in an appendix

Replacement/Refurbishment of JSC/NASA POD Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Castner, Willard L.

2010-01-01

The NASA Special NDE certification process requires demonstration of NDE capability by test per NASA-STD-5009. This test is performed with fatigue cracked specimens containing very small cracks. The certification test results are usually based on binomial statistics and must meet a 90/95 Probability of Detection (POD). The assumption is that fatigue cracks are tightly closed, difficult to detect, and inspectors and processes passing such a test are well qualified for inspecting NASA fracture critical hardware. The JSC NDE laboratory has what may be the largest inventory that exists of such fatigue cracked NDE demonstration specimens. These specimens were produced by the hundreds in the late 1980s and early 1990s. None have been produced since that time and the condition and usability of the specimens are questionable.

Eyebrow hairs from actinic keratosis patients harbor the highest number of cutaneous human papillomaviruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Ines; Lehmann, Mandy D; Kogosov, Vlada; Stockfleth, Eggert; Nindl, Ingo

2013-04-24

Cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) infections seem to be associated with the onset of actinic keratosis (AK). This study compares the presence of cutaneous HPV types in eyebrow hairs to those in tissues of normal skin and skin lesions of 75 immunocompetent AK patients. Biopsies from AK lesions, normal skin and plucked eyebrow hairs were collected from each patient. DNA from these specimens was tested for the presence of 28 cutaneous HPV (betaPV and gammaPV) by a PCR based method. The highest number of HPV prevalence was detected in 84% of the eyebrow hairs (63/75, median 6 types) compared to 47% of AK lesions (35/75, median 3 types) (pAK and 69 in normal skin. In all three specimens HPV20, HPV23 and/or HPV37 were the most prevalent types. The highest number of multiple types of HPV positive specimens was found in 76% of the eyebrow hairs compared to 60% in AK and 57% in normal skin. The concordance of at least one HPV type in virus positive specimens was 81% (three specimens) and 88-93% of all three combinations with two specimens. Thus, eyebrow hairs revealed the highest number of cutaneous HPV infections, are easy to collect and are an appropriate screening tool in order to identify a possible association of HPV and AK.

The influence of specimen size on creep crack growth rate in cross-weld CT specimens cut out from a welded component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Peder; Segle, Peter; Samuelson, Lars Aa.

1999-04-01

A 3D finite element study of creep crack growth in cross-weld CT specimens with material properties of 2.25Cr1Mo at 550 deg C is carried out, where large strain and displacement theory is used. The creep crack growth rate is calculated using a creep ductility based damage model, in which the creep strain rate perpendicular to the crack plane ahead of the crack tip is integrated, considering the multiaxial stress state. The influence of specimen size on creep crack growth rate under constant load is given special attention, but the possibility to transfer results from cross-weld CT specimens to welded high temperature components is also investigated. The creep crack growth rate of a crack in a circumferentially welded pipe is compared with the creep crack growth rate of cross-weld CT specimens of three different sizes, cut out from the pipe. Although the constraint ahead of the crack tip is higher for a larger CT specimen, the creep crack growth rate is higher for a smaller specimen than for a larger one if they are loaded to attain the same stress intensity factor. If the specimens are loaded to the same C* value, however, a more complicated pattern occurs; depending on the material properties of the weldment constituents, the CT specimen with the intermediate size will either yield the highest or the lowest creep crack growth rate

The effectiveness of inking needle core prostate biopsies for preventing patient specimen identification errors: a technique to address Joint Commission patient safety goals in specialty laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Raff, Lester J; Engel, George; Beck, Kenneth R; O'Brien, Andrea S; Bauer, Meagan E

2009-02-01

The elimination or reduction of medical errors has been a main focus of health care enterprises in the United States since the year 2000. Elimination of errors in patient and specimen identification is a key component of this focus and is the number one goal in the Joint Commission's 2008 National Patient Safety Goals Laboratory Services Program. To evaluate the effectiveness of using permanent inks to maintain specimen identity in sequentially submitted prostate needle biopsies. For a 12-month period, a grossing technician stained each prostate core with permanent ink developed for inking of pathology specimens. A different color was used for each patient, with all the prostate cores from all vials for a particular patient inked with the same color. Five colors were used sequentially: green, blue, yellow, orange, and black. The ink was diluted with distilled water to a consistency that allowed application of a thin, uniform coating of ink along the edges of the prostate core. The time required to ink patient specimens comprising different numbers of vials and prostate biopsies was timed. The number and type of inked specimen discrepancies were evaluated. The identified discrepancy rate for prostate biopsy patients was 0.13%. The discrepancy rate in terms of total number of prostate blocks was 0.014%. Diluted inks adhered to biopsy contours throughout tissue processing. The tissue showed no untoward reactions to the inks. Inking did not affect staining (histochemical or immunohistochemical) or pathologic evaluation. On average, inking prostate needle biopsies increases grossing time by 20%. Inking of all prostate core biopsies with colored inks, in sequential order, is an aid in maintaining specimen identity. It is a simple and effective method of addressing Joint Commission patient safety goals by maintaining specimen identity during processing of similar types of gross specimens. This technique may be applicable in other specialty laboratories and high

On impact testing of subsize Charpy V-notch type specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhail, A.S.; Nanstad, R.K.

1994-01-01

The potential for using subsize specimens to determine the actual properties of reactor pressure vessel steels is receiving increasing attention for improved vessel condition monitoring that could be beneficial for light-water reactor plant-life extension. This potential is made conditional upon, on the one hand, by the possibility of cutting samples of small volume from the internal surface of the pressure vessel for determination of actual properties of the operating pressure vessel. The plant-life extension will require supplemental surveillance data that cannot be provided by the existing surveillance programs. Testing of subsize specimens manufactured from broken halves of previously tested surveillance Charpy V-notch (CVN) specimens offers an attractive means of extending existing surveillance programs. Using subsize CVN type specimens requires the establishment of a specimen geometry that is adequate to obtain a ductile-to-brittle transition curve similar to that obtained from full-size specimens. This requires the development of a correlation of transition temperature and upper-shelf toughness between subsize and full-size specimens. The present study was conducted under the Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation Program. Different published approaches to the use of subsize specimens were analyzed and five different geometries of subsize specimens were selected for testing and evaluation. The specimens were made from several types of pressure vessel steels with a wide range of yield strengths, transition temperatures, and upper-shelf energies (USEs). Effects of specimen dimensions, including depth, angle, and radius of notch have been studied. The correlation of transition temperature determined from different types of subsize specimens and the full-size specimen is presented. A new procedure for transforming data from subsize specimens was developed and is presented

Performance of next-generation sequencing on small tumor specimens and/or low tumor content samples using a commercially available platform.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott Morris

Full Text Available Next generation sequencing tests (NGS are usually performed on relatively small core biopsy or fine needle aspiration (FNA samples. Data is limited on what amount of tumor by volume or minimum number of FNA passes are needed to yield sufficient material for running NGS. We sought to identify the amount of tumor for running the PCDx NGS platform.2,723 consecutive tumor tissues of all cancer types were queried and reviewed for inclusion. Information on tumor volume, success of performing NGS, and results of NGS were compiled. Assessment of sequence analysis, mutation calling and sensitivity, quality control, drug associations, and data aggregation and analysis were performed.6.4% of samples were rejected from all testing due to insufficient tumor quantity. The number of genes with insufficient sensitivity make definitive mutation calls increased as the percentage of tumor decreased, reaching statistical significance below 5% tumor content. The number of drug associations also decreased with a lower percentage of tumor, but this difference only became significant between 1-3%. The number of drug associations did decrease with smaller tissue size as expected. Neither specimen size or percentage of tumor affected the ability to pass mRNA quality control. A tumor area of 10 mm2 provides a good margin of error for specimens to yield adequate drug association results.Specimen suitability remains a major obstacle to clinical NGS testing. We determined that PCR-based library creation methods allow the use of smaller specimens, and those with a lower percentage of tumor cells to be run on the PCDx NGS platform.

Estimation of Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of Cracked Specimen Under Mixed-mode Loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Jeong Woo; Woo, Eun Taek; Han, Seung Ho

2015-01-01

To estimate the fatigue crack propagation behavior of compact tension shear (CTS) specimen under mixed-mode loads, crack path prediction theories and Tanaka’s equation were applied. The stress intensity factor at a newly created crack tip was calculated using a finite element method via ANSYS, and the crack path and crack increment were then obtained from the crack path prediction theories, Tanaka’s equation, and the Paris’ equation, which were preprogrammed in Microsoft Excel. A new method called the finite element crack tip updating method (FECTUM) was developed. In this method, the finite element method and Microsoft Excel are used to calculate the stress intensity factors and the crack path, respectively, at the crack tip per each crack increment. The developed FECTUM was applied to simulate the fatigue crack propagation of a single-edge notched bending (SENB) specimen under eccentric three-point bending loads. The results showed that the number of cycles to failure of the specimen obtained experimentally and numerically were in good agreement within an error range of less than 3%

Estimation of Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of Cracked Specimen Under Mixed-mode Loads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jeong Woo [KIMM, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Woo, Eun Taek; Han, Seung Ho [Dong-A University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-15

To estimate the fatigue crack propagation behavior of compact tension shear (CTS) specimen under mixed-mode loads, crack path prediction theories and Tanaka’s equation were applied. The stress intensity factor at a newly created crack tip was calculated using a finite element method via ANSYS, and the crack path and crack increment were then obtained from the crack path prediction theories, Tanaka’s equation, and the Paris’ equation, which were preprogrammed in Microsoft Excel. A new method called the finite element crack tip updating method (FECTUM) was developed. In this method, the finite element method and Microsoft Excel are used to calculate the stress intensity factors and the crack path, respectively, at the crack tip per each crack increment. The developed FECTUM was applied to simulate the fatigue crack propagation of a single-edge notched bending (SENB) specimen under eccentric three-point bending loads. The results showed that the number of cycles to failure of the specimen obtained experimentally and numerically were in good agreement within an error range of less than 3%.

Application of subsize specimens in nuclear plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosinski, S.T.; Kumar, A.S.; Cannon, N.S.; Hamilton, M.L.

1993-01-01

The US Department of Energy is sponsoring a research effort through Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Missouri-Rolla to test a correlation for the upper shelf energy (USE) values obtained from the impact testing of subsize Charpy V-notch specimens to those obtained from the testing of full-size samples. The program involves the impact testing of unirradiated and irradiated full-, half-, and third-size Charpy V-notch specimens. To verify the applicability of the correlation on LWR materials, unirradiated and irradiated full-, half-, and third-size Charpy V-notch specimens of a commercial pressure vessel steel (ASTM A533 Grade B) will be tested. The correlation methodology is based on the partitioning of the USE into crack initiation and crack propagation energies. To accomplish this partition, both precracked and notched-only specimens will be used. Whereas the USE of notched-only specimens is the sum of both crack initiation and crack propagation energies, the USE of precracked specimens reflects only the crack propagation component. The difference in the USE of the two types of specimens represents a measure of the crack initiation energy. Normalizing the values of the crack initiation energy to the fracture volume of the sample produces similar values for the full-, half-, and third-size specimens. In addition, the ratios of the USE and the crack propagation energy are also in agreement for full-, half-, and third-size specimens. These two observations will be used to predict the USE of full-size specimens based on subsize USE data. This paper provides details of the program and presents results obtained from the application of the developed correlation methodology to the impact testing of the unirradiated full-, half-, and third-size A533 Grade B Charpy V-notch specimens

[Safety management in pathology laboratory: from specimen handling to confirmation of reports].

Science.gov (United States)

Minato, Hiroshi; Nojima, Takayuki; Nakano, Mariko; Yamazaki, Michiko

2011-03-01

Medical errors in pathological diagnosis give a huge amount of physical and psychological damage to patients as well as medical staffs. We discussed here how to avoid medical errors in surgical pathology laboratory through our experience. Handling of surgical specimens and diagnosing process requires intensive labor and involves many steps. Each hospital reports many kinds of accidents or incidents, however, many laboratories share common problems and each process has its specific risk for the certain error. We analyzed the problems in each process and concentrated on avoiding misaccessioning, mislabeling, and misreporting. We have made several changes in our system, such as barcode labels, digital images of all specimens, putting specimens in embedding cassettes directly on the endoscopic biopsied specimens, and using a multitissue control block as controls in immunohistochemistry. Some problems are still left behind, but we have reduced the errors by decreasing the number of artificial operation as much as possible. A pathological system recognizing the status of read or unread the pathological reports by clinician are now underconstruction. We also discussed about quality assurance of diagnosis, cooperation with clinicians and other comedical staffs, and organization and method. In order to operate riskless work, it is important for all the medical staffs to have common awareness of the problems, keeping careful observations, and sharing all the information in common. Incorporation of an organizational management tool such as ISO 15189 and utilizing PDCA cycle is also helpful for safety management and quality improvement of the laboratory.

Document retrieval on repetitive string collections.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagie, Travis; Hartikainen, Aleksi; Karhu, Kalle; Kärkkäinen, Juha; Navarro, Gonzalo; Puglisi, Simon J; Sirén, Jouni

2017-01-01

Most of the fastest-growing string collections today are repetitive, that is, most of the constituent documents are similar to many others. As these collections keep growing, a key approach to handling them is to exploit their repetitiveness, which can reduce their space usage by orders of magnitude. We study the problem of indexing repetitive string collections in order to perform efficient document retrieval operations on them. Document retrieval problems are routinely solved by search engines on large natural language collections, but the techniques are less developed on generic string collections. The case of repetitive string collections is even less understood, and there are very few existing solutions. We develop two novel ideas, interleaved LCPs and precomputed document lists , that yield highly compressed indexes solving the problem of document listing (find all the documents where a string appears), top- k document retrieval (find the k documents where a string appears most often), and document counting (count the number of documents where a string appears). We also show that a classical data structure supporting the latter query becomes highly compressible on repetitive data. Finally, we show how the tools we developed can be combined to solve ranked conjunctive and disjunctive multi-term queries under the simple [Formula: see text] model of relevance. We thoroughly evaluate the resulting techniques in various real-life repetitiveness scenarios, and recommend the best choices for each case.

A non-destructive DNA sampling technique for herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Lara D

2017-01-01

Herbarium specimens are an important source of DNA for plant research but current sampling methods require the removal of material for DNA extraction. This is undesirable for irreplaceable specimens such as rare species or type material. Here I present the first non-destructive sampling method for extracting DNA from herbarium specimens. DNA was successfully retrieved from robust leaves and/or stems of herbarium specimens up to 73 years old.

Miniature tensile test specimens for fusion reactor irradiation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klueh, R.L.

1985-01-01

Three miniature sheet-type tensile specimens and a miniature rod-type specimen are being used to determine irradiated tensile properties for alloy development for fusion reactors. The tensile properties of type 316 stainless steel were determined with these different specimens, and the results were compared. Reasonably good agreement was observed. However, there were differences that led to recommendations on which specimens are preferred. 4 references, 9 figures, 6 tables

Finding needles in haystacks: linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi

Science.gov (United States)

C.L. Schoch; B. Robbertse; V. Robert; R.G. Haight; K. Kovacs; B. Leung; W. Meyer; R.H. Nilsson; K. Hughes; A.N. Miller; P.M. Kirk; K. Abarenkov; M.C. Aime; H.A. Ariyawansa; M. Bidartondo; T. Boekhout; B. Buyck; Q. Cai; J. Chen; A. Crespo; P.W. Crous; U. Damm; Z.W. De Beer; B.T.M. Dentinger; P.K. Divakar; M. Duenas; N. Feau; K. Fliegerova; M.A. Garcia; Z.-W. Ge; G.W. Griffith; J.Z. Groenewald; M. Groenewald; M. Grube; M. Gryzenhout; C. Gueidan; L. Guo; S. Hambleton; R. Hamelin; K. Hansen; V. Hofstetter; S.-B. Hong; J. Houbraken; K.D. Hyde; P. Inderbitzin; P.R. Johnston; S.C. Karunarathna; U. Koljalg; G.M. Kovacs; E. Kraichak; K. Krizsan; C.P. Kurtzman; K.-H. Larsson; S. Leavitt; P.M. Letcher; K. Liimatainen; J.-K. Liu; D.J. Lodge; J. Jennifer Luangsa-ard; H.T. Lumbsch; S.S.N. Maharachchikumbura; D. Manamgoda; M.P. Martin; A.M. Minnis; J.-M. Moncalvo; G. Mule; K.K. Nakasone; T. Niskanen; I. Olariaga; T. Papp; T. Petkovits; R. Pino-Bodas; M.J. Powell; H.A. Raja; D. Redecker; J.M. Sarmiento-Ramirez; K.A. Seifert; B. Shrestha; S. Stenroos; B. Stielow; S.-O. Suh; K. Tanaka; L. Tedersoo; M.T. Telleria; D. Udayanga; W.A. Untereiner; J. Dieguez Uribeondo; K.V. Subbarao; C. Vagvolgyi; C. Visagie; K. Voigt; D.M. Walker; B.S. Weir; M. Weiss; N.N. Wijayawardene; M.J. Wingfield; J.P. Xu; Z.L. Yang; N. Zhang; W.-Y. Zhuang; S. Federhen

2014-01-01

DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects using high-throughput...

10 CFR 26.165 - Testing split specimens and retesting single specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... (c), as applicable. If the specimen in Bottle A is free of any evidence of drugs or drug metabolites... suitable inquiry conducted under the provisions of § 26.63 or to any other inquiry or investigation... records must be provided to personnel conducting reviews, inquiries into allegations, or audits under the...

Improving the transport of urgent specimens to an off-site laboratory using a novel sticker-tracker.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepahzad, Afsoon; Ejiofor, Florence; Giles, Susan; Klaber, Robert

2013-01-01

Obtaining results for urgent microbiology specimens in an efficient manner is imperative to ensure that patients receive appropriate antibiotic therapy. A previous audit carried out in the Paediatric department of a central teaching hospital and a number of clinical incidents, highlighted a delay in transport of specimens (exceeding eight hours) and 'missing' specimens. This results in empirical antibiotic treatment of infection, with delay in confirming microbiology result and unnecessary, distressing repeat investigation. As an initial step we sought staff opinion to further explore the problem. A sticker was designed for the microbiology specimen bag to assign accountability, track each step in the transport process and to raise awareness of the problem. The sticker required the member of staff responsible at each stage of the process to time, date and sign it, to allow tracking of potential delays. The new sticker tracking system was promoted and launched in the Paediatric department. Initial challenges included lack of awareness of the protocol and lack of pods for sending urgent specimens. The team met regularly and completed stickers were analysed weekly to identify on-going issues and to devise solutions. Consequently total transport time was reduced to an average of 69 minutes by September (within four hr target). Our intervention improved the efficiency and reliability of urgent specimen transport. This is likely to result in safer antibiotic use and avoid the need for repeat investigation. The system is now also used in the Neonatal department and has lead to the development of a new 'Central Specimens Reception'.

Operative outcomes of conventional specimen radiography versus in-operating room specimen radiography in radioactive seed-localized segmental mastectomies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Daniel; Pockaj, Barbara; Wasif, Nabil; Stucky, Chee-Chee; Pizzitola, Victor; Giurescu, Marina; Patel, Bhavika; McCarthy, Janice; Gray, Richard

2018-01-01

In-operating room specimen radiography (ORSR) has not been studied among women undergoing radioactive seed localization (RSL) for breast cancer surgery and had the potential to decrease operative time and perhaps improve intraoperative margin management. One hundred consecutive RSL segmental mastectomies among 98 patients using ORSR were compared to 100 consecutive segmental mastectomies among 98 patients utilizing conventional radiography (CSR) prior to the initiation of ORSR from December 2013 to January 2015 after radioactive seed localization. Final pathologic margins were considered to be 10 mm for all cases of no residual disease after biopsy or neoadjuvant therapy, but such patients were excluded from analyses involving tumor size. All patients' specimens were subjected to intraoperative pathologic consultation in addition to ORSR or CSR. The median age of the cohort was 65 years (range 36-97), and the median tumor size was 1 cm. There were no differences between the ORSR and CSR groups in age, tumor size, percentage of cases with only DCIS, and percentage of cases with microcalcifications. The ORSR group had a statistically significant lower BMI. Mean operative time from cut-to-close was not significantly different (ORSR 77 min, SD 24.8 vs CSR 76 min, SD 24.8, p = 0.75). There was no statistical difference in mean closest final pathologic margin (4.99 mm, SD 3.3 vs 4.88 mm, SD 3.5, p = 0.9). The percentage undergoing intraoperative margin re-excision (ORSR 40%, CR 47%, p = 0.31) and the mean total number of margins excised intraoperatively (ORSR 0.9, CR 1.0 p = 0.65) were similar. The rate of any margin CSR; this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.25). The mean ratio of segmental mastectomy volume to maximum tumor diameter was less for ORSR (82.7cm2 vs 139.4cm2, p = 0.014). ORSR for RSL breast surgery, in the setting of routine intraoperative pathology consultation, does not significantly impact operative time, the rate or

Thick Concrete Specimen Construction, Testing, and Preliminary Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clayton, Dwight A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hoegh, Kyle [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Khazanovich, Lev [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

2015-03-01

The purpose of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program is to develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the operating lifetimes of nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond 60 years. Since many important safety structures in an NPP are constructed of concrete, inspection techniques must be developed and tested to evaluate the internal condition. In-service containment structures generally do not allow for the destructive measures necessary to validate the accuracy of these inspection techniques. This creates a need for comparative testing of the various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) measurement techniques on concrete specimens with known material properties, voids, internal microstructure flaws, and reinforcement locations. A preliminary report detailed some of the challenges associated with thick reinforced concrete sections and prioritized conceptual designs of specimens that could be fabricated to represent NPP concrete structures for using in NDE evaluation comparisons. This led to the construction of the concrete specimen presented in this report, which has sufficient reinforcement density and cross-sectional size to represent an NPP containment wall. Details on how a suitably thick concrete specimen was constructed are presented, including the construction materials, final nominal design schematic, as well as formwork and rigging required to safely meet the desired dimensions of the concrete structure. The report also details the type and methods of forming the concrete specimen as well as information on how the rebar and simulated defects were embedded. Details on how the resulting specimen was transported, safely anchored, and marked to allow access for systematic comparative NDE testing of defects in a representative NPP containment wall concrete specimen are also given. Data collection using the MIRA Ultrasonic NDE equipment and

Handling of biological specimens for electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bullock, G.

1987-01-01

There are many different aspects of specimen preparation procedure which need to be considered in order to achieve good results. Whether using the scanning or transmission microscope, the initial handling procedures are very similar and are selected for the information required. Handling procedures and techniques described are: structural preservation; immuno-and histo-chemistry; x-ray microanalysis and autoradiography; dehydration and embedding; mounting and coating specimens for scanning electron microscopy; and sectioning of resin embedded material. With attention to detail and careful choice of the best available technique, excellent results should be obtainable whatever the specimen. 6 refs

7 CFR 15.71 - Form of documents to be filed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture NONDISCRIMINATION Rules of Practice and Procedure for... and Service of Documents § 15.71 Form of documents to be filed. All copies of documents filed in a... shall show the docket number and title of the proceeding on the front page. ...

Elastic-plastic analysis of the SS-3 tensile specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumdar, S.

1998-01-01

Tensile tests of most irradiated specimens of vanadium alloys are conducted using the miniature SS-3 specimen which is not ASTM approved. Detailed elastic-plastic finite element analysis of the specimen was conducted to show that, as long as the ultimate to yield strength ratio is less than or equal to 1.25 (which is satisfied by many irradiated materials), the stress-plastic strain curve obtained by using such a specimen is representative of the true material behavior

Scanning transmission ion micro-tomography (STIM-T) of biological specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwertner, Michael; Sakellariou, Arthur; Reinert, Tilo; Butz, Tilman

2006-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) was applied to sets of Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) projections recorded at the LIPSION ion beam laboratory (Leipzig) in order to visualize the 3D-mass distribution in several specimens. Examples for a test structure (copper grid) and for biological specimens (cartilage cells, cygospore) are shown. Scanning Transmission Micro-Tomography (STIM-T) at a resolution of 260 nm was demonstrated for the first time. Sub-micron features of the Cu-grid specimen were verified by scanning electron microscopy. The ion energy loss measured during a STIM-T experiment is related to the mass density of the specimen. Typically, biological specimens can be analysed without staining. Only shock freezing and freeze-drying is required to preserve the ultra-structure of the specimen. The radiation damage to the specimen during the experiment can be neglected. This is an advantage compared to other techniques like X-ray micro-tomography. At present, the spatial resolution is limited by beam position fluctuations and specimen vibrations

Some recent innovations in small specimen testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odette, G.R.; He, M.; Gragg, D.; Klingensmith, D.; Lucas, G.E.

2002-01-01

New innovative small specimen test techniques are described. Finite element simulations show that combinations of cone indentation pile-up geometry and load-penetration depth relations can be used to determine both the yield stress and strain-hardening behavior of a material. Techniques for pre-cracking and testing sub-miniaturized fracture toughness bend bars, with dimensions of 1.65x1.65x9 mm 3 , or less, are described. The corresponding toughness-temperature curves have a very steep transition slope, primarily due to rapid loss of constraint, which has advantages in some experiments to characterize the effects of specified irradiation variables. As one example of using composite specimens, an approach to evaluating helium effects is proposed, involving diffusion bonding small wires of a 54 Fe-based ferritic-martensitic alloy to a surrounding fracture specimen composed of an elemental Fe-based alloy. Finally, we briefly outline some potential approaches to multipurpose specimens and test automation

Functional and proteomic comparison of Bothrops jararaca venom from captive specimens and the Brazilian Bothropic Reference Venom.

Science.gov (United States)

Farias, Iasmim Baptista de; Morais-Zani, Karen de; Serino-Silva, Caroline; Sant'Anna, Sávio S; Rocha, Marisa M T da; Grego, Kathleen F; Andrade-Silva, Débora; Serrano, Solange M T; Tanaka-Azevedo, Anita M

2018-03-01

Snake venom is a variable phenotypic trait, whose plasticity and evolution are critical for effective antivenom production. A significant reduction of the number of snake donations to Butantan Institute (São Paulo, Brazil) occurred in recent years, and this fact may impair the production of the Brazilian Bothropic Reference Venom (BBRV). Nevertheless, in the last decades a high number of Bothrops jararaca specimens have been raised in captivity in the Laboratory of Herpetology of Butantan Institute. Considering these facts, we compared the biochemical and biological profiles of B. jararaca venom from captive specimens and BBRV in order to understand the potential effects of snake captivity upon the venom composition. Electrophoretic analysis and proteomic profiling revealed few differences in venom protein bands and some differentially abundant toxins. Comparison of enzymatic activities showed minor differences between the two venoms. Similar cross-reactivity recognition pattern of both venoms by the antibothropic antivenom produced by Butantan Institute was observed. Lethality and neutralization of lethality for B. jararaca venom from captive specimens and BBRV showed similar values. Considering these results we suggest that the inclusion of B. jararaca venom from captive specimens in the composition of BBRV would not interfere with the quality of this reference venom. Snakebite envenomation is a neglected tropical pathology whose treatment is based on the use of specific antivenoms. Bothrops jararaca is responsible for the majority of snakebites in South and Southeastern Brazil. Its venom shows individual, sexual, and ontogenetic variability, however, the effect of animal captivity upon venom composition is unknown. Considering the reduced number of wild-caught snakes donated to Butantan Institute in the last decades, and the increased life expectancy of the snakes raised in captivity in the Laboratory of Herpetology, this work focused on the comparative

Blood specimen labelling errors: Implications for nephrology nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Duteau, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Patient safety is the foundation of high-quality health care, as recognized both nationally and worldwide. Patient blood specimen identification is critical in ensuring the delivery of safe and appropriate care. The practice of nephrology nursing involves frequent patient blood specimen withdrawals to treat and monitor kidney disease. A critical review of the literature reveals that incorrect patient identification is one of the major causes of blood specimen labelling errors. Misidentified samples create a serious risk to patient safety leading to multiple specimen withdrawals, delay in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment, transfusion reactions, increased length of stay and other negative patient outcomes. Barcode technology has been identified as a preferred method for positive patient identification leading to a definitive decrease in blood specimen labelling errors by as much as 83% (Askeland, et al., 2008). The use of a root cause analysis followed by an action plan is one approach to decreasing the occurrence of blood specimen labelling errors. This article will present a review of the evidence-based literature surrounding blood specimen labelling errors, followed by author recommendations for completing a root cause analysis and action plan. A failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) will be presented as one method to determine root cause, followed by the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) as a framework for implementation of strategies to reduce blood specimen labelling errors.

Quantitative estimation of hydrogen concentration on the Ni3Al specimens surface in the process of hydrogen release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katano, Gen; Sano, Shogo; Saito, Hideo; Mori, Minoru

2000-01-01

The method to calculate the hydrogen concentration in metal specimens is given by tritium counts with the liquid scintillation counter. As segments to measure, Ni 3 Al intermetallic compound crystals were used. Tritium was charged to crystals with the method of cathode charging. The charged tritium was transported by diffusion and released from specimen surface. The tritium releasing rate was calculated from the increasing rate of tritium activity. Then the concentration of hydrogen at the surface was calculated from tritium counts. The outcome showed that the hydrogen concentration decreases at specimens surface by elapsed time. Then, the behavior of tritium diffusion was affected by doped boron (up to 0.235 atom% B and 0.470 atom% B) in Ni 3 Al crystals. As the amount of boron increased, the tritium diffusion coefficient decreased. And the hydrogen concentration varied with the amount of boron. After passing enough time, the hydrogen concentration in crystals with boron was much larger than the one without boron. Since it is very likely that the hydrogen concentration is affected by the number of hydrogen sites in the crystal, it is obvious judging by these phenomena, that by doping boron, numbers of hydrogen trapping sites were created. As the hydrogen distribution becomes homogenous after passing enough time, it is possible to measure the hydrogen concentration in all the crystals from β-ray counts at specimens surface. (author)

Large-Scale Multi-Dimensional Document Clustering on GPU Clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Xiaohui [ORNL; Mueller, Frank [North Carolina State University; Zhang, Yongpeng [ORNL; Potok, Thomas E [ORNL

2010-01-01

Document clustering plays an important role in data mining systems. Recently, a flocking-based document clustering algorithm has been proposed to solve the problem through simulation resembling the flocking behavior of birds in nature. This method is superior to other clustering algorithms, including k-means, in the sense that the outcome is not sensitive to the initial state. One limitation of this approach is that the algorithmic complexity is inherently quadratic in the number of documents. As a result, execution time becomes a bottleneck with large number of documents. In this paper, we assess the benefits of exploiting the computational power of Beowulf-like clusters equipped with contemporary Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as a means to significantly reduce the runtime of flocking-based document clustering. Our framework scales up to over one million documents processed simultaneously in a sixteennode GPU cluster. Results are also compared to a four-node cluster with higher-end GPUs. On these clusters, we observe 30X-50X speedups, which demonstrates the potential of GPU clusters to efficiently solve massive data mining problems. Such speedups combined with the scalability potential and accelerator-based parallelization are unique in the domain of document-based data mining, to the best of our knowledge.

Use of an advanced document system in post-refuelling updating of nuclear power plant documentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puech Suanzes, P.; Cortes Soler, M.

1993-01-01

This paper discusses the results of the extensive use of an advanced document system to update documentation prepared by traditional methods and affected by changes in the period between two plant refuellings. The implementation of a system for the capture, retrieval and storage of drawings using optical discs is part of a plan to modernize production and management tools and to thus achieve better control of document configuration. These processes are consequently optimized in that: 1. The deterioration of drawings is detained with the help of an identical, updated, legible, reliable support for all users. 2. The time required to update documentation is reduced. Given the large number of drawings, the implementation method should effectively combine costs and time. The document management tools ensure optical disc storage control so that from the moment a drawing resides in the system, any modification to it is made through the system utilities, thus ensuring quality and reducing schedules. The system described was used to update the electrical drawings of Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant. Changes made during the eighth refuelling of Unit I were incorporated and the time needed to issue the updated drawings was reduced by one month. (author)

Tension test system for irradiated small specimens operated by remote control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Akira

1993-01-01

A robot-based tension test system has been developed to aid in the mechanical testing of highly radioactive specimens. This system reduces radiation hazards from specimens and allows for the uniform precision of testing results independent of experimenters' skills. The robot system is designed to accommodate a miniaturized tension specimen with a gage section 5.5 by 1.2 mm, with a total length and width of 12.5 and 2.3 mm, respectively, and thickness of about 0.2 mm. The system is composed of a manipulating robot, a vibrational-type specimen feeder, a rotating-type specimen tray, a specimen observation system, a simulated tension text fixture, and a microcomputer for controlling the system. This system accomplishes specimen arrangement in the specimen tray, specimen transportation and loading to the test fixture and testing, and removal of the broken specimen from the fixture. These procedures are performed quickly, safely, and with uniform testing precision by computer control remotely by an unskilled experimenter

Robust DNA Isolation and High-throughput Sequencing Library Construction for Herbarium Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeidi, Saman; McKain, Michael R; Kellogg, Elizabeth A

2018-03-08

Herbaria are an invaluable source of plant material that can be used in a variety of biological studies. The use of herbarium specimens is associated with a number of challenges including sample preservation quality, degraded DNA, and destructive sampling of rare specimens. In order to more effectively use herbarium material in large sequencing projects, a dependable and scalable method of DNA isolation and library preparation is needed. This paper demonstrates a robust, beginning-to-end protocol for DNA isolation and high-throughput library construction from herbarium specimens that does not require modification for individual samples. This protocol is tailored for low quality dried plant material and takes advantage of existing methods by optimizing tissue grinding, modifying library size selection, and introducing an optional reamplification step for low yield libraries. Reamplification of low yield DNA libraries can rescue samples derived from irreplaceable and potentially valuable herbarium specimens, negating the need for additional destructive sampling and without introducing discernible sequencing bias for common phylogenetic applications. The protocol has been tested on hundreds of grass species, but is expected to be adaptable for use in other plant lineages after verification. This protocol can be limited by extremely degraded DNA, where fragments do not exist in the desired size range, and by secondary metabolites present in some plant material that inhibit clean DNA isolation. Overall, this protocol introduces a fast and comprehensive method that allows for DNA isolation and library preparation of 24 samples in less than 13 h, with only 8 h of active hands-on time with minimal modifications.

The results of the surveillance specimen program performed in the RPVs NPP V-2 in Jaslovske Bohunice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupca, L; Beno, P [Vyskumny Ustav Jadrovych Elektrarni, Trnava (Slovakia); Cepeek, S [Atomova Elektraren Bohunice, Jaslovske Bohunice (Slovakia); Tomasich, M [Slovak Nuclear Society, Bratislava (Slovakia)

1994-12-31

After a description of the mechanical and chemical characteristics of the materials (steels, welded joints) used in the pressure vessels of the WWER-440 V-213 type, the present status of the Bohunice NPP Unit 3 and 4 pressure vessel embrittlement assessment programme is presented: neutron flux monitoring and calculations, detector accuracy, irradiation temperature monitoring, reactor core fuel loading calculation, materials, number and types of surveillance specimens, specimen testing. Results are given for 5 years of irradiation: mechanical properties, transition temperatures, lifetime evaluation. 4 refs., 13 figs., 6 tabs.

Eosinophils in biopsy specimens of lichen sclerosus: a not uncommon finding.

Science.gov (United States)

Lester, Elizabeth B; Swick, Brian L

2015-01-01

Evolving lesions of lichen sclerosus (LS) pose a diagnostic challenge owing to an absence of classic findings of epidermal atrophy, dermal sclerosis, a band-like lymphocytic infiltrate and the presence of eosinophils. Retrospective specimens of LS were reviewed. Demographic information, biopsy vs. excision and the following histopathological characteristics were noted: presence and number of eosinophils, epidermal hyperplasia, spongiosis, early/transitional LS, well-developed LS and coexisting squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Linear regression analysis was performed. The data consisted of 66 biopsies (36 male [M], 30 female [F]), from 53 individuals (33M, 20F), including 57 genital and 9 extragenital biopsies. Seven biopsies showed SCC, 28 showed epidermal hyperplasia and 14 exhibited spongiosis. Thirty-five specimens were early/transitional LS and commonly exhibited epidermal hyperplasia (57%), epidermotropism of lymphocytes (97%) and basement membrane thickening (97%). Thirty-five biopsies (53%) contained eosinophils (23 early/transitional lesions). Male gender (p = 0.074) was associated with increased eosinophils. The presence of SCC (p = 0.014) was a significant predictors of eosinophil number. Epidermal hyperplasia, epidermotropism of lymphocytes and basement membrane thickening are helpful features in identifying early LS. Eosinophils are not an uncommon finding in LS and are most common in male genital lesions and in LS associated with SCC. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tensile-Creep Test Specimen Preparation Practices of Surface Support Liners

Science.gov (United States)

Guner, Dogukan; Ozturk, Hasan

2017-12-01

Ground support has always been considered as a challenging issue in all underground operations. Many forms of support systems and supporting techniques are available in the mining/tunnelling industry. In the last two decades, a new polymer based material, Thin Spray-on Liner (TSL), has attained a place in the market as an alternative to the current areal ground support systems. Although TSL provides numerous merits and has different application purposes, the knowledge on mechanical properties and performance of this material is still limited. In laboratory studies, since tensile rupture is the most commonly observed failure mechanism in field applications, researchers have generally studied the tensile testing of TSLs with modification of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-638 standards. For tensile creep testing, specimen preparation process also follows the ASTM standards. Two different specimen dimension types (Type I, Type IV) are widely preferred in TSL tensile testing that conform to the related standards. Moreover, molding and die cutting are commonly used specimen preparation techniques. In literature, there is a great variability of test results due to the difference in specimen preparation techniques and practices. In this study, a ductile TSL product was tested in order to investigate the effect of both specimen preparation techniques and specimen dimensions under 7-day curing time. As a result, ultimate tensile strength, tensile yield strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break values were obtained for 4 different test series. It is concluded that Type IV specimens have higher strength values compared to Type I specimens and moulded specimens have lower results than that of prepared by using die cutter. Moreover, specimens prepared by molding techniques have scattered test results. Type IV specimens prepared by die cutter technique are suggested for preparation of tensile test and Type I specimens prepared by die cutter technique

A Hybrid Feature Selection Approach for Arabic Documents Classification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Habib, Mena Badieh; Sarhan, Ahmed A. E.; Salem, Abdel-Badeeh M.; Fayed, Zaki T.; Gharib, Tarek F.

Text Categorization (classification) is the process of classifying documents into a predefined set of categories based on their content. Text categorization algorithms usually represent documents as bags of words and consequently have to deal with huge number of features. Feature selection tries to

A Debonded Sandwich Specimen Under Mixed Mode Bending (MMB)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

2008-01-01

Face/core interface crack propagation in sandwich specimens is analyzed. A thorough analysis of the typical failure modes in sandwich composites was performed in order to design the MMB specimen to promote face/core debond fracture. Displacement, compliance and energy release rate expressions...... for the MMB specimen were derived from a superposition analysis. An experimental verification of the methodology proposed was performed using MMB sandwich specimens with H100 PVC foam core and E-glass/polyester non-crimp quadro-axial [0/45/90/-45]s DBLT-850 faces. Different mixed mode loadings were applied...

On Logic and Standards for Structuring Documents

Science.gov (United States)

Eyers, David M.; Jones, Andrew J. I.; Kimbrough, Steven O.

The advent of XML has been widely seized upon as an opportunity to develop document representation standards that lend themselves to automated processing. This is a welcome development and much good has come of it. That said, present standardization efforts may be criticized on a number of counts. We explore two issues associated with document XML standardization efforts. We label them (i) the dynamic point and (ii) the logical point. Our dynamic point is that in many cases experience has shown that the search for a final, or even reasonably permanent, document representation standard is futile. The case is especially strong for electronic data interchange (EDI). Our logical point is that formalization into symbolic logic is materially helpful for understanding and designing dynamic document standards.

Eyebrow hairs from actinic keratosis patients harbor the highest number of cutaneous human papillomaviruses

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) infections seem to be associated with the onset of actinic keratosis (AK). This study compares the presence of cutaneous HPV types in eyebrow hairs to those in tissues of normal skin and skin lesions of 75 immunocompetent AK patients. Methods Biopsies from AK lesions, normal skin and plucked eyebrow hairs were collected from each patient. DNA from these specimens was tested for the presence of 28 cutaneous HPV (betaPV and gammaPV) by a PCR based method. Results The highest number of HPV prevalence was detected in 84% of the eyebrow hairs (63/75, median 6 types) compared to 47% of AK lesions (35/75, median 3 types) (p< 0.001) and 37% of normal skin (28/75, median 4 types) (p< 0.001), respectively. A total of 228 HPV infections were found in eyebrow hairs compared to only 92 HPV infections in AK and 69 in normal skin. In all three specimens HPV20, HPV23 and/or HPV37 were the most prevalent types. The highest number of multiple types of HPV positive specimens was found in 76% of the eyebrow hairs compared to 60% in AK and 57% in normal skin. The concordance of at least one HPV type in virus positive specimens was 81% (three specimens) and 88-93% of all three combinations with two specimens. Conclusions Thus, eyebrow hairs revealed the highest number of cutaneous HPV infections, are easy to collect and are an appropriate screening tool in order to identify a possible association of HPV and AK. PMID:23618013

SHOULD EVERY APPENDECECTOMY SPECIMEN BE SUBJECTED TO HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION? A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF HISTOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN APPENDICECTOMY SPECIMENS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahanuma Shaik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Appendicitis is one of the commonest surgical emergencies with a lifetime risk of 7-8%. The appendicectomy specimens operated upon clinically-suspected appendicitis often appear normal on gross examination, but histopathological evaluation may reveal a diverse underlying pathology. Therefore, for accurate diagnosis, histopathological examination of all appendicectomy specimens is mandatory. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective study of 175 appendicectomy cases operated over a period of two years. The clinical data and histopathological reports were reviewed and various histopathological findings are categorised. RESULTS Out of the total 175 appendicectomies, 155 emergency appendicectomy cases were included in the study, while 20 cases of incidental appendicectomy were excluded. The peak incidence was found in the 2nd and 3rd decades with male predominance. Among the 155 specimens, 96.8% had histological features of appendicitis and 1.9% were normal appendix. The unusual histopathological findings were Carcinoid tumour and Enterobius vermicularis. CONCLUSION The definitive diagnoses of appendicitis as well as the unusual incidental findings that were missed intraoperatively are established by histopathological examination. The study supports the histological examination of all resected appendicectomy specimens.

Design and use of nonstandard tensile specimens for irradiated materials testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panayotou, N.F.

1984-10-01

Miniature, nonstandard, tensile-type specimens have been developed for use in radiation effects experiments at high energy neutron sources where the useful radiation volume is as small as a few cubic centimeters. The end result of our development is a sheet-type specimen, 12.7 mm long with a 5.1 mm long, 1.0 mm wide gage section, which is typically fabricated from 0.25 mm thick sheet stock by a punching technique. Despite this miniature geometry, it has been determined that the data obtained using these miniature specimens are in good agreement with data obtained using much larger specimens. This finding indicates that miniature tensile specimen data may by used for engineering design purposes. Furthermore, it is clear that miniature tensile specimen technology is applicable to fields other than the study of radiation effects. This paper describes the miniature specimen technology which was developed and compares the data obtained from these miniature specimens to data obtained from much larger specimens. 9 figures

Specimen ferromagnetism and the behaviour of electromagnetic ultrasonic shear-wave transducers below and above the Curie point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, T.S.

1981-04-01

Interest in the potentialities of electromagnetic ultrasonic transducers for non-destructive testing was re-awakened about 1968 and since then a goodly number of articles have appeared concerning transducers design, performance and use. The aim of this report is to fill a gap by describing the relations between theoretical and actual performance of shear-wave transducers, used on magnetic and on non-magnetic specimens: in particular to trace the phenomena occuring as the temperature of a magnetic specimen (mild steel) is raised through the Curie point. At the transmitting transducer generation of ultrasonic wave is almost exclusively by Lorentz forces applied to the skin of the specimen; at the receiver transduction is via Faraday induction. Wave attenuation in mild steel above the curie point hampers the use of shear waves, but does not render unusable there. An anomaly in performance with mild steel specimens just above the Curie temperature is discussed, which necessitates a brief consideration of electromagnetic longitudinal wave transducers, where the need to invoke magnetostriction as a dominant phenomenon is expressed. (Auhtor)

Document clustering methods, document cluster label disambiguation methods, document clustering apparatuses, and articles of manufacture

Science.gov (United States)

Sanfilippo, Antonio [Richland, WA; Calapristi, Augustin J [West Richland, WA; Crow, Vernon L [Richland, WA; Hetzler, Elizabeth G [Kennewick, WA; Turner, Alan E [Kennewick, WA

2009-12-22

Document clustering methods, document cluster label disambiguation methods, document clustering apparatuses, and articles of manufacture are described. In one aspect, a document clustering method includes providing a document set comprising a plurality of documents, providing a cluster comprising a subset of the documents of the document set, using a plurality of terms of the documents, providing a cluster label indicative of subject matter content of the documents of the cluster, wherein the cluster label comprises a plurality of word senses, and selecting one of the word senses of the cluster label.

CrowdCurio: an online crowdsourcing platform to facilitate climate change studies using herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Willis, Charles G; Law, Edith; Williams, Alex C; Franzone, Brian F; Bernardos, Rebecca; Bruno, Lian; Hopkins, Claire; Schorn, Christian; Weber, Ella; Park, Daniel S; Davis, Charles C

2017-07-01

Phenology is a key aspect of plant success. Recent research has demonstrated that herbarium specimens can provide important information on plant phenology. Massive digitization efforts have the potential to greatly expand herbarium-based phenological research, but also pose a serious challenge regarding efficient data collection. Here, we introduce CrowdCurio, a crowdsourcing tool for the collection of phenological data from herbarium specimens. We test its utility by having workers collect phenological data (number of flower buds, open flowers and fruits) from specimens of two common New England (USA) species: Chelidonium majus and Vaccinium angustifolium. We assess the reliability of using nonexpert workers (i.e. Amazon Mechanical Turk) against expert workers. We also use these data to estimate the phenological sensitivity to temperature for both species across multiple phenophases. We found no difference in the data quality of nonexperts and experts. Nonexperts, however, were a more efficient way of collecting more data at lower cost. We also found that phenological sensitivity varied across both species and phenophases. Our study demonstrates the utility of CrowdCurio as a crowdsourcing tool for the collection of phenological data from herbarium specimens. Furthermore, our results highlight the insight gained from collecting large amounts of phenological data to estimate multiple phenophases. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Karyological and flow cytometric evidence of triploid specimens in Bufo viridis (Amphibia Anura

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D Cavallo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Karyological and flow cytometric (FCM analyses were performed on a group of 14 green toads of the Bufo viridis species from seven Eurasian populations. Both approaches gave concordant results concerning the DNA ploidy level. All the populations examined were represented exclusively by diploid or tetraploid specimens, except one, where triploids were found. Results evidenced an interpopulation variability in DNA content against the same ploidy level, as well as an unusually high number of triploids in a particular reproductive place. The origin of polyploidy and the presence and persistence of a high number of triploids in a particular population are discussed.

Evaluation of the Behavior of Technova Corporation Rod-Stiffened Stitched Compression Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Jegley, Dawn C.

2013-01-01

Under Space Act Agreement 1347 between NASA and Technova Corporation, Technova designed and fabricated two carbon-epoxy crippling specimens and NASA loaded them to failure in axial compression. Each specimen contained a pultruded rod stiffener which was held to the specimen skin with through-the-thickness stitches. One of these specimens was designed to be nominally the same as pultruded rod stitched specimens fabricated by Boeing under previous programs. In the other specimen, the rod was prestressed in a Technova manufacturing process to increase its ability to carrying compressive loading. Experimental results demonstrated that the specimen without prestressing carried approximately the same load as the similar Boeing specimens and that the specimen with prestressing carried significantly more load than the specimen without prestressing.

Developing integrated workflows for the digitisation of herbarium specimens using a modular and scalable approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Haston, Elspeth; Cubey, Robert; Pullan, Martin; Atkins, Hannah; Harris, David J

2012-01-01

Digitisation programmes in many institutes frequently involve disparate and irregular funding, diverse selection criteria and scope, with different members of staff managing and operating the processes. These factors have influenced the decision at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to develop an integrated workflow for the digitisation of herbarium specimens which is modular and scalable to enable a single overall workflow to be used for all digitisation projects. This integrated workflow is comprised of three principal elements: a specimen workflow, a data workflow and an image workflow.The specimen workflow is strongly linked to curatorial processes which will impact on the prioritisation, selection and preparation of the specimens. The importance of including a conservation element within the digitisation workflow is highlighted. The data workflow includes the concept of three main categories of collection data: label data, curatorial data and supplementary data. It is shown that each category of data has its own properties which influence the timing of data capture within the workflow. Development of software has been carried out for the rapid capture of curatorial data, and optical character recognition (OCR) software is being used to increase the efficiency of capturing label data and supplementary data. The large number and size of the images has necessitated the inclusion of automated systems within the image workflow.

Sharing and Adaptation of Educational Documents in E-Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chekry Abderrahman

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Few documents can be reused among the huge number of the educational documents on the web. The exponential increase of these documents makes it almost impossible to search for relevant documents. In addition to this, e-learning is designed for public users who have different levels of knowledge and varied skills so they should be given a content that sees to their needs. This work is about adapting the content of learning with learners preferences, and give the teachers the ability to reuse a given content.

Synchrotron radiation microprobe quantitative analysis method for biomedical specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Qing; Shao Hanru

1994-01-01

Relative changes of trace elemental content in biomedical specimens are obtained easily by means of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence microprobe analysis (SXRFM). However, the accurate assignment of concentration on a g/g basis is difficult. Because it is necessary to know both the trace elemental content and the specimen mass in the irradiated volume simultaneously. the specimen mass is a function of the spatial position and can not be weighed. It is possible to measure the specimen mass indirectly by measuring the intensity of Compton scattered peak for normal XRF analysis using a X-ray tube with Mo anode, if the matrix was consisted of light elements and the specimen was a thin sample. The Compton peak is not presented in fluorescence spectrum for white light SXRFM analysis. The continuous background in the spectrum was resulted from the Compton scattering with a linear polarization X-ray source. Biomedical specimens for SXRFM analysis, for example biological section and human hair, are always a thin sample for high energy X-ray, and they consist of H,C,N and O etc. light elements, which implies a linear relationship between the specimen mass and the Compton scattering background in the high energy region of spectrum. By this way , it is possible to carry out measurement of concentration for SXRFM analysis

Preserve specimens for reproducibility

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Krell, F.-T.; Klimeš, Petr; Rocha, L. A.; Fikáček, M.; Miller, S. E.

2016-01-01

Roč. 539, č. 7628 (2016), s. 168 ISSN 0028-0836 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : reproducibility * specimen * biodiversity Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 40.137, year: 2016 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v539/n7628/full/539168b.html

Title list of documents made publicly available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-04-01

This document is a monthly publication containing descriptions of information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials, and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. The following indexes are included: Personal Author, Corporate Source, Report Number, and Cross Reference to Principal Documents

Effects of specimen size on the flexural strength and Weibull modulus of nuclear graphite IG-110, NBG-18, and PCEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, Se-Hwan

2015-01-01

Changes in flexural strength and Weibull modulus due to specimen size were investigated for three nuclear graphite grades, IG-110, NBG-18, and PCEA, using four-point-1/3 point (4-1/3) loading with specimens of three different sizes: 3.18 (Thickness) × 6.35 (Width) × 50.8 (Length), 6.50 (T) × 12.0 (W) × 52.0 (L), 18.0 (T) × 16.0 (W) × 64 (L) (mm) (total: 210 specimens). Results showed some specimen size effects were grade dependent: While NBG-18 (a) showed rather significant specimen size effects (37% difference between the 3 T and 18 T), the differences in IG-110 and PCEA were 7.6–15%. The maximum differences in flexural strength due to specimen size were larger in the PCEA and NBG-18 having larger sized coke particles (medium grain size: >300 μm) than the IG-110 with super fine coke particle size (25 μm). The Weibull modulus showed a data population dependency, in that it decreased with increasing numbers of data used for modulus determination. A good correlation between the fracture surface roughness and the flexural strength was confirmed

Thermal expansion of epoxy-fiberglass composite specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McElroy, D.L.; Weaver, F.J.; Bridgman, C.

1986-01-01

The thermal expansion behavior of three epoxy-fiberglass composite specimens was measured from 20 to 120 0 C (70 to 250 0 F) using a fused quartz push-rod dilatometer. Billets produced by vacuum impregnating layers of two types of fiberglass cloth with an epoxy resin were core-drilled to produce cylindrical specimens. These were used to study expansion perpendicular and parallel to the fiberglass layers. The dilatometer is held at a preselected temperature until steady-state is indicated by stable length and temperature data. Before testing the composite specimens, a reliability check of the dilatometer was performed using a copper secondary standard. This indicated thermal expansion coefficient (α) values within +-2% of expected values from 20 to 200 0 C

Comparison of specimen adequacy in fine needle aspiration cytology performed with different gauge needles in palpable external swellings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarfraz, T.; Bashir, S.; Tariq, H.; Malik, T.M.

2013-01-01

Background: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) of external swellings may yield different specimen adequacy depending on different gauge needles used for aspiration. Objective: To compare the specimen adequacy aspirated by various gauge (21 and 22) needles in external palpable swellings of lymph nodes, thyroid gland, salivary glands, breast and soft tissue. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Duration: Six months (1st Jan 2012 to 30th June 2012). Setting: Histopathology/Cytology department Combined Military Hospital Peshawar (Pakistan). Methodology: This was a prospective study of 200 cases in which FNAC was performed with either 21 or 22 gauge needles (100 cases with 21 gauge and 100 with 22 gauge needles). Equal number of aspirations were done with 21 and 22 gauge needles from the swellings of thyroid gland, lymph nodes, salivary glands, breast and soft tissue. Results were analyzed for specimen adequacy by using SPSS 17. Results: A total number of 200 cases were recruited in this study, out of which 100 were aspirated with 21 gauge needles and 100 with 22 gauge needles. Specimen adequacy in swellings of thyroid, lymph nodes and salivary glands was better with 22 gauge amounting 90%, 80% and 80% respectively, as compared to yield with 21 gauge needles which was 85%, 70% and 60% respectively. On the other hand in swellings of breast and soft tissue, the specimen adequacy was better with 21 gauge needles giving 98% and 90 % adequate yield respectively as compared to 22 gauge needles which was 70% and 40 % respectively. Conclusion: Needles of smaller gauge (22 gauge) give a better yield in swellings of thyroid, lymph nodes and salivary gland while in swellings of breast and soft tissue sample adequacy is better with larger gauge needle (21 gauge). (author)

Rehydration of forensically important larval Diptera specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, Michelle R; Pechal, Jennifer L; Tomberlin, Jeffery K

2011-01-01

Established procedures for collecting and preserving evidence are essential for all forensic disciplines to be accepted in court and by the forensic community at large. Entomological evidence, such as Diptera larvae, are primarily preserved in ethanol, which can evaporate over time, resulting in the dehydration of specimens. In this study, methods used for rehydrating specimens were compared. The changes in larval specimens with respect to larval length and weight for three forensically important blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) species in North America were quantified. Phormia regina (Meigen), Cochliomyia macellaria (F.), and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) third-instar larvae were collected from various decomposing animals and preserved with three preservation methods (80% ethanol, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and hot-water kill then 80% ethanol). Preservative solutions were allowed to evaporate. Rehydration was attempted with either of the following: 80% ethanol, commercial trisodium phosphate substitute solution, or 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution. All three methods partially restored weight and length of specimens recorded before preservation. Analysis of variance results indicated that effects of preservation, rehydration treatment, and collection animal were different in each species. The interaction between preservative method and rehydration treatment had a significant effect on both P. regina and C. macellaria larval length and weight. In addition, there was a significant interaction effect of collection animal on larval C. macellaria measurements. No significant effect was observed in C. rufifacies larval length or weight among the preservatives or treatments. These methods could be used to establish a standard operating procedure for dealing with dehydrated larval specimens in forensic investigations.

Clinical relevance of DNA microarray analyses using archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast cancer specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadi, Al Muktafi; Wang, Dong-Yu; Youngson, Bruce J; Miller, Naomi; Boerner, Scott; Done, Susan J; Leong, Wey L

2011-01-01

The ability of gene profiling to predict treatment response and prognosis in breast cancers has been demonstrated in many studies using DNA microarray analyses on RNA from fresh frozen tumor specimens. In certain clinical and research situations, performing such analyses on archival formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) surgical specimens would be advantageous as large libraries of such specimens with long-term follow-up data are widely available. However, FFPE tissue processing can cause fragmentation and chemical modifications of the RNA. A number of recent technical advances have been reported to overcome these issues. Our current study evaluates whether or not the technology is ready for clinical applications. A modified RNA extraction method and a recent DNA microarray technique, cDNA-mediated annealing, selection, extension and ligation (DASL, Illumina Inc) were evaluated. The gene profiles generated from FFPE specimens were compared to those obtained from paired fresh fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) of 25 breast cancers of different clinical subtypes (based on ER and Her2/neu status). Selected RNA levels were validated using RT-qPCR, and two public databases were used to demonstrate the prognostic significance of the gene profiles generated from FFPE specimens. Compared to FNAB, RNA isolated from FFPE samples was relatively more degraded, nonetheless, over 80% of the RNA samples were deemed suitable for subsequent DASL assay. Despite a higher noise level, a set of genes from FFPE specimens correlated very well with the gene profiles obtained from FNAB, and could differentiate breast cancer subtypes. Expression levels of these genes were validated using RT-qPCR. Finally, for the first time we correlated gene expression profiles from FFPE samples to survival using two independent microarray databases. Specifically, over-expression of ANLN and KIF2C, and under-expression of MAPT strongly correlated with poor outcomes in breast cancer patients. We

Title list of documents made publicly available. Documents from October-December 1978 for Dockets 50-334 through STN 50-597

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

This special edition of the Title List contains Docket 50 material from 1978 that has not appeared in previous issues of the Title List. The documents in this supplement are indexed by personal author, corporate source, and report number. The listings of this material on the domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities, divided into the categories used for filing and searching in the NRC Public Document Room, are presented

Demonstration of Laser Cutting System for Tube Specimen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Y. G.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, H. M.; Ahn, S. B. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated fuel cladding and components interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, it was found that the mechanical testing data of the irradiated specimens with removal of oxide layer was less reliable than the specimens with oxide layer . The laser cutting system using Nd:YAG with fiber optic beam delivery has great potential in material processing applications of the irradiated fuel cladding and components due to non-contact process. Thus, the oxide layer doesn't interrupt the fabrication process during the laser cutting system. In the present study, the laser cutting system was designed to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding with and without oxide. The feasibility of the laser cutting system was demonstrated for the fabrication of various types of unirradiated specimens. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zirlo fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer. Based on the feasibility studies and demonstration, the design of the laser cutting machine for fully or partially automatic and remotely operable system will be proposed and made.

Orientation factor and number of fibers at failure plane in ring-type steel fiber reinforced concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, C.; Kim, H.

2010-01-01

Considering the probabilistic distributions of fibers in ring-type steel fiber reinforced concrete, the orientation factor and the number of ring-type steel fibers crossing the failure plane were theoretically derived as a function of fiber geometry, specimen dimensions, and fiber volume fraction. A total number of 24 specimens were tested incorporating different fiber types, specimen geometry, and fiber volume fractions of 0.2% and 0.4%: 5 beams and 5 panels containing straight steel fibers; and 6 beams and 8 panels containing ring-type steel fibers. Measurements were made to assess the number of fibers at fractured surfaces of steel fiber reinforced concrete. The developed theoretical expressions reasonably predicted the orientation factor and the number of ring-type steel fibers at failure plane: the average and the standard deviation for the ratios of the test to theory were 1.03 and 0.26, respectively. Theoretical investigations and comparisons were made for the values of orientation factor and the number of fibers at failure plane for straight steel fibers and ring-type steel fibers.

Intraoperative digital specimen radiography in the treatment of nonpalpable breast lesions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicko Ferenc

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction/Objective. About a third of the breast lesions on mammography are clinically occult. The goals of surgical treatment are to locate, remove, and verify their presence in the removed breast tissue. Standard specimen mammography (SSM has been an official procedure for the latter, while intraoperative digital specimen radiography (IDSR was introduced recently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of IDSR versus SSM and possible benefits regarding the duration of the procedures (operating room occupancy, availability of digital mammography for additional number of patients, surgeon productivity, and the quality of performed services. Methods. A retrospective chart review of 109 patients who underwent IDSR for nonpalpable breast lesions was performed between January 2014 and June 2016. We compared the difference in the duration of IDSR versus SSM procedure. We also observed the number of re-excisions and evaluated time-saving in the operating room workflow. Results. The average duration of surgery in the IDSR group of patients was 51 minutes, compared to 64 minutes in the SSM group. Every IDSR procedure saved 13 minutes over the standard SSM. That would allow another 28 procedures in the same time frame, with the same quality of service compared with SSM. In that way we increased productivity by 27.5%. Additional operation/surgery was needed for histologically involved surgical margins in three cases (2.75%. Conclusion. The use of new technology resulted in the rationalization of the operative room workflow and gave better productivity. More savings were obtained through the increase of digital mammography capacity for diagnostics, decrease of anesthesia duration, and better management of human resources. The number of “true” re-excisions, involving additional surgery, remained similar after introducing IDSR.

Amplification of cox2 (approximately 620 bp) from 2 mg of up to 129 years old herbarium specimens, comparing 19 extraction methods and 15 polymerases.

Science.gov (United States)

Telle, Sabine; Thines, Marco

2008-01-01

During the past years an increasing number of studies have focussed on the use of herbarium specimens for molecular phylogenetic investigations and several comparative studies have been published. However, in the studies reported so far usually rather large amounts of material (typically around 100 mg) were sampled for DNA extraction. This equals an amount roughly equivalent to 8 cm(2) of a medium thick leaf. For investigating the phylogeny of plant pathogens, such large amounts of tissue are usually not available or would irretrievably damage the specimens. Through systematic comparison of 19 DNA extraction protocols applied to only 2 mg of infected leaf tissue and testing 15 different DNA polymerases, we could successfully amplify a mitochondrial DNA region (cox2; approximately 620 bp) from herbarium specimens well over a hundred years old. We conclude that DNA extraction and the choice of DNA polymerase are crucial factors for successful PCR amplification from small samples of historic herbarium specimens. Through a combination of suitable DNA extraction protocols and DNA polymerases, only a fraction of the preserved plant material commonly used is necessary for successful PCR amplification. This facilitates the potential use of a far larger number of preserved specimens for molecular phylogenetic investigation and provides access to a wealth of genetic information in preserved in specimens deposited in herbaria around the world without reducing their scientific or historical value.

Laboratory specimens and genetic privacy: evolution of legal theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Michelle Huckaby

2013-03-01

Although laboratory specimens are an important resource for biomedical research, controversy has arisen when research has been conducted without the knowledge or consent of the individuals who were the source of the specimens. This paper summarizes the most important litigation regarding the research use of laboratory specimens and traces the evolution of legal theory from property claims to claims related to genetic privacy interests. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

50 CFR 31.11 - Donation and loan of wildlife specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Donation and loan of wildlife specimens... of Wildlife Reduction and Disposal § 31.11 Donation and loan of wildlife specimens. Wildlife specimens may be donated or loaned to public institutions for specific purposes. Donation or loans of...

Instrumented impact testing machine with reduced specimen oscillation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rintamaa, R.; Rahka, K.; Wallin, K.

1984-07-01

Owing to small and inexpensive specimens the Charpy impact test is widely used in quality control and alloy development. Limitations in power reactor survellance capsules it is also widely used for safety analysis purposes. Instrumenting the tup and computerizing data acquisition, makes dynamic fracture mechanics data measurement possible and convenient. However, the dynamic effects (inertia forces, specimen oscillations) in the impact test cause inaccuracies in the recorded load-time diagram and hence diminish the reliability of the calculated dynamic fracture mechanics parameters. To decrease inaccuracies a new pendulum type of instrumented impact test apparatus has been developed and constructed in the Metals Laboratory of the Technical Research Centre of Finland. This tester is based on a new principle involving inverted test geometry. The purpose of the geometry inversion is to reduce inertia load and specimen oscillation effects. Further, the new impact tester has some other novel features: e.g. the available initia impact energy is about double compared to the conventional standard (300 J) impact tester allowing the use of larger (10 x 20 x 110 mm) bend specimens than normal Charpy specimens. Also, the rotation asix in the three point bending is nearly stationary making COD-measurements possible. An experimental test series is described in which the inertia effects and specimen oscillations are compared in the conventional and new impact tester utilizing Charpy V-notch specimens. Comparison of the two test geometries is also made with the aid of an analytical model using finite element method (FEM) analysis. (author)

Drone Transport of Microbes in Blood and Sputum Laboratory Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Amukele, Timothy K; Street, Jeff; Carroll, Karen; Miller, Heather; Zhang, Sean X

2016-10-01

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could potentially be used to transport microbiological specimens. To examine the impact of UAVs on microbiological specimens, blood and sputum culture specimens were seeded with usual pathogens and flown in a UAV for 30 ± 2 min. Times to recovery, colony counts, morphologies, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based identifications of the flown and stationary specimens were similar for all microbes studied. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The type specimens of Tachinidae (Diptera) housed in the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos Aires.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulieri, Pablo Ricardo; Patitucci, Luciano Damián; Bachmann, Axel Oscar; O'Hara, James E

2013-01-01

The type material of species of Tachinidae (Diptera) housed in the collection of the Entomology Division of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" were examined and are herein documented. The collection contains 202 type specimens consisting of 54 species described by E.E. Blanchard and 12 described by J. Brèthes. Comparison of their original descriptions with the label information reveals the existence of 24 holotypes, 1 lectotype, 141 syntypes and 36 paratypes. Complete information is given for each type, including reference to the original description, label data, and preservation condition.

Developing integrated workflows for the digitisation of herbarium specimens using a modular and scalable approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elspeth Haston

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Digitisation programmes in many institutes frequently involve disparate and irregular funding, diverse selection criteria and scope, with different members of staff managing and operating the processes. These factors have influenced the decision at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to develop an integrated workflow for the digitisation of herbarium specimens which is modular and scalable to enable a single overall workflow to be used for all digitisation projects. This integrated workflow is comprised of three principal elements: a specimen workflow, a data workflow and an image workflow.The specimen workflow is strongly linked to curatorial processes which will impact on the prioritisation, selection and preparation of the specimens. The importance of including a conservation element within the digitisation workflow is highlighted. The data workflow includes the concept of three main categories of collection data: label data, curatorial data and supplementary data. It is shown that each category of data has its own properties which influence the timing of data capture within the workflow. Development of software has been carried out for the rapid capture of curatorial data, and optical character recognition (OCR software is being used to increase the efficiency of capturing label data and supplementary data. The large number and size of the images has necessitated the inclusion of automated systems within the image workflow.

Use of an advanced document system in post-refuelling updating of nuclear power plant documentation; Utilizacion de un sistema documental avanzado en la actualizacion de documentacion post recarga

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Puech Suanzes, P; Cortes Soler, M [Empresarios Agrupados, A.I.E., Madrid (Spain)

1993-12-15

This paper discusses the results of the extensive use of an advanced document system to update documentation prepared by traditional methods and affected by changes in the period between two plant refuellings. The implementation of a system for the capture, retrieval and storage of drawings using optical discs is part of a plan to modernize production and management tools and to thus achieve better control of document configuration. These processes are consequently optimized in that: 1. The deterioration of drawings is detained with the help of an identical, updated, legible, reliable support for all users. 2. The time required to update documentation is reduced. Given the large number of drawings, the implementation method should effectively combine costs and time. The document management tools ensure optical disc storage control so that from the moment a drawing resides in the system, any modification to it is made through the system utilities, thus ensuring quality and reducing schedules. The system described was used to update the electrical drawings of Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant. Changes made during the eighth refuelling of Unit I were incorporated and the time needed to issue the updated drawings was reduced by one month. (author)

Feasibility Study of Laser Cutting for Fabrication of Tensile Specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Y. G.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Yoo, B. O.; Ahn, S. B.; Chun, Y. B.

2015-01-01

The specimen fabrication technique was established to machine the specimen from the irradiated materials. The wire cut EDM(electric discharge machine) was modified to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from irradiated components and fuel claddings. The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated components and claddings interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, zirconium oxide is protective against further corrosion as well as beneficial to mechanical strength for the tensile deformation of the cladding. Thus, it is important to fabricate the irradiated specimens without removal of oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated structural components and claddings. In the present study, laser cutting system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the feasibility of the laser cutting system was studied for the fabrication of various types of irradiated specimens in a hot cell at IMEF (Irradiated Materials Examination Facility) of KAERI. Laser beam machining system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the dimensions were compared for the feasibility of the laser cutting system. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zircaloy-4 fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer

Feasibility Study of Laser Cutting for Fabrication of Tensile Specimen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Y. G.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Yoo, B. O.; Ahn, S. B.; Chun, Y. B. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The specimen fabrication technique was established to machine the specimen from the irradiated materials. The wire cut EDM(electric discharge machine) was modified to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from irradiated components and fuel claddings. The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated components and claddings interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, zirconium oxide is protective against further corrosion as well as beneficial to mechanical strength for the tensile deformation of the cladding. Thus, it is important to fabricate the irradiated specimens without removal of oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated structural components and claddings. In the present study, laser cutting system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the feasibility of the laser cutting system was studied for the fabrication of various types of irradiated specimens in a hot cell at IMEF (Irradiated Materials Examination Facility) of KAERI. Laser beam machining system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the dimensions were compared for the feasibility of the laser cutting system. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zircaloy-4 fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer.

Validity of fracture toughness determined with small bend specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallin, K.; Rintamaa, R.; Valo, M.

1994-02-01

This report considers the validity of fracture toughness estimates obtained with small bend specimens in relation to fracture toughness estimates obtained with large specimens. The study is based upon the analysis and comparison of actual test results. The results prove the validity of the fracture toughness determined based upon small bend specimens, especially when the results are only used to determine the fracture toughness transition temperature T o . In this case the possible error is typically less than 5 deg C and at most 10 deg C. It can be concluded that small bend specimens are very suitable for the estimation of fracture toughness in the case of brittle fracture, provided the results are corrected for statistical size effects. (orig.). (20 refs., 17 figs.)

Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens in the early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mimoz, O; Karim, A; Mazoit, J X; Edouard, A; Leprince, S; Nordmann, P

2000-11-01

We evaluated prospectively the use of Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens to allow the early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), compared with the use of 60 bronchoscopic protected specimen brushes (PSB) and 126 blinded plugged telescopic catheters (PTC) obtained from 134 patients. Gram stains were from Cytospin slides; they were studied for the presence of microorganisms in 10 and 50 fields by two independent observers and classified according to their Gram stain morphology. Quantitative cultures were performed after serial dilution and plating on appropriate culture medium. A final diagnosis of VAP, based on a culture of > or = 10(3) c.f.u. ml-1, was established after 81 (44%) samplings. When 10 fields were analysed, a strong relationship was found between the presence of bacteria on Gram staining and the final diagnosis of VAP (for PSB and PTC respectively: sensitivity 74 and 81%, specificity 94 and 100%, positive predictive value 91 and 100%, negative predictive value 82 and 88%). The correlation was less when we compared the morphology of microorganisms observed on Gram staining with those of bacteria obtained from quantitative cultures (for PSB and PTC respectively: sensitivity 54 and 69%, specificity 86 and 89%, positive predictive value 72 and 78%, negative predictive value 74 and 84%). Increasing the number of fields read to 50 was associated with a slight decrease in specificity and positive predictive value of Gram staining, but with a small increase in its sensitivity and negative predictive value. The results obtained by the two observers were similar to each other for both numbers of fields analysed. Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens performed on 10 fields predicted the presence of VAP and partially identified (using Gram stain morphology) the microorganisms growing at significant concentrations, and could help in the early choice of the treatment of VAP. Increasing the number of fields read or having the Gram

77 FR 71432 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Application for Travel Document, Form Number I-131...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-30

... guidance regarding recipients' of Deferred Action under Childhood Arrivals (DACA) ability to request... deferred action under childhood arrivals (DACA) may now request an advance parole documents based on...; Revision of a Currently Approved Collection ACTION: 30-Day Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland...

SurePath Specimens Versus ThinPrep Specimen Types on the COBAS 4800 Platform: High-Risk HPV Status and Cytology Correlation in an Ethnically Diverse Bronx Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Naeem, R C; Goldstein, D Y; Einstein, Mark H; Ramos Rivera, G; Schlesinger, K; Khader, S N; Suhrland, M; Fox, A S

2017-08-01

To compare the cytologic preparations of 130 cervical specimens (from women of various ethnicities at high risk for human papillomavirus [HPV] infection) using the SurePath (SP) collection system with specimens gathered using the ThinPrep (TP) system, as processed on the Cobas 4800 analyzer, to determine which collection method more accurately identifies HPV infection. In our prospective study, specimens were collected from 130 women of various ethnicities residing in or near Bronx County, NY. The SP-collected specimen was first processed for cytologic findings; if clinical HPV testing was requested on that specimen, it was tested using Hybrid Capture II (HC2) methodology. We tested the remnant SP-collected cell concentrate using the Cobas analyzer. Then, the TP-collected and SP-collected specimens were tested in the same run on that analyzer, and the results were compared. We also compared the results with the concurrent cytologic findings. The results were concordant for overall HR-HPV status in 93.8% of cases. Also, a statistically significant lower cycle threshold value was observed with Cobas testing of specimen concentrates tested via the BD SurePath Pap Test (P = .001), suggesting higher sensitivity compared with specimens tested via the ThinPrep Pap Test. Cobas 4800 HPV testing of SP-collected specimen concentrates yields comparable results to TP-collected specimen concentrates. Based on the limited data that we derived, SP collection may be a more favorable methodology than TP collection for HPV testing of individuals at high risk in our ethnically diverse, urban patient population. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

SU-F-J-07: Evaluating the Adequacy of Biopsy Specimens for Genetic Signature Assessment by Measuring the Metabolic Activity in Specimens Obtained Under 18F-FDG PET/CT Guidance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fanchon, L; Russell, J; Dogan, S; Carlin, S; Pinker-Domenig, K; Yorke, E; Schmidtlein, C. Ross; Fujisawa, S; Manova-Todorova, K; Zanzonico, P; Deasy, J O; Humm, J L; Solomon, S; Kirov, A S [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Genetic profiling of biopsied tissue is the basis for personalized cancer therapy. However biopsied materials may not contain sufficient amounts of DNA needed for analysis. We propose a method to determine the adequacy of specimens for performing genetic profiling by quantifying metabolic activity. Methods: We measured the response of two radiation detectors to the activity contained in the minimum amount of tumor cells needed for genetic profiling in biopsy specimens obtained under 2-deoxy-2-({sup 18}F)fluoro-D-glucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) PET/CT guidance. The expected tumor cell concentration in biopsy specimens was evaluated from the amount of DNA needed (∼100 µg) and the number of pathology sections typically used for the analysis. The average {sup 18}F-FDG uptake per cell was measured by incubating KPC-4662 pancreatic tumor cells and HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma tumor cells in {sup 18}F-FDG containing solution (activity concentrations between 0.0122 and 1.51 MBq/mL and glucose concentrations of 3.1 and 1 g/L) for 1 to 1.75 hours and then measuring the activity of a known number of cells. Measurements of surrogate specimens obtained using 18G needle biopsies of gels containing these cells in expected concentrations (∼10{sup 4} µL{sup −1}) were performed using an autoradiography CCD based device (up to 20 min exposure) and a scintillation well counter (∼1 min measurements) about 3 and 5 hours after the end of incubation respectively. Results: At start of autoradiography there were between 0.16 and 1.5 {sup 18}F-FDG molecules/cell and between 1.14 and 5.43×10{sup 7} {sup 18}F-FDG molecules/mL. For the scintillation well counter, sample to minimum-detectable-count rate ratios were greater than 7 and the counting error was less than 25% for ≤80 s measurement times. Images of the samples were identifiable on the autoradiograph for ∼10 min and longer exposure times. Conclusion: Scintillation well counter measurements and CCD based

Assessment of plastic flow and fracture properties with small specimens test techniques for IFMIF-designed specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spaetig, P.; Campitelli, E.N.; Bonade, R.; Baluc, N.

2005-01-01

The primary mission of the International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is to generate a material database to be used for the design of various components, for the licensing and for the assessment of the safe operation of a demonstration fusion reactor. IFMIF is an accelerator-based high-energy neutron source whose irradiation volume is quite limited (0.5 l for the high fluence volume). This requires the use of small specimens to measure the irradiation-induced changes on the physical and mechanical properties of materials. In this paper, we developed finite element models to better analyze the results obtained with two different small specimen test techniques applied to the tempered martensitic steel F82H-mod. First, one model was used to reconstruct the load-deflection curves of small ball punch tests, which are usually used to extract standard tensile parameters. It was shown that a reasonable assessment of the overall plastic flow can be done with small ball punch tests. Second, we investigated the stress field sensitivity at a crack tip to the constitutive behavior, for a crack modeled in plane strain, small-scale yielding and fracture mode I conditions. Based upon a local criterion for cleavage, that appears to be the basis to account for the size and geometry effects on fracture toughness, we showed that the details of the constitutive properties play a key role in modeling the irradiation-induced fracture toughness changes. Consequently, we suggest that much more attention and efforts have to be paid in investigating the post-yield behavior of the irradiated specimens and, in order to reach this goal, we recommend the use of not only tensile specimens but also that of compression ones in the IFMIF irradiation matrices. (author)

Specimen's plane misaligned installation solution based on charge fluctuation inside SEM

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Haojian; Liu, Yanting; Yang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Panbing; Shen, Yajing

2018-04-01

Precise specimen's installation is a sticking point to ensure the characterization accuracy of the in-situ material property test. Although it is common knowledge that specimen's plane misaligned installation (PMI) would cause extra force loading during mechanical testing, there are few effective solutions available to deal with it at the current stage, especially during the in-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test. Taking into consideration the charge fluctuation phenomenon under SEM, this paper proposes a highlight area variation (HAV) method for specimen deformation judgment, i.e., the specimen deformation is defined when the highlight area changes greater than 20% of the initial value of the specimen surface. Three types of specimens with different resistivities, i.e., human hair (electrical resistivity ˜3 × 1012 Ω cm), optical fiber (electrical resistivity ˜1017 Ω cm), and magnetic wire (electrical resistivity ˜2 × 10-5 Ω cm), are chosen to verify the effectiveness of the HAV method. Furthermore, combined with the developed robot-aided alignment system, the specimen's PMI problem can also be solved. In the demonstration, the human hair specimen is installed across two specimen stages and its in-situ twisting (in 360°) test is implemented. The results clearly indicate that the HAV method and the robot-aided alignment system are practical and reliable, and the specimen can be aligned on the same plane and installed precisely with accuracy up to 3 μm. This method will benefit the in-situ SEM material mechanical property test and has a significant impact in fundamental material research.

Fracture mechanics characterisation of medium-size adhesive joint specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Bent F.; Jacobsen, T.K.

2004-01-01

Medium-size specimens (glass-fibre beams bonded together by an adhesive layer were tested in four point bending to determine their load carrying capacity. Specimens having different thickness were tested. Except for onespecimen, the cracking occurred as cracking...... along the adhesive layer; initially cracking occurred along the adhesive/laminate interface, but after some crack extension the cracking took place inside the laminate (for one specimen the later part of thecracking occurred unstably along the adhesive/ laminate interface). Crack bridging by fibres...

A proposed standard round compact specimen for plane strain fracture toughness testing

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, J. H.; Newman, J. C., Jr.; Seeley, R. R.

1980-01-01

A round, disk-shaped specimen is proposed as a standard test specimen for addition to ASTM Test for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness of Metallic Materials (E 399-78A). The specimen is diametrically cracked, and loaded in the same way as the existing standard compact specimen. Tests and analyses were performed to verify that the proposed round compact specimen and associated stress intensity factor K solution are appropriate for a standard plane strain fracture toughness test. The use of the round compact specimen for other fracture tests is described.

Test methodology and technology of fracture toughness for small size specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wakai, E.; Takada, F.; Ishii, T.; Ando, M. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Matsukawa, S. [JNE Techno-Research Co., Kanagawa-ken (Japan)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Small specimen test technology (SSTT) is required to investigate mechanical properties in the limited availability of effective irradiation volumes in test reactors and accelerator-based neutron and charged particle sources. The test methodology guideline and the manufacture processes for very small size specimens have not been established, and we would have to formulate it. The technology to control exactly the load and displacement is also required in the test technology under the environment of high dose radiation produced from the specimens. The objective of this study is to examine the test technology and methodology of fracture toughness for very small size specimens. A new bend test machine installed in hot cell has been manufactured to obtain fracture toughness and DBTT (ductile - brittle transition temperature) of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels for small bend specimens of t/2-1/3PCCVN (pre-cracked 1/3 size Charpy V-notch) with 20 mm length and DFMB (deformation and fracture mini bend specimen) with 9 mm length. The new machine can be performed at temperatures from -196 deg. C to 400 deg. C under unloading compliance method. Neutron irradiation was also performed at about 250 deg. C to about 2 dpa in JMTR. After the irradiation, fracture toughness and DBTT were examined by using the machine. Checking of displacement measurement between linear gauge of cross head's displacement and DVRT of the specimen displacement was performed exactly. Conditions of pre-crack due to fatigue in the specimen preparation were also examined and it depended on the shape and size of the specimens. Fracture toughness and DBTT of F82H steel for t/2-1/3PCCVN, DFMB and 0.18DCT specimens before irradiation were examined as a function of temperature. DBTT of smaller size specimens of DFMB was lower than that of larger size specimen of t/2-1/3PCCVN and 0.18DCT. The changes of fracture toughness and DBTT due to irradiation were also

Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines), based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin), Utah (USA)

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchison, J. Howard; Townsend, K. E. Beth; Adrian, Brent; Jager, Daniel

2017-01-01

We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5–40 Ma) are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age. PMID:28686718

Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines, based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin, Utah (USA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather F Smith

Full Text Available We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA, in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5-40 Ma are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age.

Increasing Recovery of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria from Respiratory Specimens over a 10-Year Period in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in South Korea

OpenAIRE

Koh, Won-Jung; Chang, Boksoon; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Jeon, Kyeongman; Kim, Su-Young; Lee, Nam Yong; Ki, Chang-Seok; Kwon, O Jung

2013-01-01

Background The number of patients with pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term trends in the NTM recovery rate from respiratory specimens over a 10-year period in a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of mycobacterial cultures of respiratory specimens at Samsung Medical Center from January 2001 to December 2011. Results During the study pe...

Old Plants, New Tricks: Phenological Research Using Herbarium Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Willis, Charles G; Ellwood, Elizabeth R; Primack, Richard B; Davis, Charles C; Pearson, Katelin D; Gallinat, Amanda S; Yost, Jenn M; Nelson, Gil; Mazer, Susan J; Rossington, Natalie L; Sparks, Tim H; Soltis, Pamela S

2017-07-01

The timing of phenological events, such as leaf-out and flowering, strongly influence plant success and their study is vital to understanding how plants will respond to climate change. Phenological research, however, is often limited by the temporal, geographic, or phylogenetic scope of available data. Hundreds of millions of plant specimens in herbaria worldwide offer a potential solution to this problem, especially as digitization efforts drastically improve access to collections. Herbarium specimens represent snapshots of phenological events and have been reliably used to characterize phenological responses to climate. We review the current state of herbarium-based phenological research, identify potential biases and limitations in the collection, digitization, and interpretation of specimen data, and discuss future opportunities for phenological investigations using herbarium specimens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Innovations in macroscopic evaluation of pancreatic specimens and radiologic correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Triantopoulou, Charikleia; Papaparaskeva, Kleo; Agalianos, Christos; Dervenis, Christos

2016-01-01

•The axial slicing technique offers many advantages in accurate estimation of tumors extend and staging.•Cross-sectional axial imaging is the best technique for accurate radiologic-pathologic correlation.•Correlation may explain any discrepancies between radiological and histopathological findings.•Pathology correlation may offer a better understanding of the missed findings by imaging or pitfalls The axial slicing technique offers many advantages in accurate estimation of tumors extend and staging. Cross-sectional axial imaging is the best technique for accurate radiologic-pathologic correlation. Correlation may explain any discrepancies between radiological and histopathological findings. Pathology correlation may offer a better understanding of the missed findings by imaging or pitfalls The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a novel dissection technique of surgical specimens in different cases of pancreatic tumors and provide a radiologic pathologic correlation. In our hospital, that is a referral center for pancreatic diseases, the macroscopic evaluation of the pancreatectomy specimens is performed by the pathologists using the axial slicing technique (instead of the traditional procedure with longitudinal opening of the main pancreatic and/or common bile duct and slicing along the plane defined by both ducts). The specimen is sliced in an axial plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the descending duodenum. The procedure results in a large number of thin slices (3–4 mm). This plane is identical to that of CT or MRI and correlation between pathology and imaging is straightforward. We studied 70 cases of suspected different solid and cystic pancreatic tumors and we correlated the tumor size and location, the structure—consistency (areas of necrosis—hemorrhage—fibrosis—inflammation), the degree of vessels’ infiltration, the size of pancreatic and common bile duct and the distance from resection margins

Design of four-point SENB specimens with stable crack growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jeppe Bjørn; Kildegaard, Casper; Sørensen, Bent F.

2018-01-01

A four-point single-edge-notch-beam (SENB) test specimen loaded in displacement control (fixed grip) is proposed for studying crack deflection at bi-material interfaces. In order to ensure stable crack growth, a novel analytical model of the four-point SENB specimen in fixed grip is derived...... and compared with numerical models. Model results show that the specimen should be short and thick, and the start-crack length should be deep for the crack to propagate stable towards the bi-material interface. Observations from experimental tests of four-point SENB specimens with different start-crack lengths...

Air pollutants and human health. Literature documentation. As of March 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirchner, M.; Kohmanns, B.; Reuther, M.; Rossnagel, I.; Winkler, D.

1993-12-01

This literature documentation for the subject 'Air pollutants and human health' lists 1180 quotations up to 1993 arranged in alphabetical order according to the first-named author. Each entry contains the ordinal number, author(s), title, source, and keywords. The appendix of the documentation contains a keyword index indicating the numbers of the relevant quotations and an authors' index permitting the retrieval of the second and next named authors via the quotation number. The quoted literature is largely present in the archives of the PBWU where it can be either consulted or borrowed. Computer-aided literature searches are performed on request. (UHE) [de

Molecular detection of candida species from hospitalized patient’s specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Camacho-Cardoso, José Luis; Martínez-Rivera, María Ángeles; Manzano-Gayosso, Patricia; Méndez-Tovar, Luis Javier; López-Martínez, Rubén; Hernández-Hernández, Francisca

To identify the most frequent Candida species in specimens from patients hospitalized in different medical centers of Mexico City, with suspected fungal infection. Specimens were grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar at 28°C for 72 h. In addition, DNA was extracted. Isolates were grown on CHROMagar Candida™, at 37°C for 48 h. The molecular identification was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for four species. Eighty one specimens were processed and included: bronchial lavage, pleural, cerebrospinal, peritoneal, ascites and bile fluids; blood, sputum, bone marrow, oro-tracheal cannula and ganglion. By culture, 30 samples (37%) were positive, and by PCR, 41 (50.6%). By PCR, the frequency of species was: Candida albicans 82.9%, Candida tropicalis 31.7%, Candida glabrata 24.4%, and Candida parapsilosis 4.9%. In 34.1% of specimens a species mixture was detected suggesting a co-infection: Two species in five specimens (C. albicans-C tropicalis and C. albicans-C glabrata), and three species in three specimens (C. albicans-C. glabrata-C. tropicalis). The PCR is an useful tool for detection the most common Candida species causing infection in hospitalized patients, it avoids the requirement of culture weather we start from clinical specimen and it favors the early diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud

Stress-deformed state of cylindrical specimens during indirect tensile strength testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Levan Japaridze

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, the interaction between cylindrical specimen made of homogeneous, isotropic, and linearly elastic material and loading jaws of any curvature is considered in the Brazilian test. It is assumed that the specimen is diametrically compressed by elliptic normal contact stresses. The frictional contact stresses between the specimen and platens are neglected. The analytical solution starts from the contact problem of the loading jaws of any curvature and cylindrical specimen. The contact width, corresponding loading angle (2θ0, and elliptical stresses obtained through solution of the contact problems are used as boundary conditions for a cylindrical specimen. The problem of the theory of elasticity for a cylinder is solved using Muskhelishvili's method. In this method, the displacements and stresses are represented in terms of two analytical functions of a complex variable. In the main approaches, the nonlinear interaction between the loading bearing blocks and the specimen as well as the curvature of their surfaces and the elastic parameters of their materials are taken into account. Numerical examples are solved using MATLAB to demonstrate the influence of deformability, curvature of the specimen and platens on the distribution of the normal contact stresses as well as on the tensile and compressive stresses acting across the loaded diameter. Derived equations also allow calculating the modulus of elasticity, total deformation modulus and creep parameters of the specimen material based on the experimental data of radial contraction of the specimen.

Does teaching of documentation of shoulder dystocia delivery through simulation result in improved documentation in real life?

Science.gov (United States)

Comeau, Robyn; Craig, Catherine

2014-03-01

Documentation of deliveries complicated by shoulder dystocia is a valuable communication skill necessary for residents to attain during residency training. Our objective was to determine whether the teaching of documentation of shoulder dystocia in a simulation environment would translate to improved documentation of the event in an actual clinical situation. We conducted a cohort study involving obstetrics and gynaecology residents in years 2 to 5 between November 2010 and December 2012. Each resident participated in a shoulder dystocia simulation teaching session and was asked to write a delivery note immediately afterwards. They were given feedback regarding their performance of the delivery and their documentation of the events. Following this, dictated records of shoulder dystocia deliveries immediately before and after the simulation session were identified through the Meditech system. An itemized checklist was used to assess the quality of residents' dictated documentation before and after the simulation session. All eligible residents (18) enrolled in the study, and 17 met the inclusion criteria. For 10 residents (59%) documentation of a delivery with shoulder dystocia was present before and after the simulation session, for five residents (29%) it was only present before the session, and for two residents (18%) it was only present after the session. When residents were assessed as a group, there were no differences in the proportion of residents recording items on the checklist before and after the simulation session (P > 0.05 for all). Similarly, analysis of the performance of the10 residents who had dictated documentation both before and after the session showed no differences in the number of elements recorded on dictations done before and after the simulation session (P > 0.05 for all). The teaching of shoulder dystocia documentation through simulation did not result in a measurable improvement in the quality of documentation of shoulder dystocia in

Specimen environments in thermal neutron scattering experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cebula, D.J.

1980-11-01

This report is an attempt to collect into one place outline information concerning the techniques used and basic design of sample environment apparatus employed in neutron scattering experiments. Preliminary recommendations for the specimen environment programme of the SNS are presented. The general conclusion reached is that effort should be devoted towards improving reliability and efficiency of operation of specimen environment apparatus and developing systems which are robust and easy to use, rather than achieving performance at the limits of technology. (author)

Quantifying the Influence of Lightning Strike Pressure Loading on Composite Specimen Damage

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, P.; Abdelal, G.; Murphy, A.

2018-04-01

Experimental work has shown that a component of lightning strike damage is caused by a mechanical loading. As the profile of the pressure loading is unknown a number of authors propose different pressure loads, varying in form, application area and magnitude. The objective of this paper is to investigate the potential contribution of pressure loading to composite specimen damage. This is achieved through a simulation study using an established modelling approach for composite damage prediction. The study examines the proposed shockwave loads from the literature. The simulation results are compared with measured test specimen damage examining the form and scale of damage. The results for the first time quantify the significance of pressure loading, demonstrating that although a pressure load can cause damage consistent with that measured experimentally, it has a negligible contribution to the overall scale of damage. Moreover the requirements for a pressure to create the damage behaviours typically witnessed in testing requires that the pressure load be within a very precise window of magnitude and loading area.

Post-deformation examination of specimens subjected to SCC testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gussev, Maxim N. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Field, Kevin G. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Busby, Jeremy T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Leonard, Keith J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-09-01

This report details the results of post-radiation and post-deformation characterizations performed during FY 2015–FY 2016 on a subset of specimens that had previously been irradiated at high displacement per atom (dpa) damage doses. The specimens, made of commercial austenitic stainless steels and alloys, were subjected to stress-corrosion cracking tests (constant extension rate testing and crack growth testing) at the University of Michigan under conditions typical of nuclear power plants. After testing, the specimens were returned to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for further analysis and evaluation.

A test specimen for characterizing the fracture energy of interfaces in composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, L.; Abbaschian, R.

1993-01-01

A sandwich-type chevron-notched specimen, which has a phase angle of loading near zero, is proposed to measure interfacial fracture energy arising mainly from chemical bonding. With the specimen configuration of this kind, the advantages from both sandwich test specimens and chevron-notched specimens can be combined to provide an easy and accurate test for the measurement of interfacial fracture energy. The validity of the specimen has been analyzed in terms of the mechanics of sandwich-type specimens and chevron-notched specimens, and demonstrated using the Al 2 O 3 /Nb bimaterial system. The results show that for a phase angle of loading around -7 degrees the Al 2 O 3 /Nb interface has a fracture energy of 9.3 ± 0.2 J/m 2 . 39 refs

Catalog of insect type specimens preserved at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science with corrections of some specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kai-Qin; Wang, Yun-Zhen; Dong, Da-Zhi; Zhang, Li-Kun

2015-09-18

This article presents a list of insect types preserved in Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology (KNHMZ). As of March, 2015, 3 412 type specimens belonging to 266 species/subspecies of 37 families in 9 orders (Odonata, Isoptera, Mantodea, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera) are included. Information corrections of some specimens are provided in this article.

Location specific in situ TEM straining specimens made using FIB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field, R.D.; Papin, P.A.

2004-01-01

A method has been devised and demonstrated for producing in situ straining specimens for the transmission electron microscope (TEM) from specific locations in a sample using a dual-beam focused ion beam (FIB) instrument. The specimen is removed from a polished surface in the FIB using normal methods and then attached to a pre-fabricated substrate in the form of a modified TEM tensile specimen. In this manner, specific features of the microstructure of a polished optical mount can be selected for in situ tensile straining. With the use of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), this technique could be extended to select specific orientations of the specimen as well

Uniaxial compression tests on diesel contaminated frozen silty soil specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chenaf, D.; Stampli, N.; Bathurst, R.; Chapuis, R.P.

1999-01-01

Results of a uniaxial, unconfined compression test on artificial diesel-contaminated and uncontaminated frozen silty soils are discussed. The testing program involved 59 specimens. The results show that for the same fluid content, diesel contamination reduced the strength of the frozen specimens by increasing the unfrozen water content. For example, in specimens containing 50 per cent diesel oil of the fluid content by weight the maximum strength was reduced by 95 per cent compared to the strength of an uncontaminated specimen. Diesel contamination was also shown to contribute to the slippage between soil particles by acting as a lubricant, thus accelerating the loss of compressive strength.13 refs., 18 figs

Title List of documents made publicly available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-05-01

This document contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US NRC. This information includes: (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

A SURVEY ON DOCUMENT CLUSTERING APPROACH FOR COMPUTER FORENSIC ANALYSIS

OpenAIRE

Monika Raghuvanshi*, Rahul Patel

2016-01-01

In a forensic analysis, large numbers of files are examined. Much of the information comprises of in unstructured format, so it’s quite difficult task for computer forensic to perform such analysis. That’s why to do the forensic analysis of document within a limited period of time require a special approach such as document clustering. This paper review different document clustering algorithms methodologies for example K-mean, K-medoid, single link, complete link, average link in accorandance...

Improving the Document Development Process: Integrating Relational Data and Statistical Process Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, John

1994-01-01

Presents an approach to document numbering, document titling, and process measurement which, when used with fundamental techniques of statistical process control, reveals meaningful process-element variation as well as nominal productivity models. (SR)

Evaluation of Hierarchical Clustering Algorithms for Document Datasets

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Zhao, Ying; Karypis, George

2002-01-01

Fast and high-quality document clustering algorithms play an important role in providing intuitive navigation and browsing mechanisms by organizing large amounts of information into a small number of meaningful clusters...

Effects of Specimen Diameters on the Distribution of Corrosion Fatigue Cracks

OpenAIRE

石原, 外美; 塩澤, 和章; 宮尾, 嘉寿

1988-01-01

The distribution of corrosion fatigue cracks observed on the un-notched round specimen surface differs with specimen diameter, especially in the low stress amplitude region. At a constant fatigue life ratio, many long cracks are initiated on the larger specimen, 12 mm (diameter), in comparison with the smaller specimen, 6 mm (diameter). On the other hand, in the high stress amplitude region of corrosion fatigue and fatigue in laboratory air, the distribution of cracks during the fatigue proce...

Detecting Rickettsia parkeri Infection from Eschar Swab Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-01

Detecting Rickettsia parkeri Infection from Eschar Swab Specimens Todd Myers, Tahaniyat Lalani, Mike Dent, Ju Jiang, Patrick L. Daly, Jason D...Maguire, and Allen L. Richards The typical clinical presentation of several spotted fever group Rickettsia infections includes eschars. Clinical...diagnosis by using an eschar swab specimen from patients infected with Rickettsia parkeri. Until 2004, all confirmed cases of tick-borne spotted

How useful are delta checks in the 21st century? A stochastic-dynamic model of specimen mix-up and detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katie Ovens

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Delta checks use two specimen test results taken in succession in order to detect test result changes greater than expected physiological variation. One of the most common and serious errors detected by delta checks is specimen mix-up errors. The positive and negative predictive values of delta checks for detecting specimen mix-up errors, however, are largely unknown. Materials and Methods: We addressed this question by first constructing a stochastic dynamic model using repeat test values for five analytes from approximately 8000 inpatients in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The analytes examined were sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, and creatinine. The model simulated specimen mix-up errors by randomly switching a set number of pairs of second test results. Sensitivities and specificities were then calculated for each analyte for six combinations of delta check equations and cut-off values from the published literature. Results: Delta check specificities obtained from this model ranged from 50% to 99%; however the sensitivities were generally below 20% with the exception of creatinine for which the best performing delta check had a sensitivity of 82.8%. Within a plausible incidence range of specimen mix-ups the positive predictive values of even the best performing delta check equation and analyte became negligible. Conclusion: This finding casts doubt on the ongoing clinical utility of delta checks in the setting of low rates of specimen mix-ups.

Mesh-morphing algorithms for specimen-specific finite element modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigal, Ian A; Hardisty, Michael R; Whyne, Cari M

2008-01-01

Despite recent advances in software for meshing specimen-specific geometries, considerable effort is still often required to produce and analyze specimen-specific models suitable for biomechanical analysis through finite element modeling. We hypothesize that it is possible to obtain accurate models by adapting a pre-existing geometry to represent a target specimen using morphing techniques. Here we present two algorithms for morphing, automated wrapping (AW) and manual landmarks (ML), and demonstrate their use to prepare specimen-specific models of caudal rat vertebrae. We evaluate the algorithms by measuring the distance between target and morphed geometries and by comparing response to axial loading simulated with finite element (FE) methods. First a traditional reconstruction process based on microCT was used to obtain two natural specimen-specific FE models. Next, the two morphing algorithms were used to compute mappings from the surface of one model, the source, to the other, the target, and to use this mapping to morph the source mesh to produce a target mesh. The microCT images were then used to assign element-specific material properties. In AW the mappings were obtained by wrapping the source and target surfaces with an auxiliary triangulated surface. In ML, landmarks were manually placed on corresponding locations on the surfaces of both source and target. Both morphing algorithms were successful in reproducing the shape of the target vertebra with a median distance between natural and morphed models of 18.8 and 32.2 microm, respectively, for AW and ML. Whereas AW-morphing produced a surface more closely resembling that of the target, ML guaranteed correspondence of the landmark locations between source and target. Morphing preserved the quality of the mesh producing models suitable for FE simulation. Moreover, there were only minor differences between natural and morphed models in predictions of deformation, strain and stress. We therefore conclude that

Reconciling disparate information in continuity of care documents: Piloting a system to consolidate structured clinical documents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Masoud; Jones, Josette; Faiola, Anthony; Vreeman, Daniel J; Wu, Huanmei; Dixon, Brian E

2017-10-01

Due to the nature of information generation in health care, clinical documents contain duplicate and sometimes conflicting information. Recent implementation of Health Information Exchange (HIE) mechanisms in which clinical summary documents are exchanged among disparate health care organizations can proliferate duplicate and conflicting information. To reduce information overload, a system to automatically consolidate information across multiple clinical summary documents was developed for an HIE network. The system receives any number of Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) and outputs a single, consolidated record. To test the system, a randomly sampled corpus of 522 CCDs representing 50 unique patients was extracted from a large HIE network. The automated methods were compared to manual consolidation of information for three key sections of the CCD: problems, allergies, and medications. Manual consolidation of 11,631 entries was completed in approximately 150h. The same data were automatically consolidated in 3.3min. The system successfully consolidated 99.1% of problems, 87.0% of allergies, and 91.7% of medications. Almost all of the inaccuracies were caused by issues involving the use of standardized terminologies within the documents to represent individual information entries. This study represents a novel, tested tool for de-duplication and consolidation of CDA documents, which is a major step toward improving information access and the interoperability among information systems. While more work is necessary, automated systems like the one evaluated in this study will be necessary to meet the informatics needs of providers and health systems in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 866.2900 - Microbiological specimen collection and transport device.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Microbiology Devices... microbiological specimen collection and transport device is a specimen collecting chamber intended for medical...

27 CFR 24.110 - Organizational documents.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Organizational documents..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS WINE Establishment and Operations Application § 24.110 Organizational... under control number 1512-0058) [T.D. ATF-299, 55 FR 24989, June 19, 1990, as amended by T.D. ATF-409...

Standard practice for fracture testing with surface-crack tension specimens

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2003-01-01

1.1 This practice covers the design, preparation, and testing of surface-crack tension (SCT) specimens. It relates specifically to testing under continuously increasing force and excludes cyclic and sustained loadings. The quantity determined is the residual strength of a specimen having a semielliptical or circular-segment fatigue crack in one surface. This value depends on the crack dimensions and the specimen thickness as well as the characteristics of the material. 1.2 Metallic materials that can be tested are not limited by strength, thickness, or toughness. However, tests of thick specimens of tough materials may require a tension test machine of extremely high capacity. The applicability of this practice to nonmetallic materials has not been determined. 1.3 This practice is limited to specimens having a uniform rectangular cross section in the test section. The test section width and length must be large with respect to the crack length. Crack depth and length should be chosen to suit the ultimate pu...

Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmachtenberg, C.; Engelken, F.; Fischer, T.; Bick, U.; Poellinger, A.; Fallenberg, E.M. [Charite, Berlin (Germany). Radiology

2012-07-15

Purpose: Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types. Materials and Methods: After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs. They determined the closest margin and the orientation. The results were correlated with the histopathology (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] and contingency coefficient [CC]) and compared (Wilcoxon test). Results: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was present in 115 (43 %), IDC in 75 (28 %), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 57 (22 %) and rare cancers (CA) in 19 specimens (7 %). The sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value (P/NPV) of specimen mammography were 0.50/0.86 and 0.86/0.50 for CA, 0.42/0.68 and 0.48/0.63 for IDC, 0.36/0.81 and 0.69/0.51 for ILC, and 0.22/0.78 and 0.68/0.32 for IDC+DCIS. Readers correctly identified the orientation of the closest margin in at least one view in an average of 149 specimens (56 %). CCs were between 0.680 (IDC) and 0.912 (CA), suggesting a moderate correlation between radiographic and histological orientation. The correlations were worse for the radiographic and histological distances, with ICC ranging from 0.238 (ILC) to 0.475 (CA). The Wilcoxon test revealed overestimation of the radiographic margins compared to the histological ones for DCIS. Conclusion: Our results suggest that specimen radiography has relatively good overall specificity and good PPV, while the sensitivity and NPV are low for DCIS. A negative result on specimen radiography does not rule out histologically involved margins. (orig.)

Influence of thermal conditioning media on Charpy specimen test temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanstad, R.K.; Swain, R.L.; Berggren, R.G.

1989-01-01

The Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact test is used extensively for determining the toughness of structural materials. Research programs in many technologies concerned with structural integrity perform such testing to obtain Charpy energy vs temperature curves. American Society for Testing and Materials Method E 23 includes rather strict requirements regarding determination and control of specimen test temperature. It specifies minimum soaking times dependent on the use of liquids or gases as the medium for thermally conditioning the specimen. The method also requires that impact of the specimen occur within 5 s removal from the conditioning medium. It does not, however, provide guidance regarding choice of conditioning media. This investigation was primarily conducted to investigate the changes in specimen temperature which occur when water is used for thermal conditioning. A standard CVN impact specimen of low-alloy steel was instrumented with surface-mounted and embedded thermocouples. Dependent on the media used, the specimen was heated or cooled to selected temperatures in the range -100 to 100 degree C using cold nitrogen gas, heated air, acetone and dry ice, methanol and dry ice, heated oil, or heated water. After temperature stabilization, the specimen was removed from the conditioning medium while the temperatures were recorded four times per second from all thermocouples using a data acquisition system and a computer. The results show that evaporative cooling causes significant changes in the specimen temperatures when water is used for conditioning. Conditioning in the other media did not result in such significant changes. The results demonstrate that, even within the guidelines of E 23, significant test temperature changes can occur which may substantially affect the Charpy impact test results if water is used for temperature conditioning. 7 refs., 11 figs

Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmachtenberg, C; Engelken, F; Fischer, T; Bick, U; Poellinger, A; Fallenberg, E M

2012-07-01

Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types. After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs. They determined the closest margin and the orientation. The results were correlated with the histopathology (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] and contingency coefficient [CC]) and compared (Wilcoxon test). Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was present in 115 (43 %), IDC in 75 (28 %), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 57 (22 %) and rare cancers (CA) in 19 specimens (7 %). The sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value (P/NPV) of specimen mammography were 0.50/0.86 and 0.86/0.50 for CA, 0.42/0.68 and 0.48/0.63 for IDC, 0.36/0.81 and 0.69/0.51 for ILC, and 0.22/0.78 and 0.68/0.32 for IDC+DCIS. Readers correctly identified the orientation of the closest margin in at least one view in an average of 149 specimens (56 %). CCs were between 0.680 (IDC) and 0.912 (CA), suggesting a moderate correlation between radiographic and histological orientation. The correlations were worse for the radiographic and histological distances, with ICC ranging from 0.238 (ILC) to 0.475 (CA). The Wilcoxon test revealed overestimation of the radiographic margins compared to the histological ones for DCIS. Our results suggest that specimen radiography has relatively good overall specificity and good PPV, while the sensitivity and NPV are low for DCIS. A negative result on specimen radiography does not rule out histologically involved margins. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmachtenberg, C.; Engelken, F.; Fischer, T.; Bick, U.; Poellinger, A.; Fallenberg, E.M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types. Materials and Methods: After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs. They determined the closest margin and the orientation. The results were correlated with the histopathology (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] and contingency coefficient [CC]) and compared (Wilcoxon test). Results: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was present in 115 (43 %), IDC in 75 (28 %), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 57 (22 %) and rare cancers (CA) in 19 specimens (7 %). The sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value (P/NPV) of specimen mammography were 0.50/0.86 and 0.86/0.50 for CA, 0.42/0.68 and 0.48/0.63 for IDC, 0.36/0.81 and 0.69/0.51 for ILC, and 0.22/0.78 and 0.68/0.32 for IDC+DCIS. Readers correctly identified the orientation of the closest margin in at least one view in an average of 149 specimens (56 %). CCs were between 0.680 (IDC) and 0.912 (CA), suggesting a moderate correlation between radiographic and histological orientation. The correlations were worse for the radiographic and histological distances, with ICC ranging from 0.238 (ILC) to 0.475 (CA). The Wilcoxon test revealed overestimation of the radiographic margins compared to the histological ones for DCIS. Conclusion: Our results suggest that specimen radiography has relatively good overall specificity and good PPV, while the sensitivity and NPV are low for DCIS. A negative result on specimen radiography does not rule out histologically involved margins. (orig.)

DNA barcode sequencing from old type specimens as a tool in taxonomy: a case study in the diverse genus Eois (Lepidoptera: Geometridae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick Strutzenberger

Full Text Available In this study we report on the sequencing of the COI barcode region from 96 historical specimens (92 type specimens +4 non-types of Eois. Eois is a diverse clade of tropical geometrid moths and is the target of a number of ongoing studies on life-histories, phylogeny, co-evolution with host plants or parasitoids, and diversity patterns across temporal and spatial dimensions. The unequivocal application of valid names is crucial for all aspects of biodiversity research as well as monitoring and conservation efforts. The availability of barcodes from historical type specimens has the potential to facilitate the much-needed acceleration of species description. We performed non-destructive DNA extraction on the abdomens of Eois specimens between 79 and 157 years of age. We used six primer combinations (recovering between 109 and 130 bp each to target the full-length barcode sequence of each specimen. We were able to obtain sequences for 91 of 96 specimens (success rate 94.8%. Sequence length ranged from 121 bp to full barcode sequences (658 bp, the average sequence length was ~500 bp. We detected a moderately strong and statistically significant negative correlation between specimen age and total sequence length, which is in agreement with expectations. The abdomen proved to be an exceedingly valuable source of DNA in old specimens of Lepidoptera. Barcode sequences obtained in this study are currently being used in an effort towards a step-wise taxonomic revision of Eois. We encourage that DNA barcodes obtained from types specimens should be included in all species descriptions and revisions whenever feasible.

Imaging of concrete specimens using inverse synthetic aperture radar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhim, Hong C.; Buyukozturk, Oral

2000-01-01

Radar Measurement results of laboratory size concrete specimens are presented in this paper. The purpose of this research work is to study various aspects of the radar method in an effort to develop an improved radar system for nondestructive testing of concrete structures. The radar system used for the study is an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR), which is capable of transmitting microwaves at three different frequency ranges of 2-3.4, 3.4-5.8, and 8-12 GHz. Radar measurement setup is such that the radar is locates 14.4 m away from a concrete target to satisfy a far-field criterion. The concrete target is rotated for 20 degrees during the measurements for the generation of two-dimensional (cross-range) imagery. Concrete targets used for the measurements have the dimensions of 305 mm (width)x305 mm (height)x92 mm (thickness) with different inside configurations. Comparisons are made for dry and wet specimens, specimens with and without inclusions. Each specimen is made to model various situations that a concrete structure can have in reality. Results show that center frequency, frequency bandwidth, and polarization of the incident wave have different effects on identifying the thickness or inclusions inside concrete specimens. Results also suggest that a certain combination of measurement parameters is suitable for a specific application area. Thus, measurement parameters can be optimized for a specific problem. The findings are presented and discussed in details in the paper. Signal processing schemes implemented for imaging of the specimens are also discussed

Development of piezoelectric ceramics driven fatigue testing machine for small specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, S.; Kikuchi, K.; Onishi, Y.; Nishino, T.

2002-01-01

A new fatigue testing machine with piezoelectric ceramics actuators was developed and a prototype was manufactured for high-cycle fatigue tests with small specimens. The machine has a simple mechanism and is compact. These features make it easy to set up and to maintain the machine in a hot cell. The excitation of the actuator can be transmitted to the specimen using a lever-type testing jig. More than 100 μm of displacement could be prescribed precisely to the specimen at a frequency of 50 Hz. This was sufficient performance for high-cycle bend fatigue tests on specimens irradiated at the SINQ target in Paul Scherrer Institute. The relationship of a displacement applied to the specimen and the strain of the necking part were obtained by experimental methods and by finite element method (FEM) calculations. Both results showed good agreement. This fact makes it possible to evaluate the strain of irradiated specimens by FEM simulations

Study on fatigue strength of specimens with stress concentrators accounting for inelastic cyclic strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Troshchenko, V.T.; Khamaza, L.A.; Mishchenko, Yu.D.

1978-01-01

A possibility of plotting the fatigue curves for structural elements with stress concentrators was examined according to the results of testing smooth specimens made of 1Kh2M steel. The technique has been suggested, based on using the Neuber formula, while taking into account the dependence of the effective coefficient of stresses concentration on the number of cycles prior to failure. A good agreement between the calculated and the experimental data has been obtained

Examination of the fatigue life under combined loading of specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fojtík F.

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This contribution describes experimental results under combined loading of specimens manufactured from common construction steel 11523. Specimens were gradually loaded by amplitude of the torque, then by combination of torque and tension prestress. The last set of specimens was loaded in combination of torque and inner overpressure. To obtain the required input values the stress-strain analysis of specimens by finite element method in software Ansys was performed within the last experiment. For evaluation of the results the Fuxa's criterion was applied. The performed experiments and their results embody a good agreement with bellow mentioned conjugated strength criterion. The experiments were performed on reconstructed testing machine equipped by pressure chamber.

Analysis of viral protein-2 encoding gene of avian encephalomyelitis virus from field specimens in Central Java region, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aris Haryanto

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: Avian encephalomyelitis (AE is a viral disease which can infect various types of poultry, especially chicken. In Indonesia, the incidence of AE infection in chicken has been reported since 2009, the AE incidence tends to increase from year to year. The objective of this study was to analyze viral protein 2 (VP-2 encoding gene of AE virus (AEV from various species of birds in field specimen by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR amplification using specific nucleotides primer for confirmation of AE diagnosis. Materials and Methods: A total of 13 AEV samples are isolated from various species of poultry which are serologically diagnosed infected by AEV from some areas in central Java, Indonesia. Research stage consists of virus samples collection from field specimens, extraction of AEV RNA, amplification of VP-2 protein encoding gene by RT-PCR, separation of RT-PCR product by agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing and data analysis. Results: Amplification products of the VP-2 encoding gene of AEV by RT-PCR methods of various types of poultry from field specimens showed a positive results on sample code 499/4/12 which generated DNA fragment in the size of 619 bp. Sensitivity test of RT-PCR amplification showed that the minimum concentration of RNA template is 127.75 ng/μl. The multiple alignments of DNA sequencing product indicated that positive sample with code 499/4/12 has 92% nucleotide homology compared with AEV with accession number AV1775/07 and 85% nucleotide homology with accession number ZCHP2/0912695 from Genbank database. Analysis of VP-2 gene sequence showed that it found 46 nucleotides difference between isolate 499/4/12 compared with accession number AV1775/07 and 93 nucleotides different with accession number ZCHP2/0912695. Conclusions: Analyses of the VP-2 encoding gene of AEV with RT-PCR method from 13 samples from field specimen generated the DNA fragment in the size of 619 bp from one sample with

Improved PID control for triaxial testing liquefied specimen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sabaliauskas, Tomas; Ibsen, Lars Bo

Using a frictionless triaxial apparatus, sand specimens can be tested at relatively high axial strains, even while liquefying. However, liquefying specimens have extremely nonlinear stiffness, thus standard PID control does not perform well. To maintain control over applied loads, the PID...... controller was modified to adapt to disturbed soil states. The proposed methods expand the scope of testing towards options which are otherwise inaccessible by triaxial testing....

Failed PCR of Ganoderma type specimens affects nomenclature.

Science.gov (United States)

Paterson, R R M; Lima, N

2015-06-01

The nomenclature of Ganoderma used as a Chinese medicine is debated. A group of researchers could not amplify the DNA of type specimens and concluded the DNA was degraded irreparably. New topotypes were used as the type specimens which was premature. The use of internal amplification controls is recommended to determine if other factors were involved as alternative explanations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increasing the efficiency of digitization workflows for herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulig, Melissa; Tarnowsky, Nicole; Bevans, Michael; Anthony Kirchgessner; Thiers, Barbara M

2012-01-01

The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium has been databasing and imaging its estimated 7.3 million plant specimens for the past 17 years. Due to the size of the collection, we have been selectively digitizing fundable subsets of specimens, making successive passes through the herbarium with each new grant. With this strategy, the average rate for databasing complete records has been 10 specimens per hour. With 1.3 million specimens databased, this effort has taken about 130,000 hours of staff time. At this rate, to complete the herbarium and digitize the remaining 6 million specimens, another 600,000 hours would be needed. Given the current biodiversity and economic crises, there is neither the time nor money to complete the collection at this rate.Through a combination of grants over the last few years, The New York Botanical Garden has been testing new protocols and tactics for increasing the rate of digitization through combinations of data collaboration, field book digitization, partial data entry and imaging, and optical character recognition (OCR) of specimen images. With the launch of the National Science Foundation's new Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections program, we hope to move forward with larger, more efficient digitization projects, capturing data from larger portions of the herbarium at a fraction of the cost and time.

Comparative performance of PCR-based assay versus microscopy and culture for the direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical respiratory specimens in Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Araj, G F; Talhouk, R S; Itani, L Y; Jaber, W; Jamaleddine, G W

2000-09-01

American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon. To assess the performance of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers that flank 542 bp within IS6110 in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) vs. microscopy and BACTEC culture, in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. A total of 82 clinical respiratory pulmonary specimens and 73 samples from BACTEC vials were tested by the three methods. Of 24 smear-positive culture-positive (SP-CP) and 11 smear-negative culture-positive (SN-CP) TB specimens, PCR detected 83% and 64%, respectively. Among 17 specimens yielding mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT), the PCR was positive in 33% SP-CP and 14% SN-CP specimens. Among the 73 BACTEC vials, PCR was positive in 36 of 38 (95%) yielding culture-positive TB, and in one of 20 (5%) yielding culture positive MOTT. None of the 30 smear-negative culture-negative (SN-CN) clinical specimens and 15 of the CN vials were positive by PCR. The overall sensitivity of PCR was 77% and 95% for TB detection in respiratory specimens and BACTEC vials, respectively, and the specificity was 94% in both. Because a substantial number of TB cases are missed, especially in SN-CP specimens, a PCR-based assay utilizing these primers cannot be used reliably, alone, in clinical laboratory diagnosis of mycobacterial respiratory infections.

Centrifuge-operated specimen staining method and apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Mark S. F. (Inventor); Feeback, Daniel L. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

A method of staining preselected, mounted specimens of either biological or nonbiological material enclosed within a staining chamber where the liquid staining reagents are applied and removed from the staining chamber using hypergravity as the propelling force. In the preferred embodiment, a spacecraft-operated centrifuge and method of diagnosing biological specimens while in orbit, characterized by hermetically sealing a shell assembly. The assembly contains slide stain apparatus with computer control therefor, the operative effect of which is to overcome microgravity, for example on board an International Space Station.

Test and Analysis Correlation for a Y-Joint Specimen for a Composite Cryotank

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Brian H.; Sleight, David W.; Grenoble, Ray

2015-01-01

The Composite Cryotank Technology Demonstration (CCTD) project under NASA's Game Changing Development Program (GCDP) developed space technologies using advanced composite materials. Under CCTD, NASA funded the Boeing Company to design and test a number of element-level joint specimens as a precursor to a 2.4-m diameter composite cryotank. Preliminary analyses indicated that the y-joint in the cryotank had low margins of safety; hence the y-joint was considered to be a critical design region. The y-joint design includes a softening strip wedge to reduce localized shear stresses at the skirt/dome interface. In this paper, NASA-developed analytical models will be correlated with the experimental results of a series of positive-peel y-joint specimens from Boeing tests. Initial analytical models over-predicted the experimental strain gage readings in the far-field region by approximately 10%. The over-prediction was attributed to uncertainty in the elastic properties of the laminate and a mismatch between the thermal expansion of the strain gages and the laminate. The elastic properties of the analytical model were adjusted to account for the strain gage differences. The experimental strain gages also indicated a large non-linear effect in the softening strip region that was not predicted by the analytical model. This non-linear effect was attributed to delamination initiating in the softening strip region at below 20% of the failure load for the specimen. Because the specimen was contained in a thermally insulated box during cryogenic testing to failure, delamination initiation and progression was not visualized during the test. Several possible failure initiation locations were investigated, and a most likely failure scenario was determined that correlated well with the experimental data. The most likely failure scenario corresponded to damage initiating in the softening strip and delamination extending to the grips at final failure.

Automatic classification of journalistic documents on the Internet1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elias OLIVEIRA

Full Text Available Abstract Online journalism is increasing every day. There are many news agencies, newspapers, and magazines using digital publication in the global network. Documents published online are available to users, who use search engines to find them. In order to deliver documents that are relevant to the search, they must be indexed and classified. Due to the vast number of documents published online every day, a lot of research has been carried out to find ways to facilitate automatic document classification. The objective of the present study is to describe an experimental approach for the automatic classification of journalistic documents published on the Internet using the Vector Space Model for document representation. The model was tested based on a real journalism database, using algorithms that have been widely reported in the literature. This article also describes the metrics used to assess the performance of these algorithms and their required configurations. The results obtained show the efficiency of the method used and justify further research to find ways to facilitate the automatic classification of documents.

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1994-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (1.25 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Specimens of European type 316L austenitic stainless steel were irradiated to damage levels of about 3 dpa at nominal irradiation temperatures of either 90 or 250 C and tested over a temperature range from 20 to 250 C. Results show that irradiation to this dose level at these temperatures reduces the fracture toughness but the toughness remains quite high. The toughness decreases as the test temperature increases. Irradiation at 250 C is more damaging than at 90 C, causing larger decreases in the fracture toughness. The testing shows that it is possible to generate useful fracture toughness data with a small disk compact specimens

COMPOSITIONAL AND SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE OF THE MEDICAL DOCUMENT: FORMATION STAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romashova Olga Vladimirovna

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the compositional and substantial structure of the ambulatory medical record, or "case history", which has being formed for a long time. The author allocates the three main periods in the formation of this medical document: the first period (the beginning of the 19th century – 1920s is connected with the origin and formation; the second period (1920-1980s is marked by emergence of the normative legal acts regulating registration and maintaining; the third period (1980s – up to the present is associated with the cancellation of regulations and the introduction of the new order of the Ministry of Health of the USSR that changed the document's form and name. It is determined that the composition of the case history consists of the title page and the main part. The following processes take place in the course of ambulatory medical record's formation: strengthening formalization, increase in the number of pattern text fragments, increase in the text's volume, and the implementation of bigger number of functions. The author reveals the main (informative and cumulative, accounting and additional (scientific, controlling, legal, financial functions of the document. The implementation of these functions is reflected in the compositional and substantial structure of the document text and is conditioned by a number of extralinguistic factors.

Maintaining respect and fairness in the usage of stored shared specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Mduluza, Takafira; Midzi, Nicholas; Duruza, Donold; Ndebele, Paul

2013-01-01

Every year, research specimens are shipped from one institution to another as well as across national boundaries. A significant proportion of specimens move from poor to rich countries. Concerns are always raised on the future usage of the stored specimens shipped to research institutions from developing countries. Creating awareness of the processes is required in all sectors involved in biomedical research. To maintain fairness and respect in sharing biomedical specimens and research products requires safeguarding by Ethics Review Committees in both provider and recipient institutions. Training in basic ethical principles in research is required to all sectors involved in biomedical research so as to level up the research playing field. By agreeing to provide specimens, individuals and communities from whom samples are collected would have placed their trust and all ensuing up-keep of the specimens to the researchers. In most collaborative set-up, laid down material transfer agreements are negotiated and signed before the shipment of specimens. Researchers, research ethics committees (RECs) and institutions in the countries of origin are supposed to serve as overseers of the specimens. There is need to advocate for honesty in sample handling and sharing, and also need to oversee any written commitments by researchers, RECs and institutions at source as well as in recipient institution. Commitments from source RECs and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and in the receiving institution on overseeing the future usage of stored specimens are required; including the ultimate confirmation abiding by the agreement. Training in ethical issues pertaining to sample handling and biomedical research in general is essential at all levels of academic pursuit. While sharing of biological specimens and research data demands honesty and oversight by ethical regulatory agents from both institutions in developing country and recipient institutions in developed countries. Archiving

50 CFR 14.24 - Scientific specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., POSSESSION, TRANSPORTATION, SALE, PURCHASE, BARTER, EXPORTATION, AND IMPORTATION OF WILDLIFE AND PLANTS... international mail system. Provided, that this exception will not apply to any specimens or parts thereof taken...

Evaluation of A-1 reactor heavy-water calandria specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brumovsky, M.

1976-01-01

Container chains with surveillance specimens were placed in two special channels of the core peripheral part to test changes in mechanical properties due to reactor operation of caisson tube material. The specimens were made from the caisson tube material and placed by eight pieces on the outer surface of the containers. The first removed specimens were tested for corrosion losses, tensile strength, and fractured surfaces were then assessed. The changes in strength properties were found to be similar in both base material and welded joints. The corrosion film on surveillance specimens did not practically affect strength properties nor ductility. It was found that the Al-Mg-Si alloy used for the heavy water vessel caisson tubes following stabilization annealing was fully stable at operating temperatures of up to 100 degC. Slio.ht changes in properties can be attributed to the effect of a high neutron dose. Thus, the high radiation and temperature stability of the alloy was confirmed. (O.K.)

Influence of Fissure Number on the Mechanical Properties of Layer-Crack Rock Models under Uniaxial Compression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-liang Tan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Many case studies have revealed that rock bursts generally occur in the high stress concentration area where layer-crack structures often exist, especially for brittle coal or rock masses. Understanding the mechanical properties of layer-crack rock models is beneficial for rational design and stability analysis of rock engineering project and rock burst prevention. This study experimentally investigated the influence of fissure number on the mechanical properties of layer-crack rock models through uniaxial compression tests. The digital speckle correlation method (DSCM and acoustic emission (AE techniques were applied to record and analyze the information of deformation and failure processes. Test results show the following: the bearing capacity of layer-crack specimen decreases compared with intact specimen, but their failure modes are similar, which are the splitting failure accompanied with local shear failure; the nonuniform deformation phenomenon begins to appear at the elastic deformation stage for layer-crack specimens; the AE behavior of intact specimens consists of three stages, that is, active stage, quiet stage, and major active stage, but for layer-crack specimens, it is characteristic by three peaks without quiet stage. In addition, as the fissure number of layer-crack specimens increases, the bearing capacity of specimens decreases, the appearing time of nonuniform deformation phenomenon in the specimen surface decreases, the AE events are denser and denser in each peak stage, and the risk of dynamic instability of layer-crack structure increases. At last, the failure mechanism of layer-crack structure and the related mitigation advices were discussed based on the test results. In general, the novelty is that this paper focuses on the failure mechanism of layer-crack structure directly.

Report of a new specimen of Granastrapotherium snorki in the Upper Magdalena Valley, Tatacoa Desert, Huila. Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pardo Jaramillo, M

2010-01-01

The National Geological Museum Jose Royo y Gomez of INGEOMINAS (Instituto Colombiano de Geologia y Mineria), in field commission made in September -2008, found a nearly complete lower jaw of Granastrapotherium snorki Johnson and Madden, 1997. This work describes and illustrated the evidence of it. A few numbers of specimens was reported in Colombian collections.

Optimization of tensile method and specimen geometry in modified ring tensile test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitano, Koji; Fuketa, Toyoshi; Sasajima, Hideo; Uetsuka, Hiroshi

2001-03-01

Several techniques in ring tensile test are proposed in order to evaluate mechanical properties of cladding under hoop loading condition caused by pellet/cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). In the modified techniques, variety of tensile methods and specimen geometry are being proposed in order to limit deformation within the gauge section. However, the tensile method and the specimen geometry were not determined in the modified techniques. In the present study, we have investigated the tensile method and the specimen geometry through finite element method (FEM) analysis of specimen deformation and tensile test on specimens with various gauge section geometries. In using two-piece tensile tooling, the mechanical properties under hoop loading condition can be correctly evaluated when deformation part (gauge section) is put on the top of a half-mandrel, and friction between the specimen and the half-mandrel is reduced with Teflon tape. In addition, we have shown the optimum specimen geometry for PWR 17 by 17 type cladding. (author)

Thinking Beyond Numbers: Learning Numeracy for the Future Workplace. Support Document

Science.gov (United States)

Marr, Beth; Hagston, Jan

2007-01-01

The use, learning and transfer of workplace numeracy skills, as well as current understandings of the term numeracy, are examined in this study. It also highlights the importance of numeracy as an essential workplace skill. "Thinking Beyond Numbers: Learning Numeracy for the Future Workplace" challenges the training system and training…

Patient safety in the clinical laboratory: a longitudinal analysis of specimen identification errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagar, Elizabeth A; Tamashiro, Lorraine; Yasin, Bushra; Hilborne, Lee; Bruckner, David A

2006-11-01

Patient safety is an increasingly visible and important mission for clinical laboratories. Attention to improving processes related to patient identification and specimen labeling is being paid by accreditation and regulatory organizations because errors in these areas that jeopardize patient safety are common and avoidable through improvement in the total testing process. To assess patient identification and specimen labeling improvement after multiple implementation projects using longitudinal statistical tools. Specimen errors were categorized by a multidisciplinary health care team. Patient identification errors were grouped into 3 categories: (1) specimen/requisition mismatch, (2) unlabeled specimens, and (3) mislabeled specimens. Specimens with these types of identification errors were compared preimplementation and postimplementation for 3 patient safety projects: (1) reorganization of phlebotomy (4 months); (2) introduction of an electronic event reporting system (10 months); and (3) activation of an automated processing system (14 months) for a 24-month period, using trend analysis and Student t test statistics. Of 16,632 total specimen errors, mislabeled specimens, requisition mismatches, and unlabeled specimens represented 1.0%, 6.3%, and 4.6% of errors, respectively. Student t test showed a significant decrease in the most serious error, mislabeled specimens (P patient safety projects. Trend analysis demonstrated decreases in all 3 error types for 26 months. Applying performance-improvement strategies that focus longitudinally on specimen labeling errors can significantly reduce errors, therefore improving patient safety. This is an important area in which laboratory professionals, working in interdisciplinary teams, can improve safety and outcomes of care.

Influence of specimen size on the creep of rock salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senseny, P.E.

1982-01-01

Triaxial compression creep data for Avery Island dome salt are analyzed to determine the influence of specimen size on creep deformation. Laboratory experiments were performed on 50- and 100-mm-diameter specimens in the temperature range from 25 to 200 0 C and the axial stress difference range from 2.5 to 31.0 MPa. The strain-vs-time data from each test are divided into transient and steady-state components. Results of statistical analysis of these data show that transient creep of the small specimens is a stronger function of stress, temperature, and time than is transient creep of the larger specimens. Analysis of the steady-state data show no size effect, however. 14 references, 7 figures, 3 tables

Laparoscopic right-sided colonic resection with transluminal colonoscopic specimen extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Kayaalp, Cuneyt; Kutluturk, Koray; Yagci, Mehmet Ali; Ates, Mustafa

2015-01-01

AIM: To study the transcolonic extraction of the proximally resected colonic specimens by colonoscopic assistance at laparoscopic colonic surgery. METHODS: The diagnoses of our patients were Crohn’s disease, carcinoid of appendix and adenocarcinoma of cecum. We preferred laparoscopic total mesocolic resections. Colon and terminal ileum were divided with endoscopic staplers. A colonoscope was placed per anal and moved proximally in the colon till to reach the colonic closed end under the laparoscopic guidance. The stump of the colon was opened with laparoscopic scissors. A snare of colonoscope was released and the intraperitoneal complete free colonic specimen was grasped. Specimen was moved in to the colon with the help of the laparoscopic graspers and pulled gently through the large bowel and extracted through the anus. The open end of the colon was closed again and the ileal limb and the colon were anastomosed intracorporeally with a 60-mm laparoscopic stapler. The common enterotomy orifice was closed in two layers with a running intracorporeal suture. RESULTS: There were three patients with laparoscopic right-sided colonic resections and their specimens were intended to remove through the remnant colon by colonoscopy but the procedure failed in one patient (adenocarcinoma) due to a bulky mass and the specimen extraction was converted to transvaginal route. All the patients had prior abdominal surgeries and had related adhesions. The operating times were 210, 300 and 500 min. The lengths of the specimens were 13, 17 and 27 cm. In our cases, there were no superficial or deep surgical site infections or any other complications. The patients were discharged uneventfully within 4-5 d and they were asymptomatic after a mean 7.6 mo follow-up (ranged 4-12). As far as we know, there were only 12 cases reported yet on transcolonic extraction of the proximal colonic specimens by colonoscopic assistance after laparoscopic resections. With our cases, success rate of the

Laser weld reconstitution of conventional Charpy and Miniaturized Notch Test (MNT) specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manahan, M.P.; Williams, J.; Martukanitz, R.P.

1993-01-01

As nuclear power plants approach end-of-license (EOL) and consideration is given to license renewal, there is an ever increasing need to expand the amount of data obtainable from the original surveillance specimens. A laser welding technique to reconstitute broken Charpy specimens is being developed to produce both conventional and miniaturized Charpy specimens. This paper reports on early laser welding development efforts and summarizes previous proof-of-principle experiments on a 1/16 scale miniaturized Charpy test. In order to benchmark the laser welding procedure, the laser-reconstituted specimen data have been compared with the original specimen data. In addition, the microstructure after welding has been examined to ensure that the material in the vicinity of the notch is essentially unchanged after the welding process. Data which characterize the thermal transient during welding are obtained by attaching thermocouples to the specimens. Other important considerations include perturbation of the stress field near the notch, dynamic stress waves, and contact of the weld region with the tup. Precise control of welding parameters has been demonstrated, heat-affected zones as small as 0.25 mm can be achieved, and sufficient penetration depth can be obtained to enable welding thick sections (1T or greater) to yield conventional Charpy specimens or fracture toughness specimens and thin sections (∼5 mm) to yield Miniaturized Notch Test (MNT) specimens

Fracture toughness of Charpy-size compound specimens and its application in engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, X.P.; Shi, Y.W.

1994-01-01

The use of a pre-cracked Charpy-size specimen with a side-groove to evaluate the fracture toughness of materials has been researched and considered. This method not only satisfies the demand for small-size specimens in surveillance tests of fracture toughness but also avoids using complicated physical methods to monitor the initial conditions of crack propagation. For most materials this method has solved the problem in which the small-size specimen did not satisfy the valid conditions of a fracture toughness measurement. In order to obtain more information from neutron-irradiated sample specimens and raise the reliability of fracture toughness surveillance tests, it has been considered more important to repeatedly exploit the broken Charpy-size specimen tested in the surveillance test, and to make it renewable. In this work, on the renewing design and utilization of Charpy-size specimens, nine data on fracture toughness can be obtained from one pre-cracked side-grooved Charpy-size specimen, while at present usually only one to three data on fracture toughness can be obtained from one Charpy-size specimen. Thus, it is found that the new method would improve the reliability of fracture toughness surveillance testing and evaluation. In addition, some factors that affect the optimum design of pre-cracked deep side-groove Charpy-size compound specimens have also been discussed. (author)

Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of Speothos venaticus specimens - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v32i4.6775 Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of Speothos venaticus specimens - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v32i4.6775

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lígia Souza Lima Silveira da Mota

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The bush dog (Speothos venaticus is a South American canid, included in the IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources official list of animals threatened with extinction, in the vulnerable category. As a preservation and conservation strategy, specimens kept in captivity by Brazilian Institutions are monitored by a management plan. In order to characterize and analyze the genetic variability of bush dog specimens, a cytogenetic analysis was carried out, and microsatellite data were also obtained through the use of 15 primers, originally developed for the domestic dog (Canis familiaris. All tested primers showed transferability and amplified fragment sizes similar to those described for the canine genome. From the total number of primers, eight were tested, and presented two polymorphic regions. Regarding cytogenetic analysis, one of the animals had chromosomal mosaicism, disqualifying it as a reproducer to form stocks. Thus, we concluded that the genetic evaluation of wild animals kept in captivity provides data that can help with the practice of exchange between different institutions, avoiding problems in the reproductive capacity of the breeding stock.The bush dog (Speothos venaticus is a South American canid, included in the IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources official list of animals threatened with extinction, in the vulnerable category. As a preservation and conservation strategy, specimens kept in captivity by Brazilian Institutions are monitored by a management plan. In order to characterize and analyze the genetic variability of bush dog specimens, a cytogenetic analysis was carried out, and microsatellite data were also obtained through the use of 15 primers, originally developed for the domestic dog (Canis familiaris. All tested primers showed transferability and amplified fragment sizes similar to those described for the canine genome. From the total number of

STRUCTURE OF ECAP ALUMINIUM AFTER DIFFERENT NUMBER OF PASSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Ilucová

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The structure of high purity (99.99% aluminium processed by equal channel angular pressing in the as pressed state after different number of passes was examined using various stereological methods. An extreme inhomogeneity and complicated anisotropy was observed along the body of rod-like specimens.

Finite Element Modeling of Compressive and Splitting Tensile Behavior of Plain Concrete and Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Cylinder Specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Arman Chowdhury

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Plain concrete and steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC cylinder specimens are modeled in the finite element (FE platform of ANSYS 10.0 and validated with the experimental results and failure patterns. Experimental investigations are conducted to study the increase in compressive and tensile capacity of cylindrical specimens made of stone and brick concrete and SFRC. Satisfactory compressive and tensile capacity improvement is observed by adding steel fibers of 1.5% volumetric ratio. A total of 8 numbers of cylinder specimens are cast and tested in 1000 kN capacity digital universal testing machine (UTM and also modeled in ANSYS. The enhancement of compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of SFRC specimen is achieved up to 17% and 146%, respectively, compared to respective plain concrete specimen. Results gathered from finite element analyses are validated with the experimental test results by identifying as well as optimizing the controlling parameters to make FE models. Modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio, stress-strain behavior, tensile strength, density, and shear transfer coefficients for open and closed cracks are found to be the main governing parameters for successful model of plain concrete and SFRC in FE platform. After proper evaluation and logical optimization of these parameters by extensive analyses, finite element (FE models showed a good correlation with the experimental results.

77 FR 47426 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for the Return of Original Documents, Form...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-08

...-0100] Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for the Return of Original Documents, Form.... (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Request for the Return of Original Documents. (3) Agency form... obtain original document(s) contained in an alien file. (5) An estimate of the total number of...

77 FR 65706 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for the Return of Original Documents, Form...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-30

...-0100] Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for the Return of Original Documents, Form... Collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Request for the Return of Original Documents. (3) Agency form... obtain original document(s) contained in an alien file. (5) An estimate of the total number of...

Increasing the efficiency of digitization workflows for herbarium specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa Tulig

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium has been databasing and imaging its estimated 7.3 million plant specimens for the past 17 years. Due to the size of the collection, we have been selectively digitizing fundable subsets of specimens, making successive passes through the herbarium with each new grant. With this strategy, the average rate for databasing complete records has been 10 specimens per hour. With 1.3 million specimens databased, this effort has taken about 130,000 hours of staff time. At this rate, to complete the herbarium and digitize the remaining 6 million specimens, another 600,000 hours would be needed. Given the current biodiversity and economic crises, there is neither the time nor money to complete the collection at this rate.Through a combination of grants over the last few years, The New York Botanical Garden has been testing new protocols and tactics for increasing the rate of digitization through combinations of data collaboration, field book digitization, partial data entry and imaging, and optical character recognition (OCR of specimen images. With the launch of the National Science Foundation’s new Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections program, we hope to move forward with larger, more efficient digitization projects, capturing data from larger portions of the herbarium at a fraction of the cost and time.

ExactPack Documentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singleton, Robert Jr. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Israel, Daniel M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Doebling, Scott William [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Woods, Charles Nathan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kaul, Ann [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Walter, John William Jr [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Rogers, Michael Lloyd [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2016-05-09

For code verification, one compares the code output against known exact solutions. There are many standard test problems used in this capacity, such as the Noh and Sedov problems. ExactPack is a utility that integrates many of these exact solution codes into a common API (application program interface), and can be used as a stand-alone code or as a python package. ExactPack consists of python driver scripts that access a library of exact solutions written in Fortran or Python. The spatial profiles of the relevant physical quantities, such as the density, fluid velocity, sound speed, or internal energy, are returned at a time specified by the user. The solution profiles can be viewed and examined by a command line interface or a graphical user interface, and a number of analysis tools and unit tests are also provided. We have documented the physics of each problem in the solution library, and provided complete documentation on how to extend the library to include additional exact solutions. ExactPack’s code architecture makes it easy to extend the solution-code library to include additional exact solutions in a robust, reliable, and maintainable manner.

Catalogue of test specimens for non-destructive examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-05-01

One of the key elements in assuring the integrity of reactor primary circuits is the availability of trustworthy non-destructive methods for detecting dangerous defects that may be present. Various approaches to making such examinations are being developed, including the use of ultrasonic and radiographic techniques. To demonstrate their capability and reliability, they must be tested on steel specimens reproducing the various types of faults which may arise in real primary circuit vessels and piping. Such specimens are costly to fabricate. It is therefore clearly desirable that existing specimens should be made accessible to as many organisations as possible for testing. This catalogue contains detailed Information on forty-odd deliberately flawed plates, blocks, vessels, etc. which have been produced in OECD countries, along with the name of a contact person to whom inquiries should be directed in each case

Historical development and future perspectives of Environmental Specimen Bank in China: a mini review.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Fang; Meng, Xiang-Zhou; Qiu, Yan-Ling; Huang, Qing-Hui; Liu, Ying; Wu, Ling-Ling; Xiao, Qian-Fen; Sun, Ya-Jie; Wang, Rui; Zhou, Yi-Hui; Yu, Zhen-Yang; Yin, Da-Qiang; Zhu, Zhi-Liang; Zhao, Jian-Fu

2015-02-01

Environmental problems as well as their related ecosystem stress and human health risk in China have raised wide concerns along with the rapid economic development in recent years. Numerous studies with a sharp increase in publication number have addressed the ubiquitous of anthropogenic chemicals in various environmental compartments and human tissues. However, very few data were available to clarify the temporal trend and to give the retrospective analysis of chemical pollution in China. Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) is a system for the systematic collection and long-term storage of specimens, which has been established since the 1970s in developed counties and recognized as a fundamental complement for environmental monitoring and scientific research. Currently, the value of ESB is becoming more broadly recognized globally, and China is still at the early stage. This article described the history and status and put forwarded the future key points of Chinese ESB development for illustrating the intensive environmental changes in China and the world.

Graphics Processing Unit Enhanced Parallel Document Flocking Clustering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Xiaohui [ORNL; Potok, Thomas E [ORNL; ST Charles, Jesse Lee [ORNL

2010-01-01

Analyzing and clustering documents is a complex problem. One explored method of solving this problem borrows from nature, imitating the flocking behavior of birds. One limitation of this method of document clustering is its complexity O(n2). As the number of documents grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to generate results in a reasonable amount of time. In the last few years, the graphics processing unit (GPU) has received attention for its ability to solve highly-parallel and semi-parallel problems much faster than the traditional sequential processor. In this paper, we have conducted research to exploit this archi- tecture and apply its strengths to the flocking based document clustering problem. Using the CUDA platform from NVIDIA, we developed a doc- ument flocking implementation to be run on the NVIDIA GEFORCE GPU. Performance gains ranged from thirty-six to nearly sixty times improvement of the GPU over the CPU implementation.

Guidebook for the fabrication of non-destructive testing (NDT) test specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

Non-destructive testing (NDT) test specimens constitute a very important part of training and certification of NDT personnel and are important for carrying out actual inspection and testing, and for achieving international harmonization of NDT practices. The IAEA organized an advisory group of experts to develop a Guidebook for Fabrication of NDT Test Specimens. The experts consulted the ISO/FDIS 9712-1999 requirements for training and certification of personnel and the suitability of various types of NDT test specimens that are needed to meet such requirements This guidebook presents a set of NDT test specimens, and the methodology and procedures for their fabrication

Quality documentation challenges for veterinary clinical pathology laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Sacchini, Federico; Freeman, Kathleen P

2008-05-01

An increasing number of veterinary laboratories worldwide have obtained or are seeking certification based on international standards, such as the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission 17025. Compliance with any certification standard or quality management system requires quality documentation, an activity that may present several unique challenges in the case of veterinary laboratories. Research specifically addressing quality documentation is conspicuously absent in the veterinary literature. This article provides an overview of the quality system documentation needed to comply with a quality management system with an emphasis on preparing written standard operating procedures specific for veterinary laboratories. In addition, the quality documentation challenges that are unique to veterinary clinical pathology laboratories are critically evaluated against the existing quality standards and discussed with respect to possible solutions and/or recommended courses of action. Documentation challenges include the establishment of quality requirements for veterinary tests, the use or modification of human analytic methods for animal samples, the limited availability of quality control materials satisfactory for veterinary clinical pathology laboratories, the limited availability of veterinary proficiency programs, and the complications in establishing species-specific reference intervals.

Basic chromosome numbers and polyploid levels in some South African and Australian grasses (Poaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. J. Spies

1991-10-01

Full Text Available Chromosome numbers of 46 specimens of grasses, involving 24 taxa from South Africa and Australia, have been determined during the present study. For the first time chromosome numbers are given for Eragrostis sarmentosa (Thunb. Trin. (n = 20. Panicum aequinerve Nees (n = 18,  Digitaria argyrograpta (Nees Stapf (n = 9 and D. maitlandii Stapf & C.E. Hubb. (n = 9. Additional polyploid levels are described for Diplachne fusca (L. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. (n = 10 and Digitaria diagonalis (Nees Stapf var.  diagonalis (n = 9. B-chromosomes were observed in several different specimens. The presence of B-chromosomes often results in abnormal chromosomal behaviour during meiosis.

Post-Flight Analysis of Selected Fluorocarbon and Other Thin Film Polymer Specimens Flown on MISSE-5

Science.gov (United States)

DeGroh, Kim; Finckenor, Miria; Minton, Tim; Brunsvold, Amy; Pippin, Gary

2007-01-01

Twenty thin film specimens were flown on M1SSE-5 as a cooperative effort between several organizations. This presentation will report results of initial inspections and post-flight measurements of the optical properties and recession of these materials due to the approx.13 month exposure period on the exterior of the International Space Station. These specimens were located on the "anti-solar" side of the MISSE-5 container and received a low number of Equivalent Sun Hours of solar UV exposure. Profilometry and/or ATF measurements will be conducted to determine thickness changes and atomic oxygen-induced recession rates Six of the specimens were covered with thin Kapton films, 0.1 and 0.3 mil in thickness. The 0.1 mil Kapton was almost completely eroded, suggesting that the atomic oxygen fluence is <8 x 10(exp 19) atoms/sq cm, similar to levels experienced during Space Shuttle materials experiments in the 1980's and 1990's. A comparison of results from MISSE-5 and Space Shuttle experiments will be included for those materials common to both the short and long-term exposures.

Tensile and Creep Testing of Sanicro 25 Using Miniature Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Dymáček, Petr; Jarý, Milan; Dobeš, Ferdinand; Kloc, Luboš

2018-01-01

Tensile and creep properties of new austenitic steel Sanicro 25 at room temperature and operating temperature 700 °C were investigated by testing on miniature specimens. The results were correlated with testing on conventional specimens. Very good agreement of results was obtained, namely in yield and ultimate strength, as well as short-term creep properties. Although the creep rupture time was found to be systematically shorter and creep ductility lower in the miniature test, the minimum creep rates were comparable. The analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed similar ductile fracture morphology for both specimen geometries. One exception was found in a small area near the miniature specimen edge that was cut by electro discharge machining, where an influence of the steel fracture behavior at elevated temperature was identified. PMID:29337867

Tensile and Creep Testing of Sanicro 25 Using Miniature Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Dymáček, Petr; Jarý, Milan; Dobeš, Ferdinand; Kloc, Luboš

2018-01-16

Tensile and creep properties of new austenitic steel Sanicro 25 at room temperature and operating temperature 700 °C were investigated by testing on miniature specimens. The results were correlated with testing on conventional specimens. Very good agreement of results was obtained, namely in yield and ultimate strength, as well as short-term creep properties. Although the creep rupture time was found to be systematically shorter and creep ductility lower in the miniature test, the minimum creep rates were comparable. The analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed similar ductile fracture morphology for both specimen geometries. One exception was found in a small area near the miniature specimen edge that was cut by electro discharge machining, where an influence of the steel fracture behavior at elevated temperature was identified.

Alfredo Dugès' type specimens of amphibians and reptiles revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Villela, Oscar; Ríos-Muñoz, César A; Magaña-Cota, Gloria E; Quezadas-Tapia, Néstor L

2016-03-14

The type specimens of amphibians and reptiles of the Museo de Historia Natural Alfredo Dugès, at the University of Guanajuato (MADUG) were reviewed following Smith & Necker's (1943) summary. Owing to this collection's eventful history and its historical importance as the oldest herpetological collection in Mexico, a review of its conservation status was needed. After many years, the collection has received proper recognition at the University of Guanajuato with a portion of the herpetological types considered "Precious Assets" of the university. We found 34 type specimens pertaining to 18 taxa; six are additional specimens to those previously reported; six herpetological types are missing, including the body of the type of Adelophis copei. All specimens are in good to reasonable condition except for the type of Rhinocheilus antonii, which has dried out completely. All specimens are illustrated to show their condition.

Document Classification in Support of Automated Metadata Extraction Form Heterogeneous Collections

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Paul K.

2014-01-01

A number of federal agencies, universities, laboratories, and companies are placing their documents online and making them searchable via metadata fields such as author, title, and publishing organization. To enable this, every document in the collection must be catalogued using the metadata fields. Though time consuming, the task of identifying…

Investigation of smooth specimen scc test procedures; variations in environment, specimen size, stressing frame, and stress state. [for high strength aluminum alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Lifka, B. W.; Sprowls, D. O.; Kelsey, R. A.

1975-01-01

The variables studied in the stress-corrosion cracking performance of high strength aluminum alloys were: (1) corrosiveness of the environment, (2) specimen size and stiffness of the stressing system, (3) interpretation of transgranular cracking, and (4) interaction of the state of stress and specimen orientation in a product with an anisotropic grain structure. It was shown that the probability of failure and time to fracture for a specimen loaded in direct tension are influenced by corrosion pattern, the stressing assembly stiffness, and the notch tensile strength of the alloy. Results demonstrate that the combination of a normal tension stress and a shear stress acting on the plane of maximum susceptibility in a product with a highly directional grain cause the greatest tendency for stress-corrosion cracking.

DALIS: a computer-assisted document retrieval system for the FFTF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harves, W.G.

1981-01-01

The FFTF (Fast Flux Test Facility) is a liquid sodium cooled, fast flux reactor designed specifically for irradiation testing of fuels and components for liquid metal fast breeder reactors. The Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission require that all pertinent documentation for maintenance, operation, and safety of the FFTF be readily accessible and retrievable, both during initial startup and for the lifetime of the plant. That amounts to a lot of information which has to be retrievable. The indexing system finally developed is called the DALIS system, short for Document and Location Indexing System. This system was designed by an engineer (Michael Theo) for use by engineers. DALIS uses descriptiors and keywords to identify each document in the system. The descriptors give such information as document number, date of issuance of the document, the title, the originating organization, and the microfilm or hardcopy location of the document. The keywords are words or phrases that describe the content of the document and permit retrieval by means of a computer search for documents with the stated keywords

46 CFR 57.06-4 - Production testing specimen requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... WELDING AND BRAZING Production Tests § 57.06-4 Production testing specimen requirements. (a) For test... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Production testing specimen requirements. 57.06-4... to welding shall not throw the finished test plate out of line by an angle of over 5°. (c) Where the...

Thermal Cycling of Uranium Dioxide - Tungsten Cermet Fuel Specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gripshover, P.J.; Peterson, J.H.

1969-12-08

In phase I tungsten clad cermet fuel specimens were thermal cycled, to study the effects of fuel loading, fuel particle size, stablized fuel, duplex coatings, and fabrication techniques on dimensional stability during thermal cycling. In phase II the best combination of the factors studies in phase I were combined in one specimen for evaluation.

A simple method for the prevention of endometrial autolysis in hysterectomy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Houghton, J P; Roddy, S; Carroll, S; McCluggage, W G

2004-03-01

Uteri are among the most common surgical pathology specimens. Assessment of the endometrium is often difficult because of pronounced tissue autolysis. This study describes a simple method to prevent endometrial autolysis and aid in interpretation of the endometrium. Sixty uteri were injected with formalin using a needle and syringe directed alongside a probe, which was inserted through the external cervical os into the endometrial cavity. Injection was performed on the same day as removal of the uterus. As controls, 60 uteri that were not injected with formalin were examined. The degree of endometrial autolysis was assessed on a four point scale (0-3), with a score of 0 representing no or minimal autolysis and a score of 3 representing extensive autolysis, such that histological interpretation of the endometrium was impossible. In the injected group, the number of cases with scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3 was 42, 13, four, and one, respectively. The corresponding values for the control group were 17, 23, eight, and 12, respectively. This was highly significant (p autolysis in uteri injected with formalin. The use of this simple procedure should be encouraged in hysterectomy specimens.

Issues in Designing a Hypermedia Document System: The Intermedia Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yankelovich, Nicole; And Others

1986-01-01

Intermedia, a hypermedia system developed at Brown University's Institute for Research (Rhode Island) in Information and Scholarship, is first described, and then used as a case study to explore a number of key issues that software designers must consider in the development of hypermedia document systems. A hypermedia document system is defined as…

Transmission electron microscopy of bulk specimens over 10 µm in thickness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadamatsu, Sunao, E-mail: sadamatsu@mech.kagoshima-u.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Tanaka, Masaki; Higashida, Kenji [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Matsumura, Syo [Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Ultramicroscopy Research Center, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan)

2016-03-15

We succeeded the observation of microstructures in bulk-sized specimens of over 10 µm in thickness by employing a technique that combines transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-filtered imaging based on electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). This method is unique in that it incorporates the inelastically scattered electrons into the imaging process. Using this technique, bright and sharp images of dislocations in crystalline silicon specimens as thick as 10 µm were obtained. A calibration curve to determine foil thickness of such a thick specimen was also derived. This method simply extends the observable thickness range in TEM. If combined with tilt series of observation over a significant range of angle, it will disclose three dimensional nanostructures in a µm-order block of a specimen, promoting our understanding of the controlling mechanisms behind various bulky material properties. - Highlights: • We developed a method which enables thick specimens to be observed using EF-TEM. • The effects of energy filter width and position on images were determined. • We suggested a method to determine the thickness of a thick film sample. • We achieved observation of microstructures in specimens with a thickness of 10 µm.

Design Analysis of the Mixed Mode Bending Sandwich Specimen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

2010-01-01

A design analysis of the mixed mode bending (MMB) sandwich specimen for face–core interface fracture characterization is presented. An analysis of the competing failure modes in the foam cored sandwich specimens is performed in order to achieve face–core debond fracture prior to other failure modes...... for the chosen geometries and mixed mode loading conditions....

Single specimen fracture toughness determination procedure using instrumented impact test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rintamaa, R.

1993-04-01

In the study a new single specimen test method and testing facility for evaluating dynamic fracture toughness has been developed. The method is based on the application of a new pendulum type instrumented impact tester equipped with and optical crack mouth opening displacement (COD) extensometer. The fracture toughness measurement technique uses the Double Displacement Ratio (DDR) method, which is based on the assumption that the specimen is deformed as two rigid arms that rotate around an apparent centre of rotation. This apparent moves as the crack grows, and the ratio of COD versus specimen displacement changes. As a consequence the onset ductile crack initiation can be detected on the load-displacement curve. Thus, an energy-based fracture toughness can be calculated. In addition the testing apparatus can use specimens with the Double ligament size as compared with the standard Charpy specimen which makes the impact testing more appropriate from the fracture mechanics point of view. The novel features of the testing facility and the feasibility of the new DDR method has been verified by performing an extensive experimental and analytical study. (99 refs., 91 figs., 27 tabs.)

ALARA notes, Number 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, T.A.; Baum, J.W.; Beckman, M.C.

1993-10-01

This document contains information dealing with the lessons learned from the experience of nuclear plants. In this issue the authors tried to avoid the 'tyranny' of numbers and concentrated on the main lessons learned. Topics include: filtration devices for air pollution abatement, crack repair and inspection, and remote handling equipment

Converting hard copy documents for electronic dissemination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffman, F.

1994-12-31

Since the advent of computer systems, the goal of a paperless office, and even a paperless society, has been pursued. While the normal paper flow in an organization is far from totally automated, particularly for items requiring signatures or authorizations, electronic information dissemination is becoming an almost simple task. The reasons for providing on-line documents are many and include faster and easier access for everyone, elimination of printing costs, reduction of wasted shelf and desk space, and the security of having a centrally-located, always up-to-date document. New computer software even provides the user with the ability to annotate documents and to have bookmarks so that the old scribbled-in and dog-eared manual can be replaced without loosing this `customizability`. Moreover, new hypermedia capabilities mean that documents can be read in a non-linear fashion and can include color figures and photographs, audio, and even animation sequences, capabilities which exceed those of paper. The proliferation of network-based information servers, coupled with the growth of the Internet, has enticed academic, governmental, and even commercial organizations to provide increasing numbers of documents and data bases in electronic form via the network, not just to internal staff, but to the public as well. Much of this information, which includes everything from mundane company procedures to spiffy marketing brochures, was previously published only in hard copy. Converting existing documents to electronic form and producing only electronic versions of new documents poses some interesting challenges to the maintainer or author.

Rapid virtual hematoxylin and eosin histology of breast tissue specimens using a compact fluorescence nonlinear microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Lucas C; Giacomelli, Michael G; Yoshitake, Tadayuki; Vardeh, Hilde; Faulkner-Jones, Beverly E; Connolly, James L; Sun, Chi-Kuang; Fujimoto, James G

2018-01-01

Up to 40% of patients undergoing breast conserving surgery for breast cancer require repeat surgeries due to close to or positive margins. The lengthy processing required for evaluating surgical margins by standard paraffin-embedded histology precludes its use during surgery and therefore, technologies for rapid evaluation of surgical pathology could improve the treatment of breast cancer by reducing the number of surgeries required. We demonstrate real-time histological evaluation of breast cancer surgical specimens by staining specimens with acridine orange (AO) and sulforhodamine 101 (SR101) analogously to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and then imaging the specimens with fluorescence nonlinear microscopy (NLM) using a compact femtosecond fiber laser. A video-rate computational light absorption model was used to produce realistic virtual H&E images of tissue in real time and in three dimensions. NLM imaging could be performed to depths of 100 μm below the tissue surface, which is important since many surgical specimens require subsurface evaluation due to contamination artifacts on the tissue surface from electrocautery, surgical ink, or debris from specimen handling. We validate this method by expert review of NLM images compared to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) H&E histology. Diagnostically important features such as normal terminal ductal lobular units, fibrous and adipose stromal parenchyma, inflammation, invasive carcinoma, and in situ lobular and ductal carcinoma were present in NLM images associated with pathologies identified on standard FFPE H&E histology. We demonstrate that AO and SR101 were extracted to undetectable levels after FFPE processing and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) HER2 amplification status was unaffected by the NLM imaging protocol. This method potentially enables cost-effective, real-time histological guidance of surgical resections.

Characterization of Cement Particles Found in Peri-implantitis-Affected Human Biopsy Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Burbano, Maria; Wilson, Thomas G; Valderrama, Pilar; Blansett, Jonathan; Wadhwani, Chandur P K; Choudhary, Pankaj K; Rodriguez, Lucas C; Rodrigues, Danieli C

2015-01-01

Peri-implantitis is a disease characterized by soft tissue inflammation and continued loss of supporting bone, which can result in implant failure. Peri-implantitis is a multifactorial disease, and one of its triggering factors may be the presence of excess cement in the soft tissues surrounding an implant. This descriptive study evaluated the composition of foreign particles from 36 human biopsy specimens with 19 specimens selected for analysis. The biopsy specimens were obtained from soft tissues affected by peri-implantitis around cement-retained implant crowns and compared with the elemental composition of commercial luting cement. Nineteen biopsy specimens were chosen for the comparison, and five test cements (TempBond, Telio, Premier Implant Cement, Intermediate Restorative Material, and Relyx) were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. This enabled the identification of the chemical composition of foreign particles embedded in the tissue specimens and the composition of the five cements. Statistical analysis was conducted using classification trees to pair the particles present in each specimen with the known cements. The particles in each biopsy specimen could be associated with one of the commercial cements with a level of probability ranging between .79 and 1. TempBond particles were found in one biopsy specimen, Telio particles in seven, Premier Implant Cement particles in four, Relyx particles in four, and Intermediate Restorative Material particles in three. Particles found in human soft tissue biopsy specimens around implants affected by peri-implant disease were associated with five commercially available dental cements.

Sem-observation of developing plant organs using deep-frozen specimens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

NN,

1982-01-01

The SEM-observation of plant material normally requires dehydrated, dry specimens coated with carbon or metal. Unfortunately, the standard drying methods (including the critical-point-drying-technique) often cause shrinking and deformation of the specimen surface; therefore, SEMstudies on plant

Increasing Recovery of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria from Respiratory Specimens over a 10-Year Period in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Won-Jung; Chang, Boksoon; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Jeon, Kyeongman; Kim, Su-Young; Lee, Nam Yong; Ki, Chang-Seok; Kwon, O Jung

2013-11-01

The number of patients with pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term trends in the NTM recovery rate from respiratory specimens over a 10-year period in a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. We retrospectively reviewed the records of mycobacterial cultures of respiratory specimens at Samsung Medical Center from January 2001 to December 2011. During the study period, 32,841 respiratory specimens from 10,563 patients were found to be culture-positive for mycobacteria. These included 12,619 (38%) Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 20,222 (62%) NTM isolates. The proportion of NTM among all positive mycobacterial cultures increased from 43% (548/1,283) in 2001 to 70% (3,341/4,800) in 2011 (ptrend). The recovery rate of NTM isolates from acid-fast bacilli smear-positive specimens increased from 9% (38/417) in 2001 to 64% (1,284/1,997) in 2011 (ptrend). The proportion of positive liquid cultures was higher for NTM than for M. tuberculosis (p<0.001). The most frequently isolated NTM were Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (53%) and Mycobacterium abscessus-massiliense complex (25%). The recovery rate of NTM from respiratory specimens in South Korea has increased steadily.

Title list of documents made publicly available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-03-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, docketed does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index

Title list of documents made publicly available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The Title List of Documents Made Publicly Available is a monthly publication. It contains descriptions of the information received and generated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and nondocketed material received and generated by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. This series of documents is indexed by a Personal Author Index, a Corporate Source Index, and a Report Number Index. The docketed information contained in the Title List includes the information formerly issued though the Department of Energy publication Power Reactor Docket Information, last published in January 1979

Cat swarm optimization based evolutionary framework for multi document summarization

Science.gov (United States)

Rautray, Rasmita; Balabantaray, Rakesh Chandra

2017-07-01

Today, World Wide Web has brought us enormous quantity of on-line information. As a result, extracting relevant information from massive data has become a challenging issue. In recent past text summarization is recognized as one of the solution to extract useful information from vast amount documents. Based on number of documents considered for summarization, it is categorized as single document or multi document summarization. Rather than single document, multi document summarization is more challenging for the researchers to find accurate summary from multiple documents. Hence in this study, a novel Cat Swarm Optimization (CSO) based multi document summarizer is proposed to address the problem of multi document summarization. The proposed CSO based model is also compared with two other nature inspired based summarizer such as Harmony Search (HS) based summarizer and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based summarizer. With respect to the benchmark Document Understanding Conference (DUC) datasets, the performance of all algorithms are compared in terms of different evaluation metrics such as ROUGE score, F score, sensitivity, positive predicate value, summary accuracy, inter sentence similarity and readability metric to validate non-redundancy, cohesiveness and readability of the summary respectively. The experimental analysis clearly reveals that the proposed approach outperforms the other summarizers included in the study.

Tensile tests and metallography of brazed AISI 316L specimens after irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groot, P.; Franconi, E.

1994-01-01

Stainless steel type 316L tensile specimens were vacuum brazed with three kinds of alloys: BNi-5, BNi-6, and BNi-7. The specimens were irradiated up to 0.7 dpa at 353 K in the High Flux Reactor at JRC Petten, the Netherlands. Tensile tests were performed at a constant displacement rate of 10 -3 s -1 at room temperature in the ECN hot cell facility. BNi-5 brazed specimens showed ductile behaviour. Necking and fractures were localized in the plate material. BNi-6 and BNi-7 brazed specimens failed brittle in the brazed zone. This was preceded by uniform deformation of the plate material. Tensile test results of irradiated specimens showed higher stresses due to radiation hardening and a reduction of the elongation of the plate material compared to the reference. SEM examination of the irradiated BNi-6 and BNi-7 fracture surfaces showed nonmetallic phases. These phases were not found in the reference specimens. ((orig.))

Role of specimen US for predicting resection margin status in breast conserving therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Moschetta, M; Telegrafo, M; Introna, T; Coi, L; Rella, L; Ranieri, V; Cirili, A; Stabile Ianora, A A; Angelelli, G

2015-01-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of specimen ultrasound (US) for predicting resection margin status in women undergoing breast conserving therapy for US-detected cancer, having the histological findings as the reference standard. A total of 132 consecutive patients (age range, 34-87 years; mean, 51 years) underwent breast-conserving surgery for US-detected invasive breast cancer. All surgical specimens underwent US examination. The presence of lesion within the specimen and its distance from the specimen margins were assessed considering a threshold distance between the lesion and specimen margins of 10 mm. US findings were then compared with the pathological ones and specimen US. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for predicting histological margin status were evaluated, having the histological findings as the reference standard. The histological examination detected invasive ductal carcinoma in 96/132 (73%) cases, invasive lobular carcinoma in 32/132 (24%), mucinous carcinoma in 4/132 (3%). The pathological margin analysis revealed 96/132 (73%) negative margins and 36 (27%) close/positive margins. US examination detected all 132 breast lesions within the surgical specimens. 110 (83%) negative margins and 22 (17%) positive margins were found on US. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV of 44%, 94%, 80%, 73% and 82%, respectively, were found for specimen US. Specimen US represents a time and cost saving imaging tool for evaluating the presence of US detected-breast lesion within surgical specimen and for predicting the histological margin status.

Strain Measurement System Developed for Biaxially Loaded Cruciform Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, David L.

2000-01-01

A new extensometer system developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field measures test area strains along two orthogonal axes in flat cruciform specimens. This system incorporates standard axial contact extensometers to provide a cost-effective high-precision instrument. The device was validated for use by extensive testing of a stainless steel specimen, with specimen temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1100 F. In-plane loading conditions included several static biaxial load ratios, plus cyclic loadings of various waveform shapes, frequencies, magnitudes, and durations. The extensometer system measurements were compared with strain gauge data at room temperature and with calculated strain values for elevated-temperature measurements. All testing was performed in house in Glenn's Benchmark Test Facility in-plane biaxial load frame.

Friction Compensation in the Upsetting of Cylindrical Test Specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Peter; Martins, P. A. F.; Bay, Niels Oluf

2016-01-01

This manuscript presents a combined numerical andexperimental methodology for determining the stress-straincurve of metallic materials from the measurements of forceand displacement obtained in the axial compression of cylindrical test specimens with friction between the specimens and the platens....... The methodology is based on minimizing the errorbetween the average surface pressure obtained from the experimental measurements of the force and displacement and thatobtained from the slab method of analysis of metal plasticity.Three different friction models based on Coulomb friction, the constant friction...... model or combined friction models are utilized .Experimental results obtained from cylindrical and Rastegaev test specimens with different lubricants combined with the experimental determination of friction by means of ring compression tests allows compensating the effect of friction...

JR-curves of wide plates and CT25 specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurich, D.; Wobst, K.; Krafka, H.

1987-01-01

In connection with the problem of the applicability of the characteristic specimen date - i.e. the initiation and stable crack propagation under maximal loads, together with the elastic-plastic material behaviour - to that of actual components, spot-check type beside tests were conducted using wide-plate central crack, central notch (CCT, CNT) and double external crack (DECT) samples. The material in question was an StE 460 steel. A comparison between the determined values shows that the assessed pressure vessel behaviour differs extensively to the values derived from the CCT and CNT specimens. The corresponding results obtained from the CT25 and DECT specimens vary only slightly in the region of interest and correspond to real vessel values. (orig./DG) [de

Extraction of ultrashort DNA molecules from herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutaker, Rafal M; Reiter, Ella; Furtwängler, Anja; Schuenemann, Verena J; Burbano, Hernán A

2017-02-01

DNA extracted from herbarium specimens is highly fragmented; therefore, it is crucial to use extraction protocols that retrieve short DNA molecules. Improvements in extraction and DNA library preparation protocols for animal remains have allowed efficient retrieval of molecules shorter than 50 bp. Here, we applied these improvements to DNA extraction protocols for herbarium specimens and evaluated extraction performance by shotgun sequencing, which allows an accurate estimation of the distribution of DNA fragment lengths. Extraction with N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB) buffer decreased median fragment length by 35% when compared with cetyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB); modifying the binding conditions of DNA to silica allowed for an additional decrease of 10%. We did not observe a further decrease in length for single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) versus double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) library preparation methods. Our protocol enables the retrieval of ultrashort molecules from herbarium specimens, which will help to unlock the genetic information stored in herbaria.

Development of reconstitution method for surveillance specimens using surface activated joining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Terumi; Kaihara, Shoichiro; Yoshida, Kazuo; Sato, Akira [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Onizawa, Kunio; Nishiyama, Yutaka; Fukaya, Kiyoshi; Suzuki, Masahide

1996-03-01

Evaluation of embrittlement of reactor vessel steel due to irradiation requires surveillance tests. However, many surveillance specimens are necessary for nuclear plants life extension. Therefore, a specimen reconstitution technique has become important to provide the many specimens for continued surveillance. A surface activated joining (SAJ) method has been developed to join various materials together at low temperatures with little deformation, and is useful to bond irradiated specimens. To assess the validity of this method, Charpy impact tests were carried out, and the characteristics caused by heating during joining were measured. The test results showed the Charpy impact values were almost the same as base materials, and surface activated joining reduced heat affected zone to less than 2 mm. (author).

Method and Apparatus for Measuring Thermal Conductivity of Small, Highly Insulating Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Robert A (Inventor); Kuczmarski, Maria A (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A method and apparatus for the measurement of thermal conductivity combines the following capabilities: 1) measurements of very small specimens; 2) measurements of specimens with thermal conductivity on the same order of that as air; and, 3) the ability to use air as a reference material. Care is taken to ensure that the heat flow through the test specimen is essentially one-dimensional. No attempt is made to use heated guards to minimize the flow of heat from the hot plate to the surroundings. Results indicate that since large correction factors must be applied to account for guard imperfections when specimen dimensions are small, simply measuring and correcting for heat from the heater disc that does not flow into the specimen is preferable.

Gleason Score Correlation Between Prostate Biopsy and Radical Prostatectomy Specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erdem Öztürk

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men and the second cause of cancer-related mortality. Prostate biopsy and the Gleason score guide treatment decisions in prostate cancer. Several studies have investigated the correlation between biopsy scores and radical prostatectomy specimen scores. We also evaluated the correlation of Gleason scores of these specimens in our patient series. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 468 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent radical prostatectomy between 2008 and 2017. Patients’ age, prostate-specific antigen levels at diagnosis, and prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy specimen Gleason scores were recorded. Upgrading and downgrading were defined as increase or decrease of Gleason score of radical prostate specimen compared to Gleason score of prostate biopsy. Results: A total of 442 men diagnosed with prostate cancer were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 62.62±6.26 years (44-84 years and mean prostate specific antigen level was 9.01±6.84 ng/mL (1.09-49 ng/mL. Prostate biopsy Gleason score was 7 in 27 (6.1% men. Radical prostatectomy specimen Gleason score was 7 in 62 (14% men. Gleason correlation was highest in the 240 patients (71.6% with score <7 and was lowest in the 31 (38.75% patients with score =7. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the discordance rate between Gleason scores of prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy specimens was 35.7%.

Comparison of measurement results between cervical pedicle specimens and CT images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Guangjian; Li Hua; Liu Haiyan; Gao Zhenping

2011-01-01

Objective: To compare the difference between the measurement results of the cervical pedicle specimens and CT image, and provide the basis for clinical cervical screw internal fixation operation. Methods: Twenty-seven Chinese adult cadaver cervical specimens including C3 to C7 vertebrae were measured by a digital calipers and CT image, containing pedicle height (PH, PH'), pedicle width(PW, PW'), total pedicle length (TL, TL') and two pedicle lengths(PL1, PL2; PL1', PL2'). The results of specimens and CT image were compared. Results: Different cervical vertebra in the same side of specimens or CT images, PW (PW'): C3, C4< C5, C6 (P<0.05), C5, C6< C7 (P<0.01); PH (PH'): there were no significant differences; TL, PL1, PL2 (TL', PL1', PL2'): there were no marked differences. In the same cervical vertebra of the specimens or CT images, PW (PW')< PH (PH') (P<0.01), PL1 (PL1') < PL2 (PL2') (P<0.01). Conclusion: The results of measurement by CT images are not markedly different from that of specimens. CT image measurement is available before cervical screw internal fixation operation. (authors)

Evaluations of environmental effect on micro crack initiation and propagation by surface observations of fatigue specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujikawa, Ryosuke; Abe, Shigeki; Nakamura, Takao; Kamaya, Masayuki

2014-01-01

Fatigue life of nuclear facilities tends to be decreased by the influence of reactor coolant, which is called environmental effect. The effect accelerates crack growth rate but the influence for crack initiation is not clarified. This study intends to discuss the environmental effect in crack initiation. The crack length and the number of cracks are measured from the investigation of fatigue test specimens in reactor coolant and air. The behavior of crack initiation is revealed from the measurement of number of cracks, crack sizes and fatigue life. From this study, environmental effect of reactor coolant is considered to influence crack initiation and increase the number of micro crack. It is also estimated that the coalescence of cracks influences the acceleration of crack growth. (author)

Use of precracked Charpy and smaller specimens to establish the master curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, M.A.; McCabe, D.E.; Nanstad, R.K.; Davidov, Y.A.

1997-01-01

The current provisions used in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations for the determination of the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels employs an assumption that there is a direct correlation between K Ic lower-bound toughness and the Charpy V-notch transition curve. Such correlations are subject to scatter from both approaches which weakens the reliability of fracture mechanics-based analyses. In this study, precracked Charpy and smaller size specimens are used in three-point static bend testing to develop fracture mechanics based K k values. The testing is performed under carefully controlled conditions such that the values can be used to predict the fracture toughness performance of large specimens. The concept of a universal transition curve (master curve) is applied. Data scatter that is characteristic of commercial grade steels and their weldments is handled by Weibull statistical modeling. The master curve is developed to describe the median K Jc fracture toughness for 1T size compact specimens. Size effects are modeled using weakest-link theory and are studied for different specimen geometries. It is shown that precracked Charpy specimens when tested within their confined validity limits follow the weakest-link size-adjustment trend and predict the fracture toughness of larger specimens. Specimens of smaller than Charpy sizes (5 mm thick) exhibit some disparities in results relative to weakest-link size adjustment prediction suggesting that application of such adjustment to very small specimens may have some limitations

The effect of specimen and flaw dimensions on fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nevalainen, M.J.

1997-06-01

The effect of the specimen size and geometry on fracture toughness has been investigated both by experimental tests and computational analyses. The methods for constraint description, namely T-stress, Q-parameter and Small-Scale Yielding Correction (SSYC) have been compared and applied for various geometries. A statistical treatment for the specimen thickness effect on cleavage fracture toughness has been investigated. Elliptical surface cracks were compared with straight-thickness cracks and a method for crack shape correction was presented. Based on the results, the differences in apparent fracture toughness values obtained from various specimen configurations can be better understood and taken into account

An automated tensile machine for small specimens heavily neutron irradiated in FFTF/MOTA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohyama, Akira; Sato, Shinji; Hamada, Kenichi

1993-01-01

The objective of this work is to develop a fully automated tensile machine for post-irradiation examination (PIE) of Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF)/Materials Open Test Assembly (MOTA) irradiated miniature tension specimens. The anticipated merit of the automated tensile machine is to reduce damage to specimens during specimen handling for PIE and to reduce exposure to radioactive specimens. This machine is designed for testing at elevated temperatures, up to 873 K, in a vacuum or in an inert gas environment. Twelve specimen assemblies are placed in the vacuum chamber that can be tested successively in a fully automated manner. A unique automated tensile machine for the PIE of FFTF/MOTA irradiated specimens, the Monbusho Automated Tensile Machine (MATRON) consists of a test frame with controlling units and an automated specimen-loading apparatus. The qualification of the test frame has been completed, and the results have satisfied the machine specifications. The capabilities of producing creep and relaxation data have been demonstrated for Cu, Al, 316SS, and ferritic steels. The specimen holders for the three-point bending test and the small bulge test (small punch test; SP test) were also designed and produced

Photogrammetric analysis of concrete specimens and structures for condition assessment

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, Nicolas; Yu, Tzuyang

2016-04-01

Deterioration of civil infrastructure in America demands routine inspection and maintenance to avoid catastrophic failures from occurring. Among many other non-destructive evaluations (NDE), photogrammetry is an accessible and realistic approach used for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of a civil infrastructure systems. The objective of this paper is to explore the capabilities of photogrammetry for locating, sizing, and analyzing the remaining capacity of a specimen or system using point cloud data. Geometric interpretations, composed from up to 70 photographs are analyzed as a mesh or point cloud models. In this case study, concrete, which exhibits a large amount of surface texture features, was thoroughly examined. These evaluative techniques discussed were applied to concrete cylinder models as well as portions of civil infrastructure including buildings, retaining walls, and bridge abutments. In this paper, the aim is to demonstrate the basic analytical functionality of photogrammetry, as well as its applicability to in-situ civil infrastructure systems. In concrete specimens defect length and location can be evaluated in a fully defined model (one with the maximum amount of correctly acquired photographs) with less than 2% error. Error was found to be inversely proportional to the number of acceptable photographs acquired, remaining significantly under 10% error for any model with enough data to render. Furthermore, volumetric stress evaluations were applied using a cross sectional evaluation technique to locate the critical area, and determine the severity of damages. Finally, findings and the accuracy of the results are discussed.

Influence of impacts on static and low-cycle fatigue characteristics of composite specimens (Draft)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walters, C.L.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the effect of impacts on the possible reduction of the structural characteristics and damage growth of graphite-epoxy specimens. The considered specimens are undamaged specimens and specimens impacted with two different energy levels. In particular, barely visible impact damage

48 CFR 752.7003 - Documentation for payment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... information to be reported with the following elements: Total Expenditures [Document Number: XXX-X-XX-XXXX-XX.... for Line Item 001 $XXXX.XX $ XXXX.XX 002 Product/Service Desc. for Line Item 002 XXXX.XX XXXX.XX Total XXXX.XX XXXX.XX (2) The fiscal report shall include the following certification signed by an authorized...

Computerising documentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

The nuclear power generation industry is faced with public concern and government pressures over safety, efficiency and risk. Operators throughout the industry are addressing these issues with the aid of a new technology - technical document management systems (TDMS). Used for strategic and tactical advantage, the systems enable users to scan, archive, retrieve, store, edit, distribute worldwide and manage the huge volume of documentation (paper drawings, CAD data and film-based information) generated in building, maintaining and ensuring safety in the UK's power plants. The power generation industry has recognized that the management and modification of operation critical information is vital to the safety and efficiency of its power plants. Regulatory pressure from the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) to operate within strict safety margins or lose Site Licences has prompted the need for accurate, up-to-data documentation. A document capture and management retrieval system provides a powerful cost-effective solution, giving rapid access to documentation in a tightly controlled environment. The computerisation of documents and plans is discussed in this article. (Author)

Bireflectance imaging of coal and carbon specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crelling, J.C. [Department of Geology, 1259 Lincoln Drive, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 (United States); Glasspool, I.J.; Gibbins, J.R.; Seitz, M. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX (United Kingdom)

2005-11-10

Although bireflectance measurements are routine, to date they have been limited to selected single point measurements. This study uses a 360{sup o} rotating polarizer in the incident light path combined with digital imaging to map the optical bireflectance of a polished specimen over the complete field of view, a system herein referred to as 'Bireflectance Imaging of Coal and Carbon Specimens' (BRICCS). True maximum reflectance maps and maps of polarizer angle for maximum reflectance (to identify co-ordered regions) are obtainable from the same data. A variety of coal, coke, char, graphite, and carbon/carbon specimens have been examined with the BRICCS system and the results demonstrate that the system can produce accurate maximum and apparent minimum reflectance, bireflectance, and extinction angle images. For example, flakes of natural graphite show no bireflectance along their long axis except in areas that have been strained. The images are maps showing the value of every pixel that has been calibrated by mineral reflectance standards. The maps are unique in that they show fields of view that cannot be seen by normal viewing through the microscope. For example, the bireflectance maps show the maximum difference between the maximum and apparent minimum reflectance for each of the million pixels at twenty orientations of the polarizer. (author)

Crack Propagation on ESE(T) Specimens Strengthened with CFRP Sheets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Christian Skodborg; Jensen, Peter Holmstrøm; Dyrelund, Jens

2009-01-01

In this paper fatigue tests on side notched steel test specimens strengthened with adhesive bonded fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets are presented. The specimens are subject to crack growth both in the steel and bond line. Influence of the load ratio and initial crack length on the overall...

Characteristics on Temperature Evolution in the Metallic Specimen by Ultrasound-Excited Thermography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, M. Y.; Park, J. H. [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kang, K. S. [Hyundai Steel Co., Dangjin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, W. T. [Kongju National University, Gongju (Korea, Republic of)

2010-06-15

In ultrasound-excited thermography, the injected ultrasound to an object is transformed to heat and the appearance of defects can be visualized by thermography camera. The advantage of this technology is selectively sensitive to thermally active defects. Despite the apparent simplicity of the scheme, there are a number of experimental considerations that can complicate the implementation of ultrasound excitation thermography inspection. Factors including acoustic horn location, horn-crack proximity, horn-sample coupling, and effective detection range all significantly affect the detect ability of this technology. As conclusions, the influence of coupling pressures between ultrasound exciter and specimen was analyzed, which was dominant factor in frictional heating model

Morphing methods to parameterize specimen-specific finite element model geometries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigal, Ian A; Yang, Hongli; Roberts, Michael D; Downs, J Crawford

2010-01-19

Shape plays an important role in determining the biomechanical response of a structure. Specimen-specific finite element (FE) models have been developed to capture the details of the shape of biological structures and predict their biomechanics. Shape, however, can vary considerably across individuals or change due to aging or disease, and analysis of the sensitivity of specimen-specific models to these variations has proven challenging. An alternative to specimen-specific representation has been to develop generic models with simplified geometries whose shape is relatively easy to parameterize, and can therefore be readily used in sensitivity studies. Despite many successful applications, generic models are limited in that they cannot make predictions for individual specimens. We propose that it is possible to harness the detail available in specimen-specific models while leveraging the power of the parameterization techniques common in generic models. In this work we show that this can be accomplished by using morphing techniques to parameterize the geometry of specimen-specific FE models such that the model shape can be varied in a controlled and systematic way suitable for sensitivity analysis. We demonstrate three morphing techniques by using them on a model of the load-bearing tissues of the posterior pole of the eye. We show that using relatively straightforward procedures these morphing techniques can be combined, which allows the study of factor interactions. Finally, we illustrate that the techniques can be used in other systems by applying them to morph a femur. Morphing techniques provide an exciting new possibility for the analysis of the biomechanical role of shape, independently or in interaction with loading and material properties. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Report number codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelson, R.N. (ed.)

1985-05-01

This publication lists all report number codes processed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information. The report codes are substantially based on the American National Standards Institute, Standard Technical Report Number (STRN)-Format and Creation Z39.23-1983. The Standard Technical Report Number (STRN) provides one of the primary methods of identifying a specific technical report. The STRN consists of two parts: The report code and the sequential number. The report code identifies the issuing organization, a specific program, or a type of document. The sequential number, which is assigned in sequence by each report issuing entity, is not included in this publication. Part I of this compilation is alphabetized by report codes followed by issuing installations. Part II lists the issuing organization followed by the assigned report code(s). In both Parts I and II, the names of issuing organizations appear for the most part in the form used at the time the reports were issued. However, for some of the more prolific installations which have had name changes, all entries have been merged under the current name.

Report number codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, R.N.

1985-05-01

This publication lists all report number codes processed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information. The report codes are substantially based on the American National Standards Institute, Standard Technical Report Number (STRN)-Format and Creation Z39.23-1983. The Standard Technical Report Number (STRN) provides one of the primary methods of identifying a specific technical report. The STRN consists of two parts: The report code and the sequential number. The report code identifies the issuing organization, a specific program, or a type of document. The sequential number, which is assigned in sequence by each report issuing entity, is not included in this publication. Part I of this compilation is alphabetized by report codes followed by issuing installations. Part II lists the issuing organization followed by the assigned report code(s). In both Parts I and II, the names of issuing organizations appear for the most part in the form used at the time the reports were issued. However, for some of the more prolific installations which have had name changes, all entries have been merged under the current name

Impact of Access to Online Databases on Document Delivery Services within Iranian Academic Libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zohreh Zahedi

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The present study investigates the impact of access to online databases on the document delivery services in Iranian Academic Libraries, within the framework of factors such as number of orders lodged over the years studied and their trends, expenditures made by each university, especially those universities and groups that had the highest number of orders. This investigation was carried out through a survey and by calling on the library document supply unit in universities as well as in-person interview with librarians in charge. The study sample was confined to the universities of Shiraz, Tehran and Tarbiyat Modaress along with their faculties. Findings indicate that the rate of document requests in various universities depends on the target audience, capabilities, students’ familiarity as well as mode of document delivery services..

Residual stress state in pipe cut ring specimens for fracture toughness testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Damjanovic, Darko [J.J. Strossmayer Univ. of Osijek, Slavonski Brod (Croatia). Mechanical Engineering Faculty; Kozak, Drazan [Zagreb Univ. (Croatia). Dept. for Mechanical Design; Marsoner, Stefan [Materials Center, Leoben (Austria).; Gubeljak, Nenad [Maribor Univ. (Slovenia). Chair of Mechanics

2017-07-01

Thin-walled pipes are not suitable for measuring fracture toughness parameters of vital importance because longitudinal crack failure is the most common failure mode in pipes. This is due to the impossibility to manufacture standard specimens for measuring fracture toughness, such as SENB or CT specimens, from the thin wall of the pipe. Previous works noticed this problem, but until now, a good and convenient solution has not been found or developed. To overcome this problem, very good alternative solution was proposed, the so-called pipe ring notched bend specimen (PRNB) [1-5]. Until now, only the idealized geometry PRNB specimen is analyzed, i. e., a specimen which is not cut out from an actual pipe but produced from steel plate. Based on that, residual stresses are neglected along with the imperfections in geometry (elliptical and eccentricity). The aim of this research is to estimate the residual stress state(s) in real pipes used in the boiler industry produced by hot rolling technique. These types of pipes are delivered only in normalized condition, but not stress relieved. Therefore, there are residual stresses present due to the manufacturing technique, but also due to uneven cooling after the production process. Within this paper, residual stresses are estimated by three methods: the incremental hole drilling method (IHMD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the splitting method (SM). Knowing the residual stress state in the ring specimen, it is possible to assess their impact on fracture toughness measured on the corresponding PRNB specimen(s).

Residual stress state in pipe cut ring specimens for fracture toughness testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damjanovic, Darko; Kozak, Drazan; Marsoner, Stefan; Gubeljak, Nenad

2017-01-01

Thin-walled pipes are not suitable for measuring fracture toughness parameters of vital importance because longitudinal crack failure is the most common failure mode in pipes. This is due to the impossibility to manufacture standard specimens for measuring fracture toughness, such as SENB or CT specimens, from the thin wall of the pipe. Previous works noticed this problem, but until now, a good and convenient solution has not been found or developed. To overcome this problem, very good alternative solution was proposed, the so-called pipe ring notched bend specimen (PRNB) [1-5]. Until now, only the idealized geometry PRNB specimen is analyzed, i. e., a specimen which is not cut out from an actual pipe but produced from steel plate. Based on that, residual stresses are neglected along with the imperfections in geometry (elliptical and eccentricity). The aim of this research is to estimate the residual stress state(s) in real pipes used in the boiler industry produced by hot rolling technique. These types of pipes are delivered only in normalized condition, but not stress relieved. Therefore, there are residual stresses present due to the manufacturing technique, but also due to uneven cooling after the production process. Within this paper, residual stresses are estimated by three methods: the incremental hole drilling method (IHMD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the splitting method (SM). Knowing the residual stress state in the ring specimen, it is possible to assess their impact on fracture toughness measured on the corresponding PRNB specimen(s).

An Inset CT Specimen for Evaluating Fracture in Small Samples of Material

Science.gov (United States)

Yahyazadehfar, M.; Nazari, A.; Kruzic, J.J.; Quinn, G.D.; Arola, D.

2013-01-01

In evaluations on the fracture behavior of hard tissues and many biomaterials, the volume of material available to study is not always sufficient to apply a standard method of practice. In the present study an inset Compact Tension (inset CT) specimen is described, which uses a small cube of material (approximately 2×2×2 mm3) that is molded within a secondary material to form the compact tension geometry. A generalized equation describing the Mode I stress intensity was developed for the specimen using the solutions from a finite element model that was defined over permissible crack lengths, variations in specimen geometry, and a range in elastic properties of the inset and mold materials. A validation of the generalized equation was performed using estimates for the fracture toughness of a commercial dental composite via the “inset CT” specimen and the standard geometry defined by ASTM E399. Results showed that the average fracture toughness obtained from the new specimen (1.23 ± 0.02 MPa•m0.5) was within 2% of that from the standard. Applications of the inset CT specimen are presented for experimental evaluations on the crack growth resistance of dental enamel and root dentin, including their fracture resistance curves. Potential errors in adopting this specimen are then discussed, including the effects of debonding between the inset and molding material on the estimated stress intensity distribution. Results of the investigation show that the inset CT specimen offers a viable approach for studying the fracture behavior of small volumes of structural materials. PMID:24268892

Thinning of specimens for examination under the electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franks, J.

1982-01-01

Heretofore specimens have been thinned to penetration for examination by electron microscopy techniques, by ion erosion techniques. A more rapid technique is disclosed employing a beam or beams comprised solely of neutral particles. In tests carried out using this technique the sputtering rate from a sample specimen has been shown to be several percentages greater using a neutral source than from an ion source with the same flux density. (author)

Special fracture mechanics specimens for multilayer plastic pipes testing

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hutař, Pavel; Šestáková, Lucie; Knésl, Zdeněk; Nezbedová, E.; Náhlík, Luboš

2009-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 8 (2009), s. 785-792 ISSN 0142-9418 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/09/0279; GA ČR GC101/09/J027 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Multilayer plastic pipes * C-type specimen * K-calibration * Fracture toughness * Slow crack growth * Non-homogenous specimens Subject RIV: JL - Material s Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.667, year: 2009

Biomphalaria obstructa (Morelet, 1849: a study of topotypic specimens (Mollusca: pulmonata: planorbidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Lobato Paraense

1990-12-01

Full Text Available A description of Biomphalaria obstructa (Morelet, 1849, based on specimens collected at its type locality - isla del carmen, state of Campeche, Mexico - is presented. The Shell is small, 13 mm in diameter, 3.5 mm in width and with 5.75 whorls in the largest specimen, thin, moderately lustrous and translucent, horn-colored. Whorls increasing regularly (neither slowly nor rapidly in diameter, rounded on the periphery side, bluntly angular on the left. Suture well-marked, deeper on the left. Right side widely concave, with first whorl deeply situated and partly hidden by the next. Left side shallower than right one, largely flattened, with first whorl plaintly visible. Aperture roundly heart-shaped, usually in the same plane as the body whorl but somewhat deflected to the left (less frequently to the right in some specimens. Peristome sharp, seldom blunt; a distinct callus on the parietal wall. A number of young shells develop one set (seldom more of apertural lamellae which tend to be resorbed as the shell grows. Absence of renal ridge. Ovotestis with about 70 mostly unbrached diverticula. Seminal vesicle beset with well-developed knoblike to fingerlike diverticula. Vaginal pouch more or less developed. Spermatheca club-shaped when empty, egg-shaped when full, and with intermediate forms between those extremes. Spermathecal body usually somewhat longer than the duct. Prostate with 7 to 20 (mean 12.06 ± 2.51 usually short diverticula which give off plumpish branches spreading out in a fan shape and overlapping to some extent their immediate neighbors. Foremost prostatic diverticulum nearly always partially or completely inserted between the spermathecal body and the uterine wall. Penial sheath consistently narrower and shorter than the prepuce. Muscular coat of the penis consisting of an inner longitudinal and an outer circular layers. Ratios between organ lengths: caudal to cephalic parts of female duct = 0.55 to 1.37 (mean 0.85 +- 0.17; cephalic

Backscattered electron SEM imaging of resin sections from plant specimens: observation of histological to subcellular structure and CLEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzo, N W; Duncan, K E; Bourett, T M; Howard, R J

2016-08-01

We have refined methods for biological specimen preparation and low-voltage backscattered electron imaging in the scanning electron microscope that allow for observation at continuous magnifications of ca. 130-70 000 X, and documentation of tissue and subcellular ultrastructure detail. The technique, based upon early work by Ogura & Hasegawa (1980), affords use of significantly larger sections from fixed and resin-embedded specimens than is possible with transmission electron microscopy while providing similar data. After microtomy, the sections, typically ca. 750 nm thick, were dried onto the surface of glass or silicon wafer and stained with heavy metals-the use of grids avoided. The glass/wafer support was then mounted onto standard scanning electron microscopy sample stubs, carbon-coated and imaged directly at an accelerating voltage of 5 kV, using either a yttrium aluminum garnet or ExB backscattered electron detector. Alternatively, the sections could be viewed first by light microscopy, for example to document signal from a fluorescent protein, and then by scanning electron microscopy to provide correlative light/electron microscope (CLEM) data. These methods provide unobstructed access to ultrastructure in the spatial context of a section ca. 7 × 10 mm in size, significantly larger than the typical 0.2 × 0.3 mm section used for conventional transmission electron microscopy imaging. Application of this approach was especially useful when the biology of interest was rare or difficult to find, e.g. a particular cell type, developmental stage, large organ, the interface between cells of interacting organisms, when contextual information within a large tissue was obligatory, or combinations of these factors. In addition, the methods were easily adapted for immunolocalizations. © 2015 The Author. Journal of Microscopy published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd on behalf of the Royal Microscopical Society.

Fabrication and testing of prestressed composite rotor blade spar specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Gleich, D.

1974-01-01

Prestressed composite spar specimens were fabricated and evaluated by crack propagation and ballistic penetration tests. The crack propagation tests on flawed specimens showed that the prestressed composite spar construction significantly suppresses crack growth. Damage from three high velocity 30 caliber projectile hits was confined to three small holes in the ballistic test specimen. No fragmentation or crack propagation was observed indicating good ballistic damage resistance. Rotor attachment approaches and improved structural performance configurations were identified. Design theory was verified by tests. The prestressed composite spar configuration consisted of a compressively prestressed high strength ARDEFORM 301 stainless steel liner overwrapped with pretensioned S-994 fiberglass.

Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Feasibility and Validity of Prismatic Rock Specimen in SHPB

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Xibing Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents experimental and numerical studies on the feasibility and validity of using prismatic rock specimens in split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB test. Firstly, the experimental tests are conducted to evaluate the stress and strain uniformity in the prismatic specimens during impact loading. The stress analysis at the ends of the specimen shows that stress equilibrium can be achieved after about three wave reflections in the specimen, and the balance can be well maintained for a certain time after peak stress. The strain analysis reveals that the prismatic specimen deforms uniformly during the dynamic loading period. Secondly, numerical simulation is performed to further verify the stress and strain uniformity in the prismatic specimen in SHPB test. It indicates that the stress equilibrium can be achieved in prismatic specimen despite a certain degree of stress concentration at the corners. The comparative experiments demonstrate that the change of specimen shape has no significant effect on dynamic responses and failure patterns of the specimen. Finally, a dynamic crack propagation test is presented to show the application of the present work in studying fracturing mechanisms under dynamic loading.

Small specimen technique for assessing mechanical properties of metallic components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Morcelli, Aparecido E., E-mail: rmlobo@ipen.br, E-mail: morcelliae@gmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-11-01

Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most promising techniques of small specimen test, which was originally applied in testing of irradiated materials in nuclear engineering. Then it was introduced to other fields as an almost nondestructive method to measure the local mechanical properties that are difficult to be obtained using conventional mechanical tests. Most studies to date are focused on metallic materials, although SPT applications are recently spreading to other materials. The small punch test (SPT) employs small-sized specimens (for example, samples measuring 8 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick). The specimen is firmly clamped between two circular dies and is bi-axially strained until failure into a circular hole using a hemispherical punch. The 'load-punch displacement' record can be used to estimate the yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the tensile elongation, and the temperature of the ductile-to-brittle transition. Recently, some researchers are working on the use of miniature notched or pre-cracked specimens (denoted as p-SPT) to validate its geometry and dimensions for obtaining the fracture properties of metallic materials. In a first approach, the technique makes it possible to convert primary experimental data into conventional mechanical properties of a massive specimen. In this paper a comprehensive review of the different STP applications is presented with the aim of clarifying its usefulness. (author)

Small specimen technique for assessing mechanical properties of metallic components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Morcelli, Aparecido E.

2017-01-01

Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most promising techniques of small specimen test, which was originally applied in testing of irradiated materials in nuclear engineering. Then it was introduced to other fields as an almost nondestructive method to measure the local mechanical properties that are difficult to be obtained using conventional mechanical tests. Most studies to date are focused on metallic materials, although SPT applications are recently spreading to other materials. The small punch test (SPT) employs small-sized specimens (for example, samples measuring 8 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick). The specimen is firmly clamped between two circular dies and is bi-axially strained until failure into a circular hole using a hemispherical punch. The 'load-punch displacement' record can be used to estimate the yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the tensile elongation, and the temperature of the ductile-to-brittle transition. Recently, some researchers are working on the use of miniature notched or pre-cracked specimens (denoted as p-SPT) to validate its geometry and dimensions for obtaining the fracture properties of metallic materials. In a first approach, the technique makes it possible to convert primary experimental data into conventional mechanical properties of a massive specimen. In this paper a comprehensive review of the different STP applications is presented with the aim of clarifying its usefulness. (author)

Testing machine for fatigue crack kinetic investigation in specimens under bending

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panasyuk, V.V.; Ratych, L.V.; Dmytrakh, I.N.

1978-01-01

A kinematic diagram of testing mashine for the investigation of fatigue crack kinetics in prismatic specimens, subjected to pure bending is described. Suggested is a technique of choosing an optimum ratio of the parameters of ''the testing machine-specimen'' system, which provide the stabilization of the stress intensity coefficient for a certain region of crack development under hard loading. On the example of the 40KhS and 15Kh2MFA steel specimens the pliability of the machine constructed according to the described diagram and designed for the 30ONxm maximum bending moment. The results obtained can be used in designing of the testing machines for studying pure bending under hard loading and in choosing the sizes of specimens with rectangular cross sections for investigations into the kinetics of the fatigue crack

The Implementation of Cosine Similarity to Calculate Text Relevance between Two Documents

Science.gov (United States)

Gunawan, D.; Sembiring, C. A.; Budiman, M. A.

2018-03-01

Rapidly increasing number of web pages or documents leads to topic specific filtering in order to find web pages or documents efficiently. This is a preliminary research that uses cosine similarity to implement text relevance in order to find topic specific document. This research is divided into three parts. The first part is text-preprocessing. In this part, the punctuation in a document will be removed, then convert the document to lower case, implement stop word removal and then extracting the root word by using Porter Stemming algorithm. The second part is keywords weighting. Keyword weighting will be used by the next part, the text relevance calculation. Text relevance calculation will result the value between 0 and 1. The closer value to 1, then both documents are more related, vice versa.

Review of forensically important entomological specimens in the period of 1972 - 2002.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, H L; Krishnasamy, M; Abdullah, A G; Jeffery, J

2004-12-01

Forensic entomological specimens received by the Unit of Medical Entomology, IMR., from hospitals and the police in Malaysia in the last 3 decades (1972 - 2002) are reviewed. A total of 448 specimens were received. From these, 538 identifications were made with the following results: Eighteen species of cyclorrphaga flies were identified consisting of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) 215 cases (47.99%), Ch. rufifacies (Masquart) 132 (29.46%), Ch. villeneuvi Patton 10 (2.23%), Ch. nigripes Aubertin 7 (1.56%), Ch. bezziana Villeneuve 4 (0.89%), Ch. pinguis (Walker) 1 (0.22%), Chrysomya sp. 47 (10.49%), Sarcophaga sp. 28 (6.25%), Lucilia sp. 21 (4.69%), Hermetia sp. 15 (3.35%), He. illucens (Linnaeus) 1 (0.22%), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann) 3 (0.67%), Hemipyrellia sp. 2 (0.45%), Ophyra spinigera 1 (0.22%), Ophyra sp. 6 (1.34%), Calliphora sp. 24 (5.36%), Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) 1 (0.22%) and Eristalis sp. 1 (0.22%). Other non - fly insect specimens are Pthirus pubis (Linnaeus) (Pubic louse) 2 (0.45%) and Coleoptera (Beetles) 1 (0.22%). Ch. megacephala and Ch. rufifacies were the commonest species found in cadavers from different ecological habitats. Sy. nudiseta is an uncommon species, thus far found only on cadavers from indoors. Sy. nudiseta is reported for the second time in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 329 cases (73.44%) had a single fly infestation, 109 cases (24.33%) had double fly infestation and 10 cases (2.23%) had triple fly infestation. Five cases (1.12%) had eggs and 3 cases (0.67%) had larval stages that were not identifiable. No arthropods were retrieved from cadavers in 8 cases (1.79%). In conclusion, although large number of fly species were found on human cadavers, the predominant species are still those of Chrysomya.

Fatigue life determination by damage measuring in SAE 8620 specimens steel subjected to multiaxial experiments in neutral and corrosive environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Luiz L. da; Filho, Nelson do N.A.; Gomes, Paulo de T.V.; Rabello, Emerson G.; Mansur, Tanius R.

2013-01-01

Fatigue is the fail phenomenon of a material subjected to cyclic loads. This phenomenon affects any component under loads (forces, temperatures, etc.) that changes in time. When there is a combined load, originating multiaxial fatigue, which is the most of the real loads, worst is the situation. Before the component fail, the fatigue phenomenon produces damages to its material and this is a cumulative process that could not be reduced. In the continuum mechanic context, material damage is defined as a parameter that reduces the component resistance and this could cause its fail. The process of damage measuring by changes in electrical resistance is used in this work, and from experimental results of SAE 8620 steel specimens subjected to multiaxial fatigue in corrosive and neutral environment, the remaining specimen time life could be determined. Each specimen has its initial electrical resistance measured and after a certain number of fatigue cycles stopping points, its electrical resistance was measured again. In order to study multiaxial fatigue in specimens, a machine that induces simultaneously bending and torsional loads in the specimen was developed. Air at the temperature range of 18 deg C and 20 deg C was considered neutral environment. The corrosive environment was a NaCl solution with a concentration of 3,5% in weigh. The experimental results showed that the measuring fatigue damage using the changes in electrical resistance is efficient and that is possible to estimate the effect of a corrosive environment in the fatigue damage. (author)

Design and construction of OGL-1 Specimen Transfer System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Kunio; Saruta, Tohru; Nabeya, Hideaki; Nakagaki, Shogo; Nishizaki, Tadashi.

1977-11-01

OGL-1 is the first high temperature gas in-pile loop in Japan, which is installed in JMTR of Oarai Research Establishment, JAERI. As the JMTR is the PWR type, specimens must be set in the loop with a remote control system ''OGL-1 Specimen Transfer System'' because of the needs for moisture prevention and radiation shielding. Described in this report are design philosophy, loop development, problems in construction, inspection and operation. (auth.)

Breast surgical specimen radiographs: How reliable are they?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Britton, P.D.; Sonoda, L.I.; Yamamoto, A.K.; Koo, B.; Soh, E.; Goud, A.

2011-01-01

Radiography of the excised surgical specimen following wire guided localisation of impalpable breast lesions is standard surgical practice. The aims of the study were to establish the reliability of the breast specimen radiograph (SR) in determining lesion excision and to determine whether the radiographic margin correlated with the histological margin. The clinical, imaging, SR and pathological details of 106 patients with a pre-operative diagnosis of breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The reliability of orientation was estimated and the appearance and distance from the mammographic abnormality to each radial margin were measured and correlated with surgical histological findings. The overall accuracy of the specimen radiograph in determining whether the mammographic lesion was present was 99%. The SR could be orientated 'very reliably' or 'reliably' in 80% of patients however in only 48% of patients did the closest margin on the SR correspond with the same nearest margin at final histology. A maximum measurement of 11 mm or more from the lesion to the specimen edge was associated with a 77% likelihood of having a clear final histological margin (taken as 5 mm or more) and if <11 mm a 58% chance of having involved final histological margins. There was however a wide overlap in the results with patients having an apparently wide SR margin but histologically involved margins and vice versa. The SR is reliable at determining whether the target lesion has been removed. The correlation of SR margin orientation and measurement with final histological measurement is however far less reliable.

Grips for testing of electrical characteristics of a specimen under a mechanical load

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Timothy; Loyola, Bryan

2018-04-24

Various technologies to facilitate coupled electrical and mechanical measurement of conductive materials are disclosed herein. A gripping device simultaneously holds a specimen in place and causes contact to be made between the specimen and a plurality of electrodes connected to an electrical measuring device. An electrical characteristic of the specimen is then measured while a mechanical load is applied to the specimen, and a relationship between the mechanical load and changes in the electrical characteristic can be identified.

Consultation on urological specimens from referred cancer patients using real-time digital microscopy: Optimizing the workflow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrik Holten-Rossing

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Centralization of cancer treatment entails a reassessment of the diagnostic tissue specimens. Packaging and shipment of glass slides from the local to the central pathology unit means that the standard procedure is time-consuming and that it is difficult to comply with governmental requirements. The aim was to evaluate whether real-time digital microscopy for urological cancer specimens during the primary diagnostic process can replace subsequent physical slide referral and reassessment without compromising diagnostic safety. Methods: From May to October 2014, tissue specimens from 130 patients with urological cancer received at Næstved Hospital′s Pathology Department, and expected to be referred for further treatment at cancer unit of a university hospital, were diagnosed using standard light microscopy. In the event of diagnostic uncertainty, the VisionTek digital microscope (Sakura Finetek was employed. The Pathology Department at Næstved Hospital was equipped with a digital microscope and three consultant pathologists were stationed at Rigshospitalet with workstations optimized for digital microscopy. Representative slides for each case were selected for consultation and live digital consultation took place over the telephone using remote access software. Time of start and finish for each case was logged. For the physically referred cases, time from arrival to sign-out was logged in the national pathology information system, and time spent on microscopy and reporting was noted manually. Diagnosis, number of involved biopsies, grade, and stage were compared between digital microscopy and conventional microscopy. Results: Complete data were available for all 130 cases. Standard procedure with referral of urological cancer specimens took a mean of 8 min 56 s for microscopy, reporting and sign-out per case. For live digital consultations, a mean of 18 min 37 s was spent on each consultation with 4 min 43 s for each case

Orbitmpi Documentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowe, Lisa L.

2000-01-01

Orbitmpi is a parallelized version of Roscoe White's Orbit code. The code has been parallelized using MPI, which makes it portable to many types of machines. The guidelines used for the parallelization were to increase code performance with minimal changes to the code's original structure. This document gives a general description of how the parallel sections of the code run. It discusses the changes made to the original code and comments on the general procedure for future additions to Orbitmpi, as well as describing the effects of a parallelized random number generator on the code's output. Finally, the scaling results from Hecate and from Puffin are presented. Hecate is a 64-processor Origin 2000 machine, with MIPS R12000 processors and 16GB of memory, and Puffin is a PC cluster with 9 dual-processor 450 MHz Pentium III (18 processors max.), with 100Mbits ethernet communication

Urine specimen validity test for drug abuse testing in workplace and court settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shin-Yu; Lee, Hei-Hwa; Lee, Jong-Feng; Chen, Bai-Hsiun

2018-01-01

In recent decades, urine drug testing in the workplace has become common in many countries in the world. There have been several studies concerning the use of the urine specimen validity test (SVT) for drug abuse testing administered in the workplace. However, very little data exists concerning the urine SVT on drug abuse tests from court specimens, including dilute, substituted, adulterated, and invalid tests. We investigated 21,696 submitted urine drug test samples for SVT from workplace and court settings in southern Taiwan over 5 years. All immunoassay screen-positive urine specimen drug tests were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We found that the mean 5-year prevalence of tampering (dilute, substituted, or invalid tests) in urine specimens from the workplace and court settings were 1.09% and 3.81%, respectively. The mean 5-year percentage of dilute, substituted, and invalid urine specimens from the workplace were 89.2%, 6.8%, and 4.1%, respectively. The mean 5-year percentage of dilute, substituted, and invalid urine specimens from the court were 94.8%, 1.4%, and 3.8%, respectively. No adulterated cases were found among the workplace or court samples. The most common drug identified from the workplace specimens was amphetamine, followed by opiates. The most common drug identified from the court specimens was ketamine, followed by amphetamine. We suggest that all urine specimens taken for drug testing from both the workplace and court settings need to be tested for validity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Thiel embalming fluid--a new way to revive formalin-fixed cadaveric specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Amanda; Eisma, Roos; Lamb, Clare

2014-09-01

By soft fixing cadavers using the Thiel embalming method, our cadavers now exhibit a greater degree of flexibility and color retention compared to that of traditional formalin-fixed cadavers. The aim of this experiment was to discover whether Thiel embalming fluid could be used to revive and soften the muscles of formalin-fixed prosected specimens. Earlier this year, two severely dehydrated formalin-fixed forearm and hand specimens were fully submerged in a tank containing Thiel embalming fluid. After a period of six months the specimens were removed from the tank and noticeable changes were observed in flexibility, quality of the tissue, and color of the specimens. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optimal design and fabrication of three-dimensional calibration specimens for scanning probe microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Xiaoning; Luo Tingting; Chen Yuhang; Huang Wenhao [Department of Precision Machinery and Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026 Hefei (China); Piaszenski, Guido [Raith GmbH, Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 8, 44263 Dortmund (Germany)

2012-05-15

Micro-/nano-scale roughness specimens are highly demanded to synthetically calibrate the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) instrument. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) specimens with controllable main surface evaluation parameters were designed. In order to improve the design accuracy, the genetic algorithm was introduced into the conventional digital filter method. A primary 3D calibration specimen with the dimension of 10 {mu}m x 10 {mu}m was fabricated by electron beam lithography. Atomic force microscopy characterizations demonstrated that the statistical and spectral parameters of the fabricated specimen match well with the designed values. Such a kind of 3D specimens has the potential to calibrate the SPM for applications in quantitative surface evaluations.

Common criteria among States for storage and use of dried blood spot specimens after newborn screening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlo Petrini

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Biological samples collected in biobanks are a resource with significant research potential. The Italian Joint Group cNB - cNBBSV (National committee of Bioethics - National committee for Biosecurity, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences published a document reporting recommendations on storage and use of dried blood spot (DBS and on the development of a National Network of Regional Newborn Screening Repositories for collection of residual DBS. Several ethical questions (about consent, possible use of genetic information, unanticipated possible usages for research purposes rise from residual newborn screening specimens collections. Moreover, legal and ethical controversies are accentuated by the conflicts between the interests of sample donors, biobank holders, researchers and the public. To overcome these difficulties the identification of a few criteria for storage and research usage of DBS is crucial.

Elastic-plastic analysis of fracture mechanics test specimens. Part 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talja, H.; Wallin, K.

1984-12-01

This is second part of the report of the research program 'Comparisons between computational and experimental elastic-plastic results' started at the Technical Research Centre of Finland in 1981. The first part of the research program was reported earlier and contained a two dimensional linear elastic finite element analysis of four specimen geometries (CT, RCT, ASTM-3P and Charpy-V) and testing and elastic-plastic analysis of the specimen (EGF71; 1TCT, material A 542). In this report the second part of the program containing the testing and 2-D elastic-plastic analyses of five specimens is described. The four specimen geometries mentioned above and two different materials (stainless steel AISI 304 and ferrite pressure vessel steel A533B) are considered. The following comparisons are presented in the report: load vs. load displacement curves, J-integral, crack opening displacement (COD), J vs. COD and the size of the plastic zone. The agreement between the computational and experimental results is quite good. Complete agreement can be achieved only with 3-dimensional calculation models. (author)

An analysis of forensic entomological specimens by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Syamsa, R A; Ahmad, F M S; Marwi, M A; Zuha, R M; Omar, B

2010-09-01

This study reviews forensic entomological specimens analysed by the Department of Parasitology & Medical Entomology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for the year 2004. A total of 10 cases (6 males and 4 females) were observed for the entomological specimens. Various types of death scenes were obtained including indoor and outdoor area such as bushes field, rubbish dumping site, and aquatic areas. Identified fly species collected from the death sites were blow flies, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya rufifacies and Lucilia cuprina and unknown sarcophagid larvae, with Ch. megacephala being the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats. The post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation ranged from one to five days, based on the entomological specimens collected.

The effect of specimen and flaw dimensions on fracture toughness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nevalainen, M.J. [VTT Manufacturing Technology, Espoo (Finland)

1997-06-01

The effect of the specimen size and geometry on fracture toughness has been investigated both by experimental tests and computational analyses. The methods for constraint description, namely T-stress, Q-parameter and Small-Scale Yielding Correction (SSYC) have been compared and applied for various geometries. A statistical treatment for the specimen thickness effect on cleavage fracture toughness has been investigated. Elliptical surface cracks were compared with straight-thickness cracks and a method for crack shape correction was presented. Based on the results, the differences in apparent fracture toughness values obtained from various specimen configurations can be better understood and taken into account. 64 refs. The thesis includes also four previous publications by author.

Cerenkov and radioluminescence imaging of brain tumor specimens during neurosurgery

Science.gov (United States)

Spinelli, Antonello Enrico; Schiariti, Marco P.; Grana, Chiara M.; Ferrari, Mahila; Cremonesi, Marta; Boschi, Federico

2016-05-01

We presented the first example of Cerenkov luminescence imaging (CLI) and radioluminescence imaging (RLI) of human tumor specimens. A patient with a brain meningioma localized in the left parietal region was injected with 166 MBq of Y90-DOTATOC the day before neurosurgery. The specimens of the tumor removed during surgery were imaged using both CLI and RLI using an optical imager prototype developed in our laboratory. The system is based on a cooled electron multiplied charge coupled device coupled with an f/0.95 17-mm C-mount lens. We showed for the first time the possibility of obtaining CLI and RLI images of fresh human brain tumor specimens removed during neurosurgery.

Genomic treasure troves: complete genome sequencing of herbarium and insect museum specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Staats, Martijn; Erkens, Roy H J; van de Vossenberg, Bart; Wieringa, Jan J; Kraaijeveld, Ken; Stielow, Benjamin; Geml, József; Richardson, James E; Bakker, Freek T

2013-01-01

Unlocking the vast genomic diversity stored in natural history collections would create unprecedented opportunities for genome-scale evolutionary, phylogenetic, domestication and population genomic studies. Many researchers have been discouraged from using historical specimens in molecular studies because of both generally limited success of DNA extraction and the challenges associated with PCR-amplifying highly degraded DNA. In today's next-generation sequencing (NGS) world, opportunities and prospects for historical DNA have changed dramatically, as most NGS methods are actually designed for taking short fragmented DNA molecules as templates. Here we show that using a standard multiplex and paired-end Illumina sequencing approach, genome-scale sequence data can be generated reliably from dry-preserved plant, fungal and insect specimens collected up to 115 years ago, and with minimal destructive sampling. Using a reference-based assembly approach, we were able to produce the entire nuclear genome of a 43-year-old Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) herbarium specimen with high and uniform sequence coverage. Nuclear genome sequences of three fungal specimens of 22-82 years of age (Agaricus bisporus, Laccaria bicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus) were generated with 81.4-97.9% exome coverage. Complete organellar genome sequences were assembled for all specimens. Using de novo assembly we retrieved between 16.2-71.0% of coding sequence regions, and hence remain somewhat cautious about prospects for de novo genome assembly from historical specimens. Non-target sequence contaminations were observed in 2 of our insect museum specimens. We anticipate that future museum genomics projects will perhaps not generate entire genome sequences in all cases (our specimens contained relatively small and low-complexity genomes), but at least generating vital comparative genomic data for testing (phylo)genetic, demographic and genetic hypotheses, that become increasingly more horizontal

A study on preparation of cross sectional anatomy specimen of cadaver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Im, C. K.; Choi, B. I.; Park, J. H.; Chang, K. H.; Yeon, K. M.; Han, M. C.; Kim, C. W.

1984-01-01

With the advent of cross sectional image of CT, ultrasound and magnetic resonance, the need for knowledge of cross sectional anatomy is stranger than ever. To meet this need, preparation of cross sectional anatomy specimen using cadaver is indispensable, not only because it tis the real cut surface anatomy but also because overt limitations of radiographic image in both contrast and special resolution. Authors prepared cross sectional anatomy specimen using a male cadaver, comprising photographs and slides of the 60 cross cut slices from the head to the pelvis. After photography, each slices was embedded using transparent resin allowing permanent preservation of specimen without altering its original architecture. Author's unique method of preparation is presented and 4 representative specimens are illustrated comparing cadaver's CT image, cross cut surface photography, and photography of resin embedded slice of the same cut surface.

Response of a PGNAA setup for pozzolan-based cement concrete specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqvi, A.A.; Garwan, M.A.; Maslehuddin, M.; Nagadi, M.M.; Al-Amoudi, O.S.B.; Raashid, M.

2010-01-01

Pozzolanic materials are added to Portland cement concrete to increase its durability, particularly corrosion-resistance. In this study the elemental composition of a pozzolanic cement concrete was measured non-destructively utilizing an accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup. The optimum size of the pozzolanic cement concrete specimen was obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results were experimentally verified through the γ-ray yield measurement from the pozzolanic cement concrete specimens as a function of their radii. The concentration of the pozzolanic material in the cement concrete specimens was evaluated by measuring γ-ray yield for calcium and iron from pozzolanic cement concrete specimens containing 5-80 wt% pozzolan. A good agreement was noted between the experimental values and the Monte Carlo simulation results, indicating an excellent response of the KFUPM accelerator-based PGNAA setup for pozzolan based concrete.

Response of a PGNAA setup for pozzolan-based cement concrete specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naqvi, A.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)], E-mail: aanaqvi@kfupm.edu.sa; Garwan, M.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Maslehuddin, M. [Center for Engineering Research, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Nagadi, M.M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Amoudi, O.S.B. [Department of Civil Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Raashid, M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

2010-04-15

Pozzolanic materials are added to Portland cement concrete to increase its durability, particularly corrosion-resistance. In this study the elemental composition of a pozzolanic cement concrete was measured non-destructively utilizing an accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup. The optimum size of the pozzolanic cement concrete specimen was obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results were experimentally verified through the {gamma}-ray yield measurement from the pozzolanic cement concrete specimens as a function of their radii. The concentration of the pozzolanic material in the cement concrete specimens was evaluated by measuring {gamma}-ray yield for calcium and iron from pozzolanic cement concrete specimens containing 5-80 wt% pozzolan. A good agreement was noted between the experimental values and the Monte Carlo simulation results, indicating an excellent response of the KFUPM accelerator-based PGNAA setup for pozzolan based concrete.

Relationship between strain and central deflection in small punch creep specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Zhen; Wang Zhiwen

2003-01-01

Acquiring information about creep strain directly from small punch creep tests is difficult because the deformation behaviour of the small punch specimen is complicated. A routine is suggested in the present paper to treat this problem indirectly. Based on a finite element analysis, it is proposed that the relationship of central deflection δ to central creep strain ε c of a specimen subjected to creep can be represented approximately by the relationship of central deflection δ to central (elastic-plastic) strain ε of a specimen not subjected to creep. With this hypothesis, the δ∼ε c relation of the small punch creep specimen is obtained by resorting to a rigid-plastic membrane stretch forming model. Finally, small punch creep test results are used to evaluate creep strain and creep strain rate by taking advantage of this δ∼ε c relation

Methods and devices for small specimen testing at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jitsukawa, Shiro; Kizaki, Minoru; Umino, Akira; Shiba, Kiyoyuki; Hishinuma, Akimichi

1993-01-01

Devices for a punch test on annular notched specimens, small punch (SP) tests, and miniaturized tension tests in hot cells were developed. A micro-manipulator to handle small specimens and an electro-discharge machine (EDM) to extract miniaturized tension specimens and annular notched specimens from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) disks were also fabricated. These devices were designed and made for remote operation in hot cells. Preliminary tests to evaluate the applicability of test methods were carried out. Correlation between SP test results and tensile properties was not strong. Miniaturized tensile results were reasonably similar to the results with larger specimens. The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) by the punch test on annular notched specimens was higher than that obtained from the SP test. However, materials dependence of the DBTT was different from that measured by standard Charpy V-notch (CVN) tests. This may be due to a specimen size effect

Digitization of medical documents: an X-Windows application for fast scanning.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz, A; Salvador, C H; Gonzalez, M A; Dueñas, A

1992-01-01

This paper deals with digitization, using a commercial scanner, of medical documents as still images for introduction into a computer-based Information System. Document management involves storing, editing and transmission. This task has usually been approached from the perspective of the difficulties posed by radiologic images because of their indisputable qualitative and quantitative significance. However, healthcare activities require the management of many other types of documents and involve the requirements of numerous users. One key to document management will be the availability of a digitizer to deal with the greatest possible number of different types of documents. This paper describes the relevant aspects of documents and the technical specifications that digitizers must fulfill. The concept of document type is introduced as the ideal set of digitizing parameters for a given document. The use of document type parameters can drastically reduce the time the user spends in scanning sessions. Presentation is made of an application based on Unix, X-Windows and OSF/Motif, with a GPIB interface, implemented around the document type concept. Finally, the results of the evaluation of the application are presented, focusing on the user interface, as well as on the viewing of color images in an X-Windows environment and the use of lossy algorithms in the compression of medical images.

Documentation Service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charnay, J.; Chosson, L.; Croize, M.; Ducloux, A.; Flores, S.; Jarroux, D.; Melka, J.; Morgue, D.; Mottin, C.

1998-01-01

This service assures the treatment and diffusion of the scientific information and the management of the scientific production of the institute as well as the secretariat operation for the groups and services of the institute. The report on documentation-library section mentions: the management of the documentation funds, search in international databases (INIS, Current Contents, Inspects), Pret-Inter service which allows accessing documents through DEMOCRITE network of IN2P3. As realizations also mentioned are: the setup of a video, photo database, the Web home page of the institute's library, follow-up of digitizing the document funds by integrating the CD-ROMs and diskettes, electronic archiving of the scientific production, etc

Requirements for the data transfer during the examination of design documentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karakozova Irina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available When you transfer the design documents to the examination office, number of incompatible electronic documents increases dramatically. The article discusses the way to solve the problem of transferring of the text and graphic data of design documentation for state and non-state expertise, as well as verification of estimates and requirement management. The methods for the recognition of the system elements and requirements for the transferring of text and graphic design documents are provided. The need to use the classification and coding of various elements of information systems (structures, objects, resources, requirements, contracts, etc. in data transferring systems is indicated separately. The authors have developed a sequence of document processing and transmission of data during the examination, and propose a language for describing the construction of the facility, taking into account the classification criteria of the structures and construction works.

Technique for information retrieval using enhanced latent semantic analysis generating rank approximation matrix by factorizing the weighted morpheme-by-document matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Chew, Peter A; Bader, Brett W

2012-10-16

A technique for information retrieval includes parsing a corpus to identify a number of wordform instances within each document of the corpus. A weighted morpheme-by-document matrix is generated based at least in part on the number of wordform instances within each document of the corpus and based at least in part on a weighting function. The weighted morpheme-by-document matrix separately enumerates instances of stems and affixes. Additionally or alternatively, a term-by-term alignment matrix may be generated based at least in part on the number of wordform instances within each document of the corpus. At least one lower rank approximation matrix is generated by factorizing the weighted morpheme-by-document matrix and/or the term-by-term alignment matrix.

Herbarium specimens, photographs, and field observations show Philadelphia area plants are responding to climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

Panchen, Zoe A; Primack, Richard B; Anisko, Tomasz; Lyons, Robert E

2012-04-01

The global climate is changing rapidly and is expected to continue changing in coming decades. Studying changes in plant flowering times during a historical period of warming temperatures gives us a way to examine the impacts of climate change and allows us to predict further changes in coming decades. The Greater Philadelphia region has a long and rich history of botanical study and documentation, with abundant herbarium specimens, field observations, and botanical photographs from the mid-1800s onward. These extensive records also provide an opportunity to validate methodologies employed by other climate change researchers at a different biogeographical area and with a different group of species. Data for 2539 flowering records from 1840 to 2010 were assessed to examine changes in flowering response over time and in relation to monthly minimum temperatures of 28 Piedmont species native to the Greater Philadelphia region. Regression analysis of the date of flowering with year or with temperature showed that, on average, the Greater Philadelphia species studied are flowering 16 d earlier over the 170-yr period and 2.7 d earlier per 1°C rise in monthly minimum temperature. Of the species studied, woody plants with short flowering duration are the best indicators of a warming climate. For monthly minimum temperatures, temperatures 1 or 2 mo prior to flowering are most significantly correlated with flowering time. Studies combining herbarium specimens, photographs, and field observations are an effective method for detecting the effects of climate change on flowering times.

Strip specimen tests for pipeline materials and girth welds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohr, William C. [Edison Welding Institute (EWI), Columbus, Ohio (United States)

2009-07-01

Strip specimen testing of pipeline materials has been widely applied as a method of getting data relevant to the performance of pipelines under axial direction loading. Comparisons of strip specimen against smaller standard tests (round tensile bar, fracture toughness specimens, polished round bars) and against full-scale or large-scale testing will be explored. Data from early-generation pipe welds from the 1920's to the 1940's to the most recent materials for offshore reeled pipe will be used for examples. Strip samples can provide full thickness information to take account of varying material properties or imperfection distribution through the thickness. Strip samples can also accommodate measurement of effects of the original surface finish or weld surface shape. Strip samples have more design flexibility than standard tests, but must be designed to limit stress concentrations and effects of local bending. (author)

Specimen preparation of irradiated materials for examination in the atom probe field ion microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, K.F.; Miller, M.K.

1994-01-01

The atom probe field ion microscope (APFIM) requires specimens in the form of ultrasharp needles. Basic protective measures used to reduce exposure druing specimen preparation are discussed. The low-level radioactive specimen blanks may be made using a two-stage electropolishing process using a thin layer of electrolyte floating on a denser inert liquid; this produces a necked region and eventually two specimens from each single blank. The amount of material handled may also be reduced using a micropolishing technique to repolish blunt or fractured specimens. Control of contamination and possible spills is discussed

Gamma irradiation test report of simulated grout specimens for gas generation/liquid advection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinman, C.A.

1994-01-01

This report presents the results from an irradiation test performed on four specimens of grout that were fabricated from synthetic Double Shell Slurry Feed (DSSF) liquid waste. The objective was to investigate the radiolytic generation of gases and the potential for advective rejection of waste liquids from the grout matrix and to provide experimental information for the validation of the C-Cubed calculated model. It has been demonstrated that a number of gases can be formed within the grout due to radiolytic decomposition of various chemical components that make up the grout. This observation leads to the conjecture that the potential exists for the rejection of a portion of the 60 vol% free liquid from the grout matrix driven by pressurization by these gases. It was found that, for the specimen geometries used in this test series, and for peak radiation dose accumulation rates on the order of 4 to 60 times of the initial rate expected in the grout vaults (300 Rads/hr), no liquid rejection was observed from 2% to 35% of the target exposure expected in the grout vaults (1E+08 Rads). When the irradiation rate exceeded the projected grout vault dose rate by a factor of 200 a small amount of liquid rejection was observed from one of two specimens that had received 20% more than the goal exposure. Because of the differences in the magnitudes of the relative radiation field strengths between this study and an actual grout vault, it is concluded that the potential for liquid rejection by internal gas pressurization from presently configured grout waste forms is very low for the expected conditions

Cultural diversity: blind spot in medical curriculum documents, a document analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Paternotte, Emma; Fokkema, Joanne P I; van Loon, Karsten A; van Dulmen, Sandra; Scheele, Fedde

2014-08-22

Cultural diversity among patients presents specific challenges to physicians. Therefore, cultural diversity training is needed in medical education. In cases where strategic curriculum documents form the basis of medical training it is expected that the topic of cultural diversity is included in these documents, especially if these have been recently updated. The aim of this study was to assess the current formal status of cultural diversity training in the Netherlands, which is a multi-ethnic country with recently updated medical curriculum documents. In February and March 2013, a document analysis was performed of strategic curriculum documents for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in the Netherlands. All text phrases that referred to cultural diversity were extracted from these documents. Subsequently, these phrases were sorted into objectives, training methods or evaluation tools to assess how they contributed to adequate curriculum design. Of a total of 52 documents, 33 documents contained phrases with information about cultural diversity training. Cultural diversity aspects were more prominently described in the curriculum documents for undergraduate education than in those for postgraduate education. The most specific information about cultural diversity was found in the blueprint for undergraduate medical education. In the postgraduate curriculum documents, attention to cultural diversity differed among specialties and was mainly superficial. Cultural diversity is an underrepresented topic in the Dutch documents that form the basis for actual medical training, although the documents have been updated recently. Attention to the topic is thus unwarranted. This situation does not fit the demand of a multi-ethnic society for doctors with cultural diversity competences. Multi-ethnic countries should be critical on the content of the bases for their medical educational curricula.

An acceleration test for stress corrosion cracking using humped specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaya, Masayuki; Fukumura, Takuya; Totsuka, Nobuo

2003-01-01

By using the humped specimen, which is processed by the humped die, in the slow strain rate technique (SSRT) test, fracture facet due to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) can be observed in relatively short duration. Although the cold work and concentrated stress and strain caused by the characteristic shape of the specimen accelerate the SCC, to date these acceleration effects have not been examined quantitatively. In the present study, the acceleration effects of the humped specimen were examined through experiments and finite element analyses (FEA). The experiments investigated the SCC of alloy 600 in the primary water environment of a pressurized water reactor. SSRT tests were conducted using two kinds of humped specimen: one was annealed after hump processing in order to eliminate the cold work, and the other was hump processed after the annealing treatment. The work ratio caused by the hump processing and stress/strain conditions during SSRT test were evaluated by FEA. It was found that maximum work ratio of 30% is introduced by the hump processing and that the distribution of the work ratio is not uniform. Furthermore, the work ratio is influenced by the friction between the specimen and dies as well as by the shape of dies. It was revealed that not only the cold work but also the concentrated stress and strain during SSRT test accelerate the crack initiation and growth of the SCC. (author)

Egg numbers and fecundity traits in nine species of Mantella poison ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The body size and number of eggs in dissected females were analysed in nine species of the Malagasy frog genus Mantella basing upon preserved specimens. These species were distinguished in terms of habitat and grouped as 'grassland species' (included M. betsileo, M. expectata, M. viridis), and 'rainforest species' ...

Subject (of documents)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjørland, Birger

2017-01-01

This article presents and discuss the concept “subject” or subject matter (of documents) as it has been examined in library and information science (LIS) for more than 100 years. Different theoretical positions are outlined and it is found that the most important distinction is between document......-oriented views versus request-oriented views. The document-oriented view conceive subject as something inherent in documents, whereas the request-oriented view (or the policy based view) understand subject as an attribution made to documents in order to facilitate certain uses of them. Related concepts...

Graphical analysis of some pseudo-random number generators

OpenAIRE

Lewis, Peter A. W.

1986-01-01

There exist today many 'good' pseudo-random number generators; the problem is to retrieve them. This document discusses three commonly used pseudo- random number generators, the first being RANDU, a notoriously bad generator, but one which is still occasionally used. The next is the widely used prime modulus, multiplicative congruential generator used in LL-RANDOMII, the Naval Postgraduate School random number package, and the last is the random number generator provided for microcomputers wi...

A novel colourimetric technique to assess chewing function using two-coloured specimens: Validation and application.