Effects of 'target' plant species body size on neighbourhood species richness and composition in old-field vegetation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brandon S Schamp

Full Text Available Competition is generally regarded as an important force in organizing the structure of vegetation, and evidence from several experimental studies of species mixtures suggests that larger mature plant size elicits a competitive advantage. However, these findings are at odds with the fact that large and small plant species generally coexist, and relatively smaller species are more common in virtually all plant communities. Here, we use replicates of ten relatively large old-field plant species to explore the competitive impact of target individual size on their surrounding neighbourhoods compared to nearby neighbourhoods of the same size that are not centred by a large target individual. While target individuals of the largest of our test species, Centaurea jacea L., had a strong impact on neighbouring species, in general, target species size was a weak predictor of the number of other resident species growing within its immediate neighbourhood, as well as the number of resident species that were reproductive. Thus, the presence of a large competitor did not restrict the ability of neighbouring species to reproduce. Lastly, target species size did not have any impact on the species size structure of neighbouring species; i.e. they did not restrict smaller, supposedly poorer competitors, from growing and reproducing close by. Taken together, these results provide no support for a size-advantage in competition restricting local species richness or the ability of small species to coexist and successfully reproduce in the immediate neighbourhood of a large species.

Effects of diffraction and target finite size on coherent transition radiation spectra in bunch length measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castellano, M.; Cianchi, A.; Verzilov, V.A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Frascati, RM (Italy). Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati; Orlandi, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Rome (Italy)]|[Rome Univ., Tor Vergata, Rome (Italy)

1999-07-01

Effects of diffraction and the size of the target on TR in the context of CTR-based bunch length measurements are studied on the basis of Kirchhoff diffraction theory. Spectra of TR from the finite-size target for several schemes of measurements are calculated in the far-infrared region showing strong distortion at low frequencies. Influence of the effect on the accuracy of bunch length measurements is estimated.

New target for high-intensity laser-matter interaction: Gravitational flow of micrometer-sized powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Servol, M.; Quere, F.; Bougeard, M.; Monot, P.; Martin, Ph.; Faenov, A.Ya; Pikuz, T.A.; Audebert, P.; Francucci, M.; Petrocelli, G.

2005-01-01

The design of efficient targets for high-intensity laser-matter interaction is essential to fully exploit the advantages of laser-induced photons or particles sources. We present an advantageous kind of target, consisting in a free gravitational flow of micrometer-sized powder, and describe its main technical characteristics. We demonstrate a laser-induced keV x-ray source using this target, and show that the photon flux obtained for the Kα line of Si by irradiating different silica powders is comparable to the one obtained with a bulk silica target

Radiation inactivation target size of rat adipocyte glucose transporters in the plasma membrane and intracellular pools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, D.B.; Berenski, C.J.; Spangler, R.A.; Jung, C.Y.

1987-01-01

The in situ assembly states of the glucose transport carrier protein in the plasma membrane and in the intracellular (microsomal) storage pool of rat adipocytes were assessed by studying radiation-induced inactivation of the D-glucose-sensitive cytochalasin B binding activities. High energy radiation inactivated the glucose-sensitive cytochalasin B binding of each of these membrane preparations by reducing the total number of the binding sites without affecting the dissociation constant. The reduction in total number of binding sites was analyzed as a function of radiation dose based on target theory, from which a radiation-sensitive mass (target size) was calculated. When the plasma membranes of insulin-treated adipocytes were used, a target size of approximately 58,000 daltons was obtained. For adipocyte microsomal membranes, we obtained target sizes of approximately 112,000 and 109,000 daltons prior to and after insulin treatment, respectively. In the case of microsomal membranes, however, inactivation data showed anomalously low radiation sensitivities at low radiation doses, which may be interpreted as indicating the presence of a radiation-sensitive inhibitor. These results suggest that the adipocyte glucose transporter occurs as a monomer in the plasma membrane while existing in the intracellular reserve pool either as a homodimer or as a stoichiometric complex with a protein of an approximately equal size

Small-sized pump for the target chamber of the E-SUVI accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borts, B.V.; Kravchenko, S.F.; Pisarev, G.V.; Rubashko, V.G.; Khorenko, V.K.

1980-01-01

The target chamber of the accelerator ESUVI is located at the high voltage end of the accelerating tube under the electrostatic generator conductor. The pumping out from the target chamber region has been performed through the accelerating tube its rate constituting 1.5 l/s which resulted in oxidation and contamination of the surface of irradiated targets in the course of the irradiation of chemically active materials. For obtaining high vacuum in a target chamber a small-size gettering-ionic pump of the ORBITRON type has been developed which operates in the autonomous mode. The pump pumping out rate in the pressure range 10 -5 -10 -7 mm Hg constitutes for air and nitrogen 20-25 l/s, ffor oxygen 30-40 l/s, for hydrogen 100-120 l/s. The pump weight without supply units is 2 kg. The pumps permits performing pressure indicator in the target chamber. Using the developed pump makes possible to decrease the target chamber pressure to 1x10 -6 mm Hg for active gases to 10 -8 -10 -9 mm Hg

miR-11 regulates pupal size of Drosophila melanogaster via directly targeting Ras85D.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yao; Li, Shengjie; Jin, Ping; Chen, Liming; Ma, Fei

2017-01-01

MicroRNAs play diverse roles in various physiological processes during Drosophila development. In the present study, we reported that miR-11 regulates pupal size during Drosophila metamorphosis via targeting Ras85D with the following evidences: pupal size was increased in the miR-11 deletion mutant; restoration of miR-11 in the miR-11 deletion mutant rescued the increased pupal size phenotype observed in the miR-11 deletion mutant; ectopic expression of miR-11 in brain insulin-producing cells (IPCs) and whole body shows consistent alteration of pupal size; Dilps and Ras85D expressions were negatively regulated by miR-11 in vivo; miR-11 targets Ras85D through directly binding to Ras85D 3'-untranslated region in vitro; removal of one copy of Ras85D in the miR-11 deletion mutant rescued the increased pupal size phenotype observed in the miR-11 deletion mutant. Thus, our current work provides a novel mechanism of pupal size determination by microRNAs during Drosophila melanogaster metamorphosis. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Effective source size, yield and beam profile from multi-layered bremsstrahlung targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svensson, R.; Brahme, A.

1996-01-01

Modern conformal radiotherapy benefits from heterogeneous dose delivery using scanned narrow bremsstrahlung beams of high energy in combination with dynamic double focused multi-leaf collimation and purging magnets. When using a purging magnet to remove electrons and positrons the target space is limited and unorthodox thin multi-layered targets are needed. A computational technique has therefore been developed to determine the forward yield and the angular distributions of the bremsstrahlung beam as well as the size and location of the effective and the virtual photon point source for arbitrary multi-layer bremsstrahlung targets. The Gaussian approximation of the diffusion equation for the electrons has been used and convolved with the bremsstrahlung production process. For electrons with arbitrary emittance impinging on targets of any multi-layer and atomic number combination, the model is well applicable, at least for energies in the range 1-100 MeV. The intrinsic bremsstrahlung photon profile has been determined accurately by deconvolving the electron multiple scattering process from thin experimental beryllium target profiles. For electron pencil beams incident on a target of high density and atomic number such as tungsten, the size of the effective photon source stays at around a tenth of a millimetre. The effective photon source for low-Z materials such as Be, C and Al is located at depths from 3-7 mm in the target, decreasing with increasing atomic number. The effective photon source at off-axis positions then moves out considerably from the central axis, which should be considered when aligning collimators. For high-Z materials such as tungsten, the location of the effective photon source is at a few tenths of a millimetre deep. The virtual photon point source is located only a few tenths of a millimetre upstream of the effective photon source both for high- and low-Z materials. For 50 MeV electrons incident on multi-layered full range targets the radial

Targeting Triple Negative Breast Cancer with a Small-sized Paramagnetic Nanoparticle

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li; Varma, Nadimpalli RS; Gang, Zhang Z.; Ewing, James R.; Arbab, Ali S; Ali, Meser M

2016-01-01

There is no available targeted therapy or imaging agent for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We developed a small-sized dendrimer-based nanoparticle containing a clinical relevant MRI contrast agent, GdDOTA and a NIR fluorescent dye, DL680. Systemic delivery of dual-modal nanoparticles led to accumulation of the agents in a flank mouse model of TNBC that were detected by both optical and MR imaging. In-vivo fluorescence images, as well as ex-vivo fluorescence images of individual organs, demonstrated that nanoparticles accumulated into tumor selectively. A dual modal strategy resulted in a selective delivery of a small-sized (GdDOTA)42-G4-DL680 dendrimeric agent to TNBC tumors, avoiding other major organs. PMID:28018751

Radiation inactivation analysis of assimilatory NADH:nitrate reductase. Apparent functional sizes of partial activities associated with intact and proteolytically modified enzyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solomonson, L.P.; McCreery, M.J.; Kay, C.J.; Barber, M.J.

1987-01-01

Recently we demonstrated that target sizes for the partial activities of nitrate reductase were considerably smaller than the 100-kDa subunit which corresponded to the target size of the full (physiologic) activity NADH:nitrate reductase. These results suggested that the partial activities resided on functionally independent domains and that radiation inactivation may be due to localized rather than extensive damage to protein structure. The present study extends these observations and addresses several associated questions. Monophasic plots were observed over a wide range of radiation doses, suggesting a single activity component in each case. No apparent differences were observed over a 10-fold range of concentration for each substrate, suggesting that the observed slopes were not due to marked changes in Km values. Apparent target sizes estimated for partial activities associated with native enzyme and with limited proteolysis products of native enzyme suggested that the functional size obtained by radiation inactivation analysis is independent of the size of the polypeptide chain. The presence of free radical scavengers during irradiation reduced the apparent target size of both the physiologic and partial activities by an amount ranging from 24 to 43%, suggesting that a free radical mechanism is at least partially responsible for the inactivation. Immunoblot analysis of nitrate reductase irradiated in the presence of free radical scavengers revealed formation of distinct bands at 90, 75, and 40 kDa with increasing doses of irradiation rather than complete destruction of the polypeptide chain

Smaller Fixation Target Size Is Associated with More Stable Fixation and Less Variance in Threshold Sensitivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazunori Hirasawa

Full Text Available The aims of this randomized observational case control study were to quantify fixation behavior during standard automated perimetry (SAP with different fixation targets and to evaluate the relationship between fixation behavior and threshold variability at each test point in healthy young participants experienced with perimetry. SAP was performed on the right eyes of 29 participants using the Octopus 900 perimeter, program 32, dynamic strategy. The fixation targets of Point, Cross, and Ring were used for SAP. Fixation behavior was recorded using a wearable eye-tracking glass. All participants underwent SAP twice with each fixation target in a random fashion. Fixation behavior was quantified by calculating the bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA and the frequency of deviation from the fixation target. The BCEAs (deg2 of Point, Cross, and Ring targets were 1.11, 1.46, and 2.02, respectively. In all cases, BCEA increased significantly with increasing fixation target size (p < 0.05. The logarithmic value of BCEA demonstrated the same tendency (p < 0.05. A positive correlation was identified between fixation behavior and threshold variability for the Point and Cross targets (ρ = 0.413-0.534, p < 0.05. Fixation behavior increased with increasing fixation target size. Moreover, a larger fixation behavior tended to be associated with a higher threshold variability. A small fixation target is recommended during the visual field test.

Coupling analysis of the target temperature and thermal stress due to pulsed ion beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Jie; Liu Meng; Lin Jufang; An Li; Long Xinggui

2013-01-01

Background: Target temperature has an important effect on the target life for the sealed neutron generator without cooling system. Purpose: To carry out the thermal-mechanical coupling analysis of the film-substrate target bombarded by the pulsed ion beam. Methods: The indirect coupling Finite Element Method (FEM) with a 2-dimensional time-space Gaussian axisymmetric power density as heat source was used to simulate the target temperature and thermal stress fields. Results: The effects of the target temperature and thermal stress fields under difference pulse widths and beam sizes were analyzed in terms of the FEM results. Conclusions: Combining with the temperature requirement and the thermal stress inducing film thermal mechanical destruction effect of the sealed neutron generator film-substrate targets, an optimized pulsed ion beam work status was proposed. (authors)

Effects of target size on the comparison of photon and charged particle dose distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, M.H.; Frankel, K.A.; Tjoa, T.; Lyman, J.T.; Fabrikant, J.I.; Levy, R.P.

1989-12-01

The work presented here is part of an ongoing project to quantify and evaluate the differences in the use of different radiation types and irradiation geometries in radiosurgery. We are examining dose distributions for photons using the ''Gamma Knife'' and the linear accelerator arc methods, as well as different species of charged particles from protons to neon ions. A number of different factors need to be studied to accurately compare the different modalities such as target size, shape and location, the irradiation geometry, and biological response. This presentation focuses on target size, which has a large effect on the dose distributions in normal tissue surrounding the lesion. This work concentrates on dose distributions found in radiosurgery, as opposed to those usually found in radiotherapy. 5 refs., 2 figs

SU-F-T-574: MLC Based SRS Beam Commissioning - Minimum Target Size Investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakikhani, R [Florida Cancer Specialists - Largo, Largo, FL (United States); Able, C [Florida Cancer Specialists - New Port Richey, New Port Richey, FL (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To implement a MLC accelerator based SRS program using small fields down to 1 cm × 1 cm and to determine the smallest target size safe for clinical treatment. Methods: Computerized beam scanning was performed in water using a diode detector and a linac-head attached transmission ion chamber to characterize the small field dosimetric aspects of a 6 MV photon beam (Trilogy-Varian Medical Systems, Inc.). The output factors, PDD and profiles of field sizes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10 cm{sup 2} were measured and utilized to create a new treatment planning system (TPS) model (AAA ver 11021). Static MLC SRS treatment plans were created and delivered to a homogeneous phantom (Cube 20, CIRS, Inc.) for a 1.0 cm and 1.5 cm “PTV” target. A 12 field DMLC plan was created for a 2.1 cm target. Radiochromic film (EBT3, Ashland Inc.) was used to measure the planar dose in the axial, coronal and sagittal planes. A micro ion chamber (0.007 cc) was used to measure the dose at isocenter for each treatment delivery. Results: The new TPS model was validated by using a tolerance criteria of 2% dose and 2 mm distance to agreement. For fields ≤ 3 cm{sup 2}, the max PDD, Profile and OF difference was 0.9%, 2%/2mm and 1.4% respectively. The measured radiochromic film planar dose distributions had gamma scores of 95.3% or higher using a 3%/2mm criteria. Ion chamber measurements for all 3 test plans effectively met our goal of delivering the dose accurately to within 5% when compared to the expected dose reported by the TPS (1 cm plan Δ= −5.2%, 1.5 cm plan Δ= −2.0%, 2 cm plan Δ= 1.5%). Conclusion: End to end testing confirmed that MLC defined SRS for target sizes ≥ 1.0 cm can be safely planned and delivered.

SCF(SAP) controls organ size by targeting PPD proteins for degradation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhibiao; Li, Na; Jiang, Shan; Gonzalez, Nathalie; Huang, Xiahe; Wang, Yingchun; Inzé, Dirk; Li, Yunhai

2016-04-06

Control of organ size by cell proliferation and growth is a fundamental process, but the mechanisms that determine the final size of organs are largely elusive in plants. We have previously revealed that the ubiquitin receptor DA1 regulates organ size by repressing cell proliferation in Arabidopsis. Here we report that a mutant allele of STERILE APETALA (SAP) suppresses the da1-1 mutant phenotype. We show that SAP is an F-box protein that forms part of a SKP1/Cullin/F-box E3 ubiquitin ligase complex and controls organ size by promoting the proliferation of meristemoid cells. Genetic analyses suggest that SAP may act in the same pathway with PEAPOD1 and PEAPOD2, which are negative regulators of meristemoid proliferation, to control organ size, but does so independently of DA1. Further results reveal that SAP physically associates with PEAPOD1 and PEAPOD2, and targets them for degradation. These findings define a molecular mechanism by which SAP and PEAPOD control organ size.

Biological functionalization of drug delivery carriers to bypass size restrictions of receptor-mediated endocytosis independently from receptor targeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ansar, Maria; Serrano, Daniel; Papademetriou, Iason; Bhowmick, Tridib Kumar; Muro, Silvia

2013-12-23

Targeting of drug carriers to cell-surface receptors involved in endocytosis is commonly used for intracellular drug delivery. However, most endocytic receptors mediate uptake via clathrin or caveolar pathways associated with ≤200-nm vesicles, restricting carrier design. We recently showed that endocytosis mediated by intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), which differs from clathrin- and caveolae-mediated pathways, allows uptake of nano- and microcarriers in cell culture and in vivo due to recruitment of cellular sphingomyelinases to the plasmalemma. This leads to ceramide generation at carrier binding sites and formation of actin stress-fibers, enabling engulfment and uptake of a wide size-range of carriers. Here we adapted this paradigm to enhance uptake of drug carriers targeted to receptors associated with size-restricted pathways. We coated sphingomyelinase onto model (polystyrene) submicro- and microcarriers targeted to clathrin-associated mannose-6-phosphate receptor. In endothelial cells, this provided ceramide enrichment at the cell surface and actin stress-fiber formation, modifying the uptake pathway and enhancing carrier endocytosis without affecting targeting, endosomal transport, cell-associated degradation, or cell viability. This improvement depended on the carrier size and enzyme dose, and similar results were observed for other receptors (transferrin receptor) and cell types (epithelial cells). This phenomenon also enhanced tissue accumulation of carriers after intravenous injection in mice. Hence, it is possible to maintain targeting toward a selected receptor while bypassing natural size restrictions of its associated endocytic route by functionalization of drug carriers with biological elements mimicking the ICAM-1 pathway. This strategy holds considerable promise to enhance flexibility of design of targeted drug delivery systems.

Size determination of an equilibrium enzymic system by radiation inactivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, P.; Swillens, S.; Dumont, J.E.

1982-01-01

Radiation inactivation of complex enzymic systems is currently used to determine the enzyme size and the molecular organization of the components in the system. An equilibrium model was simulated describing the regulation of enzyme activity by association of the enzyme with a regulatory unit. It is assumed that, after irradiation, the system equilibrates before the enzyme activity is assayed. The theoretical results show that the target-size analysis of these numerical data leads to a bad estimate of the enzyme size. Moreover, some implicit assumptions such as the transfer of radiation energy between non-covalently bound molecules should be verified before interpretation of target-size analysis. It is demonstrated that the apparent target size depends on the parameters of the system, namely the size and the concentration of the components, the equilibrium constant, the relative activities of free enzyme and enzymic complex, the existence of energy transfer, and the distribution of the components between free and bound forms during the irradiation. (author)

Space based lidar shot pattern targeting strategies for small targets such as streams

Science.gov (United States)

Spiers, Gary D.

2001-01-01

An analysis of the effectiveness of four different types of lidar shot distribution is conducted to determine which is best for concentrating shots in a given location. A simple preemptive targeting strategy is found to work as adequately as a more involved dynamic strategy for most target sizes considered.

Analysis of glass fibre sizing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Helga Nørgaard; Kusano, Yukihiro; Brøndsted, Povl

2014-01-01

Glass fibre reinforced polymer composites are widely used for industrial and engineering applications which include construction, aerospace, automotive and wind energy industry. During the manufacturing glass fibres, they are surface-treated with an aqueous solution. This process and the treated...... surfaces are called sizing. The sizing influences the properties of the interface between fibres and a matrix, and subsequently affects mechanical properties of composites. In this work the sizing of commercially available glass fibres was analysed so as to study the composition and chemical structures....... Soxhlet extraction was used to extract components of the sizing from the glass fibres. The glass fibres, their extracts and coated glass plates were analysed by Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis combined with a mass spectrometer (TGA-MS), and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR...

Communication target object recognition for D2D connection with feature size limit

Science.gov (United States)

Ok, Jiheon; Kim, Soochang; Kim, Young-hoon; Lee, Chulhee

2015-03-01

Recently, a new concept of device-to-device (D2D) communication, which is called "point-and-link communication" has attracted great attentions due to its intuitive and simple operation. This approach enables user to communicate with target devices without any pre-identification information such as SSIDs, MAC addresses by selecting the target image displayed on the user's own device. In this paper, we present an efficient object matching algorithm that can be applied to look(point)-and-link communications for mobile services. Due to the limited channel bandwidth and low computational power of mobile terminals, the matching algorithm should satisfy low-complexity, low-memory and realtime requirements. To meet these requirements, we propose fast and robust feature extraction by considering the descriptor size and processing time. The proposed algorithm utilizes a HSV color histogram, SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) features and object aspect ratios. To reduce the descriptor size under 300 bytes, a limited number of SIFT key points were chosen as feature points and histograms were binarized while maintaining required performance. Experimental results show the robustness and the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.

Size, Albedo, and Taxonomy of the Don Quijote Space Mission Target

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Alan; Mueller, Michael; Fitzsimmons, Alan

2006-03-01

Rendezvous and lander missions are a very effective but very expensive way of investigating Solar-System bodies. The planning, optimization and success of space missions depends crucially on prior remotely-sensed knowledge of target bodies. Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), which are mainly fragments of main-belt asteroids, are seen as important goals for investigation by space missions, mainly due to the role their forebears played in planet formation and the evolution of the Solar System, but also for the pragmatic reason that these objects can collide with the Earth with potentially devastating consequences. The European Space Agency is currently planning the Don Quijote mission to a NEA, which includes a rendezvous (and perhaps a lander) spacecraft and an impactor vehicle. The aim is to study the physical properties of the target asteroid and the effects of the impact on its dynamical state, as a first step in considering realistic mitigation measures against an eventual hazardous NEA. Two potential targets have been selected for the mission, the preferred one being (10302) 1989 ML, which is energetically easier to reach and is possibly a scientifically interesting primitive asteroid. However, due to the ambiguity of available spectral data, it is currently not possible to confidently determine the taxonomic type and mineralogy of this object. Crucially, the albedo is uncertain by a factor of 10, which leads to large uncertainties in the size and mass and hence the planned near-surface operations of Don Quijote. Thermal-infrared observations are urgently required for accurate size and albedo determination. These observations, which can only be carried out by Spitzer and would require only a modest amount of observing time, would enable an accurate diameter to be derived for the first time and the resulting albedo would remove the taxonomic ambiguity. The proposed Spitzer observations are critical for effective mission planning and would greatly increase our

Blue and Black Cloth Targets: Effects of Size, Shape and Color on Stable Fly (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) Attraction

Science.gov (United States)

Stable fly management has been challenging. Insecticide-treated targets made from blue and black fabric, developed in Africa, were evaluated in Louisiana and Florida to determine if they would attract and kill stable flies. Untreated targets were used to answer questions about configuration, size an...

Nano-sized metabolic precursors for heterogeneous tumor-targeting strategy using bioorthogonal click chemistry in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sangmin; Jung, Seulhee; Koo, Heebeom; Na, Jin Hee; Yoon, Hong Yeol; Shim, Man Kyu; Park, Jooho; Kim, Jong-Ho; Lee, Seulki; Pomper, Martin G; Kwon, Ick Chan; Ahn, Cheol-Hee; Kim, Kwangmeyung

2017-12-01

Herein, we developed nano-sized metabolic precursors (Nano-MPs) for new tumor-targeting strategy to overcome the intrinsic limitations of biological ligands such as the limited number of biological receptors and the heterogeneity in tumor tissues. We conjugated the azide group-containing metabolic precursors, triacetylated N-azidoacetyl-d-mannosamine to generation 4 poly(amidoamine) dendrimer backbone. The nano-sized dendrimer of Nano-MPs could generate azide groups on the surface of tumor cells homogeneously regardless of cell types via metabolic glycoengineering. Importantly, these exogenously generated 'artificial chemical receptors' containing azide groups could be used for bioorthogonal click chemistry, regardless of phenotypes of different tumor cells. Furthermore, in tumor-bearing mice models, Nano-MPs could be mainly localized at the target tumor tissues by the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect, and they successfully generated azide groups on tumor cells in vivo after an intravenous injection. Finally, we showed that these azide groups on tumor tissues could be used as 'artificial chemical receptors' that were conjugated to bioorthogonal chemical group-containing liposomes via in vivo click chemistry in heterogeneous tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, overall results demonstrated that our nano-sized metabolic precursors could be extensively applied to new alternative tumor-targeting technique for molecular imaging and drug delivery system, regardless of the phenotype of heterogeneous tumor cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small, medium, large or supersize? The development and evaluation of interventions targeted at portion size

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeer, W M; Steenhuis, I H M; Poelman, M P

2014-01-01

In the past decades, portion sizes of high-caloric foods and drinks have increased and can be considered an important environmental obesogenic factor. This paper describes a research project in which the feasibility and effectiveness of environmental interventions targeted at portion size was evaluated. The studies that we conducted revealed that portion size labeling, offering a larger variety of portion sizes, and proportional pricing (that is, a comparable price per unit regardless of the size) were considered feasible to implement according to both consumers and point-of-purchase representatives. Studies into the effectiveness of these interventions demonstrated that the impact of portion size labeling on the (intended) consumption of soft drinks was, at most, modest. Furthermore, the introduction of smaller portion sizes of hot meals in worksite cafeterias in addition to the existing size stimulated a moderate number of consumers to replace their large meals by a small meal. Elaborating on these findings, we advocate further research into communication and marketing strategies related to portion size interventions; the development of environmental portion size interventions as well as educational interventions that improve people's ability to deal with a ‘super-sized' environment; the implementation of regulation with respect to portion size labeling, and the use of nudges to stimulate consumers to select healthier portion sizes. PMID:25033959

Size and targeting to PECAM vs ICAM control endothelial delivery, internalization and protective effect of multimolecular SOD conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Shuvaev, Vladimir V; Muro, Silvia; Arguiri, Evguenia; Khoshnejad, Makan; Tliba, Samira; Christofidou-Solomidou, Melpo; Muzykantov, Vladimir R

2016-07-28

Controlled endothelial delivery of SOD may alleviate abnormal local surplus of superoxide involved in ischemia-reperfusion, inflammation and other disease conditions. Targeting SOD to endothelial surface vs. intracellular compartments is desirable to prevent pathological effects of external vs. endogenous superoxide, respectively. Thus, SOD conjugated with antibodies to cell adhesion molecule PECAM (Ab/SOD) inhibits pro-inflammatory signaling mediated by endogenous superoxide produced in the endothelial endosomes in response to cytokines. Here we defined control of surface vs. endosomal delivery and effect of Ab/SOD, focusing on conjugate size and targeting to PECAM vs. ICAM. Ab/SOD enlargement from about 100 to 300nm enhanced amount of cell-bound SOD and protection against extracellular superoxide. In contrast, enlargement inhibited endocytosis of Ab/SOD and diminished mitigation of inflammatory signaling of endothelial superoxide. In addition to size, shape is important: endocytosis of antibody-coated spheres was more effective than that of polymorphous antibody conjugates. Further, targeting to ICAM provides higher endocytic efficacy than targeting to PECAM. ICAM-targeted Ab/SOD more effectively mitigated inflammatory signaling by intracellular superoxide in vitro and in animal models, although total uptake was inferior to that of PECAM-targeted Ab/SOD. Therefore, both geometry and targeting features of Ab/SOD conjugates control delivery to cell surface vs. endosomes for optimal protection against extracellular vs. endosomal oxidative stress, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uncertainties in thick-target PIXE analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, J.L.; Cookson, J.A.; Paul, H.

1983-01-01

Thick-target PIXE analysis insolves uncertainties arising from the calculation of thick-target X-ray production in addition to the usual PIXE uncertainties. The calculation demands knowledge of ionization cross-sections, stopping powers and photon attenuation coefficients. Information on these is reviewed critically and a computational method is used to estimate the uncertainties transmitted from this data base into results of thick-target PIXE analyses with reference to particular specimen types using beams of 2-3 MeV protons. A detailed assessment of the accuracy of thick-target PIXE is presented. (orig.)

Insulin alters the target size of the peripheral cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase but not the integral cyclic GMP-stimulated cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase in liver plasma membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallace, A.V.; Martin, B.R.; Houslay, M.D.

1990-01-01

Radiation inactivation of the two high affinity cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases (PDE) found in liver plasma membranes afforded an estimation of their molecular target sizes in situ. The activity of the peripheral plasma membrane PDE decayed as a single exponential with a target size corresponding to a monomer of circa 54 kDa. The integral, cyclic GMP-stimulated PDE decayed as a dimer of circa 125 kDa. Preincubation of plasma membranes with insulin (10nM), prior to irradiation, caused the target size of only the peripheral plasma membrane PDE to increase. We suggest that insulin addition causes the peripheral plasma membrane PDE to alter its coupling to an integral plasma membrane protein with a target size of circa 90 kDa

Synthesis and in vitro experiments of carcinoma vascular endothelial targeting polymeric nano-micelles combining small particle size and supermagnetic sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Pan, Jielin; Xu, Qilan; Li, Hao; Wang, Jianhao; Zhang, Chao; Hong, Guobin

2018-01-01

Objective: To construct carcinoma vascular endothelial-targeted polymeric nanomicelles with high magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sensitivity and to evaluate their biological safety and in vitro tumor-targeting effect, and to monitor their feasibility using clinical MRI scanner. Method: Amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)- b -poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL) was synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) initiated by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), in which cyclic pentapeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (cRGD) was conjugated with the terminal of hydrophilic PEG block. During the self-assembly of PEG-PCL micelles, superparamagnetic γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles (11 nm) was loaded into the hydrophobic core. The cRGD-terminated γ-Fe 2 O 3 -loaded polymeric micelles targeting to carcinoma vascular endothelial cells, were characterized in particle size, morphology, loading efficiency and so on, especially high MRI sensitivity in vitro. Normal hepatic vascular endothelial cells (ED25) were incubated with the resulting micelles for assessing their safety. Human hepatic carcinoma vascular endothelial cells (T3A) were cultured with the resulting micelles to assess the micelle uptake using Prussian blue staining and the cell signal intensity using MRI. Results: All the polymeric micelles exhibited ultra-small particle sizes with approximately 50 nm, high relaxation rate, and low toxicity even at high iron concentrations. More blue-stained iron particles were present in the targeting group than the non-targeting and competitive inhibition groups. In vitro MRI showed T 2 WI and T 2 relaxation times were significantly lower in the targeting group than in the other two groups. Conclusion: γ-Fe 2 O 3 -loaded PEG-PCL micelles not only possess ultra-small size and high superparamagnetic sensitivity, also can be actively targeted to carcinoma vascular endothelial cells by tumor-targeted cRGD. It appears to be a promising contrast agent for tumor-targeted

Functional and physical molecular size of the chicken hepatic lectin determined by radiation inactivation and sedimentation equilibrium analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steer, C.J.; Osborne, J.C. Jr.; Kempner, E.S.

1990-01-01

Radiation inactivation and sedimentation equilibrium analysis were used to determine the functional and physical size of the chicken hepatic membrane receptor that binds N-acetylglucosamine-terminated glycoproteins. Purified plasma membranes from chicken liver were irradiated with high energy electrons and assayed for 125I-agalactoorosomucoid binding. Increasing the dose of ionizing radiation resulted in a monoexponential decay in binding activity due to a progressive loss of binding sites. The molecular mass of the chicken lectin, determined in situ by target analysis, was 69,000 +/- 9,000 Da. When the same irradiated membranes were solubilized in Brij 58 and assayed, the binding protein exhibited a target size of 62,000 +/- 4,000 Da; in Triton X-100, the functional size of the receptor was 85,000 +/- 10,000 Da. Sedimentation equilibrium measurements of the purified binding protein yielded a lower limit molecular weight of 79,000 +/- 7,000. However, the solubilized lectin was detected as a heterogeneous population of oligomers with molecular weights as high as 450,000. Addition of calcium or calcium plus N-acetylglucosamine decreased the higher molecular weight species, but the lower limit molecular weights remained invariant. Similar results were determined when the chicken lectin was solubilized in Brij 58, C12E9, or 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane-sulfonic acid (CHAPS). Results from the present study suggest that in the plasma membrane, the functional species of the chicken hepatic lectin exists as a trimer. However, in detergent solution, the purified receptor forms a heterogeneous population of irreversible oligomers that exhibit binding activity proportional to size

Determining wood chip size: image analysis and clustering methods

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Paolo Febbi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available One of the standard methods for the determination of the size distribution of wood chips is the oscillating screen method (EN 15149- 1:2010. Recent literature demonstrated how image analysis could return highly accurate measure of the dimensions defined for each individual particle, and could promote a new method depending on the geometrical shape to determine the chip size in a more accurate way. A sample of wood chips (8 litres was sieved through horizontally oscillating sieves, using five different screen hole diameters (3.15, 8, 16, 45, 63 mm; the wood chips were sorted in decreasing size classes and the mass of all fractions was used to determine the size distribution of the particles. Since the chip shape and size influence the sieving results, Wang’s theory, which concerns the geometric forms, was considered. A cluster analysis on the shape descriptors (Fourier descriptors and size descriptors (area, perimeter, Feret diameters, eccentricity was applied to observe the chips distribution. The UPGMA algorithm was applied on Euclidean distance. The obtained dendrogram shows a group separation according with the original three sieving fractions. A comparison has been made between the traditional sieve and clustering results. This preliminary result shows how the image analysis-based method has a high potential for the characterization of wood chip size distribution and could be further investigated. Moreover, this method could be implemented in an online detection machine for chips size characterization. An improvement of the results is expected by using supervised multivariate methods that utilize known class memberships. The main objective of the future activities will be to shift the analysis from a 2-dimensional method to a 3- dimensional acquisition process.

Molecular sizes of lichen ice nucleation sites determined by gamma radiation inactivation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kieft, T.L.; Ruscetti, T.

1992-01-01

It has previously been shown that some species of lichen fungi contain proteinaceous ice nuclei which are active at temperatures as warm as −2 °C. This experiment was undertaken to determine the molecular sizes of ice nuclei in the lichen fungus Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca and to compare them to bacterial ice nuclei from Pseudomonas syringae. Gamma radiation inactivation analysis was used to determine molecular weights. Radiation inactivation analysis is based on target theory, which states that the likelihood of a molecule being inactivated by gamma rays increases as its size increases. Three different sources of ice nuclei from the lichen R. chrysoleuca were tested: field-collected lichens, extract of lichen fungus, and a pure culture of the fungus R. chrysoleuca. P. syringae strain Cit7 was used as a source of bacterial ice nuclei. Samples were lyophilized, irradiated with gamma doses ranging from 0 to 10.4 Mrads, and then tested for ice nucleation activity using a droplet-freezing assay. Data for all four types of samples were in rough agreement; sizes of nucleation sites increased logarithmically with increasing temperatures of ice nucleation activity. Molecular weights of nucleation sites active between −3 and −4 °C from the bacteria and from the field-collected lichens were approximately 1.0 × 10 6 Da. Nuclei from the lichen fungus and in the lichen extract appeared to be slightly smaller but followed the same log-normal pattern with temperature of ice nucleation activity. The data for both the bacterial and lichen ice nuclei are in agreement with ice nucleation theory which states that the size of ice nucleation sites increases logarithmically as the temperature of nucleation increases linearly. This suggests that although some differences exist between bacterial and lichen ice nucleation sites, their molecular sizes are quite similar

Survival analysis and classification methods for forest fire size.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Pier-Olivier; Duchesne, Thierry; Cumming, Steven G

2018-01-01

Factors affecting wildland-fire size distribution include weather, fuels, and fire suppression activities. We present a novel application of survival analysis to quantify the effects of these factors on a sample of sizes of lightning-caused fires from Alberta, Canada. Two events were observed for each fire: the size at initial assessment (by the first fire fighters to arrive at the scene) and the size at "being held" (a state when no further increase in size is expected). We developed a statistical classifier to try to predict cases where there will be a growth in fire size (i.e., the size at "being held" exceeds the size at initial assessment). Logistic regression was preferred over two alternative classifiers, with covariates consistent with similar past analyses. We conducted survival analysis on the group of fires exhibiting a size increase. A screening process selected three covariates: an index of fire weather at the day the fire started, the fuel type burning at initial assessment, and a factor for the type and capabilities of the method of initial attack. The Cox proportional hazards model performed better than three accelerated failure time alternatives. Both fire weather and fuel type were highly significant, with effects consistent with known fire behaviour. The effects of initial attack method were not statistically significant, but did suggest a reverse causality that could arise if fire management agencies were to dispatch resources based on a-priori assessment of fire growth potentials. We discuss how a more sophisticated analysis of larger data sets could produce unbiased estimates of fire suppression effect under such circumstances.

Physical Activity Targeted at Maximal Lipid Oxidation: A Meta-Analysis

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A. J. Romain

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Exercise is recognized as a part of the management of obesity and diabetes. Various protocols of exercise are proposed for the management of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. One of the strategies proposed by several authors is low intensity endurance training targeted at the level of maximal oxidation. Large series using this technique are lacking. Addressing this issue, we performed a meta-analysis of the studies on anthropometric measurements. From a database of 433 articles, 15 were selected, including 279 subjects with 6 different populations. Studies duration ranged from 2 months to 12 months. Concerning weight loss, in the intervention versus control analysis, five studies with 185 participants were included with a significant effect size favors exercise (P=0.02 without significant heterogeneity (I2=0.0%, P=0.83. Further randomized controlled trials for comparing it with other exercise protocols and defining its dose effectiveness on large samples are needed.

Functional size of vacuolar H+ pumps: Estimates from radiation inactivation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarafian, V.; Poole, R.J.

1991-01-01

The PPase and the ATPase from red beet (Beta vulgaris) vacuolar membranes were subjected to radiation inactivation by a 60 Co source in both the native tonoplast and detergent-solubilized states, in order to determine their target molecular sizes. Analysis of the residual phosphohydrolytic and proton transport activities, after exposure to varying doses of radiation, yielded exponential relationships between the activities and radiation doses. The deduced target molecular sizes for PPase activity in native and solubilized membranes were 125kD and 259kD respectively and 327kD for H + -transport. This suggests that the minimum number of subunits of 67kD for PPi hydrolysis is two in the native state and four after Triton X-100 solubilization. At least four subunits would be required for H + -translocation. Analysis of the ATPase inactivation patterns revealed target sizes of 384kD and 495kD for ATP hydrolysis in native and solubilized tonoplast respectively and 430kD for H + -transport. These results suggest that the minimum size for hydrolytic or transport functions is relatively constant for the ATPase

A comparative analysis of DNA barcode microarray feature size

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Smith Andrew M

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microarrays are an invaluable tool in many modern genomic studies. It is generally perceived that decreasing the size of microarray features leads to arrays with higher resolution (due to greater feature density, but this increase in resolution can compromise sensitivity. Results We demonstrate that barcode microarrays with smaller features are equally capable of detecting variation in DNA barcode intensity when compared to larger feature sizes within a specific microarray platform. The barcodes used in this study are the well-characterized set derived from the Yeast KnockOut (YKO collection used for screens of pooled yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion mutants. We treated these pools with the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin as a test compound. Three generations of barcode microarrays at 30, 8 and 5 μm features sizes independently identified the primary target of tunicamycin to be ALG7. Conclusion We show that the data obtained with 5 μm feature size is of comparable quality to the 30 μm size and propose that further shrinking of features could yield barcode microarrays with equal or greater resolving power and, more importantly, higher density.

Survival analysis and classification methods for forest fire size

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Factors affecting wildland-fire size distribution include weather, fuels, and fire suppression activities. We present a novel application of survival analysis to quantify the effects of these factors on a sample of sizes of lightning-caused fires from Alberta, Canada. Two events were observed for each fire: the size at initial assessment (by the first fire fighters to arrive at the scene) and the size at “being held” (a state when no further increase in size is expected). We developed a statistical classifier to try to predict cases where there will be a growth in fire size (i.e., the size at “being held” exceeds the size at initial assessment). Logistic regression was preferred over two alternative classifiers, with covariates consistent with similar past analyses. We conducted survival analysis on the group of fires exhibiting a size increase. A screening process selected three covariates: an index of fire weather at the day the fire started, the fuel type burning at initial assessment, and a factor for the type and capabilities of the method of initial attack. The Cox proportional hazards model performed better than three accelerated failure time alternatives. Both fire weather and fuel type were highly significant, with effects consistent with known fire behaviour. The effects of initial attack method were not statistically significant, but did suggest a reverse causality that could arise if fire management agencies were to dispatch resources based on a-priori assessment of fire growth potentials. We discuss how a more sophisticated analysis of larger data sets could produce unbiased estimates of fire suppression effect under such circumstances. PMID:29320497

Size and Albedo of Irregular Saturnian Satellites from Spitzer Observations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mueller, Michael; Grav, T.; Trilling, D.; Stansberry, J.; Sykes, M.

2008-01-01

Using MIPS onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope, we observed the thermal emission (24 and, for some targets, 70 um) of eight irregular satellites of Saturn: Albiorix, Siarnaq, Paaliaq, Kiviuq, Ijiraq, Tarvos, Erriapus, and Ymir. We determined the size and albedo of all targets. An analysis of

Blue and Black Cloth Targets: Effects of Size, Shape, and Color on Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Attraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogsette, Jerome A; Foil, Lane D

2018-04-02

Stable fly management is challenging because of the fly's dispersal behavior and its tendency to remain on the host only while feeding. Optically attractive traps have been used to survey and sometimes reduce adult populations. Insecticide-treated blue and black cloth targets developed for tsetse fly management in Africa were found to be attractive to stable flies in the United States, and various evaluations were conducted in Louisiana and Florida. Tests using untreated targets were designed to answer questions about configuration, size, and color relative to efficacy and stability in high winds. Studies with electric grid targets and with targets paired with Olson traps showed cloth target color attraction in the following decreasing order: black > blue-black > blue. A solid black target is easier to make than a blue-black target because no sewing is involved. Attraction was not affected when flat 1-m2 targets were formed into cylinders, despite the limited view of the blue and black colors together. There was no reduction in attraction when the 1-m2 cylindrical targets were compared with smaller (63 × 30 cm high) cylindrical targets. In addition, there was no difference in attraction between the small blue-black, blue, and black targets. Significance of findings and implications of potential uses for treated targets are discussed. Target attraction was indicated by the numbers of stable flies captured on an Olson sticky trap placed 30 cm from the target. Although this system is adequate for field research, it greatly underestimates the actual numbers of stable flies attracted to treated targets.

Monte Carlo calculated microdosimetric spread for cell nucleus-sized targets exposed to brachytherapy 125I and 192Ir sources and 60Co cell irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Villegas, Fernanda; Tilly, Nina; Ahnesjö, Anders

2013-09-07

The stochastic nature of ionizing radiation interactions causes a microdosimetric spread in energy depositions for cell or cell nucleus-sized volumes. The magnitude of the spread may be a confounding factor in dose response analysis. The aim of this work is to give values for the microdosimetric spread for a range of doses imparted by (125)I and (192)Ir brachytherapy radionuclides, and for a (60)Co source. An upgraded version of the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE was used to obtain frequency distributions of specific energy for each of these radiation qualities and for four different cell nucleus-sized volumes. The results demonstrate that the magnitude of the microdosimetric spread increases when the target size decreases or when the energy of the radiation quality is reduced. Frequency distributions calculated according to the formalism of Kellerer and Chmelevsky using full convolution of the Monte Carlo calculated single track frequency distributions confirm that at doses exceeding 0.08 Gy for (125)I, 0.1 Gy for (192)Ir, and 0.2 Gy for (60)Co, the resulting distribution can be accurately approximated with a normal distribution. A parameterization of the width of the distribution as a function of dose and target volume of interest is presented as a convenient form for the use in response modelling or similar contexts.

Scrapie prion liposomes and rods exhibit target sizes of 55,000 Da

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellinger-Kawahara, C.G.; Kempner, E.; Groth, D.; Gabizon, R.; Prusiner, S.B.

1988-01-01

Scrapie is a degenerative neurologic disease in sheep and goats which can be experimentally transmitted to laboratory rodents. Considerable evidence suggests that the scrapie agent is composed largely, if not entirely, of an abnormal isoform of the prion protein (PrPSc). Inactivation of scrapie prions by ionizing radiation exhibited single-hit kinetics and gave a target size of 55,000 +/- 9000 mol wt. The inactivation profile was independent of the form of the prion. Scrapie agent infectivity in brain homogenates, microsomal fractions, detergent-extracted microsomes, purified amyloid rods, and liposomes exhibited the same inactivation profile. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the infectious particle causing scrapie contains approximately 2 PrPSc molecules

Feed particle size evaluation: conventional approach versus digital holography based image analysis

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Vittorio Dell’Orto

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of image analysis approach based on digital holography in defining particle size in comparison with the sieve shaker method (sieving method as reference method. For this purpose ground corn meal was analyzed by a sieve shaker Retsch VS 1000 and by image analysis approach based on digital holography. Particle size from digital holography were compared with results obtained by screen (sieving analysis for each of size classes by a cumulative distribution plot. Comparison between particle size values obtained by sieving method and image analysis indicated that values were comparable in term of particle size information, introducing a potential application for digital holography and image analysis in feed industry.

Computer-aided target tracking in motion analysis studies

Science.gov (United States)

Burdick, Dominic C.; Marcuse, M. L.; Mislan, J. D.

1990-08-01

Motion analysis studies require the precise tracking of reference objects in sequential scenes. In a typical situation, events of interest are captured at high frame rates using special cameras, and selected objects or targets are tracked on a frame by frame basis to provide necessary data for motion reconstruction. Tracking is usually done using manual methods which are slow and prone to error. A computer based image analysis system has been developed that performs tracking automatically. The objective of this work was to eliminate the bottleneck due to manual methods in high volume tracking applications such as the analysis of crash test films for the automotive industry. The system has proven to be successful in tracking standard fiducial targets and other objects in crash test scenes. Over 95 percent of target positions which could be located using manual methods can be tracked by the system, with a significant improvement in throughput over manual methods. Future work will focus on the tracking of clusters of targets and on tracking deformable objects such as airbags.

Size Exclusion HPLC Detection of Small-Size Impurities as a Complementary Means for Quality Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles

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Tao Huang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available For extracellular vesicle research, whether for biomarker discoveries or therapeutic applications, it is critical to have high-quality samples. Both microscopy and NanoSight Tracking Analysis (NTA for size distribution have been used to detect large vesicles. However, there is currently no well-established method that is convenient for routine quality analysis of small-size impurities in vesicle samples. In this paper we report a convenient method, called ‘size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography’ (SE-HPLC, alongside NTA and Microscopy analysis to guide and qualify the isolation and processing of vesicles. First, the SE-HPLC analysis was used to detect impurities of small-size proteins during the ultra-centrifugation process of vesicle isolation; it was then employed to test the changes of vesicles under different pH conditions or integrity after storage. As SE-HPLC is generally accessible in most institutions, it could be used as a routine means to assist researchers in examining the integrity and quality of extracellular vesicles along with other techniques either during isolation/preparation or for further engineering and storage.

Box-Cox transformation of firm size data in statistical analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ting Ting; Takaishi, Tetsuya

2014-03-01

Firm size data usually do not show the normality that is often assumed in statistical analysis such as regression analysis. In this study we focus on two firm size data: the number of employees and sale. Those data deviate considerably from a normal distribution. To improve the normality of those data we transform them by the Box-Cox transformation with appropriate parameters. The Box-Cox transformation parameters are determined so that the transformed data best show the kurtosis of a normal distribution. It is found that the two firm size data transformed by the Box-Cox transformation show strong linearity. This indicates that the number of employees and sale have the similar property as a firm size indicator. The Box-Cox parameters obtained for the firm size data are found to be very close to zero. In this case the Box-Cox transformations are approximately a log-transformation. This suggests that the firm size data we used are approximately log-normal distributions.

Box-Cox transformation of firm size data in statistical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Ting Ting; Takaishi, Tetsuya

2014-01-01

Firm size data usually do not show the normality that is often assumed in statistical analysis such as regression analysis. In this study we focus on two firm size data: the number of employees and sale. Those data deviate considerably from a normal distribution. To improve the normality of those data we transform them by the Box-Cox transformation with appropriate parameters. The Box-Cox transformation parameters are determined so that the transformed data best show the kurtosis of a normal distribution. It is found that the two firm size data transformed by the Box-Cox transformation show strong linearity. This indicates that the number of employees and sale have the similar property as a firm size indicator. The Box-Cox parameters obtained for the firm size data are found to be very close to zero. In this case the Box-Cox transformations are approximately a log-transformation. This suggests that the firm size data we used are approximately log-normal distributions

Study on the Matching Relationship between Polymer Hydrodynamic Characteristic Size and Pore Throat Radius of Target Block S Based on the Microporous Membrane Filtration Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Yiqiang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of the hydrodynamic characteristic size of polymer was proposed in this study, to characterize the size of aggregates of many polymer molecules in the polymer percolation process. The hydrodynamic characteristic sizes of polymers used in the target block S were examined by employing microporous membrane filtration method, and the factors were studied. Natural core flow experiments were conducted in order to set up the flow matching relationship plate. According to the flow matching plate, the relationship between the hydrodynamic characteristic size of polymer and pore throat radius obtained from core mercury injection data was found. And several suitable polymers for different reservoirs permeability were given. The experimental results of microporous membrane filtration indicated that the hydrodynamic characteristic size of polymer maintained a good nonlinear relationship with polymer viscosity; the value increased as the molecular weight and concentration of the polymer increased and increased as the salinity of dilution water decreased. Additionally, the hydrodynamic characteristic size decreased as the pressure increased, so the hydrodynamic characteristic size ought to be determined based on the pressure of the target block. In the core flow studies, good matching of polymer and formation was identified as polymer flow pressure gradient lower than the fracture pressure gradient of formation. In this case, good matching that was the pore throat radius should be larger than 10 times the hydrodynamic characteristic size of polymer in this study. Using relationship, more matching relationship between the hydrodynamic characteristic sizes of polymer solutions and the pore throat radius of target block was determined.

Size and surface AREA analysis of some metallic and intermetallic powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmasry, M.A.A.; Elsayed, A.A.; Abadir, M.F.

1988-01-01

The powder characterization of three intermetallic compounds ( Cr B, B 4 c and S ib 4 ) and three metallic powders (Fe, Co, and Ni) has been performed. This included the determination of powder density, chemical analysis, impurity analysis, shape factor, particle size analysis and specific surface area. The particle size analysis for the six powders was carried out using three techniques, namely; the 0-23, the microtrac and the fisher sub sieve and size. It was found that the analysis of the two powders and deviates from the log-normal probability distribution and the deviation was corrected. The specific surface area of the powders was measured using the high speed surface area analysis (BET method), and it was also calculated from surface area analysis findings, the BET technique was found to give the highest specific surface area values, and was attributed to the inclusion of internal porosity in the measurement. 8 fig., 10 tab

Characterization of a multi-keV x-ray source produced by nanosecond laser irradiation of a solid target: The influence of laser focus spot and target thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Guangyue; Zheng Jian; Shen Baifei; Lei Anle; Xu Zhizhan; Liu Shenye; Zhang Jiyan; Yang Jiamin; Ding Yongkun; Hu Xin; Huang Yixiang; Du Huabing; Yi Rongqing

2008-01-01

The influence of focus spot and target thickness on multi-keV x-ray sources generated by 2 ns duration laser heated solid targets are investigated on the Shenguang II laser facility. In the case of thick-foil targets, the experimental data and theoretical analysis show that the emission volume of the x-ray sources is sensitive to the laser focus spot and proportional to the 3 power of the focus spot size. The steady x-ray flux is proportional to the 5/3 power of the focus spot size of the given laser beam in our experimental condition. In the case of thin-foil targets, experimental data show that there is an optimal foil thickness corresponding to the given laser parameters. With the given laser beam, the optimal thin-foil thickness is proportional to the -2/3 power of the focus spot size, and the optimal x-ray energy of thin foil is independent of focus spot size

Size distribution of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles using Warren-Averbach XRD analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadevan, S.; Behera, S. P.; Gnanaprakash, G.; Jayakumar, T.; Philip, J.; Rao, B. P. C.

2012-07-01

We use the Fourier transform based Warren-Averbach (WA) analysis to separate the contributions of X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile broadening due to crystallite size and microstrain for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The profile shape of the column length distribution, obtained from WA analysis, is used to analyze the shape of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. From the column length distribution, the crystallite size and its distribution are estimated for these nanoparticles which are compared with size distribution obtained from dynamic light scattering measurements. The crystallite size and size distribution of crystallites obtained from WA analysis are explained based on the experimental parameters employed in preparation of these magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The variation of volume weighted diameter (Dv, from WA analysis) with saturation magnetization (Ms) fits well to a core shell model wherein it is known that Ms=Mbulk(1-6g/Dv) with Mbulk as bulk magnetization of iron oxide and g as magnetic shell disorder thickness.

Improved soil particle-size analysis by gamma-ray attenuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, J.C.M.; Vaz, C.M.P.; Reichardt, K.; Swartzendruber, D.

1997-01-01

The size distribution of particles is useful for physical characterization of soil. This study was conducted to determine whether a new method of soil particle-size analysis by gamma-ray attenuation could be further improved by changing the depth and time of measurement of the suspended particle concentration during sedimentation. In addition to the advantage of nondestructive, undisturbed measurement by gamma-ray attenuation, as compared with conventional pipette or hydrometer methods, the modifications here suggested and employed do substantially decrease the total time for analysis, and will also facilitate total automation and generalize the method for other sedimentation studies. Experimental results are presented for three different Brazilian soil materials, and illustrate the nature of the fine detail provided in the cumulative particle-size distribution as given by measurements obtained during the relatively short time period of 28 min

Particle size, magnetic field, and blood velocity effects on particle retention in magnetic drug targeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherry, Erica M; Maxim, Peter G; Eaton, John K

2010-01-01

A physics-based model of a general magnetic drug targeting (MDT) system was developed with the goal of realizing the practical limitations of MDT when electromagnets are the source of the magnetic field. The simulation tracks magnetic particles subject to gravity, drag force, magnetic force, and hydrodynamic lift in specified flow fields and external magnetic field distributions. A model problem was analyzed to determine the effect of drug particle size, blood flow velocity, and magnetic field gradient strength on efficiency in holding particles stationary in a laminar Poiseuille flow modeling blood flow in a medium-sized artery. It was found that particle retention rate increased with increasing particle diameter and magnetic field gradient strength and decreased with increasing bulk flow velocity. The results suggest that MDT systems with electromagnets are unsuitable for use in small arteries because it is difficult to control particles smaller than about 20 microm in diameter.

CFD analysis of the HYPER spallation target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Chungho; Tak, Nam-il; Choi, Jae-Hyuk; Lee, Yong-Bum

2008-01-01

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) is developing an accelerator driven system (ADS) named HYPER (HYbrid Power Extraction Reactor) for a transmutation of long-lived nuclear wastes. One of the challenging tasks for the HYPER system is to design a large spallation target with a beam power of 15-25 MW. The paper focuses on a thermal-hydraulic analysis of the active part of the HYPER target. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed by using a commercial code CFX 5.7.1. Several advanced turbulence models with different grid structures were applied. The CFX results reveal a significant impact of the turbulence model on the window temperature. Particularly, the k-ε model predicts the lowest window temperature among the five investigated turbulence models

Rapid analysis of seed size in Arabidopsis for mutant and QTL discovery

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Baldwin Samantha

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Arabidopsis thaliana is a useful model organism for deciphering the genetic determinants of seed size; however the small size of its seeds makes measurements difficult. Bulk seed weights are often used as an indicator of average seed size, but details of individual seed is obscured. Analysis of seed images is possible but issues arise from variations in seed pigmentation and shadowing making analysis laborious. We therefore investigated the use of a consumer level scanner to facilitate seed size measurements in conjunction with open source image-processing software. Results By using the transmitted light from the slide scanning function of a flatbed scanner and particle analysis of the resulting images, we have developed a method for the rapid and high throughput analysis of seed size and seed size distribution. The technical variation due to the approach was negligible enabling us to identify aspects of maternal plant growth that contribute to biological variation in seed size. By controlling for these factors, differences in seed size caused by altered parental genome dosage and mutation were easily detected. The method has high reproducibility and sensitivity, such that a mutant with a 10% reduction in seed size was identified in a screen of endosperm-expressed genes. Our study also generated average seed size data for 91 Arabidopsis accessions and identified a number of quantitative trait loci from two recombinant inbred line populations, generated from Cape Verde Islands and Burren accessions crossed with Columbia. Conclusions This study describes a sensitive, high-throughput approach for measuring seed size and seed size distribution. The method provides a low cost and robust solution that can be easily implemented into the workflow of studies relating to various aspects of seed development.

Size analysis of single-core magnetic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ludwig, Frank, E-mail: f.ludwig@tu-bs.de [Institut für Elektrische Messtechnik und Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig (Germany); Balceris, Christoph; Viereck, Thilo [Institut für Elektrische Messtechnik und Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig (Germany); Posth, Oliver; Steinhoff, Uwe [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin (Germany); Gavilan, Helena; Costo, Rocio [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, ICMM/CSIC, Madrid (Spain); Zeng, Lunjie; Olsson, Eva [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg (Sweden); Jonasson, Christian; Johansson, Christer [ACREO Swedish ICT AB, Göteborg (Sweden)

2017-04-01

Single-core iron-oxide nanoparticles with nominal core diameters of 14 nm and 19 nm were analyzed with a variety of non-magnetic and magnetic analysis techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), static magnetization vs. magnetic field (M-H) measurements, ac susceptibility (ACS) and magnetorelaxometry (MRX). From the experimental data, distributions of core and hydrodynamic sizes are derived. Except for TEM where a number-weighted distribution is directly obtained, models have to be applied in order to determine size distributions from the measurand. It was found that the mean core diameters determined from TEM, M-H, ACS and MRX measurements agree well although they are based on different models (Langevin function, Brownian and Néel relaxation times). Especially for the sample with large cores, particle interaction effects come into play, causing agglomerates which were detected in DLS, ACS and MRX measurements. We observed that the number and size of agglomerates can be minimized by sufficiently strong diluting the suspension. - Highlights: • Investigation of size parameters of single-core magnetic nanoparticles with nominal core diameters of 14 nm and 19 nm utilizing different magnetic and non-magnetic methods • Hydrodynamic size determined from ac susceptibility measurements is consistent with the DLS findings • Core size agrees determined from static magnetization curves, MRX and ACS data agrees with results from TEM although the estimation is based on different models (Langevin function, Brownian and Néel relaxation times).

Structural impact of armor monoblock dimensions on the failure behavior of ITER-type divertor target components: Size matters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Muyuan; You, Jeong-Ha, E-mail: you@ipp.mpg.de

2016-12-15

Highlights: • Quantitative assessment of size effects was conducted numerically for W monoblock. • Decreasing the width of W monoblock leads to a lower risk of failure. • The Cu interlayer was not affected significantly by varying armor thickness. • The predicted trends were in line with the experimental observations. - Abstract: Plenty of high-heat-flux tests conducted on tungsten monoblock type divertor target mock-ups showed that the threshold heat flux density for cracking and fracture of tungsten armor seems to be related to the dimension of the monoblocks. Thus, quantitative assessment of such size effects is of practical importance for divertor target design. In this paper, a computational study about the thermal and structural impact of monoblock size on the plastic fatigue and fracture behavior of an ITER-type tungsten divertor target is reported. As dimensional parameters, the width and thickness of monoblock, the thickness of sacrificial armor, and the inner diameter of cooling tube were varied. Plastic fatigue lifetime was estimated for the loading surface of tungsten armor and the copper interlayer by use of a cyclic-plastic constitutive model. The driving force of brittle crack growth through the tungsten armor was assessed in terms of J-integral at the crack tip. Decrease of the monoblock width effectively reduced accumulation of plastic strain at the armor surface and the driving force of brittle cracking. Decrease of sacrificial armor thickness led to decrease of plastic deformation at the loading surface due to lower surface temperature, but the thermal and mechanical response of the copper interlayer was not affected by the variation of armor thickness. Monoblock with a smaller tube diameter but with the same armor thickness and shoulder thickness experienced lower fatigue load. The predicted trends were in line with the experimental observations.

Molecular Composition Analysis of Distant Targets

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Gary B.; Lubin, Philip

2017-01-01

This document is the Final Report for NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I Grant 15-NIAC16A-0145, titled Molecular Composition Analysis of Distant Targets. The research was focused on developing a system concept for probing the molecular composition of cold solar system targets, such as Asteroids, Comets, Planets and Moons from a distant vantage, for example from a spacecraft that is orbiting the target (Hughes et al., 2015). The orbiting spacecraft is equipped with a high-power laser, which is run by electricity from photovoltaic panels. The laser is directed at a spot on the target. Materials on the surface of the target are heated by the laser beam, and begin to melt and then evaporate, forming a plume of asteroid molecules in front of the heated spot. The heated spot glows, producing blackbody illumination that is visible from the spacecraft, via a path through the evaporated plume. As the blackbody radiation from the heated spot passes through the plume of evaporated material, molecules in the plume absorb radiation in a manner that is specific to the rotational and vibrational characteristics of the specific molecules. A spectrometer aboard the spacecraft is used to observe absorption lines in the blackbody signal. The pattern of absorption can be used to estimate the molecular composition of materials in the plume, which originated on the target. Focusing on a single spot produces a borehole, and shallow subsurface profiling of the targets bulk composition is possible. At the beginning of the Phase I research, the estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the system was TRL-1. During the Phase I research, an end-to-end theoretical model of the sensor system was developed from first principles. The model includes laser energy and optical propagation, target heating, melting and evaporation of target material, plume density, thermal radiation from the heated spot, molecular cross section of likely asteroid materials, and estimation of the

Whole genome analysis of CRISPR Cas9 sgRNA off-target homologies via an efficient computational algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Hong; Zhou, Michael; Li, Daisy; Manthey, Joseph; Lioutikova, Ekaterina; Wang, Hong; Zeng, Xiao

2017-11-17

The beauty and power of the genome editing mechanism, CRISPR Cas9 endonuclease system, lies in the fact that it is RNA-programmable such that Cas9 can be guided to any genomic loci complementary to a 20-nt RNA, single guide RNA (sgRNA), to cleave double stranded DNA, allowing the introduction of wanted mutations. Unfortunately, it has been reported repeatedly that the sgRNA can also guide Cas9 to off-target sites where the DNA sequence is homologous to sgRNA. Using human genome and Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) as an example, this article mathematically analyzed the probabilities of off-target homologies of sgRNAs and discovered that for large genome size such as human genome, potential off-target homologies are inevitable for sgRNA selection. A highly efficient computationl algorithm was developed for whole genome sgRNA design and off-target homology searches. By means of a dynamically constructed sequence-indexed database and a simplified sequence alignment method, this algorithm achieves very high efficiency while guaranteeing the identification of all existing potential off-target homologies. Via this algorithm, 1,876,775 sgRNAs were designed for the 19,153 human mRNA genes and only two sgRNAs were found to be free of off-target homology. By means of the novel and efficient sgRNA homology search algorithm introduced in this article, genome wide sgRNA design and off-target analysis were conducted and the results confirmed the mathematical analysis that for a sgRNA sequence, it is almost impossible to escape potential off-target homologies. Future innovations on the CRISPR Cas9 gene editing technology need to focus on how to eliminate the Cas9 off-target activity.

Analysis of Noise Mechanisms in Cell-Size Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Modi, Saurabh; Vargas-Garcia, Cesar Augusto; Ghusinga, Khem Raj; Singh, Abhyudai

2017-06-06

At the single-cell level, noise arises from multiple sources, such as inherent stochasticity of biomolecular processes, random partitioning of resources at division, and fluctuations in cellular growth rates. How these diverse noise mechanisms combine to drive variations in cell size within an isoclonal population is not well understood. Here, we investigate the contributions of different noise sources in well-known paradigms of cell-size control, such as adder (division occurs after adding a fixed size from birth), sizer (division occurs after reaching a size threshold), and timer (division occurs after a fixed time from birth). Analysis reveals that variation in cell size is most sensitive to errors in partitioning of volume among daughter cells, and not surprisingly, this process is well regulated among microbes. Moreover, depending on the dominant noise mechanism, different size-control strategies (or a combination of them) provide efficient buffering of size variations. We further explore mixer models of size control, where a timer phase precedes/follows an adder, as has been proposed in Caulobacter crescentus. Although mixing a timer and an adder can sometimes attenuate size variations, it invariably leads to higher-order moments growing unboundedly over time. This results in a power-law distribution for the cell size, with an exponent that depends inversely on the noise in the timer phase. Consistent with theory, we find evidence of power-law statistics in the tail of C. crescentus cell-size distribution, although there is a discrepancy between the observed power-law exponent and that predicted from the noise parameters. The discrepancy, however, is removed after data reveal that the size added by individual newborns in the adder phase itself exhibits power-law statistics. Taken together, this study provides key insights into the role of noise mechanisms in size homeostasis, and suggests an inextricable link between timer-based models of size control and

Size matters: a meta-analysis on the impact of hospital size on patient mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Fareed, Naleef

2012-06-01

This paper seeks to understand the relationship between hospital size and patient mortality. Patient mortality has been used by several studies in the health services research field as a proxy for measuring healthcare quality. A systematic review is conducted to identify studies that investigate the impact of hospital size on patient mortality. Using the findings of 21 effect sizes from 10 eligible studies, a meta-analysis is performed using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses using three factors--the measure used for hospital size, type of mortality measure used and whether mortality was adjusted or unadjusted--were utilised to investigate their moderating influence on the study's primary relationship. Results from this analysis indicate that big hospitals have lower odds of patient mortality versus small hospitals. Specifically, the probability of patient mortality in a big hospital, in reference to a small hospital, is 11% less. Subgroup analyses show that studies with unadjusted mortality rates have an even lower overall odds ratio of mortality versus studies with adjusted mortality rates. Aside from some limitations in data reporting, the findings of this paper support theoretical notions that big hospitals have lower mortality rates than small hospitals. Guidelines for better data reporting and future research are provided to further explore the phenomenon. Policy implications of this paper's findings are underscored and a sense of urgency is called for in an effort to help improve the state of a healthcare system that struggles with advancing healthcare quality. © 2012 The Author. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2012 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

Fissure formation in coke. 3: Coke size distribution and statistical analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D.R. Jenkins; D.E. Shaw; M.R. Mahoney [CSIRO, North Ryde, NSW (Australia). Mathematical and Information Sciences

2010-07-15

A model of coke stabilization, based on a fundamental model of fissuring during carbonisation is used to demonstrate the applicability of the fissuring model to actual coke size distributions. The results indicate that the degree of stabilization is important in determining the size distribution. A modified form of the Weibull distribution is shown to provide a better representation of the whole coke size distribution compared to the Rosin-Rammler distribution, which is generally only fitted to the lump coke. A statistical analysis of a large number of experiments in a pilot scale coke oven shows reasonably good prediction of the coke mean size, based on parameters related to blend rank, amount of low rank coal, fluidity and ash. However, the prediction of measures of the spread of the size distribution is more problematic. The fissuring model, the size distribution representation and the statistical analysis together provide a comprehensive capability for understanding and predicting the mean size and distribution of coke lumps produced during carbonisation. 12 refs., 16 figs., 4 tabs.

Mesh size in Lichtenstein repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the importance of mesh size.

Science.gov (United States)

Seker, D; Oztuna, D; Kulacoglu, H; Genc, Y; Akcil, M

2013-04-01

Small mesh size has been recognized as one of the factors responsible for recurrence after Lichtenstein hernia repair due to insufficient coverage or mesh shrinkage. The Lichtenstein Hernia Institute recommends a 7 × 15 cm mesh that can be trimmed up to 2 cm from the lateral side. We performed a systematic review to determine surgeons' mesh size preference for the Lichtenstein hernia repair and made a meta-analysis to determine the effect of mesh size, mesh type, and length of follow-up time on recurrence. Two medical databases, PubMed and ISI Web of Science, were systematically searched using the key word "Lichtenstein repair." All full text papers were selected. Publications mentioning mesh size were brought for further analysis. A mesh surface area of 90 cm(2) was accepted as the threshold for defining the mesh as small or large. Also, a subgroup analysis for recurrence pooled proportion according to the mesh size, mesh type, and follow-up period was done. In total, 514 papers were obtained. There were no prospective or retrospective clinical studies comparing mesh size and clinical outcome. A total of 141 papers were duplicated in both databases. As a result, 373 papers were obtained. The full text was available in over 95 % of papers. Only 41 (11.2 %) papers discussed mesh size. In 29 studies, a mesh larger than 90 cm(2) was used. The most frequently preferred commercial mesh size was 7.5 × 15 cm. No papers mentioned the size of the mesh after trimming. There was no information about the relationship between mesh size and patient BMI. The pooled proportion in recurrence for small meshes was 0.0019 (95 % confidence interval: 0.007-0.0036), favoring large meshes to decrease the chance of recurrence. Recurrence becomes more marked when follow-up period is longer than 1 year (p < 0.001). Heavy meshes also decreased recurrence (p = 0.015). This systematic review demonstrates that the size of the mesh used in Lichtenstein hernia repair is rarely

Estimation by radiation inactivation of the size of functional units governing Sendai and influenza virus fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bundo-Morita, K.; Gibson, S.; Lenard, J.

1987-01-01

The target sizes associated with fusion and hemolysis carried out by Sendai virus envelope glycoproteins were determined by radiation inactivation analysis. The target size for influenza virus mediated fusion with erythrocyte ghosts at pH 5.0 was also determined for comparison. Sendai-mediated fusion with erythrocyte ghosts at pH 7.0 was likewise inactivated exponentially with increasing radiation dose, yielding a target size of 60 +/- 6 kDa, a value consistent with the molecular weight of a single F-protein molecule. The inactivation curve for Sendai-mediated fusion with cardiolipin liposomes at pH 7.0, however, was more complex. Assuming a multiple target-single hit model, the target consisted of 2-3 units of ca. 60 kDa each. A similar target was seen if the liposome contained 10% gangliosides or if the reaction was measured at pH 5.0, suggesting that fusion occurred by the same mechanism at high and low pH. A target size of 261 +/- 48 kDa was found for Sendai-induced hemolysis, in contrast with influenza, which had a more complex target size for this activity. Sendai virus fusion thus occurs by different mechanisms depending upon the nature of the target membrane, since it is mediated by different functional units. Hemolysis is mediated by a functional unit different from that associated with erythrocyte ghost fusion or with cardiolipin liposome fusion

Penetration analysis of projectile with inclined concrete target

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim S.B.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents numerical analysis result of projectile penetration with concrete target. We applied dynamic material properties of 4340 steels, aluminium and explosive for projectile body. Dynamic material properties were measured with static tensile testing machine and Hopkinson pressure bar tests. Moreover, we used three concrete damage models included in LS-DYNA 3D, such as SOIL_CONCRETE, CSCM (cap model with smooth interaction and CONCRETE_DAMAGE (K&C concrete models. Strain rate effect for concrete material is important to predict the fracture deformation and shape of concrete, and penetration depth for projectiles. CONCRETE_DAMAGE model with strain rate effect also applied to penetration analysis. Analysis result with CSCM model shows good agreement with penetration experimental data. The projectile trace and fracture shapes of concrete target were compared with experimental data.

Penetration analysis of projectile with inclined concrete target

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S. B.; Kim, H. W.; Yoo, Y. H.

2015-09-01

This paper presents numerical analysis result of projectile penetration with concrete target. We applied dynamic material properties of 4340 steels, aluminium and explosive for projectile body. Dynamic material properties were measured with static tensile testing machine and Hopkinson pressure bar tests. Moreover, we used three concrete damage models included in LS-DYNA 3D, such as SOIL_CONCRETE, CSCM (cap model with smooth interaction) and CONCRETE_DAMAGE (K&C concrete) models. Strain rate effect for concrete material is important to predict the fracture deformation and shape of concrete, and penetration depth for projectiles. CONCRETE_DAMAGE model with strain rate effect also applied to penetration analysis. Analysis result with CSCM model shows good agreement with penetration experimental data. The projectile trace and fracture shapes of concrete target were compared with experimental data.

Targeting high value metals in lithium-ion battery recycling via shredding and size-based separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xue; Gaustad, Gabrielle; Babbitt, Callie W

2016-05-01

Development of lithium-ion battery recycling systems is a current focus of much research; however, significant research remains to optimize the process. One key area not studied is the utilization of mechanical pre-recycling steps to improve overall yield. This work proposes a pre-recycling process, including mechanical shredding and size-based sorting steps, with the goal of potential future scale-up to the industrial level. This pre-recycling process aims to achieve material segregation with a focus on the metallic portion and provide clear targets for subsequent recycling processes. The results show that contained metallic materials can be segregated into different size fractions at different levels. For example, for lithium cobalt oxide batteries, cobalt content has been improved from 35% by weight in the metallic portion before this pre-recycling process to 82% in the ultrafine (6mm). However, size fractions across multiple battery chemistries showed significant variability in material concentration. This finding indicates that sorting by cathode before pre-treatment could reduce the uncertainty of input materials and therefore improve the purity of output streams. Thus, battery labeling systems may be an important step towards implementation of any pre-recycling process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sentiment analysis enhancement with target variable in Kumar’s Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Arman, A. A.; Kawi, A. B.; Hurriyati, R.

2016-04-01

Sentiment analysis (also known as opinion mining) refers to the use of text analysis and computational linguistics to identify and extract subjective information in source materials. Sentiment analysis is widely applied to reviews discussion that is being talked in social media for many purposes, ranging from marketing, customer service, or public opinion of public policy. One of the popular algorithm for Sentiment Analysis implementation is Kumar algorithm that developed by Kumar and Sebastian. Kumar algorithm can identify the sentiment score of the statement, sentence or tweet, but cannot determine the relationship of the object or target related to the sentiment being analysed. This research proposed solution for that challenge by adding additional component that represent object or target to the existing algorithm (Kumar algorithm). The result of this research is a modified algorithm that can give sentiment score based on a given object or target.

Target size analysis of bioactive substances by radiation inactivation. Comparison with electron beam and. gamma. -ray

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kume, Tamikazu; Watanabe, Yuhei; Ishigaki, Isao; Hirose, Shigehisa

1988-11-01

The molecular sizes of various bioactive substances can be measured by the radiation inactivation method. The high energy electron beam (10 MeV) and /sup 60/Co-..gamma.. ray are mainly used for radiation inactivation method. When the practical electron accelerator (/similar to/ 3 MeV) is used for the method, the problems such as penetration and increase of temperature will arise. In this paper the radiation inactivation using 3MeV electron beam is investigated by comparison with ..gamma..-ray. When the plate type glass ampules (glass thickness 1 +- 0.1 mm) were used as the irradiation vessels, relatively uniform dose distribution was obtained. The temperature increased only from 21 degC to 35 degC by irradiation (0.77 mA, 100 passes, 100 kGy). Under the irradiation condition mentioned above, the molecular size of three enzymes were calculated from D/sub 37/ doses. The molecular sizes obtained by electron beam and ..gamma..-ray were 14,000 and 17,000 respectively for lysozyme, 33,000 for pepsin, and 191,000 and 164,000 for yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. These values agreed closely with the reported molecular weight, suggesting that the 3 MeV electron beam can also be used for the radiation inactivation under limited conditions.

Efficient moving target analysis for inverse synthetic aperture radar images via joint speeded-up robust features and regular moment

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hongxin; Su, Fulin

2018-01-01

We propose a moving target analysis algorithm using speeded-up robust features (SURF) and regular moment in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image sequences. In our study, we first extract interest points from ISAR image sequences by SURF. Different from traditional feature point extraction methods, SURF-based feature points are invariant to scattering intensity, target rotation, and image size. Then, we employ a bilateral feature registering model to match these feature points. The feature registering scheme can not only search the isotropic feature points to link the image sequences but also reduce the error matching pairs. After that, the target centroid is detected by regular moment. Consequently, a cost function based on correlation coefficient is adopted to analyze the motion information. Experimental results based on simulated and real data validate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method.

Cluster analysis of rural, urban, and curbside atmospheric particle size data.

Science.gov (United States)

Beddows, David C S; Dall'Osto, Manuel; Harrison, Roy M

2009-07-01

Particle size is a key determinant of the hazard posed by airborne particles. Continuous multivariate particle size data have been collected using aerosol particle size spectrometers sited at four locations within the UK: Harwell (Oxfordshire); Regents Park (London); British Telecom Tower (London); and Marylebone Road (London). These data have been analyzed using k-means cluster analysis, deduced to be the preferred cluster analysis technique, selected from an option of four partitional cluster packages, namelythe following: Fuzzy; k-means; k-median; and Model-Based clustering. Using cluster validation indices k-means clustering was shown to produce clusters with the smallest size, furthest separation, and importantly the highest degree of similarity between the elements within each partition. Using k-means clustering, the complexity of the data set is reduced allowing characterization of the data according to the temporal and spatial trends of the clusters. At Harwell, the rural background measurement site, the cluster analysis showed that the spectra may be differentiated by their modal-diameters and average temporal trends showing either high counts during the day-time or night-time hours. Likewise for the urban sites, the cluster analysis differentiated the spectra into a small number of size distributions according their modal-diameter, the location of the measurement site, and time of day. The responsible aerosol emission, formation, and dynamic processes can be inferred according to the cluster characteristics and correlation to concurrently measured meteorological, gas phase, and particle phase measurements.

Targeted Therapy for Acute Autoimmune Myocarditis with Nano-Sized Liposomal FK506 in Rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keiji Okuda

Full Text Available Immunosuppressive agents are used for the treatment of immune-mediated myocarditis; however, the need to develop a more effective therapeutic approach remains. Nano-sized liposomes may accumulate in and selectively deliver drugs to an inflammatory lesion with enhanced vascular permeability. The aims of this study were to investigate the distribution of liposomal FK506, an immunosuppressive drug encapsulated within liposomes, and the drug's effects on cardiac function in a rat experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM model. We prepared polyethylene glycol-modified liposomal FK506 (mean diameter: 109.5 ± 4.4 nm. We induced EAM by immunization with porcine myosin and assessed the tissue distribution of the nano-sized beads and liposomal FK506 in this model. After liposomal or free FK506 was administered on days 14 and 17 after immunization, the cytokine expression in the rat hearts along with the histological findings and hemodynamic parameters were determined on day 21. Ex vivo fluorescent imaging revealed that intravenously administered fluorescent-labeled nano-sized beads had accumulated in myocarditic but not normal hearts on day 14 after immunization and thereafter. Compared to the administration of free FK506, FK506 levels were increased in both the plasma and hearts of EAM rats when liposomal FK506 was administered. The administration of liposomal FK506 markedly suppressed the expression of cytokines, such as interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α, and reduced inflammation and fibrosis in the myocardium on day 21 compared to free FK506. The administration of liposomal FK506 also markedly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction on day 21 compared to free FK506. Nano-sized liposomes may be a promising drug delivery system for targeting myocarditic hearts with cardioprotective agents.

Targeted Therapy for Acute Autoimmune Myocarditis with Nano-Sized Liposomal FK506 in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuda, Keiji; Fu, Hai Ying; Matsuzaki, Takashi; Araki, Ryo; Tsuchida, Shota; Thanikachalam, Punniyakoti V; Fukuta, Tatsuya; Asai, Tomohiro; Yamato, Masaki; Sanada, Shoji; Asanuma, Hiroshi; Asano, Yoshihiro; Asakura, Masanori; Hanawa, Haruo; Hao, Hiroyuki; Oku, Naoto; Takashima, Seiji; Kitakaze, Masafumi; Sakata, Yasushi; Minamino, Tetsuo

2016-01-01

Immunosuppressive agents are used for the treatment of immune-mediated myocarditis; however, the need to develop a more effective therapeutic approach remains. Nano-sized liposomes may accumulate in and selectively deliver drugs to an inflammatory lesion with enhanced vascular permeability. The aims of this study were to investigate the distribution of liposomal FK506, an immunosuppressive drug encapsulated within liposomes, and the drug's effects on cardiac function in a rat experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) model. We prepared polyethylene glycol-modified liposomal FK506 (mean diameter: 109.5 ± 4.4 nm). We induced EAM by immunization with porcine myosin and assessed the tissue distribution of the nano-sized beads and liposomal FK506 in this model. After liposomal or free FK506 was administered on days 14 and 17 after immunization, the cytokine expression in the rat hearts along with the histological findings and hemodynamic parameters were determined on day 21. Ex vivo fluorescent imaging revealed that intravenously administered fluorescent-labeled nano-sized beads had accumulated in myocarditic but not normal hearts on day 14 after immunization and thereafter. Compared to the administration of free FK506, FK506 levels were increased in both the plasma and hearts of EAM rats when liposomal FK506 was administered. The administration of liposomal FK506 markedly suppressed the expression of cytokines, such as interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α, and reduced inflammation and fibrosis in the myocardium on day 21 compared to free FK506. The administration of liposomal FK506 also markedly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction on day 21 compared to free FK506. Nano-sized liposomes may be a promising drug delivery system for targeting myocarditic hearts with cardioprotective agents.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF SOLAR ENERGY APPLICATIONS WITH ENDOGENOUS SYSTEM SIZING

OpenAIRE

Gunter, Lewell F.; Smathers, Webb M., Jr.

1984-01-01

This paper is concerned with analysis of economic feasibility of solar energy systems. Methodology for estimating energy output from different sized systems is briefly presented, and this is used to determine technical coefficients for a mixed integer model which optimizes the size of the solar heating unit for a particular use. An empirical example of hot water heating on a Georgia dairy is presented. Cost curves are provided for the dairy example to illustrate the effect of sizing on the ec...

Layout Optimization of Structures with Finite-size Features using Multiresolution Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chellappa, S.; Diaz, A. R.; Bendsøe, Martin P.

2004-01-01

A scheme for layout optimization in structures with multiple finite-sized heterogeneities is presented. Multiresolution analysis is used to compute reduced operators (stiffness matrices) representing the elastic behavior of material distributions with heterogeneities of sizes that are comparable...

Determination of grain size by XRD profile analysis and TEM counting in nano-structured Cu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Yong; Ping Dehai; Song Xiaoyan; Yin Fuxing

2009-01-01

In this work, a serial of pure copper sample with different grain sizes from nano- to micro-scale were prepared by sparkle plasma sintering (SPS) and following anneal treatment at 873 K and 1073 K, respectively. The grain size distributions of these samples were determined by both X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile analysis and transmission electronic microscope (TEM) micrograph counting. Although these two methods give similar distributions of grain size in the case of as-SPS sample with nano-scale grain size (around 10 nm), there are apparent discrepancies between the grain size distributions of the annealed samples obtained from XRD and TEM, especially for the sample annealed at 1073 K after SPS with micro-scale grain size (around 2 μm), which TEM counting provides much higher values of grain sizes than XRD analysis does. It indicates that for large grain-sized material, XRD analysis lost its validity for determination of grain size. It might be due to some small sized substructures possibly existed in even annealed (large grain-sized) samples, whereas there is no substructures in as-SPS (nanocrystalline) sample. Moreover, it has been found that the effective outer cut-off radius R e derived from XRD analysis coincides with the grain sizes given by TEM counting. The potential relationship between grain size and R e was discussed in the present work. These results might provide some new hints for deeper understanding of the physical meaning of XRD analysis and the parameters derived.

SIZE OF BOEHMITE NANOPARTICLES BY TEM IMAGES ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxime Moreaud

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Transition aluminas, and especially the gamma type, are largely used as catalyst supports in refining and petrochemicals. Most studies focus on properties resulting from material texture and casting (specific surface, porous volume, pore shape and diameter. However, surface properties of alumina should be considered as well, as the catalytic activity is tightly related to the structure of exposed crystalline faces. As γ alumina results from controlled thermal treatment of boehmite γ-AlOOH by a topotactic transformation, the nature of exposed crystalline planes is related to the starting material. Therefore, the synthesis of the oxihydroxide γ-AlOOH, and especially size and shape of these particles, is critical in determining the relevant surface properties. Unlike often aggregated alumina, boehmite nanoparticles can be observed by TEM. Analysis of these TEM images can be performed to estimate the size of the boehmite nanoparticles. Information about morphology of the nanoparticles is obtained by the analysis of the covariance, modeling micrographs by a dilution model.

Automatic particle-size analysis of HTGR nuclear fuel microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mack, J.E.

1977-01-01

An automatic particle-size analyzer (PSA) has been developed at ORNL for measuring and counting samples of nuclear fuel microspheres in the diameter range of 300 to 1000 μm at rates in excess of 2000 particles per minute, requiring no sample preparation. A light blockage technique is used in conjunction with a particle singularizer. Each particle in the sample is sized, and the information is accumulated by a multi-channel pulse height analyzer. The data are then transferred automatically to a computer for calculation of mean diameter, standard deviation, kurtosis, and skewness of the distribution. Entering the sample weight and pre-coating data permits calculation of particle density and the mean coating thickness and density. Following this nondestructive analysis, the sample is collected and returned to the process line or used for further analysis. The device has potential as an on-line quality control device in processes dealing with spherical or near-spherical particles where rapid analysis is required for process control

Thermal analysis of titanium drive-in target for D-D neutron generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, N S; Kim, I J; Kim, S J; Choi, H D

2010-01-01

Thermal analysis was performed for a titanium drive-in target of a D-D neutron generator. Computational fluid dynamics code CFX-5 was used in this study. To define the heat flux term for the thermal analysis, beam current profile was measured. Temperature of the target was calculated at some of the operating conditions. The cooling performance of the target was evaluated by means of the comparison of the calculated maximum target temperature and the critical temperature of titanium. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Error Analysis of Fast Moving Target Geo-location in Wide Area Surveillance Ground Moving Target Indication Mode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Shi-chao

2013-12-01

Full Text Available As an important mode in airborne radar systems, Wide Area Surveillance Ground Moving Target Indication (WAS-GMTI mode has the ability of monitoring a large area in a short time, and then the detected moving targets can be located quickly. However, in real environment, many factors introduce considerable errors into the location of moving targets. In this paper, a fast location method based on the characteristics of the moving targets in WAS-GMTI mode is utilized. And in order to improve the location performance, those factors that introduce location errors are analyzed and moving targets are relocated. Finally, the analysis of those factors is proved to be reasonable by simulation and real data experiments.

Detection and size analysis of proteins with switchable DNA layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rant, Ulrich; Pringsheim, Erika; Kaiser, Wolfgang; Arinaga, Kenji; Knezevic, Jelena; Tornow, Marc; Fujita, Shozo; Yokoyama, Naoki; Abstreiter, Gerhard

2009-04-01

We introduce a chip-compatible scheme for the label-free detection of proteins in real-time that is based on the electrically driven conformation switching of DNA oligonucleotides on metal surfaces. The switching behavior is a sensitive indicator for the specific recognition of IgG antibodies and antibody fragments, which can be detected in quantities of less than 10(-18) mol on the sensor surface. Moreover, we show how the dynamics of the induced molecular motion can be monitored by measuring the high-frequency switching response. When proteins bind to the layer, the increase in hydrodynamic drag slows the switching dynamics, which allows us to determine the size of the captured proteins. We demonstrate the identification of different antibody fragments by means of their kinetic fingerprint. The switchDNA method represents a generic approach to simultaneously detect and size target molecules using a single analytical platform.

Sample size determination for mediation analysis of longitudinal data.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Haitao; Liu, Suyu; Miao, Danmin; Yuan, Ying

2018-03-27

Sample size planning for longitudinal data is crucial when designing mediation studies because sufficient statistical power is not only required in grant applications and peer-reviewed publications, but is essential to reliable research results. However, sample size determination is not straightforward for mediation analysis of longitudinal design. To facilitate planning the sample size for longitudinal mediation studies with a multilevel mediation model, this article provides the sample size required to achieve 80% power by simulations under various sizes of the mediation effect, within-subject correlations and numbers of repeated measures. The sample size calculation is based on three commonly used mediation tests: Sobel's method, distribution of product method and the bootstrap method. Among the three methods of testing the mediation effects, Sobel's method required the largest sample size to achieve 80% power. Bootstrapping and the distribution of the product method performed similarly and were more powerful than Sobel's method, as reflected by the relatively smaller sample sizes. For all three methods, the sample size required to achieve 80% power depended on the value of the ICC (i.e., within-subject correlation). A larger value of ICC typically required a larger sample size to achieve 80% power. Simulation results also illustrated the advantage of the longitudinal study design. The sample size tables for most encountered scenarios in practice have also been published for convenient use. Extensive simulations study showed that the distribution of the product method and bootstrapping method have superior performance to the Sobel's method, but the product method was recommended to use in practice in terms of less computation time load compared to the bootstrapping method. A R package has been developed for the product method of sample size determination in mediation longitudinal study design.

Preliminary analysis of a target factory for laser fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherohman, J.W.; Hendricks, C.D.

1980-01-01

An analysis of a target factory leading to the determination of production expressions has provided for the basis of a parametric study. Parameters involving the input and output rate of a process system, processing yield factors, and multiple processing steps and production lines have been used to develop an understanding of their dependence on the rate of target injection for laser fusion. Preliminary results have indicated that a parametric study of this type will be important in the selection of processing methods to be used in the final production scheme of a target factory

Estimating Most Productive Scale Size in Data Envelopment Analysis with Integer Value Data

Science.gov (United States)

Dwi Sari, Yunita; Angria S, Layla; Efendi, Syahril; Zarlis, Muhammad

2018-01-01

The most productive scale size (MPSS) is a measurement that states how resources should be organized and utilized to achieve optimal results. The most productive scale size (MPSS) can be used as a benchmark for the success of an industry or company in producing goods or services. To estimate the most productive scale size (MPSS), each decision making unit (DMU) should pay attention the level of input-output efficiency, by data envelopment analysis (DEA) method decision making unit (DMU) can identify units used as references that can help to find the cause and solution from inefficiencies can optimize productivity that main advantage in managerial applications. Therefore, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is chosen to estimating most productive scale size (MPSS) that will focus on the input of integer value data with the CCR model and the BCC model. The purpose of this research is to find the best solution for estimating most productive scale size (MPSS) with input of integer value data in data envelopment analysis (DEA) method.

Micro gas turbine thermodynamic and economic analysis up to 500 kWe size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galanti, Leandro; Massardo, Aristide F.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Thermoeconomic analysis and optimization of micro gas turbines up to 500 kWe. → Analysis carried out for both regenerative and intercooled regenerative cycles. → Focus on thermodynamic, geometric and cost parameters of the main MGT devices. → ICR cycle has an interesting reduction in capital and electricity costs, rising size. → Complete thermoeconomic investigation is essential to support thermodynamic analysis. -- Abstract: In this paper a thermoeconomic analysis and optimization of micro gas turbines (MGT) up to 500 kWe is presented. This analysis is strongly related to the need of minimizing specific capital cost, still high for MGT large market penetration, and optimizing MGT size to match market needs. The analysis was carried out for both existing regenerative MGT cycles and new inter-cooled regenerative cycles, using the Web-based ThermoEconomic Modular Program by the University of Genoa. The attention is mainly focused on the basis of thermodynamic, geometric and capital cost parameters of the main MGT devices (such as recuperator size, material and effectiveness, turbine inlet temperature, and compressor pressure ratio) and on economic scenario (fuel cost, cost of electricity, etc.) for different MGT size in the range 25-500 kWe.

Effects of thermomechanical processing on the recrystallization texture and grain size of Al-1%Si sputtering target material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, X.R.; Xu, C.L.; Huang, T.L.

2015-01-01

An Al-1%Si alloy was solution treated and deformed by conventional cold rolling to different strains, followed by annealing at various temperatures until complete recrystallization. The microstructures of annealed samples were characterized by electron backscatter diffraction. It is found that un...... that under optimal conditions of cold rolling and annealing, the microstructure desired for sputtering target materials with fine, uniformly sized and randomly textured grains can be obtained for the Al-1%Si alloy....

Growing axons analysis by using Granulometric Size Distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, Mariela A; Ballarin, Virginia L; Rapacioli, Melina; CelIn, A R; Sanchez, V; Flores, V

2011-01-01

Neurite growth (neuritogenesis) in vitro is a common methodology in the field of developmental neurobiology. Morphological analyses of growing neurites are usually difficult because their thinness and low contrast usually prevent to observe clearly their shape, number, length and spatial orientation. This paper presents the use of the granulometric size distribution in order to automatically obtain information about the shape, size and spatial orientation of growing axons in tissue cultures. The results here presented show that the granulometric size distribution results in a very useful morphological tool since it allows the automatic detection of growing axons and the precise characterization of a relevant parameter indicative of the axonal growth spatial orientation such as the quantification of the angle of deviation of the growing direction. The developed algorithms automatically quantify this orientation by facilitating the analysis of these images, which is important given the large number of images that need to be processed for this type of study.

Online virtual isocenter based radiation field targeting for high performance small animal microirradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, James M. P.; Ansell, Steve; Lindsay, Patricia E.; Jaffray, David A.

2015-12-01

Advances in precision microirradiators for small animal radiation oncology studies have provided the framework for novel translational radiobiological studies. Such systems target radiation fields at the scale required for small animal investigations, typically through a combination of on-board computed tomography image guidance and fixed, interchangeable collimators. Robust targeting accuracy of these radiation fields remains challenging, particularly at the millimetre scale field sizes achievable by the majority of microirradiators. Consistent and reproducible targeting accuracy is further hindered as collimators are removed and inserted during a typical experimental workflow. This investigation quantified this targeting uncertainty and developed an online method based on a virtual treatment isocenter to actively ensure high performance targeting accuracy for all radiation field sizes. The results indicated that the two-dimensional field placement uncertainty was as high as 1.16 mm at isocenter, with simulations suggesting this error could be reduced to 0.20 mm using the online correction method. End-to-end targeting analysis of a ball bearing target on radiochromic film sections showed an improved targeting accuracy with the three-dimensional vector targeting error across six different collimators reduced from 0.56+/- 0.05 mm (mean  ±  SD) to 0.05+/- 0.05 mm for an isotropic imaging voxel size of 0.1 mm.

Visual accumulation tube for size analysis of sands

Science.gov (United States)

Colby, B.C.; Christensen, R.P.

1956-01-01

The visual-accumulation-tube method was developed primarily for making size analyses of the sand fractions of suspended-sediment and bed-material samples. Because the fundamental property governing the motion of a sediment particle in a fluid is believed to be its fall velocity. the analysis is designed to determine the fall-velocity-frequency distribution of the individual particles of the sample. The analysis is based on a stratified sedimentation system in which the sample is introduced at the top of a transparent settling tube containing distilled water. The procedure involves the direct visual tracing of the height of sediment accumulation in a contracted section at the bottom of the tube. A pen records the height on a moving chart. The method is simple and fast, provides a continuous and permanent record, gives highly reproducible results, and accurately determines the fall-velocity characteristics of the sample. The apparatus, procedure, results, and accuracy of the visual-accumulation-tube method for determining the sedimentation-size distribution of sands are presented in this paper.

Origin of discrepancies between crater size-frequency distributions of coeval lunar geologic units via target property contrasts

Science.gov (United States)

van der Bogert, C. H.; Hiesinger, H.; Dundas, C. M.; Krüger, T.; McEwen, A. S.; Zanetti, M.; Robinson, M. S.

2017-12-01

Recent work on dating Copernican-aged craters, using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Camera data, re-encountered a curious discrepancy in crater size-frequency distribution (CSFD) measurements that was observed, but not understood, during the Apollo era. For example, at Tycho, Copernicus, and Aristarchus craters, CSFDs of impact melt deposits give significantly younger relative and absolute model ages (AMAs) than impact ejecta blankets, although these two units formed during one impact event, and would ideally yield coeval ages at the resolution of the CSFD technique. We investigated the effects of contrasting target properties on CSFDs and their resultant relative and absolute model ages for coeval lunar impact melt and ejecta units. We counted craters with diameters through the transition from strength- to gravity-scaling on two large impact melt deposits at Tycho and King craters, and we used pi-group scaling calculations to model the effects of differing target properties on final crater diameters for five different theoretical lunar targets. The new CSFD for the large King Crater melt pond bridges the gap between the discrepant CSFDs within a single geologic unit. Thus, the observed trends in the impact melt CSFDs support the occurrence of target property effects, rather than self-secondary and/or field secondary contamination. The CSFDs generated from the pi-group scaling calculations show that targets with higher density and effective strength yield smaller crater diameters than weaker targets, such that the relative ages of the former are lower relative to the latter. Consequently, coeval impact melt and ejecta units will have discrepant apparent ages. Target property differences also affect the resulting slope of the CSFD, with stronger targets exhibiting shallower slopes, so that the final crater diameters may differ more greatly at smaller diameters. Besides their application to age dating, the CSFDs may provide additional information about the

Hot-spot analysis for drug discovery targeting protein-protein interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosell, Mireia; Fernández-Recio, Juan

2018-04-01

Protein-protein interactions are important for biological processes and pathological situations, and are attractive targets for drug discovery. However, rational drug design targeting protein-protein interactions is still highly challenging. Hot-spot residues are seen as the best option to target such interactions, but their identification requires detailed structural and energetic characterization, which is only available for a tiny fraction of protein interactions. Areas covered: In this review, the authors cover a variety of computational methods that have been reported for the energetic analysis of protein-protein interfaces in search of hot-spots, and the structural modeling of protein-protein complexes by docking. This can help to rationalize the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors of protein-protein interfaces of therapeutic interest. Computational analysis and docking can help to locate the interface, molecular dynamics can be used to find suitable cavities, and hot-spot predictions can focus the search for inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. Expert opinion: A major difficulty for applying rational drug design methods to protein-protein interactions is that in the majority of cases the complex structure is not available. Fortunately, computational docking can complement experimental data. An interesting aspect to explore in the future is the integration of these strategies for targeting PPIs with large-scale mutational analysis.

Does apparent size capture attention in visual search? Evidence from the Muller-Lyer illusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Proulx, Michael J; Green, Monique

2011-11-23

Is perceived size a crucial factor for the bottom-up guidance of attention? Here, a visual search experiment was used to examine whether an irrelevantly longer object can capture attention when participants were to detect a vertical target item. The longer object was created by an apparent size manipulation, the Müller-Lyer illusion; however, all objects contained the same number of pixels. The vertical target was detected more efficiently when it was also perceived as the longer item that was defined by apparent size. Further analysis revealed that the longer Müller-Lyer object received a greater degree of attentional priority than published results for other features such as retinal size, luminance contrast, and the abrupt onset of a new object. The present experiment has demonstrated for the first time that apparent size can capture attention and, thus, provide bottom-up guidance on the basis of perceived salience.

A pretreatment method for grain size analysis of red mudstones

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Zaixing; Liu, Li'an

2011-11-01

Traditional sediment disaggregation methods work well for loose mud sediments, but not for tightly cemented mudstones by ferric oxide minerals. In this paper, a new pretreatment method for analyzing the grain size of red mudstones is presented. The experimental samples are Eocene red mudstones from the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin. The red mudstones are composed mainly of clay minerals, clastic sediments and ferric oxides that make the mudstones red and tightly compacted. The procedure of the method is as follows. Firstly, samples of the red mudstones were crushed into fragments with a diameter of 0.6-0.8 mm in size; secondly, the CBD (citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite) treatment was used to remove ferric oxides so that the cementation of intra-aggregates and inter-aggregates became weakened, and then 5% dilute hydrochloric acid was added to further remove the cements; thirdly, the fragments were further ground with a rubber pestle; lastly, an ultrasonicator was used to disaggregate the samples. After the treatment, the samples could then be used for grain size analysis or for other geological analyses of sedimentary grains. Compared with other pretreatment methods for size analysis of mudstones, this proposed method is more effective and has higher repeatability.

On the relationships between electron spot size, focal spot size, and virtual source position in Monte Carlo simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sterpin, E.; Chen, Y.; Lu, W.; Mackie, T. R.; Olivera, G. H.; Vynckier, S.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Every year, new radiotherapy techniques including stereotactic radiosurgery using linear accelerators give rise to new applications of Monte Carlo (MC) modeling. Accurate modeling requires knowing the size of the electron spot, one of the few parameters to tune in MC models. The resolution of integrated megavoltage imaging systems, such as the tomotherapy system, strongly depends on the photon spot size which is closely related to the electron spot. The aim of this article is to clarify the relationship between the electron spot size and the photon spot size (i.e., the focal spot size) for typical incident electron beam energies and target thicknesses. Methods: Three electron energies (3, 5.5, and 18 MeV), four electron spot sizes (FWHM=0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mm), and two tungsten target thicknesses (0.15 and 1 cm) were considered. The formation of the photon beam within the target was analyzed through electron energy deposition with depth, as well as photon production at several phase-space planes placed perpendicular to the beam axis, where only photons recorded for the first time were accounted for. Photon production was considered for ''newborn'' photons intersecting a 45x45 cm 2 plane at the isocenter (85 cm from source). Finally, virtual source position and ''effective'' focal spot size were computed by backprojecting all the photons from the bottom of the target intersecting a 45x45 cm 2 plane. The virtual source position and focal spot size were estimated at the plane position where the latter is minimal. Results: In the relevant case of considering only photons intersecting the 45x45 cm 2 plane, the results unambiguously showed that the effective photon spot is created within the first 0.25 mm of the target and that electron and focal spots may be assumed to be equal within 3-4%. Conclusions: In a good approximation photon spot size equals electron spot size for high energy X-ray treatments delivered by linear accelerators.

Analysis of directly driven ICF targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velarde, G.; Aragones, J.M.; Gago, J.A.

1986-01-01

The current capabilities at DENIM for the analysis of directly driven targets are presented. These include theoretical, computational and applied physical studies and developments of detailed simulation models for the most relevant processes in ICF. The simulation of directly driven ICF targets is carried out with the one-dimensional NORCLA code developed at DENIM. This code contains two main segments: NORMA and CLARA, able to work fully coupled and in an iterative manner. NORMA solves the hydrodynamic equations in a lagrangian mesh. It has modular programs couple to it to treat the laser or particle beam interaction with matter. Equations of state, opacities and conductivities are taken from a DENIM atomic data library, generated externally with other codes that will also be explained in this work. CLARA solves the transport equation for neutrons, as well as for charged particles, and suprathermal electrons using discrete ordinates and finite element methods in the computational procedure. Parametric calculations of multilayered single-shell targets driven by heavy ion beams are also analyzed. Finally, conclusions are focused on the ongoing developments in the areas of interest such as: radiation transport, atomic physics, particle in cell method, charged particle transport, two-dimensional calculations and instabilities. (author)

A mathematical analysis of multiple-target SELEX.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Yeon-Jung; Chen, Shiliang; Nilsen-Hamilton, Marit; Levine, Howard A

2010-10-01

SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) is a procedure by which a mixture of nucleic acids can be fractionated with the goal of identifying those with specific biochemical activities. One combines the mixture with a specific target molecule and then separates the target-NA complex from the resulting reactions. The target-NA complex is separated from the unbound NA by mechanical means (such as by filtration), the NA is eluted from the complex, amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction), and the process repeated. After several rounds, one should be left with the nucleic acids that best bind to the target. The problem was first formulated mathematically in Irvine et al. (J. Mol. Biol. 222:739-761, 1991). In Levine and Nilsen-Hamilton (Comput. Biol. Chem. 31:11-25, 2007), a mathematical analysis of the process was given. In Vant-Hull et al. (J. Mol. Biol. 278:579-597, 1998), multiple target SELEX was considered. It was assumed that each target has a single nucleic acid binding site that permits occupation by no more than one nucleic acid. Here, we revisit Vant-Hull et al. (J. Mol. Biol. 278:579-597, 1998) using the same assumptions. The iteration scheme is shown to be convergent and a simplified algorithm is given. Our interest here is in the behavior of the multiple target SELEX process as a discrete "time" dynamical system. Our goal is to characterize the limiting states and their dependence on the initial distribution of nucleic acid and target fraction components. (In multiple target SELEX, we vary the target component fractions, but not their concentrations, as fixed and the initial pool of nucleic acids as a variable starting condition). Given N nucleic acids and a target consisting of M subtarget component species, there is an M × N matrix of affinities, the (i,j) entry corresponding to the affinity of the jth nucleic acid for the ith subtarget. We give a structure condition on this matrix that is equivalent to the following

Bioinformatics analysis of Brucella vaccines and vaccine targets using VIOLIN.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yongqun; Xiang, Zuoshuang

2010-09-27

Brucella spp. are Gram-negative, facultative intracellular bacteria that cause brucellosis, one of the commonest zoonotic diseases found worldwide in humans and a variety of animal species. While several animal vaccines are available, there is no effective and safe vaccine for prevention of brucellosis in humans. VIOLIN (http://www.violinet.org) is a web-based vaccine database and analysis system that curates, stores, and analyzes published data of commercialized vaccines, and vaccines in clinical trials or in research. VIOLIN contains information for 454 vaccines or vaccine candidates for 73 pathogens. VIOLIN also contains many bioinformatics tools for vaccine data analysis, data integration, and vaccine target prediction. To demonstrate the applicability of VIOLIN for vaccine research, VIOLIN was used for bioinformatics analysis of existing Brucella vaccines and prediction of new Brucella vaccine targets. VIOLIN contains many literature mining programs (e.g., Vaxmesh) that provide in-depth analysis of Brucella vaccine literature. As a result of manual literature curation, VIOLIN contains information for 38 Brucella vaccines or vaccine candidates, 14 protective Brucella antigens, and 68 host response studies to Brucella vaccines from 97 peer-reviewed articles. These Brucella vaccines are classified in the Vaccine Ontology (VO) system and used for different ontological applications. The web-based VIOLIN vaccine target prediction program Vaxign was used to predict new Brucella vaccine targets. Vaxign identified 14 outer membrane proteins that are conserved in six virulent strains from B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis that are pathogenic in humans. Of the 14 membrane proteins, two proteins (Omp2b and Omp31-1) are not present in B. ovis, a Brucella species that is not pathogenic in humans. Brucella vaccine data stored in VIOLIN were compared and analyzed using the VIOLIN query system. Bioinformatics curation and ontological representation of Brucella vaccines

X-ray diffraction from thin films : Size/strain analysis and whole pattern fitting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scardi, P [Trento Univ. (Italy). Dept. of Materials Engineering

1996-09-01

Line Profile Analysis (LPA) and whole pattern fitting may be used with success for the characterization of thin films from XRD data collected with the traditional Bragg-Brentano geometry. The size/strain analysis was conducted by an integrated procedure of profile modelling-assisted Fourier analysis, in order to measure the content of lattice imperfections and crystalline domain size along the growth direction in heteroepitaxial thin films. The microstructure of these films is typical of several PVD processes for the production of highly textured and low-defect thin crystalline layers. The same analysis could be conducted on random thin films as well, and in this case it is possible to determine an average crystallite size and shape. As will be shown in the paper, structural and microstructural parameters obtained by these methods may be correlated with thin film properties of technological interest. The whole pattern analysis may be used to obtain the information contained in a wide region of the diffraction pattern. This approach, currently used for the quantitative analysis of phase mixtures in traditional powder samples, was modified to account both for the size/strain effects, according to a simplified LPA, and for the structure of thin films and multi-layer systems. In this way, a detailed analysis based on a structural model for the present phases can be performed considering the real geometry of these samples. In particular, the quantitative phase analysis could be conducted in terms of layer thickness instead of volume or weight fractions.

X-ray diffraction from thin films : Size/strain analysis and whole pattern fitting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scardi, P.

1996-01-01

Line Profile Analysis (LPA) and whole pattern fitting may be used with success for the characterization of thin films from XRD data collected with the traditional Bragg-Brentano geometry. The size/strain analysis was conducted by an integrated procedure of profile modelling-assisted Fourier analysis, in order to measure the content of lattice imperfections and crystalline domain size along the growth direction in heteroepitaxial thin films. The microstructure of these films is typical of several PVD processes for the production of highly textured and low-defect thin crystalline layers. The same analysis could be conducted on random thin films as well, and in this case it is possible to determine an average crystallite size and shape. As will be shown in the paper, structural and microstructural parameters obtained by these methods may be correlated with thin film properties of technological interest. The whole pattern analysis may be used to obtain the information contained in a wide region of the diffraction pattern. This approach, currently used for the quantitative analysis of phase mixtures in traditional powder samples, was modified to account both for the size/strain effects, according to a simplified LPA, and for the structure of thin films and multi-layer systems. In this way, a detailed analysis based on a structural model for the present phases can be performed considering the real geometry of these samples. In particular, the quantitative phase analysis could be conducted in terms of layer thickness instead of volume or weight fractions

Micron-size hydrogen cluster target for laser-driven proton acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Jinno, S.; Kanasaki, M.; Uno, M.; Matsui, R.; Uesaka, M.; Kishimoto, Y.; Fukuda, Y.

2018-04-01

As a new laser-driven ion acceleration technique, we proposed a way to produce impurity-free, highly reproducible, and robust proton beams exceeding 100 MeV using a Coulomb explosion of micron-size hydrogen clusters. In this study, micron-size hydrogen clusters were generated by expanding the cooled high-pressure hydrogen gas into a vacuum via a conical nozzle connected to a solenoid valve cooled by a mechanical cryostat. The size distributions of the hydrogen clusters were evaluated by measuring the angular distribution of laser light scattered from the clusters. The data were analyzed mathematically based on the Mie scattering theory combined with the Tikhonov regularization method. The maximum size of the hydrogen cluster at 25 K and 6 MPa in the stagnation state was recognized to be 2.15 ± 0.10 μm. The mean cluster size decreased with increasing temperature, and was found to be much larger than that given by Hagena’s formula. This discrepancy suggests that the micron-size hydrogen clusters were formed by the atomization (spallation) of the liquid or supercritical fluid phase of hydrogen. In addition, the density profiles of the gas phase were evaluated for 25 to 80 K at 6 MPa using a Nomarski interferometer. Based on the measurement results and the equation of state for hydrogen, the cluster mass fraction was obtained. 3D particles-in-cell (PIC) simulations concerning the interaction processes of micron-size hydrogen clusters with high power laser pulses predicted the generation of protons exceeding 100 MeV and accelerating in a laser propagation direction via an anisotropic Coulomb explosion mechanism, thus demonstrating a future candidate in laser-driven proton sources for upcoming multi-petawatt lasers.

Analysis of hard coal quality for narrow size fraction under 20 mm

Science.gov (United States)

Niedoba, Tomasz; Pięta, Paulina

2018-01-01

The paper presents the results of an analysis of hard coal quality diversion in narrow size fraction by using taxonomic methods. Raw material samples were collected in selected mines of Upper Silesian Industrial Region and they were classified according to the Polish classification as types 31, 34.2 and 35. Then, each size fraction was characterized in terms of the following properties: density, ash content, calorific content, volatile content, total sulfur content and analytical moisture. As a result of the analysis it can be stated that the best quality in the entire range of the tested size fractions was the 34.2 coking coal type. At the same time, in terms of price parameters, high quality of raw material characterised the following size fractions: 0-6.3 mm of 31 energetic coal type and 0-3.15 mm of 35 coking coal type. The methods of grouping (Ward's method) and agglomeration (k-means method) have shown that the size fraction below 10 mm was characterized by higher quality in all the analyzed hard coal types. However, the selected taxonomic methods do not make it possible to identify individual size fraction or hard coal types based on chosen parameters.

Numerical analysis of free surface instabilities in the IFMIF lithium target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordeev, S.; Heinzel, V.; Moeslang, A.

2007-01-01

The International Fusion Materials Facility (IFMIF) facility uses a high speed (10-20 m/s) Lithium (Li) jet flow as a target for two 40 MeV/125 mA deuteron beams. The major function of the Li target is to provide a stable Li jet for the production of an intense neutron flux. For the understanding the lithium jet behaviour and elimination of the free-surface flow instabilities a detailed analysis of the Li jet flow is necessary. Different kinds of instability mechanisms in the liquid jet flow have been evaluated and classified based on analytical and experimental data. Numerical investigations of the target free surface flow have been performed. Previous numerical investigations have shown in principle the suitability of CFD code Star- CD for the simulation of the Li-target flow. The main objective of this study is detailed numerical analysis of instabilities in the Li-jet flow caused by boundary layer relaxation near the nozzle exit, transition to the turbulence flow and back wall curvature. A number of CFD models are developed to investigate the formation of instabilities on the target surface. Turbulence models are validated on the experimental data. Experimental observations have shown that the change of the nozzle geometry at the outlet such as a slight divergence of the nozzle surfaces or nozzle edge defects causes the flow separation and occurrence of longitudinal periodic structures on the free surface with an amplitude up to 5 mm. Target surface fluctuations of this magnitude can lead to the penetration of the deuteron beam in the target structure and cause the local overheating of the back plat. Analysis of large instabilities in the Li-target flow combined with the heat distribution in lithium depending on the free surface shape is performed in this study. (orig.)

[Segment analysis of the target market of physiotherapeutic services].

Science.gov (United States)

Babaskin, D V

2010-01-01

The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the possibilities to analyse selected segments of the target market of physiotherapeutic services provided by medical and preventive-facilities of two major types. The main features of a target segment, such as provision of therapeutic massage, are illustrated in terms of two characteristics, namely attractiveness to the users and the ability of a given medical facility to satisfy their requirements. Based on the analysis of portfolio of the available target segments the most promising ones (winner segments) were selected for further marketing studies. This choice does not exclude the possibility of involvement of other segments of medical services in marketing activities.

Transmutation technology development; thermal hydraulic power analysis and structure analysis of the HYPER target beam window

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, J. H.; Ju, E. S.; Song, M. K.; Jeon, Y. Z. [Gyeongsang National University, Jinju (Korea)

2002-03-01

A thermal hydraulic power analysis, a structure analysis and optimization computation for some design factor for the design of spallation target suitable for HYPER with 1000 MW thermal power in this study was performed. Heat generation formula was used which was evaluated recently based on the LAHET code, mainly to find the maximum beam current under given computation conditions. Thermal hydraulic power of HYPER target system was calculated using FLUENT code, structure conducted by inputting the data into ANSYS. On the temp of beam windows and the pressure distribution calculated using FLUENT. Data transformation program was composed apply the data calculated using FLUENT being commercial CFD code and ANSYS being FEM code for CFX structure analysis. A basic study was conducted on various singular target to obtain fundamental data on the shape for optimum target design. A thermal hydraulic power analysis and structure analysis were conducted on the shapes of parabolic, uniform, scanning beams to choose the optimum shape of beam current analysis was done according to some turbulent model to simulate the real flow. To evaluate the reliability of numerical analysis result, benchmarking of FLUENT code reformed at SNU and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and it was compared to CFX in the possession of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and evaluated. Reliable deviation was observed in the results calculated using FLUENT code, but temperature deviation of about 200 .deg. C was observed in the result from CFX analysis at optimum design condition. Several benchmarking were performed on the basis of numerical analysis concerning conventional HYPER. It was possible to allow a beam arrests of 17.3 mA in the case of the {phi} 350 mm parabolic beam suggested to the optimum in nuclear transmutation when stress equivalent to VON-MISES was calculated to be 140 MPa. 29 refs., 109 figs. (Author)

Size-controlled synthesis of biodegradable nanocarriers for targeted ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Research for synthesis of size-controlled carriers is currently challenging one. In this research paper, a ... There are many methods available for the prepara- tion of drug-loaded ... 2.3 Characterization of nanoparticles. 2.3a FT-IR spectral ...

Thermal analysis of Ti drive-in target for D-D neutron generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, N.S.; Kim, I.J.; Kim, S.J.; Choi, H.D.

2008-01-01

Full text: Thermal analysis was performed for a Ti drive-in target of a D-D neutron generator. Numerical calculation was the only feasible way to obtain the information of the target temperature, since it was very difficult to measure the target temperature during neutron generation due to high voltage being applied to the target. Computational fluid dynamics code CFX-5 was used in this study. In order to define the heat flux term for the thermal analysis, the current profile of the ion beam was measured. The one-dimensional, integrated current profile was measured by using a single slit and a Faraday cup. The measured current profile was transformed into the axially symmetric two-dimensional distribution function by using the Abel inversion, which had the two-dimensional Gaussian function shape. Temperature distribution in the target was calculated at the operating condition. The influence of operational parameters like the ion beam energy, current, coolant mass flow rate and coolant inlet temperature on the target temperature was investigated

Sizing Analysis for Aircraft Utilizing Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-18

world, the paragon of animals -William Shakespeare I would not have made it this far without the love and support of my parents. Their work-ethic...xiii  I.  Introduction ...Condition 1 SIZING ANALYSIS FOR AIRCRAFT UTILIZING HYBRID- ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEMS I. Introduction 1. Background Physically

Size distribution measurements and chemical analysis of aerosol components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pakkanen, T.A.

1995-12-31

The principal aims of this work were to improve the existing methods for size distribution measurements and to draw conclusions about atmospheric and in-stack aerosol chemistry and physics by utilizing size distributions of various aerosol components measured. A sample dissolution with dilute nitric acid in an ultrasonic bath and subsequent graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric analysis was found to result in low blank values and good recoveries for several elements in atmospheric fine particle size fractions below 2 {mu}m of equivalent aerodynamic particle diameter (EAD). Furthermore, it turned out that a substantial amount of analyses associated with insoluble material could be recovered since suspensions were formed. The size distribution measurements of in-stack combustion aerosols indicated two modal size distributions for most components measured. The existence of the fine particle mode suggests that a substantial fraction of such elements with two modal size distributions may vaporize and nucleate during the combustion process. In southern Norway, size distributions of atmospheric aerosol components usually exhibited one or two fine particle modes and one or two coarse particle modes. Atmospheric relative humidity values higher than 80% resulted in significant increase of the mass median diameters of the droplet mode. Important local and/or regional sources of As, Br, I, K, Mn, Pb, Sb, Si and Zn were found to exist in southern Norway. The existence of these sources was reflected in the corresponding size distributions determined, and was utilized in the development of a source identification method based on size distribution data. On the Finnish south coast, atmospheric coarse particle nitrate was found to be formed mostly through an atmospheric reaction of nitric acid with existing coarse particle sea salt but reactions and/or adsorption of nitric acid with soil derived particles also occurred. Chloride was depleted when acidic species reacted

Analysis of the Neutron Generator and Target for the LSDTS System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Chang Je; Lee, Yong Deok; Song, Jae Hoon; Song, Kee Chan [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-11-15

A preliminary analysis was performed based on the literatures and the patents for the neutron generators and targets for the lead slowing down time spectrometer (LSDTS) system. It was found that local neutron generator did not exhibit enough neutron intensity such as 1E+12 n/s, which is a minimum requirement for the LSDTS system to overcome curium backgrounds. However, a neutron generator implemented with an electron accelerator may provide a higher intensity around 1E+13 n/s and it is required to investigate further including a detail analysis. In addition to the neutron generator, a study on target was performed with the Monte Carlo simulation. In the study, an optimal design of target was suggested to provide a high neutron yield and a better thermal resistance. The suggested target consists several cylindrical plates with a certain cooling gap, which have increasing thickness and increasing radius.

Meta-Analysis of Effect Sizes Reported at Multiple Time Points Using General Linear Mixed Model

Science.gov (United States)

Musekiwa, Alfred; Manda, Samuel O. M.; Mwambi, Henry G.; Chen, Ding-Geng

2016-01-01

Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies combines effect sizes measured at pre-determined time points. The most common approach involves performing separate univariate meta-analyses at individual time points. This simplistic approach ignores dependence between longitudinal effect sizes, which might result in less precise parameter estimates. In this paper, we show how to conduct a meta-analysis of longitudinal effect sizes where we contrast different covariance structures for dependence between effect sizes, both within and between studies. We propose new combinations of covariance structures for the dependence between effect size and utilize a practical example involving meta-analysis of 17 trials comparing postoperative treatments for a type of cancer, where survival is measured at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months post randomization. Although the results from this particular data set show the benefit of accounting for within-study serial correlation between effect sizes, simulations are required to confirm these results. PMID:27798661

Engineering structure design and fabrication process of small sized China helium-cooled solid breeder test blanket module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zeming; Chen Lu; Hu Gang

2014-01-01

Preliminary design and analysis for china helium-cooled solid breeder (CHHC-SB) test blanket module (TBM) have been carried out recently. As partial verification that the original size module was reasonable and the development process was feasible, fabrication work of a small sized module was to be carried out targetedly. In this paper, detailed design and structure analysis of small sized TBM was carried out based on preliminary design work, fabrication process and integrated assembly process was proposed, so a fabrication for the trial engineering of TBM was layed successfully. (authors)

Analysis of Deregulated microRNAs and Their Target Genes in Gastric Cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simonas Juzėnas

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are widely studied non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression. MiRNAs are deregulated in different tumors including gastric cancer (GC and have potential diagnostic and prognostic implications. The aim of our study was to determine miRNA profile in GC tissues, followed by evaluation of deregulated miRNAs in plasma of GC patients. Using available databases and bioinformatics methods we also aimed to evaluate potential target genes of confirmed differentially expressed miRNA and validate these findings in GC tissues.The study included 51 GC patients and 51 controls. Initially, we screened miRNA expression profile in 13 tissue samples of GC and 12 normal gastric tissues with TaqMan low density array (TLDA. In the second stage, differentially expressed miRNAs were validated in a replication cohort using qRT-PCR in tissue and plasma samples. Subsequently, we analyzed potential target genes of deregulated miRNAs using bioinformatics approach, determined their expression in GC tissues and performed correlation analysis with targeting miRNAs.Profiling with TLDA revealed 15 deregulated miRNAs in GC tissues compared to normal gastric mucosa. Replication analysis confirmed that miR-148a-3p, miR-204-5p, miR-223-3p and miR-375 were consistently deregulated in GC tissues. Analysis of GC patients' plasma samples showed significant down-regulation of miR-148a-3p, miR-375 and up-regulation of miR-223-3p compared to healthy subjects. Further, using bioinformatic tools we identified targets of replicated miRNAs and performed disease-associated gene enrichment analysis. Ultimately, we evaluated potential target gene BCL2 and DNMT3B expression by qRT-PCR in GC tissue, which correlated with targeting miRNA expression.Our study revealed miRNA profile in GC tissues and showed that miR-148a-3p, miR-223-3p and miR-375 are deregulated in GC plasma samples, but these circulating miRNAs showed relatively weak diagnostic performance as sole biomarkers

Integrative analysis to select cancer candidate biomarkers to targeted validation

Science.gov (United States)

Heberle, Henry; Domingues, Romênia R.; Granato, Daniela C.; Yokoo, Sami; Canevarolo, Rafael R.; Winck, Flavia V.; Ribeiro, Ana Carolina P.; Brandão, Thaís Bianca; Filgueiras, Paulo R.; Cruz, Karen S. P.; Barbuto, José Alexandre; Poppi, Ronei J.; Minghim, Rosane; Telles, Guilherme P.; Fonseca, Felipe Paiva; Fox, Jay W.; Santos-Silva, Alan R.; Coletta, Ricardo D.; Sherman, Nicholas E.; Paes Leme, Adriana F.

2015-01-01

Targeted proteomics has flourished as the method of choice for prospecting for and validating potential candidate biomarkers in many diseases. However, challenges still remain due to the lack of standardized routines that can prioritize a limited number of proteins to be further validated in human samples. To help researchers identify candidate biomarkers that best characterize their samples under study, a well-designed integrative analysis pipeline, comprising MS-based discovery, feature selection methods, clustering techniques, bioinformatic analyses and targeted approaches was performed using discovery-based proteomic data from the secretomes of three classes of human cell lines (carcinoma, melanoma and non-cancerous). Three feature selection algorithms, namely, Beta-binomial, Nearest Shrunken Centroids (NSC), and Support Vector Machine-Recursive Features Elimination (SVM-RFE), indicated a panel of 137 candidate biomarkers for carcinoma and 271 for melanoma, which were differentially abundant between the tumor classes. We further tested the strength of the pipeline in selecting candidate biomarkers by immunoblotting, human tissue microarrays, label-free targeted MS and functional experiments. In conclusion, the proposed integrative analysis was able to pre-qualify and prioritize candidate biomarkers from discovery-based proteomics to targeted MS. PMID:26540631

Intermediate size inducer pump - structural analysis and transient deformation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, T.K.; Nishizaka, J.N.

1979-05-01

This report summarizes the structural and thermal transient deformation analysis of the Intermediate Size Inducer Pump. The analyses were performed in accordance to the requirements of N266ST310001, the specification for the ISIP. Results of stress analysis indicate that the thermal transient stress and strain are within the stress strain limits of RDT standard F9-4 which was used as a guide

New type of metal targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukharov, A.V.; Ankudinov, V.B.; Ogorodnikov, V.P.; Marukhin, Y.A.

2014-01-01

Now the technologies based on interaction of high-intensity beams with substance of a target are being intensively developed. As a target it is possible to use the new type of monodisperse metal targets. The principal advantages of new targets type are: target cooling isn't required; there is no induced activity: the target can be used many times; small dispersion on the speed, the size and interaction points with a beam. The basis of a target is the jet of molten metal, following in the vacuum chamber .Under the influence of the special disturbance superimposed on the liquid jet, the jet disintegrated into identical drops. In the vacuum chamber the drops freeze and form into the solid granules. It is possible to receive monodisperse targets from different metals, alloys and salts (diameter of targets is from 30 .m to 1.5 mm). Dispersion by the sizes and speed is less than 1%. The technique allows to receive not only continuous targets, but also hollow targets with dispersion on thickness of wall within 1...2%.

Survival of alpha particle irradiated cells as a function of the shape and size of the sensitive volume (nucleus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stinchcomb, T.G.; Roeske, J.C.

1995-01-01

Microdosimetry is the study of the stochastic variation of energy deposited within sub-cellular targets. As such, the size and shape of the critical target (i.e. cell nucleus) are essential when considering microdosimetric quantities. In this work, a microdosimetric analysis examines the expected cell survival as a function of the size and shape of the cell nucleus under conditions of irradiation emitting alpha particles. The results indicate that, in general, cell survival is relatively insensitive to changes in the shape of the cell nucleus when the volume is held constant. However, cell survival is a strong function of the variation in the size of the target. These results are useful when analysing the results of cell survival experiments for alpha particle emitters. (Author)

Stock assessment of fishery target species in Lake Koka, Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gashaw Tesfaye

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Effective management is essential for small-scale fisheries to continue providing food and livelihoods for households, particularly in developing countries where other options are often limited. Studies on the population dynamics and stock assessment on fishery target species are thus imperative to sustain their fisheries and the benefits for the society. In Lake Koka (Ethiopia, very little is known about the vital population parameters and exploitation status of the fishery target species: tilapia Oreochromis niloticus,common carp Cyprinus carpióand catfish Clarias gariepinus.Our study, therefore, aimed at determining the vital population parameters and assessing the status of these target species in Lake Koka using length frequency data collected quarterly from commercial catches from 2007-2012. A total of 20 097 fish specimens (distributed as 7 933 tilapia, 6 025 catfish and 6 139 common carp were measured for the analysis. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters and their confidence intervals were determined from modal progression analysis using ELEFAN I and applying the jackknife technique. Mortality parameters were determined from length-converted catch curves and empirical models. The exploitation status of these target species were then assessed by computing exploitation rates (E from mortality parameters as well as from size indicators i.e., assessing the size distribution of fish catches relative to the size at maturity (L m,the size that provides maximum cohort biomass (Lopt and the abundance of mega-spawners. The mean value of growth parameters L x, Kand the growth performance index 0' were 44.5 cm, 0.41/year and 2.90 for O. niloticus,74.1 cm, 0.28/year and 3.19 for C. carpioand 121.9 cm, 0.16/year and 3.36 for C. gariepinus,respectively. The 95 % confidence intervals of the estimates were also computed. Total mortality (Z estimates were 1.47, 0.83 and 0.72/year for O. niloticus, C. carpioand C. gariepinus,respectively. Our study suggest

Nuclear Security: Target Analysis-rev

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Surinder Paul [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Gibbs, Philip W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bultz, Garl A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2014-03-01

The objectives of this presentation are to understand target identification, including roll-up and protracted theft; evaluate target identification in the SNRI; recognize the target characteristics and consequence levels; and understand graded safeguards.

Genome-wide Identification and Expression Analysis of Half-size ABCG Genes in Malus × domestica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juanjuan MA

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Half-size adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter subgroup G (ABCG genes play crucial roles in regulating the movements of a variety of substrates and have been well studied in several plants. However, half-size ABCGs have not been characterized in detail in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the half-size ABCG gene family in apple. A total of 46 apple half-size ABCGs were identified and divided into six clusters according to the phylogenetic analysis. A gene structural analysis showed that most half-size ABCGs in the same cluster shared a similar exon–intron organization. A gene duplication analysis showed that segmental, tandem and whole-genome duplications could account for the expansion of half-size ABCG transporters in M. domestica. Moreover, a promoter scan, digital expression analysis and RNA-seq revealed that MdABCG21 may be involved in root's cytokinin transport and that ABCG17 may be involved in the lateral bud development of M. spectabilis ‘Bly114’ by mediating cytokinin transport. The data presented here lay the foundation for further investigations into the biological and physiological processes and functions of half-size ABCG genes in apple. Keywords: apple, ABCG gene, duplication, gene expression

Carbonate as sputter target material for rapid {sup 14}C AMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Longworth, Brett E., E-mail: blongworth@whoi.edu [Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA (United States); Robinson, Laura F. [Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA (United States); Roberts, Mark L.; Beaupre, Steven R.; Burke, Andrea [Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA (United States); Jenkins, William J. [Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA (United States)

2013-01-15

This paper describes a technique for measuring the {sup 14}C content of carbonate samples by producing C{sup -} ions directly in the negative ion sputter source of an accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) system. This direct analysis of carbonate material eliminates the time and expense of graphite preparation. Powdered carbonate is mixed with titanium powder, loaded into a target cartridge, and compressed. Beam currents for optimally-sized carbonate targets (0.09-0.15 mg C) are typically 10-20% of those produced by optimally-sized graphite targets (0.5-1 mg C). Modern (>0.8 Fm) samples run by this method have standard deviations of 0.009 Fm or less, and near-modern samples run as unknowns agree with values from traditional hydrolysis/graphite to better than 2%. Targets with as little as 0.06 mg carbonate produce useable ion currents and results, albeit with increased error and larger blank. In its current state, direct sputtering is best applied to problems where a large number of analyses with lower precision are required. These applications could include age surveys of deep-sea corals for determination of historic population dynamics, to identify samples that would benefit from high precision analysis, and for growth rate studies of organisms forming carbonate skeletons.

Standardized Effect Size Measures for Mediation Analysis in Cluster-Randomized Trials

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, Laura M.; Pituch, Keenan A.; Dion, Eric

2015-01-01

This article presents 3 standardized effect size measures to use when sharing results of an analysis of mediation of treatment effects for cluster-randomized trials. The authors discuss 3 examples of mediation analysis (upper-level mediation, cross-level mediation, and cross-level mediation with a contextual effect) with demonstration of the…

Meta-Analysis of PECS with Individuals with ASD: Investigation of Targeted versus Non-Targeted Outcomes, Participant Characteristics, and Implementation Phase

Science.gov (United States)

Ganz, Jennifer B.; Davis, John L.; Lund, Emily M.; Goodwyn, Fara D.; Simpson, Richard L.

2012-01-01

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a widely used picture/icon aided augmentative communication system designed for learners with autism and other developmental disorders. This meta-analysis analyzes the extant empirical literature for PECS relative to targeted (functional communication) and non-targeted concomitant outcomes…

The impact of targeted Rheumatoid Arthritis pharmacological treatment on mental health: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Matcham, Faith; Galloway, James; Hotopf, Matthew; Roberts, Emmert; Scott, Ian C; Steer, Sophia; Norton, Sam

2018-06-06

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) pharmacotherapy may impact mental health (MH) outcomes by improving pain and stiffness; and potentially via targeting inflammatory processes common to RA and depression. The objectives of this review were to i) ascertain the frequency of MH assessment in RA pharmacotherapy trials; ii) quantify the efficacy of RA pharmacotherapy efficacy on MH outcomes; iii) explore the clinical and demographic factors related to MH outcomes. CENTRAL, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Medline, Embase and CINAHL were systematically searched from inception to March 2017 for randomised trials of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in adult RA patients. The primary outcome was MH; self-reported physical health was extracted as a secondary outcome. Pairwise meta-analysis (PMA) created pooled effect sizes and 95%CIs for comparisons of all treatments versus comparators (active or placebo). Network meta-analysis (NMA) provided effect size estimates of targeted biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) versus conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) using indirect comparisons of different treatment modalities. 71 eligible studies were identified. 57 studies were included in the PMA, representing 23,535 patients. bDMARDs showed small effects on MH (standardised mean difference (SMD) versus csDMARDs = 0.19 to 0.30), and moderate effects on self-reported physical health (SMD versus csDMARDs = 0.46 to 0.50), with NMA determining no significant differences in effectiveness between bDMARD mode of action on either outcome. Effective pharmacotherapy alone is unlikely to substantially improve MH outcomes for most RA patients. Integrated MH care provided within routine clinical practice is essential to optimise mental and physical health outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A new certified reference material for size analysis of nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, Adelina; Kestens, Vikram; Franks, Katrin; Roebben, Gert; Lamberty, Andrée; Linsinger, Thomas P. J.

2012-01-01

A certified reference material, ERM-FD100, for quality assurance and validation of various nanoparticle sizing methods, was developed by the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements. The material was prepared from an industrially sourced colloidal silica containing nanoparticles with a nominal equivalent spherical diameter of 20 nm. The homogeneity and stability of the candidate reference material was assessed by means of dynamic light scattering and centrifugal liquid sedimentation. Certification of the candidate reference material was based on a global interlaboratory comparison in which 34 laboratories participated with various analytical methods (DLS, CLS, EM, SAXS, ELS). After scrutinising the interlaboratory comparison data, 4 different certified particle size values, specific for the corresponding analytical method, could be assigned. The good comparability of results allowed the certification of the colloidal silica material for nanoparticle size analysis.

Egg size and offspring quality: a meta-analysis in birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Krist, Miloš

2011-08-01

Parents affect offspring fitness by propagule size and quality, selection of oviposition site, quality of incubation, feeding of dependent young, and their defence against predators and parasites. Despite many case studies on each of these topics, this knowledge has not been rigorously integrated into individual parental care traits for any taxon. Consequently, we lack a comprehensive, quantitative assessment of how parental care modifies offspring phenotypes. This meta-analysis of 283 studies with 1805 correlations between egg size and offspring quality in birds is intended to fill this gap. The large sample size enabled testing of how the magnitude of the relationship between egg size and offspring quality depends on a number of variables. Egg size was positively related to nearly all studied offspring traits across all stages of the offspring life cycle. Not surprisingly, the relationship was strongest at hatching but persisted until the post-fledging stage. Morphological traits were the most closely related to egg size but significant relationships were also found with hatching success, chick survival, and growth rate. Non-significant effect sizes were found for egg fertility, chick immunity, behaviour, and life-history or sexual traits. Effect size did not depend on whether chicks were raised by their natural parents or were cross-fostered to other territories. Effect size did not depend on species-specific traits such as developmental mode, clutch size, and relative size of the egg, but was larger if tested in captive compared to wild populations and between rather than within broods. In sum, published studies support the view that egg size affects juvenile survival. There are very few studies that tested the relationship between egg size and the fecundity component of offspring fitness, and no studies on offspring survival as adults or on global fitness. More data are also needed for the relationships between egg size and offspring behavioural and

Metal-assisted chemical etching of CIGS thin films for grain size analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xue, Chaowei [Research and Development Centre, Hanergy Thin Film Power Group Limited, Chengdu (China); Loi, Huu-Ha; Duong, Anh; Parker, Magdalena [Failure Analysis Department, MiaSole Hi-Tech Corp., Santa Clara, CA (United States)

2016-09-15

Grain size of the CIGS absorber is an important monitoring factor in the CIGS solar cell manufacturing. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis is commonly used to perform CIGS grain size analysis in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Although direct quantification on SEM image using the average grain intercept (AGI) method is faster and simpler than EBSD, it is hardly applicable on CIGS thin films. The challenge is that, not like polycrystalline silicon, to define grain boundaries by selective chemical etching is not easily realizable for the multi-component CIGS alloy. In this Letter, we present direct quantification of CIGS thin film grain size using the AGI method by developing metal-assisted wet chemical etching process to define CIGS grain boundaries. The calculated value is similar to EBSD result. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Uncertainty Prediction in Passive Target Motion Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-12

Number 15/152,696 Filing Date 12 May 2016 Inventor John G. Baylog et al Address any questions concerning this matter to the Office of...300118 1 of 25 UNCERTAINTY PREDICTION IN PASSIVE TARGET MOTION ANALYSIS STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST [0001] The invention described herein...at an unknown location and following an unknown course relative to an observer 12. Observer 12 has a sensor array such as a passive sonar or radar

Quantitative analysis of lattice disorder and crystallite size in organic semiconductor thin films

KAUST Repository

Rivnay, Jonathan

2011-07-07

The crystallite size and cumulative lattice disorder of three prototypical, high-performing organic semiconducting materials are investigated using a Fourier-transform peak shape analysis routine based on the method of Warren and Averbach (WA). A thorough incorporation of error propagation throughout the multistep analysis and a weighted fitting of Fourier-transformed data to the WA model allows for more accurate results than typically obtained and for determination of confidence bounds. We compare results obtained when assuming two types of column-length distributions, and discuss the benefits of each model in terms of simplicity and accuracy. For strongly disordered materials, the determination of a crystallite size is greatly hindered because disorder dominates the coherence length, not finite size. A simple analysis based on trends of peak widths and Lorentzian components of pseudo-Voigt line shapes as a function of diffraction order is also discussed as an approach to more easily and qualitatively assess the amount and type of disorder present in a sample. While applied directly to organic systems, this methodology is general for the accurate deconvolution of crystalline size and lattice disorder for any material investigated with diffraction techniques. © 2011 American Physical Society.

SeedVicious: Analysis of microRNA target and near-target sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Marco, Antonio

2018-01-01

Here I describe seedVicious, a versatile microRNA target site prediction software that can be easily fitted into annotation pipelines and run over custom datasets. SeedVicious finds microRNA canonical sites plus other, less efficient, target sites. Among other novel features, seedVicious can compute evolutionary gains/losses of target sites using maximum parsimony, and also detect near-target sites, which have one nucleotide different from a canonical site. Near-target sites are important to study population variation in microRNA regulation. Some analyses suggest that near-target sites may also be functional sites, although there is no conclusive evidence for that, and they may actually be target alleles segregating in a population. SeedVicious does not aim to outperform but to complement existing microRNA prediction tools. For instance, the precision of TargetScan is almost doubled (from 11% to ~20%) when we filter predictions by the distance between target sites using this program. Interestingly, two adjacent canonical target sites are more likely to be present in bona fide target transcripts than pairs of target sites at slightly longer distances. The software is written in Perl and runs on 64-bit Unix computers (Linux and MacOS X). Users with no computing experience can also run the program in a dedicated web-server by uploading custom data, or browse pre-computed predictions. SeedVicious and its associated web-server and database (SeedBank) are distributed under the GPL/GNU license.

Interaction between numbers and size during visual search

OpenAIRE

Krause, Florian; Bekkering, Harold; Pratt, Jay; Lindemann, Oliver

2016-01-01

The current study investigates an interaction between numbers and physical size (i.e. size congruity) in visual search. In three experiments, participants had to detect a physically large (or small) target item among physically small (or large) distractors in a search task comprising single-digit numbers. The relative numerical size of the digits was varied, such that the target item was either among the numerically large or small numbers in the search display and the relation between numeric...

Design of the solid target structure and the study on the coolant flow distribution in the solid target using the 2-dimensional flow analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haga, Katsuhiro; Terada, Atsuhiko; Ishikura, Shuichi; Teshigawara, Makoto; Kinoshita, Hidetaka; Kobayashi, Kaoru; Kaminaga, Masaki; Hino, Ryutaro; Susuki, Akira

1999-11-01

A solid target cooled by heavy water is presently under development under the Neutron Science Research Project of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). Target plates of several millimeters thickness made of heavy metal are used as the spallation target material and they are put face to face in a row with one to two millimeters gaps in between though which heavy water flows, as the coolant. Based on the design criteria regarding the target plate cooling, the volume percentage of the coolant, and the thermal stress produced in the target plates, we conducted thermal and hydraulic analysis with a one dimensional target plate model. We choosed tungsten as the target material, and decided on various target plate thicknesses. We then calculated the temperature and the thermal stress in the target plates using a two dimensional model, and confirmed the validity of the target plate thicknesses. Based on these analytical results, we proposed a target structure in which forty target plates are divided into six groups and each group is cooled using a single pass of coolant. In order to investigate the relationship between the distribution of the coolant flow, the pressure drop, and the coolant velocity, we conducted a hydraulic analysis using the general purpose hydraulic analysis code. As a result, we realized that an uniform coolant flow distribution can be achieved under a wide range of flow velocity conditions in the target plate cooling channels from 1 m/s to 10 m/s. The pressure drop along the coolant path was 0.09 MPa and 0.17 MPa when the coolant flow velocity was 5 m/s and 7 m/s respectively, which is required to cool the 1.5 MW and 2.5 MW solid targets. (author)

Size-change termination and bound analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Avery, James Emil

2006-01-01

. The extended size-change principle is realized through combining abstract interpretation over the domain of convex polyhedra with the use of size-change graphs. In the cases when data types are well founded, the method handles every case that is handled by LJB size-change termination. The method has been...

Single-Molecule Analysis for RISC Assembly and Target Cleavage.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Hiroshi M; Tadakuma, Hisashi; Tomari, Yukihide

2018-01-01

RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is a small RNA-protein complex that mediates silencing of complementary target RNAs. Biochemistry has been successfully used to characterize the molecular mechanism of RISC assembly and function for nearly two decades. However, further dissection of intermediate states during the reactions has been warranted to fill in the gaps in our understanding of RNA silencing mechanisms. Single-molecule analysis with total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is a powerful imaging-based approach to interrogate complex formation and dynamics at the individual molecule level with high sensitivity. Combining this technique with our recently established in vitro reconstitution system of fly Ago2-RISC, we have developed a single-molecule observation system for RISC assembly. In this chapter, we summarize the detailed protocol for single-molecule analysis of chaperone-assisted assembly of fly Ago2-RISC as well as its target cleavage reaction.

Seismic analysis of fuel and target assemblies at a production reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braverman, J.I.; Wang, Y.K.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the unique modeling and analysis considerations used to assess the seismic adequacy of the fuel and target assemblies in a production reactor at Savannah River Site. This confirmatory analysis was necessary to provide assurance that the reactor can operate safely during a seismic event and be brought to a safe shutdown condition. The plant which was originally designed in the 1950's required to be assessed to more current seismic criteria. The design of the reactor internals and the magnitude of the structural responses enabled the use of a linear elastic dynamic analysis. A seismic analysis was performed using a finite element model consisting of the fuel and target assemblies, reactor tank, and a portion of the concrete structure supporting the reactor tank. The effects of submergence of the fuel and target assemblies in the water contained within the reactor tank can have a significant effect on their seismic response. Thus, the model included hydrodynamic fluid coupling effects between the assemblies and the reactor tank. Fluid coupling mass terms were based on formulations for solid bodies immersed in incompressible and frictionless fluids. The potential effects of gap conditions were also assessed in this evaluation. 5 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Virtual diplomacy: an analysis of the structure of the target audiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Verbytska

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In the context of the global information society the communication processes, especially at the international level, become more important.  The effectiveness of communication depends primarily on its focus, i.e. on defining clearly the target audience which it should focus on. Virtual diplomacy, as a kind of political communication at the international level, is no exception.  The novelty, rapid development and dissemination of this phenomenon require profound analysis and elaboration of effective utilization strategies, including studying its recipients and target audiences. Purpose: identification, structuring and analysis of the recipients of virtual diplomacy as the audiences of international political communication. The study uses such research methods, as system analysis, structural functionalism, dialectics and synergy, comparison, critical analysis. Main results of the research: 1. The study examined the specifics of political communication in the context of the development of the global information society at the international level. 2. It also analyzed the recipients of virtual diplomacy as a kind of political communication at the international level. 3. The study highlighted the key target groups in the global Internet network based on the tasks performed by virtual diplomacy. 4. It proved the effectiveness of cooperation with each target group in the framework of virtual diplomacy. 5. It described the specifics of the work with each target group in the context of virtual diplomacy. Practical implications: The article may be useful for writing scientific theoretical studies, tests, essays and term papers, for designing special courses in universities in the sphere of international relations and international information. It can also be a guide for the authorities carrying out diplomatic activities and international information cooperation. Findings: In the context of the establishment of the global information society political

Use of methods for specifying the target difference in randomised controlled trial sample size calculations: Two surveys of trialists' practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Jonathan A; Hislop, Jennifer M; Altman, Doug G; Briggs, Andrew H; Fayers, Peter M; Norrie, John D; Ramsay, Craig R; Harvey, Ian M; Vale, Luke D

2014-06-01

the most recent trial, the target difference was usually one viewed as important by a stakeholder group, mostly also viewed as a realistic difference given the interventions under evaluation, and sometimes one that led to an achievable sample size. The response rates achieved were relatively low despite the surveys being short, well presented, and having utilised reminders. Substantial variations in practice exist with awareness, use, and willingness to recommend methods varying substantially. The findings support the view that sample size calculation is a more complex process than would appear to be the case from trial reports and protocols. Guidance on approaches for sample size estimation may increase both awareness and use of appropriate formal methods. © The Author(s), 2014.

Neutron activation analysis of size-separated airborne dust particles, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Atsushi; Ishii, Taka; Tomiyama, Tsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Isao.

1976-01-01

The size distribution of the component element concentration in particle floating matters contained in the atmosphere is related closely to atmospheric pollution. In this paper, the results of the neutron activation analysis and the measurement of size distribution of component element concentration are reported, which were carried out in Minami-ku, Kyoto, in May and November, 1975, by collecting airbone dust with Andersen air samples. The activation of samples was carried out with the research reactor in Kyoto University. The gamma-ray spectra of the samples were measured with a Ge(Li) semiconductor detector. The size distributions of Al, Sc, Th and Ti showed the similar pattern. The concentration of Zn was abnormally high as compared with that in other districts, and it is related to the local industry in this district. The size distribution of airborne dust usually follows the logarithmic normal distribution when it is not affected by atmospheric pollution. Accordingly, the size distribution of the concentration also follows the same distribution. The accumulated percentages of the concentrations of Al, Sc and Th fall on the same straight line, and it means that these elements were contained in the same particles as the components. Also it was decided that the particles of Al, Sc, Th, Fe and Ti were soil particles. (Kako, I.)

Comparing Results of SPH/N-body Impact Simulations Using Both Solid and Rubble-pile Target Asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Durda, Daniel D.; Bottke, W. F.; Enke, B. L.; Nesvorný, D.; Asphaug, E.; Richardson, D. C.

2006-09-01

We have been investigating the properties of satellites and the morphology of size-frequency distributions (SFDs) resulting from a suite of 160 SPH/N-body simulations of impacts into 100-km diameter parent asteroids (Durda et al. 2004, Icarus 170, 243-257; Durda et al. 2006, Icarus, in press). These simulations have produced many valuable insights into the outcomes of cratering and disruptive impacts but were limited to monolithic basalt targets. As a natural consequence of collisional evolution, however, many asteroids have undergone a series of battering impacts that likely have left their interiors substantially fractured, if not completely rubblized. In light of this, we have re-mapped the matrix of simulations using rubble-pile target objects. We constructed the rubble-pile targets by filling the interior of the 100-km diameter spherical shell (the target envelope) with randomly sized solid spheres in mutual contact. We then assigned full damage (which reduces tensile and shear stresses to zero) to SPH particles in the contacts between the components; the remaining volume is void space. The internal spherical components have a power-law distribution of sizes simulating fragments of a pre-shattered parent object. First-look analysis of the rubble-pile results indicate some general similarities to the simulations with the monolithic targets (e.g., similar trends in the number of small, gravitationally bound satellite systems as a function of impact conditions) and some significant differences (e.g., size of largest remnants and smaller debris affecting size frequency distributions of resulting families). We will report details of a more thorough analysis and the implications for collisional models of the main asteroid belt. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation, grant number AST0407045.

Bioinformatic analysis of xenobiotic reactive metabolite target proteins and their interacting partners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanzlik Robert P

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Protein covalent binding by reactive metabolites of drugs, chemicals and natural products can lead to acute cytotoxicity. Recent rapid progress in reactive metabolite target protein identification has shown that adduction is surprisingly selective and inspired the hope that analysis of target proteins might reveal protein factors that differentiate target- vs. non-target proteins and illuminate mechanisms connecting covalent binding to cytotoxicity. Results Sorting 171 known reactive metabolite target proteins revealed a number of GO categories and KEGG pathways to be significantly enriched in targets, but in most cases the classes were too large, and the "percent coverage" too small, to allow meaningful conclusions about mechanisms of toxicity. However, a similar analysis of the directlyinteracting partners of 28 common targets of multiple reactive metabolites revealed highly significant enrichments in terms likely to be highly relevant to cytotoxicity (e.g., MAP kinase pathways, apoptosis, response to unfolded protein. Machine learning was used to rank the contribution of 211 computed protein features to determining protein susceptibility to adduction. Protein lysine (but not cysteine content and protein instability index (i.e., rate of turnover in vivo were among the features most important to determining susceptibility. Conclusion As yet there is no good explanation for why some low-abundance proteins become heavily adducted while some abundant proteins become only lightly adducted in vivo. Analyzing the directly interacting partners of target proteins appears to yield greater insight into mechanisms of toxicity than analyzing target proteins per se. The insights provided can readily be formulated as hypotheses to test in future experimental studies.

Investigation of active vibration drilling using acoustic emission and cutting size analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingjian Xiao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper describes an investigation of active bit vibration on the penetration mechanisms and bit-rock interaction for drilling with a diamond impregnated coring bit. A series of drill-off tests (DOTs were conducted where the drilling rate-of-penetration (ROP was measured at a series of step-wise increasing static bit thrusts or weight-on-bits (WOBs. Two active DOTs were conducted by applying 60 Hz axial vibration at the bit-rock interface using an electromagnetic vibrating table mounted underneath the drilling samples, and a passive DOT was conducted where the bit was allowed to vibrate naturally with lower amplitude due to the compliance of the drilling sample mountings. During drilling, an acoustic emission (AE system was used to record the AE signals generated by the diamond cutter penetration and the cuttings were collected for grain size analysis. The instrumented drilling system recorded the dynamic motions of the bit-rock interface using a laser displacement sensor, a load cell, and an LVDT (linear variable differential transformer recorded the dynamic WOB and the ROP, respectively. Calibration with the drilling system showed that rotary speed was approximately the same at any given WOB, facilitating comparison of the results at the same WOB. Analysis of the experimental results shows that the ROP of the bit at any given WOB increased with higher amplitude of axial bit-rock vibration, and the drill cuttings increased in size with a higher ROP. Spectral analysis of the AEs indicated that the higher ROP and larger cutting size were correlated with a higher AE energy and a lower AE frequency. This indicated that larger fractures were being created to generate larger cutting size. Overall, these results indicate that a greater magnitude of axial bit-rock vibration produces larger fractures and generates larger cuttings which, at the same rotary speed, results in a higher ROP. Keywords: Active bit vibration, Diamond coring drilling, Drill

Target preparation and neutron activation analysis: a successful story at IRMM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robouch, P.; Arana, G.; Eguskiza, M.; Maguregui, M.I.; Pomme, S.; Ingelbrecht, C.

2002-01-01

The main task of a target producer is to make well characterized and homogeneous deposits on specific supports. Alpha and/or gamma spectrometry are traditionally used to monitor the quality of actinide deposits. With the increasing demand for enriched stable isotope targets, other analytical techniques, such as ICP-MS and NAA, are needed. This paper presents the application of neutron activation analysis to quality control of 'thin' targets, 'thicker' neutron dosimeters and 'thick' bronze disks prepared by the Reference Materials Unit at the Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements

Target preparation and neutron activation analysis a successful story at IRMM

CERN Document Server

Robouch, P; Eguskiza, M; Maguregui, M I; Pommé, S; Ingelbrecht, C

2002-01-01

The main task of a target producer is to make well characterized and homogeneous deposits on specific supports. Alpha and/or gamma spectrometry are traditionally used to monitor the quality of actinide deposits. With the increasing demand for enriched stable isotope targets, other analytical techniques, such as ICP-MS and NAA, are needed. This paper presents the application of neutron activation analysis to quality control of 'thin' targets, 'thicker' neutron dosimeters and 'thick' bronze disks prepared by the Reference Materials Unit at the Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements.

Targets for parathyroid hormone in secondary hyperparathyroidism: is a “one-size-fits-all” approach appropriate? A prospective incident cohort study

OpenAIRE

Laurain, Emmanuelle; Ayav, Carole; Erpelding, Marie-Line; Kessler, Michèle; Briançon, Serge; Brunaud, Laurent; Frimat, Luc

2014-01-01

Background Recommendations for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) consider that a “one-size-fits-all” target enables efficacy of care. In routine clinical practice, SHPT continues to pose diagnosis and treatment challenges. One hypothesis that could explain these difficulties is that dialysis population with SHPT is not homogeneous. Methods EPHEYL is a prospective, multicenter, pharmacoepidemiological study including chronic dialysis patients (≥3 months) with newly SHPT diagnosis, i.e. para...

Multi-Stage System for Automatic Target Recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Tien-Hsin; Lu, Thomas T.; Ye, David; Edens, Weston; Johnson, Oliver

2010-01-01

A multi-stage automated target recognition (ATR) system has been designed to perform computer vision tasks with adequate proficiency in mimicking human vision. The system is able to detect, identify, and track targets of interest. Potential regions of interest (ROIs) are first identified by the detection stage using an Optimum Trade-off Maximum Average Correlation Height (OT-MACH) filter combined with a wavelet transform. False positives are then eliminated by the verification stage using feature extraction methods in conjunction with neural networks. Feature extraction transforms the ROIs using filtering and binning algorithms to create feature vectors. A feedforward back-propagation neural network (NN) is then trained to classify each feature vector and to remove false positives. The system parameter optimizations process has been developed to adapt to various targets and datasets. The objective was to design an efficient computer vision system that can learn to detect multiple targets in large images with unknown backgrounds. Because the target size is small relative to the image size in this problem, there are many regions of the image that could potentially contain the target. A cursory analysis of every region can be computationally efficient, but may yield too many false positives. On the other hand, a detailed analysis of every region can yield better results, but may be computationally inefficient. The multi-stage ATR system was designed to achieve an optimal balance between accuracy and computational efficiency by incorporating both models. The detection stage first identifies potential ROIs where the target may be present by performing a fast Fourier domain OT-MACH filter-based correlation. Because threshold for this stage is chosen with the goal of detecting all true positives, a number of false positives are also detected as ROIs. The verification stage then transforms the regions of interest into feature space, and eliminates false positives using an

Interacting with target tracking algorithms in a gaze-enhanced motion video analysis system

Science.gov (United States)

Hild, Jutta; Krüger, Wolfgang; Heinze, Norbert; Peinsipp-Byma, Elisabeth; Beyerer, Jürgen

2016-05-01

Motion video analysis is a challenging task, particularly if real-time analysis is required. It is therefore an important issue how to provide suitable assistance for the human operator. Given that the use of customized video analysis systems is more and more established, one supporting measure is to provide system functions which perform subtasks of the analysis. Recent progress in the development of automated image exploitation algorithms allow, e.g., real-time moving target tracking. Another supporting measure is to provide a user interface which strives to reduce the perceptual, cognitive and motor load of the human operator for example by incorporating the operator's visual focus of attention. A gaze-enhanced user interface is able to help here. This work extends prior work on automated target recognition, segmentation, and tracking algorithms as well as about the benefits of a gaze-enhanced user interface for interaction with moving targets. We also propose a prototypical system design aiming to combine both the qualities of the human observer's perception and the automated algorithms in order to improve the overall performance of a real-time video analysis system. In this contribution, we address two novel issues analyzing gaze-based interaction with target tracking algorithms. The first issue extends the gaze-based triggering of a target tracking process, e.g., investigating how to best relaunch in the case of track loss. The second issue addresses the initialization of tracking algorithms without motion segmentation where the operator has to provide the system with the object's image region in order to start the tracking algorithm.

An analysis of possible off target effects following CAS9/CRISPR targeted deletions of neuropeptide gene enhancers from the mouse genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, Elizabeth Anne; Khalaf, Abdulla Razak; Marini, Pietro; Brown, Andrew; Heath, Karyn; Sheppard, Darrin; MacKenzie, Alasdair

2017-08-01

We have successfully used comparative genomics to identify putative regulatory elements within the human genome that contribute to the tissue specific expression of neuropeptides such as galanin and receptors such as CB1. However, a previous inability to rapidly delete these elements from the mouse genome has prevented optimal assessment of their function in-vivo. This has been solved using CAS9/CRISPR genome editing technology which uses a bacterial endonuclease called CAS9 that, in combination with specifically designed guide RNA (gRNA) molecules, cuts specific regions of the mouse genome. However, reports of "off target" effects, whereby the CAS9 endonuclease is able to cut sites other than those targeted, limits the appeal of this technology. We used cytoplasmic microinjection of gRNA and CAS9 mRNA into 1-cell mouse embryos to rapidly generate enhancer knockout mouse lines. The current study describes our analysis of the genomes of these enhancer knockout lines to detect possible off-target effects. Bioinformatic analysis was used to identify the most likely putative off-target sites and to design PCR primers that would amplify these sequences from genomic DNA of founder enhancer deletion mouse lines. Amplified DNA was then sequenced and blasted against the mouse genome sequence to detect off-target effects. Using this approach we were unable to detect any evidence of off-target effects in the genomes of three founder lines using any of the four gRNAs used in the analysis. This study suggests that the problem of off-target effects in transgenic mice have been exaggerated and that CAS9/CRISPR represents a highly effective and accurate method of deleting putative neuropeptide gene enhancer sequences from the mouse genome. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Crystal size and shape analysis of Pt nanoparticles in two and three dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gontard, L Cervera; Dunin-Borkowski, R E; Ozkaya, D; Hyde, T; Midgley, P A; Ash, P

2006-01-01

The majority of industrial catalysts are high-surface-area solids, onto which an active component is dispersed in the form of nanoparticles that have sizes of between 1 and 20 nm. In an industrial environment, the crystal size distributions of such particles are conventionally measured by using either bright-field transmission electron microscope (TEM) images or X-ray diffraction. However, the analysis of particle sizes and shapes from two-dimensional bright-field TEM images is affected by variations in image contrast between adjacent particles, by the difficulty of distinguishing the particles from their matrix, and by overlap between particles when they are imaged in projection. High-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) electron tomography provides a convenient technique for overcoming many of these problems, by allowing the three-dimensional shapes and sizes of high atomic number nanoparticles that are supported on a low atomic number support to be recorded. Here, we discuss the three-dimensional analysis of particle sizes and shapes from such tomographic data, and we assess whether such measurements provide different information from that obtained using two-dimensional TEM images and X-ray diffraction measurements

Target size dependence of relativistic hadron emission from S-32 nuclear collisions at 3.7-A-GeV and 200-A-GeV

CERN Document Server

Abdelsalam, A; Hafiz, M E

2012-01-01

The behavior of the relativistic hadron (shower particle) multiplicity for (32)S-nucleus interactions is investigated. The experiment is carried out at 3.7A GeV (Dubna energy) and 200A GeV (SPS energy) to search for the incident energy effect on the interactions inside the different emulsion target nuclei. Data are presented in terms of the number of emitted relativistic hadrons in both forward and backward angular zones. The dependence on the target size is presented. For this purpose the statistical events are separated into groups according to the interactions with H, CNO, Em, and AgBr target nuclei. The separation of events, into these groups, is executed based on predictions of Glauber's multiple scattering theory. Features suggestive of a decay mechanism seem to be a characteristic of the backward emission of relativistic hadrons. The results strongly support the assumption that the relativistic hadrons may already be emitted during the de-excitation of the excited target nucleus, in a behavior like tha...

Thermal analysis of LEU modified Cintichem target irradiated in TRIGA reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catana, A; Toma, C.

2009-01-01

Actions conceived during last years at international level for conversion of Molybdenum fabrication process from HEU to LEU targets utilization created opportunities for INR to get access to information and participating to international discussions under IAEA auspices. Concrete steps for developing fission Molybdenum technology were facilitated. Institute of Nuclear Research bringing together a number of conditions like suitable irradiation possibilities, direct communication between reactor and hot cell facility, handling capacity of high radioactive sources, and simultaneously the existence of an expanding internal market, decided to undertake the necessary steps in order to produce fission molybdenum. Over the course of last years of efforts in this direction we developed the steps for fission Molybdenum technology development based on modified Cintichem process in accordance with the Argonne National Laboratory proved methodology. Progress made by INR to heat transfer computations of annular target using is presented. An advanced thermal-hydraulic analysis was performed to estimate the heat removal capability for an enriched uranium (LEU) foil annular target irradiated in TRIGA reactor core. As a result, the present analysis provides an upper limit estimate of the LEU-foil and external target surface temperatures during irradiation in TRIGA 14 MW reactor. (authors)

Positioning accuracy analysis of adjusting target mechanism of three-dimensional attitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Li; Wang Kun; Sun Linzhi; Zhou Shasha

2012-01-01

A novel adjusting target mechanism of three-dimensional attitude is presented according to the characteristics of the target transport subsystem in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The mechanism consists of a tangent mechanism adjusting rotation angle and a set of orthogonal tangent mechanism adjusting two-dimensional deflection angles. The structural parameters of the adjusting target mechanism are analyzed according to principle errors, structure errors and motion errors of following. The analysis results indicate that the system error of the adjusting target mechanism is influenced by the displacement of the linear actuators, the actuator ball radius, the working radius of the tangent mechanism, the angle error of the inclined installation hole, the centralization error of the actuators, the orthogonal error of the two tangent mechanism, and the angle errors of the inclined target rod inclined rotation shaft. The errors of the inclined target rod and inclined rotation shaft are the two greatest impact factors, the spherical contact error is the next. By means of precise assembly and control system compensation, the accuracy of the adjusting target mechanism can be less than 0.1 mrad. (authors)

Optimized bolt tightening strategies for gasketed flanged pipe joints of different sizes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abid, Muhammad; Khan, Ayesha; Nash, David Hugh; Hussain, Masroor; Wajid, Hafiz Abdul

2016-01-01

Achieving a proper preload in the bolts of a gasketed bolted flanged pipe joint during joint assembly is considered important for its optimized performance. This paper presents results of detailed non-linear finite element analysis of an optimized bolt tightening strategy of different joint sizes for achieving proper preload close to the target stress values. Industrial guidelines are considered for applying recommended target stress values with TCM (torque control method) and SCM (stretch control method) using a customized optimization algorithm. Different joint components performance is observed and discussed in detail.

Using spatial uncertainty to manipulate the size of the attention focus.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Dan; Xue, Linyan; Wang, Xin; Chen, Yao

2016-09-01

Preferentially processing behaviorally relevant information is vital for primate survival. In visuospatial attention studies, manipulating the spatial extent of attention focus is an important question. Although many studies have claimed to successfully adjust attention field size by either varying the uncertainty about the target location (spatial uncertainty) or adjusting the size of the cue orienting the attention focus, no systematic studies have assessed and compared the effectiveness of these methods. We used a multiple cue paradigm with 2.5° and 7.5° rings centered around a target position to measure the cue size effect, while the spatial uncertainty levels were manipulated by changing the number of cueing positions. We found that spatial uncertainty had a significant impact on reaction time during target detection, while the cue size effect was less robust. We also carefully varied the spatial scope of potential target locations within a small or large region and found that this amount of variation in spatial uncertainty can also significantly influence target detection speed. Our results indicate that adjusting spatial uncertainty is more effective than varying cue size when manipulating attention field size.

Failure probability analysis on mercury target vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikura, Syuichi; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Sato, Hiroshi; Haga, Katsuhiro; Ikeda, Yujiro

2005-03-01

Failure probability analysis was carried out to estimate the lifetime of the mercury target which will be installed into the JSNS (Japan spallation neutron source) in J-PARC (Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex). The lifetime was estimated as taking loading condition and materials degradation into account. Considered loads imposed on the target vessel were the static stresses due to thermal expansion and static pre-pressure on He-gas and mercury and the dynamic stresses due to the thermally shocked pressure waves generated repeatedly at 25 Hz. Materials used in target vessel will be degraded by the fatigue, neutron and proton irradiation, mercury immersion and pitting damages, etc. The imposed stresses were evaluated through static and dynamic structural analyses. The material-degradations were deduced based on published experimental data. As a result, it was quantitatively confirmed that the failure probability for the lifetime expected in the design is very much lower, 10 -11 in the safety hull, meaning that it will be hardly failed during the design lifetime. On the other hand, the beam window of mercury vessel suffered with high-pressure waves exhibits the failure probability of 12%. It was concluded, therefore, that the leaked mercury from the failed area at the beam window is adequately kept in the space between the safety hull and the mercury vessel by using mercury-leakage sensors. (author)

Thermal Analysis of Fission Moly Target Solid Waste Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Son, Hyung Min; Park, Jonghark [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

There are various ways to produce Mo-99. Among them, nuclear transmutation of uranium target became the major one owing to its superior specific activity. After the fission molybdenum (FM) target is irradiated, it is transported to treatment facility to extract wanted isotope. During the process, various forms of wastes are produced including filter cake and other solid wastes. The filter cake is mostly consisted of decaying uranium compounds. The solid wastes are then packaged and moved to storage facility which will stay there for considerable amount of time. Being the continuous source of heat, the solid wastes are required to be cooled for the certain amount of time before transported to the storage area. In this study, temperature evaluation of the storage facility is carried out with pre-cooling time sensitivity to check its thermal integrity. In this study, thermal analysis on the FM target solid waste storage is performed. Finite volume method is utilized to numerically discretize and solve the geometry of interest. Analysis shows that the developed method can simulate temperature behavior during storage process, but needs to be checked against other code to see calculation accuracy. Highest temperature distribution is observed when every hole is filled with waste containers. Sensitivity results on pre-cooling time shows that at least 13 months of cooling is necessary to keep the structure integrity.

Kinetic analysis of the effects of target structure on siRNA efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiawen; Zhang, Wenbing

2012-12-01

RNAi efficiency for target cleavage and protein expression is related to the target structure. Considering the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) as a multiple turnover enzyme, we investigated the effect of target mRNA structure on siRNA efficiency with kinetic analysis. The 4-step model was used to study the target cleavage kinetic process: hybridization nucleation at an accessible target site, RISC-mRNA hybrid elongation along with mRNA target structure melting, target cleavage, and enzyme reactivation. At this model, the terms accounting for the target accessibility, stability, and the seed and the nucleation site effects are all included. The results are in good agreement with that of experiments which show different arguments about the structure effects on siRNA efficiency. It shows that the siRNA efficiency is influenced by the integrated factors of target's accessibility, stability, and the seed effects. To study the off-target effects, a simple model of one siRNA binding to two mRNA targets was designed. By using this model, the possibility for diminishing the off-target effects by the concentration of siRNA was discussed.

Systems biology approaches and tools for analysis of interactomes and multi-target drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrattenholz, André; Groebe, Karlfried; Soskic, Vukic

2010-01-01

Systems biology is essentially a proteomic and epigenetic exercise because the relatively condensed information of genomes unfolds on the level of proteins. The flexibility of cellular architectures is not only mediated by a dazzling number of proteinaceous species but moreover by the kinetics of their molecular changes: The time scales of posttranslational modifications range from milliseconds to years. The genetic framework of an organism only provides the blue print of protein embodiments which are constantly shaped by external input. Indeed, posttranslational modifications of proteins represent the scope and velocity of these inputs and fulfil the requirements of integration of external spatiotemporal signal transduction inside an organism. The optimization of biochemical networks for this type of information processing and storage results in chemically extremely fine tuned molecular entities. The huge dynamic range of concentrations, the chemical diversity and the necessity of synchronisation of complex protein expression patterns pose the major challenge of systemic analysis of biological models. One further message is that many of the key reactions in living systems are essentially based on interactions of moderate affinities and moderate selectivities. This principle is responsible for the enormous flexibility and redundancy of cellular circuitries. In complex disorders such as cancer or neurodegenerative diseases, which initially appear to be rooted in relatively subtle dysfunctions of multimodal physiologic pathways, drug discovery programs based on the concept of high affinity/high specificity compounds ("one-target, one-disease"), which has been dominating the pharmaceutical industry for a long time, increasingly turn out to be unsuccessful. Despite improvements in rational drug design and high throughput screening methods, the number of novel, single-target drugs fell much behind expectations during the past decade, and the treatment of "complex

A Bayesian approach for incorporating economic factors in sample size design for clinical trials of individual drugs and portfolios of drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Nitin R; Ankolekar, Suresh

2007-11-30

Classical approaches to clinical trial design ignore economic factors that determine economic viability of a new drug. We address the choice of sample size in Phase III trials as a decision theory problem using a hybrid approach that takes a Bayesian view from the perspective of a drug company and a classical Neyman-Pearson view from the perspective of regulatory authorities. We incorporate relevant economic factors in the analysis to determine the optimal sample size to maximize the expected profit for the company. We extend the analysis to account for risk by using a 'satisficing' objective function that maximizes the chance of meeting a management-specified target level of profit. We extend the models for single drugs to a portfolio of clinical trials and optimize the sample sizes to maximize the expected profit subject to budget constraints. Further, we address the portfolio risk and optimize the sample sizes to maximize the probability of achieving a given target of expected profit.

Effect of laser spot size on energy balance in laser induced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, H.C.; Sharma, S.; Bhawalkar, D.D.

1980-01-01

The effect of the laser spot size on laser light absorption in laser induced plasmas from solid targets was studied. It was found that at a constant laser intensity on the target, reduction in the laser spot size enhances the net laser energy absorption. It was also observed that the laser light reflection from the target becomes more diffused when the focal spot size is reduced

A BRDF-BPDF database for the analysis of Earth target reflectances

Science.gov (United States)

Breon, Francois-Marie; Maignan, Fabienne

2017-01-01

Land surface reflectance is not isotropic. It varies with the observation geometry that is defined by the sun, view zenith angles, and the relative azimuth. In addition, the reflectance is linearly polarized. The reflectance anisotropy is quantified by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), while its polarization properties are defined by the bidirectional polarization distribution function (BPDF). The POLDER radiometer that flew onboard the PARASOL microsatellite remains the only space instrument that measured numerous samples of the BRDF and BPDF of Earth targets. Here, we describe a database of representative BRDFs and BPDFs derived from the POLDER measurements. From the huge number of data acquired by the spaceborne instrument over a period of 7 years, we selected a set of targets with high-quality observations. The selection aimed for a large number of observations, free of significant cloud or aerosol contamination, acquired in diverse observation geometries with a focus on the backscatter direction that shows the specific hot spot signature. The targets are sorted according to the 16-class International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) land cover classification system, and the target selection aims at a spatial representativeness within the class. The database thus provides a set of high-quality BRDF and BPDF samples that can be used to assess the typical variability of natural surface reflectances or to evaluate models. It is available freely from the PANGAEA website (PANGAEA.864090" target="_blank">doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.864090). In addition to the database, we provide a visualization and analysis tool based on the Interactive Data Language (IDL). It allows an interactive analysis of the measurements and a comparison against various BRDF and BPDF analytical models. The present paper describes the input data, the selection principles, the database format, and the analysis tool

Grain size analysis of beach sediment along the barrier bar lagoon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Grain size analysis of beach sediment along the barrier bar lagoon coastal system, Lagos, Nigeria; its implication on coastal erosion. R Abdulkarim, EA Akinnigbagbe, DO Imo, MT Imhansoloeva, VO Aniebone, MP Ibitola, BR Faleye, O Shonde, YJ Appia ...

Conservative Sample Size Determination for Repeated Measures Analysis of Covariance.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Timothy M; Case, L Douglas

2013-07-05

In the design of a randomized clinical trial with one pre and multiple post randomized assessments of the outcome variable, one needs to account for the repeated measures in determining the appropriate sample size. Unfortunately, one seldom has a good estimate of the variance of the outcome measure, let alone the correlations among the measurements over time. We show how sample sizes can be calculated by making conservative assumptions regarding the correlations for a variety of covariance structures. The most conservative choice for the correlation depends on the covariance structure and the number of repeated measures. In the absence of good estimates of the correlations, the sample size is often based on a two-sample t-test, making the 'ultra' conservative and unrealistic assumption that there are zero correlations between the baseline and follow-up measures while at the same time assuming there are perfect correlations between the follow-up measures. Compared to the case of taking a single measurement, substantial savings in sample size can be realized by accounting for the repeated measures, even with very conservative assumptions regarding the parameters of the assumed correlation matrix. Assuming compound symmetry, the sample size from the two-sample t-test calculation can be reduced at least 44%, 56%, and 61% for repeated measures analysis of covariance by taking 2, 3, and 4 follow-up measures, respectively. The results offer a rational basis for determining a fairly conservative, yet efficient, sample size for clinical trials with repeated measures and a baseline value.

Analysis of tecniques for measurement of the size distribution of solid particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. O. Arouca

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Determination of the size distribution of solid particles is fundamental for analysis of the performance several pieces of equipment used for solid-fluid separation. The main objective of this work is to compare the results obtained with two traditional methods for determination of the size grade distribution of powdery solids: the gamma-ray attenuation technique (GRAT and the LADEQ test tube technique. The effect of draining the suspension in the two techniques used was also analyzed. The GRAT can supply the particle size distribution of solids through the monitoring of solid concentration in experiments on batch settling of diluted suspensions. The results show that use of the peristaltic pump in the GRAT and the LADEQ methods produced a significant difference between the values obtained for the parameters of the particle size model.

Early Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Survival Is Dependent on Size: Positive Implications for Future Targeted Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Hur, Chin; Tramontano, Angela C; Dowling, Emily C; Brooks, Gabriel A; Jeon, Alvin; Brugge, William R; Gazelle, G Scott; Kong, Chung Yin; Pandharipande, Pari V

2016-08-01

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not experienced a meaningful mortality improvement for the past few decades. Successful screening is difficult to accomplish because most PDACs present late in their natural history, and current interventions have not provided significant benefit. Our goal was to identify determinants of survival for early PDAC to help inform future screening strategies. Early PDACs from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database (2000-2010) were analyzed. We stratified by size and included carcinomas in situ (Tis). Overall cancer-specific survival was calculated. A Cox proportional hazards model was developed and the significance of key covariates for survival prediction was evaluated. A Kaplan-Meier plot demonstrated significant differences in survival by size at diagnosis; these survival benefits persisted after adjustment for key covariates in the Cox proportional hazards analysis. In addition, relatively weaker predictors of worse survival included older age, male sex, black race, nodal involvement, tumor location within the head of the pancreas, and no surgery or radiotherapy. For early PDAC, we found tumor size to be the strongest predictor of survival, even after adjustment for other patient characteristics. Our findings suggest that early PDAC detection can have clinical benefit, which has positive implications for future screening strategies.

Validation of a particle tracking analysis method for the size determination of nano- and microparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Kestens, Vikram; Bozatzidis, Vassili; De Temmerman, Pieter-Jan; Ramaye, Yannic; Roebben, Gert

2017-08-01

Particle tracking analysis (PTA) is an emerging technique suitable for size analysis of particles with external dimensions in the nano- and sub-micrometre scale range. Only limited attempts have so far been made to investigate and quantify the performance of the PTA method for particle size analysis. This article presents the results of a validation study during which selected colloidal silica and polystyrene latex reference materials with particle sizes in the range of 20 nm to 200 nm were analysed with NS500 and LM10-HSBF NanoSight instruments and video analysis software NTA 2.3 and NTA 3.0. Key performance characteristics such as working range, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, sensitivity, robustness, precision and trueness were examined according to recommendations proposed by EURACHEM. A model for measurement uncertainty estimation following the principles described in ISO/IEC Guide 98-3 was used for quantifying random and systematic variations. For nominal 50 nm and 100 nm polystyrene and a nominal 80 nm silica reference materials, the relative expanded measurement uncertainties for the three measurands of interest, being the mode, median and arithmetic mean of the number-weighted particle size distribution, varied from about 10% to 12%. For the nominal 50 nm polystyrene material, the relative expanded uncertainty of the arithmetic mean of the particle size distributions increased up to 18% which was due to the presence of agglomerates. Data analysis was performed with software NTA 2.3 and NTA 3.0. The latter showed to be superior in terms of sensitivity and resolution.

Evolution of the sedimentation technique for particle size distribution analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maley, R.

1998-01-01

After an introduction on the significance of particle size measurements, sedimentation methods are described, with emphasis on the evolution of the gravitational approach. The gravitational technique based on mass determination by X-ray adsorption allows fast analysis by automation and easy data handling, in addition to providing the accuracy required by quality control and research applications [it

Computational and experimental study of the cluster size distribution in MAPLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leveugle, Elodie; Zhigilei, Leonid V.; Sellinger, Aaron; Fitz-Gerald, James M.

2007-01-01

A combined experimental and computational study is performed to investigate the origin and characteristics of the surface features observed in SEM images of thin polymer films deposited in matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). Analysis of high-resolution SEM images of surface morphologies of the films deposited at different fluences reveals that the mass distributions of the surface features can be well described by a power-law, Y(N) ∝ N -t , with exponent -t ∼ -1.6. Molecular dynamic simulations of the MAPLE process predict a similar size distribution for large clusters observed in the ablation plume. A weak dependence of the cluster size distributions on fluence and target composition suggests that the power-law cluster size distribution may be a general characteristic of the ablation plume generated as a result of an explosive decomposition of a target region overheated above the limit of its thermodynamic stability. Based on the simulation results, we suggest that the ejection of large matrix-polymer clusters, followed by evaporation of the volatile matrix, is responsible for the formation of the surface features observed in the polymer films deposited in MAPLE experiments

Percolation through voids around overlapping spheres: A dynamically based finite-size scaling analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Priour, D. J.

2014-01-01

The percolation threshold for flow or conduction through voids surrounding randomly placed spheres is calculated. With large-scale Monte Carlo simulations, we give a rigorous continuum treatment to the geometry of the impenetrable spheres and the spaces between them. To properly exploit finite-size scaling, we examine multiple systems of differing sizes, with suitable averaging over disorder, and extrapolate to the thermodynamic limit. An order parameter based on the statistical sampling of stochastically driven dynamical excursions and amenable to finite-size scaling analysis is defined, calculated for various system sizes, and used to determine the critical volume fraction ϕc=0.0317±0.0004 and the correlation length exponent ν =0.92±0.05.

Study of target and non-target interplay in spatial attention task.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeti; Joshi, Deepak; Panigrahi, B K; Anand, Sneh; Santhosh, Jayasree

2018-02-01

Selective visual attention is the ability to selectively pay attention to the targets while inhibiting the distractors. This paper aims to study the targets and non-targets interplay in spatial attention task while subject attends to the target object present in one visual hemifield and ignores the distractor present in another visual hemifield. This paper performs the averaged evoked response potential (ERP) analysis and time-frequency analysis. ERP analysis agrees to the left hemisphere superiority over late potentials for the targets present in right visual hemifield. Time-frequency analysis performed suggests two parameters i.e. event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) and inter-trial coherence (ITC). These parameters show the same properties for the target present in either of the visual hemifields but show the difference while comparing the activity corresponding to the targets and non-targets. In this way, this study helps to visualise the difference between targets present in the left and right visual hemifields and, also the targets and non-targets present in the left and right visual hemifields. These results could be utilised to monitor subjects' performance in brain-computer interface (BCI) and neurorehabilitation.

Simulating Serial-Target Antibacterial Drug Synergies Using Flux Balance Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krueger, Andrew S.; Munck, Christian; Dantas, Gautam

2016-01-01

Flux balance analysis (FBA) is an increasingly useful approach for modeling the behavior of metabolic systems. However, standard FBA modeling of genetic knockouts cannot predict drug combination synergies observed between serial metabolic targets, even though such synergies give rise to some of t...

SPATIAL ANALYSIS TO SUPPORT GEOGRAPHIC TARGETING OF GENOTYPES TO ENVIRONMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glenn eHyman

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Crop improvement efforts have benefited greatly from advances in available data, computing technology and methods for targeting genotypes to environments. These advances support the analysis of genotype by environment interactions to understand how well a genotype adapts to environmental conditions. This paper reviews the use of spatial analysis to support crop improvement research aimed at matching genotypes to their most appropriate environmental niches. Better data sets are now available on soils, weather and climate, elevation, vegetation, crop distribution and local conditions where genotypes are tested in experimental trial sites. The improved data are now combined with spatial analysis methods to compare environmental conditions across sites, create agro-ecological region maps and assess environment change. Climate, elevation and vegetation data sets are now widely available, supporting analyses that were much more difficult even five or ten years ago. While detailed soil data for many parts of the world remains difficult to acquire for crop improvement studies, new advances in digital soil mapping are likely to improve our capacity. Site analysis and matching and regional targeting methods have advanced in parallel to data and technology improvements. All these developments have increased our capacity to link genotype to phenotype and point to a vast potential to improve crop adaptation efforts.

Trial sequential analysis reveals insufficient information size and potentially false positive results in many meta-analyses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brok, J.; Thorlund, K.; Gluud, C.

2008-01-01

in 80% (insufficient information size). TSA(15%) and TSA(LBHIS) found that 95% and 91% had absence of evidence. The remaining nonsignificant meta-analyses had evidence of lack of effect. CONCLUSION: TSA reveals insufficient information size and potentially false positive results in many meta......OBJECTIVES: To evaluate meta-analyses with trial sequential analysis (TSA). TSA adjusts for random error risk and provides the required number of participants (information size) in a meta-analysis. Meta-analyses not reaching information size are analyzed with trial sequential monitoring boundaries...... analogous to interim monitoring boundaries in a single trial. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We applied TSA on meta-analyses performed in Cochrane Neonatal reviews. We calculated information sizes and monitoring boundaries with three different anticipated intervention effects of 30% relative risk reduction (TSA...

Design and Characterization of High Power Targets for RIB Generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Y.

2001-01-01

In this article, thermal modeling techniques are used to simulate ISOL targets irradiated with high power proton beams. Beam scattering effects, nuclear reactions and beam power deposition distributions in the target were computed with the Monte Carlo simulation code, GEANT4. The power density information was subsequently used as input to the finite element thermal analysis code, ANSYS, for extracting temperature distribution information for a variety of target materials. The principal objective of the studies was to evaluate techniques for more uniformly distributing beam deposited heat over the volumes of targets to levels compatible with their irradiation with the highest practical primary-beam power, and to use the preferred technique to design high power ISOL targets. The results suggest that radiation cooling, in combination, with primary beam manipulation, can be used to control temperatures in practically sized targets, to levels commensurate with irradiation with 1 GeV, 100 kW proton beams

Sample size calculation while controlling false discovery rate for differential expression analysis with RNA-sequencing experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Ran; Liu, Peng

2016-03-31

RNA-Sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments have been popularly applied to transcriptome studies in recent years. Such experiments are still relatively costly. As a result, RNA-seq experiments often employ a small number of replicates. Power analysis and sample size calculation are challenging in the context of differential expression analysis with RNA-seq data. One challenge is that there are no closed-form formulae to calculate power for the popularly applied tests for differential expression analysis. In addition, false discovery rate (FDR), instead of family-wise type I error rate, is controlled for the multiple testing error in RNA-seq data analysis. So far, there are very few proposals on sample size calculation for RNA-seq experiments. In this paper, we propose a procedure for sample size calculation while controlling FDR for RNA-seq experimental design. Our procedure is based on the weighted linear model analysis facilitated by the voom method which has been shown to have competitive performance in terms of power and FDR control for RNA-seq differential expression analysis. We derive a method that approximates the average power across the differentially expressed genes, and then calculate the sample size to achieve a desired average power while controlling FDR. Simulation results demonstrate that the actual power of several popularly applied tests for differential expression is achieved and is close to the desired power for RNA-seq data with sample size calculated based on our method. Our proposed method provides an efficient algorithm to calculate sample size while controlling FDR for RNA-seq experimental design. We also provide an R package ssizeRNA that implements our proposed method and can be downloaded from the Comprehensive R Archive Network ( http://cran.r-project.org ).

Non-targeted analysis of unexpected food contaminants using LC-HRMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunzelmann, Marco; Winter, Martin; Åberg, Magnus; Hellenäs, Karl-Erik; Rosén, Johan

2018-03-29

A non-target analysis method for unexpected contaminants in food is described. Many current methods referred to as "non-target" are capable of detecting hundreds or even thousands of contaminants. However, they will typically still miss all other possible contaminants. Instead, a metabolomics approach might be used to obtain "true non-target" analysis. In the present work, such a method was optimized for improved detection capability at low concentrations. The method was evaluated using 19 chemically diverse model compounds spiked into milk samples to mimic unknown contamination. Other milk samples were used as reference samples. All samples were analyzed with UHPLC-TOF-MS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry), using reversed-phase chromatography and electrospray ionization in positive mode. Data evaluation was performed by the software TracMass 2. No target lists of specific compounds were used to search for the contaminants. Instead, the software was used to sort out all features only occurring in the spiked sample data, i.e., the workflow resembled a metabolomics approach. Procedures for chemical identification of peaks were outside the scope of the study. Method, study design, and settings in the software were optimized to minimize manual evaluation and faulty or irrelevant hits and to maximize hit rate of the spiked compounds. A practical detection limit was established at 25 μg/kg. At this concentration, most compounds (17 out of 19) were detected as intact precursor ions, as fragments or as adducts. Only 2 irrelevant hits, probably natural compounds, were obtained. Limitations and possible practical use of the approach are discussed.

Statistical Inference for Data Adaptive Target Parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbard, Alan E; Kherad-Pajouh, Sara; van der Laan, Mark J

2016-05-01

Consider one observes n i.i.d. copies of a random variable with a probability distribution that is known to be an element of a particular statistical model. In order to define our statistical target we partition the sample in V equal size sub-samples, and use this partitioning to define V splits in an estimation sample (one of the V subsamples) and corresponding complementary parameter-generating sample. For each of the V parameter-generating samples, we apply an algorithm that maps the sample to a statistical target parameter. We define our sample-split data adaptive statistical target parameter as the average of these V-sample specific target parameters. We present an estimator (and corresponding central limit theorem) of this type of data adaptive target parameter. This general methodology for generating data adaptive target parameters is demonstrated with a number of practical examples that highlight new opportunities for statistical learning from data. This new framework provides a rigorous statistical methodology for both exploratory and confirmatory analysis within the same data. Given that more research is becoming "data-driven", the theory developed within this paper provides a new impetus for a greater involvement of statistical inference into problems that are being increasingly addressed by clever, yet ad hoc pattern finding methods. To suggest such potential, and to verify the predictions of the theory, extensive simulation studies, along with a data analysis based on adaptively determined intervention rules are shown and give insight into how to structure such an approach. The results show that the data adaptive target parameter approach provides a general framework and resulting methodology for data-driven science.

Study of Cluster-size Effect on Damage Formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Takaaki; Seki, Toshio; Nakai, Atsuko; Matsuo, Jiro; Takaoka, Gikan

2003-01-01

Computer simulation and experiments were performed in order to understand the effect of cluster size on damage formation. Results of molecular dynamics simulations of cluster impact on solid targets derived the model function, which explains the relationship among cluster size, incident energy and number of displacements. On the other hand, time of flight mass measurement system was installed a cluster irradiation system, so that cluster ion beam which cluster size distribution is well known can be irradiated on the target. The damage properties under various cluster irradiation conditions were examined using RBS. The results from computer simulations and experiments showed good agreements with each other, which suggests that irradiation damage by cluster ion beam can be controlled by selecting cluster size distribution and incident energy

Clinicopathologic Analysis of Microscopic Extension in Lung Adenocarcinoma: Defining Clinical Target Volume for Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grills, Inga S.; Fitch, Dwight L.; Goldstein, Neal S.; Yan Di; Chmielewski, Gary W.; Welsh, Robert J.; Kestin, Larry L.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To determine the gross tumor volume (GTV) to clinical target volume margin for non-small-cell lung cancer treatment planning. Methods: A total of 35 patients with Stage T1N0 adenocarcinoma underwent wedge resection plus immediate lobectomy. The gross tumor size and microscopic extension distance beyond the gross tumor were measured. The nuclear grade and percentage of bronchoalveolar features were analyzed for association with microscopic extension. The gross tumor dimensions were measured on a computed tomography (CT) scan (lung and mediastinal windows) and compared with the pathologic dimensions. The potential coverage of microscopic extension for two different lung stereotactic radiotherapy regimens was evaluated. Results: The mean microscopic extension distance beyond the gross tumor was 7.2 mm and varied according to grade (10.1, 7.0, and 3.5 mm for Grade 1 to 3, respectively, p < 0.01). The 90th percentile for microscopic extension was 12.0 mm (13.0, 9.7, and 4.4 mm for Grade 1 to 3, respectively). The CT lung windows correlated better with the pathologic size than did the mediastinal windows (gross pathologic size overestimated by a mean of 5.8 mm; composite size [gross plus microscopic extension] underestimated by a mean of 1.2 mm). For a GTV contoured on the CT lung windows, the margin required to cover microscopic extension for 90% of the cases would be 9 mm (9, 7, and 4 mm for Grade 1 to 3, respectively). The potential microscopic extension dosimetric coverage (55 Gy) varied substantially between the stereotactic radiotherapy schedules. Conclusion: For lung adenocarcinomas, the GTV should be contoured using CT lung windows. Although a GTV based on the CT lung windows would underestimate the gross tumor size plus microscopic extension by only 1.2 mm for the average case, the clinical target volume expansion required to cover the microscopic extension in 90% of cases could be as large as 9 mm, although considerably smaller for high-grade tumors

One size does not fit all: Establishing the need for targeted eco-feedback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khosrowpour, Ardalan; Xie, Yimeng; Taylor, John E.; Hong, Yili

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We examined occupants’ responses to an eco-feedback system in a commercial building. • We analyzed the impact of notifications on the level of engagement of participants. • We found notification effectiveness to be highly dependent on the type of feedback. • Occupant response to uniform normative comparison eco-feedback varied substantially. • This highlights the need for targeted eco-feedback based on consumption patterns. - Abstract: Despite all improvements in buildings shell, equipment, and design, CO_2 emissions from buildings are increasing. Since occupants spend more than 87% of their time indoors, they are inseparable and significant elements of building system dynamics. Hence, there is a great potential for energy efficiency in buildings using a wide range of programs such as intervention and eco-feedback. Despite the high level of individual differences and intra-class variability of occupants’ behaviors, the current state-of-the-art eco-feedback programs treat all the occupants uniformly and do not target and tailor the feedback. Therefore, it leaves an opportunity to increase the efficacy of eco-feedback systems through the designing of tailored and targeted programs. In this paper, we conducted a comprehensive analysis and tested hypotheses on occupants’ behavioral responses to a normative comparison feedback program, in addition to the impact of notifications on the level of engagement of each group of occupants. We categorized occupants who participated in the normative comparison feedback program into three groups (i.e. low, medium, and high energy consumers) based on their baseline energy consumption, and tested 9 hypotheses. A mixed-effect regression model (MRM) and a paired t-test was implemented to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. The hypotheses examine the variability of occupants’ responses under the same eco-feedback program, and the effectiveness of notifications on reinforcing occupants’ engagement in

Introduction to charm decay analysis in fixed target experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bediaga, Ignacio; Goebel, Carla

1996-01-01

We present an introduction to data analysis in Experimental High Energy Physics, and some concepts and useful tools are discussed. To illustrate, we use the data of E-791, a fixed target experiment recently realized at Fermilab. In particular, we analyse decay modes of D{sup +} meson with three charged particles in the final state. (author). 8 refs., 22 figs., 1 tab.

Introduction to charm decay analysis in fixed target experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bediaga, Ignacio; Goebel, Carla.

1996-01-01

We present an introduction to data analysis in Experimental High Energy Physics, and some concepts and useful tools are discussed. To illustrate, we use the data of E-791, a fixed target experiment recently realized at Fermilab. In particular, we analyse decay modes of D + meson with three charged particles in the final state. (author). 8 refs., 22 figs., 1 tab

TargetVue: Visual Analysis of Anomalous User Behaviors in Online Communication Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Nan; Shi, Conglei; Lin, Sabrina; Lu, Jie; Lin, Yu-Ru; Lin, Ching-Yung

2016-01-01

Users with anomalous behaviors in online communication systems (e.g. email and social medial platforms) are potential threats to society. Automated anomaly detection based on advanced machine learning techniques has been developed to combat this issue; challenges remain, though, due to the difficulty of obtaining proper ground truth for model training and evaluation. Therefore, substantial human judgment on the automated analysis results is often required to better adjust the performance of anomaly detection. Unfortunately, techniques that allow users to understand the analysis results more efficiently, to make a confident judgment about anomalies, and to explore data in their context, are still lacking. In this paper, we propose a novel visual analysis system, TargetVue, which detects anomalous users via an unsupervised learning model and visualizes the behaviors of suspicious users in behavior-rich context through novel visualization designs and multiple coordinated contextual views. Particularly, TargetVue incorporates three new ego-centric glyphs to visually summarize a user's behaviors which effectively present the user's communication activities, features, and social interactions. An efficient layout method is proposed to place these glyphs on a triangle grid, which captures similarities among users and facilitates comparisons of behaviors of different users. We demonstrate the power of TargetVue through its application in a social bot detection challenge using Twitter data, a case study based on email records, and an interview with expert users. Our evaluation shows that TargetVue is beneficial to the detection of users with anomalous communication behaviors.

Hierarchical self-assembly of magnetic nanoclusters for theranostics: Tunable size, enhanced magnetic resonance imagability, and controlled and targeted drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Dai Hai; Lee, Jung Seok; Choi, Jong Hoon; Park, Kyung Min; Lee, Yunki; Park, Ki Dong

2016-04-15

Nanoparticle-based imaging and therapy are of interest for theranostic nanomedicine. In particular, superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted much attention in cancer imaging, diagnostics, and treatment because of their superior imagability and biocompatibility (approved by the Food and Drug Administration). Here, we developed SPIO nanoparticles (NPs) that self-assembled into magnetic nanoclusters (SAMNs) in aqueous environments as a theranostic nano-system. To generate multi-functional SPIO NPs, we covalently conjugated β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to SPIO NPs using metal-adhesive dopamine groups. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and paclitaxel (PTX) were hosted in the β-CD cavity through high affinity complexation. The core-shell structure of the magnetic nanoclusters was elucidated based on the condensed SPIO core and a PEG shell using electron microscopy and the composition was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Our results indicate that nanocluster size could be readily controlled by changing the SPIO/PEG ratio in the assemblies. Interestingly, we observed a significant enhancement in magnetic resonance contrast due to the large cluster size and dense iron oxide core. In addition, tethering a tumor-targeting peptide to the SAMNs enhanced their uptake into tumor cells. PTX was efficiently loaded into β-CDs and released in a controlled manner when exposed to competitive guest molecules. These results strongly indicate that the SAMNs developed in this study possess great potential for application in image-guided cancer chemotherapy. In this study, we developed multi-functional SPIO NPs that self-assembled into magnetic nanoclusters (SAMNs) in aqueous conditions as a theranostic nano-system. The beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was immobilized on the surfaces of SPIO NPs and RGD-conjugated polyethylene glycol (PEG) and paclitaxel (PTX) were hosted in the β-CD cavity through high affinity complexation. We found that nanocluster size could be

Global analysis of small molecule binding to related protein targets.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felix A Kruger

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report on the integration of pharmacological data and homology information for a large scale analysis of small molecule binding to related targets. Differences in small molecule binding have been assessed for curated pairs of human to rat orthologs and also for recently diverged human paralogs. Our analysis shows that in general, small molecule binding is conserved for pairs of human to rat orthologs. Using statistical tests, we identified a small number of cases where small molecule binding is different between human and rat, some of which had previously been reported in the literature. Knowledge of species specific pharmacology can be advantageous for drug discovery, where rats are frequently used as a model system. For human paralogs, we demonstrate a global correlation between sequence identity and the binding of small molecules with equivalent affinity. Our findings provide an initial general model relating small molecule binding and sequence divergence, containing the foundations for a general model to anticipate and predict within-target-family selectivity.

Food and beverage portion sizes in Australian children: a secondary analysis of 1995 and 2007 national data.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Kate; Watson, Jane F; Collins, Clare E

2014-05-28

Portion size of foods is reported to contribute to the rise in obesity prevalence. However, evidence of changes in portion size for commonly consumed foods in Australia is lacking. The aim was to evaluate whether Australian child and adolescent portion sizes of selected foods changed from 1995 to 2007. Time-series study, comparing dietary data from two national cross-sectional surveys in nationally representative population survey of Australian households. The dietary data was from children aged 2-16 years who participated in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey (n = 2198) and 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 4799). Differences were found across survey years in median portion size of common foods and beverages assessed by 24-hour recalls for age and sex categories. Of the 61 foods items evaluated across the whole population sample, portion size increased in 18 items, decreased in 22, with no change in 20, although the magnitude of change varied by age and sex. Decreases in portion size were detected for most dairy products, breakfast cereal, some packaged snack foods and vegetables, p portion sizes were detected over 12 years in Australian children and adolescents with the degree of change varying by sex, age and food group. Knowledge of usual portion sizes could inform programs targeting appropriate serving sizes selection in children and adolescents.

Human microRNA target analysis and gene ontology clustering by GOmir, a novel stand-alone application.

Science.gov (United States)

Roubelakis, Maria G; Zotos, Pantelis; Papachristoudis, Georgios; Michalopoulos, Ioannis; Pappa, Kalliopi I; Anagnou, Nicholas P; Kossida, Sophia

2009-06-16

microRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded RNA molecules of about 20-23 nucleotides length found in a wide variety of organisms. miRNAs regulate gene expression, by interacting with target mRNAs at specific sites in order to induce cleavage of the message or inhibit translation. Predicting or verifying mRNA targets of specific miRNAs is a difficult process of great importance. GOmir is a novel stand-alone application consisting of two separate tools: JTarget and TAGGO. JTarget integrates miRNA target prediction and functional analysis by combining the predicted target genes from TargetScan, miRanda, RNAhybrid and PicTar computational tools as well as the experimentally supported targets from TarBase and also providing a full gene description and functional analysis for each target gene. On the other hand, TAGGO application is designed to automatically group gene ontology annotations, taking advantage of the Gene Ontology (GO), in order to extract the main attributes of sets of proteins. GOmir represents a new tool incorporating two separate Java applications integrated into one stand-alone Java application. GOmir (by using up to five different databases) introduces miRNA predicted targets accompanied by (a) full gene description, (b) functional analysis and (c) detailed gene ontology clustering. Additionally, a reverse search initiated by a potential target can also be conducted. GOmir can freely be downloaded BRFAA.

Target Price Accuracy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander G. Kerl

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the accuracy of forecasted target prices within analysts’ reports. We compute a measure for target price forecast accuracy that evaluates the ability of analysts to exactly forecast the ex-ante (unknown 12-month stock price. Furthermore, we determine factors that explain this accuracy. Target price accuracy is negatively related to analyst-specific optimism and stock-specific risk (measured by volatility and price-to-book ratio. However, target price accuracy is positively related to the level of detail of each report, company size and the reputation of the investment bank. The potential conflicts of interests between an analyst and a covered company do not bias forecast accuracy.

In-depth resistome analysis by targeted metagenomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanza, Val F; Baquero, Fernando; Martínez, José Luís; Ramos-Ruíz, Ricardo; González-Zorn, Bruno; Andremont, Antoine; Sánchez-Valenzuela, Antonio; Ehrlich, Stanislav Dusko; Kennedy, Sean; Ruppé, Etienne; van Schaik, Willem; Willems, Rob J; de la Cruz, Fernando; Coque, Teresa M

2018-01-15

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health challenge. Metagenomics allows analyzing the presence and dynamics of "resistomes" (the ensemble of genes encoding antimicrobial resistance in a given microbiome) in disparate microbial ecosystems. However, the low sensitivity and specificity of available metagenomic methods preclude the detection of minority populations (often present below their detection threshold) and/or the identification of allelic variants that differ in the resulting phenotype. Here, we describe a novel strategy that combines targeted metagenomics using last generation in-solution capture platforms, with novel bioinformatics tools to establish a standardized framework that allows both quantitative and qualitative analyses of resistomes. We developed ResCap, a targeted sequence capture platform based on SeqCapEZ (NimbleGene) technology, which includes probes for 8667 canonical resistance genes (7963 antibiotic resistance genes and 704 genes conferring resistance to metals or biocides), and 2517 relaxase genes (plasmid markers) and 78,600 genes homologous to the previous identified targets (47,806 for antibiotics and 30,794 for biocides or metals). Its performance was compared with metagenomic shotgun sequencing (MSS) for 17 fecal samples (9 humans, 8 swine). ResCap significantly improves MSS to detect "gene abundance" (from 2.0 to 83.2%) and "gene diversity" (26 versus 14.9 genes unequivocally detected per sample per million of reads; the number of reads unequivocally mapped increasing up to 300-fold by using ResCap), which were calculated using novel bioinformatic tools. ResCap also facilitated the analysis of novel genes potentially involved in the resistance to antibiotics, metals, biocides, or any combination thereof. ResCap, the first targeted sequence capture, specifically developed to analyze resistomes, greatly enhances the sensitivity and specificity of available metagenomic methods and offers the possibility to analyze genes

Synthesis of strongly fluorescent molybdenum disulfide nanosheets for cell-targeted labeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Nan; Wei, Fang; Qi, Yuhang; Li, Hongxiang; Lu, Xin; Zhao, Guoqiang; Xu, Qun

2014-11-26

MoS2 nanosheets with polydispersity of the lateral dimensions from natural mineral molybdenite have been prepared in the emulsions microenvironment built by the water/surfactant/CO2 system. The size, thickness, and atomic structure are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and laser-scattering particle size analysis. Meanwhile, by the analysis of photoluminescence spectroscopy and microscope, the MoS2 nanosheets with smaller lateral dimensions exhibit extraordinary photoluminescence properties different from those with relatively larger lateral dimensions. The discovery of the excitation dependent photoluminescence for MoS2 nanosheets makes them potentially of interests for the applications in optoelectronics and biology. Moreover, we demonstrate that the fabricated MoS2 nanosheets can be a nontoxic fluorescent label for cell-targeted labeling application.

CFD Analysis of the Active Part of the HYPER Spallation Target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam-il Tak; Chungho Cho; Tae-Yung Song

2006-01-01

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) is developing an accelerator driven system (ADS) named HYPER (HYbrid Power Extraction Reactor) for a transmutation of long-lived nuclear wastes. One of the challenging tasks for the HYPER system is to design a large spallation target having a beam power of 15∼25 MW. The present paper focuses on the thermal-hydraulic performance of the active part of the HYPER target. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed using a commercial code CFX 5.7.1. Several advanced turbulence models with different grid structures were applied. The CFX results show the significant impact of the turbulence model on the window temperature. It is concluded that experimental verifications are very important for the design of the HYPER target. (authors)

Design of protein-responsive micro-sized hydrogels for self-regulating microfluidic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Hirayama, Mayu; Tsuruta, Kazuhiro; Kawamura, Akifumi; Ohara, Masayuki; Shoji, Kan; Kawano, Ryuji; Miyata, Takashi

2018-03-01

Diagnosis sensors using micro-total analysis systems (µ-TAS) have been developed for detecting target biomolecules such as proteins and saccharides because they are signal biomolecules for monitoring body conditions and diseases. In this study, biomolecularly stimuli-responsive micro-sized hydrogels that exhibited quick shrinkage in response to lectin concanavalinA (ConA) were prepared in a microchannel by photopolymerization using a fluorescence microscope. In preparing the micro-size hydrogels, glycosyloxyethyl methacrylate (GEMA) as a ligand monomer was copolymerized with a crosslinker in the presence of template ConA in molecular imprinting. The ConA-imprinted micro-hydrogel showed greater shrinkage in response to target ConA than nonimprinted micro-hydrogel. When a buffer solution was switched to an aqueous ConA solution in the Y-shaped microchannel, the flow rates changed quickly because of the responsive shrinkage of the micro-hydrogel prepared in the microchannel. These results suggest that the ConA-imprinted micro-hydrogel acted as a self-regulated microvalve in microfluidic systems.

Genome-Wide Analysis of miRNA targets in Brachypodium and Biomass Energy Crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Green, Pamela J. [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

2015-08-11

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the control of numerous biological processes through the regulation of specific target mRNAs. Although the identities of these targets are essential to elucidate miRNA function, the targets are much more difficult to identify than the small RNAs themselves. Before this work, we pioneered the genome-wide identification of the targets of Arabidopsis miRNAs using an approach called PARE (German et al., Nature Biotech. 2008; Nature Protocols, 2009). Under this project, we applied PARE to Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium), a model plant in the Poaceae family, which includes the major food grain and bioenergy crops. Through in-depth global analysis and examination of specific examples, this research greatly expanded our knowledge of miRNAs and target RNAs of Brachypodium. New regulation in response to environmental stress or tissue type was found, and many new miRNAs were discovered. More than 260 targets of new and known miRNAs with PARE sequences at the precise sites of miRNA-guided cleavage were identified and characterized. Combining PARE data with the small RNA data also identified the miRNAs responsible for initiating approximately 500 phased loci, including one of the novel miRNAs. PARE analysis also revealed that differentially expressed miRNAs in the same family guide specific target RNA cleavage in a correspondingly tissue-preferential manner. The project included generation of small RNA and PARE resources for bioenergy crops, to facilitate ongoing discovery of conserved miRNA-target RNA regulation. By associating specific miRNA-target RNA pairs with known physiological functions, the research provides insights about gene regulation in different tissues and in response to environmental stress. This, and release of new PARE and small RNA data sets should contribute basic knowledge to enhance breeding and may suggest new strategies for improvement of biomass energy crops.

Characterization studies of prototype ISOL targets for the RIA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, John P.; Burtseva, Tatiana; Neubauer, Janelle; Nolen, Jerry A.; Villari, Antonio C.C.; Gomes, Itacil C.

2005-01-01

Targets employing refractory compounds are being developed for the rare isotope accelerator (RIA) facility to produce ion species far from stability. With the 100 kW beams proposed for the production targets, dissipation of heat becomes a challenging issue. In our two-step target design, neutrons are generated in a refractory primary target, inducing fission in the surrounding uranium carbide. The interplay of density, grain size, thermal conductivity and diffusion properties of the UC 2 needs to be well understood before fabrication. Thin samples of uranium carbide were prepared for thermal conductivity measurements using an electron beam to heat the sample and an optical pyrometer to observe the thermal radiation. Release efficiencies and independent thermal analysis on these samples are being undertaken at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). An alternate target concept for RIA, the tilted slab approach promises to be simple with fast ion release and capable of withstanding high beam intensities while providing considerable yields via spallation. A proposed small business innovative research (SBIR) project will design a prototype tilted target, exploring the materials needed for fabrication and testing at an irradiation facility to address issues of heat transfer and stresses within the target

Characterization studies of prototype ISOL targets for the RIA

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, John P.; Burtseva, Tatiana; Neubauer, Janelle; Nolen, Jerry A.; Villari, Antonio C. C.; Gomes, Itacil C.

2005-12-01

Targets employing refractory compounds are being developed for the rare isotope accelerator (RIA) facility to produce ion species far from stability. With the 100 kW beams proposed for the production targets, dissipation of heat becomes a challenging issue. In our two-step target design, neutrons are generated in a refractory primary target, inducing fission in the surrounding uranium carbide. The interplay of density, grain size, thermal conductivity and diffusion properties of the UC2 needs to be well understood before fabrication. Thin samples of uranium carbide were prepared for thermal conductivity measurements using an electron beam to heat the sample and an optical pyrometer to observe the thermal radiation. Release efficiencies and independent thermal analysis on these samples are being undertaken at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). An alternate target concept for RIA, the tilted slab approach promises to be simple with fast ion release and capable of withstanding high beam intensities while providing considerable yields via spallation. A proposed small business innovative research (SBIR) project will design a prototype tilted target, exploring the materials needed for fabrication and testing at an irradiation facility to address issues of heat transfer and stresses within the target.

WormSizer: high-throughput analysis of nematode size and shape.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brad T Moore

Full Text Available The fundamental phenotypes of growth rate, size and morphology are the result of complex interactions between genotype and environment. We developed a high-throughput software application, WormSizer, which computes size and shape of nematodes from brightfield images. Existing methods for estimating volume either coarsely model the nematode as a cylinder or assume the worm shape or opacity is invariant. Our estimate is more robust to changes in morphology or optical density as it only assumes radial symmetry. This open source software is written as a plugin for the well-known image-processing framework Fiji/ImageJ. It may therefore be extended easily. We evaluated the technical performance of this framework, and we used it to analyze growth and shape of several canonical Caenorhabditis elegans mutants in a developmental time series. We confirm quantitatively that a Dumpy (Dpy mutant is short and fat and that a Long (Lon mutant is long and thin. We show that daf-2 insulin-like receptor mutants are larger than wild-type upon hatching but grow slow, and WormSizer can distinguish dauer larvae from normal larvae. We also show that a Small (Sma mutant is actually smaller than wild-type at all stages of larval development. WormSizer works with Uncoordinated (Unc and Roller (Rol mutants as well, indicating that it can be used with mutants despite behavioral phenotypes. We used our complete data set to perform a power analysis, giving users a sense of how many images are needed to detect different effect sizes. Our analysis confirms and extends on existing phenotypic characterization of well-characterized mutants, demonstrating the utility and robustness of WormSizer.

Detection algorithm of infrared small target based on improved SUSAN operator

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xingmiao; Wang, Shicheng; Zhao, Jing

2010-10-01

The methods of detecting small moving targets in infrared image sequences that contain moving nuisance objects and background noise is analyzed in this paper. A novel infrared small target detection algorithm based on improved SUSAN operator is put forward. The algorithm selects double templates for the infrared small target detection: one size is greater than the small target point size and another size is equal to the small target point size. First, the algorithm uses the big template to calculate the USAN of each pixel in the image and detect the small target, the edge of the image and isolated noise pixels; Then the algorithm uses the another template to calculate the USAN of pixels detected in the first step and improves the principles of SUSAN algorithm based on the characteristics of the small target so that the algorithm can only detect small targets and don't sensitive to the edge pixels of the image and isolated noise pixels. So the interference of the edge of the image and isolate noise points are removed and the candidate target points can be identified; At last, the target is detected by utilizing the continuity and consistency of target movement. The experimental results indicate that the improved SUSAN detection algorithm can quickly and effectively detect the infrared small targets.

Influence of eye size and beam entry angle on dose to non-targeted tissues of the eye during stereotactic x-ray radiosurgery of AMD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantley, Justin L; Bolch, Wesley E; Hanlon, Justin; Chell, Erik; Lee, Choonsik; Smith, W Clay

2013-01-01

Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss for the elderly population of industrialized nations. The IRay® Radiotherapy System, developed by Oraya® Therapeutics, Inc., is a stereotactic low-voltage irradiation system designed to treat the wet form of the disease. The IRay System uses three robotically positioned 100 kVp collimated photon beams to deliver an absorbed dose of up to 24 Gy to the macula. The present study uses the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX to assess absorbed dose to six non-targeted tissues within the eye—total lens, radiosensitive tissues of the lens, optic nerve, distal tip of the central retinal artery, non-targeted portion of the retina, and the ciliary body-–all as a function of eye size and beam entry angle. The ocular axial length was ranged from 20 to 28 mm in 2 mm increments, with the polar entry angle of the delivery system varied from 18° to 34° in 2° increments. The resulting data showed insignificant variations in dose for all eye sizes. Slight variations in the dose to the optic nerve and the distal tip of the central retinal artery were noted as the polar beam angle changed. An increase in non-targeted retinal dose was noted as the entry angle increased, while the dose to the lens, sensitive volume of the lens, and ciliary body decreased as the treatment polar angle increased. Polar angles of 26° or greater resulted in no portion of the sensitive volume of the lens receiving an absorbed dose of 0.5 Gy or greater. All doses to non-targeted structures reported in this study were less than accepted thresholds for post-procedure complications. (paper)

Influence of eye size and beam entry angle on dose to non-targeted tissues of the eye during stereotactic x-ray radiosurgery of AMD

Science.gov (United States)

Cantley, Justin L.; Hanlon, Justin; Chell, Erik; Lee, Choonsik; Smith, W. Clay; Bolch, Wesley E.

2013-10-01

Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss for the elderly population of industrialized nations. The IRay® Radiotherapy System, developed by Oraya® Therapeutics, Inc., is a stereotactic low-voltage irradiation system designed to treat the wet form of the disease. The IRay System uses three robotically positioned 100 kVp collimated photon beams to deliver an absorbed dose of up to 24 Gy to the macula. The present study uses the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX to assess absorbed dose to six non-targeted tissues within the eye—total lens, radiosensitive tissues of the lens, optic nerve, distal tip of the central retinal artery, non-targeted portion of the retina, and the ciliary body--all as a function of eye size and beam entry angle. The ocular axial length was ranged from 20 to 28 mm in 2 mm increments, with the polar entry angle of the delivery system varied from 18° to 34° in 2° increments. The resulting data showed insignificant variations in dose for all eye sizes. Slight variations in the dose to the optic nerve and the distal tip of the central retinal artery were noted as the polar beam angle changed. An increase in non-targeted retinal dose was noted as the entry angle increased, while the dose to the lens, sensitive volume of the lens, and ciliary body decreased as the treatment polar angle increased. Polar angles of 26° or greater resulted in no portion of the sensitive volume of the lens receiving an absorbed dose of 0.5 Gy or greater. All doses to non-targeted structures reported in this study were less than accepted thresholds for post-procedure complications.

A Fourier analysis on the maximum acceptable grid size for discrete proton beam dose calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Haisen S.; Romeijn, H. Edwin; Dempsey, James F.

2006-01-01

We developed an analytical method for determining the maximum acceptable grid size for discrete dose calculation in proton therapy treatment plan optimization, so that the accuracy of the optimized dose distribution is guaranteed in the phase of dose sampling and the superfluous computational work is avoided. The accuracy of dose sampling was judged by the criterion that the continuous dose distribution could be reconstructed from the discrete dose within a 2% error limit. To keep the error caused by the discrete dose sampling under a 2% limit, the dose grid size cannot exceed a maximum acceptable value. The method was based on Fourier analysis and the Shannon-Nyquist sampling theorem as an extension of our previous analysis for photon beam intensity modulated radiation therapy [J. F. Dempsey, H. E. Romeijn, J. G. Li, D. A. Low, and J. R. Palta, Med. Phys. 32, 380-388 (2005)]. The proton beam model used for the analysis was a near mono-energetic (of width about 1% the incident energy) and monodirectional infinitesimal (nonintegrated) pencil beam in water medium. By monodirection, we mean that the proton particles are in the same direction before entering the water medium and the various scattering prior to entrance to water is not taken into account. In intensity modulated proton therapy, the elementary intensity modulation entity for proton therapy is either an infinitesimal or finite sized beamlet. Since a finite sized beamlet is the superposition of infinitesimal pencil beams, the result of the maximum acceptable grid size obtained with infinitesimal pencil beam also applies to finite sized beamlet. The analytic Bragg curve function proposed by Bortfeld [T. Bortfeld, Med. Phys. 24, 2024-2033 (1997)] was employed. The lateral profile was approximated by a depth dependent Gaussian distribution. The model included the spreads of the Bragg peak and the lateral profiles due to multiple Coulomb scattering. The dependence of the maximum acceptable dose grid size on the

Beyond typing and grading: target analysis in individualized therapy as a new challenge for tumour pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreipe, Hans H; von Wasielewski, Reinhard

2007-01-01

In order to bring about its beneficial effects in oncology, targeted therapy depends on accurate target analysis. Whether cells of a tumour will be sensitive to a specific treatment is predicted by the detection of appropriate targets in cancer tissue by immunohistochemistry or molecular methods. In most instances this is performed by histopathologists. Reliability and reproducibility of tissue-based target analysis in histopathology require novel measures of quality assurance by internal and external controls. As a model for external quality assurance in targeted therapy an annual inter-laboratory trial has been set up in Germany applying tissue arrays with up to 60 mammary cancer samples which are tested by participants for expression of HER2/neu and steroid hormone receptors.

Deterministic and stochastic analysis of alternative climate targets under differentiated cooperation regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loulou, Richard; Labriet, Maryse; Kanudia, Amit

2009-01-01

This article analyzes the feasibility of attaining a variety of climate targets during the 21st century, under alternative cooperation regimes by groups of countries. Five climate targets of increasing severity are analyzed, following the EMF-22 experiment. Each target is attempted under two cooperation regimes, a First Best scenario where all countries fully cooperate from 2012 on, and a Second Best scenario where the World is partitioned into three groups, and each group of countries enters the cooperation at a different date, and implement emission abatement actions in a progressive manner, once in the coalition. The resulting ten combinations are simulated via the ETSAP-TIAM technology based, integrated assessment model. In addition to the 10 separate case analyses, the article proposes a probabilistic treatment of three targets under the First Best scenario, and shows that the three forcing targets may in fact be interpreted as a single target on global temperature change, while assuming that the climate sensitivity C s is uncertain. It is shown that such an interpretation is possible only if the probability distribution of C s is carefully chosen. The analysis of the results shows that the lowest forcing level is unattainable unless immediate coordinated action is undertaken by all countries, and even so only at a high global cost. The middle and the high forcing levels are feasible at affordable global costs, even under the Second Best scenario. Another original contribution of this article is to explain why certain combinations of technological choices are made by the model, and in particular why the climate target clearly supersedes the usually accepted objective of improving energy efficiency. The analysis shows that under some climate targets, it is not optimal to improve energy efficiency, but rather to take advantage of certain technologies that help to reach the climate objective, but that happen to be less energy efficient than even the technologies

Integrative Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9 Target Sites in the Human HBB Gene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yumei Luo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR system has emerged as a powerful customizable artificial nuclease to facilitate precise genetic correction for tissue regeneration and isogenic disease modeling. However, previous studies reported substantial off-target activities of CRISPR system in human cells, and the enormous putative off-target sites are labor-intensive to be validated experimentally, thus motivating bioinformatics methods for rational design of CRISPR system and prediction of its potential off-target effects. Here, we describe an integrative analytical process to identify specific CRISPR target sites in the human β-globin gene (HBB and predict their off-target effects. Our method includes off-target analysis in both coding and noncoding regions, which was neglected by previous studies. It was found that the CRISPR target sites in the introns have fewer off-target sites in the coding regions than those in the exons. Remarkably, target sites containing certain transcriptional factor motif have enriched binding sites of relevant transcriptional factor in their off-target sets. We also found that the intron sites have fewer SNPs, which leads to less variation of CRISPR efficiency in different individuals during clinical applications. Our studies provide a standard analytical procedure to select specific CRISPR targets for genetic correction.

Effect of particle size on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of alumina suspension in liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz Rosado, José Carlos; L'hermite, Daniel; Levi, Yves

2012-01-01

The analysis by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was proposed for the detection and the quantification of different elements in water even when the analyte is composed of particles in suspension. We have studied the effect of particle size on the LIBS signal during liquid analysis. In our study we used different particle sizes (from 2 μm to 90 μm) of Al 2 O 3 in suspension in water. The results were compared to the signal obtained in the case of dissolved aluminum. In the case of particles, a linear correlation between the LIBS signal versus concentration was found but a significant decrease in the slope of the calibration curve was found when the particle size increased. Several hypotheses have been tested and only a partial ablation of the particles might explain this decrease in signal intensity. This effect probably does not occur at smaller particle size. We estimated 860 nm/pulse as ablated thickness from the top of the particle. A statistical analysis over all data obtained allowed us to calculate 100 μm as ablated water column depth. - Highlights: ► We have identified a decrease of calibration curve when particle size increases. ► Partial particle ablation has been identified as the origin of this effect. ► The ablation rate on Al 2 O 3 particles in suspension in water has been estimated. ► We can determine the deepness of the interaction volume into the liquid.

Network analysis of translocated Takahe populations to identify disease surveillance targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Grange, Zoë L; VAN Andel, Mary; French, Nigel P; Gartrell, Brett D

2014-04-01

Social network analysis is being increasingly used in epidemiology and disease modeling in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. We investigated this tool in describing a translocation network (area that allows movement of animals between geographically isolated locations) used for the conservation of an endangered flightless rail, the Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri). We collated records of Takahe translocations within New Zealand and used social network principles to describe the connectivity of the translocation network. That is, networks were constructed and analyzed using adjacency matrices with values based on the tie weights between nodes. Five annual network matrices were created using the Takahe data set, each incremental year included records of previous years. Weights of movements between connected locations were assigned by the number of Takahe moved. We calculated the number of nodes (i(total)) and the number of ties (t(total)) between the nodes. To quantify the small-world character of the networks, we compared the real networks to random graphs of the equivalent size, weighting, and node strength. Descriptive analysis of cumulative annual Takahe movement networks involved determination of node-level characteristics, including centrality descriptors of relevance to disease modeling such as weighted measures of in degree (k(i)(in)), out degree (k(i)(out)), and betweenness (B(i)). Key players were assigned according to the highest node measure of k(i)(in), k(i)(out), and B(i) per network. Networks increased in size throughout the time frame considered. The network had some degree small-world characteristics. Nodes with the highest cumulative tie weights connecting them were the captive breeding center, the Murchison Mountains and 2 offshore islands. The key player fluctuated between the captive breeding center and the Murchison Mountains. The cumulative networks identified the captive breeding center every year as the hub of the network until the final

Range shortening, radiation transport, and Rayleigh-Taylor instability phenomena in ion-beam-driven inertial-fusion-reactor-size targets: Implosion, ignition, and burn phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, K.A.; Tahir, N.A.

1987-01-01

In this paper we present an analysis of the theory of the energy deposition of ions in cold materials and hot dense plasmas together with numerical calculations for heavy and light ions of interest to ion-beam fusion. We have used the gorgon computer code of Long, Moritz, and Tahir (which is an extension of the code originally written for protons by Nardi, Peleg, and Zinamon) to carry out these calculations. The energy-deposition data calculated in this manner has been used in the design of heavy-ion-beam-driven fusion targets suitable for a reactor, by its inclusion in the medusa code of Christiansen, Ashby, and Roberts as extended by Tahir and Long. A number of other improvements have been made in this code and these are also discussed. Various aspects of the theoretical analysis of such targets are discussed including the calculation of the hydrodynamic stability, the hydrodynamic efficiency, and the gain. Various different target designs have been used, some of them new. In general these targets are driven by Bi + ions of energy 8--12 GeV, with an input energy of 4--6.5 MJ, with output energies in the range 600--900 MJ, and with gains in the range 120--180. The peak powers are in the range of 500--750 TW. We present detailed calculations of the ablation, compression, ignition, and burn phases. By the application of a new stability analysis which includes ablation and density-gradient effects we show that these targets appear to implode in a stable manner. Thus the targets designed offer working examples suited for use in a future inertial-confinement fusion reactor

Nanometer sized structures grown by pulsed laser deposition

KAUST Repository

ElZein, Basma

2015-10-01

Nanometer sized materials can be produced by exposing a target to a laser source to remove material from the target and deposit the removed material onto a surface of a substrate to grow a thin film in a vacuum chamber

A Macrophysiological Analysis of Energetic Constraints on Geographic Range Size in Mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Ceballos, Gerardo; Steele, Michael A.

2013-01-01

Physiological processes are essential for understanding the distribution and abundance of organisms, and recently, with widespread attention to climate change, physiology has been ushered back to the forefront of ecological thinking. We present a macrophysiological analysis of the energetics of geographic range size using combined data on body size, basal metabolic rate (BMR), phylogeny and range properties for 574 species of mammals. We propose three mechanisms by which interspecific variation in BMR should relate positively to geographic range size: (i) Thermal Plasticity Hypothesis, (ii) Activity Levels/Dispersal Hypothesis, and (iii) Energy Constraint Hypothesis. Although each mechanism predicts a positive correlation between BMR and range size, they can be further distinguished based on the shape of the relationship they predict. We found evidence for the predicted positive relationship in two dimensions of energetics: (i) the absolute, mass-dependent dimension (BMR) and (ii) the relative, mass-independent dimension (MIBMR). The shapes of both relationships were similar and most consistent with that expected from the Energy Constraint Hypothesis, which was proposed previously to explain the classic macroecological relationship between range size and body size in mammals and birds. The fact that this pattern holds in the MIBMR dimension indicates that species with supra-allometric metabolic rates require among the largest ranges, above and beyond the increasing energy demands that accrue as an allometric consequence of large body size. The relationship is most evident at high latitudes north of the Tropics, where large ranges and elevated MIBMR are most common. Our results suggest that species that are most vulnerable to extinction from range size reductions are both large-bodied and have elevated MIBMR, but also, that smaller species with elevated MIBMR are at heightened risk. We also provide insights into the global latitudinal trends in range size and MIBMR

Extending in silico mechanism-of-action analysis by annotating targets with pathways: application to cellular cytotoxicity readouts.

Science.gov (United States)

Liggi, Sonia; Drakakis, Georgios; Koutsoukas, Alexios; Cortes-Ciriano, Isidro; Martínez-Alonso, Patricia; Malliavin, Thérèse E; Velazquez-Campoy, Adrian; Brewerton, Suzanne C; Bodkin, Michael J; Evans, David A; Glen, Robert C; Carrodeguas, José Alberto; Bender, Andreas

2014-01-01

An in silico mechanism-of-action analysis protocol was developed, comprising molecule bioactivity profiling, annotation of predicted targets with pathways and calculation of enrichment factors to highlight targets and pathways more likely to be implicated in the studied phenotype. The method was applied to a cytotoxicity phenotypic endpoint, with enriched targets/pathways found to be statistically significant when compared with 100 random datasets. Application on a smaller apoptotic set (10 molecules) did not allowed to obtain statistically relevant results, suggesting that the protocol requires modification such as analysis of the most frequently predicted targets/annotated pathways. Pathway annotations improved the mechanism-of-action information gained by target prediction alone, allowing a better interpretation of the predictions and providing better mapping of targets onto pathways.

Stakeholder analysis and mapping as targeted communication strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirey, Maria R

2012-09-01

This department highlights change management strategies that may be successful in strategically planning and executing organizational change initiatives. With the goal of presenting practical approaches helpful to nurse leaders advancing organizational change, content includes evidence-based projects, tools, and resources that mobilize and sustain organizational change initiatives. In this article, the author highlights the importance of stakeholder theory and discusses how to apply the theory to conduct a stakeholder analysis. This article also provides an explanation of how to use related stakeholder mapping techniques with targeted communication strategies.

Dynamic analysis of the Nova Target Chamber to assess alignment errors due to ambient noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCallen, D.B.; Murray, R.C.

1984-01-01

We performed a study to determine the dynamic behavior of the Nova Target Chamber. We conducted a free vibration analysis to determine the natural frequencies of vibration and the corresponding modeshapes of the target chamber. Utilizing the free vibration results, we performed forced vibration analysis to predict the displacements of the chamber due to ambient vibration. The input support motion for the forced vibration analysis was defined by a white noise acceleration spectrum which was based on previous measurements of ground noise near the Nova site. A special purpose computer program was prepared to process the results of the forced vibration analysis. The program yields distances by which the lines of sight of the various laser beams miss the target as a result of ambient vibrations. We also performed additional estimates of miss distance to provide bounds on the results. A description of the finite element model of the chamber, the input spectrum, and the results of the analyses are included

Genome size evolution in Ontario ferns (Polypodiidae): evolutionary correlations with cell size, spore size, and habitat type and an absence of genome downsizing.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Thomas A; Bainard, Jillian D; Newmaster, Steven G

2014-10-01

Genome size is known to correlate with a number of traits in angiosperms, but less is known about the phenotypic correlates of genome size in ferns. We explored genome size variation in relation to a suite of morphological and ecological traits in ferns. Thirty-six fern taxa were collected from wild populations in Ontario, Canada. 2C DNA content was measured using flow cytometry. We tested for genome downsizing following polyploidy using a phylogenetic comparative analysis to explore the correlation between 1Cx DNA content and ploidy. There was no compelling evidence for the occurrence of widespread genome downsizing during the evolution of Ontario ferns. The relationship between genome size and 11 morphological and ecological traits was explored using a phylogenetic principal component regression analysis. Genome size was found to be significantly associated with cell size, spore size, spore type, and habitat type. These results are timely as past and recent studies have found conflicting support for the association between ploidy/genome size and spore size in fern polyploid complexes; this study represents the first comparative analysis of the trend across a broad taxonomic group of ferns.

Improving accuracy of portion-size estimations through a stimulus equivalence paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Hausman, Nicole L; Borrero, John C; Fisher, Alyssa; Kahng, SungWoo

2014-01-01

The prevalence of obesity continues to increase in the United States (Gordon-Larsen, The, & Adair, 2010). Obesity can be attributed, in part, to overconsumption of energy-dense foods. Given that overeating plays a role in the development of obesity, interventions that teach individuals to identify and consume appropriate portion sizes are warranted. Specifically, interventions that teach individuals to estimate portion sizes correctly without the use of aids may be critical to the success of nutrition education programs. The current study evaluated the use of a stimulus equivalence paradigm to teach 9 undergraduate students to estimate portion size accurately. Results suggested that the stimulus equivalence paradigm was effective in teaching participants to make accurate portion size estimations without aids, and improved accuracy was observed in maintenance sessions that were conducted 1 week after training. Furthermore, 5 of 7 participants estimated the target portion size of novel foods during extension sessions. These data extend existing research on teaching accurate portion-size estimations and may be applicable to populations who seek treatment (e.g., overweight or obese children and adults) to teach healthier eating habits. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Drug target mining and analysis of the Chinese tree shrew for pharmacological testing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Zhao

Full Text Available The discovery of new drugs requires the development of improved animal models for drug testing. The Chinese tree shrew is considered to be a realistic candidate model. To assess the potential of the Chinese tree shrew for pharmacological testing, we performed drug target prediction and analysis on genomic and transcriptomic scales. Using our pipeline, 3,482 proteins were predicted to be drug targets. Of these predicted targets, 446 and 1,049 proteins with the highest rank and total scores, respectively, included homologs of targets for cancer chemotherapy, depression, age-related decline and cardiovascular disease. Based on comparative analyses, more than half of drug target proteins identified from the tree shrew genome were shown to be higher similarity to human targets than in the mouse. Target validation also demonstrated that the constitutive expression of the proteinase-activated receptors of tree shrew platelets is similar to that of human platelets but differs from that of mouse platelets. We developed an effective pipeline and search strategy for drug target prediction and the evaluation of model-based target identification for drug testing. This work provides useful information for future studies of the Chinese tree shrew as a source of novel targets for drug discovery research.

Prediction methodologies for target scene generation in the aerothermal targets analysis program (ATAP)

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Douglas J.; Torres, Manuel; Dougherty, Catherine; Rajendran, Natesan; Thompson, Rhoe A.

2003-09-01

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Aerothermal Targets Analysis Program (ATAP) is a user-friendly, engineering-level computational tool that features integrated aerodynamics, six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) trajectory/motion, convective and radiative heat transfer, and thermal/material response to provide an optimal blend of accuracy and speed for design and analysis applications. ATAP is sponsored by the Kinetic Kill Vehicle Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulator (KHILS) facility at Eglin AFB, where it is used with the CHAMP (Composite Hardbody and Missile Plume) technique for rapid infrared (IR) signature and imagery predictions. ATAP capabilities include an integrated 1-D conduction model for up to 5 in-depth material layers (with options for gaps/voids with radiative heat transfer), fin modeling, several surface ablation modeling options, a materials library with over 250 materials, options for user-defined materials, selectable/definable atmosphere and earth models, multiple trajectory options, and an array of aerodynamic prediction methods. All major code modeling features have been validated with ground-test data from wind tunnels, shock tubes, and ballistics ranges, and flight-test data for both U.S. and foreign strategic and theater systems. Numerous applications include the design and analysis of interceptors, booster and shroud configurations, window environments, tactical missiles, and reentry vehicles.

Reported shoes size during GH therapy: is foot overgrowth a myth or reality?

Science.gov (United States)

Lago, Débora C F; Coutinho, Cláudia A; Kochi, Cristiane; Longui, Carlos A

2015-10-01

To describe population reference values for shoes size, and to identify possible disproportional foot growth during GH therapy. Construction of percentile chart based on 3,651 controls (male: 1,838; female: 1,813). The GH treated group included 13 children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and 50 children with normal height, but with height prediction below their target height; male: 26 and female: 37 mean ± SD age 13.3 ± 1.9 and 12.9 ± 1.5 years, respectively. GH (0.05 mg/kg/day) was used for 3.2 ± 1.6 years, ranging from 1.0-10.3 years. Height expressed as SDS, target height (TH) SDS, self-reported shoes size and target shoes size (TSS) SDS were recorded. Reference values were established showed as a foot SDS calculator available online at www.clinicalcaselearning.com/v2. Definitive shoes size was attained in controls at mean age of 13y in girls and 14y in boys (average values 37 and 40, respectively). In the study group, shoes size was -0.15 ± 0.9 and -0.02 ± 1.3 SDS, with target feet of 0.08 ± 0.8 and -0.27 ± 0.7 SDS in males and females, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between shoes size and familial TSS, between shoes size and height and between TSS and TH. There was no correlation between duration of GH treatment and shoes size. Our data suggest that during long-term treatment with GH, patients maintain proportional growth in shoes size and height, and the expected correlation with the familial target. We conclude that there is no excessive increase in the size of foot as estimated by the size of shoes in individuals under long term GH therapy.

LABOUR INPUT IN POLISH AGRICULTURE AGAINST SIZE OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS – SPATIAL ANALYSIS*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Łukasz Wiśniewski

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present the analysis of spatial diversifi cation in the labour input in agriculture on the basis of these selected indicators: annual work unit (AWU per 100 ha agricultural acreage; number of people per AWU; and comparison of labour input to EU-15 standards (LI-EU. Agricultural holdings have been categorised by size into three groups: 0–10 ha (small, 10–20 ha (average, and over 20 ha (large. Labour resources were subject to a comparative study of the density rates of AWUs per 100 ha agricultural acreage in Poland and the EU (EU-15. The analysis covered all of Poland with consideration of the administrative division into sixteen voivodeships (tabular analysis and 314 poviats (townships and country districts together, including regional offi ces of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (ARiMR; cartographic analysis. The results of the Agricultural Census of 2010 were used in the study. It demonstrated a signifi cant spatial diversifi cation in labour input in agriculture in general and in each holding size group. Predominantly, the diff erences are related to historical and political factors. The analysis corroborated agrarian overpopulation in south-east Poland.

Finite size effects in the intermittency analysis of the fragment-size correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozek, P.; Ploszajczak, M.; Tucholski, A.

1991-01-01

An influence of the finite size effect on the fragment-size correlations in the nuclear multifragmentation is studied using the method of scaled factorial moments for a 1 - dim percolation model and for a statistical model of the fragmentation process, which for a certain value of a tuning parameter yields the power-law behaviour of the fragment-size distribution. It is shown that the statistical models of this type contain only repulsive correlations due to the conservation laws. The comparison of the results with those obtained in the non-critical 1 - dim percolation and in the 3 - dim percolation at around the critical point is presented. Correlations in the 1 - dim percolation model are analysed analytically and the mechanism of the attractive correlations in 1 - dim and 3 - dim is identified. (author) 30 refs., 7 figs

Theory of error for target factor analysis with applications to mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malinowski, E.R.

1978-01-01

Based on the theory of error for abstract factor analysis described earlier, a theory of error for target factor analysis is developed. The theory shows how the error in the data matrix mixes with the error in the target test vector. The apparent error in a target test is found to be a vector sum of the real error in the target vector and the real error in the predicted vector. The theory predicts the magnitudes of these errors without requiring any a priori knowledge of the error in the data matrix or the target vector. A reliability function and a spoil function are developed for the purpose of assessing the validity and the worthiness of a target vector. Examples from model data, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry are presented. (Auth.)

Size of lethality target in mouse immature oocytes determined with accelerated heavy ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Straume, T; Dobson, R L; Kwan, T C

1989-01-01

Mouse immature oocytes were irradiated in vivo with highly charged, heavy ions from the Bevalac accelerator at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The particles used were 670-MeV/nucleon Si14+, 570-MeV/nucleon Ar18+, and 450-MeV/nucleon Fe26+. The cross-sectional area of the lethality target in these extremely radiosensitive cells was determined from fluence-response curves and information on energy deposition by delta rays. Results indicate a target cross-section larger than that of the nucleus, one which closely approximates the cross-sectional area of the entire oocyte. For 450-MeV/nucleon Fe26+ particles, the predicted target cross-sectional area is 120 +/- 16 microns2, comparing well with the microscopically determined cross-sectional area of 111 +/- 12 microns2 for these cells. The present results are in agreement with our previous target studies which implicate the oocyte plasma membrane.

Magnetic biosensor system to detect biological targets

KAUST Repository

Li, Fuquan

2012-09-01

Magneto-resistive sensors in combination with magnetic beads provide sensing platforms, which are small in size and highly sensitive. These platforms can be fully integrated with microchannels and electronics to enable devices capable of performing complex tasks. Commonly, a sandwich method is used that requires a specific coating of the sensor\\'s surface to immobilize magnetic beads and biological targets on top of the sensor. This paper concerns a micro device to detect biological targets using magnetic concentration, magnetic as well as mechanical trapping and magnetic sensing. Target detection is based on the size difference between bare magnetic beads and magnetic beads with targets attached. This method remedies the need for a coating layer and reduces the number of steps required to run an experiment. © 2012 IEEE.

Effect of particle size on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of alumina suspension in liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diaz Rosado, Jose Carlos [CEA, DEN, SEARS, LANIE, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Univ. Paris Sud, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health and Environment UMR 8079, 5 rue J.B. Clement, 92296 Chatenay-Malabry (France); National University of Engineering, Faculty of Science, P.O. Box 31-139, Av. Tupac Amaru 210, Lima (Peru); L' hermite, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.lhermite@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, SEARS, LANIE, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Levi, Yves [Univ. Paris Sud, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health and Environment UMR 8079, 5 rue J.B. Clement, 92296 Chatenay-Malabry (France)

2012-08-15

The analysis by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was proposed for the detection and the quantification of different elements in water even when the analyte is composed of particles in suspension. We have studied the effect of particle size on the LIBS signal during liquid analysis. In our study we used different particle sizes (from 2 {mu}m to 90 {mu}m) of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in suspension in water. The results were compared to the signal obtained in the case of dissolved aluminum. In the case of particles, a linear correlation between the LIBS signal versus concentration was found but a significant decrease in the slope of the calibration curve was found when the particle size increased. Several hypotheses have been tested and only a partial ablation of the particles might explain this decrease in signal intensity. This effect probably does not occur at smaller particle size. We estimated 860 nm/pulse as ablated thickness from the top of the particle. A statistical analysis over all data obtained allowed us to calculate 100 {mu}m as ablated water column depth. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We have identified a decrease of calibration curve when particle size increases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Partial particle ablation has been identified as the origin of this effect. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ablation rate on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles in suspension in water has been estimated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We can determine the deepness of the interaction volume into the liquid.

Fishing destabilizes the biomass flow in the marine size spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Rochet, M-J; Benoît, E

2012-01-22

Fishing impacts on marine food webs are predicted by simulations of a size spectrum community model. In this model, predation is determined by predator and prey size and abundance, and drives predator growth and prey mortality. Fishing amplifies temporal oscillations in the biomass flow. Oscillations appear at lower fishing intensity and have wider amplitude when fishing is selective (removes a narrow size range) and/or when large fish are targeted, than when fishing is more balanced (catching a larger size range) or when small fish are targeted. A novel index of size diversity is developed, and is shown to be sensitive to both fishing intensity and selectivity. To avoid unstable food web dynamics with potential harmful consequences for fisheries, limiting both fishing intensity and selectivity might be an appropriate exploitation strategy.

SEM analysis of particle size during conventional treatment of CMP process wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, Gary A.; Neu-Baker, Nicole M.; Brenner, Sara A.

2015-01-01

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are currently employed by many industries and have different physical and chemical properties from their bulk counterparts that may confer different toxicity. Nanoparticles used or generated in semiconductor manufacturing have the potential to enter the municipal waste stream via wastewater and their ultimate fate in the ecosystem is currently unknown. This study investigates the fate of ENMs used in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), a polishing process repeatedly utilized in semiconductor manufacturing. Wastewater sampling was conducted throughout the wastewater treatment (WWT) process at the fabrication plant's on-site wastewater treatment facility. The goal of this study was to assess whether the WWT processes resulted in size-dependent filtration of particles in the nanoscale regime by analyzing samples using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical analysis demonstrated no significant differences in particle size between sampling points, indicating low or no selectivity of WWT methods for nanoparticles based on size. All nanoparticles appeared to be of similar morphology (near-spherical), with a high variability in particle size. EDX verified nanoparticles composition of silicon- and/or aluminum-oxide. Nanoparticle sizing data compared between sampling points, including the final sampling point before discharge from the facility, suggested that nanoparticles could be released to the municipal waste stream from industrial sources. - Highlights: • The discrete treatments of a semiconductor wastewater treatment system were examined. • A sampling scheme and method for analyzing nanoparticles in wastewater was devised. • The wastewater treatment process studied is not size-selective for nanoparticles

Characterization of Target Volume Changes During Breast Radiotherapy Using Implanted Fiducial Markers and Portal Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, Emma J.; Donovan, Ellen M.; Yarnold, John R.; Coles, Charlotte E.; Evans, Philip M.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To determine target volume changes by using volume and shape analysis for patients receiving radiotherapy after breast conservation surgery and to compare different methods of automatically identifying changes in target volume, position, size, and shape during radiotherapy for use in adaptive radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Eleven patients undergoing whole breast radiotherapy had fiducial markers sutured into the excision cavity at the time of surgery. Patients underwent imaging using computed tomography (for planning and at the end of treatment) and during treatment by using portal imaging. A marker volume (MV) was defined by using the measured marker positions. Changes in both individual marker positions and MVs were identified manually and using six automated similarity indices. Comparison of the two types of analysis (manual and automated) was undertaken to establish whether similarity indices can be used to automatically detect changes in target volumes. Results: Manual analysis showed that 3 patients had significant MV reduction. This analysis also showed significant changes between planning computed tomography and the start of treatment for 9 patients, including single and multiple marker movement, deformation (shape change), and rotation. Four of the six similarity indices were shown to be sensitive to the observed changes. Conclusions: Significant changes in size, shape, and position occur to the fiducial marker-defined volume. Four similarity indices can be used to identify these changes, and a protocol for their use in adaptive radiotherapy is suggested

Collection of size fractionated particulate matter sample for neutron activation analysis in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otoshi, Tsunehiko; Nakamatsu, Hiroaki; Oura, Yasuji; Ebihara, Mitsuru

2004-01-01

According to the decision of the 2001 Workshop on Utilization of Research Reactor (Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) Section), size fractionated particulate matter collection for NAA was started from 2002 at two sites in Japan. The two monitoring sites, ''Tokyo'' and ''Sakata'', were classified into ''urban'' and ''rural''. In each site, two size fractions, namely PM 2-10 '' and PM 2 '' particles (aerodynamic particle size between 2 to 10 micrometer and less than 2 micrometer, respectively) were collected every month on polycarbonate membrane filters. Average concentrations of PM 10 (sum of PM 2-10 and PM 2 samples) during the common sampling period of August to November 2002 in each site were 0.031mg/m 3 in Tokyo, and 0.022mg/m 3 in Sakata. (author)

Coating of Titanium Nitride on Stainless Steel Targets by a 4 kJ Plasma Focus Device

Science.gov (United States)

Omrani, M.; Habibi, M.; Amrollahi, R.

2012-08-01

Titanium nitride thin films were deposited on stainless steel (SS316L) targets by using a 4 kJ plasma focus device. The corresponding energy flux delivered to SS316L surface is estimated to be 2.69 × 1013 kev cm-3 ns-1. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the formation of a nanocrystalline titanium nitride coating on the surface of targets. Thickness of the elements found on the surface of treated samples which are obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry analysis (RBS) were (×1015 at/cm2) .45% Ti, 50% N and 5% Fe. Scanning electron microscopy was used to indicate changes in surface morphology. Existence of grains in different size confirms the formation of TiN crystals on the surface of targets.

Interaction between numbers and size during visual search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krause, F.; Bekkering, H.; Pratt, J.; Lindemann, O.

2017-01-01

The current study investigates an interaction between numbers and physical size (i.e. size congruity) in visual search. In three experiments, participants had to detect a physically large (or small) target item among physically small (or large) distractors in a search task comprising single-digit

A statistical analysis of North East Atlantic (submicron aerosol size distributions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Dall'Osto

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The Global Atmospheric Watch research station at Mace Head (Ireland offers the possibility to sample some of the cleanest air masses being imported into Europe as well as some of the most polluted being exported out of Europe. We present a statistical cluster analysis of the physical characteristics of aerosol size distributions in air ranging from the cleanest to the most polluted for the year 2008. Data coverage achieved was 75% throughout the year. By applying the Hartigan-Wong k-Means method, 12 clusters were identified as systematically occurring. These 12 clusters could be further combined into 4 categories with similar characteristics, namely: coastal nucleation category (occurring 21.3 % of the time, open ocean nucleation category (occurring 32.6% of the time, background clean marine category (occurring 26.1% of the time and anthropogenic category (occurring 20% of the time aerosol size distributions. The coastal nucleation category is characterised by a clear and dominant nucleation mode at sizes less than 10 nm while the open ocean nucleation category is characterised by a dominant Aitken mode between 15 nm and 50 nm. The background clean marine aerosol exhibited a clear bimodality in the sub-micron size distribution, with although it should be noted that either the Aitken mode or the accumulation mode may dominate the number concentration. However, peculiar background clean marine size distributions with coarser accumulation modes are also observed during winter months. By contrast, the continentally-influenced size distributions are generally more monomodal (accumulation, albeit with traces of bimodality. The open ocean category occurs more often during May, June and July, corresponding with the North East (NE Atlantic high biological period. Combined with the relatively high percentage frequency of occurrence (32.6%, this suggests that the marine biota is an important source of new nano aerosol particles in NE Atlantic Air.

The influence of attention toward facial expressions on size perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jeong-Won; Kim, Kiho; Lee, Jang-Han

2016-01-01

According to the New Look theory, size perception is affected by emotional factors. Although previous studies have attempted to explain the effects of both emotion and motivation on size perception, they have failed to identify the underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of size perception by applying attention toward facial expressions using the Ebbinghaus illusion as a measurement tool. The participants, female university students, were asked to judge the size of a target stimulus relative to the size of facial expressions (i.e., happy, angry, and neutral) surrounding the target. The results revealed that the participants perceived angry and neutral faces to be larger than happy faces. This finding indicates that individuals pay closer attention to neutral and angry faces than happy ones. These results suggest that the mechanisms underlying size perception involve cognitive processes that focus attention toward relevant stimuli and block out irrelevant stimuli.

Soil Particle Size Analysis by Laser Diffractometry: Result Comparison with Pipette Method

Science.gov (United States)

Šinkovičová, Miroslava; Igaz, Dušan; Kondrlová, Elena; Jarošová, Miriam

2017-10-01

Soil texture as the basic soil physical property provides a basic information on the soil grain size distribution as well as grain size fraction representation. Currently, there are several methods of particle dimension measurement available that are based on different physical principles. Pipette method based on the different sedimentation velocity of particles with different diameter is considered to be one of the standard methods of individual grain size fraction distribution determination. Following the technical advancement, optical methods such as laser diffraction can be also used nowadays for grain size distribution determination in the soil. According to the literature review of domestic as well as international sources related to this topic, it is obvious that the results obtained by laser diffractometry do not correspond with the results obtained by pipette method. The main aim of this paper was to analyse 132 samples of medium fine soil, taken from the Nitra River catchment in Slovakia, from depths of 15-20 cm and 40-45 cm, respectively, using laser analysers: ANALYSETTE 22 MicroTec plus (Fritsch GmbH) and Mastersizer 2000 (Malvern Instruments Ltd). The results obtained by laser diffractometry were compared with pipette method and the regression relationships using linear, exponential, power and polynomial trend were derived. Regressions with the three highest regression coefficients (R2) were further investigated. The fit with the highest tightness was observed for the polynomial regression. In view of the results obtained, we recommend using the estimate of the representation of the clay fraction (analysis is done according to laser diffractometry. The advantages of laser diffraction method comprise the short analysis time, usage of small sample amount, application for the various grain size fraction and soil type classification systems, and a wide range of determined fractions. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on this issue further to address the

Estimating an Effect Size in One-Way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA)

Science.gov (United States)

Steyn, H. S., Jr.; Ellis, S. M.

2009-01-01

When two or more univariate population means are compared, the proportion of variation in the dependent variable accounted for by population group membership is eta-squared. This effect size can be generalized by using multivariate measures of association, based on the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) statistics, to establish whether…

Effect of display size on visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, I-Ping; Liao, Chia-Ning; Yeh, Shih-Hao

2011-06-01

Attention plays an important role in the design of human-machine interfaces. However, current knowledge about attention is largely based on data obtained when using devices of moderate display size. With advancement in display technology comes the need for understanding attention behavior over a wider range of viewing sizes. The effect of display size on test participants' visual search performance was studied. The participants (N = 12) performed two types of visual search tasks, that is, parallel and serial search, under three display-size conditions (16 degrees, 32 degrees, and 60 degrees). Serial, but not parallel, search was affected by display size. In the serial task, mean reaction time for detecting a target increased with the display size.

Bottom-up and top-down attentional contributions to the size congruity effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobel, Kenith V; Puri, Amrita M; Faulkenberry, Thomas J

2016-07-01

The size congruity effect refers to the interaction between the numerical and physical (i.e., font) sizes of digits in a numerical (or physical) magnitude selection task. Although various accounts of the size congruity effect have attributed this interaction to either an early representational stage or a late decision stage, only Risko, Maloney, and Fugelsang (Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 75, 1137-1147, 2013) have asserted a central role for attention. In the present study, we used a visual search paradigm to further study the role of attention in the size congruity effect. In Experiments 1 and 2, we showed that manipulating top-down attention (via the task instructions) had a significant impact on the size congruity effect. The interaction between numerical and physical size was larger for numerical size comparison (Exp. 1) than for physical size comparison (Exp. 2). In the remaining experiments, we boosted the feature salience by using a unique target color (Exp. 3) or by increasing the display density by using three-digit numerals (Exps. 4 and 5). As expected, a color singleton target abolished the size congruity effect. Searching for three-digit targets based on numerical size (Exp. 4) resulted in a large size congruity effect, but search based on physical size (Exp. 5) abolished the effect. Our results reveal a substantial role for top-down attention in the size congruity effect, which we interpreted as support for a shared-decision account.

Finite size scaling analysis of disordered electron systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markos, P.

2012-01-01

We demonstrated the application of the finite size scaling method to the analysis of the transition of the disordered system from the metallic to the insulating regime. The method enables us to calculate the critical point and the critical exponent which determines the divergence of the correlation length in the vicinity of the critical point. The universality of the metal-insulator transition was verified by numerical analysis of various physical parameters and the critical exponent was calculated with high accuracy for different disordered models. Numerically obtained value of the critical exponent for the three dimensional disordered model (1) has been recently supported by the semi-analytical work and verified by experimental optical measurements equivalent to the three dimensional disordered model (1). Another unsolved problem of the localization is the disagreement between numerical results and predictions of the analytical theories. At present, no analytical theory confirms numerically obtained values of critical exponents. The reason for this disagreement lies in the statistical character of the process of localization. The theory must consider all possible scattering processes on randomly distributed impurities. All physical variables are statistical quantities with broad probability distributions. It is in general not know how to calculate analytically their mean values. We believe that detailed numerical analysis of various disordered systems bring inspiration for the formulation of analytical theory. (authors)

Analysis of shots on target and goals scored in soccer matches ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics and patterns of shots on target and goals scored during the 2012-European Championship. The broadcasted matches were recorded and converted into electronic video files for a computerbased analysis. This quantitative study examined 31 matches of the ...

A Longitudinal Analysis of Search Engine Index Size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van den Bosch, Antal; Bogers, Toine; De Kunder, Maurice

2015-01-01

One of the determining factors of the quality of Web search engines is the size of their index. In addition to its influence on search result quality, the size of the indexed Web can also tell us something about which parts of the WWW are directly accessible to the everyday user. We propose a novel...... method of estimating the size of a Web search engine’s index by extrapolating from document frequencies of words observed in a large static corpus of Web pages. In addition, we provide a unique longitudinal perspective on the size of Google and Bing’s indexes over a nine-year period, from March 2006...... until January 2015. We find that index size estimates of these two search engines tend to vary dramatically over time, with Google generally possessing a larger index than Bing. This result raises doubts about the reliability of previous one-off estimates of the size of the indexed Web. We find...

Effects of Group Size and Lack of Sphericity on the Recovery of Clusters in K-Means Cluster Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

de Craen, Saskia; Commandeur, Jacques J. F.; Frank, Laurence E.; Heiser, Willem J.

2006-01-01

K-means cluster analysis is known for its tendency to produce spherical and equally sized clusters. To assess the magnitude of these effects, a simulation study was conducted, in which populations were created with varying departures from sphericity and group sizes. An analysis of the recovery of clusters in the samples taken from these…

An analysis of health promotion materials for Dutch truck drivers: Off target and too complex?

Science.gov (United States)

Boeijinga, Anniek; Hoeken, Hans; Sanders, José

2017-01-01

Despite various health promotion initiatives, unfavorable figures regarding Dutch truck drivers' eating behaviors, exercise behaviors, and absenteeism have not improved. The aim was to obtain a better understanding of the low level of effectiveness of current health interventions for Dutch truck drivers by examining to what extent these are tailored to the target group's particular mindset (focus of content) and health literacy skills (presentation of content). The article analyzes 21 health promotion materials for Dutch truck drivers using a two-step approach: (a) an analysis of the materials' focus, guided by the Health Action Process Approach; and (b) an argumentation analysis, guided by pragma-dialectics. The corpus analysis revealed: (a) a predominant focus on the motivation phase; and (b) in line with the aim of motivating the target group, a consistent use of pragmatic arguments, which were typically presented in an implicit way. The results indicate that existing health promotion materials for Dutch truck drivers are not sufficiently tailored to the target group's mindset and health literacy skills. Recommendations are offered to develop more tailored/effective health interventions targeting this high-risk, underserved occupational group.

Toxicogenomic analysis of the particle dose- and size-response relationship of silica particles-induced toxicity in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xiaoyan; Jin Tingting; Jin Yachao; Wu Leihong; Hu Bin; Tian Yu; Fan Xiaohui

2013-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between particle size and toxicity of silica particles (SP) with diameters of 30, 70, and 300 nm, which is essential to the safe design and application of SP. Data obtained from histopathological examinations suggested that SP of these sizes can all induce acute inflammation in the liver. In vivo imaging showed that intravenously administrated SP are mainly present in the liver, spleen and intestinal tract. Interestingly, in gene expression analysis, the cellular response pathways activated in the liver are predominantly conserved independently of particle dose when the same size SP are administered or are conserved independently of particle size, surface area and particle number when nano- or submicro-sized SP are administered at their toxic doses. Meanwhile, integrated analysis of transcriptomics, previous metabonomics and conventional toxicological results support the view that SP can result in inflammatory and oxidative stress, generate mitochondrial dysfunction, and eventually cause hepatocyte necrosis by neutrophil-mediated liver injury. (paper)

Functional size analysis of bioactive materials by radiation inactivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kume, Tamikazu

1994-01-01

When the research on various proteins including enzymes is carried out, first molecular weight is measured. The physical chemical methods used for measuring molecular weight cannot measure it in the state of actually acting in living bodies. Radiation inactivation method is the unique method which can measure the molecular weight of the active substances in living bodies. Paying attention to this point, recently it is attempted to measure the activity unit of enzymes, receptors and others, and to apply to the elucidation of their functions. In this report, the concept of the method of measuring molecular size based on radiation inactivation, the detailed experimental method and the points to which attention must be paid are described. Also its application to the elucidation of living body functions according to the example of the studies by the author is reported. The concept of the measurement of molecular weight by radiation inactivation is based on target theory. The preparation of samples, the effect of oxygen, radiation sources, dosimetry, irradiation temperature, internal standard process and so on are reported. The trend of the research is shown. (K.I.)

A comparative study of size distribution of nanoparticles generated by laser ablation of graphite and tungsten

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marton, Zs.; Landstroem, L.; Boman, M.; Heszler, P.

2003-01-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) were generated by ArF excimer laser ablation of graphite and tungsten targets in N 2 ambient at atmospheric pressure. The size distribution of the particles was monitored in situ by a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) system, based on differential mobility analyser. The experimental conditions made possible to record the size distributions in the 7-133-nm diameter range and results are presented for different laser fluences, repetition rates and ablated areas, respectively. Material analysis was performed by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X ray diffraction and SEM

Magnetic biosensor system to detect biological targets

KAUST Repository

Li, Fuquan; Gooneratne, Chinthaka Pasan; Kosel, Jü rgen

2012-01-01

magnetic concentration, magnetic as well as mechanical trapping and magnetic sensing. Target detection is based on the size difference between bare magnetic beads and magnetic beads with targets attached. This method remedies the need for a coating layer

TRAC analysis of design basis events for the accelerator production of tritium target/blanket

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, J.C.; Elson, J.

1997-01-01

A two-loop primary cooling system with a residual heat removal system was designed to mitigate the heat generated in the tungsten neutron source rods inside the rungs of the ladders and the shell of the rungs. The Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC) was used to analyze the thermal-hydraulic behavior of the primary cooling system during a pump coastdown transient; a cold-leg, large-break loss-of-coolant accident (LBLOCA); a hot-leg LBLOCA; and a target downcomer LBLOCA. The TRAC analysis results showed that the heat generated in the tungsten neutron source rods can be mitigated by the primary cooling system for the pump coastdown transient and all the LBLOCAs except the target downcomer LBLOCA. For the target downcomer LBLOCA, a cavity flood system is required to fill the cavity with water at a level above the large fixed headers

ANALYSIS OF RESPIRATORY DESPOSITION DOSE OF INHALED AMBIENT AEROSOLS FOR DIFFERENT SIZE FRACTIONS

Science.gov (United States)

ANALYSIS OF RESPIRATORY DEPOSITION DOSE OF INHALED AMBIENT AEROSOLS FOR DIFFERENT SIZE FRACTIONS. Chong S. Kim, SC. Hu**, PA Jaques*, US EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; **IIT Research Institute, Chicago, IL; *S...

Economic Cost-Analysis of the Impact of Container Size on Transplanted Tree Value

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauren M. Garcia Chance

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The benefits and costs of varying container sizes have yet to be fully evaluated to determine which container size affords the most advantageous opportunity for consumers. To determine value of the tree following transplant, clonal replicates of Vitex agnus-castus L. [Chaste Tree], Acer rubrum L. var. drummondii (Hook. & Arn. ex Nutt. Sarg. [Drummond Red Maple], and Taxodium distichum (L. Rich. [Baldcypress] were grown under common conditions in each of five container sizes 3.5, 11.7, 23.3, 97.8 or 175.0 L, respectively (#1, 3, 7, 25 or 45. In June 2013, six trees of each container size and species were transplanted to a sandy clay loam field in College Station, Texas. To determine the increase in value over a two-year post-transplant period, height and caliper measurements were taken at the end of nursery production and again at the end of the second growing season in the field, October 2014. Utilizing industry standards, initial costs of materials and labor were then compared with the size of trees after two years. Replacement cost analysis after two growing seasons indicated a greater increase in value for 11.7 and 23.3 L trees compared to losses in value for some 175.0 L trees. In comparison with trees from larger containers, trees from smaller size containers experienced shorter establishment times and increased growth rates, thus creating a quicker return on investment for trees transplanted from the smaller container sizes.

Impact of sample size on principal component analysis ordination of an environmental data set: effects on eigenstructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaukat S. Shahid

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, we used bootstrap simulation of a real data set to investigate the impact of sample size (N = 20, 30, 40 and 50 on the eigenvalues and eigenvectors resulting from principal component analysis (PCA. For each sample size, 100 bootstrap samples were drawn from environmental data matrix pertaining to water quality variables (p = 22 of a small data set comprising of 55 samples (stations from where water samples were collected. Because in ecology and environmental sciences the data sets are invariably small owing to high cost of collection and analysis of samples, we restricted our study to relatively small sample sizes. We focused attention on comparison of first 6 eigenvectors and first 10 eigenvalues. Data sets were compared using agglomerative cluster analysis using Ward’s method that does not require any stringent distributional assumptions.

Targeted Adenoviral Vector Demonstrates Enhanced Efficacy for In Vivo Gene Therapy of Uterine Leiomyoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelaziz, Mohamed; Sherif, Lotfy; ElKhiary, Mostafa; Nair, Sanjeeta; Shalaby, Shahinaz; Mohamed, Sara; Eziba, Noura; El-Lakany, Mohamed; Curiel, David; Ismail, Nahed; Diamond, Michael P; Al-Hendy, Ayman

2016-04-01

Gene therapy is a potentially effective non-surgical approach for the treatment of uterine leiomyoma. We demonstrated that targeted adenovirus vector, Ad-SSTR-RGD-TK/GCV, was highly effective in selectively inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation of human leiomyoma cells in vitro while sparing normal myometrial cells. An in-vivo study, to compare efficacy and safety of modified adenovirus vector Ad-SSTR-RGD-TK/GCV versus untargeted vector for treatment of leiomyoma. Female nude mice were implanted with rat leiomyoma cells subcutaneously. Then mice were randomized into three groups. Group 1 received Ad-LacZ (marker gene), Group 2 received untargeted Ad-TK, and Group 3 received the targeted Ad-SSTR-RGD-TK. Tumors were measured weekly for 4 weeks. Then mice were sacrificed and tissue samples were collected. Evaluation of markers of apoptosis, proliferation, extracellular matrix, and angiogenesis was performed using Western Blot & Immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA. Dissemination of adenovirus was assessed by PCR. In comparison with the untargeted vector, the targeted adenoviral vector significantly shrank leiomyoma size (P leiomyoma lesions with both targeted and untargeted adenovirus. Targeted adenovirus, effectively reduces tumor size in leiomyoma without dissemination to other organs. Further evaluation of this localized targeted strategy for gene therapy is needed in appropriate preclinical humanoid animal models in preparation for a future pilot human trial. © The Author(s) 2016.

School programs targeting stress management in children and adolescence: a meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraag, G.C; Zeegers, M.P.; Kok, G.J.; Hosman, C.M.H.; Huijer Abu-Saad, H.

2006-01-01

Introduction This meta-analysis evaluates the effect of school programs targeting stress management or coping skills in school children. Methods Articles were selected through a systematic literature search. Only randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies were included. The

Challenges in the size analysis of a silica nanoparticle mixture as candidate certified reference material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kestens, Vikram; Roebben, Gert; Herrmann, Jan; Jämting, Åsa; Coleman, Victoria; Minelli, Caterina; Clifford, Charles; Temmerman, Pieter-Jan De; Mast, Jan; Junjie, Liu; Babick, Frank; Cölfen, Helmut; Emons, Hendrik

2016-01-01

A new certified reference material for quality control of nanoparticle size analysis methods has been developed and produced by the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. The material, ERM-FD102, consists of an aqueous suspension of a mixture of silica nanoparticle populations of distinct particle size and origin. The characterisation relied on an interlaboratory comparison study in which 30 laboratories of demonstrated competence participated with a variety of techniques for particle size analysis. After scrutinising the received datasets, certified and indicative values for different method-defined equivalent diameters that are specific for dynamic light scattering (DLS), centrifugal liquid sedimentation (CLS), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), particle tracking analysis (PTA) and asymmetrical-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) were assigned. The value assignment was a particular challenge because metrological concepts were not always interpreted uniformly across all participating laboratories. This paper presents the main elements and results of the ERM-FD102 characterisation study and discusses in particular the key issues of measurand definition and the estimation of measurement uncertainty.

Challenges in the size analysis of a silica nanoparticle mixture as candidate certified reference material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kestens, Vikram, E-mail: vikram.kestens@ec.europa.eu; Roebben, Gert [Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) (Belgium); Herrmann, Jan; Jämting, Åsa; Coleman, Victoria [National Measurement Institute Australia, Nanometrology Section (Australia); Minelli, Caterina; Clifford, Charles [National Physical Laboratory, Analytical Science Division (United Kingdom); Temmerman, Pieter-Jan De; Mast, Jan [Service Electron Microscopy, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CODA-CERVA) (Belgium); Junjie, Liu [National Institute of Metrology, Division of Nanoscale Measurement and Advanced Materials (China); Babick, Frank [Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Verfahrens- und Umwelttechnik (Germany); Cölfen, Helmut [University of Konstanz, Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry (Germany); Emons, Hendrik [Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) (Belgium)

2016-06-15

A new certified reference material for quality control of nanoparticle size analysis methods has been developed and produced by the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. The material, ERM-FD102, consists of an aqueous suspension of a mixture of silica nanoparticle populations of distinct particle size and origin. The characterisation relied on an interlaboratory comparison study in which 30 laboratories of demonstrated competence participated with a variety of techniques for particle size analysis. After scrutinising the received datasets, certified and indicative values for different method-defined equivalent diameters that are specific for dynamic light scattering (DLS), centrifugal liquid sedimentation (CLS), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), particle tracking analysis (PTA) and asymmetrical-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) were assigned. The value assignment was a particular challenge because metrological concepts were not always interpreted uniformly across all participating laboratories. This paper presents the main elements and results of the ERM-FD102 characterisation study and discusses in particular the key issues of measurand definition and the estimation of measurement uncertainty.

Inference of miRNA targets using evolutionary conservation and pathway analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Nimwegen Erik

2007-03-01

assigns a posterior probability to each putative target site. The results presented here indicate that our general method achieves very good performance in predicting miRNA target sites, providing at the same time insights into the evolution of target sites for individual miRNAs. Moreover, by combining our predictions with pathway analysis, we propose functions of specific miRNAs in nervous system development, inter-cellular communication and cell growth. The complete target site predictions as well as the miRNA/pathway associations are accessible on the ElMMo web server.

Temperature simulations for the SPIRAL ISOL target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maunoury, L.; Bajeat, O.; Lichtenthaler, R.; Villari, A.C.C.

2001-01-01

Simulations of the power deposition and target temperature distributions in the SPIRAL ISOL target are presented. These simulations consider different heavy-ion beams with intensities corresponding to 2 and 6 kW on a carbon target. A new solutions, which corresponds to the splitting of the production target into two parts, where the first is cooled and the second is heated, allows keeping the overall size of the target ensemble relatively small. An extrapolation of the considered target geometry to primary beam intensities up to 1 MW is also presented. (authors)

High heat flux cooling for accelerator targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silverman, I.; Nagler, A.

2002-01-01

Accelerator targets, both for radioisotope production and for high neutron flux sources generate very high thermal power in the target material which absorbs the particles beam. Generally, the geometric size of the targets is very small and the power density is high. The design of these targets requires dealing with very high heat fluxes and very efficient heat removal techniques in order to preserve the integrity of the target. Normal heat fluxes from these targets are in the order of 1 kw/cm 2 and may reach levels of an order of magnitude higher

ANALYSIS OF COMPANY SIZE, FINANCIAL LEVERAGE, AND PROFITABILITY AND ITS EFFECT TO CSR DISCLOSURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suskim Riantani

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study aims to analyze and recognize the effect of financial performance measured through company size, financial leverage and profitability to Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure (CSRD. The research was done in Tobacco Company listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange during period of 2007-2011. Descriptive analysis and verification method was used as the research method. The purposive sampling method was used to obtain the sample and there are three cigarette companies as the sample. Multiple linear regression and correlation analysis using t test and F test were applied as a technique of analysis. The test of the classical assumption such as the normality, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, and autocorrelation applied before the multiple linear regression. The result shows that the company size had positive and significant effect to the CSR disclosure, financial leverage does not show significant effect to the CSR disclosure, profitability does not have significant effect to the CSR disclosure during the investigation.

Quantification of uncertainty in photon source spot size inference during laser-driven radiography experiments at TRIDENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tobias, Benjamin John [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Palaniyappan, Sasikumar [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Gautier, Donald Cort [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Mendez, Jacob [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Burris-Mog, Trevor John [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Huang, Chengkun K. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Favalli, Andrea [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Hunter, James F. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Espy, Michelle E. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Schmidt, Derek William [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Nelson, Ronald Owen [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Sefkow, Adam [Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States); Shimada, Tsutomu [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Johnson, Randall Philip [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Fernandez, Juan Carlos [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-10-24

Images of the R2DTO resolution target were obtained during laser-driven-radiography experiments performed at the TRIDENT laser facility, and analysis of these images using the Bayesian Inference Engine (BIE) determines a most probable full-width half maximum (FWHM) spot size of 78 μm. However, significant uncertainty prevails due to variation in the measured detector blur. Propagating this uncertainty in detector blur through the forward model results in an interval of probabilistic ambiguity spanning approximately 35-195 μm when the laser energy impinges on a thick (1 mm) tantalum target. In other phases of the experiment, laser energy is deposited on a thin (~100 nm) aluminum target placed 250 μm ahead of the tantalum converter. When the energetic electron beam is generated in this manner, upstream from the bremsstrahlung converter, the inferred spot size shifts to a range of much larger values, approximately 270-600 μm FWHM. This report discusses methods applied to obtain these intervals as well as concepts necessary for interpreting the result within a context of probabilistic quantitative inference.

GRAIN-SIZE MEASUREMENTS OF FLUVIAL GRAVEL BARS USING OBJECT-BASED IMAGE ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Castro

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Traditional techniques for classifying the average grain size in gravel bars require manual measurements of each grain diameter. Aiming productivity, more efficient methods have been developed by applying remote sensing techniques and digital image processing. This research proposes an Object-Based Image Analysis methodology to classify gravel bars in fluvial channels. First, the study evaluates the performance of multiresolution segmentation algorithm (available at the software eCognition Developer in performing shape recognition. The linear regression model was applied to assess the correlation between the gravels’ reference delineation and the gravels recognized by the segmentation algorithm. Furthermore, the supervised classification was validated by comparing the results with field data using the t-statistic test and the kappa index. Afterwards, the grain size distribution in gravel bars along the upper Bananeiras River, Brazil was mapped. The multiresolution segmentation results did not prove to be consistent with all the samples. Nonetheless, the P01 sample showed an R2 =0.82 for the diameter estimation and R2=0.45 the recognition of the eliptical ft. The t-statistic showed no significant difference in the efficiencies of the grain size classifications by the field survey data and the Object-based supervised classification (t = 2.133 for a significance level of 0.05. However, the kappa index was 0.54. The analysis of the both segmentation and classification results did not prove to be replicable.

Sizing and economic analysis of stand alone photovoltaic system with hydrogen storage

Science.gov (United States)

Nordin, N. D.; Rahman, H. A.

2017-11-01

This paper proposes a design steps in sizing of standalone photovoltaic system with hydrogen storage using intuitive method. The main advantage of this method is it uses a direct mathematical approach to find system’s size based on daily load consumption and average irradiation data. The keys of system design are to satisfy a pre-determined load requirement and maintain hydrogen storage’s state of charge during low solar irradiation period. To test the effectiveness of the proposed method, a case study is conducted using Kuala Lumpur’s generated meteorological data and rural area’s typical daily load profile of 2.215 kWh. In addition, an economic analysis is performed to appraise the proposed system feasibility. The finding shows that the levelized cost of energy for proposed system is RM 1.98 kWh. However, based on sizing results obtained using a published method with AGM battery as back-up supply, the system cost is lower and more economically viable. The feasibility of PV system with hydrogen storage can be improved if the efficiency of hydrogen storage technologies significantly increases in the future. Hence, a sensitivity analysis is performed to verify the effect of electrolyzer and fuel cell efficiencies towards levelized cost of energy. Efficiencies of electrolyzer and fuel cell available in current market are validated using laboratory’s experimental data. This finding is needed to envisage the applicability of photovoltaic system with hydrogen storage as a future power supply source in Malaysia.

A collection of target mimics for comprehensive analysis of microRNA function in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Todesco

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Many targets of plant microRNAs (miRNAs are thought to play important roles in plant physiology and development. However, because plant miRNAs are typically encoded by medium-size gene families, it has often been difficult to assess their precise function. We report the generation of a large-scale collection of knockdowns for Arabidopsis thaliana miRNA families; this has been achieved using artificial miRNA target mimics, a recently developed technique fashioned on an endogenous mechanism of miRNA regulation. Morphological defects in the aerial part were observed for approximately 20% of analyzed families, all of which are deeply conserved in land plants. In addition, we find that non-cleavable mimic sites can confer translational regulation in cis. Phenotypes of plants expressing target mimics directed against miRNAs involved in development were in several cases consistent with previous reports on plants expressing miRNA-resistant forms of individual target genes, indicating that a limited number of targets mediates most effects of these miRNAs. That less conserved miRNAs rarely had obvious effects on plant morphology suggests that most of them do not affect fundamental aspects of development. In addition to insight into modes of miRNA action, this study provides an important resource for the study of miRNA function in plants.

Genome size variation among and within Camellia species by using flow cytometric analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Huang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The genus Camellia, belonging to the family Theaceae, is economically important group in flowering plants. Frequent interspecific hybridization together with polyploidization has made them become taxonomically "difficult taxa". The DNA content is often used to measure genome size variation and has largely advanced our understanding of plant evolution and genome variation. The goals of this study were to investigate patterns of interspecific and intraspecific variation of DNA contents and further explore genome size evolution in a phylogenetic context of the genus. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The DNA amount in the genus was determined by using propidium iodide flow cytometry analysis for a total of 139 individual plants representing almost all sections of the two subgenera, Camellia and Thea. An improved WPB buffer was proven to be suitable for the Camellia species, which was able to counteract the negative effects of secondary metabolite and generated high-quality results with low coefficient of variation values (CV <5%. Our results showed trivial effects on different tissues of flowers, leaves and buds as well as cytosolic compounds on the estimation of DNA amount. The DNA content of C. sinensis var. assamica was estimated to be 1C = 3.01 pg by flow cytometric analysis, which is equal to a genome size of about 2940 Mb. CONCLUSION: Intraspecific and interspecific variations were observed in the genus Camellia, and as expected, the latter was larger than the former. Our study suggests a directional trend of increasing genome size in the genus Camellia probably owing to the frequent polyploidization events.

Motion Interplay as a Function of Patient Parameters and Spot Size in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Grassberger, Clemens; Dowdell, Stephen; Lomax, Antony; Sharp, Greg; Shackleford, James; Choi, Noah; Willers, Henning; Paganetti, Harald

2013-01-01

Purpose Quantify the impact of respiratory motion on the treatment of lung tumors with spot scanning proton therapy. Methods and Materials 4D Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the interplay effect, which results from relative motion of the tumor and the proton beam, on the dose distribution in the patient. Ten patients with varying tumor sizes (2.6-82.3cc) and motion amplitudes (3-30mm) were included in the study. We investigated the impact of the spot size, which varies between proton facilities, and studied single fractions and conventionally fractionated treatments. The following metrics were used in the analysis: minimum/maximum/mean dose, target dose homogeneity and 2-year local control rate (2y-LC). Results Respiratory motion reduces the target dose homogeneity, with the largest effects observed for the highest motion amplitudes. Smaller spot sizes (σ≈3mm) are inherently more sensitive to motion, decreasing target dose homogeneity on average by a factor ~2.8 compared to a larger spot size (σ≈13mm). Using a smaller spot size to treat a tumor with 30mm motion amplitude reduces the minimum dose to 44.7% of the prescribed dose, decreasing modeled 2y-LC from 87.0% to 2.7%, assuming a single fraction. Conventional fractionation partly mitigates this reduction, yielding a 2y-LC of 71.6%. For the large spot size, conventional fractionation increases target dose homogeneity and prevents a deterioration of 2y-LC for all patients. No correlation with tumor volume is observed. The effect on the normal lung dose distribution is minimal: observed changes in mean lung dose and lung V20 are interplay using a large spot size and conventional fractionation. For treatments employing smaller spot sizes and/or in the delivery of single fractions, interplay effects can lead to significant deterioration of the dose distribution and lower 2y-LC. PMID:23462423

Motion Interplay as a Function of Patient Parameters and Spot Size in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grassberger, Clemens; Dowdell, Stephen; Lomax, Antony; Sharp, Greg; Shackleford, James; Choi, Noah; Willers, Henning; Paganetti, Harald

2013-01-01

Purpose: To quantify the impact of respiratory motion on the treatment of lung tumors with spot scanning proton therapy. Methods and Materials: Four-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the interplay effect, which results from relative motion of the tumor and the proton beam, on the dose distribution in the patient. Ten patients with varying tumor sizes (2.6-82.3 cc) and motion amplitudes (3-30 mm) were included in the study. We investigated the impact of the spot size, which varies between proton facilities, and studied single fractions and conventionally fractionated treatments. The following metrics were used in the analysis: minimum/maximum/mean dose, target dose homogeneity, and 2-year local control rate (2y-LC). Results: Respiratory motion reduces the target dose homogeneity, with the largest effects observed for the highest motion amplitudes. Smaller spot sizes (σ ≈ 3 mm) are inherently more sensitive to motion, decreasing target dose homogeneity on average by a factor 2.8 compared with a larger spot size (σ ≈ 13 mm). Using a smaller spot size to treat a tumor with 30-mm motion amplitude reduces the minimum dose to 44.7% of the prescribed dose, decreasing modeled 2y-LC from 87.0% to 2.7%, assuming a single fraction. Conventional fractionation partly mitigates this reduction, yielding a 2y-LC of 71.6%. For the large spot size, conventional fractionation increases target dose homogeneity and prevents a deterioration of 2y-LC for all patients. No correlation with tumor volume is observed. The effect on the normal lung dose distribution is minimal: observed changes in mean lung dose and lung V 20 are <0.6 Gy(RBE) and <1.7%, respectively. Conclusions: For the patients in this study, 2y-LC could be preserved in the presence of interplay using a large spot size and conventional fractionation. For treatments using smaller spot sizes and/or in the delivery of single fractions, interplay effects can lead to significant deterioration of the

Standardizing effect size from linear regression models with log-transformed variables for meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Barranco, Miguel; Tobías, Aurelio; Redondo, Daniel; Molina-Portillo, Elena; Sánchez, María José

2017-03-17

Meta-analysis is very useful to summarize the effect of a treatment or a risk factor for a given disease. Often studies report results based on log-transformed variables in order to achieve the principal assumptions of a linear regression model. If this is the case for some, but not all studies, the effects need to be homogenized. We derived a set of formulae to transform absolute changes into relative ones, and vice versa, to allow including all results in a meta-analysis. We applied our procedure to all possible combinations of log-transformed independent or dependent variables. We also evaluated it in a simulation based on two variables either normally or asymmetrically distributed. In all the scenarios, and based on different change criteria, the effect size estimated by the derived set of formulae was equivalent to the real effect size. To avoid biased estimates of the effect, this procedure should be used with caution in the case of independent variables with asymmetric distributions that significantly differ from the normal distribution. We illustrate an application of this procedure by an application to a meta-analysis on the potential effects on neurodevelopment in children exposed to arsenic and manganese. The procedure proposed has been shown to be valid and capable of expressing the effect size of a linear regression model based on different change criteria in the variables. Homogenizing the results from different studies beforehand allows them to be combined in a meta-analysis, independently of whether the transformations had been performed on the dependent and/or independent variables.

Radiation-Force Assisted Targeting Facilitates Ultrasonic Molecular Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shukui Zhao

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Ultrasonic molecular imaging employs contrast agents, such as microbubbles, nanoparticles, or liposomes, coated with ligands specific for receptors expressed on cells at sites of angiogenesis, inflammation, or thrombus. Concentration of these highly echogenic contrast agents at a target site enhances the ultrasound signal received from that site, promoting ultrasonic detection and analysis of disease states. In this article, we show that acoustic radiation force can be used to displace targeted contrast agents to a vessel wall, greatly increasing the number of agents binding to available surface receptors. We provide a theoretical evaluation of the magnitude of acoustic radiation force and show that it is possible to displace micron-sized agents physiologically relevant distances. Following this, we show in a series of experiments that acoustic radiation force can enhance the binding of targeted agents: The number of biotinylated microbubbles adherent to a synthetic vessel coated with avidin increases as much as 20-fold when acoustic radiation force is applied; the adhesion of contrast agents targeted to αvβ3 expressed on human umbilical vein endothelial cells increases 27-fold within a mimetic vessel when radiation force is applied; and finally, the image signal-to-noise ratio in a phantom vessel increases up to 25 dB using a combination of radiation force and a targeted contrast agent, over use of a targeted contrast agent alone.

Ignition target and laser-plasma instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laffite, S.; Loiseau, P.

2010-01-01

For the first time indirect drive ignition targets have been designed with the constraint of limiting laser-plasma instabilities. The amplification of these instabilities is directly proportional to the luminous flux density, it means to the sizes of the focal spots too. This study shows that increasing the sizes of the focal spots does not reduce linear amplification gains in a proportional way because the global optimization of the target implies changes in hydrodynamical conditions that in turn have an impact on the value of the amplification gain. The design of the target is a 2-step approach: the first step aims at assuring a uniform irradiation and compression of the target. The first step requires information concerning the laser focusing spots, the dimensions of the hohlraum, the inert gas contained in it, the materials of the wall. The second step is an optimization approach whose aim is to reduce the risk of laser-plasmas instabilities. This optimization is made through simulations of the amplification gains of stimulated Raman and Brillouin backscattering. This method has allowed us to design an optimized target for a rugby-shaped hohlraum. (A.C.)

Effect Sizes for Growth-Modeling Analysis for Controlled Clinical Trials in the Same Metric as for Classical Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Feingold, Alan

2009-01-01

The use of growth-modeling analysis (GMA)--including hierarchical linear models, latent growth models, and general estimating equations--to evaluate interventions in psychology, psychiatry, and prevention science has grown rapidly over the last decade. However, an effect size associated with the difference between the trajectories of the…

Direct U isotope analysis in μm-sized particles by LA-MC-ICPMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kappel, S.; Boulyga, S.F.; Prohaska, T.

2009-01-01

Full text: The knowledge of the isotopic composition of individual μm-sized hot particles is of great interest especially for strengthened nuclear safeguards in order to identify undeclared nuclear activities. We present the potential of a 'Nu Plasma HR' MC-ICPMS coupled to a New Wave 'UP 193' laser ablation (LA) system for the direct analysis of U isotope abundance ratios in individual μm-sized particles. The ability to determine 234 U/ 238 U and 235 U/ 238 U isotope ratios was successfully demonstrated in the NUSIMEP-6 interlaboratory comparison, which was organized by the IRMM (Geel, Belgium). (author)

Feasibility Study on Passive-radar Detection of Space Targets Using Spaceborne Illuminators of Opportunity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Tie-zhen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Space target surveillance generally uses active radars. To take full advantage of passive radars, the idea of using spaceborne illuminators of opportunity for space target detection is presented in this paper. Analysis of the detectable time and direct wave suppression shows that passive radar using spaceborne illuminators of opportunity can effectively detect a Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO target. Meanwhile, Ku and L band bi-static radar cross section of passive radars that use spaceborne illuminators of opportunity are presented by simulation, providing the basis of choosing space target forward scatter. Finally the key parameters, mainly system gain, accumulation time and radiation source selection are studied. Results show that system size using satellite TV signals as illuminators of opportunity is relatively small. These encouraging results should stimulate the development of passive radar detection of space targets using spaceborne illuminators of opportunity.

Numerical studies of triplet and Russian quadruplet quadrupole lens systems with the given spot size on the target, for use in a microprobe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brazhnik, V A; Lebed, S A; Ponomarev, A G; Storizhko, V E [Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Sumy (Ukraine). Applied Physics Institute; Dymnikov, A D [University of St Petersburg, Stary (Russian Federation). Institute of Computational Mathematics and Control Processes; Jamieson, D N; Legge, S A [Melbourne Univ., Parkville, VIC (Australia). School of Physics

1994-12-31

In a nuclear microprobe the focusing system is an essential component which determines the beam spot size, i.e. the microprobe resolution. A small beam cross section at the target is the most important of the many conflicting requirements imposed on the beam The second most important factor is the current of the beam which at the given brightness is proportional to the phase volume (or emittance) of the beam. Existing microprobes frequently use a triplet or a Russian quadruplet as the focusing systems. This paper describes the numerical studies of some optimal quadrupole lens systems consisting of three or four lenses suitable for use in a nuclear microprobe taking into account geometrical aberrations of third order. The maximum emittance of changed particle beams for these systems has been found. It is shown how the maximum emittance depends on the spot size. 2 refs., 2 figs.

Numerical studies of triplet and Russian quadruplet quadrupole lens systems with the given spot size on the target, for use in a microprobe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brazhnik, V.A.; Lebed, S.A.; Ponomarev, A.G.; Storizhko, V.E. [Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Sumy (Ukraine). Applied Physics Institute; Dymnikov, A.D. [University of St Petersburg, Stary (Russian Federation). Institute of Computational Mathematics and Control Processes; Jamieson, D.N.; Legge, S.A. [Melbourne Univ., Parkville, VIC (Australia). School of Physics

1993-12-31

In a nuclear microprobe the focusing system is an essential component which determines the beam spot size, i.e. the microprobe resolution. A small beam cross section at the target is the most important of the many conflicting requirements imposed on the beam The second most important factor is the current of the beam which at the given brightness is proportional to the phase volume (or emittance) of the beam. Existing microprobes frequently use a triplet or a Russian quadruplet as the focusing systems. This paper describes the numerical studies of some optimal quadrupole lens systems consisting of three or four lenses suitable for use in a nuclear microprobe taking into account geometrical aberrations of third order. The maximum emittance of changed particle beams for these systems has been found. It is shown how the maximum emittance depends on the spot size. 2 refs., 2 figs.

Numerical studies of triplet and Russian quadruplet quadrupole lens systems with the given spot size on the target, for use in a microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brazhnik, V.A.; Lebed, S.A.; Ponomarev, A.G.; Storizhko, V.E.; Dymnikov, A.D.; Jamieson, D.N.; Legge, S.A.

1993-01-01

In a nuclear microprobe the focusing system is an essential component which determines the beam spot size, i.e. the microprobe resolution. A small beam cross section at the target is the most important of the many conflicting requirements imposed on the beam The second most important factor is the current of the beam which at the given brightness is proportional to the phase volume (or emittance) of the beam. Existing microprobes frequently use a triplet or a Russian quadruplet as the focusing systems. This paper describes the numerical studies of some optimal quadrupole lens systems consisting of three or four lenses suitable for use in a nuclear microprobe taking into account geometrical aberrations of third order. The maximum emittance of changed particle beams for these systems has been found. It is shown how the maximum emittance depends on the spot size. 2 refs., 2 figs

Habitat degradation and fishing effects on the size structure of coral reef fish communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, S K; Fisher, R; Pratchett, M S; Graham, N A J; Dulvy, N K; Turner, R A; Cakacaka, A; Polunin, N V C

2010-03-01

Overfishing and habitat degradation through climate change pose the greatest threats to sustainability of marine resources on coral reefs. We examined how changes in fishing pressure and benthic habitat composition influenced the size spectra of island-scale reef fish communities in Lau, Fiji. Between 2000 and 2006 fishing pressure declined in the Lau Islands due to declining human populations and reduced demand for fresh fish. At the same time, coral cover declined and fine-scale architectural complexity eroded due to coral bleaching and outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci. We examined the size distribution of reef fish communities using size spectra analysis, the linearized relationship between abundance and body size class. Spatial variation in fishing pressure accounted for 31% of the variation in the slope of the size spectra in 2000, higher fishing pressure being associated with a steeper slope, which is indicative of fewer large-bodied fish and/or more small-bodied fish. Conversely, in 2006 spatial variation in habitat explained 53% of the variation in the size spectra slopes, and the relationship with fishing pressure was much weaker (approximately 12% of variation) than in 2000. Reduced cover of corals and lower structural complexity was associated with less steep size spectra slopes, primarily due to reduced abundance of fish < 20 cm. Habitat degradation will compound effects of fishing on coral reefs as increased fishing reduces large-bodied target species, while habitat loss results in fewer small-bodied juveniles and prey that replenish stocks and provide dietary resources for predatory target species. Effective management of reef resources therefore depends on both reducing fishing pressure and maintaining processes that encourage rapid recovery of coral habitat.

Does copepod size determine food consumption of particulate feeding fish?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deurs, Mikael van; Koski, Marja; Rindorf, Anna

2014-01-01

on adult particulate feeding fish is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the hypothesis that the availability of the large copepods determines food consumption and growth conditions of lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) in the North Sea. Analysis of stomach content suggested that food...... consumption is higher for fish feeding on large copepods, and additional calculations revealed how handling time limitation may provide part of the explanation for this relationship. Comparing stomach data and zooplankton samples indicated that lesser sandeel actively target large copepods when......The climate-induced reduction in the mean copepod size, mainly driven by a decrease in the abundance of the large Calanus finmarchicus around 1987, has been linked to the low survival of fish larvae in the North Sea. However, to what extent this sort of reduction in copepod size has any influence...

Flaw-size measurement in a weld samples by ultrasonic frequency analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adler, L.; Cook, K.V.; Whaley, H.L. Jr.; McClung, R.W.

1975-01-01

An ultrasonic frequency-analysis technique was developed and applies to characterize flaws in an 8-in. (203-mm) thick heavy-section steel weld specimen. The technique applies a multitransducer system. The spectrum of the received broad-band signal is frequency analyzed at two different receivers for each of the flaws. From the two spectra, the size and orientation of the flaw are determined by the use of an analytic model proposed earlier. (auth)

Mechanism of microRNA-target interaction: molecular dynamics simulations and thermodynamics analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yonghua Wang

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are endogenously produced approximately 21-nt riboregulators that associate with Argonaute (Ago proteins to direct mRNA cleavage or repress the translation of complementary RNAs. Capturing the molecular mechanisms of miRNA interacting with its target will not only reinforce the understanding of underlying RNA interference but also fuel the design of more effective small-interfering RNA strands. To address this, in the present work the RNA-bound (Ago-miRNA, Ago-miRNA-target and RNA-free Ago forms were analyzed by performing both molecular dynamics simulations and thermodynamic analysis. Based on the principal component analysis results of the simulation trajectories as well as the correlation analysis in fluctuations of residues, we discover that: 1 three important (PAZ, Mid and PIWI domains exist in Argonaute which define the global dynamics of the protein; 2 the interdomain correlated movements are so crucial for the interaction of Ago-RNAs that they not only facilitate the relaxation of the interactions between residues surrounding the RNA binding channel but also induce certain conformational changes; and 3 it is just these conformational changes that expand the cavity of the active site and open putative pathways for both the substrate uptake and product release. In addition, by thermodynamic analysis we also discover that for both the guide RNA 5'-end recognition and the facilitated site-specific cleavage of the target, the presence of two metal ions (of Mg(2+ plays a predominant role, and this conclusion is consistent with the observed enzyme catalytic cleavage activity in the ternary complex (Ago-miRNA-mRNA. Our results find that it is the set of arginine amino acids concentrated in the nucleotide-binding channel in Ago, instead of the conventionally-deemed seed base-paring, that makes greater contributions in stabilizing the binding of the nucleic acids to Ago.

Mechanism of microRNA-target interaction: molecular dynamics simulations and thermodynamics analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yonghua; Li, Yan; Ma, Zhi; Yang, Wei; Ai, Chunzhi

2010-07-29

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenously produced approximately 21-nt riboregulators that associate with Argonaute (Ago) proteins to direct mRNA cleavage or repress the translation of complementary RNAs. Capturing the molecular mechanisms of miRNA interacting with its target will not only reinforce the understanding of underlying RNA interference but also fuel the design of more effective small-interfering RNA strands. To address this, in the present work the RNA-bound (Ago-miRNA, Ago-miRNA-target) and RNA-free Ago forms were analyzed by performing both molecular dynamics simulations and thermodynamic analysis. Based on the principal component analysis results of the simulation trajectories as well as the correlation analysis in fluctuations of residues, we discover that: 1) three important (PAZ, Mid and PIWI) domains exist in Argonaute which define the global dynamics of the protein; 2) the interdomain correlated movements are so crucial for the interaction of Ago-RNAs that they not only facilitate the relaxation of the interactions between residues surrounding the RNA binding channel but also induce certain conformational changes; and 3) it is just these conformational changes that expand the cavity of the active site and open putative pathways for both the substrate uptake and product release. In addition, by thermodynamic analysis we also discover that for both the guide RNA 5'-end recognition and the facilitated site-specific cleavage of the target, the presence of two metal ions (of Mg(2+)) plays a predominant role, and this conclusion is consistent with the observed enzyme catalytic cleavage activity in the ternary complex (Ago-miRNA-mRNA). Our results find that it is the set of arginine amino acids concentrated in the nucleotide-binding channel in Ago, instead of the conventionally-deemed seed base-paring, that makes greater contributions in stabilizing the binding of the nucleic acids to Ago.

The Effect of Campaign-Generated Interpersonal Communication on Campaign-Targeted Health Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Michelle; Bae, Rosie Eungyuhl

2017-06-16

This study examined the effect of mass media campaign-generated conversations on campaign-targeted health outcomes, via a systematic meta-analysis of 28 studies (including 124 sub-studies and a total of 138,898 participants). The study also conducted a series of moderation analyses to examine the conditions under which interpersonal communication has larger effects on bringing about the desired outcomes. The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that campaign-generated conversations have a positive effect on inducing campaign-targeted outcomes (OR = 1.28) and show that this effect is moderated by health topic addressed by the campaign, the type of outcome being targeted by the campaign, and with whom people converse, along with several other campaign-relevant and study-relevant variables. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

Size matters: the interplay between sensing and size in aquatic environments

Science.gov (United States)

Wadhwa, Navish; Martens, Erik A.; Lindemann, Christian; Jacobsen, Nis S.; Andersen, Ken H.; Visser, Andre

2015-11-01

Sensing the presence or absence of other organisms in the surroundings is critical for the survival of any aquatic organism. This is achieved via the use of various sensory modes such as chemosensing, mechanosensing, vision, hearing, and echolocation. We ask how the size of an organism determines what sensory modes are available to it while others are not. We investigate this by examining the physical laws governing signal generation, transmission, and reception, together with the limits set by physiology. Hydrodynamics plays an important role in sensing; in particular chemosensing and mechanosensing are constrained by the physics of fluid motion at various scales. Through our analysis, we find a hierarchy of sensing modes determined by body size. We theoretically predict the body size limits for various sensory modes, which align well with size ranges found in the literature. Our analysis of all ocean life, from unicellular organisms to whales, demonstrates how body size determines available sensing modes, and thereby acts as a major structuring factor of aquatic life. The Centre for Ocean Life is a VKR center of excellence supported by the Villum Foundation.

Expression analysis of miRNA and target mRNAs in esophageal cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, X.R. [Oncology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou (China); Lu, P. [Gastrointestinal Surgery Department, People' s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou (China); Mei, J.Z.; Liu, G.J. [Medical Oncology Department, People' s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou (China); Fan, Q.X. [Oncology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou (China)

2014-08-01

We aimed to investigate miRNAs and related mRNAs through a network-based approach in order to learn the crucial role that they play in the biological processes of esophageal cancer. Esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) and adenocarcinoma (EAC)-related miRNA and gene expression data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially expressed miRNAs and genes were selected. Target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted and their regulatory networks were constructed. Differentially expressed miRNA analysis selected four miRNAs associated with EAC and ESCC, among which hsa-miR-21 and hsa-miR-202 were shared by both diseases. hsa-miR-202 was reported for the first time to be associated with esophageal cancer in the present study. Differentially expressed miRNA target genes were mainly involved in cancer-related and signal-transduction pathways. Functional categories of these target genes were related to transcriptional regulation. The results may indicate potential target miRNAs and genes for future investigations of esophageal cancer.

Electro-optic analysis of the influence of target geometry on electromagnetic pulses generated by petawatt laser-matter interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Timothy; Giltrap, Samuel; Eardley, Samuel; Consoli, Fabrizio; De Angelis, Riccardo; Ingenito, Francesco; Stuart, Nicholas; Verona, Claudio; Smith, Roland A.

2018-01-01

We present an analysis of strong laser-driven electromagnetic pulses using novel electro-optic diagnostic techniques. A range of targets were considered, including thin plastic foils (20-550 nm) and mass-limited, optically-levitated micro-targets. Results from foils indicate a dependence of EMP on target thickness, with larger peak electric fields observed with thinner targets. Spectral analysis suggests high repeatability between shots, with identified spectral features consistently detected with earth following ejection of hot electrons from the plasma, in contrast to predictions for pin-mounted foils in the Poyé EMP generation model. With levitated targets, no EMP was measurable above the noise threshold of any diagnostic, despite observation of protons accelerated to >30 MeV energies, suggesting the discharge current contribution to EMP is dominant.

Laser cutting of various materials: Kerf width size analysis and life cycle assessment of cutting process

Science.gov (United States)

Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Shaukat, Mian Mobeen; Ashraf, Farhan

2017-08-01

Laser cutting of various materials including Ti-6Al-4V alloy, steel 304, Inconel 625, and alumina is carried out to assess the kerf width size variation along the cut section. The life cycle assessment is carried out to determine the environmental impact of the laser cutting in terms of the material waste during the cutting process. The kerf width size is formulated and predicted using the lump parameter analysis and it is measured from the experiments. The influence of laser output power and laser cutting speed on the kerf width size variation is analyzed using the analytical tools including scanning electron and optical microscopes. In the experiments, high pressure nitrogen assisting gas is used to prevent oxidation reactions in the cutting section. It is found that the kerf width size predicted from the lump parameter analysis agrees well with the experimental data. The kerf width size variation increases with increasing laser output power. However, this behavior reverses with increasing laser cutting speed. The life cycle assessment reveals that material selection for laser cutting is critical for the environmental protection point of view. Inconel 625 contributes the most to the environmental damages; however, recycling of the waste of the laser cutting reduces this contribution.

Underestimated effect sizes in GWAS: fundamental limitations of single SNP analysis for dichotomous phenotypes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sven Stringer

Full Text Available Complex diseases are often highly heritable. However, for many complex traits only a small proportion of the heritability can be explained by observed genetic variants in traditional genome-wide association (GWA studies. Moreover, for some of those traits few significant SNPs have been identified. Single SNP association methods test for association at a single SNP, ignoring the effect of other SNPs. We show using a simple multi-locus odds model of complex disease that moderate to large effect sizes of causal variants may be estimated as relatively small effect sizes in single SNP association testing. This underestimation effect is most severe for diseases influenced by numerous risk variants. We relate the underestimation effect to the concept of non-collapsibility found in the statistics literature. As described, continuous phenotypes generated with linear genetic models are not affected by this underestimation effect. Since many GWA studies apply single SNP analysis to dichotomous phenotypes, previously reported results potentially underestimate true effect sizes, thereby impeding identification of true effect SNPs. Therefore, when a multi-locus model of disease risk is assumed, a multi SNP analysis may be more appropriate.

A simple sample size formula for analysis of covariance in cluster randomized trials.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teerenstra, S.; Eldridge, S.; Graff, M.J.; Hoop, E. de; Borm, G.F.

2012-01-01

For cluster randomized trials with a continuous outcome, the sample size is often calculated as if an analysis of the outcomes at the end of the treatment period (follow-up scores) would be performed. However, often a baseline measurement of the outcome is available or feasible to obtain. An

Radiation target analyses of free and immobilized glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kempner, E.S.; Miller, J.H.

2010-01-01

The sensitivity of the enzyme glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase to ionizing radiation was examined under several conditions, including the presence of several free-radical scavengers. The enzyme was also irradiated when covalently bound to polyacrylamide beads whose structure is very similar to the polypeptide backbone of proteins. All the enzyme forms were irradiated in the frozen state with high-energy electrons from a linear accelerator. Surviving enzyme activity and surviving monomers were determined; the data were analyzed by target theory. Free-radical scavengers reduced the radiation target size of both the activity and monomers of the free enzyme, but not that of the immobilized enzyme activity. The target size of the activity of the free enzyme was that of a dimer mass, but in the case of the immobilized enzyme it was equal to the smaller mass of the monomer. Free-radical scavengers reduce the target size by modifying radiation energy transfer. The target size of the polyacrylamide-bound enzyme activity was expected to be very large since the connection between polyacrylamide and protein is a peptide bond which permits transfer of radiation-deposited energy. Several explanations concerning energy transfer are suggested for this result.

Integrated metabonomics analysis of the size-response relationship of silica nanoparticles-induced toxicity in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiaoyan; Tian, Yu; Zhao, Qinqin; Jin, Tingting; Xiao, Shun; Fan, Xiaohui

2011-02-01

Understanding the underlying properties-dependent interactions of nanostructures with biological systems is essential to nanotoxicological research. This study investigates the relationship between particle size and toxicity, and further reveals the mechanism of injury, using silica particles (SP) with diameters of 30, 70, and 300 nm (SP30, SP70, and SP300) as model materials. The biochemical compositions of liver tissues and serum of mice treated with SP30, SP70, and SP300 were analyzed by integrated metabonomics analysis based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and in combination with pattern recognition approaches. Histopathological examinations and serum biochemical analysis were simultaneously performed. The toxicity induced by three different sizes of SP mainly involved hepatocytic necrosis, increased serum aminotransferase, and inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the toxic effects of SP were dose-dependent for each particle size. The doses of SP30, SP70, and SP300 that were toxic to the liver were 10, 40, and 200 mg kg - 1, respectively. In this study, surface area has a greater effect than particle number on the toxicity of SP30, SP70, and SP300 in the liver. The disturbances in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism may be attributable to the hepatotoxicity induced by SP. In addition, no major differences were found in the response of biological systems caused by the different SP sizes among the metabolite profiles. The results suggest that not only nano-sized but also submicro-sized SP can cause similar extents of liver injury, which is dependent on the exposure dose, and the mechanism of toxicity may be almost the same.

Integrated metabonomics analysis of the size-response relationship of silica nanoparticles-induced toxicity in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xiaoyan; Tian Yu; Zhao Qinqin; Jin Tingting; Xiao Shun; Fan Xiaohui

2011-01-01

Understanding the underlying properties-dependent interactions of nanostructures with biological systems is essential to nanotoxicological research. This study investigates the relationship between particle size and toxicity, and further reveals the mechanism of injury, using silica particles (SP) with diameters of 30, 70, and 300 nm (SP30, SP70, and SP300) as model materials. The biochemical compositions of liver tissues and serum of mice treated with SP30, SP70, and SP300 were analyzed by integrated metabonomics analysis based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and in combination with pattern recognition approaches. Histopathological examinations and serum biochemical analysis were simultaneously performed. The toxicity induced by three different sizes of SP mainly involved hepatocytic necrosis, increased serum aminotransferase, and inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the toxic effects of SP were dose-dependent for each particle size. The doses of SP30, SP70, and SP300 that were toxic to the liver were 10, 40, and 200 mg kg -1 , respectively. In this study, surface area has a greater effect than particle number on the toxicity of SP30, SP70, and SP300 in the liver. The disturbances in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism may be attributable to the hepatotoxicity induced by SP. In addition, no major differences were found in the response of biological systems caused by the different SP sizes among the metabolite profiles. The results suggest that not only nano-sized but also submicro-sized SP can cause similar extents of liver injury, which is dependent on the exposure dose, and the mechanism of toxicity may be almost the same.

Integrated metabonomics analysis of the size-response relationship of silica nanoparticles-induced toxicity in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu Xiaoyan; Tian Yu; Zhao Qinqin; Jin Tingting; Xiao Shun; Fan Xiaohui, E-mail: fanxh@zju.edu.cn [Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China)

2011-02-04

Understanding the underlying properties-dependent interactions of nanostructures with biological systems is essential to nanotoxicological research. This study investigates the relationship between particle size and toxicity, and further reveals the mechanism of injury, using silica particles (SP) with diameters of 30, 70, and 300 nm (SP30, SP70, and SP300) as model materials. The biochemical compositions of liver tissues and serum of mice treated with SP30, SP70, and SP300 were analyzed by integrated metabonomics analysis based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and in combination with pattern recognition approaches. Histopathological examinations and serum biochemical analysis were simultaneously performed. The toxicity induced by three different sizes of SP mainly involved hepatocytic necrosis, increased serum aminotransferase, and inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the toxic effects of SP were dose-dependent for each particle size. The doses of SP30, SP70, and SP300 that were toxic to the liver were 10, 40, and 200 mg kg{sup -1}, respectively. In this study, surface area has a greater effect than particle number on the toxicity of SP30, SP70, and SP300 in the liver. The disturbances in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism may be attributable to the hepatotoxicity induced by SP. In addition, no major differences were found in the response of biological systems caused by the different SP sizes among the metabolite profiles. The results suggest that not only nano-sized but also submicro-sized SP can cause similar extents of liver injury, which is dependent on the exposure dose, and the mechanism of toxicity may be almost the same.

Effect of beamlet step-size on IMRT plan quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Guowei; Jiang Ziping; Shepard, David; Earl, Matt; Yu, Cedric

2005-01-01

We have studied the degree to which beamlet step-size impacts the quality of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans. Treatment planning for IMRT begins with the application of a grid that divides each beam's-eye-view of the target into a number of smaller beamlets (pencil beams) of radiation. The total dose is computed as a weighted sum of the dose delivered by the individual beamlets. The width of each beamlet is set to match the width of the corresponding leaf of the multileaf collimator (MLC). The length of each beamlet (beamlet step-size) is parallel to the direction of leaf travel. The beamlet step-size represents the minimum stepping distance of the leaves of the MLC and is typically predetermined by the treatment planning system. This selection imposes an artificial constraint because the leaves of the MLC and the jaws can both move continuously. Removing the constraint can potentially improve the IMRT plan quality. In this study, the optimized results were achieved using an aperture-based inverse planning technique called direct aperture optimization (DAO). We have tested the relationship between pencil beam step-size and plan quality using the American College of Radiology's IMRT test case. For this case, a series of IMRT treatment plans were produced using beamlet step-sizes of 1, 2, 5, and 10 mm. Continuous improvements were seen with each reduction in beamlet step size. The maximum dose to the planning target volume (PTV) was reduced from 134.7% to 121.5% and the mean dose to the organ at risk (OAR) was reduced from 38.5% to 28.2% as the beamlet step-size was reduced from 10 to 1 mm. The smaller pencil beam sizes also led to steeper dose gradients at the junction between the target and the critical structure with gradients of 6.0, 7.6, 8.7, and 9.1 dose%/mm achieved for beamlet step sizes of 10, 5, 2, and 1 mm, respectively

On the Relationship between Pollen Size and Genome Size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles A. Knight

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Here we test whether genome size is a predictor of pollen size. If it were, inferences of ancient genome size would be possible using the abundant paleo-palynolgical record. We performed regression analyses across 464 species of pollen width and genome size. We found a significant positive trend. However, regression analysis using phylogentically independent contrasts did not support the correlated evolution of these traits. Instead, a large split between angiosperms and gymnosperms for both pollen width and genome size was revealed. Sister taxa were not more likely to show a positive contrast when compared to deeper nodes. However, significantly more congeneric species had a positive trend than expected by chance. These results may reflect the strong selection pressure for pollen to be small. Also, because pollen grains are not metabolically active when measured, their biology is different than other cells which have been shown to be strongly related to genome size, such as guard cells. Our findings contrast with previously published research. It was our hope that pollen size could be used as a proxy for inferring the genome size of ancient species. However, our results suggest pollen is not a good candidate for such endeavors.

Grain-size effects on PIXE and INAA analysis of IAEA-336 lichen reference material

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, A. P.; Freitas, M. C.; Wolterbeek, H. Th.; Verburg, T. G.; De Goeij, J. J. M.

2007-02-01

IAEA-336 lichen certified reference material was used to compare outcomes from INAA and PIXE elemental analyses, in relationship with grain size. The IAEA material (grain size lichen reference material's particle size distribution follows a bimodal distribution, which is turning more and more monomodal after further fine sieving. Replicates of each fraction were analysed by INAA and PIXE. Results for Cl, K, Mn, Fe and Zn by both techniques were compared by application of z-values tested against the criterion ∣ z∣ limited amount of lichen material as "seen" in the PIXE analysis and the grain size distribution in the lichen material were no causes of measurable differences between the results of both techniques. However, fractionation into smaller grain sizes showed to be associated with lower element content, for Na, Cl, K, Mn and Sr even up to a factor of 2. The observed increases of the proportion of algae in the smaller grain-size fractions and the possible accumulation capacity for certain elements in the fungal part of the lichen may explain the observed phenomenon. The sieving process and consequently the discarding of part of the material have lead to a change of the properties of the original sample, namely algae/fungus percentage and elemental contents.

Ideal MHD stability analysis of KSTAR target AT mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi, S.M.; Kim, J.H.; You, K.I.; Kim, J.Y.

2009-01-01

Full text: A main research objective of KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) device is to demonstrate the steady-state operation capability of high-performance AT (Advanced Tokamak) mode. To meet this goal, it is critical for KSTAR to have a good MHD stability boundary, particularly against the high-beta ideal instabilities such as the external kink and the ballooning modes. To support this MHD stability KSTAR has been designed to have a strong plasma shape and a close interval between plasma and passive- plate wall. During the conceptual design phase of KSTAR, a preliminary study was performed to estimate the high beta MHD stability limit of KSTAR target AT mode using PEST and VACUUM codes and it was shown that the target AT mode can be stable up to β N ∼ 5 with a well-defined plasma pressure and current profiles. Recently, a new calculation has been performed to estimate the ideal stability limit in various KSTAR operating conditions using DCON code, and it has been observed that there is some difference between the new and old calculation results, particularly in the dependence of the maximum β N value on the toroidal mode number. Here, we thus present a more detailed analysis of the ideal MHD stability limit of KSTAR target AT mode using various codes, which include GATO as well as PEST and DCON, in the comparison of calculation results among the three codes. (author)

Allocating the Fixed Resources and Setting Targets in Integer Data Envelopment Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kobra Gholami

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Data envelopment analysis (DEA is a non-parametric approach to evaluate a set of decision making units (DMUs consuming multiple inputs to produce multiple outputs. Formally, DEA use to estimate the efficiency score into the empirical efficient frontier. Also, DEA can be used to allocate resources and set targets for future forecast. The data are continuous in the standard DEA model whereas there are many problems in the real life that data must be integer such as number of employee, machinery, expert and so on. Thus in this paper we propose an approach to allocate fixed resources and set fixed targets with selective integer assumption that is based on an integer data envelopment analysis (IDEA approach for the first time. The major aim in this approach is preserving the efficiency score of DMUs. We use the concept of benchmarking to reach this aim. The numerical example gets to illustrate the applicability of the proposed method.

Controlling semiconductor nanoparticle size distributions with tailored ultrashort pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hergenroeder, R; Miclea, M; Hommes, V

2006-01-01

The laser generation of size-controlled semiconductor nanoparticle formation under gas phase conditions is investigated. It is shown that the size distribution can be changed if picosecond pulse sequences of tailored ultra short laser pulses (<200 fs) are employed. By delivering the laser energy in small packages, a temporal energy flux control at the target surface is achieved, which results in the control of the thermodynamic pathway the material takes. The concept is tested with silicon and germanium, both materials with a predictable response to double pulse sequences, which allows deduction of the materials' response to complicated pulse sequences. An automatic, adaptive learning algorithm was employed to demonstrate a future strategy that enables the definition of more complex optimization targets such as particle size on materials less predictable than semiconductors

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies for metastatic melanoma: A network meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasquali, Sandro; Chiarion-Sileni, Vanna; Rossi, Carlo Riccardo; Mocellin, Simone

2017-03-01

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies, two new class of drugs for treatment of metastatic melanoma, have not been compared in randomized controlled trials (RCT). We quantitatively summarized the evidence and compared immune and targeted therapies in terms of both efficacy and toxicity. A comprehensive search for RCTs of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies was conducted to August 2016. Using a network meta-analysis approach, treatments were compared with each other and ranked based on their effectiveness (as measured by the impact on progression-free survival [PFS]) and acceptability (the inverse of high grade toxicity). Twelve RCTs enrolling 6207 patients were included. Network meta-analysis generated 15 comparisons. Combined BRAF and MEK inhibitors were associated with longer PFS as compared to anti-CTLA4 (HR: 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12-0.41) and anti-PD1 antibodies alone (HR: 0.38; CI: 0.20-0.72). However, anti-PD1 monoclonal antibodies were less toxic than anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibodies (RR: 0.65; CI: 0.40-0.78) and their combination significantly increased toxicity compared to either single agent anti-CTLA4 (RR: 2.06; CI: 1.45-2.93) or anti-PD1 monoclonal antibodies (RR: 3.67; CI: 2.27-5.96). Consistently, ranking analysis suggested that the combination of targeted therapies is the most effective strategy, whereas single agent anti-PD1 antibodies have the best acceptability. The GRADE level of evidence quality for these findings was moderate to low. The simultaneous inhibition of BRAF and MEK appears the most effective treatment for melanomas harboring BRAF V600 mutation, although anti-PD1 antibodies appear to be less toxic. Further research is needed to increase the quality of evidence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Portion size: a qualitative study of consumers' attitudes toward point-of-purchase interventions aimed at portion size.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeer, Willemijn M; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M; Seidell, Jacob C

2010-02-01

This qualitative study assessed consumers' opinions of food portion sizes and their attitudes toward portion-size interventions located in various point-of-purchase settings targeting overweight and obese people. Eight semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with 49 participants. Constructs from the diffusion of innovations theory were included in the interview guide. Each focus group was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were coded and analyzed with Atlas.ti 5.2 using the framework approach. Results showed that many participants thought that portion sizes of various products have increased during the past decades and are larger than acceptable. The majority also indicated that value for money is important when purchasing and that large portion sizes offer more value for money than small portion sizes. Furthermore, many experienced difficulties with self-regulating the consumption of large portion sizes. Among the portion-size interventions that were discussed, participants had most positive attitudes toward a larger availability of portion sizes and pricing strategies, followed by serving-size labeling. In general, reducing package serving sizes as an intervention strategy to control food intake met resistance. The study concludes that consumers consider interventions consisting of a larger variety of available portion sizes, pricing strategies and serving-size labeling as most acceptable to implement.

Cost Minimization Analysis of Hypnotic Drug: Target Controlled Inhalation Anesthesia (TCIA Sevoflurane and Target Controlled Infusion (TCI Propofol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Made Wiryana

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Cost minimization analysis is a pharmaco-economic study used to compare two or more health interventions that have been shown to have the same effect, similar or equivalent. With limited health insurance budget from the Indonesian National Social Security System implementation in 2015, the quality control and the drug cost are two important things that need to be focused. The application of pharmaco-economic study results in the selection and use of drugs more effectively and efficiently. Objective: To determine cost minimization analysis of hypnotic drug between a target controlled inhalation anesthesia (TCIA sevoflurane and a target controlled infusion (TCI propofol in patients underwent a major oncologic surgery in Sanglah General Hospital. Methods: Sixty ASA physical status I-II patients underwent major oncologic surgery were divided into two groups. Group A was using TCIA sevoflurane and group B using TCI propofol. Bispectral index monitor (BIS index was used to evaluate the depth of anesthesia. The statistical tests used are the Shapiro-Wilk test, Lavene test, Mann-Whitney U test and unpaired t-test (α = 0.05. The data analysis used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS for Windows. Results: In this study, the rate of drug used per unit time in group A was 0.12 ml sevoflurane per minute (± 0.03 and the group B was 7.25 mg propofol per minute (±0.98. Total cost of hypnotic drug in group A was IDR598.43 (IQR 112.47 per minute, in group B was IDR703.27 (IQR 156.73 per minute (p>0.05. Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference from the analysis of the drug cost minimization hypnotic drug in a major oncologic surgery using TCIA sevoflurane and TCI propofol.

Retro-Techno-Economic Analysis: Using (Bio)Process Systems Engineering Tools to Attain Process Target Values

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Furlan, Felipe F.; Costa, Caliane B B; Secchi, Argimiro R.

2016-01-01

Economic analysis, allied to process systems engineering tools, can provide useful insights about process techno-economic feasibility. More interestingly, rather than being used to evaluate specific process conditions, this techno-economic analysis can be turned upside down to achieve target valu...

Road safety risk evaluation and target setting using data envelopment analysis and its extensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yongjun; Hermans, Elke; Brijs, Tom; Wets, Geert; Vanhoof, Koen

2012-09-01

Currently, comparison between countries in terms of their road safety performance is widely conducted in order to better understand one's own safety situation and to learn from those best-performing countries by indicating practical targets and formulating action programmes. In this respect, crash data such as the number of road fatalities and casualties are mostly investigated. However, the absolute numbers are not directly comparable between countries. Therefore, the concept of risk, which is defined as the ratio of road safety outcomes and some measure of exposure (e.g., the population size, the number of registered vehicles, or distance travelled), is often used in the context of benchmarking. Nevertheless, these risk indicators are not consistent in most cases. In other words, countries may have different evaluation results or ranking positions using different exposure information. In this study, data envelopment analysis (DEA) as a performance measurement technique is investigated to provide an overall perspective on a country's road safety situation, and further assess whether the road safety outcomes registered in a country correspond to the numbers that can be expected based on the level of exposure. In doing so, three model extensions are considered, which are the DEA based road safety model (DEA-RS), the cross-efficiency method, and the categorical DEA model. Using the measures of exposure to risk as the model's input and the number of road fatalities as output, an overall road safety efficiency score is computed for the 27 European Union (EU) countries based on the DEA-RS model, and the ranking of countries in accordance with their cross-efficiency scores is evaluated. Furthermore, after applying clustering analysis to group countries with inherent similarity in their practices, the categorical DEA-RS model is adopted to identify best-performing and underperforming countries in each cluster, as well as the reference sets or benchmarks for those

GEM-loaded magnetic albumin nanospheres modified with cetuximab for simultaneous targeting, magnetic resonance imaging, and double-targeted thermochemotherapy of pancreatic cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ling; An, Yanli; Yuan, Chenyan; Zhang, Hao; Liang, Chen; Ding, Fengan; Gao, Qi; Zhang, Dongsheng

2015-01-01

Targeted delivery is a promising strategy to improve the diagnostic imaging and therapeutic effect of cancers. In this paper, novel cetuximab (C225)-conjugated, gemcitabine (GEM)-containing magnetic albumin nanospheres (C225-GEM/MANs) were fabricated and applied as a theranostic nanocarrier to conduct simultaneous targeting, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and double-targeted thermochemotherapy against pancreatic cancer cells. Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) and GEM co-loaded albumin nanospheres (GEM/MANs) were prepared, and then C225 was further conjugated to synthesize C225-GEM/MANs. Their morphology, mean particle size, GEM encapsulation ratio, specific cell-binding ability, and thermal dynamic profiles were characterized. The effects of discriminating different EGFR-expressing pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC-1 and MIA PaCa-2) and monitoring cellular targeting effects were assessed by targeted MRI. Lastly, the antitumor efficiency of double/C225/magnetic-targeted and nontargeted thermochemotherapy was compared with chemotherapy alone using 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry (FCM) assay. When treated with targeted nanospheres, AsPC-1 cells showed a significantly less intense MRI T2 signal than MIA PaCa-2 cells, while both cells had similar signal strength when incubated with nontargeted nanospheres. T2 signal intensity was significantly lower when magnetic and C225 targeting were combined, rather than used alone. The inhibitory and apoptotic rates of each thermochemotherapy group were significantly higher than those of the chemotherapy-alone groups. Additionally, both MTT and FCM analysis verified that double-targeted thermochemotherapy had the highest targeted killing efficiency among all groups. The C225-GEM/MANs can distinguish various EGFR-expressing live pancreatic cancer cells, monitor diverse cellular targeting effects using targeted MRI imaging, and efficiently mediate double-targeted thermochemotherapy

The drug target genes show higher evolutionary conservation than non-target genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Wenhua; Xu, Yongdeng; Guo, Yiying; Yu, Ziqi; Feng, Guanglong; Liu, Panpan; Luan, Meiwei; Zhu, Hongjie; Liu, Guiyou; Zhang, Mingming; Lv, Hongchao; Duan, Lian; Shang, Zhenwei; Li, Jin; Jiang, Yongshuai; Zhang, Ruijie

2016-01-26

Although evidence indicates that drug target genes share some common evolutionary features, there have been few studies analyzing evolutionary features of drug targets from an overall level. Therefore, we conducted an analysis which aimed to investigate the evolutionary characteristics of drug target genes. We compared the evolutionary conservation between human drug target genes and non-target genes by combining both the evolutionary features and network topological properties in human protein-protein interaction network. The evolution rate, conservation score and the percentage of orthologous genes of 21 species were included in our study. Meanwhile, four topological features including the average shortest path length, betweenness centrality, clustering coefficient and degree were considered for comparison analysis. Then we got four results as following: compared with non-drug target genes, 1) drug target genes had lower evolutionary rates; 2) drug target genes had higher conservation scores; 3) drug target genes had higher percentages of orthologous genes and 4) drug target genes had a tighter network structure including higher degrees, betweenness centrality, clustering coefficients and lower average shortest path lengths. These results demonstrate that drug target genes are more evolutionarily conserved than non-drug target genes. We hope that our study will provide valuable information for other researchers who are interested in evolutionary conservation of drug targets.

Size-Prediction Analysis for Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erusiafe, N. E.; Chendo, M. A. C.

2002-01-01

The cost - effectiveness of photovoltaic (PV) generator depends, among others, on its ability to satisfy energy demand and the cost of achieving this. In this work a step - by - step procedure for predicting the size of the main components of a stand - alone PV system (array and storage) is presented. The results yield an expression which can he used lo determine the size of both components at optimum cost and desired reliability. The result from this work compare favourably with some earlier works in that, the system sizes shows some degree of agreement

Automatic particle-size analysis of HTGR recycle fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mack, J.E.; Pechin, W.H.

1977-09-01

An automatic particle-size analyzer was designed, fabricated, tested, and put into operation measuring and counting HTGR recycle fuel particles. The particle-size analyzer can be used for particles in all stages of fabrication, from the loaded, uncarbonized weak acid resin up to fully-coated Biso or Triso particles. The device handles microspheres in the range of 300 to 1000 μm at rates up to 2000 per minute, measuring the diameter of each particle to determine the size distribution of the sample, and simultaneously determining the total number of particles. 10 figures

The drug-minded protein interaction database (DrumPID) for efficient target analysis and drug development.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunz, Meik; Liang, Chunguang; Nilla, Santosh; Cecil, Alexander; Dandekar, Thomas

2016-01-01

The drug-minded protein interaction database (DrumPID) has been designed to provide fast, tailored information on drugs and their protein networks including indications, protein targets and side-targets. Starting queries include compound, target and protein interactions and organism-specific protein families. Furthermore, drug name, chemical structures and their SMILES notation, affected proteins (potential drug targets), organisms as well as diseases can be queried including various combinations and refinement of searches. Drugs and protein interactions are analyzed in detail with reference to protein structures and catalytic domains, related compound structures as well as potential targets in other organisms. DrumPID considers drug functionality, compound similarity, target structure, interactome analysis and organismic range for a compound, useful for drug development, predicting drug side-effects and structure-activity relationships.Database URL:http://drumpid.bioapps.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Sustainable Sizing.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinette, Kathleen M; Veitch, Daisy

2016-08-01

To provide a review of sustainable sizing practices that reduce waste, increase sales, and simultaneously produce safer, better fitting, accommodating products. Sustainable sizing involves a set of methods good for both the environment (sustainable environment) and business (sustainable business). Sustainable sizing methods reduce (1) materials used, (2) the number of sizes or adjustments, and (3) the amount of product unsold or marked down for sale. This reduces waste and cost. The methods can also increase sales by fitting more people in the target market and produce happier, loyal customers with better fitting products. This is a mini-review of methods that result in more sustainable sizing practices. It also reviews and contrasts current statistical and modeling practices that lead to poor fit and sizing. Fit-mapping and the use of cases are two excellent methods suited for creating sustainable sizing, when real people (vs. virtual people) are used. These methods are described and reviewed. Evidence presented supports the view that virtual fitting with simulated people and products is not yet effective. Fit-mapping and cases with real people and actual products result in good design and products that are fit for person, fit for purpose, with good accommodation and comfortable, optimized sizing. While virtual models have been shown to be ineffective for predicting or representing fit, there is an opportunity to improve them by adding fit-mapping data to the models. This will require saving fit data, product data, anthropometry, and demographics in a standardized manner. For this success to extend to the wider design community, the development of a standardized method of data collection for fit-mapping with a globally shared fit-map database is needed. It will enable the world community to build knowledge of fit and accommodation and generate effective virtual fitting for the future. A standardized method of data collection that tests products' fit methodically

Serotonin-S2 and dopamine-D2 receptors are the same size in membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brann, M.R.

1985-01-01

Target size analysis was used to compare the sizes of serotonin-S2 and dopamine-D2 receptors in rat brain membranes. The sizes of these receptors were standardized by comparison with the muscarinic receptor, a receptor of known size. The number of serotonin-S2 receptors labeled with (3H)ketanserin or (3H)spiperone in frontal cortex decreased as an exponential function of radiation dose, and receptor affinity was not affected. The number of dopamine-D2 receptors labeled with (3H)spiperone in striatum also decreased as an exponential function of radiation dose, and D2 and S2 receptors were equally sensitive to radiation. In both striatum and frontal cortex, the number of muscarinic receptors labeled with (3H)QNB decreased as an exponential function of radiation dose, and were much less sensitive to radiation than S2 and D2 receptors. These data indicate that in rat brain membranes, S2 and D2 receptors are of similar size, and both molecules are much larger than the muscarinic receptor

Efficient internalization of mesoporous silica particles of different sizes by primary human macrophages without impairment of macrophage clearance of apoptotic or antibody-opsonized target cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witasp, Erika; Kupferschmidt, Natalia; Bengtsson, Linnea; Hultenby, Kjell; Smedman, Christian; Paulie, Staffan; Garcia-Bennett, Alfonso E.; Fadeel, Bengt

2009-01-01

Macrophage recognition and ingestion of apoptotic cell corpses, a process referred to as programmed cell clearance, is of considerable importance for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and in the resolution of inflammation. Moreover, macrophages are the first line of defense against microorganisms and other foreign materials including particles. However, there is sparse information on the mode of uptake of engineered nanomaterials by primary macrophages. In this study, mesoporous silica particles with cubic pore geometries and covalently fluorescein-grafted particles were synthesized through a novel route, and their interactions with primary human monocyte-derived macrophages were assessed. Efficient and active internalization of mesoporous silica particles of different sizes was observed by transmission electron microscopic and flow cytometric analysis and studies using pharmacological inhibitors suggested that uptake occurred through a process of endocytosis. Moreover, uptake of silica particles was independent of serum factors. The silica particles with very high surface areas due to their porous structure did not impair cell viability or function of macrophages, including the ingestion of different classes of apoptotic or opsonized target cells. The current findings are relevant to the development of mesoporous materials for drug delivery and other biomedical applications.

Effect size estimates: current use, calculations, and interpretation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Catherine O; Morris, Peter E; Richler, Jennifer J

2012-02-01

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (American Psychological Association, 2001, American Psychological Association, 2010) calls for the reporting of effect sizes and their confidence intervals. Estimates of effect size are useful for determining the practical or theoretical importance of an effect, the relative contributions of factors, and the power of an analysis. We surveyed articles published in 2009 and 2010 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, noting the statistical analyses reported and the associated reporting of effect size estimates. Effect sizes were reported for fewer than half of the analyses; no article reported a confidence interval for an effect size. The most often reported analysis was analysis of variance, and almost half of these reports were not accompanied by effect sizes. Partial η2 was the most commonly reported effect size estimate for analysis of variance. For t tests, 2/3 of the articles did not report an associated effect size estimate; Cohen's d was the most often reported. We provide a straightforward guide to understanding, selecting, calculating, and interpreting effect sizes for many types of data and to methods for calculating effect size confidence intervals and power analysis.

Hit size effectiveness in relation to the microdosimetric site size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varma, M.N.; Wuu, C.S.; Zaider, M.

1994-01-01

This paper examines the effect of site size (that is, the diameter of the microdosimetric volume) on the hit size effectiveness function (HSEF), q(y), for several endpoints relevant in radiation protection. A Bayesian and maximum entropy approach is used to solve the integral equations that determine, given microdosimetric spectra and measured initial slopes, the function q(y). All microdosimetric spectra have been calculated de novo. The somewhat surprising conclusion of this analysis is that site size plays only a minor role in selecting the hit size effectiveness function q(y). It thus appears that practical means (e.g. conventional proportional counters) are already at hand to actually implement the HSEF as a radiation protection tool. (Author)

Single-cell analysis of targeted transcriptome predicts drug sensitivity of single cells within human myeloma tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, A K; Mukherjee, U K; Harding, T; Jang, J S; Stessman, H; Li, Y; Abyzov, A; Jen, J; Kumar, S; Rajkumar, V; Van Ness, B

2016-05-01

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by significant genetic diversity at subclonal levels that have a defining role in the heterogeneity of tumor progression, clinical aggressiveness and drug sensitivity. Although genome profiling studies have demonstrated heterogeneity in subclonal architecture that may ultimately lead to relapse, a gene expression-based prediction program that can identify, distinguish and quantify drug response in sub-populations within a bulk population of myeloma cells is lacking. In this study, we performed targeted transcriptome analysis on 528 pre-treatment single cells from 11 myeloma cell lines and 418 single cells from 8 drug-naïve MM patients, followed by intensive bioinformatics and statistical analysis for prediction of proteasome inhibitor sensitivity in individual cells. Using our previously reported drug response gene expression profile signature at the single-cell level, we developed an R Statistical analysis package available at https://github.com/bvnlabSCATTome, SCATTome (single-cell analysis of targeted transcriptome), that restructures the data obtained from Fluidigm single-cell quantitative real-time-PCR analysis run, filters missing data, performs scaling of filtered data, builds classification models and predicts drug response of individual cells based on targeted transcriptome using an assortment of machine learning methods. Application of SCATT should contribute to clinically relevant analysis of intratumor heterogeneity, and better inform drug choices based on subclonal cellular responses.

Development of the ECLSS Sizing Analysis Tool and ARS Mass Balance Model Using Microsoft Excel

Science.gov (United States)

McGlothlin, E. P.; Yeh, H. Y.; Lin, C. H.

1999-01-01

The development of a Microsoft Excel-compatible Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) sizing analysis "tool" for conceptual design of Mars human exploration missions makes it possible for a user to choose a certain technology in the corresponding subsystem. This tool estimates the mass, volume, and power requirements of every technology in a subsystem and the system as a whole. Furthermore, to verify that a design sized by the ECLSS Sizing Tool meets the mission requirements and integrates properly, mass balance models that solve for component throughputs of such ECLSS systems as the Water Recovery System (WRS) and Air Revitalization System (ARS) must be developed. The ARS Mass Balance Model will be discussed in this paper.

Target identification using Zernike moments and neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Azimi-Sadjadi, Mahmood R.; Jamshidi, Arta A.; Nevis, Andrew J.

2001-10-01

The development of an underwater target identification algorithm capable of identifying various types of underwater targets, such as mines, under different environmental conditions pose many technical problems. Some of the contributing factors are: targets have diverse sizes, shapes and reflectivity properties. Target emplacement environment is variable; targets may be proud or partially buried. Environmental properties vary significantly from one location to another. Bottom features such as sand, rocks, corals, and vegetation can conceal a target whether it is partially buried or proud. Competing clutter with responses that closely resemble those of the targets may lead to false positives. All the problems mentioned above contribute to overly difficult and challenging conditions that could lead to unreliable algorithm performance with existing methods. In this paper, we developed and tested a shape-dependent feature extraction scheme that provides features invariant to rotation, size scaling and translation; properties that are extremely useful for any target classification problem. The developed schemes were tested on an electro-optical imagery data set collected under different environmental conditions with variable background, range and target types. The electro-optic data set was collected using a Laser Line Scan (LLS) sensor by the Coastal Systems Station (CSS), located in Panama City, Florida. The performance of the developed scheme and its robustness to distortion, rotation, scaling and translation was also studied.

Saccades to remembered target locations: an analysis of systematic and variable errors.

Science.gov (United States)

White, J M; Sparks, D L; Stanford, T R

1994-01-01

We studied the effects of varying delay interval on the accuracy and velocity of saccades to the remembered locations of visual targets. Remembered saccades were less accurate than control saccades. Both systematic and variable errors contributed to the loss of accuracy. Systematic errors were similar in size for delay intervals ranging from 400 msec to 5.6 sec, but variable errors increased monotonically as delay intervals were lengthened. Compared to control saccades, remembered saccades were slower and the peak velocities were more variable. However, neither peak velocity nor variability in peak velocity was related to the duration of the delay interval. Our findings indicate that a memory-related process is not the major source of the systematic errors observed on memory trials.

HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plans of Sub-Saharan African countries: an analysis for gender equality and sex-disaggregated HIV targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherwood, Jennifer; Sharp, Alana; Cooper, Bergen; Roose-Snyder, Beirne; Blumenthal, Susan

2017-12-01

National Strategic Plans (NSPs) for HIV/AIDS are country planning documents that set priorities for programmes and services, including a set of targets to quantify progress toward national and international goals. The inclusion of sex-disaggregated targets and targets to combat gender inequality is important given the high disease burden among young women and adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet no comprehensive gender-focused analysis of NSP targets has been performed. This analysis quantitatively evaluates national HIV targets, included in NSPs from eighteen Sub-Saharan African countries, for sex-disaggregation. Additionally, NSP targets aimed at reducing gender-based inequality in health outcomes are compiled and inductively coded to report common themes. On average, in the eighteen countries included in this analysis, 31% of NSP targets include sex-disaggregation (range 0-92%). Three countries disaggregated a majority (>50%) of their targets by sex. Sex-disaggregation in data reporting was more common for targets related to the early phases of the HIV care continuum: 83% of countries included any sex-disaggregated targets for HIV prevention, 56% for testing and linkage to care, 22% for improving antiretroviral treatment coverage, and 11% for retention in treatment. The most common target to reduce gender inequality was to prevent gender-based violence (present in 50% of countries). Other commonly incorporated target areas related to improving women's access to family planning, human and legal rights, and decision-making power. The inclusion of sex-disaggregated targets in national planning is vital to ensure that programmes make progress for all population groups. Improving the availability and quality of indicators to measure gender inequality, as well as evaluating programme outcomes by sex, is critical to tracking this progress. This analysis reveals an urgent need to set specific and separate targets for men and women in order to achieve an equitable

HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plans of Sub-Saharan African countries: an analysis for gender equality and sex-disaggregated HIV targets

Science.gov (United States)

Sherwood, Jennifer; Sharp, Alana; Cooper, Bergen; Roose-Snyder, Beirne; Blumenthal, Susan

2017-01-01

Abstract National Strategic Plans (NSPs) for HIV/AIDS are country planning documents that set priorities for programmes and services, including a set of targets to quantify progress toward national and international goals. The inclusion of sex-disaggregated targets and targets to combat gender inequality is important given the high disease burden among young women and adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet no comprehensive gender-focused analysis of NSP targets has been performed. This analysis quantitatively evaluates national HIV targets, included in NSPs from eighteen Sub-Saharan African countries, for sex-disaggregation. Additionally, NSP targets aimed at reducing gender-based inequality in health outcomes are compiled and inductively coded to report common themes. On average, in the eighteen countries included in this analysis, 31% of NSP targets include sex-disaggregation (range 0–92%). Three countries disaggregated a majority (>50%) of their targets by sex. Sex-disaggregation in data reporting was more common for targets related to the early phases of the HIV care continuum: 83% of countries included any sex-disaggregated targets for HIV prevention, 56% for testing and linkage to care, 22% for improving antiretroviral treatment coverage, and 11% for retention in treatment. The most common target to reduce gender inequality was to prevent gender-based violence (present in 50% of countries). Other commonly incorporated target areas related to improving women’s access to family planning, human and legal rights, and decision-making power. The inclusion of sex-disaggregated targets in national planning is vital to ensure that programmes make progress for all population groups. Improving the availability and quality of indicators to measure gender inequality, as well as evaluating programme outcomes by sex, is critical to tracking this progress. This analysis reveals an urgent need to set specific and separate targets for men and women in order to achieve

Sediment transport processes in the Pearl River Estuary as revealed by grain-size end-member modeling and sediment trend analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tao; Li, Tuan-Jie

2018-04-01

The analysis of grain-size distribution enables us to decipher sediment transport processes and understand the causal relations between dynamic processes and grain-size distributions. In the present study, grain sizes were measured from surface sediments collected in the Pearl River Estuary and its adjacent coastal areas. End-member modeling analysis attempts to unmix the grain sizes into geologically meaningful populations. Six grain-size end-members were identified. Their dominant modes are 0 Φ, 1.5 Φ, 2.75 Φ, 4.5 Φ, 7 Φ, and 8 Φ, corresponding to coarse sand, medium sand, fine sand, very coarse silt, silt, and clay, respectively. The spatial distributions of the six end-members are influenced by sediment transport and depositional processes. The two coarsest end-members (coarse sand and medium sand) may reflect relict sediments deposited during the last glacial period. The fine sand end-member would be difficult to transport under fair weather conditions, and likely indicates storm deposits. The three remaining fine-grained end-members (very coarse silt, silt, and clay) are recognized as suspended particles transported by saltwater intrusion via the flood tidal current, the Guangdong Coastal Current, and riverine outflow. The grain-size trend analysis shows distinct transport patterns for the three fine-grained end-members. The landward transport of the very coarse silt end-member occurs in the eastern part of the estuary, the seaward transport of the silt end-member occurs in the western part, and the east-west transport of the clay end-member occurs in the coastal areas. The results show that grain-size end-member modeling analysis in combination with sediment trend analysis help to better understand sediment transport patterns and the associated transport mechanisms.

Subgrouping and TargetEd Exercise pRogrammes for knee and hip OsteoArthritis (STEER OA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holden, Melanie A; Burke, Danielle L; Runhaar, Jos

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Therapeutic exercise is a recommended core treatment for people with knee and hip OA, however, the observed effect sizes for reducing pain and improving physical function are small to moderate. This may...... and (2) mediators of the effect of therapeutic exercise for reducing pain and improving physical function. This will enable optimal targeting and refining the content of future exercise interventions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Systematic review and individual participant data meta-analyses. A previous...... comprehensive systematic review will be updated to identify randomised controlled trials that compare the effects of therapeutic exercise for people with knee and hip OA on pain and physical function to a non-exercise control. Lead authors of eligible trials will be invited to share individual participant data...

Direct uranium isotope ratio analysis of single micrometer-sized glass particles

OpenAIRE

Kappel, Stefanie; Boulyga, Sergei F.; Prohaska, Thomas

2012-01-01

We present the application of nanosecond laser ablation (LA) coupled to a ‘Nu Plasma HR’ multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) for the direct analysis of U isotope ratios in single, 10–20 μm-sized, U-doped glass particles. Method development included studies with respect to (1) external correction of the measured U isotope ratios in glass particles, (2) the applied laser ablation carrier gas (i.e. Ar versus He) and (3) the accurate determination of lower abu...

An assessment of independent component analysis for detection of military targets from hyperspectral images

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, K. C.; Arora, M. K.; Singh, D.

2011-10-01

Hyperspectral data acquired over hundreds of narrow contiguous wavelength bands are extremely suitable for target detection due to their high spectral resolution. Though spectral response of every material is expected to be unique, but in practice, it exhibits variations, which is known as spectral variability. Most target detection algorithms depend on spectral modelling using a priori available target spectra In practice, target spectra is, however, seldom available a priori. Independent component analysis (ICA) is a new evolving technique that aims at finding out components which are statistically independent or as independent as possible. The technique therefore has the potential of being used for target detection applications. A assessment of target detection from hyperspectral images using ICA and other algorithms based on spectral modelling may be of immense interest, since ICA does not require a priori target information. The aim of this paper is, thus, to assess the potential of ICA based algorithm vis a vis other prevailing algorithms for military target detection. Four spectral matching algorithms namely Orthogonal Subspace Projection (OSP), Constrained Energy Minimisation (CEM), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Spectral Correlation Mapper (SCM), and four anomaly detection algorithms namely OSP anomaly detector (OSPAD), Reed-Xiaoli anomaly detector (RXD), Uniform Target Detector (UTD) and a combination of Reed-Xiaoli anomaly detector and Uniform Target Detector (RXD-UTD) were considered. The experiments were conducted using a set of synthetic and AVIRIS hyperspectral images containing aircrafts as military targets. A comparison of true positive and false positive rates of target detections obtained from ICA and other algorithms plotted on a receiver operating curves (ROC) space indicates the superior performance of the ICA over other algorithms.

Neutron performance analysis for ESS target proposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magán, M.; Terrón, S.; Thomsen, K.; Sordo, F.; Perlado, J.M.; Bermejo, F.J.

2012-01-01

In the course of discussing different target types for their suitability in the European Spallation Source (ESS) one main focus was on neutronics' performance. Diverse concepts have been assessed baselining some preliminary engineering and geometrical details and including some optimization. With the restrictions and resulting uncertainty imposed by the lack of detailed designs optimizations at the time of compiling this paper, the conclusion drawn is basically that there is a little difference in the neutronic yield of the investigated targets. Other criteria like safety, environmental compatibility, reliability and cost will thus dominate the choice of an ESS target.

Multi-actinide analysis with AMS for ultra-trace determination and small sample sizes: advantages and drawbacks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quinto, Francesca; Lagos, Markus; Plaschke, Markus; Schaefer, Thorsten; Geckeis, Horst [Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany); Steier, Peter; Golser, Robin [VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna (Austria)

2016-07-01

With the abundance sensitivities of AMS for U-236, Np-237 and Pu-239 relative to U-238 at levels lower than 1E-15, a simultaneous determination of several actinides without previous chemical separation from each other is possible. The actinides are extracted from the matrix elements via an iron hydroxide co-precipitation and the nuclides sequentially measured from the same sputter target. This simplified method allows for the use of non-isotopic tracers and consequently the determination of Np-237 and Am-243 for which isotopic tracers with the degree of purity required by ultra-trace mass-spectrometric analysis are not available. With detection limits of circa 1E+4 atoms in a sample, 1E+8 atoms are determined with circa 1 % relative uncertainty due to counting statistics. This allows for an unprecedented reduction of the sample size down to 100 ml of natural water. However, the use of non-isotopic tracers introduces a dominating uncertainty of up to 30 % related to the reproducibility of the results. The advantages and drawbacks of the novel method will be presented with the aid of recent results from the CFM Project at the Grimsel Test Site and from the investigation of global fallout in environmental samples.

Analysis of litter size and average litter weight in pigs using a recursive model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Varona, Luis; Sorensen, Daniel; Thompson, Robin

2007-01-01

An analysis of litter size and average piglet weight at birth in Landrace and Yorkshire using a standard two-trait mixed model (SMM) and a recursive mixed model (RMM) is presented. The RMM establishes a one-way link from litter size to average piglet weight. It is shown that there is a one......-to-one correspondence between the parameters of SMM and RMM and that they generate equivalent likelihoods. As parameterized in this work, the RMM tests for the presence of a recursive relationship between additive genetic values, permanent environmental effects, and specific environmental effects of litter size......, on average piglet weight. The equivalent standard mixed model tests whether or not the covariance matrices of the random effects have a diagonal structure. In Landrace, posterior predictive model checking supports a model without any form of recursion or, alternatively, a SMM with diagonal covariance...

Visual search for conjunctions of physical and numerical size shows that they are processed independently.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobel, Kenith V; Puri, Amrita M; Faulkenberry, Thomas J; Dague, Taylor D

2017-03-01

The size congruity effect refers to the interaction between numerical magnitude and physical digit size in a symbolic comparison task. Though this effect is well established in the typical 2-item scenario, the mechanisms at the root of the interference remain unclear. Two competing explanations have emerged in the literature: an early interaction model and a late interaction model. In the present study, we used visual conjunction search to test competing predictions from these 2 models. Participants searched for targets that were defined by a conjunction of physical and numerical size. Some distractors shared the target's physical size, and the remaining distractors shared the target's numerical size. We held the total number of search items fixed and manipulated the ratio of the 2 distractor set sizes. The results from 3 experiments converge on the conclusion that numerical magnitude is not a guiding feature for visual search, and that physical and numerical magnitude are processed independently, which supports a late interaction model of the size congruity effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Design study and heat transfer analysis of a neutron converter target for medical radioisotope production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masoud Behzad; Sang-In Bak; Seung-Woo Hong; Jong-Seo Chai; Yacine Kadi; Claudio Tenreiro; University of Talca, Talca

2014-01-01

A worldwide challenge in the near future will be to find a way of producing radioisotopes in sufficient quantity without relying on research reactors. The motivation for this innovative work on targets lies in the accelerator-based production of radioisotopes using a neutron converter target as in the transmutation by adiabatic resonance crossing concept. Thermal analysis of a multi-channel helium cooled device is performed with the computational fluid dynamics code CFX. Different boundary conditions are taken into account in the simulation process and many important parameters such as maximum allowable solid target temperature as well as uniform inlet velocity and outlet pressure changes in the channels are investigated. The results confirm that the cooling configuration works well; hence such a solid target could be operated safely and may be considered for a prototype target. (author)

Size of government and entrepreneurship. Analysis of three groups of countries with different economic development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Carlos Díaz Casero

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the impact of the "size of government" in entrepreneurial activity for countries with different levels of economical development. It has been used the variables "size of government" of the economic freedom indices released by the Economic Freedom Network (2000-2009 and by The Heritage Foundation (2000-2011, and the variables of "entrepreneurship" released by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Furthermore, the same analysis has been carried out grouping the countries by development level, following the classification elaborated by the World Economic Forum. Statistical analyses of correlations have shown that the “size of government” is related to entrepreneurship. The variables "Size of Government: Expenditures, Taxes and Enterprises" and " Government Size” have revealed a positive correlation with the total, opportunity and necessity entrepreneurial activity indices for the economies based on efficiency and innovation, thus less taxes on income and lower government spending, increase the entrepreneurship of the country. In “factor driven economies”, there is no relationship between the size of government and entrepreneurship

Size fraction assaying of gold bearing rocks (for gold extraction) by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, K.; Dampare, S.B.; Addo, M.A.; Osae, S.; Adotey, D.K.; Adomako, D.

2005-01-01

A novel method has been developed for processing and extraction of gold from gold bearing rocks for use by small-scale gold miners in Ghana. The methodology involved crushing of gold bearing hard rocks to fine particles to form a composite sample and screening at a range of sizes. Gold distribution in the composite sample was determined as a function of particle size by using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The concentrations of gold for the corresponding particle sizes were 16.4 ± 0.17mg/kg for sizes <63μm; 161± 0.75 mg/kg for 63 - 125 μm, 0.53 + 0.03 mg/kg for 125 - 250 μm, 4.66± 0.07 mg/kg for 250 - 355 μm, 1.55 ± 0.06 for 355 - 425 μm, 0.80 ± 0.008 mg/kg for 425 -1000 μm, and 1.27 + 0.05 mg/kg for 1000-2000 μm. The average gold content in a 7.127 kg composite sample based on particle size found to be 3.08 mg/kg. (au)

Malware Analysis: From Large-Scale Data Triage to Targeted Attack Recognition (Dagstuhl Seminar 17281)

OpenAIRE

Zennou, Sarah; Debray, Saumya K.; Dullien, Thomas; Lakhothia, Arun

2018-01-01

This report summarizes the program and the outcomes of the Dagstuhl Seminar 17281, entitled "Malware Analysis: From Large-Scale Data Triage to Targeted Attack Recognition". The seminar brought together practitioners and researchers from industry and academia to discuss the state-of-the art in the analysis of malware from both a big data perspective and a fine grained analysis. Obfuscation was also considered. The meeting created new links within this very diverse community.

Geometric size optimization and behavior analysis of a dual-cooled annular fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Yangbin; Wu Yingwei; Zhang Dalin; Tian Wenxi; Qiu Suizheng; Su Guanghui; Zhang Weixu; Wu Junmei

2014-01-01

The dual-cooled annular fuel is one of the innovative fuel concepts, which allows substantial power density increase while maintaining safety margins comparing with that used in currently operating PWRs. In this study, a thermal-hydraulic calculation code, on the basis of inner and outer cooling balance theory, was independently developed to optimize the geometric size of dual-cooled annular fuel elements. The optimization results show that the fuel element with the optimal geometric sizes presents fantastic symmetry in temperature distribution. The optimized geometric sizes agree well with the sizes obtained by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), which on the other side validates the code reliability and accuracy as well. In addition, a thermo-mechanical-burnup coupling code was developed to study the thermodynamic and mechanical characteristics of fuel elements with considering the irradiation and burnup effects. This coupling program was applied to perform the behavior analysis of annular fuels. The calculation results show that, when the power density increases on the order of up to 50%, the dual-cooled annular fuel elements have much lower fuel temperature and much less fission gas release comparing with conventional fuel rods. Furthermore, the results indicate that the thicknesses of inner and outer gas gap cannot remain the same with the burnup increasing due to the mechanical deformations of fuel pellets and claddings, which results in significantly asymmetric temperature distribution especially at the last phase of burnup. (author)

Identification of putative drug targets in Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) using computer aided protein data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Md Anayet; Khan, Md Arif; Sharmin, Tahmina; Hasan Mazumder, Md Habibul; Chowdhury, Afrin Sultana

2016-01-01

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) is a Gram-positive, facultative aerobic bacterium which is evolved from the extensive exposure of Vancomycin to Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) that had become the most common cause of hospital and community-acquired infections. Due to the emergence of different antibiotic resistance strains, there is an exigency to develop novel drug targets to address the provocation of multidrug-resistant bacteria. In this study, in-silico genome subtraction methodology was used to design potential and pathogen specific drug targets against VRSA. Our study divulged 1987 proteins from the proteome of 34,549 proteins, which have no homologues in human genome after sequential analysis through CD-HIT and BLASTp. The high stringency analysis of the remaining proteins against database of essential genes (DEG) resulted in 169 proteins which are essential for S. aureus. Metabolic pathway analysis of human host and pathogen by KAAS at the KEGG server sorted out 19 proteins involved in unique metabolic pathways. 26 human non-homologous membrane-bound essential proteins including 4 which were also involved in unique metabolic pathway were deduced through PSORTb, CELLO v.2.5, ngLOC. Functional classification of uncharacterized proteins through SVMprot derived 7 human non-homologous membrane-bound hypothetical essential proteins. Study of potential drug target against Drug Bank revealed pbpA-penicillin-binding protein 1 and hypothetical protein MQW_01796 as the best drug target candidate. 2D structure was predicted by PRED-TMBB, 3D structure and functional analysis was also performed. Protein-protein interaction network of potential drug target proteins was analyzed by using STRING. The identified drug targets are expected to have great potential for designing novel drugs against VRSA infections and further screening of the compounds against these new targets may result in the discovery of novel therapeutic compounds that can be

Attractive target wave patterns in complex networks consisting of excitable nodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Li-Sheng; Mi Yuan-Yuan; Liao Xu-Hong; Qian Yu; Hu Gang

2014-01-01

This review describes the investigations of oscillatory complex networks consisting of excitable nodes, focusing on the target wave patterns or say the target wave attractors. A method of dominant phase advanced driving (DPAD) is introduced to reveal the dynamic structures in the networks supporting oscillations, such as the oscillation sources and the main excitation propagation paths from the sources to the whole networks. The target center nodes and their drivers are regarded as the key nodes which can completely determine the corresponding target wave patterns. Therefore, the center (say node A) and its driver (say node B) of a target wave can be used as a label, (A,B), of the given target pattern. The label can give a clue to conveniently retrieve, suppress, and control the target waves. Statistical investigations, both theoretically from the label analysis and numerically from direct simulations of network dynamics, show that there exist huge numbers of target wave attractors in excitable complex networks if the system size is large, and all these attractors can be labeled and easily controlled based on the information given by the labels. The possible applications of the physical ideas and the mathematical methods about multiplicity and labelability of attractors to memory problems of neural networks are briefly discussed. (topical review - statistical physics and complex systems)

THE EFFECT OF GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS FOR POSTFLOTATION SEDIMENTS ON ASSESSMENT OF THEIR APPLICABILITY IN EARTH STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Walczak

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the comparison of the results of laboratory tests of postflotation sediments grain size distributions, originating from the copper ore flotation process. The paper also presents the results of statistical analysis conducted on grain size parameters. Statistically significant differences were shown in the assessment of grain size distribution, which result from the selection of the research procedure. A comparison of results recorded for wet and dry sieving methods was conducted within a group of the same samples of postflotation deposits. The selection of an appropriate research method and procedure should also be preceded by a thorough analysis and preliminary determination of the soil medium. A correctly determined grain size distribution is essential for its further classification and then, through grain size criteria, for the assessment of suitability of the analysed material in earth structure construction. This problem is of even greater importance in the case of anthropogenic soils, which are used to construct dams or seal hydroengineering structures. In practical terms knowledge on the limitations resulting from the application of a given method prevents erroneous conclusions on research results. This problem may be perfectly illustrated based on the selection of a method assessing parameters and soil grain size distributions.

Growth, characterization and estimation of lattice strain and size in CdS nanoparticles: X-ray peak profile analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Solanki, Rekha Garg; Rajaram, Poolla; Bajpai, P. K.

2018-05-01

This work is based on the growth, characterization and estimation of lattice strain and crystallite size in CdS nanoparticles by X-ray peak profile analysis. The CdS nanoparticles were synthesized by a non-aqueous solvothermal method and were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy. XRD confirms that the CdS nanoparticles have the hexagonal structure. The Williamson-Hall (W-H) method was used to study the X-ray peak profile analysis. The strain-size plot (SSP) was used to study the individual contributions of crystallite size and lattice strain from the X-rays peaks. The physical parameters such as strain, stress and energy density values were calculated using various models namely, isotropic strain model, anisotropic strain model and uniform deformation energy density model. The particle size was estimated from the TEM images to be in the range of 20-40 nm. The Raman spectrum shows the characteristic optical 1LO and 2LO vibrational modes of CdS. UV-visible absorption studies show that the band gap of the CdS nanoparticles is 2.48 eV. The results show that the crystallite size estimated from Scherrer's formula, W-H plots, SSP and the particle size calculated by TEM images are approximately similar.

Alpha-spectrometry and fractal analysis of surface micro-images for characterisation of porous materials used in manufacture of targets for laser plasma experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aushev, A A; Barinov, S P; Vasin, M G; Drozdov, Yu M; Ignat' ev, Yu V; Izgorodin, V M; Kovshov, D K; Lakhtikov, A E; Lukovkina, D D; Markelov, V V; Morovov, A P; Shishlov, V V [Russian Federal Nuclear Center ' All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics' , Sarov, Nizhnii Novgorod region (Russian Federation)

2015-06-30

We present the results of employing the alpha-spectrometry method to determine the characteristics of porous materials used in targets for laser plasma experiments. It is shown that the energy spectrum of alpha-particles, after their passage through porous samples, allows one to determine the distribution of their path length in the foam skeleton. We describe the procedure of deriving such a distribution, excluding both the distribution broadening due to statistical nature of the alpha-particle interaction with an atomic structure (straggling) and hardware effects. The fractal analysis of micro-images is applied to the same porous surface samples that have been studied by alpha-spectrometry. The fractal dimension and size distribution of the number of the foam skeleton grains are obtained. Using the data obtained, a distribution of the total foam skeleton thickness along a chosen direction is constructed. It roughly coincides with the path length distribution of alpha-particles within a range of larger path lengths. It is concluded that the combined use of the alpha-spectrometry method and fractal analysis of images will make it possible to determine the size distribution of foam skeleton grains (or pores). The results can be used as initial data in theoretical studies on propagation of the laser and X-ray radiation in specific porous samples. (laser plasma)

Sizing a solar dish Stirling micro-CHP system for residential application in diverse climatic conditions based on 3E analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moghadam, Ramin Shabanpour; Sayyaadi, Hoseyn; Hosseinzade, Hadi

2013-01-01

Highlights: • 3E analysis was performed on solar CHP systems. • Significant primary energy saving and greenhouse gas reduction were obtained. • The engine was sized so that it had the best economic sound. • Various criteria at different weathers were used for sizing the engine. - Abstract: A solar dish Stirling cogeneration system is considered to provide energy demands of a residential building. As energy demands of the building and output power of the engine are functions of weather condition and solar irradiation flux, the benchmark building was considered to be located in five different cities in Iran with diverse climatic and solar irradiation conditions. The proposed solar dish Stirling micro-CHP system was analyzed based on 3E analysis. The 3E analysis evaluated primary energy saving analysis (energy analysis), carbon dioxide emission reduction (environmental analysis) and payback period for return of investment (economic analysis) and was compared to a reference building that utilized primary energy carriers for its demands. Three scenarios were considered for assessment and sizing the solar dish Stirling engine. In the first scenario, size of the solar dish Stirling engine was selected based on the lowest annual electric power demand while, in second, the highest annual electric power consumption was considered to specify size of the engine. In the third scenario, a solar dish Stirling engine with constant output capacity was considered for the five locations. It was shown that implementing the solar dish Stirling micro-CHP system had good potential in primary energy saving and carbon dioxide emission reduction in all scenarios and acceptable payback period for return of the investment in some scenarios. Finally, the best scenario for selecting size of the engine in each city was introduced using the TOPSIS decision making method. It was demonstrated that, for dry weather, the first scenario was the best while, for hot and humid cities and

Automated quantification and sizing of unbranched filamentous cyanobacteria by model based object oriented image analysis

OpenAIRE

Zeder, M; Van den Wyngaert, S; Köster, O; Felder, K M; Pernthaler, J

2010-01-01

Quantification and sizing of filamentous cyanobacteria in environmental samples or cultures are time-consuming and are often performed by using manual or semiautomated microscopic analysis. Automation of conventional image analysis is difficult because filaments may exhibit great variations in length and patchy autofluorescence. Moreover, individual filaments frequently cross each other in microscopic preparations, as deduced by modeling. This paper describes a novel approach based on object-...

Maneuver Analysis and Targeting Strategy for the Stardust Re-Entry Capsule

Science.gov (United States)

Helfrich, Cliff; Bhat, Ramachand S.; Kangas, Julie A.; Wilson, Roby S.; Wong, Mau C.; Potts, Christopher L.; Williams, Kenneth E.

2006-01-01

The Stardust Sample Return Capsule (SRC) returned to Earth on January 15, 2006 after seven years of collecting interstellar and comet particles over three heliocentric revolutions, as shown in Figure 1. The SRC was carried on board the Stardust spacecraft, as shown in Figure 2. Because the spacecraft was built with unbalanced thrusters, turns and attitude control maintenance resulted in undesirable delta-v being imparted to the trajectory. As a result, a carefully planned maneuver strategy was devised to accurately target the Stardust capsule to the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). This paper provides an overview of the Stardust spacecraft and mission and describes the maneuver strategy that was employed to achieve the stringent targeting requirements for landing in Utah. In addition, an overview of Stardust maneuver analysis tools and techniques will also be presented.

Identification of Cell Surface Targets through Meta-analysis of Microarray Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henry Haeberle

2012-07-01

Full Text Available High-resolution image guidance for resection of residual tumor cells would enable more precise and complete excision for more effective treatment of cancers, such as medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain cancer. Numerous studies have shown that brain tumor patient outcomes correlate with the precision of resection. To enable guided resection with molecular specificity and cellular resolution, molecular probes that effectively delineate brain tumor boundaries are essential. Therefore, we developed a bioinformatics approach to analyze micro-array datasets for the identification of transcripts that encode candidate cell surface biomarkers that are highly enriched in medulloblastoma. The results identified 380 genes with greater than a two-fold increase in the expression in the medulloblastoma compared with that in the normal cerebellum. To enrich for targets with accessibility for extracellular molecular probes, we further refined this list by filtering it with gene ontology to identify genes with protein localization on, or within, the plasma membrane. To validate this meta-analysis, the top 10 candidates were evaluated with immunohistochemistry. We identified two targets, fibrillin 2 and EphA3, which specifically stain medulloblastoma. These results demonstrate a novel bioinformatics approach that successfully identified cell surface and extracellular candidate markers enriched in medulloblastoma versus adjacent cerebellum. These two proteins are high-value targets for the development of tumor-specific probes in medulloblastoma. This bioinformatics method has broad utility for the identification of accessible molecular targets in a variety of cancers and will enable probe development for guided resection.

Ciprofloxacin nano-niosomes for targeting intracellular infections: an in vitro evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akbari, Vajihe; Abedi, Daryoush; Pardakhty, Abbas; Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat

2013-01-01

In order to propose non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) for the treatment of intracellular infections, a remote loading method (active drug encapsulation) followed by sonication was used to prepare nano-niosome formulations containing ciprofloxacin (CPFX). Size analysis, size distribution and zeta potentials of niosomes were evaluated and then their antimicrobial activity, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, intracellular distribution, and antibacterial activity against intracellular Staphylococcus aureus infection of murine macrophage-like, J774, cells were investigated in comparison to free drug. Our findings reveal that size and composition of the niosome formula can influence their in vitro biological properties. Vesicles in the 300–600 nm size range were phagocytosed to a greater degree by macrophages in comparison to other size vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CPFX-loaded niosomes were two to eightfold lower than MICs of free CPFX. In addition, niosome encapsulation of CPFX provided high intracellular antimicrobial activities while free CPFX is ineffective for eradicating intracellular forms of S. aureus. Encapsulation of CPFX in niosomes generally decreased its in vitro cytotoxicity. Our results show that niosomes are suitable drug delivery systems with good efficacy and safety properties to be proposed for drug targeting against intracellular infections.

Ciprofloxacin nano-niosomes for targeting intracellular infections: an in vitro evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akbari, Vajihe; Abedi, Daryoush [Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Pardakhty, Abbas [Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Pharmaceutics Research Center (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat, E-mail: sadeghi@pharm.mui.ac.ir [Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-04-15

In order to propose non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) for the treatment of intracellular infections, a remote loading method (active drug encapsulation) followed by sonication was used to prepare nano-niosome formulations containing ciprofloxacin (CPFX). Size analysis, size distribution and zeta potentials of niosomes were evaluated and then their antimicrobial activity, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, intracellular distribution, and antibacterial activity against intracellular Staphylococcus aureus infection of murine macrophage-like, J774, cells were investigated in comparison to free drug. Our findings reveal that size and composition of the niosome formula can influence their in vitro biological properties. Vesicles in the 300-600 nm size range were phagocytosed to a greater degree by macrophages in comparison to other size vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CPFX-loaded niosomes were two to eightfold lower than MICs of free CPFX. In addition, niosome encapsulation of CPFX provided high intracellular antimicrobial activities while free CPFX is ineffective for eradicating intracellular forms of S. aureus. Encapsulation of CPFX in niosomes generally decreased its in vitro cytotoxicity. Our results show that niosomes are suitable drug delivery systems with good efficacy and safety properties to be proposed for drug targeting against intracellular infections.

A longitudinal analysis of search engine index size

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch, A.P.J. van den; Bogers, T.; Kunder, M. de; Salah, A. A.; Tonta, Y.; Salah, A. A. A.; Sugimoto, C.; Al, U.

2015-01-01

One of the determining factors of the quality of Web search engines is the size and quality of their index. In addition to its influence on search result quality, the size of the indexed Web can also tell us something about which parts of the WWW are directly accessible to the everyday user. We

In-silico Metabolome Target Analysis Towards PanC-based Antimycobacterial Agent Discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshkholgh-Sima, Baharak; Sardari, Soroush; Izadi Mobarakeh, Jalal; Khavari-Nejad, Ramezan Ali

2015-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the main cause of tuberculosis (TB), has still remained a global health crisis especially in developing countries. Tuberculosis treatment is a laborious and lengthy process with high risk of noncompliance, cytotoxicity adverse events and drug resistance in patient. Recently, there has been an alarming rise of drug resistant in TB. In this regard, it is an unmet need to develop novel antitubercular medicines that target new or more effective biochemical pathways to prevent drug resistant Mycobacterium. Integrated study of metabolic pathways through in-silico approach played a key role in antimycobacterial design process in this study. Our results suggest that pantothenate synthetase (PanC), anthranilate phosphoribosyl transferase (TrpD) and 3-isopropylmalate dehydratase (LeuD) might be appropriate drug targets. In the next step, in-silico ligand analysis was used for more detailed study of chemical tractability of targets. This was helpful to identify pantothenate synthetase (PanC, Rv3602c) as the best target for antimycobacterial design procedure. Virtual library screening on the best ligand of PanC was then performed for inhibitory ligand design. At the end, five chemical intermediates showed significant inhibition of Mycobacterium bovis with good selectivity indices (SI) ≥10 according to Tuberculosis Antimicrobial Acquisition & Coordinating Facility of US criteria for antimycobacterial screening programs.

Genome-wide identification of the regulatory targets of a transcription factor using biochemical characterization and computational genomic analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolly Emmitt R

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A major challenge in computational genomics is the development of methodologies that allow accurate genome-wide prediction of the regulatory targets of a transcription factor. We present a method for target identification that combines experimental characterization of binding requirements with computational genomic analysis. Results Our method identified potential target genes of the transcription factor Ndt80, a key transcriptional regulator involved in yeast sporulation, using the combined information of binding affinity, positional distribution, and conservation of the binding sites across multiple species. We have also developed a mathematical approach to compute the false positive rate and the total number of targets in the genome based on the multiple selection criteria. Conclusion We have shown that combining biochemical characterization and computational genomic analysis leads to accurate identification of the genome-wide targets of a transcription factor. The method can be extended to other transcription factors and can complement other genomic approaches to transcriptional regulation.

A new database sub-system for grain-size analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Suckow, Axel

2013-04-01

Detailed grain-size analyses of large depth profiles for palaeoclimate studies create large amounts of data. For instance (Novothny et al., 2011) presented a depth profile of grain-size analyses with 2 cm resolution and a total depth of more than 15 m, where each sample was measured with 5 repetitions on a Beckman Coulter LS13320 with 116 channels. This adds up to a total of more than four million numbers. Such amounts of data are not easily post-processed by spreadsheets or standard software; also MS Access databases would face serious performance problems. The poster describes a database sub-system dedicated to grain-size analyses. It expands the LabData database and laboratory management system published by Suckow and Dumke (2001). This compatibility with a very flexible database system provides ease to import the grain-size data, as well as the overall infrastructure of also storing geographic context and the ability to organize content like comprising several samples into one set or project. It also allows easy export and direct plot generation of final data in MS Excel. The sub-system allows automated import of raw data from the Beckman Coulter LS13320 Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer. During post processing MS Excel is used as a data display, but no number crunching is implemented in Excel. Raw grain size spectra can be exported and controlled as Number- Surface- and Volume-fractions, while single spectra can be locked for further post-processing. From the spectra the usual statistical values (i.e. mean, median) can be computed as well as fractions larger than a grain size, smaller than a grain size, fractions between any two grain sizes or any ratio of such values. These deduced values can be easily exported into Excel for one or more depth profiles. However, such a reprocessing for large amounts of data also allows new display possibilities: normally depth profiles of grain-size data are displayed only with summarized parameters like the clay

LIQHYSMES-size, loss and cost considerations for the SMES-a conceptual analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sander, Michael; Neumann, Holger

2011-01-01

A new energy storage concept for variable renewable energy, LIQHYSMES, has been proposed which combines the use of liquid hydrogen (LH 2 ) with superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES). LH 2 with its high volumetric energy density and, compared with compressed hydrogen, increased operational safety is the prime energy carrier for large scale stationary energy storage. But balancing load or supply fluctuations with hydrogen alone is unrealistic due to the response times of the flow control. To operate the hydrogen part more steadily, additional short-term electrical energy storage is needed. For this purpose a SMES based on coated conductors or magnesium diboride MgB 2 operated in the LH 2 bath, is proposed. Different solenoidal and toroidal SMES designs for the 10 GJ range are compared in terms of size and ramping losses. Cost targets for different power levels and supply periods are addressed, taking into account current developments in competing short-term storage devices like super-capacitors, batteries and flywheels.

LIQHYSMES—size, loss and cost considerations for the SMES—a conceptual analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sander, Michael; Neumann, Holger

2011-10-01

A new energy storage concept for variable renewable energy, LIQHYSMES, has been proposed which combines the use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) with superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES). LH2 with its high volumetric energy density and, compared with compressed hydrogen, increased operational safety is the prime energy carrier for large scale stationary energy storage. But balancing load or supply fluctuations with hydrogen alone is unrealistic due to the response times of the flow control. To operate the hydrogen part more steadily, additional short-term electrical energy storage is needed. For this purpose a SMES based on coated conductors or magnesium diboride MgB2 operated in the LH2 bath, is proposed. Different solenoidal and toroidal SMES designs for the 10 GJ range are compared in terms of size and ramping losses. Cost targets for different power levels and supply periods are addressed, taking into account current developments in competing short-term storage devices like super-capacitors, batteries and flywheels.

Right on Target, or Is it? The Role of Distributional Shape in Variance Targeting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislav Anatolyev

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Estimation of GARCH models can be simplified by augmenting quasi-maximum likelihood (QML estimation with variance targeting, which reduces the degree of parameterization and facilitates estimation. We compare the two approaches and investigate, via simulations, how non-normality features of the return distribution affect the quality of estimation of the volatility equation and corresponding value-at-risk predictions. We find that most GARCH coefficients and associated predictions are more precisely estimated when no variance targeting is employed. Bias properties are exacerbated for a heavier-tailed distribution of standardized returns, while the distributional asymmetry has little or moderate impact, these phenomena tending to be more pronounced under variance targeting. Some effects further intensify if one uses ML based on a leptokurtic distribution in place of normal QML. The sample size has also a more favorable effect on estimation precision when no variance targeting is used. Thus, if computational costs are not prohibitive, variance targeting should probably be avoided.

Automating data analysis for two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry non-targeted analysis of comparative samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Titaley, Ivan A; Ogba, O Maduka; Chibwe, Leah; Hoh, Eunha; Cheong, Paul H-Y; Simonich, Staci L Massey

2018-03-16

Non-targeted analysis of environmental samples, using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/ToF-MS), poses significant data analysis challenges due to the large number of possible analytes. Non-targeted data analysis of complex mixtures is prone to human bias and is laborious, particularly for comparative environmental samples such as contaminated soil pre- and post-bioremediation. To address this research bottleneck, we developed OCTpy, a Python™ script that acts as a data reduction filter to automate GC × GC/ToF-MS data analysis from LECO ® ChromaTOF ® software and facilitates selection of analytes of interest based on peak area comparison between comparative samples. We used data from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated soil, pre- and post-bioremediation, to assess the effectiveness of OCTpy in facilitating the selection of analytes that have formed or degraded following treatment. Using datasets from the soil extracts pre- and post-bioremediation, OCTpy selected, on average, 18% of the initial suggested analytes generated by the LECO ® ChromaTOF ® software Statistical Compare feature. Based on this list, 63-100% of the candidate analytes identified by a highly trained individual were also selected by OCTpy. This process was accomplished in several minutes per sample, whereas manual data analysis took several hours per sample. OCTpy automates the analysis of complex mixtures of comparative samples, reduces the potential for human error during heavy data handling and decreases data analysis time by at least tenfold. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser targets: introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosen, M.D.

1985-01-01

The laser target design group was engaged in three main tasks in 1984: (1) analyzing Novette implosion and hohlraum-scaling data, (2) planning for the first experiments on Nova, and (3) designing laboratory x-ray laser targets and experiments. The Novette implosion and hohlraum scaling data are mostly classified and are therefore not discussed in detail here. The authors achieved average final/initial pusher pr ratios of about 50, some 3 times higher than the value achieved in the best Shiva shots. These pr values imply a fuel compression to 100 times liquid density, although this figure and other aspects of the experiments are subject to further interpretation because of detailed questions of target symmetry and stability. Their main long-term goal for Nova is to produce a so-called hydrodynamically equivalent target (HET) - that is, a target whose hydrodynamic behavior (implosion velocity, convergence ratio, symmetry and stability requirements, etc.) is very much like that of a high-gain target, but one that is scaled down in size to match the energy available from Nova and is too small to achieve enough hot-spot pr to ignite the cold, near-Fermi-degenerate fuel around it. Their goal for Nova's first year is to do experiments that will teach them how to achieve the symmetry and stability conditions required by an HET

Tritium target manufacturing for use in accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Bach, P.; Monnin, C.; Van Rompay, M.; Ballanger, A.

2001-07-01

As a neutron tube manufacturer, SODERN is now in charge of manufacturing tritium targets for accelerators, in cooperation with CEA/DAM/DTMN in Valduc. Specific deuterium and tritium targets are manufactured on request, according to the requirements of the users, starting from titanium target on copper substrate, and going to more sophisticated devices. A wide range of possible uses is covered, including thin targets for neutron calibration, thick targets with controlled loading of deuterium and tritium, rotating targets for higher lifetimes, or large size rotating targets for accelerators used in boron neutron therapy. Activity of targets lies in the 1 to 1000 Curie, diameter of targets being up to 30 cm. Special targets are also considered, including surface layer targets for lowering tritium desorption under irradiation, or those made from different kinds of occluders such as titanium, zirconium, erbium, scandium, with different substrates. It is then possible to optimize either neutron output, or lifetime and stability, or thermal behavior.

Ranking of microRNA target prediction scores by Pareto front analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahoo, Sudhakar; Albrecht, Andreas A

2010-12-01

Over the past ten years, a variety of microRNA target prediction methods has been developed, and many of the methods are constantly improved and adapted to recent insights into miRNA-mRNA interactions. In a typical scenario, different methods return different rankings of putative targets, even if the ranking is reduced to selected mRNAs that are related to a specific disease or cell type. For the experimental validation it is then difficult to decide in which order to process the predicted miRNA-mRNA bindings, since each validation is a laborious task and therefore only a limited number of mRNAs can be analysed. We propose a new ranking scheme that combines ranked predictions from several methods and - unlike standard thresholding methods - utilises the concept of Pareto fronts as defined in multi-objective optimisation. In the present study, we attempt a proof of concept by applying the new ranking scheme to hsa-miR-21, hsa-miR-125b, and hsa-miR-373 and prediction scores supplied by PITA and RNAhybrid. The scores are interpreted as a two-objective optimisation problem, and the elements of the Pareto front are ranked by the STarMir score with a subsequent re-calculation of the Pareto front after removal of the top-ranked mRNA from the basic set of prediction scores. The method is evaluated on validated targets of the three miRNA, and the ranking is compared to scores from DIANA-microT and TargetScan. We observed that the new ranking method performs well and consistent, and the first validated targets are elements of Pareto fronts at a relatively early stage of the recurrent procedure, which encourages further research towards a higher-dimensional analysis of Pareto fronts. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grain-size effects on PIXE and INAA analysis of IAEA-336 lichen reference material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marques, A.P.; Freitas, M.C.; Wolterbeek, H.Th.; Verburg, T.G.; Goeij, J.J.M. de

2007-01-01

IAEA-336 lichen certified reference material was used to compare outcomes from INAA and PIXE elemental analyses, in relationship with grain size. The IAEA material (grain size <125 μm) was ground and sieved through nylon nets with 64 μm, 41 μm and 20 μm pores. Particle sizes were determined by Laser Light Scattering technique: the data indicate that, after sieving, the IAEA-336 lichen reference material's particle size distribution follows a bimodal distribution, which is turning more and more monomodal after further fine sieving. Replicates of each fraction were analysed by INAA and PIXE. Results for Cl, K, Mn, Fe and Zn by both techniques were compared by application of z-values tested against the criterion vertical bar z vertical bar < 3 for approval of results at the 99.7% confidence level. Under the conditions of this study, the limited amount of lichen material as 'seen' in the PIXE analysis and the grain size distribution in the lichen material were no causes of measurable differences between the results of both techniques. However, fractionation into smaller grain sizes showed to be associated with lower element content, for Na, Cl, K, Mn and Sr even up to a factor of 2. The observed increases of the proportion of algae in the smaller grain-size fractions and the possible accumulation capacity for certain elements in the fungal part of the lichen may explain the observed phenomenon. The sieving process and consequently the discarding of part of the material have lead to a change of the properties of the original sample, namely algae/fungus percentage and elemental contents

Improved target detection and bearing estimation utilizing fast orthogonal search for real-time spectral analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osman, Abdalla; El-Sheimy, Naser; Nourledin, Aboelamgd; Theriault, Jim; Campbell, Scott

2009-01-01

The problem of target detection and tracking in the ocean environment has attracted considerable attention due to its importance in military and civilian applications. Sonobuoys are one of the capable passive sonar systems used in underwater target detection. Target detection and bearing estimation are mainly obtained through spectral analysis of received signals. The frequency resolution introduced by current techniques is limited which affects the accuracy of target detection and bearing estimation at a relatively low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This research investigates the development of a bearing estimation method using fast orthogonal search (FOS) for enhanced spectral estimation. FOS is employed in this research in order to improve both target detection and bearing estimation in the case of low SNR inputs. The proposed methods were tested using simulated data developed for two different scenarios under different underwater environmental conditions. The results show that the proposed method is capable of enhancing the accuracy for target detection as well as bearing estimation especially in cases of a very low SNR

Intensity modulated radiosurgery for the spine: Dosimetric impact of beamlet size variation in the leaf travel direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Joo Young; Shin, Hyun Soo; Kim, Ja Young; Park, Hyeli; Kim, Sung Joon

2011-01-01

Background and purpose: To investigate the dosimetric impact of beamlet size in the leaf travel direction for the spinal treatment using intensity-modulated radiosurgery (IMRS). Materials and methods: The IMRS plans of ten patients (11 lesions - 6 thoracic, 2 cervical, 3 lumbar) were re-planned using four different beamlet sizes (1, 2, 5, and 10 mm) - in the leaf travel direction, while keeping the Y-dimension by multi-leaf collimator (MLC) width fixed, and compared to the reference plan with beamlet size of 3 mm. To evaluate the beamlet size effect, target volumes (coverage, conformity, and size effect), organ at risks (OARS) (doses to the spinal cord, lung and kidneys), and integral dose, and monitor units (MUs) were calculated. Results: Target coverage and dose conformity for planning target volume (PTV) were not correlated with beamlet size. Maximum (p = 0.000) and mean (p = 0.000) spinal cord doses decreased by 4.0% and 3.4% from 23.4% and 28.6% as beamlet size decreased from 10 to 1 mm. The integral doses, MUs and doses to other organs increased at smaller beamlet sizes. MUs for a beamlet size of 10 mm decreased by 31.4%, as compared with that at the reference beamlet size. Conclusions: Despite no dosimetric benefits with respect to target volume and an MU increase, a definite dose reduction was observed at the spinal cord for smaller beamlet sizes. Treatment with IMRS planning for the spine will benefit from the use of a beamlet size between 2 and 4 mm.

Data analysis algorithms for flaw sizing based on eddy current rotating probe examination of steam generator tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakhtiari, S.; Elmer, T.W.

2009-01-01

Computer-aided data analysis tools can help improve the efficiency and reliability of flaw sizing based on nondestructive examination data. They can further help produce more consistent results, which is important for both in-service inspection applications and for engineering assessments associated with steam generator tube integrity. Results of recent investigations at Argonne on the development of various algorithms for sizing of flaws in steam generator tubes based on eddy current rotating probe data are presented. The research was carried out as part of the activities under the International Steam Generator Tube Integrity Program (ISG-TIP) sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. A computer-aided data analysis tool has been developed for off-line processing of eddy current inspection data. The main objectives of the work have been to a) allow all data processing stages to be performed under the same user interface, b) simplify modification and testing of signal processing and data analysis scripts, and c) allow independent evaluation of viable flaw sizing algorithms. The focus of most recent studies at Argonne has been on the processing of data acquired with the +Point probe, which is one of the more widely used eddy current rotating probes for steam generator tube examinations in the U.S. The probe employs a directional surface riding differential coil, which helps reduce the influence of tubing artifacts and in turn helps improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Various algorithms developed under the MATLAB environment for the conversion, segmentation, calibration, and analysis of data have been consolidated within a single user interface. Data acquired with a number of standard eddy current test equipment are automatically recognized and converted to a standard format for further processing. Because of its modular structure, the graphical user interface allows user-developed routines to be easily incorporated, modified, and tested independent of the

Signal processing, sensor fusion, and target recognition; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 20-22, 1992

Science.gov (United States)

Libby, Vibeke; Kadar, Ivan

Consideration is given to a multiordered mapping technique for target prioritization, a neural network approach to multiple-target-tracking problems, a multisensor fusion algorithm for multitarget multibackground classification, deconvolutiom of multiple images of the same object, neural networks and genetic algorithms for combinatorial optimization of sensor data fusion, classification of atmospheric acoustic signals from fixed-wing aircraft, and an optics approach to sensor fusion for target recognition. Also treated are a zoom lens for automatic target recognition, a hybrid model for the analysis of radar sensors, an innovative test bed for developing and assessing air-to-air noncooperative target identification algorithms, SAR imagery scene segmentation using fractal processing, sonar feature-based bandwidth compression, laboratory experiments for a new sonar system, computational algorithms for discrete transform using fixed-size filter matrices, and pattern recognition for power systems.

Canonical correlation analysis of infant's size at birth and maternal factors: a study in rural northwest Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabir, Alamgir; Merrill, Rebecca D; Shamim, Abu Ahmed; Klemn, Rolf D W; Labrique, Alain B; Christian, Parul; West, Keith P; Nasser, Mohammed

2014-01-01

This analysis was conducted to explore the association between 5 birth size measurements (weight, length and head, chest and mid-upper arm [MUAC] circumferences) as dependent variables and 10 maternal factors as independent variables using canonical correlation analysis (CCA). CCA considers simultaneously sets of dependent and independent variables and, thus, generates a substantially reduced type 1 error. Data were from women delivering a singleton live birth (n = 14,506) while participating in a double-masked, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled maternal vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation trial in rural Bangladesh. The first canonical correlation was 0.42 (P<0.001), demonstrating a moderate positive correlation mainly between the 5 birth size measurements and 5 maternal factors (preterm delivery, early pregnancy MUAC, infant sex, age and parity). A significant interaction between infant sex and preterm delivery on birth size was also revealed from the score plot. Thirteen percent of birth size variability was explained by the composite score of the maternal factors (Redundancy, RY/X = 0.131). Given an ability to accommodate numerous relationships and reduce complexities of multiple comparisons, CCA identified the 5 maternal variables able to predict birth size in this rural Bangladesh setting. CCA may offer an efficient, practical and inclusive approach to assessing the association between two sets of variables, addressing the innate complexity of interactions.

Canonical correlation analysis of infant's size at birth and maternal factors: a study in rural northwest Bangladesh.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alamgir Kabir

Full Text Available This analysis was conducted to explore the association between 5 birth size measurements (weight, length and head, chest and mid-upper arm [MUAC] circumferences as dependent variables and 10 maternal factors as independent variables using canonical correlation analysis (CCA. CCA considers simultaneously sets of dependent and independent variables and, thus, generates a substantially reduced type 1 error. Data were from women delivering a singleton live birth (n = 14,506 while participating in a double-masked, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled maternal vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation trial in rural Bangladesh. The first canonical correlation was 0.42 (P<0.001, demonstrating a moderate positive correlation mainly between the 5 birth size measurements and 5 maternal factors (preterm delivery, early pregnancy MUAC, infant sex, age and parity. A significant interaction between infant sex and preterm delivery on birth size was also revealed from the score plot. Thirteen percent of birth size variability was explained by the composite score of the maternal factors (Redundancy, RY/X = 0.131. Given an ability to accommodate numerous relationships and reduce complexities of multiple comparisons, CCA identified the 5 maternal variables able to predict birth size in this rural Bangladesh setting. CCA may offer an efficient, practical and inclusive approach to assessing the association between two sets of variables, addressing the innate complexity of interactions.

Calibration of Binocular Vision Sensors Based on Unknown-Sized Elliptical Stripe Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen Liu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Most of the existing calibration methods for binocular stereo vision sensor (BSVS depend on a high-accuracy target with feature points that are difficult and costly to manufacture and. In complex light conditions, optical filters are used for BSVS, but they affect imaging quality. Hence, the use of a high-accuracy target with certain-sized feature points for calibration is not feasible under such complex conditions. To solve these problems, a calibration method based on unknown-sized elliptical stripe images is proposed. With known intrinsic parameters, the proposed method adopts the elliptical stripes located on the parallel planes as a medium to calibrate BSVS online. In comparison with the common calibration methods, the proposed method avoids utilizing high-accuracy target with certain-sized feature points. Therefore, the proposed method is not only easy to implement but is a realistic method for the calibration of BSVS with optical filter. Changing the size of elliptical curves projected on the target solves the difficulty of applying the proposed method in different fields of view and distances. Simulative and physical experiments are conducted to validate the efficiency of the proposed method. When the field of view is approximately 400 mm × 300 mm, the proposed method can reach a calibration accuracy of 0.03 mm, which is comparable with that of Zhang’s method.

Process for manufacture of inertial confinement fusion targets and resulting product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solomon, D.E.; Wise, K.D.; Wuttke, G.H.; Masnari, N.A.; Rensel, W.B.; Robinson, M.G.

1980-01-01

A method of manufacturing inertial confinement fusion targets is described which is adaptable for high volume production of low cost targets in a wide variety of sizes. The targets include a spherical pellet of fusion fuel surrounded by a protective concentric shell. (UK)

Doxorubicin loaded PVA coated iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kayal, S.; Ramanujan, R.V.

2010-01-01

Magnetic drug targeting is a drug delivery system that can be used in locoregional cancer treatment. Coated magnetic particles, called carriers, are very useful for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs. Magnetic carriers were synthesized by coprecipitation of iron oxide followed by coating with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, TEM, TGA, FTIR and VSM techniques. The magnetic core of the carriers was magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), with average size of 10 nm. The room temperature VSM measurements showed that magnetic particles were superparamagnetic. The amount of PVA bound to the iron oxide nanoparticles were estimated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the attachment of PVA to the iron oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR analysis. Doxorubicin (DOX) drug loading and release profiles of PVA coated iron oxide nanoparticles showed that up to 45% of adsorbed drug was released in 80 h, the drug release followed the Fickian diffusion-controlled process. The binding of DOX to the PVA was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The present findings show that DOX loaded PVA coated iron oxide nanoparticles are promising for magnetically targeted drug delivery.

Investigating size effects of complex nanostructures through Young-Laplace equation and finite element analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Dingjie; Xie, Yi Min; Huang, Xiaodong; Zhou, Shiwei; Li, Qing

2015-01-01

Analytical studies on the size effects of a simply-shaped beam fixed at both ends have successfully explained the sudden changes of effective Young's modulus as its diameter decreases below 100 nm. Yet they are invalid for complex nanostructures ubiquitously existing in nature. In accordance with a generalized Young-Laplace equation, one of the representative size effects is transferred to non-uniformly distributed pressure against an external surface due to the imbalance of inward and outward loads. Because the magnitude of pressure depends on the principal curvatures, iterative steps have to be adopted to gradually stabilize the structure in finite element analysis. Computational results are in good agreement with both experiment data and theoretical prediction. Furthermore, the investigation on strengthened and softened Young's modulus for two complex nanostructures demonstrates that the proposed computational method provides a general and effective approach to analyze the size effects for nanostructures in arbitrary shape

Protein targeting in the analysis of learning and memory: a potential alternative to gene targeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerlai, R; Williams, S P; Cairns, B; Van Bruggen, N; Moran, P; Shih, A; Caras, I; Sauer, H; Phillips, H S; Winslow, J W

1998-11-01

Gene targeting using homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells offers unprecedented precision with which one may manipulate single genes and investigate the in vivo effects of defined mutations in the mouse. Geneticists argue that this technique abrogates the lack of highly specific pharmacological tools in the study of brain function and behavior. However, by now it has become clear that gene targeting has some limitations too. One problem is spatial and temporal specificity of the generated mutation, which may appear in multiple brain regions or even in other organs and may also be present throughout development, giving rise to complex, secondary phenotypical alterations. This may be a disadvantage in the functional analysis of a number of genes associated with learning and memory processes. For example, several proteins, including neurotrophins--cell-adhesion molecules--and protein kinases, that play a significant developmental role have recently been suggested to be also involved in neural and behavioral plasticity. Knocking out genes of such proteins may lead to developmental alterations or even embryonic lethality in the mouse, making it difficult to study their function in neural plasticity, learning, and memory. Therefore, alternative strategies to gene targeting may be needed. Here, we suggest a potentially useful in vivo strategy based on systemic application of immunoadhesins, genetically engineered fusion proteins possessing the Fc portion of the human IgG molecule and, for example, a binding domain of a receptor of interest. These proteins are stable in vivo and exhibit high binding specificity and affinity for the endogenous ligand of the receptor, but lack the ability to signal. Thus, if delivered to the brain, immunoadhesins may specifically block signalling of the receptor of interest. Using osmotic minipumps, the protein can be infused in a localized region of the brain for a specified period of time (days or weeks). Thus, the location

Folate-decorated chitosan/doxorubicin poly(butyl)cyanoacrylate nanoparticles for tumor-targeted drug delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan Jinghua [Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hepatobiliary and Enteric Surgery Research Center (China); Liu Mujun [Central South University, School of Biological Science and Technology (China); Zhang Yangde; Zhao Jinfeng; Pan Yifeng [Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hepatobiliary and Enteric Surgery Research Center (China); Yang Xiyun, E-mail: bax_2007@126.com [Central South University, School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering (China)

2012-03-15

A novel chitosan coated poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanoparticles loaded doxorubicin (DOX) were synthesized and then conjugated with folic acid to produce a folate-targeted drug carrier for tumor-specific drug delivery. Prepared nanoparticles were surface modified by folate for targeting cancer cells, which is confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and characterized for shape, size, and zeta potential measurements. The size and zeta potential of prepared DOX-PBCA nanoparticles (DOX-PBCA NPs) were almost 174 {+-} 8.23 nm and +23.14 {+-} 4.25 mV, respectively with 46.8 {+-} 3.32% encapsulation capacity. The transmission electron microscopy study revealed that preparation allowed the formation of spherical nanometric and homogeneous. Fluorescent microscopy imaging and flow cytometry analysis revealed that DOX-PBCA NPs were endocytosed into MCF-7 cells through the interaction with overexpressed folate receptors on the surface of the cancer cells. The results demonstrate that folate-conjugated DOX-PBCA NPs drug delivery system could provide increased therapeutic benefit by delivering the encapsulated drug to the folate receptor positive cancer cells.

Interaction of a laser breakdown plasma with a charged metallic target

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasil' ev, B I; Grasyuk, A Z; Dyad' kin, A P; Sukhanov, A N [AN SSSR, Moscow. Fizicheskij Inst.

1981-11-01

An effect has been studied of the laser plasma on potential of an insulated conducting target made of aluminium. Targets of 2.4 and 6 cm diameter were used. Spot sizes on the target changed by means of a diaphragm. A change has been found in the charged target potential upon exposure to the high-power TEA CO/sub 2/ laser radiation. Dependences are presented of the jump in the target potential ..delta..U on the initial target potential, laser radiation energy density, geometrical size of the exposed region. It has been established that there is an optimal pressure of the ambient air under which ..delta..U reaches maximum. A dependence is presented of ..delta..U on the pressure upon target exposure in the air and in nitrogen. Temporal characteristics of the ..delta..U variation correlate with those of plasma glow in the visible and ultraviolet bands. A mechanism is suggested which explains the potential jump under the interaction between the laser plasma and the charged metallic target.

Characterization of micron-size hydrogen clusters using Mie scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Jinno, S; Tanaka, H; Matsui, R; Kanasaki, M; Sakaki, H; Kando, M; Kondo, K; Sugiyama, A; Uesaka, M; Kishimoto, Y; Fukuda, Y

2017-08-07

Hydrogen clusters with diameters of a few micrometer range, composed of 10 8-10 hydrogen molecules, have been produced for the first time in an expansion of supercooled, high-pressure hydrogen gas into a vacuum through a conical nozzle connected to a cryogenic pulsed solenoid valve. The size distribution of the clusters has been evaluated by measuring the angular distribution of laser light scattered from the clusters. The data were analyzed based on the Mie scattering theory combined with the Tikhonov regularization method including the instrumental functions, the validity of which was assessed by performing a calibration study using a reference target consisting of standard micro-particles with two different sizes. The size distribution of the clusters was found discrete peaked at 0.33 ± 0.03, 0.65 ± 0.05, 0.81 ± 0.06, 1.40 ± 0.06 and 2.00 ± 0.13 µm in diameter. The highly reproducible and impurity-free nature of the micron-size hydrogen clusters can be a promising target for laser-driven multi-MeV proton sources with the currently available high power lasers.

Proposal for element size and time increment selection guideline by 3-D finite element method for elastic waves propagation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Hitoshi; Meshii, Toshiyuki

2008-01-01

This paper proposes a guideline for selection of element size and time increment by 3-D finite element method, which is applied to elastic wave propagation analysis for a long distance of a large structure. An element size and a time increment are determined by quantitative evaluation of strain, which must be 0 on the analysis model with a uniform motion, caused by spatial and time discretization. (author)

Noise Parameter Analysis of SiGe HBTs for Different Sizes in the Breakdown Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chie-In Lee

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Noise parameters of silicon germanium (SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs for different sizes are investigated in the breakdown region for the first time. When the emitter length of SiGe HBTs shortens, minimum noise figure at breakdown decreases. In addition, narrower emitter width also decreases noise figure of SiGe HBTs in the avalanche region. Reduction of noise performance for smaller emitter length and width of SiGe HBTs at breakdown resulted from the lower noise spectral density resulting from the breakdown mechanism. Good agreement between experimental and simulated noise performance at breakdown is achieved for different sized SiGe HBTs. The presented analysis can benefit the RF circuits operating in the breakdown region.

Size-matched alkyne-conjugated cyanine fluorophores to identify differences in protein glycosylation.

Science.gov (United States)

Burnham-Marusich, Amanda R; Plechaty, Anna M; Berninsone, Patricia M

2014-09-01

Currently, there are few methods to detect differences in posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in a specific manner from complex mixtures. Thus, we developed an approach that combines the sensitivity and specificity of click chemistry with the resolution capabilities of 2D-DIGE. In "Click-DIGE", posttranslationally modified proteins are metabolically labeled with azido-substrate analogs, then size- and charge-matched alkyne-Cy3 or alkyne-Cy5 dyes are covalently attached to the azide of the PTM by click chemistry. The fluorescently-tagged protein samples are then multiplexed for 2DE analysis. Whereas standard DIGE labels all proteins, Click-DIGE focuses the analysis of protein differences to a targeted subset of posttranslationally modified proteins within a complex sample (i.e. specific labeling and analysis of azido glycoproteins within a cell lysate). Our data indicate that (i) Click-DIGE specifically labels azido proteins, (ii) the resulting Cy-protein conjugates are spectrally distinct, and (iii) the conjugates are size- and charge-matched at the level of 2DE. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by detecting multiple differentially expressed glycoproteins between a mutant cell line defective in UDP-galactose transport and the parental cell line. We anticipate that the diversity of azido substrates already available will enable Click-DIGE to be compatible with analysis of a wide range of PTMs. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Target molecular weights for red cell band 3 stilbene and mercurial binding sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verkman, A.S.; Skorecki, K.L.; Jung, C.Y.; Ausiello, D.A.

1986-01-01

Radiation inactivation was used to measure the target sizes for binding of disulfonic stilbene anion transport inhibitor 4,4'-dibenzamido-2,2'-disulfonic stilbene (DBDS) and mercurial water transport inhibitor p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (pCMBS) to human erythrocytes. The measured target size for erythrocyte ghost acetylcholinesterase was 78 +/- 3 kDa. DBDS binding to ghost membranes was measured by a fluorescence enhancement technique. Radiation (0-26 Mrad) had no effect on total membrane protein and DBDS binding affinity, whereas DBDS binding stoichiometry decreased exponentially with radiation dose, giving a target size of 59 +/- 4 kDa. H2-4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic stilbene (H2-DIDS, 5 microM) blocked greater than 95% of DBDS binding at all radiation doses. pCMBS binding was measured from the time course of tryptophan fluorescence quenching in ghosts treated with the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Radiation did not affect the kinetics of tryptophan quenching, whereas the total amplitude of the fluorescence signal inactivated with radiation with a target size of 31 +/- 6 kDa. These results support the notion that DBDS and pCMBS bind to the transmembrane domain of erythrocyte band 3 in NEM-treated ghosts and demonstrate that radiation inactivation may probe a target significantly smaller than a covalently linked protein subunit. The small target size for the band 3 stilbene binding site may correspond to the intramembrane domain of the band 3 monomer (52 kDa), which is physically distinct from the cytoplasmic domain (42 kDa)

Determination of the accuracy for targeted irradiations of cellular substructures at SNAKE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siebenwirth, C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich (Germany); Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik (LRT2), Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg (Germany); Greubel, C. [Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik (LRT2), Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg (Germany); Drexler, S.E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich (Germany); Girst, S.; Reindl, J. [Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik (LRT2), Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg (Germany); Walsh, D.W.M. [Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik (LRT2), Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg (Germany); Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich (Germany); Dollinger, G. [Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik (LRT2), Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg (Germany); Friedl, A.A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich (Germany); and others

2015-04-01

In the last 10 years the ion microbeam SNAKE, installed at the Munich 14 MV tandem accelerator, has been successfully used for radiobiological experiments by utilizing pattern irradiation without targeting single cells. Now for targeted irradiation of cellular substructures a precise irradiation device was added to the live cell irradiation setup at SNAKE. It combines a sub-micrometer single ion irradiation facility with a high resolution optical fluorescence microscope. Most systematic errors can be reduced or avoided by using the same light path in the microscope for beam spot verification as well as for and target recognition. In addition online observation of the induced cellular responses is possible. The optical microscope and the beam delivering system are controlled by an in-house developed software which integrates the open-source image analysis software, CellProfiler, for semi-automatic target recognition. In this work the targeting accuracy was determined by irradiation of a cross pattern with 55 MeV carbon ions on nucleoli in U2OS and HeLa cells stably expressing a GFP-tagged repair protein MDC1. For target recognition, nuclei were stained with Draq5 and nucleoli were stained with Syto80 or Syto83. The damage response was determined by live-cell imaging of MDC1-GFP accumulation directly after irradiation. No systematic displacement and a random distribution of about 0.7 μm (SD) in x-direction and 0.8 μm (SD) in y-direction were observed. An independent analysis after immunofluorescence staining of the DNA damage marker yH2AX yielded similar results. With this performance a target with a size similar to that of nucleoli (i.e. a diameter of about 3 μm) is hit with a probability of more than 80%, which enables the investigation of the radiation response of cellular subcompartments after targeted ion irradiation in the future.

Determination of the accuracy for targeted irradiations of cellular substructures at SNAKE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siebenwirth, C.; Greubel, C.; Drexler, S.E.; Girst, S.; Reindl, J.; Walsh, D.W.M.; Dollinger, G.; Friedl, A.A.

2015-01-01

In the last 10 years the ion microbeam SNAKE, installed at the Munich 14 MV tandem accelerator, has been successfully used for radiobiological experiments by utilizing pattern irradiation without targeting single cells. Now for targeted irradiation of cellular substructures a precise irradiation device was added to the live cell irradiation setup at SNAKE. It combines a sub-micrometer single ion irradiation facility with a high resolution optical fluorescence microscope. Most systematic errors can be reduced or avoided by using the same light path in the microscope for beam spot verification as well as for and target recognition. In addition online observation of the induced cellular responses is possible. The optical microscope and the beam delivering system are controlled by an in-house developed software which integrates the open-source image analysis software, CellProfiler, for semi-automatic target recognition. In this work the targeting accuracy was determined by irradiation of a cross pattern with 55 MeV carbon ions on nucleoli in U2OS and HeLa cells stably expressing a GFP-tagged repair protein MDC1. For target recognition, nuclei were stained with Draq5 and nucleoli were stained with Syto80 or Syto83. The damage response was determined by live-cell imaging of MDC1-GFP accumulation directly after irradiation. No systematic displacement and a random distribution of about 0.7 μm (SD) in x-direction and 0.8 μm (SD) in y-direction were observed. An independent analysis after immunofluorescence staining of the DNA damage marker yH2AX yielded similar results. With this performance a target with a size similar to that of nucleoli (i.e. a diameter of about 3 μm) is hit with a probability of more than 80%, which enables the investigation of the radiation response of cellular subcompartments after targeted ion irradiation in the future

Real-Time Measurement of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Size Distribution and Metals Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikheev, Vladimir B; Brinkman, Marielle C; Granville, Courtney A; Gordon, Sydney M; Clark, Pamela I

2016-09-01

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is increasing worldwide and is highest among both daily and nondaily smokers. E-cigarettes are perceived as a healthier alternative to combustible tobacco products, but their health risk factors have not yet been established, and one of them is lack of data on aerosol size generated by e-cigarettes. We applied a real-time, high-resolution aerosol differential mobility spectrometer to monitor the evolution of aerosol size and concentration during puff development. Particles generated by e-cigarettes were immediately delivered for analysis with minimal dilution and therefore with minimal sample distortion, which is critically important given the highly dynamic aerosol/vapor mixture inherent to e-cigarette emissions. E-cigarette aerosols normally exhibit a bimodal particle size distribution: nanoparticles (11-25nm count median diameter) and submicron particles (96-175nm count median diameter). Each mode has comparable number concentrations (10(7)-10(8) particles/cm(3)). "Dry puff" tests conducted with no e-cigarette liquid (e-liquid) present in the e-cigarette tank demonstrated that under these conditions only nanoparticles were generated. Analysis of the bulk aerosol collected on the filter showed that e-cigarette emissions contained a variety of metals. E-cigarette aerosol size distribution is different from that of combustible tobacco smoke. E-cigarettes generate high concentrations of nanoparticles and their chemical content requires further investigation. Despite the small mass of nanoparticles, their toxicological impact could be significant. Toxic chemicals that are attached to the small nanoparticles may have greater adverse health effects than when attached to larger submicron particles. The e-cigarette aerosol size distribution is different from that of combustible tobacco smoke and typically exhibits a bimodal behavior with comparable number concentrations of nanoparticles and submicron particles. While vaping the e

The transcription factor Swi4 is target for PKA regulation of cell size at the G1 to S transition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Amigoni, Loredana; Colombo, Sonia; Belotti, Fiorella; Alberghina, Lilia; Martegani, Enzo

2015-08-03

To investigate the specific target of PKA in the regulation of cell cycle progression and cell size we developed a new approach using the yeast strain GG104 bearing a deletion in adenylate cyclase gene and permeable to cAMP ( cyr1Δ, pde2Δ, msn2Δ, msn4Δ). In this strain the PKA activity is absent and can be activated by addition of cAMP in the medium, without any other change of the growth conditions. In the present work we show that the activation of PKA by exogenous cAMP in the GG104 strain exponentially growing in glucose medium caused a marked increase of cell size and perturbation of cell cycle with a transient arrest of cells in G1, followed by an accumulation of cells in G2/M phase with a minimal change in the growth rate. Deletion of CLN1 gene, but not of CLN2, abolished the transient G1 phase arrest. Consistently we found that PKA activation caused a transcriptional repression of CLN1 gene. Transcription of CLN1 is controlled by SBF and MBF dual-regulated promoter. We found that also the deletion of SWI4 gene abolished the transient G1 arrest suggesting that Swi4 is a target responsible for PKA modulation of G1/S phase transition. We generated a SWI4 allele mutated in the consensus site for PKA (Swi4(S159A)) and we found that expression of Swi4(S159A) protein in the GG104-Swi4Δ strain did not restore the transient G1 arrest induced by PKA activation, suggesting that Swi4 phosphorylation by PKA regulates CLN1 gene expression and G1/S phase transition.

Sejong Open Cluster Survey (SOS). 0. Target Selection and Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Hwankyung; Lim, Beomdu; Bessell, Michael S.; Kim, Jinyoung S.; Hur, Hyeonoh; Chun, Moo-Young; Park, Byeong-Gon

2013-06-01

Star clusters are superb astrophysical laboratories containing cospatial and coeval samples of stars with similar chemical composition. We initiate the Sejong Open cluster Survey (SOS) - a project dedicated to providing homogeneous photometry of a large number of open clusters in the SAAO Johnson-Cousins' UBVI system. To achieve our main goal, we pay much attention to the observation of standard stars in order to reproduce the SAAO standard system. Many of our targets are relatively small sparse clusters that escaped previous observations. As clusters are considered building blocks of the Galactic disk, their physical properties such as the initial mass function, the pattern of mass segregation, etc. give valuable information on the formation and evolution of the Galactic disk. The spatial distribution of young open clusters will be used to revise the local spiral arm structure of the Galaxy. In addition, the homogeneous data can also be used to test stellar evolutionary theory, especially concerning rare massive stars. In this paper we present the target selection criteria, the observational strategy for accurate photometry, and the adopted calibrations for data analysis such as color-color relations, zero-age main sequence relations, Sp - M_V relations, Sp - T_{eff} relations, Sp - color relations, and T_{eff} - BC relations. Finally we provide some data analysis such as the determination of the reddening law, the membership selection criteria, and distance determination.

Fractal and multifractal approaches for the analysis of crack-size dependent scaling laws in fatigue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paggi, Marco [Politecnico di Torino, Department of Structural Engineering and Geotechnics, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy)], E-mail: marco.paggi@polito.it; Carpinteri, Alberto [Politecnico di Torino, Department of Structural Engineering and Geotechnics, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy)

2009-05-15

The enhanced ability to detect and measure very short cracks, along with a great interest in applying fracture mechanics formulae to smaller and smaller crack sizes, has pointed out the so-called anomalous behavior of short cracks with respect to their longer counterparts. The crack-size dependencies of both the fatigue threshold and the Paris' constant C are only two notable examples of these anomalous scaling laws. In this framework, a unified theoretical model seems to be missing and the behavior of short cracks can still be considered as an open problem. In this paper, we propose a critical reexamination of the fractal models for the analysis of crack-size effects in fatigue. The limitations of each model are put into evidence and removed. At the end, a new generalized theory based on fractal geometry is proposed, which permits to consistently interpret the short crack-related anomalous scaling laws within a unified theoretical formulation. Finally, this approach is herein used to interpret relevant experimental data related to the crack-size dependence of the fatigue threshold in metals.

Fractal and multifractal approaches for the analysis of crack-size dependent scaling laws in fatigue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paggi, Marco; Carpinteri, Alberto

2009-01-01

The enhanced ability to detect and measure very short cracks, along with a great interest in applying fracture mechanics formulae to smaller and smaller crack sizes, has pointed out the so-called anomalous behavior of short cracks with respect to their longer counterparts. The crack-size dependencies of both the fatigue threshold and the Paris' constant C are only two notable examples of these anomalous scaling laws. In this framework, a unified theoretical model seems to be missing and the behavior of short cracks can still be considered as an open problem. In this paper, we propose a critical reexamination of the fractal models for the analysis of crack-size effects in fatigue. The limitations of each model are put into evidence and removed. At the end, a new generalized theory based on fractal geometry is proposed, which permits to consistently interpret the short crack-related anomalous scaling laws within a unified theoretical formulation. Finally, this approach is herein used to interpret relevant experimental data related to the crack-size dependence of the fatigue threshold in metals.

42 CFR 457.310 - Targeted low-income child.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... family income at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line for a family of the size involved; (ii... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Targeted low-income child. 457.310 Section 457.310... Requirements: Eligibility, Screening, Applications, and Enrollment § 457.310 Targeted low-income child. (a...

Quantitative analysis of crystal/grain sizes and their distributions in 2D and 3D

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berger, Alfons; Herwegh, Marco; Schwarz, Jens-Oliver

2011-01-01

data for grain size data are either 1D (i.e. line intercept methods), 2D (area analysis) or 3D (e.g., computed tomography, serial sectioning). These data have been used for different data treatments over the years, whereas several studies assume a certain probability function (e.g., logarithm, square......-piezometers or grain size sensitive flow laws. Such compatibility is tested for different data treatments using one- and two-dimensional measurements. We propose an empirical conversion matrix for different datasets. These conversion factors provide the option to make different datasets compatible with each other...... is important for studies of nucleation and growth of minerals. The shape of the crystal size distribution of garnet populations is compared between different 2D and 3D measurements, which are serial sectioning and computed tomography. The comparison of different direct measured 3D data; stereological data...

The Strength and Drivers of Bird-Mediated Selection on Fruit Crop Size: A Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Facundo X. Palacio

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In seed-dispersal mutualisms, the number of fruit a plant displays is a key trait, as it acts as a signal for seed dispersers that entails fruit removal and exportation of reproductive units (fruit crop size hypothesis. Although this hypothesis has gained general acceptance, forces driving the shape and strength of natural selection exerted by birds on fruit crop size remains an unresolved matter. Here, we propose that ecological filters promoting high functional equivalence of interacting partners (similar functional roles translate into similar selection pressures on fruit crop size, enhancing selection strength on this trait. We performed a meta-analysis on 50 seed-dispersal systems to test the hypothesis that frugivorous birds exert positive selection pressure on fruit crop size, and to assess whether different factors expected to act as filters (fruit diameter, fruit type, fruiting season length, bird functional groups, and latitude influence phenotypic selection regimes on this trait. Birds promote larger fruit crop sizes as a general pattern in nature. Short fruiting seasons and a high proportion of species belonging to the same functional group showed higher selection strength on fruit crop size. Also, selection strength on fruit crop size increased for large-fruited species and toward the tropics. Our results support the hypothesis that fruit crop size represents a conspicuous signal advertising the amount of reward to visually driven interacting partners, and that both plant and bird traits, as well as environmental factors, drive selection strength on fruit display traits. Furthermore, our results suggest that the relationship among forces impinged by phenology and frugivore functional roles may be key to understand their evolutionary stability.

Display of GPI-anchored anti-EGFR nanobodies on extracellular vesicles promotes tumour cell targeting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sander A. A. Kooijmans

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs are attractive candidate drug delivery systems due to their ability to functionally transport biological cargo to recipient cells. However, the apparent lack of target cell specificity of exogenously administered EVs limits their therapeutic applicability. In this study, we propose a novel method to equip EVs with targeting properties, in order to improve their interaction with tumour cells. Methods: EV producing cells were transfected with vectors encoding for anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR nanobodies, which served as targeting ligands for tumour cells, fused to glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI anchor signal peptides derived from decay-accelerating factor (DAF. EVs were isolated using ultrafiltration/size-exclusion liquid chromatography and characterized using western blotting, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, and electron microscopy. EV–tumour cell interactions were analyzed under static conditions using flow cytometry and under flow conditions using a live-cell fluorescence microscopy-coupled perfusion system. Results: V analysis showed that GPI-linked nanobodies were successfully displayed on EV surfaces and were highly enriched in EVs compared with parent cells. Display of GPI-linked nanobodies on EVs did not alter general EV characteristics (i.e. morphology, size distribution and protein marker expression, but greatly improved EV binding to tumour cells dependent on EGFR density under static conditions. Moreover, nanobody-displaying EVs showed a significantly improved cell association to EGFR-expressing tumour cells under flow conditions. Conclusions: We show that nanobodies can be anchored on the surface of EVs via GPI, which alters their cell targeting behaviour. Furthermore, this study highlights GPI-anchoring as a new tool in the EV toolbox, which may be applied for EV display of a variety of proteins, such as antibodies, reporter proteins and signaling molecules.

Motion state analysis of space target based on optical cross section

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Qichen; Li, Zhi; Xu, Can; Liu, Chenghao

2017-10-01

In order to solve the problem that the movement state analysis method of the space target based on OCS is not related to the real motion state. This paper proposes a method based on OCS for analyzing the state of space target motion. This paper first establish a three-dimensional model of real STSS satellite, then change the satellite's surface into element, and assign material to each panel according to the actual conditions of the satellite. This paper set up a motion scene according to the orbit parameters of STSS satellite in STK, and the motion states are set to three axis steady state and slowly rotating unstable state respectively. In these two states, the occlusion condition of the surface element is firstly determined, and the effective face element is selected. Then, the coordinates of the observation station and the solar coordinates in the satellite body coordinate system are input into the OCS calculation program, and the OCS variation curves of the three axis steady state and the slow rotating unstable state STSS satellite are obtained. Combining the satellite surface structure and the load situation, the OCS change curve of the three axis stabilized satellite is analyzed, and the conclude that the OCS curve fluctuates up and down when the sunlight is irradiated to the load area; By using Spectral analysis method, autocorrelation analysis and the cross residual method, the rotation speed of OCS satellite in slow rotating unstable state is analyzed, and the rotation speed of satellite is successfully reversed. By comparing the three methods, it is found that the cross residual method is more accurate.

PRICE-LEVEL TARGETING – A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO INFLATION TARGETING?

OpenAIRE

Iulian Vasile Popescu

2012-01-01

The recent financial crisis that has led some central banks reaching the zero lower bound of their interest rate to use unconventional monetary policy instruments, has brought to the forefront the academic discussions on the shift from inflation targeting (IT) to price level targeting. This paper provides a comparative analysis on IT strategy and targeting the price level, assesses the implications and highlights the challenges of an eventual transition to a new monetary policy strategy. Bala...

Microarray Gene Expression Analysis to Evaluate Cell Type Specific Expression of Targets Relevant for Immunotherapy of Hematological Malignancies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M J Pont

Full Text Available Cellular immunotherapy has proven to be effective in the treatment of hematological cancers by donor lymphocyte infusion after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and more recently by targeted therapy with chimeric antigen or T-cell receptor-engineered T cells. However, dependent on the tissue distribution of the antigens that are targeted, anti-tumor responses can be accompanied by undesired side effects. Therefore, detailed tissue distribution analysis is essential to estimate potential efficacy and toxicity of candidate targets for immunotherapy of hematological malignancies. We performed microarray gene expression analysis of hematological malignancies of different origins, healthy hematopoietic cells and various non-hematopoietic cell types from organs that are often targeted in detrimental immune responses after allogeneic stem cell transplantation leading to graft-versus-host disease. Non-hematopoietic cells were also cultured in the presence of IFN-γ to analyze gene expression under inflammatory circumstances. Gene expression was investigated by Illumina HT12.0 microarrays and quality control analysis was performed to confirm the cell-type origin and exclude contamination of non-hematopoietic cell samples with peripheral blood cells. Microarray data were validated by quantitative RT-PCR showing strong correlations between both platforms. Detailed gene expression profiles were generated for various minor histocompatibility antigens and B-cell surface antigens to illustrate the value of the microarray dataset to estimate efficacy and toxicity of candidate targets for immunotherapy. In conclusion, our microarray database provides a relevant platform to analyze and select candidate antigens with hematopoietic (lineage-restricted expression as potential targets for immunotherapy of hematological cancers.

Cell size checkpoint control by the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Su-Chiung; de los Reyes, Chris; Umen, James G

2006-10-13

Size control is essential for all proliferating cells, and is thought to be regulated by checkpoints that couple cell size to cell cycle progression. The aberrant cell-size phenotypes caused by mutations in the retinoblastoma (RB) tumor suppressor pathway are consistent with a role in size checkpoint control, but indirect effects on size caused by altered cell cycle kinetics are difficult to rule out. The multiple fission cell cycle of the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii uncouples growth from division, allowing direct assessment of the relationship between size phenotypes and checkpoint function. Mutations in the C. reinhardtii RB homolog encoded by MAT3 cause supernumerous cell divisions and small cells, suggesting a role for MAT3 in size control. We identified suppressors of an mat3 null allele that had recessive mutations in DP1 or dominant mutations in E2F1, loci encoding homologs of a heterodimeric transcription factor that is targeted by RB-related proteins. Significantly, we determined that the dp1 and e2f1 phenotypes were caused by defects in size checkpoint control and were not due to a lengthened cell cycle. Despite their cell division defects, mat3, dp1, and e2f1 mutants showed almost no changes in periodic transcription of genes induced during S phase and mitosis, many of which are conserved targets of the RB pathway. Conversely, we found that regulation of cell size was unaffected when S phase and mitotic transcription were inhibited. Our data provide direct evidence that the RB pathway mediates cell size checkpoint control and suggest that such control is not directly coupled to the magnitude of periodic cell cycle transcription.

Evaluation of the combined effects of target size, respiratory motion and background activity on 3D and 4D PET/CT images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sang-June; Ionascu, Dan; Killoran, Joseph; Chin, Lee; Berbeco, Ross; Mamede, Marcelo; Gerbaudo, Victor H

2008-01-01

Gated (4D) PET/CT has the potential to greatly improve the accuracy of radiotherapy at treatment sites where internal organ motion is significant. However, the best methodology for applying 4D-PET/CT to target definition is not currently well established. With the goal of better understanding how to best apply 4D information to radiotherapy, initial studies were performed to investigate the effect of target size, respiratory motion and target-to-background activity concentration ratio (TBR) on 3D (ungated) and 4D PET images. Using a PET/CT scanner with 4D or gating capability, a full 3D-PET scan corrected with a 3D attenuation map from 3D-CT scan and a respiratory gated (4D) PET scan corrected with corresponding attenuation maps from 4D-CT were performed by imaging spherical targets (0.5-26.5 mL) filled with 18 F-FDG in a dynamic thorax phantom and NEMA IEC body phantom at different TBRs (infinite, 8 and 4). To simulate respiratory motion, the phantoms were driven sinusoidally in the superior-inferior direction with amplitudes of 0, 1 and 2 cm and a period of 4.5 s. Recovery coefficients were determined on PET images. In addition, gating methods using different numbers of gating bins (1-20 bins) were evaluated with image noise and temporal resolution. For evaluation, volume recovery coefficient, signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio were calculated as a function of the number of gating bins. Moreover, the optimum thresholds which give accurate moving target volumes were obtained for 3D and 4D images. The partial volume effect and signal loss in the 3D-PET images due to the limited PET resolution and the respiratory motion, respectively were measured. The results show that signal loss depends on both the amplitude and pattern of respiratory motion. However, the 4D-PET successfully recovers most of the loss induced by the respiratory motion. The 5-bin gating method gives the best temporal resolution with acceptable image noise. The results based on the 4D

Fishing destabilizes the biomass flow in the marine size spectrum

OpenAIRE

Rochet, M.-J.; Benoît, E.

2011-01-01

Fishing impacts on marine food webs are predicted by simulations of a size spectrum community model. In this model, predation is determined by predator and prey size and abundance, and drives predator growth and prey mortality. Fishing amplifies temporal oscillations in the biomass flow. Oscillations appear at lower fishing intensity and have wider amplitude when fishing is selective (removes a narrow size range) and/or when large fish are targeted, than when fishing is more balanced (catchin...